Mehh, the easy button would certainly be to abort this mission with an old car and go with a S550 Mustang or a C5/C6 corvette. I know I'll never be the fastest out there regardless what I'm driving, so why not drive something cool.
The weekend before CtC was our local autox. I didn't bring my car because the weather was crappy. I'm not opposed to racing in the rain, but its the drive to and from that I don't trust the general public's driving. Anyway, one of our members graciously offered me a co-drive in their stock Miata. This was the first time driving anything besides my car on the autox. I did all my runs in the morning, which were on damp pavement. By our lunch break, I was 4th overall and top pax. It took all 6 of my runs to somewhat figure out how to drive that thing. After lunch, the pavement dried and I was promptly passed up. I'm sure I could have improved given the opportunity to learn how to drive it on dry pavement. So would I be fast in something better than my 55 year old car? Maybe, but I don't care. My attachment to muscle cars is much stronger than my desire to be on the podium with a car you see everyday in the grocery store parking lot.
Not sure what a C5/6 Vette costs, but I know I can't swing an S550 either way. And I have to like the car, which isn't something I can say about an S550. Drove one back from Helena, MT when I sold my Challenger and just don't like them. Not that I wouldn't say no to a Mach1 or Dark Horse.
I understand what you are saying about your attachment to a muscle car and old cars. Funny thing is, when I got my '74 up and running after dragging it out of a JY, I started using it as a daily. At that time, it was about 22 years old. A 2005 S197 is 20 years old, not much difference. I know, it's apples to oranges.
Understand that I'm not thinking about this because I am hoping to podium at some AutoX. Not saying it doesn't cross my mind that it is an "easy" path to "faster", there were three S197 at Ford Fest this year that were close-ish to Peachy in his Viper. But it's not the big reason.
My projected cost for my G3 car is just under $16K. That's running and driving, and includes the cost of the car. Really not bad for a slightly hotter 5.7, T56 car. But it doesn't include any suspension upgrades, AC, ABS/TC, nicer interior, paint, etc. For half that I could have gotten a 3V GT, or maybe for the same money as the Duster a Coyote.
And an S197 has the advantages of a good ABS and TC, air conditioning, a decent suspension after some tweaks, plus it can swallow a 285/35R18 or bigger tire without touching the sheetmetal. The body is so stiff it doesn't need reinforcements, doesn't weight any more than my Duster probably will, big brakes bolt on without aftermarket kits, the rear suspension is a step up even if it isn't IRS and the aftermarket actual makes things for it. Oh, and to
@75slant6's point, it has a rack, even an EPAS rack in the later ones.
I figure I have 6 months of consistent work, maybe, (and $2K) left to get my '73 on the road, assuming one of the 2 core motors I have works out. And that's kind of the crux of it all. I like to drive my cars, that's why I build them (loosely applied). Whether there is an autox, drag race, car show, Walmart, or road trip destination at the other end, I want to drive. It's one reason I was drawn to pro-touring and road racing, 20 minutes on a road course is a lot more time than 10-15 seconds on a drag strip. And I don't want to drive it only on Saturday, I want to drive it every day if possible. It's also why I am so stuck on having AC and cruise control. So instead of 6 months, an S197 is a drive it now deal, and already has a bunch of upgrades I will need another 6-18 months to add to a Duster.
If the '74 hadn't been giving me problems, I would have been driving it this whole summer. That was the plan. And I knew it would help offset the impatience of not being able to drive the '73. Instead, all I have done this summer is work on the '74, not drive anything other than test drives, and not make any progress on the '73. And it's hard not to throw up your hands and kick it all to the curb after awhile.
Frankly, if the summer up here wasn't over, I'd look hard at selling my '74, paying off the loan I took out to buy my Dad's truck after he passed last year and then buying a 3V S197. I would like to think after that I would still work on the '73, but human nature says it would sit in the way until I got frustrated with it and sold it for pennies on the dollar. I think I would continue working on it, but I have to honest about the possibility.
Even if I don't jump to an S197, at some point I am going to have two running Dusters and will probably have to make a decision about selling one anyways. But I don't think I would buy an S197 at that point.
Oh, and to the point about seeing other ones in the grocery store parking lot, that actually gives me some comfort. The Duster is getting old enough that it sticks out and the idea that an S197 would be much more low key is good (for me). Too many yahoo's out there any more, and I would rather just enjoy my car and not care if anyone notices it. I would almost always rather not be noticed in the end.
