Porsche 914



The Volks-Porsche was propelled by a clanky air-cooled 1700-cc, 78-hp four-banger borrowed from the VW 411 sedan, but the front suspension and transmission were stolen directly from the 911. Later models got engines upgraded to 1800 cc and then 2 liters. Lightweight (under 2000 lbs), the 914 had handling and road-holding that is unparalleled for affordable cars. A well-set-up 914 is unbeatable in its autocrossing class, but still is plenty practical as a daily driver, with two huge trunks (the engine hides in the middle somewhere) and the largest sunroof in the industry. An increasingly rare variant is the 914-6, which sported a 2.0-liter carbureted six-cylinder 911 engine. You won't find any of them for $3000, though. Engine and brake upgrades are reasonable, but don't break the very expensive gearbox, which could cost more than the rest of the car to replace. The first modification after an exhaust system upgrade is generally to switch the fuel injection out for a pair of Weber or Solex downdraft carbs.

Mitsubishi Starion ESI



The Starion name is claimed by Mitsubishi to be a contraction of "Star of Orion," although an urban legend claims that it was intended to be "Stallion," as a result of a Japanese-to-English mistranslation. Regardless, the desirable version is the ESI, the widebodied car with the 2.6-liter throttle-body injected, turbocharged / intercooled SOHC eight-valve inline Four; 155 bhp; 225 lb-ft at 8 psi. The rear-drive chassis is capable of putting at least twice the horsepower down the ground. Turbocharger and intercooler upgrades make that fairly easy to achieve, although cooling system upgrades to match are necessary. Many parts should be interchangeable with the Chrysler/Dodge/Plymouth Conquest based on the same platform and drivetrain.

Ford Probe GT



Sharing a platform and a factory with the Mazda MX-6, the Probe was originally intended by Ford to carry the Mustang badge. Classic Mustang owners and fans were horrified to see the prancing pony badge on a Japanese-derived FWD car, so the RWD Mustang stayed in production, and the new joint-venture car (built in Flat Rock, Mich., only a stone's throw from Ford's headquarters in Dearborn) became the Probe. The car to search for is not the anemic four-speed four-banger, but the second-generation (1993–1997) Probe GT, which boasts a very lusty-sounding 2.5-liter 164-hp V6, and a five-speed manual tranny. Other upgrades for the GT included significantly stiffer suspension—on the downside, these cars rode on harsh side—and four-wheel disc brakes.

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