the absolute cheapest way to have a muscle car

I have done many hours of reasearch and found out there are to ways you can have a decent drag car for around $3000
1) a third gen camaro 305, stab in preformance cams, used high cc heads found at a swap meet or on ebay, lower compression, drag slicks and a nitrous kit. you can get a nos kit for around $500 and it is not included in that $3000 mark but its not written in stone you need it, if not dont lower the compression but that goes without saying

2) 5.0 liter mustang from 1983-1987 again, heads, cams, slicks and nos, you may or may not need a balooning plate.

If im wrong about any of this can someone correct me. Also can anyone think of other cars that can be ready for drag racing for $3000-$3500 and dont tell me about imports especially hondas  

Pretty much find any roller chevy car for <$1000, buy a crate motor for $1500, drop a new cam and used intake-headers on it with some rear gears and hit the track.  
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The Silver Buick- '77 Skylark coupe w/ a Fuel Injected Buick 455&TKO-600, '72 Centurion Conv't - 455w/TH400, '67 T-bird 4Dr (suicide) w/428&C6. Needing to replace a '69 Firebird 400.

http://www.bangshift.com/forum/index.php?topic=6189.0

Absolutely.  You take a clapped out vega with even a stock small block, rip out the interior. You take a 350 from a 96 truck, rip out everything but the driver's seat, and buy some street slicks, I would say that car gets you in the 13.00 to 13.50 range under budget, easy. If you had enough money left fora 373 or 410 posi, you could hit high twelves.

I don't think I could buy and build a mustang that cheap.  But I am not fortunate enough to be close to a swap meet.  I could get a mustang, a rebuild kit with some low compression pistons and a healthy shot of NOS for that.

Of course this is all highly speculative, but I think it could be done.  I think performance on the cheap should focus as much as possible on low weight and hooking up.  Shedding weight is sooo overlooked and free to a point. But you said drag car.  

Where are you going to find a Vega these days?

The DIRT CHEAP route to mad crazy V8 speed is:

1. Buy something V8 powered that runs decently and has a full frame (Don't rule out pick-ups and totaled rollers here).

2. Cut off all of the body except for the cowl and windshield (You don't really want bugs in your face or the engine in your lap).

((Here's what it looked like back in Henry Ford's day))

((Here's what they looked like right after WWII)

3. Add a couple of boat trailer fenders over the rear tires so you don't get pelted too much.

4. (Optional- if hanging out in the breeze makes you nervous) Add a roll-over hoop.

5. (Optional- if you (or the authorities) just cannot stand the stripped-down "rail" look) Score some circle-track body panels. (They're much lighter than a real body and will make your "rail" look somewhat like a car).

(Super-cheap
modified style)

(More expensive "late model stock car" style)

(Even more expensive nostalgia funny car bodies) (Just plan how you're going to get out of the thingie without help if you go this rarely-traveled route)  
*****
TURBO TED --Internationally known as the "John Force of the Yugo Racing Association."

Sergeant-at-Arms and immediate Past President of the SoAL Yugo Owners Group.

lol that is one way to go.  my buddy used to race open wheeled modifieds.  That's cheap, but not as cheap as a roll of thin gauge sheet metal from a hvac supplier and a set of tin snips with a rattle can bath.  And the police tend to frown upon such "modifications" in almost any state that requires inspection.  

I think you're right. in these bad economic times we should be looking back, ask what did those original hot rodders did, not cut corners but be resorsful.