{"id":14625,"date":"2015-04-30T16:49:10","date_gmt":"2015-04-30T23:49:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/?p=14625"},"modified":"2016-11-30T17:15:48","modified_gmt":"2016-12-01T01:15:48","slug":"drag-race-101-where-and-how-to-find-your-strip-burner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/drag-race-101-where-and-how-to-find-your-strip-burner\/","title":{"rendered":"Where and How to Find Your Strip Burner"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Source: flikr.com<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Part 2 of our series on turning your junkyard find into a strip burner looks a little more closely at potential avenues for FINDING that perfect project car, including figuring out what kind of vehicle you wnat. \u00a0When looking around for a project car to turn into a strip burner, there are a number of questions that you need to ask and answer before seeking out the actual vehicle. Project car buyers these days have so many options it makes the head spin. Back in the day, I had something like three options, all of which are still around today. In today\u2019s article I\u2019m going to walk you through the questions that have to be asked and answered before you can even think of looking for a car to work on.<\/p>\n

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Step 1: Ask Yourself Questions<\/strong><\/p>\n

Unless you\u2019re one of the Koch Brothers, the first question you have to ask yourself is how much you\u2019re willing to spend. This is a two part question. Part one is how much you\u2019re willing or able to spend on acquiring the car. Part two is your budget for getting the car ready to put people to shame on the track.<\/p>\n

Next you need to pick your poison: GM, Chrysler, or Ford? Then you need to break it down further: what model do you want? Camaro?\u00a0 Mustang? Charger? Trans Am? Cougar? Roadrunner? Finally, big block or small block?\u00a0 All set here? Great. Let\u2019s move on to locating the project car.<\/p>\n

Go Online<\/strong><\/p>\n

The advent and growth of the Internet has made it both easier and harder to find your next strip burner project car. It\u2019s easier because you have so many new options that I didn\u2019t have and harder for the same reason. Where to start? This is where we plug our own site. RacingJunk.com<\/a> has an extensive collection of cars and parts posted by individuals and dealers and the site is searchable by price, location, and time posted. \u00a0You can look for project cars, engines, complete vehicles, etc.\u00a0Other online sites, including eBay and Craigslist also have automotive sections. Of course we think RacingJunk is the best, but we also have to acknowledge that there are other great sites out there that might have what you need.<\/p>\n

But, when you’re looking online make sure you’re looking at the region carefully and that if you’re buying a vehicle in another state, you either negotiate or factor in potential costs for transportation. Heck, even if you’re looking for a vehicle in your neighborhood, make sure you take in to account how you’ll get the vehicle to where you need it to be.<\/p>\n

You can also check the forums of your favorite automotive sites to see if anyone is selling their project car. But as with all of these suggestions, Let the Buyer Beware! Be careful about sending money to people you don’t know. Try to see the vehicle in person or get somebody to verify that it is what its being advertised as. \u00a0Use your common sense!<\/p>\n

Google It<\/strong><\/p>\n

If you’ve exhausted the sites that you regularly frequentl, Google what you’re looking for. \u201cChevrolet Camaro for sale.\u201d\u00a0 \u201cCar sales.\u201d \u201cWhere to buy project cars.\u201d Get creative with search terms. Get descriptive to narrow the results down. \u201c1967 Ford Mustang for sale in USATown, USA.\u201d \u201cWrecked 1969 Chevy Camaro for sale in MyTown, CA.\u201d<\/p>\n

It sounds simple, but sometimes we get so invested in thinking about our project that we forget the obvious strategies.<\/p>\n

Check the Classifieds of the Local Papers<\/strong><\/p>\n

Since I first started building and driving cars, this has been my first step when locating my next project car. Good papers list cars by maker, minding that Chevy Camaro a little easier. Even better, papers list their for sale cars chronologically with the older cars at the end of the list. I have found that since these ads cost the least, these are the car owners I can dicker and bargain with to get their prices down some. \u00a0However, keep in mind that plenty of people don’t get the paper anymore, so this avenue may not be as fruitful as in the past. Still, if you’re looking local, its definitely a place to start.<\/p>\n

Regional Car Sales Magazines<\/strong><\/p>\n

These are the (usually) smaller magazines you find right by the door at convenience and grocery stores. They\u2019ve got names like \u201cAuto Trader\u201d and \u201cClassic Chevy.\u201d These guys gained popularity in the late 80s where I lived because they offered color pictures of the vehicles and parts for sale. Those that list their cars in this type of publication are usually fairly set in their asking price, although you always want to dicker over price.<\/p>\n

Car Clubs<\/strong><\/p>\n

I\u2019ve belonged to two of these in my day, mostly as a quick and easy way to find cars and parts for sale. Club members almost always have something juicy that they only make available to other club members. You\u2019re also likely to the best prices here because most members want their pieces going to homes where they know the car will be cared for. These guys are also usually the go to guys for many of the hard to find parts for older cars. Even when a club member doesn\u2019t have that part or the car you\u2019re looking for, chances are they\u2019re going to know someone who does have it and just happens to want to part with it. These clubs\u00a0are gold mines. Treat them carefully. The members are also usually great resources when you get stuck in a part of your project.<\/p>\n

Local Parts Stores<\/strong><\/p>\n

This can be the O\u2019Reilly\u2019s or Autozone down the street, although I never had luck there. My luck was always in the professional parts stores such as Napa, Parts Plus, Parts Connection, etc. These are the shops that deal almost exclusively with professional mechanics. Get on the good side of the guys behind the counter and see where they can point your nose. Treat them carefully also, as even if they don\u2019t currently know where what you want can be found, they\u2019ll remember you if they find one in the future. That\u2019s how I replaced the right front hub on my 65 Charger. These guys are typically gearheads, not some high school kid that\u2019s just looking to earn insurance money.<\/p>\n

Local Schools with Auto Shop Programs<\/strong><\/p>\n

I will admit that this possibility has drastically decreased over the past 30 or so years as high schools get rid of their shop programs. However, most community colleges have some sort of automotive technology program. These programs will often buy two cars in order to a complete car. You can dicker with the program instructors to see if they\u2019ll sell or give that stripped down rolling chassis to you for cheap.<\/p>\n

The Junkyard<\/strong><\/p>\n

The junkyard can be an excellent place to find your next project car. In fact, if you\u2019re really lucky, you\u2019ll find one that others have done all the hard work for you and stripped all the useless junk off it and left a rolling chassis or a rolling chassis and body, with or without rust holes (rust can be repaired). The main problem with getting a car from the junkyard, once you\u2019ve determined that it is worth your time and money is getting home legally since most states don\u2019t allow vehicles with junkyard\/dismantler\/totaled titles to roll on city streets; you have to transport them on a flatbed tow truck or a four wheel car trailer.<\/p>\n

Check Out Local Events<\/strong><\/p>\n

This was one of my favorite ways to find new project cars. Not only could I enjoy an awesome race (and usually go home with someone else\u2019s EX car) but I could do a little shopping and networking. Those of us in the racing community usually have several cars collecting dust in our shop, garage, or driveway. Many of us have a spouse telling us one of them has to go. Whether it\u2019s a Show n Shine or an NHRA sanctioned race, you\u2019re going to find people selling parts and cars. You just have to look and ask around. This goes for local swap meets\/flea markets.<\/p>\n

Peruse the Ads Sections of Car Magazines<\/strong><\/p>\n

The last dozen or so pages of most car magazines is usually devoted to ad space. This is especially true of performance magazines. These are usually ads for services and parts, but you can find a hidden gem being sold. I actually found my favorite Camaro in the back ads of an issue of Hot Rod Magazine. You can too.<\/p>\n

Step 2: What to Look for in a Project Car<\/strong><\/p>\n

Once you\u2019ve found the car, you need to take some basic steps to make sure it’s in the condition you need it to be and that you know the difference between stuff you can live with or replace and stuff that is a deal breaker.<\/p>\n

1. You need to inspect the vehicle.<\/p>\n