The Lounge - Suggest a project car...

I was thinking about heavily modding my E34 525i, thus making it my project. I had plans of sending it to speed technic for major engine build up. However, it's too expensive for me - I got other things to spend money for besides car. So now, I'm thinking about abandoning my BMW project and get a real project car. Some of my criterias are:

-must be 6k or below
-must be an import (jap or german)
-must be a RWD or AWD
-must have a manual transmission
-must have an engine, capable of handling higher than stock power
-must have a decent aftermarket support
-must be reliable


Some of the cars I had in mind are: '91-'95 MR2 (looks great and has a strong engine), '91+ 240SX, '01+ 300ZX(I've heard that they are hard to work on and would probably cost over $6k), E30 325i, AE86 corolla, mitsu 3000GT, Audi A4 quattro
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lots of support on the audi...

Yea, but it's the same thing as a VW. I got a 2000 Jetta myself and I've heard that those cars are highly unreliable because of the hordes of electrical problems that they have.

hmmm...i would stay away from the 3000GT just based on the fact that simple things are VERY costly or impossible to get...like the flex pipe is 900+ if you can find it.

a $900+ flew pipe? Holy ****. Sounds like it will be more costly than a bimmer. I was looking at porsche 944 although parts for these are also quite expensive. I'm leaning more toward japanese cars, since I trust their reliability

900 indeed...it has 2 or 3 seperate flex pieces in it, and is quite large, going from the very small exhaust manifolds, all the way to the cat...for some reason it is not available aftermarket yet...as an OEM piece...its a real pain...when working as a tech i put borla catback on a 3000gt, and high flow cats, and when i went to order the headpipe, it wasnt available..[:@] he ended up getting it from a dealership for some 900+

damn. Some guy at phoenixtuning has suggested a 240SX. They are easy to work on and have a huge aftermarket to support to build it for any kind of racing. Those engines, bot KA and SR are capable of producing in excess of 600whp. I can get my hands on a fully stripped '92 240SX and phoenixtuning would fix her up for less than $6k. I'm seriously considering this option

If i were you i would keep that bimmer stock because it ain't easy finding a stick shift in one of those. Keep it until it is a antique.(20yrs old consider antique)

I think that you should get a 92 toyota camry v6 2dr standard. Those are really fast and hard to find if you see one you should get it. Plus they can handle up to 14psi on stock iron internal and reliable still.

My brother owned a 92 stock camry xle v6 sedan with 3spd auto and he beat a modify standard 240sx and a eclipse. If anyone has driven a v6 camry before should know that they are REAlly fast even though no one ever thought of camry as a fast car.



Oh yeah 240sx are heavy too so that might be a problem if you want a fast light car.

but he wants RWD or AWD...

convert it to rwd.

yep, those suckers are fast, but it would be too much of a hassle to convert it to RWD. Prior to that, I would also need to think about a dillema - what kind of rear end would I need for this conversion. It would need a whole new drivetrain, so it would kinda defeat the purpose. I would probably need a longitudenal engine with transmission, custom driveshaft and a diff.

ORIGINAL: HondaCivica

If i were you i would keep that bimmer stock because it ain't easy finding a stick shift in one of those. Keep it until it is a antique.(20yrs old consider antique)



You are correct on this one, finding a 5-series with a 5spd is vary hard these days. However, the antique status would not affect the price by much. If it was an ///M then it would help, but those are expensive already. A '91 M5 can be had for around $17 in a decent condition

Hmm....why not get a nissan pulsar, put this (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=46098&item=7979528896&rd=1) in it. Should be dirt cheap and sentra aftermarket fits pulsars.

Or a mirage with a 4G93? Should be sweet too

I pretty much have my sights set on a '92 240sx and '94 MR2

IMO MR2's better.

Another option would be this... (http://www.autoprofi.ua/img/avto_year/gaz3110.jpg) ...Just messing with you:-D I'd love the older Volga though...

ORIGINAL: Kolhoznik

IMO MR2's better.

Another option would be this... (http://www.autoprofi.ua/img/avto_year/gaz3110.jpg) ...Just messing with you:-D I'd love the older Volga though...


HAHA. I wonder if it has over 100hp. I remember older models pushing like 70

I love the way MR2 looks and it is a toyota, but I'm not sure how much horses I can squeeze out of that. 240sx looks great and with SR20DET, possibilities are endless - 600+whp is very achievable.

You're on the right track... 240 SX with an SR20 swap will be just what you're after. And if not, I'd say get an early to mid 90's Galant VR4 and build that 4G through the roof... just to watch people's faces when you cook them in an early model econo-box sedan.

ORIGINAL: Patrick

hmmm...i would stay away from the 3000GT just based on the fact that simple things are VERY costly or impossible to get


the dodge stealth is virtually the same car with a different name slapped on it..and much cheaper

ORIGINAL: Kappa22

You're on the right track... 240 SX with an SR20 swap will be just what you're after. And if not, I'd say get an early to mid 90's Galant VR4 and build that 4G through the roof... just to watch people's faces when you cook them in an early model econo-box sedan.


I want something that looks cool out of the box. I don't want it to look like crap, and I don't want to spend any money on appearance mods, except for wheels

87ish 325 beamer.... take it to, crap i dont remember the name of the league.
92 240sx sr20det can be done under 6k
or
a 92 stang orginally a 4banger = cheap 5.0 potential. www.stangparts.com can usually get a 5 liter cheap, a rear end, brakes, tranny, everything.... about 6k

another bimmer would be cool and I like the E30 body style, but it would be expensive to squeeze any real power out of that. I talked to guys at speedtechnin.com and it would take around $10k to give my car around 400hp.

sry but i can remember the name of the series, but they take those old school beamers and race them in there and they usually do pretty good.

240 + SR20DET = Still your best option so far.

i like that idea, but i also like the mr2 as well, though the cars go for a bit more than the 240s. that 3S-GTE is a sweet motor, and can see hp figures well over 400hp.

You should get a Turbo MR2 or Turbo Supra or Turbo 300zx or a 92ish 3 series 2dr with plastic bumper.(Not metal)

ORIGINAL: HondaCivica

You should get a Turbo MR2 or Turbo Supra or Turbo 300zx or a 92ish 3 series 2dr with plastic bumper.(Not metal)


turbo Mr2 would leave me a very limited budget for the rest of the project

turbo supra for under 6k? Maybe an MKIII

I don't like 3 series as much as 5-series (which I already have) . Your 325i has the same motor as a my 525i - a 2.5l I6, rated at 192hp/189ft/lbs. They have tons of mods available, but you can only do so much before tearing into the engine or going Fi which is much more $$$ than on Jap car. (btw, none of the 90's BMWs came with metal bumpers. Early 90s models had the unpainted bumper bottoms which look like hit imo - that's why I had mine painted)