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Planning the next project...

3K views 22 replies 11 participants last post by  SupraFiend 
#1 ·
So I talked with the woman today... and she's given me the go ahead to begin planning the next project... but she's given me a couple of guidelines for it, as its going to end up being her car...

1) It HAS to be a slushbox. She can't drive a stick and seeing as she's gtoing to be living in the city for the next few years, she has no desire learn....yet.
2) It can't be loud.
3) Has to have "all the creature comforts"... i.e. A/C, stereo, electric windows, d/l's etc...
4) it has to stay UNDER 350 hp (or I have to be able to reasonably be able to make her believe so..)
5) the biggie... I can't go over a 5K budget, which includes the price of the car (ironic... I get a 2K budget... she gets 5... :roll: )

So... at the moment..I am thinking either an N/A Mk III (which I may just strap a ct-26 and an S-afc onto), a mid-80's 240Z with a 2.4L supercharged GM Ecotek or a SBC, or a mid-80's 944 widebody Porsche...

I hafta keep it mild because she can't really drive all that well, but at the same time, I wanna build something fun... ideas or input on my ideas?

Of course, none of this will happen till the Supra is done :)
 
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#4 ·
Punish yourself for that nasty thought Mike!!! I'm trying to break her from the Evil Blue Oval habit.... not encourage it...

Besides..you said it yourself... reliable... everyone knows that once one thing goes to shit on a Ford, the rest of the car is soon behind...
 
#6 ·
Honestly... I'm bored with domestics... thats part of the reason I started with the Supra. I can go out to a parts store..buy a bunch of parts off the shelf, bolt them together and make 1000 hp. I kinda want to get into fabricating and modifying parts to make them work... I dunno..., just wanna try to branch out and try new things... The Supra's the first import I have ever owned. I didn;t even own a metric tool when I bought her..lol.
 
#9 ·
Supra Bob said:
Besides..you said it yourself... reliable... everyone knows that once one thing goes to shit on a Ford, the rest of the car is soon behind...
Fix Or Repair Daily. When I was younger, my Mom bought a Mustang at my urging...piece of garbage. Ford makes nice looking cars, but quality is job #84,234,964,055,968,940.

I'd go for a Supra (of course!) but I have a friend with a 944. Sweet car, and your wife would enjoy it.

Domestically...how about an '80s Firebird?
 
#10 ·
Dunno guys, the 302 FI Fox Body Stangs are pretty damn reliable, and parts are CHEAP if it does crap out. Unlike our Toyota parts :x

If you are going Import, Id recommend a 240sx (with popup lights) You can get a SR20DET engine for ~1800, swap it in and have a QUICK and relatively reliable car. RWD, SEs have LSD, lightweight, good looking, smoking aftermarket....its a nice deal and affordable.

Im thinking about one actually...
 
#11 ·
LMAO Mike.. your as bad as I am thinking about projects...

Seriously tho... she specifically said no Mustangs.. she knows I wanna build a twin turbo or SC'ed late 80's Stang... and knows I wouldn;t be able to control myself...

If I did a 240 (which is actually what I am leaning towards the most right now) it would be a widebody... the motor is debateable tho... I am torn between the sr20det or a 383 LS-1..

Downshift... I've actually had 5 third Gen F-body GM's... 3 birds and 2 camaro's... and while they will always hold some thrall for me... I'm trying to bust into new territory... for me anyway.

Keep the ideas coming guys!
 
#12 ·
For a 5K budget, I'd agree with Mike. 89+ 240 SX. CHEAP, one, and two, the aftermarket for these things is insane! Tein makes cockpit adjustable suspension kits for them! I mean, come on! Plus, you can get a front cut of a Silvia (JDM 240) drop the SR20DET in there and BAM! have a pretty fast and reasonably well handling RWD car for about $2100 + cost of car. This based on Sport Compact Car's own project Silvia (May 2002).

Although the slush-BiZoX isn't good for drifting, the 240 has insane caster...something like 10 degrees....

Done ranting...

Not yet- There's also the 2nd gen Rx7's. Take a LT1 motor and auto tranny(6sp is supposed to come up in the correct spot though :) ) and it all bolts right in (I've been told). The weight distibution is supposedly almost unaffected with all the removal of the heavy stuff upfront Mazda put there as balast offsetting the rotoray's lightness and bringing the weight distibution back to 50/50. AlthoughI don't usually like the "throw in a 350!!" solution, I find this an intresting conversion.... :twisted:

Ok....Seriously done now :roll:

Nick
 
#13 ·
280ZX (more convience features) + V8 crate motor + slushbox. I would forget a $5k Porsche. About the only non basket case one you'd get for that price would be a 914 (yuk!). Parts are usually insanely expensive and their is only one place to get them. You might also be able to get a Z32 Z now for $5k. Very fun cars to drive (even NA) although they are a nightmare to work on.
I'd recommend getting and older muscle car and fixing that up. At least you'd be able to get most of you investment out when you sell it someday. Parts are much cheaper for them as well. And they've got bolt on modern convenience items for many of the popular cars as well.
 
#14 ·
Supra Bob said:
LMAO Mike.. your as bad as I am thinking about projects...

Seriously tho... she specifically said no Mustangs.. she knows I wanna build a twin turbo or SC'ed late 80's Stang... and knows I wouldn;t be able to control myself...

If I did a 240 (which is actually what I am leaning towards the most right now) it would be a widebody... the motor is debateable tho... I am torn between the sr20det or a 383 LS-1..

Downshift... I've actually had 5 third Gen F-body GM's... 3 birds and 2 camaro's... and while they will always hold some thrall for me... I'm trying to bust into new territory... for me anyway.

Keep the ideas coming guys!
Bob,

If you decide on a S13, I have a friend that's been contemplating selling his 92. it has been a bit riced out, but at least he put both wipers back on. the body is in pretty good condition and you'll need to unshave the door handles back in, but he may give it up for a good price.

here's a pic of it, the mirror tint has already (last I saw) been removed since the NC trooper got a hold of him

If you're interested in it, let me know and I'll get you guys in touch with each other.

oh, lowered too, sitting on Eibocks, not sure of shocks and struts.

this pic was taken Nov 14 02
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#15 ·
No need to do a motor swap on a 240. Just turbo the KA24DE. SR20 is over rated. That extra 1/2 liter makes a big difference. A friend of mine put down 230hp 230tq on 5.8psi non intercooled.
 
#16 ·
a KA24DET would be pretty cool. I've been talking to a friend of mine with a S14 and he's been considering a SR20DET, I pretty much said the same thing you just did.

I believe turboing the KA would be a better mod than putting in a SR motor. in terms of work load, it's pretty much the equiv of turboing the 5M, (RRFPR etc etc...) as opposed to putting in the 7M-T (wiring in harnesses, ECU, etc). Where the difference comes in, is the KA has more displacement and from the way I've seen this guy drive, it's a pretty sturdy engine.

IMHO the 7M and 2J are better choices for our cars, and the KA is best for the S13 and S14.
 
#17 ·
Wes et all,

The reason I recommend the SR20 is due to the fact that its an OEM engine, that will have OEM reliability. Im not sure where you think they are overhyped :confused: There are a host of off the shelf upgrades available for it too. Turboing the KA is just like turboing the 5M, ghetto rigging it. You will have to fab up stuff to make it work, which typically doesnt = reliability. Yes it will work, but you are playing with fire to some extent. Dupler covered this in a thread regarding the 5/6mtge, and I agree 100%.

I just love the fact that the 240 has a great aftermarket, and is relatively cheap to build. That or a Miata....
 
#18 ·
If I were looking for a cheap project car I'd go with an AE86... but that's just me (and my criteria would be dramatically different).

Perhaps a Miata is a good idea, Mike. It's a fun car with the drop top, and you can get turbo kits for the older ones. The fact that it's a chick car won't bother your wife, and it handles great.

The only problem that I have with criticism of the concept of 'ghetto rigging' is that if the car makes good power and is reliable post-'rigging' then who cares? Elegance and factory stuff is nice, but it's not the be-all end-all IMO.
 
#19 ·
This is the discussion I was referring to with Dupler:
http://www.celicasupra.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=332

And he owns/built one on the nicer 6mgtes out there. I def. agree with him there. ;)

Bob: you can get a Miata for 3500. Greddy makes a turbo kit that sells for $1300 (http://shop.store.yahoo.com/gomiata/gredtur1689.html), its non intercooled and adds some decent power. You can score a cheap IC and hook that up to help it out. I think that turbo kit adds 40hp, which is VERY noticable on such a small car.
 
#20 ·
Hmmm... A Miata may be fun to build... Its definately "girly" enough for her too... I would probably go with a SC setup tho... more even torque for easier driveability...

Quick, I tend to agree with your opinion on the "ghetto-rigging" subject... but then again, i think thats known from my response to Phil's post.

Silvermk2... I'm not real concerned with getting my money back out of it as I know her, and whatever I build, she'll drive until it's completely dead or I buy her a new SUV... :roll: .. plus I am trying to move into new territory..and I have been a muscle car guy my entire life prior to the Supra... I did kill the Porsche idea tho..looked at parts for them.. and realized just getting a car reliable would cost twice my budget...

IF I do go with the 240, it will be a mid to early 80's, and I am leaning more towards an N/A motor now... After thinking about it Michelle is not the best driver in the world, and I think the hit of torque once the turbo spooled up would not be something she could handle well (she gets scaired when I dump the clutch and break the tires loose for god sake... can't wait to take her for a ride once the turbo is done..LOL)

So..the possible list reads like this now...
Miata
240 widebody
Maybe an MR-2??

Any more ideas?
 
#21 ·
Supra Bob said:
WOW... that is cheap! If I could find a deal like that.. you better beleive I'd be on it in a second...
Yea, check autotrader.com there's always some nice deals on MKIIIs.

Just last week a guy had a '89T forsale in the Seattle Times for $1800 w/ a BHG. By the time I called on it, it was sold!
 
#22 ·
Supra Bob said:
Seriously tho... she specifically said no Mustangs.. she knows I wanna build a twin turbo or SC'ed late 80's Stang... and knows I wouldn;t be able to control myself...

Downshift... I've actually had 5 third Gen F-body GM's... 3 birds and 2 camaro's... and while they will always hold some thrall for me... I'm trying to bust into new territory... for me anyway.

Keep the ideas coming guys!
Mustangs are among my favorite cars, but even I have to admit their quality is bad. Mom's was an '87 hatchback with the 2.3 litre engine.

Lol, you asked for it! There's so many cars begging to be built, begging to be rescued from the cruelest fate imaginable (crushed and turned into a Kia).

Some odd choices here, some bound to land you in the doghouse if you even contemplate them... but all are bound to be new territory for you. Some are bound to be new territory, period.

AMC Gremlin
AMC Pacer
Chevrolet Citation
Dodge Omni 024
Eagle Talon (or Mitsubishi Eclipse or Plymouth Laser)
Ford Mustang II (I know you said no Mustangs, but the 5.0 came in some of these....and it would be quite different)
Honda Accord (specifically the circa '87 hatchbacks)
Honda Prelude
Mercur Scorpio
Nissan Pulsar
Plymouth Reliant K (the ultimate sleeper?)
Pontiac Fiero
Toyota Starlet
Volkswagen Rabbit

Did I mention my sanity is questionable?
 
#23 ·
mr2s are dead reliable but mid engined cars can be a handful if you don't know what your doing with them. Just do some research into the percentage of sw20s that have salvage titles on them. Its really scary, I swear its like damn near 50 percent.
 
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