Thread: New Here/ First Hot Rod

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Hello every one, my names chris. IM 15. Ive been working on cars since the age of 2. My grandfather tought me everything there is to know. Hes been a mechinic since he was 8. He grew up on hot rods, as have I. I aspire to have the fastest car in my high school and to run 9's by my 21st birthday. I was wondering what would be a first good Hot-Rod. Im a damn good driver so thats nothing to worry about. I just want to fix something up to race on the street and the strip. I hate how " RICE ROCKETS " are taking over the streets, the strips, and my high school. I would like to dust them all , but first i need a car. Any Ideas. I have about 5k to spend. But since i have 2 jobs, a montly payment is no big, i make 13.50 an hour at a body shop, and about 50.00 bucks a day caddying. Any ideas would be great.

Thanks,
~THE HOT ROD HERO~

I Also forgot to add, i would like an older car, like a 32 roadster, 57 chevy bel air 2 door hardtop, ECT. Insurance and finding the car will be no problem. My dad is in the car business( as well as i am ) and he can find any car. My dad also said he would sign on with me for insurance.

Yaaaa Hooo! Wow Techinspector, this sounds like like a wheel standing cross between the Tubester and the Little Red Wagon dragster Sounds like you've had it on your mind a while!

Dan J

Richard,

Time for your medication! You wouldn't happen to be w2zero's brother would you? Actually, the truck idea sounds pretty cool. With a tonneau on the bed it would have them all guessing.

HRH,
About your having learned all there is to know already. I would respectfully say.............you don't know what you don't know......yet! If you pursue your ambitions you'll have a great learning experience. I've been playing with this stuff for over 40 years and I still learn stuff everyday and with each project. And new stuff is coming along everyday. There's always something new to learn.

wow Tech- I'm impressed, I got to get out more....lol.
I'm doing something like that right now with an S-10 / 53 Chevy PU & the 472 out of the Fleetwood, I never thought about the Eldie W/ front wheel- now THAT would hook-up...geez.....I'm not worthy

Hot Rod, where are you in Illinois? There is to be an auction of my deceased partner's hotrods and parts on August first. This auction will take place a mile north of Monmouth, Illinois on U.S. Hwy 67. There are about 15 cars and trucks there from all out drag cars to show cars to stockers. There is even a 6-71 GMC blower there.

I live in naperville, MY dad now thinks i should get a 1997 porsche boxster...... or a 2002 35th anniversery camaro z28.

HotRodHero,

Dude! You've got to talk to your dad... maybe a '67 or '68 Z28

Dan J

Welcome to CHR

I think u sould conceder a 69 Camaro or a Chevy Nova i mean i like many older cars i dont really know what you like but my Camaro has always made me happy its my dream car and i got it when i was your age i started from scratch so get something u will be happy with i know my car turned heads in high skool!

Hey hot rod, Just pick a car that "does something for ya" and build it. Light cars with big motors are always a good way to start out. Anyway, just build what you like, make sure the brakes and suspension are up to the task then add horsepower til it runs the way you want it to.

Hi Hot Rod,
Welcome to the club. Id go with what 68camero had to say. A camero or a nova. I own a 1969 Chevy Nova. Check out my photos by click on the camera next to my name. Get something thats muscle. And yes im a girl.

Betsy

I'm confused here... You seem to have a budget of somewhere around $35,000-40,000 based on your dad offering to buy you a boxter or a new z28... Basically sounds like money is no object.

You want to achieve a 9 second quarter by the time you're 21.

Are you wanting this to be the same car??? Why not just get the nice new z28 your dad is offering. The new Z28's are very nice reliable cars that will do 13's off the showroom floor, 12's with a few basic mods and will definitely own the streets over the riceboys.....

Then for just pure speed- spend a little bit of $$ and buy an old nova or something, gut it and build yourself a strip only car to achieve the 9's. A 9second car will not exactly be very streetable or comfortable... but can be very fun to build one and keep tweaking it until you get the speed out of it you want.

Sounds to me like you have the $$ to do both... have a fast comfortable driver, and a fun hotrod buildup.

Whether you like the cars or not...a 2nd Gen Camaro is a pretty decent platform that you could pick up in your area for 2grand. Get a nice 400 SB...punch it out to a 406 and load it up with goodies. I have seen $3,000 406's run in the low 10's all day long. For a little more style, try a 70-73 Camaro. I have one and it is truly a plug and play car. It has a different rear end geometry than the 67-69's making it a little better of a handling car and you can stuff some serious rear end components under there. I have a 12 bolt, posi with ladder bars. No question that it doesn't have the resale value of the 69's...would love to have one myself...but the 2nd Gen's get you there alot cheaper.

I love the idea of a sedate Mopar. Get an early 70's Dart or Duster. Pull whatever is in the engine bay out and slap in a real fire breathing 440. I hang around guys that have picked up these cars in the $1,000 dollar range..in good shape if you can believe it...put most of their cash in go fast parts and for less than 5grand are also in the low 10's.

Looking to have a little more refinement...a buddy of mine spent about 5 grand and bought a 94 Camaro with the LS1. Some chip modification, exhaust work and that puppy is a little screamer. I refer to that Camaro as a Vette without the payment book.

Now would I personally turn down a Porsche Boxster that was being given to me for anyone one of the cars above?...not in your life time!!!

Get the z28 camaro over the boxster