What cracks me up is you guys talking used hi milage cars.... My choice would be virtually a new car, excepting the body. And for that sort of money I'd have a mid 10 second car that would scare the shit right outta you and run away and hide from virtually any car in the twistys, plus it would be a classic. Something no MR2 or Golf could ever be....
Use your hands to craft your dream car, not your pocketbook..... You'll learn something and if done properly you'll gain that extra special feeling of knowing you not only beat someone in a race but you also built what you raced.... Give that some thought.... It feels awesum to know you can do that... believe me. Been there done that, many, many times.
