CAR THREAD: Any ideas for cheap FAST cars?

[halik]

So i decided to sell my 96 AWD Turbo talon, partially because i drive 50+ miles a day and partially because i picked up a 97 non turbo talon for dirt cheap (2600 with sales tax). Anyway ill be getting rid of that car at the end of the summer ( I won't need a commuter ) and i can probably get 3500 easy.

So my quest is to find a quick car for under 3500.

So far I've found a 300z that needs some work that i should be able to talk down to 3g. Problem is the car is rather slow for my liking.
Right now first generation DSM seem to be calling my name, i love 4g63 engines and 1gs are easy to make fast anyway.


EDIT: I should've mentioned the mustang thing. Pre 93 are outta question, as much potential as 5.0 has the body is just too fugly... and i dont think i can aford 94 with a 5.0 in it. Also those turbo dodges are kinda ugly looking.
CRX with a b18c is not gonna be that fast to begin with, that engine has very little bottom torque. I wouldnt mind havin an integra though, but theyre outta the question price-wise.

240sx is also another candidate, though sr20 would cost quite a bit. 1g dsm seems more bang for buck
Would porsche 944 or early 90s rx7 be a good idea?


MORE EDIT: My TSi AWD has about 250hp at the crank...just to give you an idea to whats quick. I'd like car that runs 12s on pump gas. Thats very doable on a DSM. Also i live in michigan, so you can drop the whole emission flame war - i dont care.

 

[Soybomb]

turbo dsm or turbo chryler/dodge/plymouth. My personal preference is the dodge stuff because they're quite reliable but if you need parts there were so many made you can easily find parts in a junkyard.

 

[JC]

Late-80s/early 90s Mustang LX 5.0. Avoid the automatics, they have less HP, iirc.

300zx? lol...too heavy for the power they have.

 

[HappyPuppy]

Build your own from scratch.

 

[Vette73]

Camaro's, Firebirds, mustangs, some 300ZX's, etc....

 

[jlee]

Maybe a late 80s/early 90s (pre-93, though..I've heard 93s were the worst of the batch) Mustang LX 5.0 w/manual trans..

 

[Ns1]

domestic....

if you really want an import, crx w/b18c or 240sx w/sr20det (both not street legal)

 

[Eli]

Originally posted by: NeuroSynapsis
domestic....

if you really want an import, crx w/b18c or 240sx w/sr20det (both not street legal)

Why aren't they street legal?

 

[boyRacer]

Originally posted by: Eli

Originally posted by: NeuroSynapsis
domestic....

if you really want an import, crx w/b18c or 240sx w/sr20det (both not street legal)

Why aren't they street legal?

the SR20 won't pass emissions. i don't know about the B18C ... since that is from a car that was sold in the US anyway...

 

[Ryan]

Originally posted by: boyRacer

Originally posted by: Eli

Originally posted by: NeuroSynapsis domestic.... if you really want an import, crx w/b18c or 240sx w/sr20det (both not street legal)

Why aren't they street legal?

the SR20 won't pass emissions. i don't know about the B18C ... since that is from a car that was sold in the US anyway...

Move to Florida - WE HAVE NO EMISSION CHECKS!!!!!

 

[Spac3d]

A Chevy with a 350. They can be built pretty easily and cheaply from what I understand.

 

[Ns1]

Originally posted by: Eli

Originally posted by: NeuroSynapsis
domestic....

if you really want an import, crx w/b18c or 240sx w/sr20det (both not street legal)

Why aren't they street legal?

these are based on cali laws btw

sr20 was never offered in the US, can't swap it and be street legal

b18c (integra gsr engine) wasn't offered for the crx (obviously) so you can't swap that

the only "legal" swap you could hope to perform with an import would be like a 89civic with a b16a (which is quite fast, albeit has no torque)

 

[jlee]

Originally posted by: NeuroSynapsis

Originally posted by: Eli

Originally posted by: NeuroSynapsis
domestic....

if you really want an import, crx w/b18c or 240sx w/sr20det (both not street legal)

Why aren't they street legal?

these are based on cali laws btw

sr20 was never offered in the US, can't swap it and be street legal

b18c (integra gsr engine) wasn't offered for the crx (obviously) so you can't swap that

the only "legal" swap you could hope to perform with an import would be like a 89civic with a b16a (which is quite fast, albeit has no torque)

Bah. My airsoft guns might be illegal in CA..and my car probably is also. Gotta love Florida..

Edit: You could swap a 2ZZGE w/6sp (Celica GTS) into a 98-02 Corolla, but it wouldn't be much faster than it started out..the 4AGZE (factory supercharged at 170hp) will fit into 93-97 Corollas, but I don't believe that was offered in the US.

 

[johneetrash]

cheap fast cars = american

 

[boyRacer]

Originally posted by: NeuroSynapsis

Originally posted by: Eli

Originally posted by: NeuroSynapsis
domestic....

if you really want an import, crx w/b18c or 240sx w/sr20det (both not street legal)

Why aren't they street legal?

these are based on cali laws btw

sr20 was never offered in the US, can't swap it and be street legal

b18c (integra gsr engine) wasn't offered for the crx (obviously) so you can't swap that

the only "legal" swap you could hope to perform with an import would be like a 89civic with a b16a (which is quite fast, albeit has no torque)

i thought the swap was legal as long as the engine was certified for use here... which means you retain all the emissions hardware that came with the original chassis/engine and you don't mess with it. I have a magazine on it somewhere... lemme dig it up if i can.

 

[boyRacer]

Nevermind NeuroSynapsis was right...

Super Street Article

Keeping your engine swap legal is very important. Examine your state's vehicle code or contact the DMV to see what's legal and what's not. In California, the law says that an engine must be of the same year or newer as the car and be California emissions-legal. To avoid any hassles, it should also be of the same engine type that was originally available from the factory in that particular body style. Hmm, that's kind of a problem. Besides sidestepping the law (and we would never do anything like that), there are a couple options. The best is to have your entire car certified by the state by going to your local referee station for examination, testing, and BAR Vehicle Identification Label approval. You can call 800/622-7733 for an appointment. The other option (and definitely more work) is to keep the original engine on hand and swap it back in when you have to make a trip for the smog test, but we don't recommend doing it (legal reasons and all).

That severly limits your options then... but then again i doubt people who the swaps are concerned about passing emissions... most of my friends either know someone that works for smog testing or just pay off the guy.

 

[Ns1]

Originally posted by: boyRacer

Originally posted by: NeuroSynapsis

Originally posted by: Eli

Originally posted by: NeuroSynapsis
domestic....

if you really want an import, crx w/b18c or 240sx w/sr20det (both not street legal)

Why aren't they street legal?

these are based on cali laws btw

sr20 was never offered in the US, can't swap it and be street legal

b18c (integra gsr engine) wasn't offered for the crx (obviously) so you can't swap that

the only "legal" swap you could hope to perform with an import would be like a 89civic with a b16a (which is quite fast, albeit has no torque)

i thought the swap was legal as long as the engine was certified for use here... which means you retain all the emissions hardware that came with the original chassis/engine and you don't mess with it. I have a magazine on it somewhere... lemme dig it up if i can.

What state?

CA wise, the engine must be for that model and be newer than the car

ie a 94 civic ex can swap in a b16a from any car 94 or newer, 92 integ can swap in a 95gsr and so on and so forth

after that you gotta get it certified from a CA ref, emissions and visual

 

[toph99]

you guys are talking motor swaps when he said FAST and CHEAP. nothing beats a 5.0 foxbody in both of those categories.

 

[thedarkwolf]

Either a turbo dodge or a 5.0l mustang. I have one of each

Everybody knows about mustangs so heres a page on turbo dodges one of the few types of cars that can beat the mustangs bang for the buck .

 

[thedarkwolf]

db

 

[RU482]

Olds Intrigue w/ 3.5L
You might be able to find a rough one for around that price

 

[PCMarine]

Wow, he didn't use YACT which is a nice change of pace!

 

[NutBucket]

Originally posted by: NeuroSynapsis

Originally posted by: boyRacer

Originally posted by: NeuroSynapsis

Originally posted by: Eli

Originally posted by: NeuroSynapsis
domestic....

if you really want an import, crx w/b18c or 240sx w/sr20det (both not street legal)

Why aren't they street legal?

these are based on cali laws btw

sr20 was never offered in the US, can't swap it and be street legal

b18c (integra gsr engine) wasn't offered for the crx (obviously) so you can't swap that

the only "legal" swap you could hope to perform with an import would be like a 89civic with a b16a (which is quite fast, albeit has no torque)

i thought the swap was legal as long as the engine was certified for use here... which means you retain all the emissions hardware that came with the original chassis/engine and you don't mess with it. I have a magazine on it somewhere... lemme dig it up if i can.

What state?

CA wise, the engine must be for that model and be newer than the car

ie a 94 civic ex can swap in a b16a from any car 94 or newer, 92 integ can swap in a 95gsr and so on and so forth

after that you gotta get it certified from a CA ref, emissions and visual

So long as the engine was offered for sale in CA it can be swapped. You can legally put a LS1 into a Honda so long as all the emissions stuff and electronics are in place. They check to see that the motor is set up the same way it was in a Vette. Pretty simple. I'm putting a Prelude motor in my Accord. No problems there except I have a JDM motor. I'll figure it out The smog ref will check that all the original solenoids and sensors and wiring and what not are in place. Then he will perform the test as if the car was a Prelude. Then if I pass I get a nice certification sticker on my door jamb stating that the motor is from a Prelude and that its now in an Accord and there will be a new barcode for smog purposes etc. etc. Its the same way I've seen LT1's in S10s.

 

[halik]

hmm no mustangs, too ugly and b16 crx's are not that fast to begin with

 

[NutBucket]

Originally posted by: halik
hmm no mustangs, too ugly and b16 crx's are not that fast to begin with

I'd say MR2 turbo w/ some upgrades but that wouldn't be cheap. How about a Volvo w/ a 302? (Yes, its done and not terribly hard)