KevinAndrew

What I want is a reliable clean s13 hatch with a 1jz-gte swap. I don't know too much about swapping engines so I need some help!


My plan:
Get an auto s13 hatch (auto because they tend to be cleaner) or just a s13 hatch shell. Then swap in a manual 1jz-gte.
My question for y'all is:
Should I get the auto then swap in the 1jz, or just get the shell and throw a 1jz in? I want to do what ever is more cost effective.
All suggestions are welcome I need all the help I can get!

sleepyS14se

there is no difference in what you are asking brother....

a shell vs a automatic 240---- you have intentions of installing a 1jz, its the same job besides the fact you would have to remove the stock engine and auto trans from the donor car.


All in All it is the same thing aside from spending a hour or 2 removing the auto trans and engine.

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95 S14 se RB25DET 348whp

KevinAndrew

That's what I thought. My only reason to get the auto over the shell is to have the interior and not have to bother tracking full interior down.
I did just find a very clean shell that I might go for though. I just have to talk my dad into letting my leave it in the back yard for a while when I'm off at school aha

kimmie

haha, you sound like me! My dad wouldn't let me store it in our front yard, he's also got this notion that "girls can't be mechanics" so I doubt he'd like the idea of me throwin a shell in our yard. he never finished his projects so he doesn't have faith in me! but my shell has both front seats taken out, but that's no issue for me

Mikester

How about start "Help me Choose" threads in the right section.

Kimmie, you're cute. My son would love you :-)

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kimmie

Awe you really think so?! Thank you I do appreciate it a lot!. And I hope your son knows he has a cool Dad

Krusty_s13

If you find a good manual shell then go for it. that way you dont have to bother finding manual pedals and cutting your firewall for the clutch master. (not a hard thing to do)

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pvtdynamite

Unless you are very familiar with the car you are trying to build (have built a 240 before) always go for a car with a full interior/suspension/electronics even if they are in bad shape. That way you can recall how everything goes back together in your mind after you take it apart. Unless you are extremely mechanically inclined it will be very difficult to look at a pile of parts and figure out how to put them together without ever have seen them assembled before.

v30magna

+1 to pvt. with a complete auto you start out with most of the parts you need, and you can sell stuff you don't want, heck the auto trans will get you $30-50 bucks at a recycler. stuff you cant sell you trash. But you would be surprised how hard some small things can be to come by. When you buy interior/exterior separate it costs much more and you add time and stress onto a build. It makes the car unlikely to be finished due to the sheer bulk of added work and cost. Its good to start out by getting the swap functioning in the car 1st, then parting out unwanteds and buying custom goodies.

v30magna

if you already got a shell though, depending on how clean it is and how clean you want it, you could go with what you got. I'd say break out the calculator and add up time and parts for a shell,and time and parts for an auto. assume everything is gonna take you at least 3 times as long as you think it should take. for $per hour, count your time as making whatever you make per hour at work, how much what you are going to school for is gonna pay, or how much your mechanic is gonna charge you per hour. up to you