Five thousand dollars all-in doesn’t stretch as far as many of us would like it to. Things add up. Tires, for example, will take a humongous bite out of that budget if you have to throw down for a new set of hoops. Major component replacement will hurt, too…you know how expensive an engine or transmission replacement can be. It’s why the Rough Start budget of five thousand dollars is appealing to me…it forces you to find the right balance between classic and modern, cool and functional, fast and practical. No, not every car is straight-up desirable, but they might have hope if you are creative and can spin a wrench in your spare time.
Or, you can take the easy way out, find a car that’s done and within your budget, spend the coin, and just hope the seller is being completely honest with you. Case in point: 1978 Ford Fairmont. It’s a Fox body, so it gets an automatic cool pass simply on potential alone, even if the box two-door isn’t your jam. With lots of people snatching these up for the LS Hybridization Program, finding a neat Ford-powered Ford isn’t getting any easier. So, why would we recommend plonking down every last red cent of your budget on this car? Let’s start with that Blueprint Engines 347 stroker build, the T5 five-speed manual, and the 8.8 with 3.73s out back. Done. Say no more…but we must. How about working air conditioning and sound system, and the wheels look killer too. You can finish up whatever project this was supposed to be, but honestly, we’d rock it as-is. This car has to be a riot. Unless the timing is off by forty degrees, there is no way this Fairmont doesn’t get down and squirrelly.
Painting random shit in the engine bay is tacky as shit and makes it look like a Pepboys special. Other than that nice car.