Geeto67

nevermind: clay got it

I mean...if you are a religious zealot and hell bent on suicide...suicide by lion is probably about the most epic and christian way to go.

A toy to do what though? I can see the appeal of a Fox body as a budget street strip car but you seem to be looking for a nice stock one to preserve? To that end I think taking the time and looking for a really rare or interesting car benefits you (a dark green LX 5.0 5 speed, or a mclaren, or an svo turbo 4 or something like that). From a "collectible" or "special" toy standpoint where you just want to keep it mostly stock (maybe some bolt ons) and still stand out - I think the SN95 Mach 1s are the real bargain right now. I see a lot of them around $10K (and a lot of them riced or ragged) and they are unique, sharp, and a pretty decent car. I mean, if you are considering a terminator then you probably don't hate the sn95 platform. I mean I wouldn't expect a 20k mileage original for that price but with modern cars 100K miles isn't as "scary" as it used to be. for example: http://wheeling.craigslist.org/cto/5592761312.html http://akroncanton.craigslist.org/ctd/5570093256.html http://lexington.craigslist.org/cto/5567360132.html http://akroncanton.craigslist.org/cto/5561427581.html you could also look for an SN95 bullett: http://lexington.craigslist.org/cto/5600952175.html

LS chassis is overselling it a bit don't ya think clay? The only thing it kept from the DEW98 platform was the floor sheet metal, the trans tunnel, the fuel tank, and the front frame rails. All the suspension stuff is different (with the front struts and rear trailing arms coming from the C1 ford focus platform). It's still fat and everybody seems to hate the 4.6 but it isn't like it's a bad car. They are just getting into 3rd and 4th owners which means high school kids right now so the likelihood of getting a ragged out one or deferred maint is high. If you feel like you need to pay more than $15K for a s197, go try and buy a Bullitt edition. Nothing really "special" beyond a stock GT but still over $20K for one. I don't really get they appeal of the fox body but then again I remember them as new cars driven by guidos from queens, low grade coke dealers, and vanilla ice wannabes. The only one I ever thought was special was the 1986 black saleen a buddy of mine drove in high school (around 1992 and he still owns it) and the mclaren's that two of my friend's fathers drove.

The dry weight of a 2004 corvette LS1 manual trans engine with flywheel and with all accessories, according to the site I pulled it off of, is 497.2 lbs. I imagine newer LSX engines are lighter. Keep in mind, this is fully dressed so alternator, air-conditioning pump, etc... People always talk about how light the new alloy LS engines are but let's put this in perspective. An iron Chevy 454 big block was about 650lbs dressed. I remember when my father's cousin was showing me his Jaguar (that used to be owned by John Glenn and was swapped by GM jag in FLA) that it was a significant weight decrease because the jaguar v12 was 700+lbs. The fact that we are sub 400 lbs for modern v8 engines is amazing to me.

if you remember our conversation I kept drifting back to E36 318tis and E30 318IS cars...but really if I wanted to stay bmw I would probably look for an E21 (1979-1983 320i) and M42 swap it. The more I think about it though the more I want to go "classic". I just like old cars more. I am one of those dudes who is actually annoyed by power windows. I know I started this thread talking about a healey so many assume "roadster" is one of the criteria, but honestly I am not married to the idea of a convertible. fixed roof cars are ok, more trying to recreate that 50's-70's club racer feel. Think something like this: http://www.conceptcarz.com/images/Devin/58_Devin_SS_DV-06-MHR_05.jpg or this:

That's pretty fantastic. That alone is a pretty compelling reason to do the swap. I believe an LS engine is somewhere in the neighborhood of 500lbs fully dressed.

in the end how did it affect the weight balance?

good suggestions. Datsun roadster? Like the 1600? I remember seeing the bob sharp cars at vintage events but the unfortunate thing about being over 6' tall is I don't fit in them. In high school I had a buddy with a 240z that we did a SBC swap on and beat on mercilessly (until a tree fell on it) but the price of 240/260/280Z cars is getting a little out of hand. I do like the alfa spiders but the problem is that the nice ones are too nice to cut up and the "project" ones are really too much of a project. Every time I look at one I end up wanting to "wide body" it with fat tires. I do like the 124, but oddly enough I am kind of drawn to the 124 coupes over the spyder. I had a buddy in Louisiana that used to road race one - it's a cool car for sure but really hard to find. I hate to break your bubble about this but the sunbeam tiger is a better car on paper than in real life. My father's friend in NY had one and it couldn't handle for crap. Seriously, my GTO handled better. I also don't fit in it to drive it. In theory the 260 ford v8 in a brit chassis should be a winner, but there is a reason carrol shelby dumped these cars after 3 years in favor of focusing on the cobra. I did the studebaker thing with dad's R2 avanti. If I was going to do something weirdo It would be a commander or maybe an AMC rebel. but that is kinda off the path. I have seen that guy in cali with the "lark roadster" and it's a neat car but that's his thing. I spoke to the seller this morning and it looks like the frame has some rot in the cross bracing so it is a no go. It's a shame too since it was sitting under a Fiberfab jamacian body, which I think it probably the most beautiful of all the 60's kit cars. I thought about a corvair, but I had one already years ago and not sure if I want to revisit it. the guy I bought the corvair from in the 90's had a Devin SS road racer that he drove on the street occasionally and I was kind of wanting to recreate that. I thought about getting a bradley and trying to do a mini 60's style can-am car but that's not as useful as I would like to do and my head sticks above the windshield.

make some suggestions. I am kind of looking to recreate that independent 60's race car/sports car feel. doesn't necessarily have to be v8 swapped, but that and a big heavy inline 6 are what I have in my garage already. the other thought I had was to get a c3 corvette roller and stab in the Pontiac OHC6. Make a sort of poor man's American XKE. Unfortunately C3 prices, even project prices, are stupid right now (beginning of season).

It's why the brits drink warm beer - Lucas made the refrigerators.

thanks... to be honest I am not sure. the chassis is sitting under a "kit car" fiberglass body (not a replica, an original design). I have always heard good things about the 3000 as a vintage sports racer so thought it might be a fun thing to play around with. The goal would be to do auto-x with it but not really compete in any class. It has no drivetrain, but I have seen plenty of v8 swaps to this chassis in the past (hemi-healy was on the cover of last month's Hot Rod). I have a jeep 5.9 magnum and a pontiac OHC six at my disposal (the six would be neat but I doubt it would fit). Just kinda wanted a 60's home-built sports racer to dick around with. something with good characteristics but since it is already cut wouldn't be too precious. Was hoping to find something rear engined beetle based but I have come to the conclusion that I don't really fit well in most VW based kit cars with roofs.

Thanks for the recognition as "expert". It's nice to hear it outside of a work setting. but seriously, looking at a AH 3000 rolling chassis and was kind of wondering is it just a pile of junk, or a pile of junk with potential.

So...anybody know anything about these old British roadsters? esp the chassis? Problem areas? what to look for? parts suppliers?

From the way you described it my thought was u-joints too. Honestly, if it's a good enough deal (aka dealer cost) it might be worth it just to buy it and fix the little problems and drive it for a year to see if you like it. At the very least you can probably get out of it for the same money you have in.

Nice!

This series is a license to print money. It will end when people stop paying to see cars blow up in movies. I mean they can't all be "heart like a wheel" or "Dirty Mary Crazy Larry". I am surprised they haven't made a TV show out of it.

http://jalopnik.com/fast-8-is-chucking-cars-out-of-parking-garages-in-cleve-1777418943 Gonna be best movie evah!

boy, they sure don't look good in white. Everyone I have ever seen has been black or dark gray, looks best in those colors. supposed to kick the crap out of a trailblazer SS stock for stock.

Didn't see this already posted yet so I figured I would out him so we could all give him virtual birthday punches. Happy 38th dood! http://www.myhappybirthdaywishes.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/funny-meme-birthday-images.jpg

I say do it. 420 hp and full time 4wd, its like an overgrown rally car. Only thing I have ever heard about them is trans issues with them not shifting. Buddy had one that went into "limp mode" once a week. Wasn't something wrong with the trans itself, just some sensor issues.

It's unpainted plastic, the logic being that you are probably going to take your allroad to the malls with overgrown parking lots and the brush won't scratch the wheel arches and chin spoiler. lol Seriously though, the two tone is a feature and trademark of the allroad. On the darker colors like black and Utopia blue they actually paint the trim silver which kind of defeats the purpose of having raw black plastic that you don't have to worry about scratching. You can get the all road in color matched trim, it's a $1500 option. $1000 for the "Full paint finish" option and $575 for the paint color. It is only available on Mythos Black, Florett Silver, and Glacier White. for $3900 they will paint it whatever color you want (customized paint option).

I'm happy to know I'm not the only one who does this, and actually I have been pleasantly surprised a few times. For instance I was walking by a Saturn suv the other day and had to do a double take because I didn't know they were even made in stick. Not that I would buy one, it just made me happy to know it existed. The cars that let me down the most: pickup trucks/SUVs. When I moved to Long Island in high school I fell in with the off-road crowd. All those 70's and 80's c-10s, K5s, Broncos, jeeps, and scouts had manual transmissions. So great. Now when I see an auto bronco or an auto Tacoma I shed a tear like that Native American in the littering commercial. You know how hard it is to find a manual trans quad cab Nissan Frontier FX4? Not easy.

so tell the guy who is holding the gun to your head forcing you to read every thread to lighten up. You are in a beach in Cancun and you are looking at this thread instead of...well...just about anything more interesting that is going on in real life around you right now? I don't know what to say.

It's not for everyone. I personally don't mind at all, but it is personal preference. The only time I was ever bugged with a stick was when I drove a truck in NYC delivering radiators. but that was well over a decade ago. In order to correct the "technicals" you have to be correct, which you aren't. You are redefining "automatic" to exclude your transmission when the industry is inclusive. Because skills and practice. debateable because it is still heavier in the same car delivers the same power. DSGs seem to be stronger than the manuals in most german non-performance specials, but stock for stock they are putting out the same power again debatable because heavier. Also DSGs don't shift to neutral and coast fair point. I mean so can a modified TH400 with a shift kit, but stock it is probably much better, Your freedom is illusory when shifting yourself - it is just invisible because you don't want to break your car. that probably had a lot more to do with the speed snail under your hood and the fact that you were north of a buck on the speedo. Having a car that doesn't struggle to hold 85mph because it is barn door with a 100K+ miles on it means the honda accord was having more fun then me, but then again I was in top gear not shifting.