half cuts

[MANWHORE]

when you buy a half cut, do they normally come with panels (bonnet etc for a front cut)?

because most people on the forumns do not get panels with their cuts.

In that case, why would it be worth buying a front cut? would it be better value to just buy an engine, ecu and gbox? Just wondering because i might be in need of one very soon.

[predator]

As far as I know, and what I've seen - with a front cut you get the front brakes, dash, gearbox, wiring loom, and engine. Lots of useful bits and pieces. If you're doing any sort of conversion (manul conversion, or engine into some other car) they are the sort of things you need. If you're just using it to replace the engine then you can chuck out the rest of the bits or sell them.

Lots of people buy them and just flog off the bits they don't need. Works out cheaper in the end by the time you've sold off all the "extras".

I think they're popular just because in Japan its easier to chop the car into two with a big chopper thing (technical name), than dick around pulling the engine out, gearbox out, separating everything, etc, etc. Then it can just go into a container as one piece, which makes it easier for shipping in many cases.

The panels are probably removed a) because they can get a good price somewhere, in japan or back to here as young people like to crash their skylines B) they'd probably just dented, scratched, etc anyhow when the cut is being chucked around for shipping.

[HKS34R]

Having done a couple of conversions, its alot easier to buy a front cut, because you never know exactly what you need for a conversion. For example, you may need to fit the bigger brakes in the cut in order to get the conversion engineered. Plus as predator stated, you can get alot of money back by flogging off all the extra bits that you don't need. Anyway, front cuts are not all that more expensive than a engine package so why not??

Also the reason why panels are not included, generally is because it is easier (read: cheaper) to ship without them. Plus you generally don't buy a front cut for the panels anyway.

[MANWHORE]

ok, thanks for the info. I'm just thinking what would be the best option for a mates car that has had the front end smashed in.

I knew that most front cuts did not come with panels, but i was thinking that if one did, then that would be a simple way to get all the needed parts. YOu know how prices go, like panels are so ****ing expensive from justjap etc. I thought, for about 3000ish, might as well get a whole front with panels then you get an engine + box+turbo+ecu, instead of just panels for $1500-2000

as well as you get the chassis to weld on new pieces in place of busted bits.

[Duncan]

you can definately get a front cut with the panels, just ask before you buy, or if you aren't in a rush get Just Jap or others to get a cut with panels.