[zacknafei]

just wondering what people think a resonable price for a donar car would be in canadian $, i am located in victoria,b.c. and have been looking for a turbo supra for the swap for at least 10 months, so what do you think is resonable? and any one in b.c. have any leads?

 

[Joseph]

I would say between $1000 and $2000 US (so about $1500-3000 CDN).
I payed $1000 plus $200 for towing for mine. It was an '88 5spd, pretty rusty but it ran and was complete drivetrain wise. If you spend a little more to get a nicer donor car not only will this probably save you some money/work but you can sell parts you don't need (interior, body) to make some money back.

HTH

Joseph

 

[kicknsupra]

i have seen a lot of supra in bc for 1000=3000 i got mine for 1500 and it was in good shape dont get a rust bucket mk2s in bc rust fast i had to run mine this winter last time and it rusted a fair bit you can find a good shape mk2 for 2000 if you want i can take a look around for you i know all the supras in pg buddy might sell his 84 L type has nice blue paint but needs some moter work but you want a swap anyways there is a few rust buckets going around to

 

[SupraFiend]

why not just get the motor from an importer or wrecker? Cheaper and less hassel plus any mk3 you buy for 1 to 3 grand is going to be seriously beat on. Full engine rebuilds on 7mgte's aren't cheap, get yourself a relatively low milage jdm import and freshen it up or at least get one from a car that was ditched because of an accident, not because it was too beat.

 

[Joseph]

get yourself a relatively low milage jdm import and freshen it up or at least get one from a car that was ditched because of an accident, not because it was too beat.

This is a good point but if you just get an engine, then go collecting parts from all different cars you never know if everything really works. You could put everything together then not have it work due to any number of bad components. At least if you start with a running donor car you know everything works. That way when it's all transfered over to the MK2 if it doesn't work you know it's something you hooked up wrong and not a faulty part or parts.

 

[Racefiend]

Not to mention these "low mileage" jdm engines are BS. They have no idea how many miles are on those engines. Do people really think that these hundreds of 15+ year old motors they bring in really have 30k miles on them? The chances of them needing a rebuild are just like any of ours would. More, actually, since they've been sitting for god knows how long. New seals are always in order with those jdm motors. They're a good cheapy alternative to rebuilding your blown one, but I would never trust one for a performancec application, only a stock replacement.

Christian

 

[Supra Bob]

I actually stumbled onto a gold mine a few months ago... I found an entire Mk III for $300. The short block was shot (had a hole in cylinder #6 that you could put your hand into) but everything else was great. I could have had a shortblock replacement for ~$600 or so.

Sadly, what the time, I was trying to stay on a tight budget, so I decided to go 5M-GTE... of course, the budget has now been long ago shot to hell, and I am almost wishing I had gone that route.... ALMOST :twisted:

 

[Jay]

I'm just north of you here in nanaimo, and have considered the 7M swap. I've kept my eye out for the last couple years and haven't seen anything cheaper than about 2000cdn, even for a wreck with a complete motor (rip off I think) South Island imports and Malahat are the two wreckers who buy up all the Supras on this island, so keep your eyes out there. I personally have decided to build a 5M-GTE from the bottom up, out of the lower compression 82 motor. I'm just starting this project now, but I think its gonna work out cheaper than the 7m, considering Id feel the need to rebuild one of those motors as well

 

[SupraFiend]

I went to hs in Nanaimo actually.

If your just droping a new engine in getting one from a wrecked car with decent milage is best as you know how long its sat and that it was at least running before the accident and you can take everything off the car yourself (usually). Chris, I wasen't suggesting you just buy a jdm engine and drop it in. They are CHEAP and thats whats so appealing about them. The local wreckers don't even try to compete with the jdm importers. Domestic 7mgtes from wreckers go for 3 to 4 times what the importers sell them for here. And yes most jdm engines are low milage, thats just how it is in japan, but I wouldn't drop a single one of those motors into my car without changing every seal & gasket on the engine and putting new rings in and honing it. My point was even with all that work and those parts you end up spending waaaay less for your engine then it would cost to buy a beat mk3 that has an engine with 300,000+ kms on it that needs a real rebuild, actual machining, overboring, new pistons, valves, springs etc. Real rebuilds on 7ms run around 2gs+ up here whearas you can freshen up an engine for a few hundred. Anyways, you know all this, I was just clarifying my point :wink:

 

[jdk_ii]

For first time transplanters, I highly recommend getting a complete donor MK3.

Then, at least you know things are working.

The piece parts approach is a bad idea, unless you are *really* familiar with the 7MGTE.

If you got a great deal on a MK3 that doesn't run right, that can be just as difficult. You will spend more time (=money) trying to debug it.

In any case, donor MK3, boneyard 7MGTE , or JDM, you have to inspect what you are buying.

 

[Supra Bob]

On Ebay right now, there are two whole Mk III's for ~$1,400 for both. Neither one runs, but could very easily with minor fixes (one has a stripped spark plug hole, and one is missing a turbo).

 

[Snake2715]

Car opinions

I have a chance for an 88 Turbo complete that runs for $1950 delivered. It has some rust and its a manual. Whats everybodys thought on that price... I am thinking it ahs around 150,000 miles on it.

I am wanting to do the 7mgte transplant.

 

[kjurkic]

JDM engine importer in BC

Is there a JDM importer in BC? I know of one in Toronto and another in Montreal, but it seems we would be getting unnecessarily gouged for shipping, since those engine would have to pass right by us.