I've been playing with mopars for 15 years. Always B and C body street cars, none terribly fast, and most of my racing knowledge is what I got from my dad, which is about 20 years out of date. But, I feel the need for speed.

I think I'd like to be in the 11's or 12's.
I can't get excited about A-Bodies. Nothing short of "stealing" one would get me in one. Yes, I know they weigh the least.
I don't want to mess with a tow vehicle, I want to drive it to the track.

I'm thinking 66-67 B-body with a Big Block.

supposing I was to start with this car,

http://richmond.craigslist.org/cto/4039413310.html

what more would I need to spend to be in that time area? Should I go bracket racing or try to pick a class? I have various parts laying around and plenty of know-how. I'm kind of a loner and don't have any friend at the local track to get started, but then I'm not certain I'm going to do it. I think maybe I'm combo fishing and armchair dreaming a little, but what better place to start than here?

I think it would be cheapest to buy a body or race car that someone is tired of, but they seem few and far between.

It depends on many things, your budget being the big one to start with You have a goal set now, do you have a budget in mind? How soon do you want to go racing? How much of the needed work to get this car the way you want it can you do? Many factors involved in the decision making process, no easy answers other than being able to find your dream car turn key at the price you want to pay to go racing as fast as possible I've built more than one race car from scratch, also several street and strip cars. I salvage a decent 6 cylinder CA Duster and turned it into a high 9 second street and strip pump gas car through the mufflers with a lot of work, effort and money spent, it was right at 5 year project due to body shops dragging thier feet for 18 monthson getting the paint and body work done. I enjoyed building( I did the motor, wiring and plumbing, farmed out the trans, converter,chassis, suspension and wheel wells paint and interior) it but it was not easy and it was not cheap I suggest to set your goals and then look at the budget and time frame you want to achieve, shop around on the work you can't do and see what time frames are involved on those parts and then make your decision on what to do BTW, once you go 12s your going to want to go low 11s and then down(quicker and faster) the track from thier Speed and power are addictive

Also have a 67 Belvedere,

Steel crank 440, 270/470 comp Hyd. cam, stock rockers and pushrods, Stealth cnc ported aluminum heads, RMVB 727, 2.76 sure grip 8 3/4 M-1, 850 DP holley, carter mech pump, 1 3/4 headers, 2 1/2" full exhaust out the back.

I easily have double in this car what I have in the other one, with a 3.54 Dana 60 ready to install, among other upgrades. It's ran 13.50-105 on motor, and 11.58-114 with it's Big shot plate system.

Excluding your Budget ( not mentioned), your goals are very realistic and easily attainable with a big or small block. From a $ stand point consider a later Mopar such as a Cordoba or Volare / Aspen as they are still $ friendly to purchase and not your run of the mill Mopar that you usually see at the track. I initially drove my late B to the track ( 3900 lb car ) with a warmed up original 360, original 727 and 9 1/4 diff and ran high 12's. 11.80's with a very mild 408. It was still very streetable ( my interpretation ) and very $ friendly. When working out your goals, consider where you want to be with it - say 5-6 years from now. It will have an impact on how you start. I bring this up because most who start these projects come to a street / race crossroad decision at some future point in time. Have fun.

Have you hit your local track on a test and tune yet?
My local track even invites you to get your daily driver out for a feel of the process.
I've been hitting T&T's more myself getting a feel for my car as well as talking to the track techs and other racers for help and tips.

I too go "loner" sometimes, and can be a little un-nerving going by my self with no tools, especially since they are 40 miles away.

Sounds like a good project, keep us informed

The best advice I can give is don't start!! It's an addiction!!

My first piece of advice is get the car that you have always wanted and desired that will fit into your budget,,if it's a early B-body then thats what you go after, then build a motor with a solid bottom end that you can build on at a later date like adding different heads, intake and cam as you can afford it,,I started out with my car with a rebuilt 318 and then to a hotter 360 with better bottom end parts and tinkered with porting the old iron heads that came with the 360 now I have stepped up a little with a 408 stroker 360 and run consistently run in the low,low 10's,, this project started out 20 years ago and each winter I set a budget that I am willing to spend and then decide what the car needs the worse that I can fit reasonably within that budget.

I think the 66-67 B bodies are awesome, but I'm a little biased...Low 10's at 130 MPH