Is there a "my first project car" like a Beetle that's not a Beetle?
>Classic, beautiful retro design
>Normal-ish size
>Simple
but
>No hideous aircooled engine from the stone age.
Something like a Mini, but not microscopically small.
>>15169308
>girly like the Beetle and Mini too
Beetle with a Subaru boxer swap.
>>15169337
>first project car
>engine swap
Aight. If you want it to stay in the garage for the next three years until you pay someone else to finish it.
>>15169319
so obnoxious, always have to do this
miata community is so awful
>>15169308
The Mini isn't really that small, and if anything, the fucking hilarious handling more than makes up for it.
There's lots of nice and simple old cars, but either they're not especially beautiful/good, or they're worth a fortune. Beetles and Minis are so popular as a project car for a reason.
>>15169308
Subaru swap it.
By the way, you can say a lot about that pancake fourcilinder, but it's not hideous. It's beautifully simplistic. Archaic and underpowered, but not ugly.
>>15169308
Volvo Amazon.
>Classis coupe design, wagon looks great too
>Reasonably sized - but good interior room
>Dead simple and reliable
>reasonably modern engine
>plenty of room on the engine bay for upgrades (T5 or V8)
>>15169372
An engine swap is not a big deal but a subaru boxer in a beetle good luck lmao
>>15169337
>>15169448
The kits are out there man. It's almost plug and play.
>>15169308
first gen mustangs are pretty much perfect for simple project cars
>>15169308
What's wrong with air-cooled?
>>15169685
Power output is extremely limited.
>>15169393
>>15169418
Mini and Volvo Amazon are both good choices.
>>15169699
Not true at all actually
A Chevy c10
A Ford f100
A Ford fairlane
Mustang
Camaro
Nova
Demon
duster
Dart...
>>15169699
My ass, you're now aware Porsche use air-cooled engines up until the late 90's. Flat engines are good for air cooling, and, can get a buttload of power squeezed out of them.
It's also a guarantee that nobody let the coolant turn to acid when they neglected to change it for 40 years.
>>15169377
You did basically ask for a Miata though.