About to pick up a GSR - questions and jitters

[ChibiT89]

Beloved TI,

I'm about to pick up this GSR for a good deal. I know I'll probably get flames but it would help comfort if I could get some opinions.


Objective: I've always wanted a 98+white gsr and would use as a daily.

It seems really sketchy and one would bail but his story holds up after a carfax check. After sending a video of how the car runs, the engine sounds smooth, no rattles, exhaust sounds fine, could't find any faults. - Clean Title as per him and Carfax.

Summary as to why I'm nervous:

• Traveling to go get it
• Swapped engine - claims 50k on it, put in a stock motor after taking out the turbo+original motor
• Non-matching cluster - seller was going for a type R conversion

Conclusion:

Pretty cool seller, honest about the car. the carfax matched his story. I think the car will fit my needs and look really clean after a paint job and fixing it up. And if it doesn't, I could resell the parts alone and make some of the money back.


Car description:

Year: 1998
Make: Acura
Model: Integra
Color: White

Motor:
JDM OBD 1 GS-R Motor
DOHC VTEC 4 Cyl. 16 Val.
• Year: 1994-1995
• HP: 180hp@7600
• Torque: 129 lb-ft@6200
• Redline: 8200 rpm
• Displacement: 1797cc
• Compression Ratio: 10.6:1
ES one oval muffler (2 ¼ in) with 2 ¼ piping
OBD2 TO OBD1 CONV. HARNESS
Hondata S200 + Boost Capability -- Stock Tune

Transmission:
1998 GS-R Transmission w/ Quaife LSD
ACT Flywheel 12lb

Exterior:
JDM metal front end w/ ITR lip
Integra Type R 5 lug conversion
1 set of 1997 Integra Type R wheels (white)
1 set of 2001 Integra Type R wheels (gun metal, 2 need repair.)
Factory Sun roof

Suspension:
TEIN SS Coilover
Skunk 2 Camber Kit

Interior:
Factory GSR Interior (Mint)
Spoon Steering wheel 360mm
Splash Short Hub
Spoon sport shift knob
Integra Type R Floor Mats
Integra Type R Interior Pieces

Cons:
-Passenger mirror broken. - Have one but needs to be painted
-Passenger side skirt - Missing

[UrbanB]

if you're feeling sketchy about it... and it quacks like a duck... i'd ask for compression test before driving to pick it up.

[thenickster5792]

it sounds like he seems like a down to earth guy who's telling the truth. he might've blown the original engine with a turbo.

best thing to do is ask for a compression test of all the cylinders.
this car definitely looks like she'll be a beauty but with another $800 or so of work to the exterior.
most importantly take the car for a test drive, listen for any strange noises from the engine, any weird suspension creaks, and that everything functions as normal.

just curious, how much is the seller asking for the car?

[ChibiT89]

4700. pretty decent deal if this works out, right? =) and you're right, i have had plenty of conversations about this guy, very open and honest. the big thing is his story matched the carfax and he knew the car history... so thats assuring.

Thanks for reminding me of compression test! I will ask.

[Death-the-Kid]

what are texas inspections like since you're running an obd2 car with an obd1 engine? that is a 100% illegal swap by most states standards...be careful

[lro255]

Sounds like a good deal. But if something goes wrong you have enought money in parts to make your money back. Go for it bro!

[chiken]

Originally Posted by UrbanB

a compression test .

touche

[Crad008]

I may have missed it but...is it a clean title?
I only ask because some (not all) swap the front end after some sort of accident.
even if it is a clean title was it in a little fender bender etc? basically reason why he swaped the jdm front on...make sure its all welded into place and done so cleanly. Hopefully he has shop recepts.
and like other said, compression test etc...

Good luck

[leteg98]

Absolutely go over the car when you get to the guy's place. Look under the hood in the suspension...everywhere. Then drive it hard. I mean you don't have to burn the tires but that might surface any chassis flaws. You can always say no despite the trip.

[ChibiT89]

Oh for sure, I'm going to inspect the hell out of it. Test drive is a given.

clean title.

I didn't know motor swap obd2 to obd1 was illegal, as long as you passed emission you're good? (i'll have to pick up a cat to pass emissions)

Yeah, I guess I'm a bit nervous but I know after years of research white gsr clean titles are hard to come by and this guy has taken car of this car, from the looks of it. I guess it'd be easy if I could get that "MINT" car but GSRs like that dont exist without the price tag.

thanks for replies guys. This will be my welcome back to TI...

+1 for fulfilling highschool/TI dreams.

[Death-the-Kid]

Originally Posted by ChibiT89

Oh for sure, I'm going to inspect the hell out of it. Test drive is a given.

clean title.

I didn't know motor swap obd2 to obd1 was illegal, as long as you passed emission you're good? (i'll have to pick up a cat to pass emissions)

Yeah, I guess I'm a bit nervous but I know after years of research white gsr clean titles are hard to come by and this guy has taken car of this car, from the looks of it. I guess it'd be easy if I could get that "MINT" car but GSRs like that dont exist without the price tag.

thanks for replies guys. This will be my welcome back to TI...

+1 for fulfilling highschool/TI dreams.

it is a d.o.t. standard that you cannot put a motor in a car that is older than that said car. not to mention it's an obd2 car with an obd1 engine. it'll be a dead give away the fact that you have a conversion harness. you usually have to "know" somebody to get a car lke that to pass. it is an "illegal swap" no matter how you look at it. and it depends on how strict your inspection station is. I know people even up here in strict ass pa. i know people and that is the only reason my swapped str8 piped 240 was "legally" inspected for 4 years lol.

[ChibiT89]

Thanks Death (never thought i'd be thanking "death")

This is a huge find for me, I want to be able to pass inspection... may have to let this deal go. Upon research, this car won't pass the emissions test, when you hook up a obd2 scanner to a converter to an obd1, it'll read blank... hence failing the test.

- Is there anything I can do?

[ChibiT89]

Damn, what a conflict... all because of a stupid inspection thing. what would you do, TI?

[Death-the-Kid]

Originally Posted by ChibiT89

Thanks Death (never thought i'd be thanking "death")

This is a huge find for me, I want to be able to pass inspection... may have to let this deal go. Upon research, this car won't pass the emissions test, when you hook up a obd2 scanner to a converter to an obd1, it'll read blank... hence failing the test.

- Is there anything I can do?

that's probably one of the reasons the car is such a "great" deal.....That was the first thing that caught my eye with your car. I was like why would they put an obd1 engine into an obd2 car without converting the engine to obd2 and running an obd2 ecu.... but part of the reason is tuning and the other part of the equation is price. the guy should've gotten an obd2 engine and then 2 ecu's. one being a stock obd2 ecu for the very reason that you're talking about. And the other being a chipped p28 or something for tuning reasons.

-either find somebody to "inspect" the car.
-forget about the car
-get the car anyways and risk all the penalties associated with a car like this. and try to fix the car so that it is legal.

I don't know whether it's because i'm older or something but the first 2 things i think of when i buy the car are....

-how hard would it be to resell the car and get my investment back.
-can i get the car inspected(Ties into the first question.)