Skyline gtr, FD RX7, gc8 Impreza wrx or Lancer evo 1

[EdgeSupra]

Originally Posted by SergEK

Long stroke, low revs + turbo = more torque than hp

Anyway, the FD is the best choice of the group by far...GTRs are definitely fanboi cars....everyone is like "oh its a monster and I will make maddd power with it and rule the streets!"

The truth is the drivetrain is $$$$$ and it breaks under high hp
Most of the GTRs also have the little 2.5L RB and maybe a slightly larger newer version gets the 2.8L

The FD is a blank canvas....you can stuff almost any engine you want in it AND it handles like a DREAM

GTRs muscle thier way around tracks and FDs are more precise....lighter, more balanced and nimble.

I like GTRs ...especially R35...but on a racetrack the FDs weight and simplicity would keep costs low and fun high!

If your loaded and have money to blow on parts...GTR...on the otherhand if your that loaded you can buy an FD shell and stuff it with a 4 rotor 450-500hp motor and have the most insane throttle response this side of an F1 car....3 rotors X 4 = 12 firing chambers = ready to rev!

An FD RX7 with an LSX, F20c, 2JZ etc...would be a better track car than the GTR IMO....cheaper too

Rotary....Id rather run a piston motor personally...rotaries can make power but are finicky and tend to blow apex seals = hassle IMO

None of the GTRs have a 2.5L. All GTRs came with the 2.6L Twin Turbo RB, and the Z-Tune was the one that got the 2.8L.
And the drivetrain isn't that bad, to be honest. As long as you maintain it, a gearbox/transfercase will last you a while. And you only need to start worrying when you're over 500BHP.
Honestly the FD would be the most expensive, even if you found one in nice shape. Then you would either have to a) build the motor to make reliable power, and assuming you are like 98% of Americans and don't know anything about a Rotary engine, will be quite a pain, or b) do a motor swap and admit outright that you are like 98% of Americans and don't know anything about a Rotary engine.
Lol, but seriously, everyone will be biased in some way. Just gather all the information you can and make a decision on which is best based on what you learn. And until you drive all four you won't have an absolute definite answer for yourself.

[SergEK]

Originally Posted by EdgeSupra

None of the GTRs have a 2.5L. All GTRs came with the 2.6L Twin Turbo RB, and the Z-Tune was the one that got the 2.8L.
And the drivetrain isn't that bad, to be honest. As long as you maintain it, a gearbox/transfercase will last you a while. And you only need to start worrying when you're over 500BHP.
Honestly the FD would be the most expensive, even if you found one in nice shape. Then you would either have to a) build the motor to make reliable power, and assuming you are like 98% of Americans and don't know anything about a Rotary engine, will be quite a pain, or b) do a motor swap and admit outright that you are like 98% of Americans and don't know anything about a Rotary engine.
Lol, but seriously, everyone will be biased in some way. Just gather all the information you can and make a decision on which is best based on what you learn. And until you drive all four you won't have an absolute definite answer for yourself.

I will bring up the points as you have laid them out

You say they drivetrain and transfer case is able to last.....how many passes do you think a an R33 can make on all stock running gear before blowing the transfer case/diff/axle or tranny itself

If they are so beefy why do so many companies make transmissions for them...ones that hold up...yet EVOs dont have near as many tranny choices and they are awd too?

A 9 sec GTR is probably one of the most expensive proposistions going....the money spent on drivetrain components alone would have most people running away in fear

I bet I could build a 9 sec RX7 for HALF what it would cost to get an RB powered skyline to run 9s

Hell ask Mike F at Dsport how much he has wrapped in in his 9 sec project GTR...

Once you ditch the rotary the RX7 itself is a major contender....the 13B rotary engine has weak apex seals and needs port work before major power is gonna be made...even then most guys are gonna have to go to thicker apex seals to have it last and raise the boost....rather than do all that there are a number of powerplants that can go in that will be more reliable and make more power.

An RB, 2JZ, LSX, F20C...the list goes on

The RX7 will always be lighter, simple and transition quicker than a GTR.....the advantage a GTR has is straight mechanical grip...sheer brute grip...on dusty tracks the GTRs AWD will help alot...but in Japane with the super clean super smooth tracks apples to apples my money would be on the RX7 with similar power/torque numbers .....

My opinion stands....even if you bought a cheap R32 for a steal by the time you add the RB26TT running gear youd have spent much much more than an FD chassis with a swap in it

The GTR is easier to drive...but an FD RX7 is cheaper anyway you slice it

[EdgeSupra]

Honestly drag racing was the last thing from my mind. I personally am completely uninterested in drag racing so I don't really consider the strain produced by it when considering possible upgrade paths.
I won't worry about the stock gearbox in my car until it starts producing upwards of 450-475 bhp. But I'm only concerned with street and light circuit use rather than drag racing.
But you are correct, when it comes to drag racing, I've even seen guys chuck the Getrag out of the R34 in favor of an HKS/Hollinger/OS Giken gearbox.
And the FD is one of my favorite cars. It's one of the best handling cars ever made. I'm just a huge fan of the Rotary and support it's use in the chassis over resorting to a swap.
All the points you made are well stood and I do agree with what you say.

I'm not even sure what the OPs intentions were with the poll (i.e. Is he planning on buying one, for what purpose, etc.)
So I guess to put my thoughts in a nutshell, each of the four cars listed are very, very good stock for stock. Once you start modifying, each will have its strong and weak points. It depends on your driving style and adaptibility to choose which is best for you.

[SergEK]

Originally Posted by EdgeSupra

Honestly drag racing was the last thing from my mind. I personally am completely uninterested in drag racing so I don't really consider the strain produced by it when considering possible upgrade paths.
I won't worry about the stock gearbox in my car until it starts producing upwards of 450-475 bhp. But I'm only concerned with street and light circuit use rather than drag racing.
But you are correct, when it comes to drag racing, I've even seen guys chuck the Getrag out of the R34 in favor of an HKS/Hollinger/OS Giken gearbox.
And the FD is one of my favorite cars. It's one of the best handling cars ever made. I'm just a huge fan of the Rotary and support it's use in the chassis over resorting to a swap.
All the points you made are well stood and I do agree with what you say.

I'm not even sure what the OPs intentions were with the poll (i.e. Is he planning on buying one, for what purpose, etc.)
So I guess to put my thoughts in a nutshell, each of the four cars listed are very, very good stock for stock. Once you start modifying, each will have its strong and weak points. It depends on your driving style and adaptibility to choose which is best for you.

And for circuit racing heat is more of an issue than driveline shock so most road racers never experience chunks of metal shooting out at the start of a race lol

The RB is a great motor with very academic dimensions...very oversquare high rev motor...similar to what I think Honda would build if they made an inline 6....

The 13B...too few folks testing its limits...over time many tricks have been learned but at the end of the day how many guys would keep the 13B if they were shooting or 800whp when they could just throw in a 20B instead...but the cost of a 20B is prohibitive vs a piston engine making those power figures

Ive spent a large amount of time around FC/FD guys and Ive seen soooo many apex seals popped (mostly weather changes) ive seen them wheel hop to much slower times than what their hp level would have you believe....but I have also seen R32s launch and the running gear under those extreme launches just is too fragile compared to EVO gear...but then again the larger 6cyl RB is making more torque ....

When I looked into building a GTR of my own I ran across what it would take to make it reliably hit the strip and go home....it was a multiple of what a 9 sec Honda is....3-4 times the cost depending on how involved you wanted to get with the GTR

Now the GTR could pull off 9/10 sec passes on street tires where more FFs would need slicks but for 3-4 times the price thats a helluva premium

For road racing the sheer size of the RB power plant is nice compared to an EVOs smaller 4 but there is also a weight premium on the GTR

The R32 to me is the athletic GTR ....still light enough to be a front runner without the cost and sophistication of the R34/35

But its still not cheap and definitely more frustrating trying to piece together a car with limited parts ---

They are all great cars like you said....for a daily I think the GTR makes the most sense...creature comforts, torque, traction.....but track duty is gonna be $$$$$....I would be curious to ask Eric Hsu how much they have into their R32 track beast....40-50K maybe more? 60-70K.....its beautiful but DAMN!

Mike F probably has about that into his R33 dragster GTR...still a sweet ass street car though so at least he can roll down to Huntington beach and cruise for Ferrais to spank lol...

If money wasnt an issue I think we would own all the options so I guess you really cant go wrong....just a different path as you stated

[EdgeSupra]

I would just like to add one thing, from my personal experience.
The R32GTR is hands-down the most fun car of all the stock cars I've driven.
I've already felt the premium on parts, and it does suck a bit, but it just comes with the territory. I would probably mess myself if I knew what Hsu has in their 32, lol.
The GTR definitely does it for me. And I'll be very interested to get my hands dirty on the 13/20B a lot more.
Happy motoring!

[Tono]

The skyline beautiful car

[MickCollinsb16b]

Originally Posted by EdgeSupra

I don't like EVOs either, but are you high?
EVOs have always made near as makes no difference as much torque as power, and starting with the VII it began making MORE torque then power.

i guess you have not driven many. a V.W. BUG can take a EVO up to 2900 rpm. there is no f-n power at all below that. i think you are confused with the WRX.

[alexanderig]

fd nice but needs high maintenance. and your not giving much info on the rest of the cars. but if its an r34 its my choice. check the newest import tuner for a 900 whp daily driven r34

[warlord0070]

Hmmm it depends..im a fan of the rx7 especially the FD..

[vtec5500]

rx7 anyday dream car for me

[Type R Special]

why is the evo1 even an option lol. Doesnt fit at all.
Cannot compete at all.

[1cardude]

Nothing beats a Skyline....its like that unobtainable car we cant get here

[AE86Bill]

out of all of them, you seem to pick some odd choices.

If i was to pick...
a skyline - R32( either gts or gtr ), im more into drifting, so i would lean more towards the cheaper gts, if i was going on the circuit..then yea GTR...Ohhh actually, the hakosuka or one of the other older skylines <3333 lol.

RX7 - FDs are nice but i always had a thing for the FC3S

GC8- its nice, my lil bro has a 2.5rs w/ turbo swap in there, its pretty sweet, i wouldnt mind one but since he has one i cant copy him..lol so i would have to go with an evo

Evo.. def not the evo 1, i like the evo 5 & 6's more

[GreenMachine]

What ever happend to the good ol 2jzgte Supra thats up there with the GT-R in my opinion

[impreza_GC8]

I have an old school Impreza and my GF has a real imported GC8 STI RA and we both want an R34.