So what to do...?

Ok... I'm looking at the kms on the SiR and starting to do some thinking. It's now got 210,000 on it - it had 180,000 on it when I bought it just over 12 months ago. Not good.

So I'm thinking of picking up another car as a beater so that I can save the SiR for fun.

I've decided to go old school - I like old cars, they have more character than a lot of the plastic fantastics on the road. More to the point, it needs to be something I can tinker with - something I can never quite bring myself to do with the SiR. Most importantly it needs to have torque and a fair bit of bottom end power.

Options on my list so far are 1G Civic, Triumph Stag, Dolomite or 2500S, Datsun 240/260Z, TA22 Celica, Torana SLR5000/A9X, Toyota Crown, '80 Range Rover.

Ok, it's an assortment. 1G Civic is just about out - I can't find a decent body, plus it's small and tinny and not much chop for touring. Stags/Dolomites/2500S are Brit cars - way cool when they run... when they run :rolleyes: If I got one I'd be thinking of dropping a Jap engine into one.

240Z is something I've always wanted - the fastest of all the NA Z Cars, nice styling and a grunty engine. TA22 Celica will get a 3TGTE engine swap if I get one... only problem is the engine eats diffs like it was about to go on a hunger strike. The plus is the Coke bottle lines really appeal to me.

A9Xs are too expensive - over 14,000 but the SLR5000s start at 5 grand. Nice meaty V8 and the cars are brutal in the acceleration stakes - my old one did 0-100 in 5.9 seconds and it was only mildly worked. Only minuses are that they are pig-ugly and drink fuel. Range Rover (2 Door) has a beefy 8 but it's a bitch to drive around the streets... plus a pig with the fuel. But it would be cool for when I take leave and decide to go camping.

Toyota Crown is a long shot... ugly in factory trim, the things look awesome dropped with old-school mags on them... plenty of room for a Jap turbo-6. I'm talking the old '70s Crown, rounded ends to it.

I'm thinking a budget of 8000 tops - anyone got any ideas or feel like commenting on the options?

Originally posted by Setanta
Most importantly it needs to have torque and a fair bit of bottom end power.

Options on my list so far are 1G Civic, Triumph Stag, Dolomite or 2500S, Datsun 240/260Z, TA22 Celica, Torana SLR5000/A9X, Toyota Crown, '80 Range Rover.



Ask moppie, im sure hell say 2500S:D

Theyre all totally different cars. I doubt anyone can tell you anymore than u already know.

A 1G civic is not quite in the same category as a Range Rover

go celicas :D

Maybe just search the papers...and see what you can find in good nic.

Originally posted by dejoux


Ask moppie, im sure hell say 2500S:D


I think moppie had a TC, not the S. If he had the S then that's getting really spooky :bloated:

I looked in the trading post (have been for the last few weeks - this is my short list. I've narrowed it down to a TA23 Celica, Nissan Z (260 - I really would want a 240 2+2) or the SLR5000. Of the 3 the Celica would be copping heavy mods/swap wheras the Z or Torana would be going the traditional all-motor mods.

Spend a bit more and get a 180sx?

Originally posted by tannee
Spend a bit more and get a 180sx?

Oh yeah, babee! Get SR20DET manual.

Me thinks Setanta would look good in a Camry :flipa:

:p

heheh... there's one running around pennant hills that would smoke the power output of your engine and mine put together. Pale green sleeper with a full turbo setup :rolleyes: No I wouldn't get a Camry... I don't need to be monstered by certain people :p

Tannee/Oz: 180s aren't oldschool I dare say :p I want brutal low-tech old-fashioned technology that can be rebuilt to kill modern turbo setups. Unless I drop a turbo engine in :) Took an A9X for a run yesterday afternoon... man it was fast - scarey stuff. Unfortunately it was about 5 grand over my budget.

Hey, first post in this forumhttp://www.plauder-smilies.de/happy/xyxwave.gif

Why not run the SiR till it dies and then get a another B16 to drop in? that's my plan with my SiR which has 195000km..

Originally posted by Setanta
Took an A9X for a run yesterday afternoon... man it was fast - scarey stuff. Unfortunately it was about 5 grand over my budget.

Bah...its only money go for it.

Dont comprimise, youll be happier in the long run.

:D :D :D

get the AE86, drop in the 20valve, u'll never want to drive the SiR ever again :D
*edit* i was just thinking, AE86 is RWD, is the the 20V gearbox FWD or RWD? if its RWD get the black rocker cover 20V- 6 speed baybeee

Originally posted by bracer
Hey, first post in this forumhttp://www.plauder-smilies.de/happy/xyxwave.gif

Why not run the SiR till it dies and then get a another B16 to drop in? that's my plan with my SiR which has 195000km..

hahahah... the whole point is not to run the SiR into the ground :D

Besides... you live in a country where the SiR has factory support... being JDM in a non-JDM country is a pain :rolleyes:

BTW - welcome in... another inhabitant of Eric's 4G site should be cool. We really have to do the similar pics of the Euro and JDM SiRs for comparison's sake :)

Originally posted by dejoux


Bah...its only money go for it.

Dont comprimise, youll be happier in the long run.

:D :D :D

Yup... it was a sweet car - white with black highlights. Going for a look at a SLR5000 tomorrow... it's not a real one, just a replica, but has a worked 308 so I'll be interested to see how it compares to the A9x hatch.

Joyride: AE86s are great drift cars, but I've only ever seen one that I really liked and that had had 20grand dropped into it. Looked awesome, but not really my taste. For the base money I'd go a Datsun Z instead :)

How bout a Toyota Sprinter? Fast Rear Wheel Cars! And a small car as well.
"A Mad Drifting Car!"

And i dont think the price is high too. :D

Originally posted by stubborn_boi
How bout a Toyota Sprinter? Fast Rear Wheel Cars! And a small car as well.
"A Mad Drifting Car!"

And i dont think the price is high too. :D

Ummm... can I now point out that the Sprinter is the AE86 :p :flipa:

Well, it's the Aussie version anyway :D

Originally posted by Setanta


Ummm... can I now point out that the Sprinter is the AE86 :p :flipa:

Well, it's the Aussie version anyway :D

OHHHHHhhhhh.. sorry, dont know much bout that. Just ive seen some around and stuff, more more of them. and yeah, my friend keeps on talking bout it, and around a mth ago, people were drifting around the Fairfeild area, saw the whole thing.. so COOL! and the sprinters where pretty good. :)

Originally posted by Setanta

BTW - welcome in... another inhabitant of Eric's 4G site should be cool. We really have to do the similar pics of the Euro and JDM SiRs for comparison's sake :)

Tnx for the welcome :)

Yeah it would be cool to find out the differences, I've taken a bunch of pics already. Where do you want to post the pics?, Eric's board? here?
Name the place and the part and I will post it :)

The sprinter option is pretty damned appealing. The 4A-GE comes in 20 valve and SC forms both FWD and RWD. Get the SC then put a turbo instead. All do-able (with car, swap, rims, exhaust - but weird offset) for about $7.5-9k. Oz.

Actually - there's a fair bit more than 7-9 grand in that. Try over 1200 bucks for an aftermarket computer alone :) 600 for the exhaust, 2000+ for a turbo, new engine mounts, rebuild motor (the 4AGZE is old and will have been sitting on the docks in freezing temperatures) - lets call that 2 grand for doing it cheaply, brake upgrade (the standard brakes on a sprinter are shocking) add 1000, 'puter tuning add 600 (conservative), oops - forgot the engine - 1000 bucks (conservative), new clutch, suspension - 1500 (not coil-over), swaybars 300, eurothane bushes...

I think that's ten grand gone without even buying the car :rolleyes:

Sure it can be done cheaply - but it has to be engineered and safe. I want reliable transport, a torquey beast and something that won't have the RTA/police sniffing after it. I've built a few hybrids - worst was the TA22 Celica with a 3TGTE in it - over 180bhp at the rear wheels, but it kept snapping the diff under load. I ran the Rayjay powered 1G Civic into a wall (literally) when the boost came on and traction broke the wheels loose on a corner. Since then, every build has been a balanced affair and that = a lot of money :(

Took the SLR for a run today and also a Z with the works triple webber setup. Both were nice - the SLR doesn't like corners but I know how to resolve that for less than 800 bucks. Pity there was cancer in the body. The Z was sweet, but it was a 260Z and I really want a 2+2 240Z. Plus it had had more hits than Madonna :bloated:

I'll keep looking - no rush :)

How about the first gen Supra?? Or while we're on the subject of forst gens, how about a 300ZX?? Both fit all your criteria. Hmmm....what about a Cordia GSR?? Pick up a straight one for about $3-4k. THen budget another $3k for a new engine (all been thrashed - current ones anyway) and some bigger brakes and yor away. Then fit an exhaust, CD/tuner, couple of race buckets, some other stereo shit and you're in under budget. Oh well, I'll stay on the case and see what I can come up with. ET Pulsar? Corolla Twin Cam or SX?

Cordias are dogmeat nowadays and the heads were prone to cracking - not to mention FWD. A starion maybe, but I'm just not into '80s turbo tech as most were unreliable and the oil-cooled turbos cook badly. Cordia and Pulsar engines are about 2 grand to rebuild properly, plus turbo etc.

Likewise for the others - I'm sick of Japanese FWDs ( :eek: ). The 1G supras are nice, but we got the useless 2.6 NA in it instead of the turbo 2l 6 and the conversion is a bitch. 300ZX are fat slow and handle like a barge - the 240Z was the pinnacle of the Z cars :)

Still looking. I saw a nice Jensen Interceptor series 2 for sale, but it was 18,000 bucks and the rear window can be upwards of 1100 bucks to replace from the UK :rolleyes:

Originally posted by Setanta
. 300ZX are fat slow and handle like a barge - the 240Z was the pinnacle of the Z cars :)


WTF? How do they handle like a barge??????? have you ever driven one? or have you been playing GT3 too much that its had an affect in ur head?

There body is big, but doesnt mean its shit. it really keeps the car still on the road!!! and how does it handle like a barge? its bloody smooth! its a beauti to owe one of them! you can go at 80km at a long sharp turn , it flys thru it perfectly!!

your an english teacher, have you heard of "dont judge a book by its cover?"

Umm... yes, yes I have driven one - and yes they handle like a barge and don't have the turn in ability of a 240Z - you just can't chuck them around without them biting you :)

You'd be surprised what I've driven... when I was younger, 3 of us would rock up to car dealers in a friend's parent's XJS dressed up as rich kids - fake cartiers, rolexs etc (gotta love HK :) ). One of the guys had an AMEX goldcard that his folks got for him. :rolleyes: Best was being driven around in a Ferarri GTO (they wouldn't let us drive it :( ), but we took a 911, Lotus Esprit and E-Type out (it was second hand - I'm not that old :p ), not to mention tons of run of the mill cars. Pretty childish, but damn it was fun :D

Originally posted by Setanta
Umm... yes, yes I have driven one - and yes they handle like a barge and don't have the turn in ability of a 240Z - you just can't chuck them around without them biting you :)

You'd be surprised what I've driven... when I was younger, 3 of us would rock up to car dealers in a friend's parent's XJS dressed up as rich kids - fake cartiers, rolexs etc (gotta love HK :) ). One of the guys had an AMEX goldcard that his folks got for him. :rolleyes: Best was being driven around in a Ferarri GTO (they wouldn't let us drive it :( ), but we took a 911, Lotus Esprit and E-Type out (it was second hand - I'm not that old :p ), not to mention tons of run of the mill cars. Pretty childish, but damn it was fun :D

HAHAHAHAHAHA, ive done that TOO! well, i dont know the 300zx u drove, but the one i drove was a TT. damn..... still rmber how smooth it ran and how god damn fast it was...
like you, i chucked the car everywhere, i got to drive it for one whole night, while my freind had my civic (the sedan- old one) for one night, i know that he trashed my car like i bitch, and i bet he know i did the same! LOL. went everywhere with it, doing burnouts infront of some of my strick friends parents and shit... hehehe. god was it fun!!! and yeah, do drifties on gravel grounds and shit!! hahahaha good old days. =)



I WANT ONE!!!!

300ZX is huge, name a car that big that does handle as well as a smaller car, it might as well be american.

Go the 240Z, after that they just got bigger and more barge like