8 Project Cars We’re Dreaming About

It was only natural that, at some point in its annual meet-up, the Hagerty Media staff would begin to discuss project cars. Before we had metabolized our morning coffee-perhaps because some had found the gallon of cold brew in the fridge-there was a general online assault on Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist. The office murmured with schemes and dreams.

"I would LS that."

"That's not even a project car!"

"Watch Kyle actually end up with one of these in his driveway."

"91,000 miles, it's been driven … I like that … two grand?"

"Oooh, a brown one!"

"What if I sold my …"

If you spend time on this site, you probably can imagine who said what … so, in the spirit of further including you in our bad ideas, read on. This started as an editorial exercise, but stay tuned-we all read Kyle Smith's latest column on how to be an adventure enabler, and we took very good notes.

The comment section is open …

Sajeev Salivates Over a SABUL

A $2500 problem that one Texan would love to have.Facebook Marketplace

I want this SHO-swapped, supercharged Mercury Sable (or as I like to call it, SABUL in ALL CAPS) station wagon so badly I can feel it in my bones. I have always wanted an OEM+ style, cleanly integrated Taurus SHO powertrain in the slick, understated Mercury Sable, but this moderately clean wagon with a big hole in its hood for that M90 supercharger speaks to me at a more basic level. I need this the same way I breathe, even if I am not a huge fan of nitrous oxide or of buying a highly modified car that currently doesn't run.

Gimme this SABUL right now, baby! - SajeevMehta

Steven Dreams in Neon

Facebook MarketplaceFacebook Marketplace

The most interesting classified ads on GrassrootsMotorsports.com often lead with four letters: NMNA. Not mine, no affiliation. In other words, "I just ran across this ad and posted it here for your entertainment; I have no skin in the game."

And the listings are often pretty entertaining. Need a 1971 VW Squareback for $1600? A Kellison, perhaps? An '89 Ford Tempo for $1000? A 1958 MGA? And those are from the first couple of 297 total pages.

My eye goes here, though: To Livonia, Michigan, and a 1999 Dodge Neon ACR. I had both an ACR and a tweaked Neon R/T but let them slip away: Raced an ACR a couple of times in the old Neon Challenge series, and autocrossed the R/T, and the cars really fit me.

This one is $5500 (asking price, maybe a little dear but he says make him an offer). As a poster on GRM says, it's "pretty solid but slightly scruffy, perfect for track rat/rallyx fun." I agree. It has a six-point cage, a lot of race-related spare parts, and a recent servicing. For maybe $4000-double what I paid for my old ACR-maybe I'd try to hold on to this one. - StevenCole Smith

Nate Contemplates Land Cruisers (Pt. 87293)

Five grand, in Seattle, with only 54K miles … presumably, that figure applies to the 5.7.Facebook Marketplace

Land Cruiser Project? Land Cruiser Project. Because of course. This thing is a tad ratty, which is kinda how I envision this all starting. I can't get enough of Land Cruisers, and this FJ55 is quite a charmer. It's got a 5.7-liter V-8 from a Chevy, and … well, we don't know what else. I'm always mystified by these one-sentence descriptions in marketplace listings. Like, you have no other information to provide? Seems like a sure-fire candidate for a project that would put me over my head in about 14 seconds.

Where do I sign? - NatePetroelje

Eric d'Elegance, the Latest in Luxury

$7000, 303,341 miles, in London, Ontario.CraigslistCraigslist

I have a deep affection for these cars, since my friend daily drove his grandmother's hand-me-down '89 Brougham d'Elegance when we were 16. I'd want to restore the entire interior of this one and make it gleam-as in, nicer than my own living room. I would take it to drive-in movie theaters all over Michigan, simply to luxuriate. - EricWeiner

Eddy Edifies His Fleet

$8000, 221,921 miles, in Rockford, Michigan.Craigslist

A truck project would pay me back with some much-needed utility. This '98 Silverado comes from the last year of what I thought was a really clean, understated generation. It's got a long bed, 4WD, and doors to the rear open to the rear seats (that really only serve to transport stuff under roof-those jump seats are tight).

It might not be sexy or scream "project" like a Sable with a hole in the hood, but it'd serve an unmet need in my fleet. - EddyEckart

Kyle Sets His Sights on a Squarebody

$5400, with 94,000 miles, in Appleton, Wisconsin.Facebook Marketplace

Having road-tripped a friend's big-block 'Burban some years ago, there is something about these that always had my attention. What kept me away was the squarebody rust problems and voracity with which the big-block gobbles up gasoline. This beauty is priced right and has the solid chassis and clean interior that I want, but has mechanical issues that make it a perfect LS swap. A 6.0 with a mild cam and a 4L80 would slip in relatively easily and make this beast a great tow rig or adventuremobile for camping with the missus. Needs what I enjoy doing, everything else is ready to go. The perfect project. - KyleSmith

Grace Anticipates a Pickup

$4750, with 70K miles (supposedly), in Cumming, Georgia, not far from where my parents live. Convenient!Facebook Marketplace

I'd never want to daily something that didn't like to be flung around, and I love the way my Fiesta ST squirts through traffic, but if I were to add another vehicle, I'd love it to be something truckish and off-roady. I don't have a garage, and don't get excited about doing my own drivetrain work, so my favorite project is something that runs and drives … like this J10. It's already Chevy-swapped, it's got a manual (almost always fun) with a granny gear, and I love how ratty it is. (The listing doesn't even show the interior, so it's probably just as abused as the paint.) This would be the perfect foil to the FiST-an old (ish), tattered, high-riding pickup with a bed. Think of all the estate sales I could raid! - GraceHoughton

Stefan Stumbles Upon a Zagato

Mileage? Well … Price? It's an auction car!Craigslist

When I typed "project" into my local Craigslist, among the usual domestic hulks was this Zagato-bodied Lancia Flavia. Lancias are neat little cars, and while I have no real affinity for the Flavia at all, with its Zagato roots it's just weird-looking enough and certainly exotic enough to take on as a fake-money project.

According to the ad, "This particular project car comes with many duplicate parts including 5 engines. 3 of the 5 motors turn over and are extremely rebuildable. getting mechanical parts is not a problem… The alloy body is mostly straight and should be easy enough to sort out… the chassis has plenty of rust and will require significant metal work."

Should be done in a weekend! - StefanLombard

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