Just bought (today) this pretty damn nice 5spd 94 Integra LS for $500. All it needed was a new distributor to get it to start, drives great. Hows that for budget performance?
I do this fairly often with bikes i find for free or very cheap off of craigslist. I'd recommend spending some time on sheldon brown's website. Also, Park Tool makes a great bike maintenance manual that saved my ass more than once when I was learning about working on bikes. If you have a bike library/collective/kitchen in the area they are usually a great resource for knowledge and parts.
I can't agree with you more. I volunteer at a local bike library and spend most of my time there fixing up donated bikes, fixing my projects, and occasionally help someone do the same with theirs. Seriously underutilized resource.
Eccentric view? Just because you are ignorant of it does not make it eccentric. Ask any automotive engineer/designeer they'll tell you its widely known/used by auto manufacturers.
Off the top of my head the the Corvette, Honda S2000, Dodge Viper, BMW Z8, BMW Z4, Morgan +4, Mercedes SLS AMG, Mercedes SLR McLaren, Lexus LF-A, Aston Martin Vanquish, Ferrari 612, Nissan 370Z, Maserati Quattroporte, Mazda RX-7, Mazda RX-8 and Toyata Previa are all examples of front mid-engine cars.
I take it you are not familiar with the concept of front mid-engine placement? Every Corvette since '63 has had the engine behind the front axle making them mid-engined cars.
'89 Civic Hatch for $60.00. Other than a blown headgasket and a dying auto tranny it ran like a champ. One free parts car, a headgasket, machined head, free si tranny, free coilovers & shocks and some EPIC cleaning I've got a less than $200 auto-x toy.
(Wheels not counted, originally bought them for another car)