A: Frankly (no pun intended) I would go with a Jeep YJ 2.5L motor and EFI harness with AW4 trans from an XJ with 4 cyl auto. (or a 2wd 5 speed) It's amazing the power these little motors have, and everything is under the hood. (I have one in my garage with 4x4 5 speed waiting for a body to go into. Maybe a '83 up Eagle with 4 cyl?) On July 14, 2005 Frank Swygert wrote: > There are some guys who can do most of the planning in their heads. Heck, > I do that, but think on something a month or two, look at a couple similar > things, then maybe make a quick sketch. If it's not that complicated I > don't do anything more than think it out. But I put the time into it > unless it's extremely simple. > > Give me a big enough checkbook and I CAN build a hotrod in a month, maybe > even a month of weekends and have it running. 8-10 days of real work > (10-12 hour days), the rest of the time waiting on parts and the painter > (I wouldn't paint it myself, let the body shop do all the prep work, me > just do the major stuff!). Order an Art Morrison (or whoever) complete > rolling chassis kit, crate motor, 'glass T body, or better yet order > something like a Speedway "Track T" kit. For that I'd go with a Chevy > Ecotec four crate motor -- the June issue of Rod & Custom mentions several > shops building Ecotec, Quad Four, and Ford Zetec (Focus) engined rods. An > auto trans would make things so much easier also. Get into more > complicated bodies like a 32 roadster or anything enclosed with doors and > four weekends would be really pushing it -- body work would take much > longer! Of course that's if the body shop can get the car in and out in > 7-10 days. You could do it that way too I bet!