There are several places to start. One being a Junk yard. Cars that people sell to junkyards may still be driveable and besides, you are going to go crash it anyway so a junkyard car is perfect, so long it runs. The bulkier cars are a plus but not a necessity. A strong rear bumper is key. You basically need an engine and a transmission that will run for 10 more miles. Severe rust is a negative. Ignition switches that are damaged make it hard to restart a car during the intensity of a derby. A bad ignition switch can doom your chances.
The appropriateness of a demo derby car can be approximated by the year and the size of the engine. Cars peaked in size around 1977. Engine sizes also ran high in the late 70's. As cars were made lighter and with more efficient engines in the mid 80's, they lose the size advantage of older cars. A large engine is from a 5.0-7.7 Litre. Car brands that are good are: Ford Crown Victoria, Mercury Grand Marquis, Oldsmobile 98, Cadillac Deville, Buick Regal and Chevy Monte Carlo.
Try not to pay more than $150 for any car. If a car is more than this it is too good or the seller is in crappy - car denial. You can also get a car from a private individual. Dealers will most likely not have cars cheap enough.
After you have the car, the fun begins. Remove the headlights, Back seat, all windows, rear view mirrors, hub caps, antennae, back seat belts and hood ornaments. The following may be different depending on what the people running the derby require. The above mentioned is pretty much standard for all situations. Chain the doors shut from the inside. Chain the hood down by drilling holes in the hood and side panel and then loop the chain through. paint the drivers side door white to warn other drivers to stear clear of directly hitting you. Paint the car any way you want to. Drill a hole in the gas tank so there can only be approximately 1 gallon of gas left at any time. Empty the radiator and fill it with water. Your car may be able to last for the derby without a radiator, but if you have one then use it. Duct tape all the hoses where they connect to their respective pipes. This will prevent pressure from busting a hose.
Some Demo-Derbys will require the car to have a special gas tank. In this case you will have to purchase a new tank and remove the old one. I do not know the details of this process, but it is not easy and it does cost some $$$. Arrange for a tow truck to bring the car to the sight. If you attempt to drive yourself you will be pulled over. Make sure you have the insurance and Registration with you so you can handle the disposal of your car after the derby.
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