Opinions on easiest and cheapest car to make a drag car?

[Ron E]

The 90-ish F body cars result in a engine up under the windshield. They are plentiful, but ask someone who has raced one. Not the best choice in ease-of-service.
Had a customer with a S/S style Firebird. (SS/AS, and he had to keep the glass windshield. He replaced a few that were cracked during engine ins and outs.

[Masher Manufacturing]

Motor and trans are supposed to come out the bottom along with the front suspension. Make a cart to hold the powertrain then use the engine lift to lift the car ( or use a car lift but be careful with the change in center of gravity )

[af2]

I agree Murre!
They are my favorite also!
Adam

[crash]

my .02 = go with a chevy luv truck. i can pick em up all day for $100.
2x4 square tube frame all the way down. strip it ,cut it , install a roll cage. throw in a small block, back half and install a 9" . it will weigh 2400 and run 11's, cheap and easy.

[Ron Miller]

Gen 3 Camaro & Firebirds, 82 to 92 makes a great race car and can be had CHEAP !!! Their are many aftermarket parts available for the car ranging from bolt ons to back half kits. When all done and said my 92 Camaro Super Stock Gt car with a SB and T-350 weight was 3000 lbs. This weight is with stock stuff, steel fenders & hood , stock glass, full stock interior and T/A seats. You can easily get a Gen 3 body down to 2400 to 2600 lbs with a SB, glass hood, lexan windows, cut out the door guard beams and creativity in other areas.

[af2]

my .02 = go with a chevy luv truck. i can pick em up all day for $100.
2x4 square tube frame all the way down. strip it ,cut it , install a roll cage. throw in a small block, back half and install a 9" . it will weigh 2400 and run 11's, cheap and easy.

Crash, Where?!!!!
I looked for 10 years before I found a 72 to build and sold!

[Forced_Firebird]

There are many 3rd gen f bodies in the 9's with stock style rears. I'm parting out an 11sec '85 T/A now to finish the v6 twin turbo project.

They are plentiful and cheap

[defrag010]

Alot of people now are turning the light little imports into drag cars. The old RX7's are good ones, they were super light too and already have a solid axle setup in the rear (most of the imports are independent rear).

[BillPappy]

Most people forget about the H-body cars. All ready have 4 link or 3 link.
Have a good head start. Seen H-bodys run into the 7s Before
haveing to back half ,replacing the 7.5 diff.. EM Vega had 6.5 diffs
H-body you would have cheap and fast.

[desoto30]

Alot of people now are turning the light little imports into drag cars. The old RX7's are good ones, they were super light too and already have a solid axle setup in the rear (most of the imports are independent rear).

We've been doing exactly that in Australia for many years now

[mike ramirez racing]

I've been toying around with the idea of building me another car one day, one that is lighter than my current 55 chevy. The 55 is really dad's car so I would like a car of my own. I've been wondering what would be the easiest car to transfer into a all out drag car without running into alot of trouble or modifications. I'm talking about a full backhalf car, not a tube chassis car. I more or less a "Super Stock" type car but run bracket with. I can't afford to run super stock, wish I could though. I had always thought that the 90-92 Camaros always made a good looking car and it seems that parts are pretty easy to get ahold of. That year model car seems to be pretty easy to find a body and you can get them pretty cheap too. I don't particularly want to have to dump alot of money into a body before I even get started.

What is everyone's thoughts and ideas?

Jason

jason, how fast to ya want to go? I agree 3rd gen camaros(82-92) make bitchen race cars. I have a 89 RS camaro black with black interior, all stock no motor or trans for sale. I was gonna build it as a daily driven smog legal car for my wife but sold it. Now the new owner wants to sell the car less motor and trans. I bought it back and was gonna make it a bracket car for my wife. I have parts to put a 406 together, roughly 550 horse, was gonna use a PG, Moser 12bolt with 4.30's and a 28x10 slick. That combo would run all day in the low 11's and she'd love it. I think you could build that combo pretty cheap. BUT the car is for sale again. it's a nice car too. I'm sure if you wait long enough you'll come across a back half camaro. 68-72 novas used to be dime a dozen, even those are getting scarce.

[crash]

west texas. the luv's are everywhere. one of my budies has 2 sitting in his back yard. i have built 2 for myself and 1 for another friend and all were bought for 100. i did go over kill with mine. stretched the frame and front fenders/ made a super cab/ droped in a 496 on goes mid 9's 1/4 low 6's 1/8th

[mike ramirez racing]

chevy luv's are cool. been thinking of building one. Had a buddy in high school that did one. Total sleeper.

[SS402]

the foundation is the most important aspect when designing a door car, that said i would start with a full-frame car such as the mid 80's g-body malibu, monte carlo, cutlass or regal.. they take nicely to engine swaps and relatively easy to lose weight..