I helped a team run a Lemons race this weekend using my 86 Civic SI. As much as I like racing, the Civic is not a fun car to drive. Bad enough that I had no interest in driving.
So, I'm thinking about building another car. Something with a little HP, and RWD. I'd also like something different.
Enter a wrecked SC400 for cheap.
The engines are supposed to be pretty reliable.
Tell me why this is a bad idea.
The biggest problem I could foresee is that they are automatic-only. No clue how durable the auto transmission is in them, or if it would hold up to the hours of beating LeMons imaprts. Run the largest cooler you possibly can would be my suggestion. And check around and see if other teams are running SC400/GS400/LS400s and if they had any issues.
I found an adapter to bolt a W5X transmission up to it for $290 if the transmission is a issue.
In reply to Toyman01 :
In terms of reliability, there has got to be better transmission option than a WRX 5-speed...
Wait, are you talking the mid-size coupe (SC, based on the GS) or the full size sedan (LS)?
Either way the answer is go for it.
W58 is what he means, plus its other variants. Toyota 5 speed box found in lots and lots of toyotas from the 70s-90s
In reply to enginenerd :
That a Toyota W5X transmission. Probably the W59 out of a Tacoma. They should be common and fairly cheap.
In reply to mtn :
SC This one is local and fairly cheap.
Needs a little body work though.
A forum member built a ChumpCar from a 5-speed SC300 a few years ago. He went through 1 or 2 W58's behind an N/A 2JZ. The V8 would probably be more abusive, but the trans is common and cheap.
There's a shift kit from Trans-Go for these. There's someone here on the forum that is running one of these in a race series, don't remember enough right now to find the thread.
Do it. Keep it auto.
Didn't the GRM article on the GS400 racers say that there was a plastic spacer that fails in the auto trans when hot? They also modded it in other ways to make it last.
stylngle2003 said:W58 is what he means, plus its other variants. Toyota 5 speed box found in lots and lots of toyotas from the 70s-90s
Ah oops, missed that and thought it was a type. Please excuse my Toyota ignorance.
at road america chump race several years ago, there was an SC400 pitted a couple stalls down from us that was brutally fast. our Saturn takes 12 gallons of fuel every 1 hour 45 minutes. When the SC400 pitted, i watched them put in 19 gallons of fuel. at 1 hour 10 minutes into the race. their burn rate was consistent for the rest of the day. So there's that.
I've driven a well prepped LS400 in Lemons, built by David Spinnett. He kept it auto and kept the ABS but disabled the traction control because it wanted to give up at inopportune times and consistency is important in racing. The auto held up well. I believe he was running a cooler. The SC400 is the same engine and transmission. It was a beast. He removed the mufflers but kept the resonators and it sounded amazing on track.
He was in the process of upgrading to the 300hp VVTi engine out of a GS400 when he moved to Texas for work. He took the car with him, but I don't know if he's got it back on track yet.
The SC400 is basically a mark iv Supra with a leather interior and a v8/auto. It is a great platform. LS400 or LS430 front brakes are a good upgrade - monoblock aluminum 4-piston calipers and 12.5" vented rotors. Coupled with a bunch of lightening work on the car and some race pads and you have plennnnnty of stopping power.
A manual swap could be grown into down the road, but honestly the auto is not going to be holding you back for a long time as long as it stays together. The driver will run out of talent long before the few tenths per lap a manual *might* gain you will be missed.
Oh yeah, fuel.. uhh, it was not easy on gas. Close to 20 gallons an hour maybe? I made up some fast dump fuel cans and Dave wallowed out the fuel filler so we could do 20 gallons in about 30 seconds. Chump mandates longer fuel stops than Lemons so it wouldn't matter as much there.
I'm willing to sacrifice fuel economy to get away from a boring car.
The Civic would run 2 hours on 10 gallons, but that was a long boring stint. It just isn't a fun car to drive. The only thing it would pass is the pits and the very slowest of cars. It just sucked.
Yawn. Allow me to help. Go to xcessive manufacturing. They have literally everything for the w58 swap. Except pedals, which you’ll be pilfering from a sc300. But the a341e auto is a great transmission, takes plenty of abuse, etc.
Second, the engine never gives up. With no turbo, it’ll run forever.
The only thing you’ll want to do is check out the gauges. Older Lexi have a tendency to get bad wiring connections and the gauges go out. They are electronic gauges. Other electronic things break too, like power windows switches, and basically anything with a switch.
The #becauseracecar will lead you not caring about that. Stout cars. Basically a jza80 Supra with a v8.
Toyman01 said:In reply to enginenerd :
That a Toyota W5X transmission. Probably the W59 out of a Tacoma. They should be common and fairly cheap.
W59’s 1st gear ratio sucks. It’s for hauling stuff.
W58 is where it’s at. Although a w55 could be used in a pinch, it won’t have the aluminum sammich plate.
If he stays with the a341e he needs a faster final drive. If he goes w58, the oem FD will be about perfect.
Don't imagine the v8 can get worse gas mileage than the 2jz does so that's a bonus for it I suppose.
I used to peruse lextreme from time to time. IIRC sc400 is pretty good when kept auto with a shift kit and appropriate cooling. To do the manual conversion, most said it was expensive but worth it just to be able to use the 1UZ as it was designed. I think the R154 can be used as well with the proper bell housing.
Speedycop campaigned an SC400 for a few races. I remember him saying it burned about 12gph.
A friend of ours bought that same SC400, it was the black one at the CMP race. It has not been problem free. It does surely suck down the gas.
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