Make your life easier and just buy a car with the options you want!!!

I talk to so many people who aren't really mechanics that want a musclecar, but listen to some "shade-tree" expert on how "easy" it is to swap engines or transmissions or to add options. Except for wheels and tires or maybe a spoiler-there's no "options" that are easy to add.  For example-something as simple as adding a hood tach on a '60s GTO or Firebird requires meausring, drilling holes, painting, and wiring not only to the ignition but also to the headlight system-so it lights up at night with the dash lights. A magazine article might say this is a "simple" operation-but I definitely wouldn't want a novice to attempt it! And something like this is a lot simpler than changing engines or transmissions. I have discouraged several people from making this mistake- and they all thanked me later. For example I talked to a guy who was all hot to buy his neighbor's 1981 Trans-Am with a sick 301 Turbo-it couldn't even chirp the tires a little. His neighbor had fed him the line how a 400 or 455 would be a "bolt-in" swap. I showed him on several websites and in Hemmings, if he wanted a 400 T/A -that he could buy one in good shape that ran great for no more than his pal was asking for this beater that needed a new engine-regardless of whether you tried to fix the 301 or swap in something else-it needed a new motor. Another guy was going to spend $6,000 on an admittedly pristine-350 Malibu in the hopes of making it an SS396 or 454 clone. Again-I showed him-he could buy a decent for-real SS396 for $15-25K. And even if he could do all the labor and bodywork and paint himself-( He couldn't, he wasn't a bodyman or a mechanic ) it would cost more than 15K in parts alone to "convert" this bench-seat,drum-braked, TH350, small-block Malibu to a 4-speed, or TH400, 396 or 454,with bucket seats, front disc brakes, cowl induction hood, SS clone. The internet is a great tool-and unless your looking for a moon rock-i.e. a Boss 429 or an L88 'Vette, etc-and unless you have Donald Trump's bank account-you can't afford it anyway-your dream car is out there. Especially if were talking a 396 Chevelle, 400 GTO, Firebird or Trans-Am, 383 or 440 Road Runner, or Charger, 351 Mustang, 350 or 396 Camaro, or 455 Olds 442.  I see these cars in very good condition for under 20 grand all the time. Now I'm not talking frame-off restos where every nut and bolt has been replaced-but cars in this price range are usually well-maintained-no rust issues, they have good paint, they run good-and have good tires, brakes, etc-they may need a little work-but their generally a solid car. You can't buy a new Honda Civic or Toyota Corrolla for 20 grand, so a classic musclecar for less than that is a screamin' deal. For example-Trans-Am Specialties in Florida just sold a  400, 4-speed, WS6 10th Anniversary 1979 T/A  with 66,000 original miles for $14,900!!!. There's no way you could buy a T/A that "needs restoration" the usual sellers- terminology  for clunker-for say 3 or 4 grand and make it that nice by only investing another 10 grand. No way. I saw a really nice, ( The site had a lot of pictures )  3 owner-1970 GTO for sale for $13,000 on the internet the other day. I also saw a 1971 351CJ, 4-speed Mustang Mach 1 in great condition for $12,000. The deals are out there-just don't get excited and overpay for some piece of junk that isn't what you really want. Be patient, and you'll find the right car. Mastermind