It's a thought that is on my mind right now. I am planning on starting an LS swap on my V8 S10 over the winter after other projects are out of the way, and have estimated it'll cost me about $5K, since I will not be going to challenge-level budget antics, as I have more money than time and space right now. When its done (at least the first version of "done"), I should have a street legal, reasonably reliable 400+ HP, 3000 lb vehicle. Eventually, I'm aiming for nigh-uncontrollable high HP beast. As it sits, I could probably sell the S10 for about $2000. So, I start thinking, what if I sell the S10, and spend $7K on something that's already built?
What do you see out there for around that price? At the higher horsepower end, is it just cobbled together projects, European performance cars of dubious reliability and high maintenance costs, and time-bomb Cobb-equipped WRXs? For 7K, would I be more realistically looking at mildly modified 4.6 S197 Mustangs and maybe a 4th Gen LS1 F-body(not that I want to deal with a car with half the engine under the dashboard)?
At this point, it's a question of build or buy. I have a specific set of ideas for the S10, but if there's a quicker path to something fast and fun, maybe I should take it.
In reply to Error404 :
Yeah, I wheelied myself to injury on a minibike a little under two months ago. Much as I would love a sportbike, there is no freaking way. Before the minibike incident, I had been keeping my eyes out for a deal on a Yamaha VMax, but have decided I like living better 
I just put together a 2008 bmw 335i with the n54 twin turbo motor.
$850 car with blown turbos and 148k
$250 new(used but working) turbos
$350 upgraded charge pipe with blowoff valve
$1000 ISC Coilovers
$1500 new wheels and good tires
$150 MHD tuning app
$250 random used body parts(was in pretty rough shape)
$50 polish and wax
$250 Paddle shift wheel and retrofit harness
$400 race pads
$200 misc fluids
$5350 total(ok, and countless hours of free labor) and it absolutely screams. It's set up for the road course, where my gut tells me it'll be pretty darn close to my Supercharged e92 M3 with at least 50k worth of performance parts. (Just finished, haven't hat a chance to run it on track yet)
7k's buys you a whole lot of beat K series hondas with enough left over for an ebay turbo set up.
Berk all that. $7k buys you a turbo NA. Already built and sorted.
eastsideTim said:
In reply to Error404 :
Yeah, I wheelied myself to injury on a minibike a little under two months ago. Much as I would love a sportbike, there is no freaking way. Before the minibike incident, I had been keeping my eyes out for a deal on a Yamaha VMax, but have decided I like living better
The throttle works both ways my friend. No reason to die on a VMax. Maybe as a first bike, sure. Be afraid. But if you’ve got a modicum of skill, no sweat.
Stampie (FS) said:
Berk all that. $7k buys you a turbo NA. Already built and sorted.
That's still slow
i'd almost think about selling my datsun for around 7, but I don't think I'm ready to move on. It's definitely fast.
cbaclawski said:
I just put together a 2008 bmw 335i with the n54 twin turbo motor.
$850 car with blown turbos and 148k
$250 new(used but working) turbos
$350 upgraded charge pipe with blowoff valve
$1000 ISC Coilovers
$1500 new wheels and good tires
$150 MHD tuning app
$250 random used body parts(was in pretty rough shape)
$50 polish and wax
$250 Paddle shift wheel and retrofit harness
$400 race pads
$200 misc fluids
$5350 total(ok, and countless hours of free labor) and it absolutely screams. It's set up for the road course, where my gut tells me it'll be pretty darn close to my Supercharged e92 M3 with at least 50k worth of performance parts. (Just finished, haven't hat a chance to run it on track yet)
Congrats! You sir have lived up to the moniker Grassroots Motorsports.
7k should get you a coupla jag xjrs, with enough left over for a large nitrous bottle.
Seriously though with 7k I'd be looking for a Mercedes with 12 cylinders or two turbos or both.
Or maybe something with a large hemi.
OjaiM5
Reader
6/24/20 8:28 p.m.
My e39 m5 was 7k and it is a beast.
You probably can find a C5 Vette base for that. That's a fairly fast car overall (Drag/Roadcouse).
A B5 A4 with a flash is pretty fast and you may be able to find one for <7K.
There are probably lots of Big engines Mercedes that can be had for $7K that will be fast in a straight line and entertaining around a track.
In reply to nocones :
I got an E55 AMG last year for $1500 and after a tuneup it was definitely fast. We used it at the challenge and sold it at the challenge for $1500
A 401 CJ said:
cbaclawski said:
I just put together a 2008 bmw 335i with the n54 twin turbo motor.
$850 car with blown turbos and 148k
$250 new(used but working) turbos
$350 upgraded charge pipe with blowoff valve
$1000 ISC Coilovers
$1500 new wheels and good tires
$150 MHD tuning app
$250 random used body parts(was in pretty rough shape)
$50 polish and wax
$250 Paddle shift wheel and retrofit harness
$400 race pads
$200 misc fluids
$5350 total(ok, and countless hours of free labor) and it absolutely screams. It's set up for the road course, where my gut tells me it'll be pretty darn close to my Supercharged e92 M3 with at least 50k worth of performance parts. (Just finished, haven't hat a chance to run it on track yet)
Congrats! You sir have lived up to the moniker Grassroots Motorsports.
I forgot $100 bucks for ebay catless downpipes... so $5450, lol
My Gen3 swapped MR2 was 2500, paint is trash though.
So that leaves a lot of money in the 7k budget to fix the paint, then still dump money into the suspension and downpipe etc
What kind of speed are you after? I find that a capable track/autox machine would eat up a decent part of that budget and not be terribly fast in a straight line. A fast in a straight line car would eat up a decent part of that budget and not be terribly quick on the autox course.
I imagine the closest balance is probably the best sorted boosted Miata you can find. But there the jump from quick/fast to "nigh-uncontrollable high HP beast" is going to be lots of $$$
I want to say c5 vette
Possibly also a, albeit bottom of the barrel, gt86
It depends on what type of speed you want, best overall in track, drag strips, and drivers car? probably the aforementioned vette, autox? probably a nicer miata or the aforementioned gt86, drag car? Old fox mustang or even a newer last gen mustang
7k is right in the range of an ‘05-‘09 s197 mustang gt or ‘11-‘14 v6. Locally, I’ve seen caprice PPVs for about 8k, but I bet a lot of that can be negotiated down. You can also get a pretty top notch facelifted e39 540i with a manual. That’d probably be my choice.
I dunno, i read this thread and just think 'build the s10'. If something that's a legitimately better option pops up for <7k you'll know it when you see it. Seems like a bird in the hand vs a total crapshoot.
A 401 CJ said:
The throttle works both ways my friend. No reason to die on a VMax. Maybe as a first bike, sure. Be afraid. But if you’ve got a modicum of skill, no sweat.
I've got pretty good skill, and could ride a wicked fast bike most of the time, but my wrist is kinda known for overcoming my common sense! So I stick to slow-ish bobbers.
Also to EST, a street bike and a mini bike have almost nothing in common. But none of the bike stuff has anything to do with your actual question.
I would think that anything as fun as a 400 hp S-10 would be hard to find for $7K
C5 are still around 10k near me but that is what I’d be looking at for a do fast everything car with creature comforts. C4s are a lot cheaper
V8 Mustangs are only about 1k less if that.
For pure straight line speed, I think it'll be hard to beat an LS swapped S10. An AWD DSM might be able to get you there IF you were able to find one that wasn't completely clapped out. Also, like a few others had mentioned, it's pretty easy to make power on Honda K-series motors these days. You'd just have to do some fab work if you wanted it in a RWD package
AaronT
New Reader
6/25/20 7:03 a.m.
In reply to Turbine :
I've only seen a few DSMs from Atlanta to Charlotte the past 2-3 years. I recall them all being beat to E36 M3 and/or priced like they were blessed with holy water by the Virgin Mary, herself.
In reply to AaronT :
Same here, unfortunately. I'd love a 1g
