Thinking about buying a MK3 Supra
 

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1988 Supra Turbo 5 Speed, clean inside and out, Apexi intake, Magnaflow custom cat-back.
$650 OBO

The ad says it runs, but with BHG.

Now for the problem, I live 45 miles away and don't have access to a truck.
Could/Should I risk trying to limp this thing home?

Well, I shot the guy an offer for $600. Hopefully he can do that, I also sourced the parts. I'm really strapped for cash right now, so the metal head gasket is out the window. I'll have to just throw in a good ol' AutoZone Beck Arnley head gasket and some ARP studs. Grand total of $185. I know it's not great to cheap out on things like this, but I just can't afford the machine work or downtime right now.

I hope I get it, really need a reliable ride right now and I'm actually having to sell parts from my project car (1991 Volvo 740SE) if I'm going to get this thing. Oh well, the only parts I'm selling is the conversion for a Mustang T5 transmission, which I'm really kicking myself in the ass (and glad at the same time) for paying near $2,000 for since I found out there's also a swap out there to throw the R154 into the Volvo.

All I'm going to say is 185 isn't how much it's going to cost you.

That's about how many miles you'll get after you build it that way.

If you're strapped for cheese. The lifestyle that is supra.

Isn't the best move for you.

You're selling parts from your project car to buy another project car.

There will be NO reliability in the build you have already mentioned. You're wasting your time, effort and money.

Real MHG's cost about $350. Cheap piece o' shite hg and ARP studs????

You should get a better gasket. You should not skip the machining.

You need to spend time reading around here before you start trying to buy your own personal money pit.

I'm not harsh'n on you. I'm telling you the truth.

Welcome to the forum!

Ok, I have a hookup at Coast Motor Supplies here in Southern Cal, I can probably get the head machined for about $50. I'll do that... But is a metal head gasket really necessary? I couldn't just replace it with OEM gasket and studs and call it a day until I can actually afford to do the metal head gasket and machine work?

LoL, thanks for the honesty. I actually appreciate that more than bullshitting me into thinking it was a good idea. Just curious...

if youre looking for reliability youre looking at the wrong car in general. Old cars are shitty.Period. Unless you completely redo everything chances are the car is gonna end up being a piece of crap. More than often a bad head gasket lets coolant into the oil, the car is run like this, fix the bhg and bam rod knock. you just cannot expect to be able to half ass a head gasket job and have a pristine car on your hands. Any number of things could already be wrong with it, and you wont even know til after you fix the car, cause in the state its in you cant even test drive it. Basically if you are tight for money in any way this is a bad idea.

It's not that it's a bad idea dude.
It's something you have to decide.
The head being machined is a good start.

As for the hg..., well it really depends on what you want from the car and your personal driving style.

I wouldn't go with any thing less than a beaded HKS/MHG.

If you don't do something to the block..., it doesn't matter if you put a 30$
or a 300$ gasket on it.
A car like this that you don't plan to drop some serious coin on is just going to not even nickel and dime you.

It's going to 20$ bill you. From there it only gets worse before it gets better.

Until the inevitable happens. Which is.

You have 10k in a car that's worth 3k max bet.
You're still monkey'ing with keeping it running. It runs enough to keep you on the stringer then you end up stranded. Cause one of those 15+ year old hose clamps gives and you have smoke and death.

Nike express. Less you have a cell.

Then you get to start planning your build..., that if you don't do yourself it's going to cost you endlessly.

Then when you get it done finally. You have a new view for the car and are seeking an engine to swap into the chassis.

It's a viscious cycle :frown:. I say this jokingly, but that is basically my supra testimony, lol.

Well it's only temporary. I have $1,000 in my pocket and need a car. This car is for sale for $600 and the guy says he will give it to me Sunday if I want it. I'm in the process of getting a new job and really strapped for cash at the moment, otherwise I have no problem dropping cash into a car to make it better.

I'm not looking to hot rod it, I'm looking to get back and forth to work.. Don't plan to boost the crap out of it or see how fast it will go. It's basically the best car available in the area that's in my price range, but needs a head gasket. Once I start getting paid from this job, in a couple weeks or so, I have no problem dropping the money for machine work and a metal head gasket.

However, I just need to get to work for the next couple weeks, not see if I can push 400HP from the stock setup. So basically my question is, if I get the head machined and put a stock head gasket and bolts in, would it last for let's say a month or two at the very most?

in theory it should, presuming all other aspects of the engine work. There is still no garuntee though. The 7m block is cast iron so chances arent too high that the block deck is severely warped. Just make sure you clean the block of all gasket material very well or you could end up with leaks. Just do everything according to the TSRM

MK3 TSRM On-Line

You can't afford this car.

The guy wants 600$ for a car that needs $1,500 to $2,000 worth of work.
That makes the sale price if the car about $2,600.00

You're trying to buy a floater and you'll regret it.

It could take you a month to build.., depending on how fast your machinist is. And you don't have money for parts to make it run a few months without working on it all week to drive to work on the weekends.

Save your money. Keep looking for a car that is in a better position to begin with.

This car is nowhere near your price range.

I would agree. I actually saw that ad and thought about picking it up just for parts as I already have a MKIII. I'm not rich but I have some cash to throw around. I'm like you OP. I just want it run right at this point, but it has cost me some money, just to get my MKIII to be reliable. Do I feel like it's reliable......not really. The car is running and I love it, but it's going to cost you money left and right. I had to replace the radiator because the fan/alternator belt snapped into shreads when I was on the freeway. Luckily I have another car, so I spent a couple of hours replacing the radiator and belts. Next step is to replace a blown muffler. All I'm saying is don't expect to buy that car and get even 1,000 miles out of before having to spend some money, even after you replace the head gasket. In any event, good luck.

What is the $1500-2000 worth of work you suppose it needs? I could ask him about it, I don't plan to just say, "Hey, here's the money, thanks." Do I need to shake him down about anything specific, cuz that's not a problem, I have no problem with fully interrogating him about everything you think may be an issue. From what I've heard from him so far, it's a pretty clean car he just has to get rid of it fast.

What would take a month to build? We're pretty mechanically inclined here, got a few 240SX SR20DET builds going on, the Volvo, a 300ZX turbo that we just did an engine swap last weekend on. Not all our projects obviously, but they all come here to get their work done, just a 240SX SR20DET and the Volvo here. So working on the car isn't a problem and our machinist is pretty fast. We have a hookup, so he could have it done in a day or two. Once the head is done, how long could it really take to put a head gasket in? A day, maybe two?

Like I said, not looking to stomp on the car, just looking for something to get from A to B. The reason I'm interested is, well, it's a Supra Turbo for $600. Smogged, registered and apparently the gasket just went about a week or so ago, probably being dumb and put a boost controller on there without thinking about the head gasket. All that, and I don't want to dump my money into a piece of shit like a 1986 Ford Tempo and once I do start getting paychecks (about a week or so) putting work in isn't a problem. Cars are the #1 hobby around here, so I know you get out what you put in... Hell, I have near $10,000 in my Volvo in the engine, suspension, drive train, wheels/tires, brakes, etc. Kinda sucks cuz I was about a paycheck away from getting it finished when I started getting my checks skimped by the old douchebag boss. So again, what kinda work do you suppose it would take to get it going for a week.. Maybe 2, max?

Thank you all for your honest replies. I've been scouring CL for the past few days looking for a good car for cheap. I got lucky today and found a 1990 Infiniti M30 that 'runs great, daily driver with 128,000 miles' that I think I will be getting. I love M30s almost as much as Supras, and even when I'm done with it as a daily driver a 5 speed and VG30DETT in a M30 would be sick. Might even be tempted to jump on a Supra with a setup like that..

Thanks again, hope to be back in the future with a MK3 Supra Turbo. Especially you, Supramacist. Dig the honesty.

I'm just a guy with a car and a dream, myself. :)
I made all of these mistakes..., after.
I saw the car for how I thought it could be instead of what it was.

Which is a project car to work on infinitely. :eek3:

I'm not going to break it all down for the 2k.

You can skimp and do it for a bit over a Grand and under 1.5 .

Engine fluids, coolant oil, filters. Standard strap on mods, that may increase performance. The lot of that can cost you as much as you want to spend. Machining. Tools you may not have already.

Anything you spend money on tally's up. And it all goes to the sum of what the car initially costs.

He wants to sell it quick because it's a parts car and he knows it.

You couldn't touch my car for that price. Even if I were utterly done with it.

Stay in touch with the forum. Post more pics and learn while you earn baby.
That way by the time you find THE supra. You'll have rapport with us and a clue as to what's really going on.

A 1st time buyer that knows what he's talking about when purchasing is a supra sales persons worst nightmare.

They want people that buy shit quick and don't know what Q's to ask so, they can sleep better at night for not lying to you about anything larger than they already have.

You won't know how long ago it broke or how much the seller has bs'd about till you're ass deep in engine bay screaming.
About how badly you just got burnt.

dont forget all the other gaskets in the engine, im doing my head gasket right now and thought i could skimp through it without replacing all the gaskets, but i soon found half of them rip apart when simply taking things apart. Also, what if you pull the head and its warped beyond specs allow, and the head is garbage? What if valves are burnt, what if cylinder walls are scored. These are just a few things you wont know until you have it apart and are deep in shit. Not to mention hoses, lines, wires and random shit that usually will break. If you want it to run for 2 weeks, sure, you can probably do that for as much as a head gasket. Will it be leaking and burning fluids? Most likely. Youl end up doing all this work for 2 weeks of driving, and after that you will have to do it all over again.

I think that guy just reposted his ad and now it's $800.00. Wow, one hit and he thinks he's going to get more money all of a sudden.

I say get it. Im a broke mother f***er, but I love the fact that I have a supra. I will agree though, its an expensive hobbie and your girlfriend might not like the fact that you spend more on the car than her. lol thats supra love. 2 motors, 3 clutches, rebuilt trany, and a whole bunch of other shit. You only learn from your mistakes right.