Hi, I'm looking to buy the best proforming(sport) car I can get for around $8,000 U.S. I was orginally looking at the SC400 but heard that is doesn't perform as well as the specs say and that it lacks bottom end power. Any recomendations as to what car I should be looking for? I am also looking for ways to make cars that fall in this catergory more powerful etc. on a relatively tight budget. All suggestions/comments are welcome.

Thanks

 

For $8K? Personally, I'd say you need to get something with a factory turbo. IF you tried getting an SC300 an adding a 2JZ-GTE it would start to cost a lot of money. That said, I'd buy a Toyota MR2. It has a 2.0L factory turbocharged engine making 200HP stock, it is mid engine, 2 seater, and has a lot of aftermarket support. You can turn it into a 400HP monster in no time.

As for the SC400, I had one and thought it was the complete opposite. It had a low of low end torque but not as rev happy way up top. But that was just my experience.

 

SC is not a sports car. It is a GT. As Chris stated a MR-2 is a sports car.
I also recommend a Miata for 8k..

 

300zx, preferably a twin turbo.

 

Get ready for a lot of headache on these guys. Probably out of 8k range as well.
3s-gte Celica or MR2. Celica is AWD.
The SC400 isn't really lacking low-end, it's just a slushbox and is sold as a luxury cruiser. The automatic kicks in slow, in my opinion. Takes a bit of time for the engine to catch up with your foot.
Miata is a good pick as well, large aftermarket with that if you can deal with a soft-top that is.

 

This is my first time planning to modify a car so I have a couple of basic questions to make this learing process a bit easier. What would I do to double the HP and roughly how much would that cost?

Also, how does the Celica compare to the MR2 + upgrades? I am interested only becuase having AWD would be nice.

Thanks

 

You can find these for under 8k in good condition too. I've been looking into getting one of these for the past month or so after I sell my sc300. The only major thing I can find with this car is that if you want to upgrade th turbos you have to pull the engine first. The stock fuel system and block can hold upwards of 1k HP. I don't know how but I've seen it myself in person so I do belive it. I vote for this car, 300zx tt.If you have any questions about it just drop me a PM and i'll try to answer them.
Richard

 

Well, I never built a 400HP MR-2 myself, so getting the specifics from real owners would be needed. However, the reason why factory turbocharged engines are much easier to make a lot of HP is simply because of the turbos. Basically, all you need to do is turn up the boost. Now, obviously the engine itself needs to be able to handle this extra boost, but the good thing about turbo cars as opposed to N/A (Naturally Aspirated) cars with a turbo kit is the engine is already build from the factory to withstand the extra stress and heat from the turbos. There is a point when too much is just too much though and even the stock turbo engine block and internals will need to be strengthened. Anyway, that is the basics.

As far as the Celeca All Track and MR-2 they share the same 2.0L Tubocharged engine thus the reason why they were mentioned together by the other poster.

PS. When I mentioned 400HP that was just a number that I know is possible. You probably wont get 400HP using the stock turbos. That said, the aftermarket has many larger aftermarket turbos, as well as fuel management systems as well as all the needed parts to keep the engine from destroying itself. That is where if you decide to buy a car like this you need to do research with the owners to find out what their favorite parts to use are and what are the limmits of the stock engine. You would also learn the cost/bennefit ratio of each part.

If this is really is your first time modding any car I'd think twice about getting a turbo car to modify unless you are planning on writting a check to your favorite speed shop. They are not engines for a novice (Like me ) to experiment with. Turbochargers are what makes a 16 second Civic keep up with and/or blow away a Ferrari. They are also what turns a perfectly good engine into worthless paper weight.

 

Nissan 240, Mazda Miata, or American Muscle Pontiac Trans-am/Camaro

 

Absolutely.
My 240sx with the swap was $12k total over a period of 2years.
$7k for the car with 90kmi on it
$2k for red top w/5spd
$1k for LSD set up
Misc$$$ for wheels, fluids, FMIC, STB's
Traded parts for the coil-overs...Freebie!!!

Rip out all the interior crap, clean up the metal inside. You have one light, fast as hell sports car.

F-bodies are fast, but parts to make them really fast get pricey. Plus do you want all that oil in your driveway?

Miata's....maybe the "Monster Miata" but again way over the price range.

 

as an owner, MR2-T's are fun to drive but very little cabin i'm 5'7 and i can't barely move once i'm inside, other thing i hate is fixing the engine-it's not giving me enough space to work on it! if u should want more power change all the internals because boosting the turbo a lot more than the specs could ruin ur stock factory engine in about 150-160k miles! however if u ever decide and get a celica AWD for a lil' more space u will need ...good luck in finding one that has a good over all cond. last year i was offered by this guy somewhere in the east and he is selling it to me for about 12k didn't take it b'coz of some rusts are building up underneath the car



...agreed and explained well by CK6speed