Im looking for a fun rear wheel drive daily I can play with and autocross when I have the rare oportunity. I want a five speed with three pedals in the drivers footwell and a fixed roof.
I would like an M3 but I dont think its in the budget with $$ or time.
A first gen SC like this http://atlanta.craigslist.org/nat/cto/1806853045.html Might fit the bill.
Anyone have any experience with one? What suspension upgrades are available? What engine mods are reasonable and realistic?
The 2JZ-GE I-6 was the only SC available in a manual, the 1UZ-FE V-8 only came with a slushbox. Both engines are excellent. There are manual boxes available for the 1UZ-FE if you're willing to do a swap, or you can do a 2JZ-GTE swap. The 1st-gen SC has a lot in common with the 4th-gen Toyota Supra, so hop-up parts are plentiful.
Long low and wide. Similar wheelbase, but 17" longer, 3" wider than the same era M3. They can pretty much use every suspension bit a Supra can use. They are HEAVY so you either need a ton of power and tire or some serious weight reduction. Good news is: they can probably loose several hundred pounds and still be streetable, and because they share a chassis with the Supra-horsepower is only limited by your imagination and wallet.
I can lighten for free then 
Then add power as budget allows. Best of both worlds.
Thanks.
2JZ.. NO E36 M3!
think CHEAP and comfortable MkIV Supra...Buy it!
An SC400 in that (excellent) colour went past me today, so I can say with confidence that the one you're looking at looks LOTS better without that dorky little spoiler thing so many of them were cursed with.
Try sitting in one with a helmet on. I barely have enough headroom without a helmet.
jrw1621 wrote: Try sitting in one with a helmet on. I barely have enough headroom without a helmet.
This is, of course, one of the most important aspects.
"Wow the Exige is awesome" "Meh, I can't fit in it with a helmet on."
Dealerships love it when you show up for a test drive and bring your own helmet!
I used This Page to do the size comparisons. It works really well for anything within 12 years old. You have to start with a new car, but you have 3 more slots to plug in used cars.
Finding a 5 speed version in the Atlanta area that's not either driven into the ground or someone's questionably done turbo project is nearly impossible. I say grab that one if it doesn't have anything worse than the ad states.
I wonder why it has a Momo steering wheel, Shouldnt it have an air bag on the wheel?
In reply to porksboy:
Could be it popped the airbag and a Momo was cheaper that a new airbag, could be he just wanted a cool steering wheel.
Yes, in 1990 passive restraint was required. This requirement was satisfied by either automatic seatbelts or airbags. By 1995 all had airbags for driver and for the first time, required airbags for passenger side as well.
If you want power, don't even bother swapping the motor out. The n/a version when equipped with an aftermarket turbo setup will not blink to make 600+whp.
But why? There are much better RWD cars out there. I really didn't like the one I have been in. I thought it was a POS. I would rather have a Camaro or Mustang or BMW or Jaguar or P71 or I could go on for hours.
96DXCivic wrote: But why? There are much better RWD cars out there. I really didn't like the one I have been in. I thought it was a POS. I would rather have a Camaro or Mustang or BMW or Jaguar or P71 or I could go on for hours.
I believe the word you're looking for is "different," not "better."
If the one you were in made you think it was a POS, then you were in one that wasn't maintained. They're solid cars, handle deceptively well, make adequate power. Their only real enemy is weight.
96DXCivic wrote: But why? There are much better RWD cars out there. I really didn't like the one I have been in. I thought it was a POS. I would rather have a Camaro or Mustang or BMW or Jaguar or P71 or I could go on for hours.
I can't imagine ever saying something like "The Lexus SC is a POS, not nice like a Camaro".
No Camaros or Mustangs for me, I dont look good in a mullet. Trust me, I was a young man in the 80's 
BMW's in my area are either out of my price range or badly abused and neglected. Not to mention insurance. For that price I would get a new Genesis. I have never been enamoured with Jags. I also have never had a Jap car as a DD.
Heavy, gas mileage isn't the greatest , supra brakes and suspensions bits are generally interchangeable, LS400 brakes also bolt up, SC300 came in auto and manual but the manuals can be rare and pricier, has 2jzge which you can turbo or swap out for the 1jzgte or 2jzgte. SC400 has 1uzfe which you can also turbo or swap for 2jzgte or 1jzgte or some hybrid of the two. There has been at least one known case of someone fitting a proper manual to the SC400/1uzfe and reportedly isn't too difficult. There may even be an adapter out for it now.
In reply to 93celicaGT2:
No. The one I was in was perfectly maintained. Hell it got repainted every two years. Just nothing about it struck me as memorable. The only thing memorable about it was how not memorable it was.
pres589 wrote:96DXCivic wrote: But why? There are much better RWD cars out there. I really didn't like the one I have been in. I thought it was a POS. I would rather have a Camaro or Mustang or BMW or Jaguar or P71 or I could go on for hours.I can't imagine ever saying something like "The Lexus SC is a POS, not nice like a Camaro".
I never said a Camaro was nice, I said I would rather have it.
Just a FYI-The door panels break, the front control arms have integral ball joints meaning you have to replace the entire arm, all suspension/engine/transmission bushings will be shot by now, and you will have to rework the LED's in the speedo cluster. They will be fairly underwhelming in stock form. They are really meant as luxury cruisers and suffer from 1992 horsepower norms. The good thing is the chassis is beautiful and really well designed. Stiffen up the suspension, loose a bunch of weight, and double the power and the car will be a riot.
I love the Lexi but get the best E36 you can find for the same money, you will be better off in the long run. Better aftermarket, and way lighter to begin with.
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