These Budget Sports Cars Are Designed To Be Modified Into Monsters
Some sports cars are best left unmodified. Examples include legendary sports cars such as the Toyota 2000GT and the Porsche 959 as these vehicles are best left alone and untampered with. The performance of these cars is already great and the design work gone into them keeps them great as stock cars only.
However, sometimes there are existing cars that are basically designed to be modified into monsters. Of particular interest here are cars from the Japanese Domestic Market (JDM), where these cars are often suited for being modified into perfect drifters or having their performance increased exponentially. At the same time, sometimes it can be difficult to buy cheap sports cars that are perfect for modification, but they are out there and are worth looking at for some ideas into how fantastic they can be.
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Datsun 240Z ($20,000)
First introduced in 1969, the Datsun 240Z remains very popular even today. It is one of the most attractive cars for those who wish to purchase an amazing Japanese import into the US.
Due to its old-school Japanese build quality, the 240z is a perfect car to modify, and it speaks to many Japanese car enthusiasts. Not only this – it is also a cheap vehicle, for now. Many are gaining interest in the car and its capabilities when modified, causing it to quickly appreciate in price.
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Nissan 240SX ($10,000)
Despite the Nissan 240SX not being well-renowned by those who aren’t invested in car culture, it is a fantastic car perfect for modifying. The aftermarket support for these models is insane, and they can handle anything you throw at them power-wise. When driven as stock, the Nissan is a fantastic drifter, but when it is modified – it’s even better.
Decent Nissan 240SX models can be bought for at the $10,000 price point, with some actually costing less!
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Honda Civic Type-R ($30,000)
The latest generation of the Honda Civic Type-R launched in 2017. It really reflects how far the Civic Type-R has come from the power-lacking vehicle released decades ago. It comes with 306 hp as stock and a great 2.0-liter engine perfect for modifying the Civic Type-R into a monster. It can easily beat cars twice its price.
Not only is the engine great to mod but the pre-existing performance of the car makes it generally a great vehicle to boost, as the handling can be fully exploited. It is great to buy on a budget of around $30,000, making it quite easy to get a Civic Type-R in good condition that can be modded into a monster.
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Mazda Miata ($8,000)
The Mazda Miata is a great car that is loved by many, including tuners. As a vehicle, the Miata is fantastic and is the best-selling roadster ever. However, it can be modified to some extreme levels that make it worthy of being on this list.
It is perfect for modifications because, as a small car, the smallest bit of power will enhance the driving experience considerably. The Miata was facelifted in 2008 and prospective buyers can get one for $8,000.
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Nissan 350Z ($11,000)
The Nissan 350Z is an incredibly popular car in the Nissan Z-Series lineup. It works great on its own, without any modifications, and many people took to it. Released in 2002, the brilliant performance that came with the Nissan was well renowned, with the engine producing 287 hp, with the power output being bumped to over 300 hp with later models. It was also brilliant on the road and on the track, highlighting its versatility.
However, with modifications, the car can become even more of a monster. Its performance can be easily boosted with improvements to the engine and the power output can be easily increased. The Nissan 350Z is a perfect representation of how a car is perfect for modifications, and one can be bought for around $11,500.
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Subaru WRX ($14,000)
The Subaru WRX is a fantastic car with tons of history and motorsports heritage. It wasn’t really meant as the car that would be driven to the supermarket or a run-of-the-mill vehicle, it was truly designed to be a modified monster.
Though it comes with a turbocharged boxer engine and a 5-second 0-60 mph time from the factory, mods can take this car to a whole new level. The best part is that these are still available at fairly low prices.
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Ford Focus ($6,000)
When one looks at the Ford Focus, they don’t really imagine it as being designed for mods. Yet, it really is. The appearance of the car already makes it look like it would be perfect for racing, but its performance originally inputted by Ford doesn’t reflect this. As such, the car is perfect to be modified.
Putting a good turbocharger on the engine enhances the power by almost 200 hp more than the original stock vehicle. That said, its $8,000 price tag is a bargain if you’re looking for a cheap project car.
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Honda S2000 ($15,000)
The Honda S2000 is already an amazing car stock, but it gets even better with mods. Already coming with 240 hp, it offers an impressive amount of performance from the get-go. However, the car is definitely designed for something that produces more power.
Putting in a supercharger enhances the hp considerably, which many tuners have already done – and have seen a great performance from it. Being an already extremely agile car, boosting the performance can make it into one of the most monstrous cars on this list. One which is unmodified can be bought for around $15,000, but some of the already modified ones can cost a little more with them reaching the $20,000 mark.
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