Well, as some of you have heard, my Hilux didn't want to work for me anymore, however it didn't get scrapped. We sold it to Chuck, who works at Indiana Truck Salvage where I got some of my parts so he could rebuild it for his son. I'll miss the old thing, but at least this guy can afford to fix it and has easy access to rebuilt engines. I don't think anyone would care (judging by some of the comments on non-Toyota builds), but I'm starting to build up my replacement car, a 2001 Saturn SL2. But it's a slow build due to car payments and insurance
I like non Toyota builds but I am still confused as to why you want to build the Saturn ?? Everything is going to be custom made for that car. That means money. No easy engine swaps, that means either you turbo it or high comp N/a. If you turbo, that means custom turbo header, low comp pistons and a stand alone. If you go N/A that means high comp pistons and still maybe a stand alone. And you are in Cali, so unless you got a smog guy, that means you are screwed on the C.A.R.B. Again not to be a dick, but you said before you don't have the ability to do a engine swap. So replacing pistons and everything else is way past your abilities. So all the work is going to be have to be done at a shop, so that means money and alot of it. I'd suggest you keep the Saturn as your daily and pick up a project you can handle. I know a couple low budget projects that will keep up w/ most anything on the street and are readily avail. Less than 3 g's and you can keep up w/ 350Z and better
saturns are throw away cars they are as cool as cavaliers, i hate these piece of sh*t cars, u should a kept ur toyota, saturns are big down grade,
uhm... keeping up with a 350Z is not saying much... and once you do keep up with Z's and all.. how driveable would a highpower FWD car be? you'll be in the same lines with Honda's. Anyway, I wanna help you out by insisting that you save the money for a nice vehicle.
dodge turbo FWD platform is a good low buck quick motor setup. and it can be used in any of their FWD cars. daytonas, labarons, omnis, caravans, ect ect. can also be used in the 4 cyl dakotas since they have a similar block. dont overlook those. lol. id say just drop it a little and drive it. get yourself another project. saturns are a spendy thing to build. no aftermarket at all. its like trying to lower a pre-94 dodge truck. lol.
300hp is deffinitly saying something, ive "really driven" a G35, and a 350z is faster. you'd $hit your pants. i got a 04 saturn vue as a work rig (forced upon me) so far after 3 months ive only broke the hazzard switch and killed the struts, and generated some weird dry bearing sound. other then that it gets less mpg then my hilux and has 2 cig lighter jacks and no ashtray and ALL the window controls are next to the shifter. my hilux would destroy this thing halfway through 2nd, and the twistys. i actually think it would be a close race but id eat it in the wheeler. in summary i think my saturn is a pos. the f'n owners manual doesnt even mention changing the timing chain/belt, i dont think they thought it would go that far. even the forums suck. better off selling it now and buying another yota, id kill to drive one of my cars instead of the saturn for work.
he is serious. he was telling me how much he tried to talk them into letting him use the hilux as a work truck. lol.
Lol, Shonuff, 300 is quite alot, especially with the smooth torque delivered by the VQ35's (now VQ37's for the new G's and Z's) But then, for stock cars, they do well, but when it came to my friend's STI.... that just walks all over the Z's lol. I think that SandShark should get something more worth his time thats all. Don't wanna hear him tell us that he wished he worked on something much more better lol. its like getting stuck with a unworthy girl friend. oh well, i think you guys get what im saying hahahaha
man honestly........... if you are gonna build a quick car, you should look elsewhere. this is gonna cost money that in the end will net you very little gain and wear that car out waaaay prematurely. but hey, if its what your heart is set on then by all means have at it. i would better suggest to find a gutted out corolla or celica and start there. find a motorless car and get a chevy 350 or turbo 4 banger that will be easy to purchase, build, install, and keep for a comperable amount of money... leave your DD alone..... maybe do suspension, wheels, tires and make it handle nice. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCMRGV5ZtTQ
I went for the Saturn ONLY because it's a cheap, reliable car and great on gas. I'm not doing too much to it; just replacing rims, a K&N filter, and my newly installed MagnaFlow XL Turbo muffler. EVENTUALLY I want to get another Hilux or a Tacoma and do the stuff I was going to do with my last truck. Give me a break, I'm a college student after all. I REALLY did not want to sell the truck, but I was having the worst luck with it due to negligence in its history. My muffler and the K&N are only for the MPG benefits on the Saturn, my next truck will be the fun build
Is it A) quiet or B) just right or C) a little loud. Just askin. I'm hunting a B) just right, sounding muffler, and prefer a magnaflow. Found this. doesn't sound tooo loud, might be just right http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bLO4hCndz0
Want a quick cheap car? that has a little bit of aftermarket and a strong engine and parts are cheap for. Get a 84-89 300zx 5spd turbo, 84-87 are best, 88-89 are good but turbos are smaller, they have better suspension and rear ends but turbo is tiny. the 87 is best, comes with 88-89 stuff with t3 turbo. I could go out and have a car that would run just as fast as a 6spd 350z for under 1000 bucks. around a 8.8-9.0 in the 8th mile which is what 350zs seem to do, dont know about the 370s. heres my 87, has a tunable ecu, bigger injectors, stock turbo, different intake manifold, lsd rear end, Ive beat the crap out of the clutch and its time for a new one. I ran a 8.89 in the 8th on a completely stock 300zx, with the boost on like 13psi and I used to run 15psi all day long, on 11psi http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9sINBsN6ps old video on 6psi. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-ewTo8aliw' Build a turbo 2 door neon, 5spd with the 420a engine.
want a really fast super cheap car...volvo 850 turbo. try to get an older 850. Then turn the turbo up to 12 psi and run it all day long. LOL the stock MAF, trans and everything can handle it. has like 300hp+ and is the ultimate sleeper if you get the wagon.....nobody suspects the volvo lol all you need to turn the boost up is a screwdriver..just turn the waste gate screw all the in
I'd say it's just right, it's not stock quiet and it's not ricey, but a DynoMax Super-Turbo should flow better, but does sound ricier. Right now, I really don't care about building the Saturn to be fast, if I were to turbo it, it would prove itself as an American car with horrible reliability and I'm more interested in better gas mileage since I'm planning on saving to get another Toyota eventually to build up.
you want a really really really fast car? $200 for a Geo Metro, $0 for stripping everything apart, and $700 for some crazy Honda motor swap. or if you wanna spend even more, you can go even faster!!! j/k
