R33_Dude

Who wants to stimulate my package? Anyone?

I have neither got a loan or spent more money than what I earnt to buy my first car on cars - apart from general maintenence, registration, fines etc. My first car was a LX torana - I bought it for a grand, resprayed part of it and fixed all the rust and sold it for 2500. That got me into something else, which got me into something else. I have since getting my licence 6 years ago owned around 25/30 cars. I currently own a 1938 Ford Pickup (currently in a billion pieces), have a XB GT project car thats nearly completely restored bar a lick of paint, am looking for a project race car plus I have a cheap daily driver. I got where I am now by investing in cars that appreciate or with minor work net a profit once sold. My R33 was bought for 2500, was repaired for 2000 and sold for 10. More than doubled my money. No loans involved ever - but I have considered it just to buy a nice daily, for instance an Aristo twin turbo would be nice. Sure if you don't have the space to pull off multiple cars, a bit of a garage and dont have tools you can't really do this. Personally I wouldn't get a loan, it doesn't meet my circumstances unless the car I was going to buy was an appreciating asset - and nowadays thats just about anything with chrome bumpers (I would kill to have my valiants back again). If I want a new car in a months time I will sell the GT and have cash to spare to make profit again or finish up the rat rod. By the way I am a full time student, work a part time job, and have had a million and one horrible things happen to me financially in that time. In your situation I would chill out, finish uni with a sh*tbox, get a decent job, THEN if need be get a loan otherwise save for your new car. Plus you will be able to modify to your hearts content with your new pay. Or just do whatever you want - we don't know your situation and honestly asking for advice over the internet is like asking a virgin to describe sex.

PM sent. I am looking at local cars and have found something very interesting. So if you have anything nows the time to tell me, otherwise monday I will be parting with some cash (most likely).

The Count has been pm'd

Spotto'd a certain green R32 coupe making one hell of a noise going through sandy bay. Looked good, sounded better

Still looking. The S13 I wanted got bought about ten seconds before I arrived. I am open to anything once again.

Meh. Its just another porsche. With horrible rims I might add.

Am I the internet god or what? http://www.overclockers.com.au/wiki/Fun_P_plate_legal_cars

PM's replied

The best GTR? Probably this: http://cgi.ebay.com.au/2002-Ultima-GTR-COU...A1%7C240%3A1318 Seriously though, I would have the R34 GTR. Looks, performance, its not fat like the R33, plenty of room for modification, plenty of street cred, the only turn off for me is the price and even there the prices are slowly dropping.

You can't get any more info than this: http://forums.atomicmpc.com.au/index.php?showtopic=6088

^^ Thats not what he asked. The RB25DET into a 180sx/Silvia is relatively easy. Just remember that the suspension wasn't set up to handle that kind of front end weight. Here is a complete guide: http://www.nissansilvia.com/forums/index.p...mp;hl=poor+mans

^^ Thats.... Hot... I think I have a pants problem. Be right back...

True, true... hmmm maybe I should stop being lazy about this.... *fires up tradingpost, carsales, my105, + assorted forums*

Try finding one in tasmania though. Car prices here are ridiculous sometimes - in particular for imports. If you can find a similar car in similar condition either in the state or in a position to be transported here at low cost (aka spirit of tasmania), let me know! I haven't parted with any cash yet, still waiting on that cheque to clear, and if something better came up I would give the bloke my apologies and snap that up instead.

Why replace the 308? They are a strong engine, parts are cheap, a few bolt ons (or if you can be bothered tearing the engine down) or a stroker kit and you can push great, usable numbers with amazing bottom end torque. This isn't to mention it has 2.5 times, or thereabouts, the capacity of an RB20. My advice would be to look at a 308 to 328/355 stroker kit with SCAT crank and conrods. Like these http://www.pro-stroke.com.au/stroker_kits.html or if you can't be arsed doing that go with edelbrock heads, intake manifold and a nice mild/hot (depending on your preference) crow cam. Also convert to PULP. Of course if there is a reason as to why you would do such a conversion other than "because" fair enough and good luck to you.

The timing belt snapped due to age I believe. Well it seems the repair was done by a competent mechanic (as in a good mechanic but wouldn't take it to him myself) and included a head gasket and a low kilometre head replete with stock valves, cams, etc. There is definite proof - it drives very well, blows no smoke, came on boost cleanly with no surges/spikes of any kind. I don't know it just turns me off having found the car and then finding it has had major problems in the past but what would you expect for a 19 year old car that has probably been driven every day of its life and driven hard? Its still cheap no matter how I look at it. I am paranoid of bottom end damage though even though it all looks fine. Its just the risk of something being sh!te thats turning me off.... Maybe I should just keep looking around. Maybe I should just buy it and if something screws up stick to my guns and build a strong SR20/CA18/RB20 to replace it.

Well I did some digging around on its history. Need some second opinions. Has a new head on the CA18DET. The old one broke a timing belt and destroyed a pair of valves plus other damage. Has a new head with lower k's than the original head plus a new head gasket. Has a new diff plus a few other bits and pieces. As I mentioned before it still needs a new front bumper. This all said the bloke will part with it for $5000. I'm not so sure now. Seems like it has had a tough life... That also said replacing the CA18 is damn easy (comparatively) and I know of three nice cheap (relatively) replacements off the top of my head. Would anyone else be put off by the way it lost a timing belt and lost a head?

No pics yet . Rego'd and definitely roadworthy. I'm waiting on some money to clear from the bank (check deposit from another car sale... Could take another two days). Plus another two guys were looking at it for the same reason and they are dead keen. It could still fall through if one of the other blokes gets in first. Fingers crossed the money will clear and I get there first.

Well I just looked at a decent S13 that fits what I am after. Last chance for any offers, if something else doesn't come up by the end of this week the S13 has it.

Well I am about to buy a manual S13 complete with CA18DET, a tad dirty and in need of a new front bar and some lovin' but mechanically spot on (and all stock bar a pod filter) with coilovers and new DBA gold slotted rotors. Desperately in need of some better tyres though. In response to some people here. I am not going to be competitive in any way (at least not yet). This is a learning and fun experience. I am not too fond of go karting no matter how fun it is - I have had a bit to do with go karts in the past. I prefer the full sized car. I don't care if I will be ridiculously slow. To restate what I said earlier I just want to have fun. The ten thousand is my initial budget - car, basic modifications, etc. I suspect I will see this balloon out to at least double this by the end of the year. Lets not get confused between a someone wanting to build a cheap, fun car to take to club days and someone who wants to be leading the field.

I dissappear for a few days and my thread has gone crazy! There are some excellent posts there by kingscorp and I have to say thanks for all the information in particular the lists of parts - very informative. Honestly though the car is only going to be used for club, private, track open days, and motorkhanas (at least to start with) - hence my want to keep the initial budget low. Improved production racing is way beyond someone of my limited experience. Plus I want to build it myself partly because I enjoy these projects and partly for the experience - while it might take me six months to actually get it driving I would like to be able to do it myself. I have lined up a few interesting cars all the same which I will be going to look at over the next week or so, which range from the comparatively lightweight S13's and R32's to a fat 300zx twin turbo and just about everything in between. I will keep everyone posted I suppose as to what is happening.

While I have a bunch of local cars I am going to look at over the next week I haven't actually parted with any cash. Still searching. @bump@

I am still searching. Will also consider any early supra turbo (MA70/71) or MR2 (NA or otherwise). Cheers Claye

I have really good contacts for japanese parts. Labour, well I can do just about anything myself and the stuff that I can't? Well, my family includes a mechanical engineer who builds hot rods in his spare time. In terms of upgrades, roll cage, brakes and semi slicks I can get these cheaply either through work, family contacts or in some cases fab it up myself. It took me until just the other day to realise I was in a position to do this. Trust me I have thought the costs through and this is just a base startup budget. I know for a fact I willl end up throwing thousands (if not tens of thousands) at the car in the end. I just want to get set up and out there, if any other things crop up along the way I'll pay for them.