Hot Rides for Cool Dollars

With so many cool body styles to choose from, ranging from the late 1960s to late 1980s it is fairly easy to modify a classic car. My favorite is any Chevrolet model. With unparalleled performance working on a Chevy is a blast. But, with the prices of classic cars soaring into the hundreds of thousands, what is a hot rodder to do? Be different, that's what being a hot rodder is all about. Find the Chevy models that have not been already cornered by the market and build it yourself. Models from the 1970s and 1980s sell for a lot less money, but can still make a great project car. Here are some cars to look for.

• Second and Third Generation Camaro- The early 1970s Camaro's like the Rally Sport (RS) are often offered at bargain prices compared to the popular 69s. The RS bumper was available on all 1970-73 models. Second Generation Camaro's have large engine bays which fit any Chevrolet V8. Aftermarket parts are also plentiful for this model. 

• Mid 90s Camaro- The third generation IROC or Z28 came with a factory 350 Chevy Big Block Engine, which surprisingly had good fuel economy. Hard tops are better than T-Tops because the body doesn't flex as much. 

• 1978-88 A and G Body Chevy's- Cars like the Monte Carlo SS, the Oldsmobile Grand National, the Chevelle, and El Camino also came with a factory V8, usually a 305 engine and 200 R4 Overdrive. Today you can buy one for between $4000 and $6000 in good to average condition. 

• 1994-96 Caprice/Impala- The Police Caprices offer lots of factory engineered performance parts. Typically these police cruisers came with a factory 5.7 Liter V8 and the 9C1 police package that included separate coolers for the engine and transmission oil. The top speed for most of these police cruisers is around 140 mph. You can buy them at a Police auction for around $1500. It is best to get one that wasn't used for patrol 24/7; a chief or captains car is better because it wasn't driven as much. 

• 1968-74 Nova- This model has nearly the same suspension of its counterpart Camaro. 1968-72 Camaro's typically sell for more than the later models.