No Porsche content, but I need some car advice. I have a Volvo S80 work car used to pick people up at the airport, visit customers, that sort of thing. It's nice enough, turbo, a good freeway car, but not much character. I'm retired now and can drive whatever the hell I want, so I'm thinking something with a lot more character, and since I have Triple A with towing I don't need to err on the side of staid and dependable, can walk on the wild side. You'd think that would open things a lot, but I'm having trouble choosing a direction to go, so would appreciate some new ideas. What I most want:

1. Cheap (the reason I came here for advice). I'm retired, need to conserve those savings.
2. Some character. Usually that means an older car with good lines.
3. An athletic car, meaning a lot of power and excellent handling. This is the hard one in older cars.
4. Smog exempt, which in California means a gasoline car 1975 or older, or a diesel. This
   makes it easier to do an engine conversion.
5. Hopefully the strength and space to add in a GM LSx motor (that "power" part). Drivetrains
   have evolved a lot over the years, that's a fine engine to mate with a T56.
6. A four seater. Already have the 914 for thrills so don't need another 2 seater.
7. Reasonably dependable. The LSx motor/transmission helps, but can't be so exotic
   that no spares are available. Think Alfa, Peugeot.

The "athletic" part pretty much excludes the 50's and 60's American hotrods. I'm aware of ProTouring and like the idea of a Nomad wagon with and LSx and IRS rear conversion, but I can't (or don't want to) afford that. Of course taste is subjective, so to give you a feel for what my taste is, these are cars I've considered and why I rejected:

• MGB GT with a small block Ford conversion. Nice lines but 2 seater, too much like my 914/WRX.
• Datsun 2x0Z with a SBC/LSx conversion. Easy V8 but ditto too much like the 914, plus styling is
  Japanese gauche.
• 65-66 Mustang 2+2. Shelby style is overdone, they still don't handle and too expensive.
• All other 50's, 60's, 70's American cars. Not golden years for handling.
• Alfa GTV6 - I like the style, but no V8, transaxle's in the rear and they break a lot.
• BMW 2002 - Nice car, but would need a newer more powerful engine, and I've already heard
  enough squealing from concours folks. Those Bimmer nuts would be worse..
• BMW CS3.0 - Ditto 2002 comments. Even nicer car but not affordable.
• Maverick - Actually pretty nice lines, cheap Mustang performance parts, and could be nice low with
  Recaros, but still a Maverick.
• Mercedes 80-90's diesels, especially wagons. but they're heavy and US V8's still don't fit easily.
• Mercedes W123's (late 70's through the mid-80's) Family had these, good cars but heavy, and
  just never liked the style.
• Peugeot 505 wagon. Had two of these and loved them, but no parts any more so not viable.

Cars that all look good and I'm looking seriously at:

• Mercedes coupes from the 60's/70's. I like the style, but very difficult to fit a U.S. V8
  and almost no aftermarket suspension performance parts available.
• Mercedes W124 300TE diesel wagons. Diesel is smog exempt, but still difficult to fit that U.S. V8.
• Jaguar Mk2 and 1st gen XJ6 sedans. Great looking, easy engine conversions (lots already done), cheap,
  handle well, lots of parts available. Unfortunately English, and Lucas electrics.
• Jaguar XJ6/12 Coupes, 1976-77. Unfortunately with the U.S. crash stuff these are 500 lbs
  heavier than the earlier cars. Plus they're in the smog years, but I really like the style.

That "possible" list is way short and I need more ideas, so any suggestions? The hard part is taste, of course, everyone's is different, which is why I included that "excluded" list with comments, to give you a feel for mine. Any ideas appreciated.

V8 into a Volvo 122S wagon (or 2-door sedan), ipd bars, bilstein shocks, big brakes, etc.

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If you start with a Volvo diesel, you can move up to a little more modern car (like a 245 diesel wagon)--again ipd bars, bilstein shocks and struts, etc. Ford 5.0 and GM motors both fit. here's mine (right after I did the swap):

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I think 1983 was about the last year on the 2-series diesel . . . .

keep us posted!

I wouldn’t be so quick to plan on ripping out a diesel and replacing it with a gasoline engine. I know California used to check periodically to make sure there is still a diesel engine.

I kind of dig the Jaguar 420, in between the Mk2 and the later more angular cars.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Jaguar-Other-1968-...=US_Cars_Trucks

Early unibody camaro?

Full frame bolt on upgrade.
Whatever LS motor you want will fit.
New technology can make it handle like a new car.
People fit in the back.

I keep telling the wife, that if I ever need a four seater, its going to be an old Jag. Lot's of conversions out there, and very few cars with that kind of character.

Close,... but NO. Too front heavy. The 240 V8 conversions handle like dump trucks, even with the mentioned upgrades, and the earlier cars are even worse. For the last ten years I've put the mid 90's turbo engines, (B230ft) into late 60's and early 70's Volvo 140's. 142 or 145 cars. They go like CRAZY and are far lighter than the 240's and have several refinements over the 122's. I've had my turboed 140's up to 130 mph and that car was NOT inter-cooled. I have my current,(73) 142 with the same swap and it should easily go 150 mph AND being a lot lighter than a 90's,(740,940) turbo cars it gets up to speed QUICKLY . I've never had more fun than driving my 140 late engined turboed cars! I also didn't have to "hack" the car to do it. Just a thought.

I loved my 242 with IPD suspension and a late model intercooled turbo! It is big but the early body with the late motor, big wheels and IPD suspension stuff made it a blast to drive!

Don't be so quick to discount English cars. Most of the bad reputation for Lucas electrics comes from poorly made home repairs. There are many English cars on the road still running their original switch gear, fuse boxes, etc. By simply going through the car and cleaning connectors and grounds most problems can be quickly resolved.

Those older Jags are beautiful and the metal bits are mostly high quality. I would be hard pressed to change out that lovely twin cam 6 for a lump of v-8 muscle, though.

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'74 VW Scirroco

An often overlooked car that also makes the 'undeserved bad rap' list is a Mustang II fastback. Italian styling, v8 power available, disc brakes, rack and pinion steering, complete instrumentation, etc. Might also consider an 80's Fox body Mustang; lots of aftermarket stuff, can be make into a canyon carver.

Newer, but fun cheap drivers nonetheless.

300zx 2+2

Fox Body Mustang

German Capri

E28 BMW

E21 or E30 BMW

We'll, if we are going there....

E34 M5 BMW....

Pre 75

Ford Falcon/Mercury Comet with 302 swap

Ford Cortina

74 or 75 Camaro or Firebird restomod, nothing earlier cause you said cheap

Mercury Cougar

Datsun 510.

http://www.popularmechanics.com/cm/popular...01-0412-lgn.jpg

Your best bet for a budget fun build car would be a datsun 510. Pick your poison on body (coupe, 4dr, wagon)

I think a wagon would be a blast. You could swap in a SR20DET engine pretty easy or any medium sized engine at all. They are pretty light weight so handling is not an issue and there are tons of parts out there. Quite a strong Modesto community as well, but the audience is pretty young.


That or the Volvo 122 like others said. That body has some amazing design cues..

Jensen Interceptor? Rare, certainly has character, no idea about speed though.

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Mopar engine, right?

Chrysler v8

Also, someone is making a bolt in AWD for an original mini that uses the modern CRV drivetrain with VTEC. Could be fun.

go get a 1973-75 A-body chevelle, Malibu, cutlass, skylark, lemans and go retro nascar street legal.

swap an ls series engine/tranny in, and there are suspension update/conversions for these.

this series will be the next to go up in value.

Here you go, the car I was looking at get before I got the 914. A Jensen Healey.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jensen-Healey
I had my eye on one for $3000 and it was in good shape.
Simple to work on, lotus motor. Fun to drive....

Oh, needs 4 seats

Always liked the 2nd gen Chevy II Nova. A lot like the 914 you can make 'em as mild or wild as you want and they look good. Problem is (like 914's) the prices have gone up, but you can still find a good deal if you dig around.

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Nice lines

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Ford Capri-

Oh my, I think I'm getting ill.... a Mustang II is to be avoided like the plague- it's really a Pinto in disguise. Italian styling? Maybe by an Italian that ate some bad pasta with clam sauce, and as for the V8 power it still handles like a Pinto with a V8- poorly at best. Sorry to be a downer, but it's gotta be one of the UGLIEST cars ever...IMHO

Oh yeah Bob....Capri...good call...LOVED those back in the day. Classic styling. We never see 'em around here any more. Heard the engines could be problematic but certainly DB could fix that with a swap...

nissan 240sx. the LE flavor. LOTS of engine choises.

1976 Mustang II Cobra

http://www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/...-35-107-800.jpg

It may not have the lines you are looking for, but E39, BMW M5s are going in the low teens and you won't even have to put in your V8. Great power and reliablillity and you will forget you have 4 doors when you drive it.

My brother had a Capri. His first car, he rolled it of Mulholland before he even got his drivers license. He drove north off Deadmans, lucky he wasn't going south.
Good car. Hard to find now.

Datsun 510

Come to my neighbourhood and take away one of the 7 fuching BMW's my neighbour has spilling out of his driveway into the road.

3 - 328 convertibles
4 - 540 (3-4 doors and 1 wagon)

Ha ha, we have a homeowner's association here so sorry, can't help. Some interesting ideas, thanks. It's been illuminating to realize there are so few cars I'm really interested in. And it's odd that I've had a lot of the cars that have been suggested here, the Volvos, the Cortina, the 510's, though unfortunately grew up in no-rust central California, an area lousy with Mustang/Camaro/Novas, so those cars don't have much attraction for me.

I just made an offer for a Grey Poupon '77 Jaguar XJ6 with a Chevy small block. More than I want to spend but it's a solid car that needs work, which is good. It's a smog car, unfortunately, but has a BAR sticker for a SBC and I talked with SBC buddy who says I should be able to get an inexpensive and smog-legal 350 hp from it. So if the offer's accepted I'll start figuring out what all's needed to make it over into a ProTouring style car, and start having some pinky extended stinky cheese fun.

So....did you buy this DB? There are a couple on e-bay I've been lusting after myself. Mid-'80's with updated interiors and 350's. Would also really like to do a Volvo V8 someday. 740t wagon with a hot LS1 maybe. Stone stock on the outside.