Which car to resto for a first timer?
 

Budget is small and so are skills. I want to limit work to minor body, suspension, roll bar install, wheels and engine tune-up. Goal is to end up with a nice car for around town driving and maybe autox 2X/yr.

Which car make would you choose?

VW Bug. Simple mechanicals, lots of parts available, not too expensive to get into one, almost all of 'em will have something body related to fix, etc.

A '67 bug. Old body style (except headlights), 12 volt system.

BMW e30.

VW Bug
MGB
Miata

Or a later ghia.

any pre 70 Chevy. There are more of those around now than in the 70's :)

I suggest one that's already finished. You can buy someone else's $35k dollar nightmare for half the price and have a finished product. :-P

It would be hard to go wrong with any GM. Parts are plentiful, and some of them were really pretty, and damn fast. I wouldn't rebuild a VW bug unless the US Navy promised to shell it with 5" naval fire in a firepower demonstration, and let me do the adjusting.

How much are bugs going for now a days? I thought they had got caught up in the classic car craze.

I like the BMW idea.

I was going to suggest some old unpopular American car with a straight six up until I read the autox part.

I love bugs and owned 3 over the years.... fun, simple cars, but often they require some serious welding on the floors due to rust (at least if the car is from a northern state). Not a huge deal, but you hinted that serious body work might not be for you right now.

E-30 great autocross car parts can get expensive

2nd option is a Triumph Spitfire.

2nd generation Sprite or MG Midget...less costly than a bugeye...

But you will probably need tools in "British Standard" sizes.

I've done a couple of 914s, they are a lot of fun, and a very easy restore.

Body work is easy on them because they are mostly flat panels, with very little trim to fuss with. You can have the exterior stripped down to the shell in half an afternoon.

Electrical is about as simple as it gets. There is hardly any.

Engine and trans are of course very simple.

And, as a bonus, these cars are really starting to increase in value, so you'll have something worth a little when you are done, esp. if you restore it to stock configuration.

Another vote here for a bug... mid 60s Mustang also a possibility. My first frame-off resto was a 73 Beetle, FWIW.

One of the least pleasurable (to me at least) parts of restoring a car (I've done 3) is looking for hard-to-find parts... not a problem for the bug or mustang. Rusted out fender? Buy a new one. Done.

You get the gold star. Cheap, easy & more fun than a weekend with Britney Spears!

A 73 or 73 2.0 would be my recommendation. Prepare for rust.

What about a 240/280Z? I have no idea about how difficult they are to restore, but I would imagine it'd be cheaper than the BMWs.

I've been shopping for a pre-smog 914 but their prices have gone up quite a bit lately, no doubt due to gas prices.

Old VWs, hmmm. I was kinda leaning towards a MG but I want a car that won't leave me stranded due to electricals. E-30s are hot and so are 2002s. Parts are expensive though. Miatas are the favorite because parts are cheap but my wife hates says if I'm going to buy a convertible she will only give a thumbs up to Boxster. That'll blow my budget.

2002 parts are not that expensive... I found out my head is cracked, got one for $100... The entire motor costs as much as a set of 911 shocks ;-) Fun RWD car.. That or a 912, but I think a 2002 is easier to restore, lots of "square" parts available and easy to weld !

Keep in mind that the majority of resto projects end up neglected and/or abandoned, so make sure the car you select is a car you really, really want...

I wouldn't steer clear of an MG due to the Lucas electronics, there is a big aftermarket for them and a lot of ways to make them more reliable. A nice MGB would likely make a good project.