^3
$3500 is a good deal for an IT car after you start adding up what it will cost you to go racing. Figure $1000 for coilover kit+shocks (non-race shocks), what, $1500+ for rollcage, trans rebuild with Quaife is another $1500+ and an engine rebuild would be another $1000+. I did everything myself, but that was because I wanted the experience in doing it, and I wanted things done a certain way, such as the cage. But I paid dearly for that satisfaction, both in $$$ and time. I know it seems like a lot of cash to lay out for a race car, but it is way cheaper to buy used than to build your own.