When it comes time to search for a car to be your next hot rod foundation, there are many things to consider today. As we all know, time marches on. That means the pond by which we fish for our next cool ride may be drastically diminished than the one we remember from our youth. There aren’t as many tasty fish out there as when those classic Chevys were “just cars.”

Secondly, the popular vote usually dictates the pricing for those prized examples. Fan favorites such as the big-block Novas and Chevelles, first-gen Camaros, and many of the $500 cars we remember have now been fetching astronomical numbers on the auction blocks of America.

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What is a hardcore Bowtie enthusiast to do and what options do we have today for those looking to make a cool Chevy ride? Here are five Chevrolet vehicles that we feel are a great value, and would make an awesome, Chevy-based hot rod. This list is by no means conclusive, and there will always be those outliers when you unearth an incredible deal on some form of classic hot rod fodder or find unrealistic asking prices for mere mortal vehicles.

While serendipitous barn-finds still happen, those are not the norm in today’s market. When looking for the foundation for a hot rod, availability, cost, and condition will all play a major role in making the right decision. After that, it’s up to you to turn the vision in your mind’s eye into the next cool ride. Here are some ideas that may help you begin your search.

Fourth-Gen Nova (1975-1979)

The Malaise-Era Nova helped keep the nameplate alive for a few more years, albeit on life support. The Bowtie’s heartbeat was severely weakened during this time and many of these boxy Novas quickly rode the depreciation bell-curve straight to the bottom. They were used and abused as simply a means of transportation, but have enjoyed a resurgence of popularity lately. We even hopped on the bandwagon with our Mighty Mouse Nova.

Bruce Chase’s 1976 Nova looks great as a pro streeter. His father purchased the car new and it has been in the family ever since. Photo: Facebook

Chevy built hundreds of thousands of these daily drivers but when you weed out those that succumbed to the tin worm thanks to salty roads or the “more-door” variants, there is a significantly diminished market. As a result, pricing has increased lately, but there are still nice examples that would make a great foundation for a hot rod. And, they also have a solid following of enthusiasts and the aftermarket for support during that transition.

Chevy S10 (1982-2004)

These little workhorses are a genre unto themselves. They firmly hold a position between when trucks were strictly utilitarian vehicles and the mini-truckin’ era. You name it, it has likely been done with one of Chevy’s little quarter-ton haulers. Between Chevy’s S10, Blazer, and GMC’s Sonoma, the landscape is still littered with inexpensive options for building a hot rod.

The latest craze is LS-swapping everything and the little S10 thrives in that environment. They also offer manual transmissions, extended and crew cabs, and a variety of bed styles including step-side and slab-sided variants. As a bonus, they still respond well to traditional small-block Chevy V8 transplants. Of course, you can still find examples powered by Chevy’s trusty 4.3-liter V6 if having two more cylinders isn’t necessarily worth the effort to you or your taste.

Fourth-Gen Camaro (1993-2002)

If you’d prefer something already served up in a V8 variant, then a fourth-generation Camaro might be more to your liking. The oh-so-’90s styling is not the same as the earlier, chromed bumper cars, but you can pick up a nice example for less than what you would pay for a scavenged-out, first-gen roller.

We found this 1995 Z28 convertible in South Florida with an asking price of $4,500. The auto-equipped drop-top is already powered by an LT1 V8, which churns out a respectable 275 horsepower at 5,000 rpm and 325 lb-ft of torque at 2,000 rpm. It’s not earth-shattering by today’s standards, but you’re not paying a premium either for a top-down, V8-powered Chevy that would make a great foundation for a hot rod.

Fourth-Gen Corvette (C4/1985-1996)

You know how roller coasters have that first, big fall that seems to propel them throughout the rest of the ride? Welcome to the C4 Corvette! The fourth-gen Corvettes are another transitional point for Chevy.

We typically don’t think of this generation of Corvette as “classic” because they were such a departure from the earlier offerings when in reality, the newest C4s are almost 30 years old! When the C4 Corvette was introduced, it took the world by storm. The car’s technology and handling were enough to keep the car ahead of the competition, even if the horsepower was down from generations passed.

C4 Corvettes make great foundations for a hot rod. They all have V8s, some are manual transmission, and today’s technology just makes them better!

Most enthusiasts who would own a Corvette have moved on to newer models and most C4 owners today are true C4 enthusiasts, for good reason. These cars handled well enough back in the day for the European brands to get them tossed out of showroom stock racing entirely. This allowed the creation of the exciting Corvette Challenge series. All the cars were identically equipped from the factory and identically prepared for racing before being sold to racers. The only difference among cars was the nut behind the wheel and competition was always fierce.

The fact you can now purchase this level of performance for mere pennies on the dollar puts the C4 Corvette into the realm of the perfect hot rod foundation. Add some of today’s technology and you can put a C4 Corvette up against some of the best in the automotive world. While the initial buy-in may be inexpensive, the C4 Corvette is one area where you should get the best you can afford. The Corvette tax is real, and the cost of replacement parts could be a real eye-opener.

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Chevrolet Corvair (1960-1969)

One thing you’ve likely noticed by now is the absence of any of those beloved classic Chevy body lines of yesteryear. Many vintage Chevys endured the depreciation curve and are now on their way up in value. Interestingly, the Chevrolet Corvair hasn’t (yet) enjoyed that same fame. We noted when scouring online sale ads that Chevy’s rear-engine ride is still quite affordable for anyone needing that classic chrome-and-curves fix. Sure, it’s not a 409-powered beast celebrated in songs, but it did have multiple carburetors!

Just like any vintage Chevy you might consider today, rust can be an issue. While Ralph Nader may not have been a big fan of the little car, there is a thriving base of enthusiasts focused on the car. These cars become a pretty good value if you think of it this way. Consider the asking price and condition of a certain Corvair. Now, imagine if you could get a similar Impala or Biscayne for the same price. Chances are, you’d jump on it, right?

The old saying, “Horsepower costs money. How fast do you want to go?” still holds, especially when shopping for classic Chevy hot rods. But you also need to consider the popularity of a particular make and model of Bowtie offerings. A case in point would be the current asking prices for Monte Carlos built before they went front-wheel-drive. Those quirky-looking third-gen Chevelles have risen in value as of late and anything G-Body is white-hot right now, for various reasons.

Each of these cars is also a great option for a Chevy-based hot rod, but the focus of this story is highlighting some viable foundations for a hot rod that just about any Bowtie enthusiast can afford and enjoy. Of course, how much you want to spend is still a consideration, but with one of these five, you’ll need to spend much less for an entry fee. From there, how fast do you want to go?