Need insight as to how to go about with a motor

[Dirty Dee]

Hi. I have kinda been lurking around the CA section for a while. I am currently saving up to get a ca18det motorset and I have a few questions.

-How many of you just changed the clutch and flywheel and dropped the motor in and upgraded as you went along?

-Who rebuilt it before installing it?

I was thinking that I would do something like david and take the engine to a machine shop to get work done to the block and cranckshaft, rebuild it with forged pistons and drop it in. I would then do other modifications as money allowed. But, since I am a full-time student with a part-time job, it seems like it would take a while to get the funds to do so.

With my conditions, what would you guys recommend for me to do? Also, i do not drive my car to school. It stays in the garage and is only used for summer break. -Chris

[r34 gtr]

it depends, you can probably do fine just replacing some gaskets and the timing belt and stuff. if its a summer-only car you shouldnt have to worry about it not running and stuff though, so it really just depends on what you want from it. it sounds like you have the right idea, though you might not need to go as far as forged pistons yet. i thrash mine regularly (student with no job, and it IS my daily) and it does not have forged pistons or anything in it.

[Dirty Dee]

I was thinking forged pistons for my future power goal of somewhere between 250-300whp. In one of the threads, someone said that the stock pistons are good for 300hp. But, maybe i can just swap out the pistons and take the engine out to take to the machine shop during the fall when I go back to school.