Some full-size "Rat Rods" that could be low-budget fun......

With even disco-era T/A's and Camaros commanding a King's ransom these days finding a cheap hot rod project isn't easy. But there are bargains out there if you think outside the box. Here's some cars that have great potential, but are overlooked by the hot rod crowd. # 1. 1967-69 Olds Delta 88 coupe. These had a sexy, fastback body, and either 425 or 455 cubes under the hood. Any suspension or brake upgrades that fit an Impala fit these cars. When I was a kid my mom had a '67 88 convertible with Torq-thrust mags on it that my whole neighborhood thought was totally badass. With my gearhead dad tweaking the 425-it was. Mom quickly forgave me for setting the convertible top on fire with an ill-aimed bottle rocket one 4th of July, but dad holds this grudge to this day 40 some years later. We all three regret selling that to my uncle who traded it in on a Mustang. That grudge-he didn't offer to sell it back to us-Mom carries to this day. # 2. 1970-78 Plymouth Sport Fury / Dodge Monaco. Remember the Blues Brothers? "It's got a cop motor, 440 cubic inches, it's got cop tires. cop brakes, cop shocks....."  You don't have to get a cop car to have fun with one of these. The 2 door models are actually good looking. Pass on 318 or 360 models, their underpowered in a heavy car. Besides most of them will have 383, 400 or 440s under the hood anyway. I'd paint it black and white and put a push-bar on the front end just to be an asshole and intimidate other motorists into getting out of your way. # 3. 1973-77 Pontiac LeMans. Not quite a full-size, but they are a big car. People fight with machetes for '68-72 models to turn into GTO clones, but no one cars about the '73-77 "Colonnade" models. Which makes them great deals for bargain hunters. The reason they are such a screaming deal is 90% of the Chevelles, Cutlasses and Buick Regals of this vintage had 350 small-blocks under their long hoods. By contrast, 95% of the Pontiacs will have 400 cubes standard, and a few will have 455s. They had "Radial Tuned Suspension"-( wrist-thick front and rear sway bars ) and front disc brakes standard, and any aftermarket suspension or brake upgrades that fit a Chevelle fit these cars. These make dynamite sleepers.   # 4. 1977-79 Ford Thunderbird / Lincoln MK V . These are about 600 lbs lighter than the '72-76 style they replaced. The hidden headlight, sleek styling still looks good today. The 460 models are the ones to have as they offer the most bang for the buck. 400 versions will be even cheaper, and their is plenty of aftermarket speed equipment for these engines too. Some of these have 4-wheel disc brakes from the factory. Mercury Cougars of this vintage share the same platform, but their styling isn't as racy as the T-Bird / Mk V. # 5. 1977-79 GM full-size 2 dr. Die-hard Chevy fans like this vintage of Impala / Caprice-because they are 700 lbs lighter than the '71-76 models they replaced, yet you could still get a 350 4bbl V8 in them. ( 1980 and later versions were limited to a 305 ). However-the real bargains are the Buick, Olds, and Pontiac versions-i.e. Bonneville / Catalina, Electra / Riviera, and Olds 88 / 98. The reason is-while the Chevys were limited to a 350, these models usually had either the mighty 400 Pontiac or 403 Olds under the hood, which obviously-either stock or modified means much more power and torque. Any of these cars can be bought dirt-cheap, and have tons of potential. Mastermind.