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first project advice?

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Old Mar 11, 2017 | 02:51 PM
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Default first project advice?

so i was planning on just buying a shell and just putting a crate motor, tranny and all that(along with a bunch other stuff of course). but my question is, is there anything i need in the car as is? or will i just be replacing it all anyways?
Thanks
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Old Mar 11, 2017 | 03:15 PM
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If this is legit, don't buy a shell. Get a car with a blown engine and has all the parts there. A shell could possibly be just that. You might end spending more than what a running car would cost getting every little part you're missing.
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Old Mar 11, 2017 | 03:20 PM
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Originally Posted by GIZZ
If this is legit, don't buy a shell. Get a car with a blown engine and has all the parts there. A shell could possibly be just that. You might end spending more than what a running car would cost getting every little part you're missing.
so those dressed crate engines you buy dont come with all or most of the stuff i need?
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Old Mar 13, 2017 | 10:11 AM
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If you can get a shell very cheap. Like 300 bucks or less. You might as well go that route. When we did ours. We ended up replacing everything anyway. We got our car complete with no rust for six hundred. The body was great but everything else was pretty rugged. Even the bumper covers were bad. Got all the interior panels off eBay very cheap. Head liner too. We did use a couple things. The steering column, dash, center console, and pedal setup. But that's it. Ours is a 96 camaro with a Ls motor, Th400 trans, and a S60 rear end. Probably call Midwest Chassis. They can hook you up on all the stuff you need. Chassis wise. It took three years to build, but was well worth it. Imo. Best of Luck.
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Old Mar 13, 2017 | 01:22 PM
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Originally Posted by bobby678
so those dressed crate engines you buy dont come with all or most of the stuff i need?
No, they're not going to come with brakes, body wiring, interior, lights, steering components, and all of the other stuff that the shell might not come with.
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Old Mar 16, 2017 | 08:19 AM
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It depends on what your end goals are. If you are looking for a stripped down race car then a shell may be right for you. If you have your sights set on a rare or collectable car that is going to be a nuts and bolts restore or heavily modified pro-touring then maybe. If you are looking for your first project and want a car that you couldn't afford in running condition, then definitely not a shell.

It doesn't matter if it is running or not, what you want then is as complete a car as possible. A shell will nickel and dime you to death trying to complete someone else's half finished project. With a whole car not only will you have all the little bolts and brackets but you will have the added benefit of seeing what the completed car is supposed to look like. Even if you are going racing, with a whole car you can decide on what to take off instead of trying to figure out what you are missing. Plus, you said in another thread you didn't have mechanical experience and it is easy to get in over your head so tearing a car down can be just as educating as building one up.


GIZZ, About your avatar. The GN still got a LC2? I've got a WE4 myself.
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Old Mar 16, 2017 | 10:25 AM
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First project... First project..... start with a running driving z28 a4 car that you can afford and do the tried and true mods first sticky tires and convertor , maybe spray it a little bit on top vs. diving in head first into this massive reconstruct which ends up sold off incomplete as often as not.

A torn up seat is a good reason for some racing buckets , a beat up bumper cover , fender , door etc... is a lot easier to replace than a driveline component and flat black because racecar is a saying as well !
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Old Mar 16, 2017 | 02:45 PM
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Originally Posted by corsair231
GIZZ, About your avatar. The GN still got a LC2? I've got a WE4 myself.
Still with the 6, with bolt ons . I just can't bring myself to swapping an 8, so I'm always on the lookout for the right g-body to swap.
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