Project car need advice!

[jmye86]

Well I think it is time for me to get in to the DSM world. I have been looking into DSM cars for awhile now but I have never owned one due to being a college student with no money. The time has come where I am done with college and ready to start a project and have the money to start. Enough about me and on to the car.

1997 GST
The car is sitting and currently not running but was once running
The tranny is in the trunk with stage 3 clutch upgrade
140K on the body
13K on the engine but no paperwork (Seller was told this number by pervious owner but feels engine has more)
16g turbo
Turbo Timer
Boost Controller
Bumper, side skirts and door panels are there just not installed
Car is from texas so no strut tower rust
Car needs
Fuel pump
Front brakes
new tires
new paint job (clear coat faded)

The seller is asking 1800 for the car and says all parts are there for the car to be put back together. I am going to take a look at the car tomorrow and will post pics if I can.

Thanks for any advice.

 

[thatblondechik]

Seems like a mighty ambitious project for a new DSMer if you ask me...

 

[haswesley]

I would say go for it. $1800 seems about right for the upgrades included. Just make sure the engine doesn't have a broken or skipped timing belt. You can check this by making sure the timing marks line up on the front of the engine and pull the top timing belt cover off and inspect the belt for broken or missing teeth. Good luck.

 

[Hitmachine101]

check the health of that turbo as well -- check for in and out play,, still might be worth it if the turbos shot but youll at least know to order a new one before you get the car all together and then realize its shot

def look at the motor like the guy above me mentioned

pull the dipstick to to see if theres any obvious coolant and oil mixtures

if you can get more info on that tranny then try to -- never assume its completely fine

oh and figure out what clutch kit is there,, since its apart you might as well do some research and depending on your build goals, find the clutch you want to put in there

good luck and enjoy the dsm welcome to the community

 

[BIRDCLAWTSi]

Seems like a mighty ambitious project for a new DSMer if you ask me...

I agree. Maybe you should try to find one in one piece, The price is good assuming all is well. But it is alot of work, Well, Not if you know where every Nut, Bolt, Wire, Clip, Line And other Piece go, But i guess you will when you are done right?

 

[kilo4]

I say be patient and look for an awd. I use to be one of those Honda Civic dohc VTEC/turbo gear head. FWD turbos are fun, but awd launches will put balls in the back seat.

 

[jmye86]

Seems like a mighty ambitious project for a new DSMer if you ask me...

Thanks my cousin is a mechanic and has a shop where him and I will do all the work.

I agree. Maybe you should try to find one in one piece, The price is good assuming all is well. But it is alot of work, Well, Not if you know where every Nut, Bolt, Wire, Clip, Line And other Piece go, But i guess you will when you are done right?

That is the reason why I want to start with a project so by the end I will know where every nut, bolt, wire and etc. go

 

[firefighter]

good luck with the car.The last time I built a car was twenty five years ago.You know the story, got married, kids , house payments.Three years ago picked up a 92 eclipse it needed a total rebuild .I got it on the road last fall it's been a great project.This site has been great , lots of information. The thing is don't rush it take and your time.

 

[Colt4G63 also]

I say be patient and look for an awd. I use to be one of those Honda Civic dohc VTEC/turbo gear head. FWD turbos are fun, but awd launches will put balls in the back seat.

You don't want AWD it's too dangerous! Just yesterday I launched my car, and my sister almost choked to death on the resulting ball of saliva that hit the back of her throat. You don't need that type of thing on your concience.

 

[BIRDCLAWTSi]

Thanks my cousin is a mechanic and has a shop where him and I will do all the work.



That is the reason why I want to start with a project so by the end I will know where every nut, bolt, wire and etc. go

I know what you mean, It is alot of work but it is fun too, I still mess with my car everyday after work, I pull it into my bay and mess around with it. But there are times i want to smash a hammer through the windshield, Times when it is midnight and i am by myself at the shop and something breaks or strips out, Or burns out, And i have no way home. It is a love hate relationship. But when you have it running just right you can pick your battles and most of the time win.

 

[kilo4]

On the serious note, I agree with bird claw. Many times I kept asking myself, "What did I get myself into?" It took me a little over a year to rebuild mine. I did it all in my garage including paint and body work. DSM's are awesome cars, but it's the turbo engine and awd feature is what killed allot of V8's. Earning the nickname "V8 Killer". It's a blast leaving LS1 and LS2 v8's out of the lights especially those Mustang 5.0's.

 

[jmye86]

Went to look at the car yesterday and everything looks to be there just in pieces. The timing chain looked to be lined up and there were no teeth missing. I pulled the dipstick and there is old oil still in the engine. The owner said that the tranny made a knocking noise when under load, which is why it was removed the tranny was taken to a shop and no problems were found. There was no shaft play in the turbo. The car also has 660 injectors, has boost gauge, air to fuel and oil pressure gauge down the a pillar and greddy 3in exhaust. The car has been sitting for a year and needs brakes, tires, air intake,intercooler and fenders and bumpers put back on.

 

[BIRDCLAWTSi]

Went to look at the car yesterday and everything looks to be there just in pieces. The timing chain looked to be lined up and there were no teeth missing. I pulled the dipstick and there is old oil still in the engine. The owner said that the tranny made a knocking noise when under load, which is why it was removed the tranny was taken to a shop and no problems were found. There was no shaft play in the turbo. The car also has 660 injectors, has boost gauge, air to fuel and oil pressure gauge down the a pillar and greddy 3in exhaust. The car has been sitting for a year and needs brakes, tires, air intake,intercooler and fenders and bumpers put back on.

The engine has a timing belt, Did you actually crank the engine around to see the marks or just take off the upper cover? You will need a way to compensate for the bigger injectors( SAFC ,DSMLINK, Or an EEPROM Wih a chip) . The tranny knocking isnt a good sign. Does he have paperwork from the shop? A receipt stating that no problems were found? If the tranny was good it would probably be in the car. A car that has been sitting for a year is probably going to be worse than a car that has been driven for a year. Did you check underneath the car to see the rocker panels and the lower corners of the quarter panels, Brake lines etc.. for rust. I am not trying to be a bummer but when you get a car that has been molested by it's previous owner you tend to get their problems too. When i got my car it was nice to look at but i found a list of things that were done ass backwards and wrong. The blue book on that car is 1,900 and that is fair condition, running and driving,( Excellent is 2,600) Try to get it for like 1200. I am sure he will take it. I dont know your mechanical ability but you will be taking on a project that will take you a long time to complete with out much experience. Not to mention you dont even know if the motor runs, Let alone smokes, Knocks Or both. Pull a spark plug, If the engine is in the car with the intercooler still connected pull off the lower intercooler pipe and see if it is full of oil.

 

[kilo4]

I totaly agree, theres too many bad signs about this car. This sounds like a good parts part for $1,200. You might be taking on someone else project that gone bad. I dont think it's worth the time and money. I spent over a year rebuilding mine, but yours will require more work. Although it sounds like you already have your heart and wallet set for this car. Good Luck

 

[haswesley]

Since you'll have a mechanic helping you, go for it. Sounds like a reasonable deal. If you find a few problems after you purchase it (you undoubtedly will), so what. Older DSM's need work. We all know that. Don't get discouraged by others telling you its too big a job. I purchased my first DSM, a 1993 Talon TSi, with the engine in the back in pieces. I paid $400 for it. Within 2 months I had it back together and running fine. Since then, I've made multiple upgrades to it and am still not done. Having to put the car together yourself and getting it to run gives you a good feeling inside and makes you a proud DSM owner. Good luck.

 

[jmye86]

I passed on the project another guy had come to look at the car and ended up taking some parts with him and in the end the negatives out weighed the positives on this car. Going to look for a nice whole car to start with maybe GSX !

Thanks for all the advice!

 

[Darrell J]

I think that was the best choice!! A GSX is the way to go!!

 

[kilo4]

Wise decision!!!