Who would you build a car for? and Why?

Lets say you had a bunch of disposable money and building a car for someone (as a gift, not for a paying customer) was feasible from both a time and a money perspective.  The questions are:  who would you build a car for, what would it be, and why?  I'll start.

my buddy Homeboy has been my closest friend since the 80's. He had some cool cars when we were young: 67 Karmann Ghia, 71 Cutlass, 71 Malibu, '64 Spyder ragtop. We spent a lot of time and made a lot of memories going to junkyards, shows, races, etc. But since he sold me the Spyder back in 95, he's only had boring-ass cars. I've been thinking for many years now that I'd like to build him a bulletproof early Corvair, using as much single-donor late-model content as possible, so he could get it diagnosed and repaired anywhere / anytime. Just show up at his door one day and take him out for a beer in it, sit at the bar reminiscing on all the stupid E36 M3 we did back in the day, then hand him the keys and title and have him drop me at the airport.

anybody else have someone they want to build a car for? 

I'm kind of mid build right now. A car for my girlfriend. Her first car was a turbo s70 volvo that her grandfather gifted her. She adored him and spent a lot of time in that car. However, she always said it was a bit big. I have a plethora of e30s and while at a car show once we saw an e30 truck. We both expressed interest in it. She's not really a "car" person but can appreciate the work involved so she tends to be oblivious to curbs, road imperfections and other things lowered cars have to afford. Plus half the year she works at a haunted attraction on a farm. She needs something a bit more abusable. So, I cut an e30 into a truck, lifted it and will be swapping a whiteblock volvo turbo motor into. It's real rough right now but functional and she berkeleying loves it.

Wrapping up the Molvo for the wife. To be honest I think she was more in love with the concept of my building it for her than with the finished car. Call sit her Taj-Mahal. Several of her girl friends are quite impressed with the whole built not bought deal, so that gets me brownie points!

I built the MGB GT and it was always going to be my daughters car, but by the time she was old enough she had no interest in driving.

I cant imagine building a car for a friend just because of the amount of time it takes. But building it with a friend and even buying parts to keep the project going is certainly on the table.

Pete

I have just recently considered doing so for my youngest son who is of modest means but good intent

In the early 2000's after my Dad helped me win a few track championships, I built a very competitive mini stock for him to show my appreciation for all his hard work and dedication. He was in his early 60's then, retired at least 10 years already and on a fixed income so I also paid for his entrance and registration to every event until he quit racing.

In reply to Peabody here :

Those are good memories to have. I trust you attended said events?

In reply to AngryCorvair :

My best man. Navy buddy, friend of  50+ years. I'd buy a MGTC with a supercharger etc.  get it all vintage race ready, buy the drivers suit, helmet etc and pay his entry at Laguna Seca  

I’m not sure how much of a build it would be but I’d love to find an early Mustang convertible and put in good driving condition for my mom. She’s always (since childhood) thought they are cool but is way too practical to buy something like that for her self and all her vehicles have just been whatever appliance my dad picks and brings home from the dealer.

I think she’d really like having a fun car that was “hers.”

The '63 Ranchero is for my dad. It's taking me way too long. Not in an "I want my time back" way, more of a "I gotta get him out of those ratty old Volvos before he stops driving" way...

He had a '58 Ranchero well before I was born, and we had a couple of Falcon wagons when I was a kid, and he's always liked Falcons.

I'd love to build a Jag for my Mom. She had two in my youth, an XJ-12, and a '63 markIII.

My choice would be one of these.

This. For my wife who loves all things Italian, small efficient cars, and would look damn cute driving it. Autobianchi Bianchina Trasformabile.

64 Comet Caliente on a late model Mustang chassis, for a good friend who would love it almost as much as I would enjoy building it.

SWMBO. She's not a gear head, but she really appreciates a good, classic car (just like Mom, now that I think about it.)

Her favorite is a 1968 Camaro. Red.  I'm not sure if it would be a top down restoration, or a stupid fast drag sled. I'd have to pry a bit more info out of her to decide.

Streetwiseguy said:

64 Comet Caliente on a late model Mustang chassis, for a good friend who would love it almost as much as I would enjoy building it.

That sounds fun!  If I could I’d build one, it would be for my dad except it would be a ‘65 Chevelle on a modern chassis. He bought that car new, kept it for 3 years and sold it for a ‘67 Galaxie wagon as I was about to become the twinkle of his eye :), at least that’s how I like to think it happened lol.

The only living person that I’d want to build a car for would be my daughter. 

It would have a single seat, be as reliable as a mid 90s Honda Accord, and be made completely out of Nerf. 

You, because i know if I build it it'll get done before the 2030 challenge

I think I would try to track down Slidell PD 141.  My good friend (retired) was a Slidell PD Sergeant.  In one of his last years someone pulled out in front of him in his cruiser.  He loved that car.  It was issued to him by the department and when it was due to be retired, he pulled some strings and had it refurbished.  I think he drove SPD141 for 15 years.  I would love to find it in a wrecking yard and rebuild it, but from the pictures I saw... not much of it was left.

He's fine.  Had to have some foot surgery, but I would love to roll up in that car for him.  He and I have a crapload of New Orleans' best stories in that P71.  

I would really like to build a car for Mrs. gumby, but what to build would be a serious gamble. Cars are very much an appliance for her, and not much more. She shows minor interest in my projects I think more to see what I am interested in than anything else.
When we went shopping for her current appliance she gave me a list of need's and don't cares, I compiled a selection of cars we could see locally, and we drove 8 cars in a single day. I steered the boat, but she made the final decision. I did save the FoST for last because I know she would have shot it down based on price alone if we had driven it first....
She likes the sleeper aspect. Our FoST is silver(no stripes or decals) and blends in pretty well with the rest of the jelly beans. She won't even let me put exhaust on it.
She enjoys that her co-workers are astounded when they learn she drives a stick.
She likes the idea of a Miata(freely admitted with no prompting), but doesn't drive with the windows down or open the sunroof....ever. She didn't really have much praise for my x1/9 either.

She has mentioned in passing that she thinks a Miata might not be fast enough to entertain her now that she has the FoST; so maybe a maybe a hardtop Miata with a motor swap, manual trans, and quiet exhaust? Still a gamble, that's a lot of time and dollars invested on a maybe. I should stick her in a stock Mazdaspeed Miata and see what she thinks of that.

I'd build an Opel GT with engine, drivetrain and suspension from an automatic NC Miata and Soul Red paint for my dad. He's always loved the Opel GT but can't drive manual so since he doesn't want to retire from the medical community I could at least build him something cool to take to the office.

In reply to NOHOME :

Yes when I could.

I was there when he earned this shirt, which he was really proud of, at 65 

If you asked this a week ago, I would have said a '50 Merc, for my Pop. 

When he was a kid, almost driving age, his dad was going to buy a new (used) car. The family went along, and they test drove a '50 Merc. Teenage Pop thought it was the coolest thing, and was muttering under his breath, "ooh, buy this one, buy this one!" But, later that afternoon, his dad came home with a dull Nash, or something (I can't remember that part of the story). 

A couple years ago, for his 80th birthday, Mom arranged for a guy in a Ford - Mercury club to come to their house and take Pop cruising in his '50 Merc. 

Sadly, last Sunday, Pop had a tragic accident in the garage, essentially paralyzing him. The complications of his injury were more than his body could bear, and he was taken off life support Wednesday evening and passed away within the hour. 

My mother-in-law.

She used to have a Chevy Vega, an automatic.

She hated that car and it burnt to the ground in her driveway.

I'd build her another one, just like it.

In reply to RealMiniNoMore (Forum Supporter) :

So sorry to hear about your dad.

Pete

In reply to RealMiniNoMore (Forum Supporter) :

I am so sorry for your loss.

In reply to RealMiniNoMore (Forum Supporter) :

I'm so sorry for the loss of your Dad

In reply to Wally (Forum Supporter) :

I'm sorry for your loss, as well.