Sounds like he is trying to avoid CA's emissions.
Remember fun to drive doesn't have to mean fast. Old British Iron is great this way and there are parts all over the land.
Sounds like he is trying to avoid CA's emissions.
Remember fun to drive doesn't have to mean fast. Old British Iron is great this way and there are parts all over the land.
Northern California is just littered with pre emmissions Datsun Z's. The 510s on the other hand just seem ridiculously overpriced.
Curmudgeon wrote: Not necessarily. With some forethought and a little extra effort during the process swapped cars can be very reliable. Case in point: the ex b-i-l's KA24 powered Dime had one fuel leak at the pickup under the tank (the banjo bolt's aluminum washer did not seal properly) but otherwise has required ~zero~ work since the swap was completed (well, we did replace the rear axle U joints but nothing else swap related). It's been more reliable than it was with the stock L16. His all stock Volvo wagon has barfed on a few occasions. I like the EJ22/Karmann Ghia idea. But to make it really handle well, put the engine in the middle. That gets you around that pesky reverse rotation thing as well.
Maybe if you're a pro wrench you'll have a better chance of pulling it off than I did. 
My mind is willing but my skills are weak!
Fiat X1/9?
Auto ADD wrote: Sounds like he is trying to avoid CA's emissions.
My thoughts exactly... not that I blame him. I live in PA and have similar ideas...
Any of these cars can be as reliable as you want them to be. None will be "new car" relaible and will need more periodic maintenance, but it's doable.
Auto ADD wrote: Old British Iron is great this way and there are parts all over the land.
That's just because they fall off when you're going down the road.
Miata? With V8 if need be? Turbo if you are conservative?
MGB? With V8 if need be? V6 if you are conservative?
early 70s Mustang? Camaro?
All of the above you should be able to find as ready to buy cars rather than build your own.
Didn't read the whole post so maybe it's already been mentioned but what about a CRX or better yet a CRX Si?
I think id be going for a z-car with your choice of original motor or swapped motor. I can imagine plenty of well-tuned swaps into an early Z getting 35mpg hwy and being faster, better handling, better looking, and easier to work on than some other options.
Vigo wrote: I think id be going for a z-car with your choice of original motor or swapped motor. I can imagine plenty of well-tuned swaps into an early Z getting 35mpg hwy and being faster, better handling, better looking, and easier to work on than some other options.
Careful, the Z's had abysmal aerodynamics, over 0.4 cd from what I remember. Read up on it at hybridz.org. With aero that bad, they are never going to be good at mileage.
I just searched sf bay cl for 1974 and saw a 450sl with a sb350 swap for $4500 and a bmw 3.0 cs with 3.5 swap and manual for $6500. There was also a one owner stingray for $5800. I'd go for the stingray.
Typically the answer for everything around here is miata, I love mine on my daily commute over hwy 9. Now your pre-smog requirement makes the miata untenable but what about the car the miata was patterned after, a Lotus Elan???
Yes its probably not the most reliable choice but since you are looking at older cars anyways....
Re-reading your original post I really like the idea of the BMW with a modernized power plant.
The gia with the subie engine sounds cool too, but it just seems like it has some pretty serious "project car hell potential". If I were going to swap the subie motor into anything it would be an early Porsche 914. I believe renegade makes swap kits for the 914 too...
In reply to TucoRamirez:
That's funny. I've been slobbering over that 3.0cs for days, but those rust bubbles say nooooooooooooo!
A old American car like a Dart? I mean sure they don't get the best mileage but they are generally reliable and I think they are fun.
Careful, the Z's had abysmal aerodynamics, over 0.4 cd from what I remember. Read up on it at hybridz.org. With aero that bad, they are never going to be good at mileage.
I really think if you are only shooting for 30-35 mpg it isnt going to matter much. I have an 80s caravan thats broken 30 mpg. Almost anything can be tuned to get 30-35 mpg if it doesnt have a monster motor or dumb gearing.
Vigo wrote:Careful, the Z's had abysmal aerodynamics, over 0.4 cd from what I remember. Read up on it at hybridz.org. With aero that bad, they are never going to be good at mileage.I really think if you are only shooting for 30-35 mpg it isnt going to matter much. I have an 80s caravan thats broken 30 mpg. Almost anything can be tuned to get 30-35 mpg if it doesnt have a monster motor or dumb gearing.
Tell that to my turbobrick wagon with a cd of only 0.34 and max highway mpg of 25 with a revised fuel curve. I could probably pick some up with exhaust, but never 30-35.
There's more to total drag than just cd. Frontal area is part of the equation.... I'm just saying. :) If it were me, I'd be looking long and hard at early Datsun z's and 912's.
Nathan
rogerbvonceg wrote:
That bike is beautiful. I love the geometry of old road bikes. Was it one of the first to have a triple front sprocket? 15-18 speeds in 1974 sounds impressive!
Maybe an early Celica?
Or how about a Pinto! You can make those handle, right? They came with OHC engines, and I'm sure you could swap a bunch of things into it if you had good swap-fu!
You'd be the only one on your block....
914.
Can't believe nobody (including me) figured this out yet.
240z? that gets my vote
I second the Dart/Valiant with a current 318 or 360 in it.
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