QOTW: Top five cars to modify for a specific purpose.
If you had an unlimited budget and you could pick five different cars for five different purposes what would they be?
Crawford’s Picks
The Rally Monster: Subaru STi
This is pretty much a gimmie I feel. I think it would be fantastic fun to have a screaming fast turbocharged AWD rally suspension-ed off road beast to fly across dirt/gravel/snow/mud/whatever with. The modifications would nearly all be suspension and strength related along with a decent (but usable) pump in horsepower. Rally decals would be a must of course. It’s gotta look the part!
The Import Dragster: Supra Turbo
It’s been proven time and time again that the last generation of the Supra Turbo can handle power. Examples out there are pushing over 1,000 horsepower…occasionally on stock engine internals! Sure the car is heavy, isn’t known for superior handling (but can hold it’s own) and hasn’t been made for several years now…but you’d be hard pressed to find something that could generate this kind of import power. A giant turbo would be key along with a healthy blast of nitrous. Don’t forget the drag chute!
The Long Distance Hauler: Mercury Marauder
It may seem like an odd choice but I think this American sedan would be a perfect car to drive across country in. It’s not that it blends in with the background a lot of people would probably mistake it for a police car! The stock 4.6 V8 would love to get some forced induction but the primary modifications would be around creature comfort. We’re talking amazing A/V system, smooth suspension, quiet exhaust and a massive dose of nitrous to blast past the morons who sit in the wrong lane.
The Rock Crawler: Land Rover Defender 90
Sure a H1 is bad ass but the British have been building off road beasts for an eternity. I’ve heard of Land Rovers being found in the middle of the African desert abandoned because they’ve run out gas…for 20 years…been fueled up, given a jump and driven right on out. And the Defender not only looks cool but it’s unstoppable off road. Just add some bigger tires, GPS, racks and a nice bump in power and I’d be off to Tierra del Fuego tomorrow.
The Stealthmobile: Audi A4 Quattro
This one is all about keeping is subtle. I chose the A4 because it has simple looks and a supremely bad ass sibling…the RS4. So it would (with money) be relatively simple to swap all the fun bits inside without change the exterior all that much. I’d hide the exhaust, keep the wheels subtle and make sure it isn’t loud until you slam that pedal down.
Moe’s Picks
Fun project car. 240Z
I have always wanted a fun project car where I just change all sorts of things about it. With the Z the first thing would be an engine swap. I would drop a nice big fat V8 in there, with an unlimited budget I am thinking the Z06 engine. I would design my own body kit for it with some nice fat fender flares and the interior would all be custom work. I would also install a crazy stereo. This would be the car I would take to car shows and show off.
Pure power: Toyota Supra
For pure straight line acceleration I would get myself a twin turbo Supra and modify to to an insane level. Change the twin turbo to a single turbo, full engine build, etc. etc. I would be shooting for over a thousand horsepower and 9 second quarter mile times.
Long distance traveling: School bus
I could pick an RV but that would be boring. I would love to get an old school bus, totally gut the interior and go hog wild. I would keep the outside looking like a school bus but the interior would be pure pimp. Big screen TVs, a full bed, bar, kitchen, bathroom, etc. I would travel in style.
Cruising: Lincoln Continental Convertible
I’d get one of the Continental that has the totally bitchin suicide doors. I probably actually wouldn’t modify this one all that much. Put in a very nice stereo, some tasteful wheels, update the suspension to something much more modern. Paint it with a multi thousand dollar midnight black paint job, all white leather interior and a stereo that would blow your socks off. I can just imagine how much fun it would be cruising along the boardwalk in something like this.
Off road beast. CJ7 Jeep
I would need something where I can go have some fun off road and in the mud. I have always been a fan of the old jeeps and while I have never done much research into the area I have seen lots of pictures of some highly modified Jeeps and they just look like they would be so much fun. I wouldn’t go totally crazy, I wouldn’t have a 30″ lift with tires bigger than me or anything but I would definitely lift it up a little bit and throw on some real knobby tires. Equip it with GPS so I don’t get totally lost, all sorts of racks, a winch, lights, etc. and just go get lost out in the woods.