Pick a beater for me!

Post by **s15nc** » Wed Jun 25, 2003 5:04 pm

My friend just picked up a 92 eagal talon awd turbo for 300. it needs a new head but you can pick those up at the junk yard for $200. parts are cheap and plentiful because that was a joint prodject with mitsubishi so it is the exact same car as the eclips only cheaper. fast and fun

Post by **s15nc** » Wed Jun 25, 2003 5:04 pm

here's a s13 in beater $ rangehttp://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors...=6783

Post by **Zaxx84** » Wed Jun 25, 2003 5:04 pm

Hmmm, I know it's an automatic, but that still seems really cheap.

Post by **Queamore** » Wed Jun 25, 2003 5:04 pm

I had a daytona it was a fun car had turbo I jammed some caprice fuel injectors and adjusted the clutch alltheway outblew it up. Iremember it used to talk to me.

[car] Your engine is over heating prompt service is requierd[/car]

it was so cool

Post by **Megaseth** » Wed Jun 25, 2003 5:04 pm

haha, when i started reading that, i was thinking you had problems. we all talk about our car's talking to us, but i was like "wow, he really thinks his car talked to him" but then i finished and i started laughing.

car "promt engine service is requested"car "continuing use will result in damage to the engine"car "PULL ME THE PHUCK OVER NOW AND GET ME SOME HELP DAMNNIT!!!!!!!!"

Post by **s15nc** » Wed Jun 25, 2003 5:04 pm

did you feel like nightrider?

Post by **gunclap** » Wed Jun 25, 2003 5:04 pm

get an old toyota corolla....not the 86's, but the older ones.

Post by **SkillaSX** » Wed Jun 25, 2003 5:04 pm

BadMojo wrote:I live in Reading, PA. For that price I'd fix the clutch, sell the car, buy a $500 beater and keep the profits!

Well, if you really want it, You can drive up to Ontario, Canada and I'll tell you the directions.

Post by **Bubba1** » Wed Jun 25, 2003 5:04 pm

Best beater I ever had was a 1980 Corrolla, indestructible. Great car and cheap to keep

Best choices for old beaters: Nissan/Toyota/Honda.NExt in line up Subaru/Mazda/DSMnext: American. Riskiest: European makes as they tend to be more costly to fix, and at $500, they'll need something fixed.

enjoy the hunt

Post by **BadMojo** » Wed Jun 25, 2003 5:04 pm

Bubba1 wrote:NExt in line up Subaru/Mazda/DSM

I'll definitely enjoy the hunt. I'm having a great time with this. I'd love to get an old Subaru wagon and then give it some funky $200 Maaco paint job and a few choice accessories from Pep Boys.

Perhaps something inspired by the F&F oeuvre would be appropriate...

Post by **Megaseth** » Wed Jun 25, 2003 5:04 pm

Vato Zone now carries F&F stuff. light kits, seat covers, floor matts, and LED windshield washers in different shapes.

Post by **CaptainHenreh** » Wed Jun 25, 2003 5:04 pm

Ultimate beater:

Subaru XT-6.

Don't argue, just buy.

:-p

Post by **BadMojo** » Wed Jun 25, 2003 5:04 pm

CaptainHenreh wrote:Ultimate beater:

Subaru XT-6.

Don't argue, just buy.

:-p

Nice! I read up on those after you posted here and I like what I see!

AWD + Reasonable Power + Strangely Compelling Styling + $200 Maaco paint job = Kickass Beater!

Now...where to find one.

Post by **Bubba1** » Wed Jun 25, 2003 5:04 pm

1. Auto Auction. Try to bring a mechanically knowledeable friend if you are not mechanically inclined. Auctions can be lotsa fun and there's usually a big selection of beaters.

2. If you know of a reputable new car dealer, they take beater trades all the time and usually wholesale them. They could call you when something interesting gets traded in. If you want an XT6, chat with a Zoom-zoom dealer. They'll make more money selling it to you than wholesaling it.

Just a couple of ideas.

Post by **Bubba1** » Wed Jun 25, 2003 5:04 pm

Whoops, zoom-zoom is Mazda, I meant "Whoop-de-doo dealer" for Subaru. I'll smack myself in the head now

Post by **CaptainHenreh** » Wed Jun 25, 2003 5:04 pm

BadMojo wrote:Nice! I read up on those after you posted here and I like what I see!

AWD + Reasonable Power + Strangely Compelling Styling + $200 Maaco paint job = Kickass Beater!

Now...where to find one.

I had one, waaaaaaaaay back in the day. A FWD. It really was a neat little car, even if it was shaped like a doorstop.

Eventually sold it to a guy who yanked the engine for his Porsche.

Post by **Meantime** » Wed Jun 25, 2003 5:04 pm

The Subaru Alcyone (XT series) is an offbeat but good little sports car. It came with either FWD or AWD setups and four cylinder or six-cylinder boxers. The 6 cyl is a popular motor for swaps like Captain mentioned, I knew folks with Brats and Bugs who prized that particular motor (don't remember the engine code offhand).

It wasn't very popular in its day due to odd styling, kind of like a Triumph TR7, and the fact that it wasn't a real performance-oriented sports car, more like a solid all-weather coupe. They are quite cheap now, the challenge will be finding one still in decent shape, as a lot of owners liked to test the AWD versions off-road - not really what the Alcyone was intended for.

Post by **BadMojo** » Wed Jun 25, 2003 5:04 pm

Meantime wrote:It wasn't very popular in its day due to odd styling, kind of like a Triumph TR7, and the fact that it wasn't a real performance-oriented sports car, more like a solid all-weather coupe.

I actually like the styling...it's strangely attractive. I actually found one in the classified ads for $800. It had decent mileage (unless the odometer rolls over at 99,999 like an old Z car) but needed engine AND transmission work. I was going to call the guy up, find out what exactly was wrong with the car, tell him he was insane and offer him $200 for it. Unfortunately, the guy's number was disconnected!

One problem area I see is suspension...it seems that the AWD versions of the XT6 came with an electronically controlled suspenion that lowered at higher speeds. This, as one might imagine, is expensive to replace. I've read some stuff about people replacing the system with a standard coilover.

Post by **Bubba1** » Wed Jun 25, 2003 5:04 pm

I had also heard the XT's were rust prone. I always thought they were quirky but interesting cars. nice looking from the front and sides, but the big butt rear with wraparound lights wasn't to my liking. I actually liked the SVT more but I'd be afraid to own one as a beater.

Post by **TomsMR2** » Wed Jun 25, 2003 5:04 pm

.. i cant believe no one mentioned the merkur! everyone knows you can make a merkur turbo run 4's in the 1/4 with just a 2x4 and some duct tape! they're piss cheap too.

Post by **Queamore** » Wed Jun 25, 2003 5:04 pm

s15nc wrote:did you feel like nightrider?

Yeah I wish I had enough turbo boost to jump over a car:ylsuper

Post by **BadMojo** » Wed Jun 25, 2003 5:04 pm

Bubba1 wrote:I had also heard the XT's were rust prone. I always thought they were quirky but interesting cars. nice looking from the front and sides, but the big butt rear with wraparound lights wasn't to my liking. I actually liked the SVT more but I'd be afraid to own one as a beater.

Yeah, I figure rust will be an issue. It seems like it's the plague of Japanese cars of the 80's...more so than other cars that old. If I can find a car that will hold up for a season or two, it will be ~$500 well spent.

I guess it is the quirkiness of the XT that has me interested. Of course, AWD would be great to have when there's a foot or two of snow on the ground.

Post by **BadMojo** » Wed Jun 25, 2003 5:04 pm

Does anyone happen to know of a good website/forum for ummm... "vintage" Subies?

I'm beginning to think the XT6 might be tough to find parts for.

Post by **Meantime** » Wed Jun 25, 2003 5:04 pm

Here's one I stumbled across:

http://members.bellatlantic.ne....html

Not a real "professional" site but it's kind of typical as far as a lot of vintage Subie sites go. Check this one out also:

http://www.scoobymods.com

I'm not sure how parts for the HC27 would be (I think that's the engine code for the XT6). I know that EA82 and EA82T parts are relatively common, so if you get a turbo-four XT you will have no problems there. The electric suspension is definitely a consideration as far as repair work goes (isn't every elec. suspension a PITA eventually?)

Rust really hasn't been a problem on the Subies I have owned, they actually seem to be more rust-resistant than other Japanese cars of the same era. I think the rusty examples stem more from 1) off-road abuse and 2) neglect. Subarus love snow, and they tend to attract a lot of dirt and salt as a result. But as long as they're clean, they stay pretty cancer-free.

Post by **BadMojo** » Wed Jun 25, 2003 5:04 pm

Meantime wrote:Here's one I stumbled across:

http://members.bellatlantic.ne....html

Not a real "professional" site but it's kind of typical as far as a lot of vintage Subie sites go. Check this one out also:

Yeah...I was reading that one. I'll check out that other site. Thanks for your help.

The allure of AWD in a retro door-stop shaped package is hard to resist...

Edit: Wow...the air suspension is $300 a corner to replace!

Post by **CaptainHenreh** » Wed Jun 25, 2003 5:04 pm

I think I'll have to agree with Meantime's rust assessment. I've seen some quite nice examples of XT-Turbos and XT-6's, and mine was free from anything but surface rust from dents and dings. (typical from sitting in a garage)

And as far as the HC27 goes, you can always replace it with an HC33 from a SVX... the XT-6 was the test mule for the HC33 engine.

Pick a beater for me!

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