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NA-T FOR ME SHOULD be done with in the next month or two motors going to a shop this week end to get swapped from new head and new block because i have a crack in it and yeahhh vroom vroom -blowwwww offf lol --TEAM SHATTERED DREAMS--
Hello I'm pretty new to the Lexus community, saw an sc300 the other day and fell completely in love. I've been doing some research for a few days now and digging into these sc's. To my understanding everybody has their own opinions on the 300s and 400s, but a good majority of people like the 300s due to the variety of aftermarket parts that are available for the 2jz. Well like I was saying I've been looking into these builds for a few days now and as I'm driving home today I see a sc400 with a for sale sign on it for 800 obo! unfortunately I've been leaning towards the 300 because of the 2jz build. My question to you guys is if I get the car for 600 bucks tomorrow when I meet with the guy, shoot even the 800 depending on the answers I get from you guys.
Will the whole 2jz swap with car included be cheaper than looking for a 300 or should I just continue my search?
like mentioned before I'm pretty new to the Lexus world so anyyy tips or opinions would be greatly appreciated!
thanks
Can you swap a (turbo) 2JZ into an SC400? Sure. Many have. Is the SC300 a bit easier to do so with? Yes, but an SC400 as a starting base is only a bit more different in the engine bay and a little wiring if you are planning to swap in any 1JZGTE or 2JZGTE. Now if your goal was to build an NA-T 2JZ-GE engine then I think starting with an SC400 is counter-productive since the engine has to be completely replaced anyway.
An $800 SC400 could very well be a good deal if the car is accident free and mostly in good shape with only the usual cosmetic interior issues to correct. Leather seats can be recovered, center A/C vents are *almost always* cracked, little things here and there like worn suspension and steering rack bushings might need correcting, etc. However if overall the car is in good enough shape to be reconditioned and isn't a total basket case... it might be a good deal. It really depends on the condition and how it was cared for. If it runs also for the time being then that would be a good thing too however if the goal is to swap the engine out anyway this shouldn't matter very much.
If you're getting an SC for $800-$600 you may luck out and get a car in mostly good shape. You may also find there are hidden issues. For an SC with engine swap potential I would focus on everything not including the 1UZ engine and its transmission. The SC400's 3.92:1 rear differential you would still want to be in good shape for instance as it is a good general ratio for both an automatic turbo or manual turbo application (unless it is a 98-00 SC400 which has a much lower final drive).
Generally if you are going to consider a non-vvti 2JZGTE or 1JZGTE engine swap you will have an easier time wiring into a 92-97 SC300 or SC400. For a 2JZGTE VVT-i or 1JZGTE VVT-i you would have an easier time with a 98-00 SC300.
I only caution against engine swapping a 1998-2000 SC400 because those are the rare and low production 290hp VVT-i V8's and as such they are special and sought after with their original engines. For the very late model years it makes much more sense to engine swap a 98-00 SC300 VVT-i.
There are many resources to look up in order to plan a swap.
There are many other procedures to consider when planning any engine swap. Don't let them daunt you. Just start reading the FAQ/Sticky threads for some good starting points
Generally everything you can do with an MKIV Supra you can do with the SC's. Not all but many, many chassis parts and the entire driveline system was designed for both cars albeit with different wiring for each and every engine application and variant.
Getting a good SC300 or SC400 as a starting base is the first step. Everyone's opinion on what is an acceptable starting base varies based on what they feel they can get into in terms of restoration and modification. The rule of thumb is to try to start with a clean car but just try to make sure all the biggest areas that could be potential red flags in an $800 bargain car.... aren't.
You can fix up an interior that has a few blemishes. Any extensive rust, any serious body or rear quarter panel damage and any flood damage is what you want to avoid.
That said, several members here have found good bargain SC's in the same way you are. You just have to know how to tell if what you're getting doesn't have any really serious issues. Again... if you're already considering this as a GTE engine swap candidate I would rule out being overly concerned if there are issues with the 1UZ V8 engine or transmission since you would be replacing those anyway.
@KahnBB6 I appreciate your response, thank you.
Yeah I called he guy yesterday, interior is in decent shape,
exterior can use some body work. He said mechanically it'll probably run a few more months before it takes a poop.
he said the car has no compression. So yeah I guess I'd just be buying it for the swap. Clean title, Hmm well something to think about. Thanks again
09-28-10, 05:36 PM
