trading for a supra?

[pwpanas]

Originally Posted by braaaaawp88

I am pretty uneducated when it comes to supras, but here it goes...so I found this supra on craigslist 1995 Toyota Supra 700whp-76mm Turbo and I figured I would shoot him an offer. I talked to the guy on the phone and received alot of positive information. Car was bought from Redline Performance in NC and all the modifications were installed by them professionally....

Did you see the receipts... or any paperwork on the modifications?

Originally Posted by braaaaawp88

...Carfax is clean and it is in good condition. Went and looked at her today and the body has no dents or anything just a few little nicks and scratches that i could touch up. Car is a monster and runs great but has a few minor flaws that kinda bother me. No AC...

Is the whole AC system ripped out, or is it just non-functional?

Originally Posted by braaaaawp88

...or radio...

To me, this isn't a big deal, since you will probably upgrade to an aftermarket sound system if you regularly drive it.

Originally Posted by braaaaawp88

..., speedometer is not hooked up, there are two holes in the dash...

The MKIV dash is a lot of labor to remove - be sure count that into your offer (of course, the cost of the dash itself is substantial as well!).

Originally Posted by braaaaawp88

... cause the roll cage was gonna run through there but they ended up deciding not to, leather on the seats reflect the age of the car...

Another no-biggie to me, since most upgrade to aftermarket seats (eg. Sparco).

Originally Posted by braaaaawp88

..., and the passenger carpet is in perfect condition just not tucked in, just little things like that that. He said he would fix alot of those If was gonna buy it, but it still bothers me. He said he'd take my STI 2006 Subaru Impreza STI plus $3500 cash for it. I may be able to talk him down lower but we will see. He is asking 31k for his car and I am asking 21k for mine. The KBB for the supra completely stock is $25,700 and mine is $22,700. I feel like I could make money off of this car when I resell it...

Like every auto restoration I've been involved with, it'll very likely take a lot more $ and time than you think to get it into the condition you envision. It has to be a 'labor of love', so I'd recommend against it if you're only in it for the $. Also, you'll need a daily driver while working on the Mkiv, so I hope your Impreza isn't your only car.

Originally Posted by braaaaawp88

...but It would definitely be from a car enthusiast. I paid 19k for my STI about 8 months ago so all I would have to resell the Supra for would be $22,500 and I would not have lost any money. Car is running conservative tunes for what the 2JZ engine is capable of...

That, and that 76mm turbo - which has me a bit suspicious.

Originally Posted by braaaaawp88

...so I am not too worried of engine problems but there is always a chance....

You absolutely MUST have a compression test done on the engine...preferrably a leakdown test too. That way nothing is left up to chance, assuming you keep using an appropriate octane of race fuel when you boost. Oh, and I'd recommend against running it at 18psi on 93 octane (as it states in the ad) until you verify the ignition map and the knock sensor logs.

Originally Posted by braaaaawp88

...What do you guys think, is it a good deal???? and what should I have checked out before I decide to buy it???....he said his roommate works at a car shop so we could go and have the whole car inspected before I buy it.

Thanks, John

Were maintenance records available?

It's still using the oem intake manifold, which is a no-no for a turbo that big.

The rear rims & tires are not wide enough to support 700+rwhp (even with Nitto 555 rubber). This car should be running 315s at a bare minimum. As-is, it'll probably just sit there and spin at the claimed 722rwhp (at 28psi & using c16).

Don't believe the claim of "900whp as it sits" unless you see a (reliable/verifiable) dyno printout.

Can he prove the nitrous system is functional? Why was it "never used"?

Which cams does it have (eg. 272s? 280s? etc.)?

With that fuel cell and external fuel pump, it's pretty much a track-only car (don't dream of taking this baby to work in rush hour traffic with those mods). Also, it'll be a gas guzzler with those 1600cc injectors.

Your modification/restoration goals for this car have to be crystal-clear. For example, do you want to convert it into something 'streetable' to maximize it's resalability? If so, at a minimum you'll need to replace the fuel tank and fuel pump system, fix the a/c problem, connect the speedometer, replace the dash and install a sound system. You'll also probably want to trim the fender lips and get wider rear rims & tires, upgrade the intake manifold, replace the seats, and possibly install some smaller fuel injectors with a slightly smaller turbo (eg. 71mm). After all that, you'll have a streetable and fun mkiv - which I hope you'll keep rather than resell!