Bunch of Black 1980/90s Machines on Craigslist - Which Would You Pick?

pres589 said:

RX-7 convertible all day every day.  Amass the proper parts for a roller-cam 5-liter swap.

Fixed

Definitely make sure to sit in the C4 Vette before buying. I find them to be the most godawful uncomfortable cars.

I'd go with the black one.

And always be wary of wet car pix.  They're trying to hide dull paint.

MR2. Why? Because it comes with a Berks exhaust (according to the ad), so you could take it off and have a genuine "no Berks" exhaust  

If I were in your shoes I’d go for the RX7.  You like it and have wanted one for a long time, that is enough reason for me.

C4, because, race car

Tough, either C4 Corvette or the Starion.  I love L98 Vettes as road cars.  All that torque makes them a hoot to drive, although they are one car that I think is better with an auto.  Having said that, a clean Starion is hard to beat.  I'd pick whichever of those two was in the better condition.  forget that, with your skills condition doesn't matter a damn as you'll probably rebuild the whole drive train in the time it would take mere mortals to wash and wax it.  

Before clicking the links I would have said MR2 or the Z. Those are the most appealing to me. After seeing the ads, they both seem like basket cases.

The Vette is probably the best idea of the bunch.

Of that list - the Vette.  

In a crazy way, both an upgrade and a downgrade from the Ti. ;-) 

Also, after seeing you drive local roads, when you jump in the race car, it'll feel slow and easy. :-p

I don't think there's a 302 swap of any sort that doesn't require either the Turbo II hood or hacking the hook up to fit.  I think the weight of an F2T is going to be better than a 302, even if you do go out and get aluminum heads and all that.  

I'd rather keep it all Mazda.

RX7 + a third rotor. Anything else is just passé at this point. 

After looking at them, I'd say the Starion (had no idea they made them without flares, and it's actually kind cool), or the RX-7. The Starion probably because of those wheels and the uniqueness and because the FC is a convertible. Those two look to be in the best shape. The C4 might be nice, but it might also be a POS. You'd have to see it.  

The Z and MR2 are too much of a mess. 

And holy 80s seats! Wow, things have changed. 

Go drive them all and report back please! 

Starion. beause reasons.

C4 Corvette, hands-down. Especially since it's got the updated interior and a proper 6-speed. Can't really go wrong with that. Tons of low-end torque too.

I'm biased though, as I prefer RWD V8 cars to everything else.

z32. They are actually great daily drivers (my college roommate had one). Good ride, bulletproof drivetrain, good brakes, and they still hold up style-wise.

If I hadn't picked up this Porsche, my road-trip-project-car was going to be a z32.

EDIT: I don't know if I'd do THAT z32. That kind of looks like a piece of crap. Frankly I'd do a non-turbo z32. Still reasonably quick and a lot less trouble. As that one looks, most of the cheap TT's were badly treated in life.

I would go get this one. IN the end it will cost way less: https://harrisburg.craigslist.org/cto/d/nissan-300zx-a-clean/6467983030.html

or better yet, this one is dirt cheap: https://charlottesville.craigslist.org/cto/d/300zx/6462840744.html

As a long time starion/conquest owner. That 83 starion is special. I'm surprised its still for sale after all these months. Something must be wrong with it. If it wasn't a north east car then I would've had it already!

This black beauty has been tempting me. 

Here’s my rundown: the c4 vette will need power adders. The vert rx7 is a bit of a specialty, unless you’re a rotor head. The z32 requires disfigured hands like a carnival worker. The starion will need a 4g63 swap (or better). The mr2 is like a one night stand. 

I vote either Corvette or 300ZX. I understand both of them take LS swaps really well. 

C4

Vette or starquest. Id buy the one that fits me better, but lean towards the starion, you can always get another Vette. 

yupididit said:

This black beauty has been tempting me. 

Looks like it tempted someone else as well because the ad's gone.  What was it?

pres589 said:

I don't think there's a 302 swap of any sort that doesn't require either the Turbo II hood or hacking the hook up to fit.  I think the weight of an F2T is going to be better than a 302, even if you do go out and get aluminum heads and all that.  

I'd rather keep it all Mazda.

Other than the modding the hood bit, you'd be wrong. The 302 with aluminum intake weighs the same as the TII with intercooler. In fact, my car weighed 2720lbs with 49% of the weight on the nose. That's LESS than a stock TII. It put out over 330 wheel hp reliably, with vastly more torque than the Mazda engine, and got better fuel mileage doing it. Torque coming out of the corners was better. A LOT of Mazda people have wrongly figured the weight and balance of the 302 FC. Funny thing is, they'd NEVR complain about the 3 rotor being swapped in there, which put more weight over teh nose, as it sits farther forward than the 302 and weighs more with turbos. And is even less reliable and costs VASTLY more money to do. Yeah, a lot of people work on theory. I work off of actual experience and fact. I weighed the car and did corner weights on it. Compared it to a stock TII. Then drove it for 5 years.