- Jun 26, 2004
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The infamous "1967 Shelby gt500 VS 1999 skyline gt-r r34 v-spec" at http://forums.stangnet.com/showthread.php?t=481690 inspired me to post this thread.
Past high performance cars I owned includes 1991 Stealth Twin Turbo (a rebadged 3000GT VR4) and a 1990 Laser Turbo (one of the early DSMs). Granted, those cars are easier and cheaper to mod initially (50-70 HP gain at the crank by just doing the air intake, exhaust, and boost controller mod), but it gets VERY expensive. Not to mention that everything is jam packed under the hood, which makes working on them a major PITA (more so on the Stealth/3000GT than DSMs). I can open the hood up on my 65 Stang and tell you exactly what each components, wires, and hoses do and work on them without requiring acrobatic movements. It wasn't so with the Stealth or the Laser.
I ended up bending the valves on the Laser when the crank pulley came apart, took pieces of the plastic timing belt cover with it, and cause the belt to jump. I pulled all the crap off of the head (you wouldn't believe the amount of wires and hoses that you need to pull just to get the head off) and was thinking about putting on a rebuilt head. It turns out that it'll cost about $1600 to order a rebuilt head at the local auto parts stores. It seemed pretty ridiculous when you consider that a rebuilt roller cam 5.0 long block can be ordered at the store for about $1100. That's when I decided to just give up on the Laser and started to look for a classic Mustang, as I like the style, and having owned a 78 F250 with a 400, I knew that those "old school" cars are easy to work on.
I still don't see why the above poster thinks that imports are easier to get into 10s and 11s when parts for domestic cars are generally more plentiful and cheaper, not to mention that swapping out a motor on domestics are much easier than doing a timing belt change on a Civic. And why is that every one on the import scene supposedly knows someone who has a street legal import car that can do 11s and lower but you never seem to see one on the streets or at your local drag strip during the Tech and Tune nights.
BTW, I don't hate imports. I have a 93 Honda Civic, totally stock except for a drop in K&N air filter (those are worth 50HP on Hondas, right? ) that has great gas mileage.
Past high performance cars I owned includes 1991 Stealth Twin Turbo (a rebadged 3000GT VR4) and a 1990 Laser Turbo (one of the early DSMs). Granted, those cars are easier and cheaper to mod initially (50-70 HP gain at the crank by just doing the air intake, exhaust, and boost controller mod), but it gets VERY expensive. Not to mention that everything is jam packed under the hood, which makes working on them a major PITA (more so on the Stealth/3000GT than DSMs). I can open the hood up on my 65 Stang and tell you exactly what each components, wires, and hoses do and work on them without requiring acrobatic movements. It wasn't so with the Stealth or the Laser.
I ended up bending the valves on the Laser when the crank pulley came apart, took pieces of the plastic timing belt cover with it, and cause the belt to jump. I pulled all the crap off of the head (you wouldn't believe the amount of wires and hoses that you need to pull just to get the head off) and was thinking about putting on a rebuilt head. It turns out that it'll cost about $1600 to order a rebuilt head at the local auto parts stores. It seemed pretty ridiculous when you consider that a rebuilt roller cam 5.0 long block can be ordered at the store for about $1100. That's when I decided to just give up on the Laser and started to look for a classic Mustang, as I like the style, and having owned a 78 F250 with a 400, I knew that those "old school" cars are easy to work on.
I still don't see why the above poster thinks that imports are easier to get into 10s and 11s when parts for domestic cars are generally more plentiful and cheaper, not to mention that swapping out a motor on domestics are much easier than doing a timing belt change on a Civic. And why is that every one on the import scene supposedly knows someone who has a street legal import car that can do 11s and lower but you never seem to see one on the streets or at your local drag strip during the Tech and Tune nights.
BTW, I don't hate imports. I have a 93 Honda Civic, totally stock except for a drop in K&N air filter (those are worth 50HP on Hondas, right? ) that has great gas mileage.