Cheap, reasonably powerful FWD cars?

Got an idea going round in my head, and it requires an inexpensive FWD car. I'm looking to see what options there are out there. Aiming for 200+ hp, reasonable reliability, and something that isn't too hard to find at sub-$1000 prices.

So far, I've got:

-GM W-Bodies with Series 2 3800 engines ~205 HP

-GM W-bodies and intermediates with an L67 ~225-240 HP

Somewhat less common, but sometimes available cheap:

-Older Ford Taurus SHO

-Northstar Caddies (not sure I wanna deal with the electronics)

-Gm cars with the 3.4DOHC (not the most common, but they come up every now and then).

Any others out there?

Saab 9000 aero?

ChryCo V6s

Turbo Dodge's maybe. The 2.5 SOHC and 2.2 DOHC engines can be made to have 200hp pretty easily.

I can't imagine what your "idea" might be, but if you think the older Northstar Caddys should be avoided for their electronics....well, have you ever heard anyone who has said they had a good experience with the 3.4 DOHC? The 3.4 OHV engine is an okay beast, but the DOHC version was not widely used for a good reason.

For the price and power, I second the idea of turbo Dodge.

I wasnt going to mention the unreasonably powerful turbo dodges, since he said reasonable..

In GRM $2009 budgetary terms, i gave my dodge aries 320lb ft of torque to the wheels for about $500, including the car.

Based on the reliability factor by itself, not including anything else, id go for the non s/c 3.8 cars. Hows that for useless info. lol

I guess out of the OP's list the thing i would most like to own would be an SHO.

As far as chryco v6s, there's really only one thats common and cheap, and thats the sohc 3.0. Its only rated at 141hp, but it is underrated and goes as fast or faster than the 3.8 in GM cars by virtue of the lighter weight cars it gets put in. You can get it with a factory 5spd and many people have done high 14s in stock 3.0/5spd dodge shadows. 2 people i know of have done 14.6. A few people have gotten into the low 15s with modded auto 3.0s. Generally most people with autos and light bolt ons land in the high 15s.

And then of course there is the guy that trapped 125mph on a completely stock bottom end after turbo.

what about the 3.5L intrepid/300m drivetrain?

I don't think the Northstar is electronically much different than anything else you've mentioned (and it's got enormous torque compared to some of the high revving low displacement alternatives), but it is extremely heavy...

The #1 issue with my NS Allante wasn't a lack of power, but rather the ability to put it down to the pavement through the front wheels.

Thanks for all the ideas. Keep 'em coming. The turbo dodges might be nice, but I'm primarily looking for something thats already making the power stock.

I had completely forgotten about 3.5 Intrepids. Older ones (when they can be found) should be pretty cheap.

RE: Northstars, I have heard that a lot of them have pretty much all the major gadgets in the car incorporated into their control systems. If I'm wrong, then they are more viable.

As for the car the drivetrain is attached to, I don't care too much. I'm looking for a drivetrain donor.

eastsidemav wrote: RE: Northstars, I have heard that a lot of them have pretty much all the major gadgets in the car incorporated into their control systems. If I'm wrong, then they are more viable.

Before the LS1 got cheap, the Fiero guys were dropping Northstars in left and right... bolting them right up to the getrag 5sp's. Might want to venture over there to see what difficulties they ran into it... it really is an awesome engine... just so heavy that any FWD with it is going to push.

But with the lighter weight and cheaper mod, the LS1 is more awesome... just more expensive (though I have under $3000 in a 52k model complete with all engine accessories and an auto trans)

Bill

Is this FWD drivetrain going in the back of something in the future?

Are there any other considerations (such as preferred transmission offerings, weight, high revs and HP vs low revs and TQ)?

Why not something with the FWD 5.3L LS4 engines? Plenty of HP there, and more if you need it. Cost depends on if you want the whole car or just the drivetrain.

Mazda MX6 GT

The poster formally known as 96DXCivic wrote: Mazda MX6 GT

Or Probe GT of the same vintage. Good call. That should have been my first answer.

You haven't mentioned transmission requirements. I'm ASSuming that your want to drop this in the middle of something else to make it mid engined. If you was cheap and manual trans I'm 2nding or 3rding the Probe/Mx6. Also what about a Contour SVT, cheap these days and a 3.0l hybrid is relativly easy. If going for the 3.0L the cams are the only reason to start with an SVT.

Brotus7 wrote: Is this FWD drivetrain going in the back of something in the future? Are there any other considerations (such as preferred transmission offerings, weight, high revs and HP vs low revs and TQ)?

Busted.

I'm thinking ahead to the 2011 Challenge, and am at a crossroads. The current project hasn't gone as well as I wanted it to, and I'm debating a whole new path for 2011. Something of the R5/Shogun variety. For simplicity's sake, it'd probably be better to have an autotragic, but if the Durocco guys could get a stickshift rear engine setup working, I guess I could, too.

Thinking about it, the Intrepid drivetrain might not work so well, depending on the vehicle this would get stuffed into. Is the Saab 9000 like a 900, or is it a more conventional transverse setup?

oldopelguy wrote: Why not something with the FWD 5.3L LS4 engines? Plenty of HP there, and more if you need it. Cost depends on if you want the whole car or just the drivetrain.

Because this would be a total "Frankenstein" job, it'd be best to have the whole car for all the little pieces. At the least, would probably want the whole front clip, so might be able to make a buy at a salvage auction, though I'd rather buy something that is driveable, so everything can be checked out before its torn up.

1st or 2nd gen Integra. Not at 200hp, but pretty quick and easy to make quicker.

Mid 60's Olds Toronado.

irish44j said: 1st or 2nd gen Integra. Not at 200hp, but pretty quick and easy to make quicker.

Around here, anything with something other than a B18B tends to be pricey. Plus, I'm aiming more for something that won't really need much done to it to make power. Pretty much limit it to bolt ons, if possible, again primarily from a budget standpoint. Have gone the Honda swap route in the past, and its fun, might be willing to do it again if a CRX fell into my lap.

Dav wrote: Mid 60's Olds Toronado.

There's one for sale near me for the last few months. I suspect its a little out of the budget. Plus, there's no way I'd cut up something as evil looking as that :)

Vigo wrote: As far as chryco v6s, there's really only one thats common and cheap, and thats the sohc 3.0. Its only rated at 141hp

IIRC, when the last gen stratus came out around 2000, I recall both the 2.7 and 3L being rated at 200.

Hmm, looks like 95-99 Maximas made 190 HP stock, as did the prior generation SE models.

The last Continentals had the 4.6L DOHC 32V Intech Modular V8 with 275 hp. I mean, it's basically the same engine as in a Panoz Esperante, except not quite.

Nissan maxima, 89-94 and some 95's and 96's depending if you find a deal. a 95 should go for $600 and under and a new engine should be in the 150 and up range from a u pull it place.

~Alex

The turbo dodges might be nice, but I'm primarily looking for something thats already making the power stock.

Making the power of what? A stock turbo dodge in a lot of cases is making as much power or is as fast as a lot of cars you mentioned. In fact, the mx6 gt and probe GT dont make ANY more power stock than a turbo dodge. Add a $15 boost controller and it jumps considerably. Im not trying to plug the turbo dodges here, just pointing that out.

As for the intrepid motor, it makes great power if you uncork the intake and exhaust and can tune it.. Which might as well be completely unknown by how much of that you can learn from intrepid owners... (myself being the exception ). They ARE longitudinal setups, though.

IIRC, when the last gen stratus came out around 2000, I recall both the 2.7 and 3L being rated at 200.

Hard to get the whole car for $1000. The 3.0 is a newer mitsu 3.0 design with sohc 24v setup as opposed to the older sohc 12v setup. Doesnt make a whole lot more power in reality once the 12v has some basic mods, but there is an advantage stock vs stock. The 2.7 is rated 200hp but doesnt have the area under the curve of either 3.0, and used 2.7s tend to pull a premium because of being in high demand (read into that what you will).