A four-banger fox body Mustang. They're cheap enough you can find a decent one worth putting work into for a grand, plus down the road you can do many different things with it.
Finding a car that actually drives for $1k in Phoenix is pretty much impossible, unless you're willing to take a journey to the ghetto and get shot while you're at it. Assuming the fuel prices to go up north where you're more likely to deal with someone who legitimately wants to sell a car and doesn't intend to shoot you or sell you into slavery aren't factored, I'd probably go with the least crappy Crown Victoria or equivalent Caprice $1k can buy and have fun parking wherever I want without fearing door dings and scaring people out of the left lane.
I actually saw one on sale by a private owner a week or two ago, for $1500. Looked to be in good shape. I could be mistaken, as I only saw it in passing, but still.
I've found that anything "foreign" gets marked down, even when it rightfully shouldn't around here (southeast Michigan). A lot of people would rather have a mediocre Ford or GM than a Honda or an Audi or something. It's part of the reason why I was able to get a near-new Civic for my first car.
Could you resize that first Crown Victoria picture, Doog? Image is huge!
For $1000, there's actually some...cars available here. Mainly...winter beaters.
Plenty of 1st and 2nd generation Subaru Legacy's on craigslist that could be bought for $1000 or less. That is...with a LOT of miles...
But if I'm lucky... I'd love to snag a Tercel 4x4 wagon, AWD Civic wagon, or a uncommon 1st gen Camry All-Trac.
For $600. Well, you can interpret it simply as a worthless piece of junk, or you can interpret it as some sort of a novelty item, providing an interesting (yet dangerous) experience.
Anyway, I'd say fixing it will get the cost over $1000.
I found a whole heap of Subarus I'd consider. Legacies were the majority, but spotted a first-gen Forester and even a first-year bug-eye Impreza. Sweet.
But really, I was presented with a mid-engine vehicle, so naturally, I have to say that one.
Trawling though Carsales, this was pretty much the only thing that caught my eye for $1000 or under. Mainly because I've always liked this particular model Subaru and it looks to be in very reasonable shape. 1990 Subaru L series.
It is, frankly, ridiculously easy to find something cool for that money in the UK. MG ZTs, Honda Preludes, endless half-decent BMWs and more. If you wanted something practical you can hardly move for Fiat Multiplas, and there are even a few MX-5s knocking about, though I'd personally spend a bit more one of those.
In all seriousness, I'd been looking for potential $1000 bangers for the Mystery Box's big brother the :censored:box Rally and the ideal one would have been something like this:
or this:
Can't go past an old workhorse wagon or panel van.
A decent fox for a grand? Haha, I dunno about that... Unless it's a half rusted 2.3...
My old fox was pretty mint for the price I got it for and most decent 5.0L foxes still go for at least 3 grand around here.
Sorry but I disagree. Any V8 car around here for a $1000 has usually been bought up for drag racing. They're actually becoming quite rare. The ones that are left, for a $1000, usually need a heap of work done to them. At least in my area, respectively.
I read through your thread the other day, it sure looked like a lot of fun. 
