Tag: 90s

  • Pretty Fly for a Sh!tbox

    Pretty Fly for a Sh!tbox

    Here in the US, we only got the turbocharged, three-cylinder-powered Suzuki Swift/Cultus in the form of the Chevy Sprint from 1986 through 1988.  When the second generation car came to the US, the only high performance variant available was the excellent Suzuki Swift GTI (later GT due to VW lawsuit threats).  Canada, however, got a…

  • Are both the Sentra SE-R and NX2000 too normal for you?

    Are both the Sentra SE-R and NX2000 too normal for you?

    If so, try this on for size: a AWD, four-door sedan version of the B13 Sentra SE-R in RHD.  The seller calls this a Sunny SE-R Super Saloon, but that didn’t exist and the seller mentions it being ‘converted’.  Was it ‘converted’ to SE-R specs, to AWD, to RHD or some combination of the three??…

  • Torque Steer Special: Mazda 323 V6 turbo

    Torque Steer Special: Mazda 323 V6 turbo

    LA craigslist features strange sleepers and stranger engine swaps.  This 1990 Mazda 323 combines the two with formidable force. We’ve fully documented the previous-generation 323 GTX, a turbo AWD rally homologation special, here and here and here.  Now imagine over twice the power–solely through the front wheels. The seller crammed a V6 from the big…

  • Rock you like a Typhoon

    Rock you like a Typhoon

    Today, GM faces a PR disaster brewing from pre-bankruptcy cost-conscious decision-making.  But in the early ’90s, they were obsessed with natural disasters.   Before Saleen modified Explorers, there was the Typhoon and its Syclone stablemate.  Transformed from the GMC Jimmy/Sonoma, these turbo V6 trucks were the modern evolution of the Buick Grand National concept.  Aided by AWD, a…

  • Creative Geo Metro Truckish Thing

    Creative Geo Metro Truckish Thing

    This may be the best homemade top I’ve ever seen.  Yes, someone decided to make a Metro into a small pickup.  That’s happened before, but the ‘cap’ on this one really makes it.  It’s fiberglass, so it’s rigid, despite the tent-like appearance. The seller talks about hydrogen injection and other ‘interesting’ ideas to get even…

  • Nasty Del Sol

    Nasty Del Sol

    We recently featured a very nice Honda Del Sol and pointed out that these are an interesting way to get some open-air fun.  This is not at all like that car… This seller claims a B18C swap from an Integra, which isn’t a terrible idea, though it only adds ~17ft-lbs and 10HP over a stock…

  • Can’t say I’ve ever seen this Miata swap

    Can’t say I’ve ever seen this Miata swap

    Monster Miatas are, in the scheme of things, relatively common.  V8 swap kits have been available almost since the Miata itself launched.  This, however, is the only V12 swap I’ve heard of. This is a Jaguar V12 and the seller claims it has internal mods in addition to the downdraft carbs shown in the images.…

  • Why import a real Skyline GT-R?

    Why import a real Skyline GT-R?

    You can always have a terrible fake GT-R like this one.  The seller calls this a ‘full convertion (SIC) to Skyline R33.”  I wonder what a partial ‘convertion’ would look like. $6K without the turbo installed, eh? Click for eBay ad Cleveland, OH $6,000 BIN with offers considered Nothing about the front or sides says…

  • Mauck MSV 1120s

    Mauck MSV 1120s

    What’s a Mauck MSV 1120s?  Well, it’s an RV-ish limo that was generally loaded up with features and sold to celebrities.  That being said, some went into municipal service as buses.  The low floor allowed easier wheelchair access vs. a typical bus. Basically, this is a smaller version of a rock band’s touring bus with…

  • Almost as cool as an M5: E34 540i 6-Speed

    Almost as cool as an M5: E34 540i 6-Speed

    Every enthusiast knows the manual trans-equipped BMW 540i is among the best sedans ever made.  Yes, the M5s ramped things up, but 540s offer more than ample power in a true sleeper package.  The E39 is still seen fairly often with low-ish miles, but the E34 example has become pretty rare in good shape, and…