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I bought a thing...

AWD swap the GST or fix this one?

  • AWD swapage!!

  • Fix the GSX, you swine...


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ThunderChild

Supporting VIP
3,755
1,140
Jan 5, 2012
Rathdrum, Idaho
So I found this car in Seattle CL, ended up closing the deal and made the day trip over today to pick it up.

It's been stored since 2004 when the accident occurred in California, 16" wheel/tire came over the median and dead-centered the roof between the windshield and sunroof. Amazingly the doors, glass and hatch we're all unaffected and all open/close perfectly. PO had intentions of fixing and making it a track only car, but changed priorities and never finished the project. The rest of the car is extremely clean, not a spec of rust save the portion of roof that got crumpled, no major body/paint issues. Got a spare roof with it and have a buddy that does paint/body work looking at it to give me some pointers, so I might be able to revive the shell. Clean title, never submitted to insurance from what I was told.

So should I take all the goodies and use them on the GST Spyder?
Should I fix the GSX and put the effort into that?
Should I just part out what I can and scrap the shell?

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Shells are a dime a dozen... Find a good shell and do the swap.

It looks like there are a few "specs" of rust in the engine bay photo, and surely more underneath. If you are going to take the time to clean it up and do all the paint/bodywork, you should start with something closer to the correct shape to start with.

I hope you didnt pay much for it. Good parts car.
 
Appreciated @rabenne !

Yes technically the engine bay has some rust on the surface, I was more referring to cancer or rot :p

Not sure about over there, but here and along most of the west coast, shells are a bit harder to find in good shape, especially a gsx. I have a 97 Spyder GST (Krakatoa) already, and have considered doing an awd swap on it with the parts from this car, further reinforced by the PO cutting the harnesses off at the exterior of the car :ohdamn:.

Otherwise, for what I paid and what all it came with, there's easily 3-4x my output just in parts, not counting the remaining shell.

I'm well aware this shell is effed as is, but it's surprisingly fixable according to the couple body work friends I've spoken with, hopefully they can give more details over the next week when they can look at it. Worst case, I don't fix it and strip it down completely till it's gone and scrap the rest.

Breakdown of what came with:

-Autometer gauges: electric speedo, liquid filled vac/boost gauge, fuel gauge, clock (odd...)
-Brand new Tokico white adjustables
-Brand new Eibach pro kit lowering spring
-Full camber kit for controls arms (unsure of brands, engalls maybe)
-Powerslot rotors all around
-RRE built full Evo3 spec trans with less than 5k on it
-RRE rebuilt transfer case w/ >5k
-Centerforce dual friction clutch w/ >5k
-brand new race fuel cell
-brand new kirky aluminum racing seat
-tires have less than 1k miles (are technically 15 years old, but no checking, rot or flat spots.)
-LSD rear diff
-stock engine with 113k, compression test with 1/2 a teaspoon of oil in each cylinder came back 165, 160, 160, 158psi.
-strut bars, unknown brand

And a few other small random things, not to mention every single receipt for everything ever oruchased or maintained on the car, and a mint condition factory owners manual and service manuals in the leather case.

As a shell that could go for what I paid for the car alone around where I live, and I don't feel to bad about what I got!
 
I just paid $170 for a black 98 shell. It has similar surface rust. I consider any rust to be cancer and requires corrective action either way.

Not saying it cant be fixed, just saying you can buy a cheap, straight shell for super cheap. If you already have to do paint and bodywork, why not start with something that's never been so heavily compromised.

Not sure what you paid, but there appears to be a LOT of good parts on it, so with any shell - you could convert to AWD easily.

Just my opinion... smelly, as it may be.
 
If you have professional help, go for it. I don't see clean shells, and if they are, they want top dollar for it.

I do have a few friends that do pro work, I can probably trade them mechanical work to do it, I'm getting them over for a consult soon. Back in the day I helped a former friend in his body shop, and I remember several cars come in far worse than this that we changed the roofs on and verified with the frame rack, wasn't too "hard" but was somewhat time consuming and tedious, but all body work is that way to me, haha. Once I hear from my friends I'll make a more informed decision.

I just paid $170 for a black 98 shell. It has similar surface rust. I consider any rust to be cancer and requires corrective action either way.

Not saying it cant be fixed, just saying you can buy a cheap, straight shell for super cheap. If you already have to do paint and bodywork, why not start with something that's never been so heavily compromised.

Not sure what you paid, but there appears to be a LOT of good parts on it, so with any shell - you could convert to AWD easily.

Just my opinion... smelly, as it may be.

I appreciate the feedback! Yea there are other shells around for decent prices, but they're all GS/RS's over here, this is the first gsx that wasn't rotting into the ground (albeit it has other issues). Once I get the pros opinion, I'll make a final decision. I don't mind doing the work and can definitely perform it, I just don't want to end up spending thousands on it. I figure I can spend maybe a couple hundred in materials at most and get it done, maybe less, then bribe/trade frame rack time before and after to check it.
 
You sure did buy a thing. LOL. Steel beam, meet Mr. Eclipse... Why do I get the feeling this all started with, "Hey, watch this!"

I would rather have a shell like this that has one major problem, rather than one that looks good, but has 100s of small problems. If the rest is in great shape, and your friends assure you this can be repaired without compromising the safety integrity of the passenger compartment, then go for it. But what do I know about safety -- I drive a convertible :idontknow:
 
Well done that is a great pick up! I have been searching for this one for awhile now. Im partial since my first was a 96 gst monarch green. Soo, my opinion is to fix it. Im biased though. GL
 
You sure did buy a thing. LOL. Steel beam, meet Mr. Eclipse... Why do I get the feeling this all started with, "Hey, watch this!"

I would rather have a shell like this that has one major problem, rather than one that looks good, but has 100s of small problems. If the rest is in great shape, and your friends assure you this can be repaired without compromising the safety integrity of the passenger compartment, then go for it. But what do I know about safety -- I drive a convertible :idontknow:

Wow, hope nobody was hurt in that one... that's a hell of a direct hit.

They probably said that right after they said "hold my beer". That had to be exciting in the car when that happened.

It was a hell of a freak accident from what he told me. Neither he nor his gf, wife now, were seriously injured.

Idk if exciting is what I'd call it, I'd have quite literally crapped my pants.

The pictures really don't do it justice either. After I saw it in person I was floored, so much worse in person as far as severity.
 
Make it a convertible......:p
 
thats an odd hit for sure, manageable repair for someone who knows what theyre doing

would have to be stupid clean underneath to be worth it I say
It is in very good shape IMO, I haven't been able to find anything damning aside from the roof, I'll have to get some good pics of the nooks/crannies of the shell.

Make it a convertible......:p

Or make the convertible into a GSX Spyder :ninja::hellyeah: haha
 
So I had my body-guy come by today at the bribe of Texas style ribs and fixins, and we looked over the car. There are basically two options: 40+ hours to replace the a-pillar and roof the right way, or 20-30 hours to put a cage in and put a roof skin on.
Neither of these options are really going to be worth it for me, time or money wise, for a shell I don't plan to build, so I'll be pulling everything off that I can use for the AWD swap and then selling or scrapping this shell.

It'd be nice if someone could use the strut towers, body/doors or other parts of the frame/body, just hate to scrap anything that still usable. But being that I don't want to tie up the space for so long, I'll be putting up a for sale ad soon I think.
 
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