This shopping for a cheap HPDE car is fun. Running across all kinds of cars that look like fun. You don't see too many of them, but I've run across a few '93-'96 Infiniti G20 5 speeds. My wife and I owned a '93 with an auto trans many years ago. I remember it was a really fun little car, even with the auto.
Has anyone run or seen a 5 speed G20 in HPDE? Don't think they have a huge aftermarket for suspension/brakes, but I know they were reliable and fun to drive.
SE-R parts should work pretty well, and the engine is pretty durn bulletproof, from what I hear.
MotoIQ is a good site for Nissan stuff. They have a G20 racecar project right now.
The G20 is basically a 4-door SE-R. Most parts will work the same. If you find a G20t, you'll even get an LSD.
G20.net = best site for info. Theres several aftermkt suspension vendors available - tein is quite prominent. Also, any parts to mod the SR20DE will work. Turbo happy motor plus small chassis plus 5 speed = win. I have a 99, and while its bigger, its still a boatload of fun and can carry a sheet of plywood or take friends to the movies with ease.
I used to own a '92 G....it's one of the few cars I am sorry got away from me.
The magazine Project Car did a "build up" of a G20 using a red top SR20DET engine. Awesome car, I wish I could find another one, but so far all the ones I find are automatics.
I currently have a 93 g20 5 speed...actually now a 4 speed lol...as my dd. Very reliable and kinda fun to drive in stock form.
"....5th gear pop-out? What 5th gear pop-out?"
I bought mine in '02 with about 100K miles on it, with the condition that the 5th gear pop-out was fixed. The garage I bought it from was able to fix the trans. problem but had a heec of a time getting it to pass the emissions test. They eventually had to "farm out" the job to the dealer.
They are sweet. Mines got: Poly suspension bushings, AGX shocks, Addco rear bar, OBX header, CAI, '91 intake cam, timing advanced to 17*, AC and extra parts removed, battery relocated.
I ice race and occasionally autoX mine, and thrash it as a DD. It handles very nicely, is quick if not fast, 30 mpg on 87 octane, Super fun 4Dr. daily driver w/ stock appearance (It was the Generic Car line drawing on e-bay for cars w/o photos for years). Only 14" wheels. You can get the bigger brakes from the >'99 G20 but have to go to 15" wheels (the stock brakes are quite good).
For HDPE I'd add springs, a Turbo, the big brakes and wheels and an LSD trans from a G20T (prob have to rebuild to get working LSD if it had > 120K)
There is a gal on G20.net that has some lap records for her class in the Chicago area. A little on the heavy side to be a regular class winner.
I was inspired to look localy to me, as I always thought those cars wer epretty sharp for the money:
1993 Infinity G20 Sedan. Twin cam 16 valve 4 cylinder engine 5-speed transmission Runs and drives great, very smooth and fast. New battery. Good tires. Aluminum wheels. The brakes are very soft. It could be as simple as air in the lines, but was suggested to be the master cylinder. The master cylinder on this car is very small and easy to remove/replace. You can drive the car and it will stop, but before it will pass an inspection or be driven regularly it will need the brakes repaired. About a $100 fix. It has pw, pl, cruise, tilt, ac/heat, leather. The exterior has dents, scratches and some rust but doesn't look horrible. The interior is in fair condition. The bad things--The brakes as mentioned, the two front windows have issues, one won't roll down at all the other you have to assist back up. No radio. Carpets are so-so...need cleaned probably. Two front seats are tore up but have seat covers on them.. But hey, it is an $895 car that runs and drives great! 220k It has a lot of power and drives very quiet and smooth.
ALL G20s have probs with the front windows....passenger side more so than drivers. I had almost forgotten about that "quirk". The British mag CAR had a G20/Nissan Primera in Europe, for a semi-long term test. Theirs was built in Nissan's plant in the U.K. and that one also had the front passenger window problem.
Brakes? May or may not be Master Cylinder. One of the things I liked about the G20 was it's ABS and 4 wheel disc brakes. When I owned mine I also drove a '92 Civic....THAT car had soft brakes. My mechanic CLAIMED he couldn't duplicate the problem.
The car in the ad is almost a twin to mine former G....right down to the missing radio. BTW, when I went to Best Buy to get a new radio installed, they wouldn't do it until I got a factory mounting braket for the radio. Make sure there is a bracket there, if you plan on replacing the radio.
pmchase wrote:(It was the Generic Car line drawing on e-bay for cars w/o photos for years).
is it still a Saturn L-series now?
The three spoke steering wheel from early S13's is a direct and fully functional swap for P10's- nicer look and feel IMHO, and the cruise control buttons are nicely integrated, instead of hanging off between spokes in a little pod like the stock G20 wheel. As previously mentioned, they seem to be perfectly content running cheap gas.
The only recurring problem I've dealt with is that the wiring loom that runs into the trunklid for the license plate and running lights gets pinched when the trunklid is closed, and occasionally a wire gets worked back and forth enough to break.
As others have said, g20.net is a great resource. Just ignore the "Oh noes- my car ran fine wehn i last drove it 7 months ago, now it won't start!"
