These Are The Best Places To Find A Cheap Project Car

The ultimate high for a gearhead has to be building a project car. It's a highly rewarding hobby but can be quite time-consuming, and let's not forget, outrageously expensive as well. A good way to start on a project car is to find the cheapest donor vehicle, a car that'll be the base for you to build a dream car/SUV. That way, you start off cheap and in case you abandon your project midway, you don't end up with a big hole in your pocket.

There are different ways you can look for the project car that suits your desires and your wallet. The easiest and cheapest way is to go online and search in digital marketplaces. The other, more rewarding way is to go searching in junkyards, or even drive around looking for something special peeking out of someone's garage. I personally know someone in India who restored a Daihatsu Wildcat, which he found abandoned in a market. The third one might be for you if you have deep pockets and do not want to spend a lot of time turning a rust bucket into a shiny convertible. These are auctions that sometimes also feature cheaper, less-than-mint-condition cars and ones that don't need much repair. 

Basically, a car is as good as a new car, which you can spend time modifying before worrying about its mechanical and structural condition. Of course, these are the first steps into getting your project cars, and include a lot of hidden variables. It's fair to say, there is a lot that goes into a project car than you'd imagine. 

The best places to find a cheap project car are sites like Craigslist, eBay Motors, and Facebook Marketplace. These sites are like a virtual junkyard where you have access to a vast collection of cars, and where you can refine your search for one specific car. Of course, there are a lot of dealer car websites offering pristine used cars, but we are looking for the cheapest project cars with no dealer commission in between.

With websites like Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace, you are directly dealing with buyers, which often saves time and money. Plus, there is room for negotiation, so you can get your car for less than the listed price, depending on your bargaining skills. The beauty of these sites is that you can stumble upon the most obscure cars where the seller has no idea of their real value, a transaction that can turn into a fantastic bargain.

It can go the other way, too. Sellers often end up quoting sky-high prices for their junkers, so do your research. Check on multiple sites to get a fair idea of your potential project car's actual value. Then shop around for the lowest price. Lowest is not always best, as often an abnormally low-priced car could be hiding a twisted chassis or a blown engine. Due diligence is paramount, as you rarely get an opportunity to take a proper look at the car before buying it online. You can land some great deals, as most sellers are just looking to get an abandoned project car out of their driveway or sell off their college wheels to free up garage space.

The offline route mostly consists of junkyard surfing. You mostly visit junkyards for stripped-down spare parts, but there are a few that'll sell you a car that's destined to be scrapped. Searching every inch of a junkyard helps, as somewhere there might be a classic, hidden under piles of junk. It's a time-consuming affair, often needing a keen eye and a thorough knowledge of automobiles. However, if you win, you win big. Having a friendly junkyard dealer helps, as you might receive inside information on fresh arrivals, which could be a fantastic potential car for scrapyard prices.

However, remember that these cars are scrapped for a reason. So be prepared to replace rusted-out floor pans and blown engines. Junkyard cars or salvage title cars might be cheap, but they come with baggage in the form of extra man-hours and money required to bring them to an acceptable running condition. That's not counting the time or money needed to make them your dream car. Don't fall for the YouTube fad, your project car doesn't have to be a mad science project. 

Swap meets are another great way to find a cheap project car. You get to check out several cars at once and take a closer look at what you'll be getting into, work-wise. These are also places where you are in a better position to bargain, as sellers are not looking to take their cars back at the end of the day. On that note, here are a few cool future project cars.

We are not talking about Barrett-Jackson here. We are talking about military and police auctions. If you are looking for a donor vehicle for a 4X4 or an extreme off-road overlanding rig, what better alternative than a military vehicle? Military vehicles are built tough to be able to survive extreme weather and extreme terrain. These are rugged, reliable vehicles that are well-cared for during their military tenure and which can be bought for a lower price than a new or even used civilian vehicle, thanks to the high volume of these vehicles on sale. 

You can buy military vehicles from certified auction houses both online and offline. However, keep in mind that these vehicles have led harsh lives, some being deployed in active combat zones and even being dropped out of cargo planes. While they are reliable, some military-spec spare parts could be difficult to source. These are heavy vehicles, so shipping them across the country could be quite expensive. Also, check with your state's regulations about registering a military vehicle for civilian use.

If you are more inclined to cheap civilian cars, check out police and government auctions. These include cars that have been impounded, seized, or even taken from the police fleet. It's a gold mine for finding luxury cars seized in drug busts, or even a police cruiser. The catch is, most of the vehicles in these auctions are sold 'as is', which means you cannot check them. So if these vehicles have issues, the only way to find out is after you have bought them. It's a perfect example of the adage, the higher the risk, the higher the reward. 

An important factor to consider while shopping around for a project car is knowing how much you want to spend and where you want to spend it. You can spend a bit more on getting a mechanically and structurally sound project car, or save money on getting a cheaper rust bucket, on which you end up spending more time and money to bring it to working condition.

It's not about what you want to build, but what you can afford to build. A half-restored and abandoned '90s Ferrari in your garage looks good, but you know what looks even better? A fully restored '90s BMW. The bonus is that you get to drive the BMW, unlike the Ferrari, which you couldn't finish because you ran out of money. After all, no car is as expensive as a cheap Ferrari project car. Doing your research and planning every step of the build ahead of time will save you money, time, and heartache.

It's not even always about money. There is a reason JDM cars are popular project cars. It's not just because they are cheap to build, it's also because there is a vast inventory of aftermarket parts available. An Italian car might be a cooler project, but forget the expensive part; the parts are scarce and harder to source. Your entire Italian car project can potentially stall due to the need for a small, obscure part that isn't being made anymore.