Choice of Project Car

cRazYee

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Oct 7, 2005
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hi,

Aim: Discuss what's the best car to use as project car.
Objective: Find the right One for weekend joys.


I believe most of the people take daily car as project car, conquering track, street and drive everyday. Simply, cars in Malaysia are quite a premium to own. I'm wondering, how many people own a track car that never register on road? Does it worth to do it this way? Or rather an OTR (with register plate) for weekend car?

I have a decent everyday ride, I'm thinking should I buy another car for project, with register plate or not? To have car with register plate, big lump sum of money is paying into interest, "tax" and etc, before you actually put money into build the car. My aim is to build it near to GT4 spec.

Back those day in UK, i can easily buy an EK4 with plate and start stripping and building with just £1000. Then bring to track to enjoy. But it's different case in Malaysia. I always believe fun should cost just a lil'. So, what's your idea project car you have in mind?

Of cause, there must be some criteria to consider. Here's the spec:
  • Potential to reach 200hp and above.
  • Good rigid body or at least a potential chassis structure, potential platform
  • Parts availability
  • cost consideration
  • Maintenance cost should be low or decent
  • 2 Doors at best, unless Evo/Subaru


JDM is always the best choice in Asia, due to parts availability and cost.
EK4, 3 doors, surprisingly, still very expensive to run with plate. A 14/15 years old car for RM50-60K
EK9, Great potential, rare and expensive.
DC5, sitting around RM90k
Toyota Altezza, 4 doors, heavy, but good balance chassis, and that 3GSE

What about European ride?
E36, is budget enough right now
E28, Old 5 series Chassis, some said is great fun
Lotus Elise, Price is always at high side, Aluminum Chassis, no corrosion worries, but repair is problem.
Mini Cooper S, R50 (Supercharger), around RM80-90k

Please put up some suggestion WITH GOOD FACTS as well as cost. (No Perodua, I simply dont see any potential in their line up, K car isn't my cup of tea; No Proton except hot hatch like Satria/Satria Neo)

Add to the topic: Anyone here run their own modification (regardless minor or major)?

The list and ranking so far:
  1. Proton Satria GTi/1.3 SE - RM10k-30k
  2. Proton Satria R3 - RM30k
  3. Proton Satria Neo CPS - RM 30-40k
  4. Nissan Silvia S13/14/180SX/240SX - RM 50k Range
  5. Honda EG3/EG6 - RM40k range
  6. Hajiroku - RM50k, but that's a lot money to pay in cash, for a old old chassis.
 
Last edited:

^pomen_GTR^

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my joy car was similar to my road car....


so can saves alot in term of emergency repair if sh1t does happen during joyride
 

Supra_Fanatics

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According to your criteria.

Low cost to start with. I vote for Satria Neo R3. Not the latest one but the real R3 Neo with 148HP.
Good chassis, good handling car, maintenance is not hefty. 2doors.

Just the Satria Neo R3 is the only one I see meets your criteria in terms of reliability, good chassis and cost.

But not easy to find someone who is willing to sell. There is one on sale the last I checked was RM69K Manual.
Too bad it was sold. Limited edition model.
 

cRazYee

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According to your criteria.

Low cost to start with. I vote for Satria Neo R3. Not the latest one but the real R3 Neo with 148HP.
Good chassis, good handling car, maintenance is not hefty. 2doors.

Just the Satria Neo R3 is the only one I see meets your criteria in terms of reliability, good chassis and cost.

But not easy to find someone who is willing to sell. There is one on sale the last I checked was RM69K Manual.
Too bad it was sold. Limited edition model.
hm。。。 although i Hate proton, but Satria seems like a good ground to start
what's the main different between R3 and non R3? in chassis level

---------- Post added at 06:01 PM ---------- 6 hour anti-bump limit - Previous post was at 06:00 PM ----------

my joy car was similar to my road car....


so can saves alot in term of emergency repair if sh1t does happen during joyride
Satria SE?
actually i that was my consideration as well, a good start with chassis, slowly build everything according to designed spec. Just worry the chassis is too old.
 

Tom

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interesting topic, i'm sure some of us here are looking for a similar project to take up
do you have a budget indication?
 

cRazYee

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interesting topic, i'm sure some of us here are looking for a similar project to take up
do you have a budget indication?
so far, havent make up my mind.
Obviously GE13 plays vital role. Could change everything

what do you have in mind? Continue your Mini? wonder if you dont mind to shed some Mini Cooper S potential in this context

I found that Malaysian enjoy paying someone to do mod, rather DIY. I think these skill is fun to learn, although isnt essential
 

DanzEterna

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it depends on your budget. how many hp u wanna achieve.
if u want it to be road legal, get a satria gti with evo3 engine. not those evo3 head with 4g67 block.

if illegal, get a s13/s14, integra or any car of your choice for rm10k, import it back from Japan & mod it.....get a fren that has an old junk (geran still in his hand), ask him for his roadtax, slap it on to yours, get the number plate done & use it on the road.....but usually ppl use it for drifting or drag.
 

cRazYee

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nearing GT4 spec?
thats almost 280hp for 1000kg car...
well, ideally, like-ish

---------- Post added at 09:39 PM ---------- 6 hour anti-bump limit - Previous post was at 09:38 PM ----------

it depends on your budget. how many hp u wanna achieve.
if u want it to be road legal, get a satria gti with evo3 engine. not those evo3 head with 4g67 block.

if illegal, get a s13/s14, integra or any car of your choice for rm10k, import it back from Japan & mod it.....get a fren that has an old junk (geran still in his hand), ask him for his roadtax, slap it on to yours, get the number plate done & use it on the road.....but usually ppl use it for drifting or drag.
i actually had the second idea before, Clone identity

---------- Post added at 09:43 PM ---------- 6 hour anti-bump limit - Previous post was at 09:39 PM ----------

like to ask, is there anyone in the forum post their rebuild story?
like literally strip to bare and start over. (Pimp my ride way, but without those blinks)
 

quadreduce

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project car eh, i have an e28 with rb20. roadtax is 2.0, insurance is 3rd party, peryear is about 400 i think. still cheap considering the tow cost to sepang from puchong few times.

stripped out with holes in the floor, depends on mood will attend the car. haha. havent got a chance to track it yet though.
 

cRazYee

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project car eh, i have an e28 with rb20. roadtax is 2.0, insurance is 3rd party, peryear is about 400 i think. still cheap considering the tow cost to sepang from puchong few times.

stripped out with holes in the floor, depends on mood will attend the car. haha. havent got a chance to track it yet though.
this will be interesting project.
i was asking my uncle to give me his E28, problem is, he forgot when he parked in KL area.
he literally own every 5 series except F10, but should be in the list.
 

quadreduce

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wtf forgot when park, what do you mean, stock e28 steering lock is good for drift angle. stock M5 LSD, circa 2k+.

you even have budget around 90k i see, unless you are getting e28 for free, dont bother buying it for motorsport purpose.

BUT, you can buy few more older cars with that budget and build 'em all up and stand out instead of 1 mini. hehe.

true project car and true DIYer, you might be interested with BAMSES UNDERPANTS on youtube.
 

Izso

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If you're going to look for a budget project car, the Satria Neo Clubsport is an awesome base. Half the work is already done with that car (road legal roll cage, stripped - no sound proofing, lightweight) and the only thing you need to do is a Mivec rebuild then swap.

If you're looking for an awesome FI project, I personally recommend RX7 FD! For about 80k you can get a basic model and then either TT or a single large turbo would make the car unbelievably awesome.
 

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