anarchiaetpax

So I've got a '91 rex that isn't in the best of shape. She's got a screwy fender from a meet and greet with a furry friend, an ugly dent in the rear from some scumbag in an SUV, and could definitely use repaint.

The tranny isn't in bad shape, although it does occasionally grind gears and reverse is getting increasingly hard to shift into.

My question, on a budget of roughly $3-5000, what would you all recommend? I need reliable because its my daily driver, although having a turbo b18c1 is a concept to drool over (and I know I must be out of it to even think of such on that budget).

My mechanical knowledge isn't great but I can get by and learn quick (hopefully without detonating an engine .

All Advice Welcomed!

Andrew

For $5,000 I think you could have a boosted gsr. you just have to build a home made kit(usually around $1,000). Just research around on HMT.com, and I'm sure you'll pick up the basics in notime.

I would suggest to start off by reading all you can about the different engines. What they're pro's and con's are, do they respond well to boost, etc etc.. Then decide whether you wanna go DOHC or SOHC, which would pretty much come down the B series or D series(with the exception of the ZC motor).

Then read some more!
I bet you can pick up a complete GSR swap for under $3,000, but you need to search around.

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anarchiaetpax

Yeah, I've read a good bit about the different D/SOHC engines that would be swappable, and the B18C1 seemed like a nice choice for hp, although boost wise may not be the greatest option with compression considered.

$3,000 for a GSR swap sounds like a hard buy though. Been looking at hmotors for the actual engine, but I guess everything else could be had for much less between junkyards, ebay, etc.

Thanks, I'll check out the site too!

Super Chicken

Go to a local junkyard and buy a B18(?) and then boost it with that kind of money. I saw a guy find a 92 integra LS in a bone yard for $350 if he pulled it himself they even let him have the rear trailing arms and anything else he wanted for that price. After he was done it went straight to the crusher.....

Citizen_Insane

You could do an LS swap for about a grand and then drop about $2k into body work and have a fast, reliable daily driver that looks good and is easy on the pocket book.

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Taco15

how bad is the body? is rusty? the panels are replacesable but are the rear quarters in bad shape? If so i would just buy me a another rex for about 1500-2000. i have seen many clean rexes with practicaly no rust for sale for that price.I'm selling mine soon for that price. sell the old one for as much as you can get away with and go buy a ls motor or SOHC vtec for boost. If you want more hp then go by a 1.8Ltr vtec motor. I would personally get a ls motor if you on a budget. you'll still get alot of power onece boosted.

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cceinc

My buddy is selling this one pm me for his email.
these pictures were taken when i was building it.. the
head is still off the block.. it needs a headgasket
and timing belt.. other than that.. its straight..
block was hot tanked and painted. cylinders were
honed.. pistons were polished. rods were shotpeened
and balanced.. so was the crank.. new piston rings..
water pump.. oil pump. rear main seal. new main/rod
bearings.. thrust washers. its really clean as you can
see in the pics. the head was also cleaned.. i have
the cams/camgears.. camcaps and all of that. and i
have an intake manifold.

i also have an A1 cable tranny for b series.

oh yeah.. i have a SRP High Compression pistons on
Eagle Rods too.. 11:5:1 cr.. comes with Wiseco Rings
and ARP Rod Bolts

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anarchiaetpax

The body isn't in horrible shape, the passenger fender is FUBAR, there's a 3-4" long, 1cm deep dent in the passenger fender from god knows what. I think that can be pulled without too much fuss and smoothed out. No rust around the rear passenger wheel well, and only a quarter or so of bubbling around the driver side rear. Overall I'd list it fair-good.

Edit: I've thought about getting an LS motor and just turboing that further down the road, I realise it is definitely a plus from reliability's standpoint. What I'm wondering is if I actually want to deal with all of the extra maintence and TLC for a turbo over all engine.

Thanks for all the suggestions so far.