Skyline GTR:Best winter alternative to a 7

[Alaskossie]

The fact that a car may be legally importable into Canada doesn't gain you any traction at all for importing it into the USA. And swapping VIN numbers can land you in jail, and your car goes to the crusher.

 

A good winter alternative for a Seven is a 1992-1996 Ford Escort RS Cosworth 4X4, like my 1995 model. There were about 15 of them legally imported into the US by Sun international (Tom Cahalane) in the mid-1990's, before production ceased, with a total run of 7145 cars. This car was designed in England for world rally competition, but was assembled by Karmann in Germany, so the build quality is very good.

 

i had no trouble at all in registering it in Alaska, as it has its own assigned VIN number, and all the emissions and crash ("simulated crash") testing was done on the model by Sun International before importation began. Most of the emblems identifying it as a "Ford" product were removed by demand of FoMoCo, and it is officially registered as a "Rally Sport."

 

in stock form, the car has a kerb weight of around 3000 lb., and 220 horsepower from a 4-cyl., 2-liter Cosworth turbo motor. My particular car was tuned by Eggenberger Motor Sport in Switzerland before being imported. It has an engine enlarged to 2.3 liters, revised engine management, and 378 hp at 5500 rpm and 435 lb./ft. of torque at 3500 rpm.

 

Needless to say, this pocket hand grenade moves -- particularly with studded tires on snowpacked roads. Top speed is limited by gearing to around 160 mph, so it is not an ultra-speed supercar. But it is extremely quick, responsive, and tossable, as a rally car should be. It is also a sleeper among the rice-burners with their gills, fins, and coffee-can exhausts (though the Cossie's huge rear wing is a dead give-away among the knowledgeable).

 

Tom Meacham

Anchorage, Alaska

Alaskossie

[slngsht]

~ 400hp in an AWD 3000 lbs car...

[SR27.Seth]

The fact that a car may be legally importable into Canada doesn't gain you any traction at all for importing it into the USA. And swapping VIN numbers can land you in jail, and your car goes to the crusher.

 

A good winter alternative for a Seven is a 1992-1996 Ford Escort RS Cosworth 4X4, like my 1995 model. There were about 15 of them legally imported into the US by Sun international (Tom Cahalane) in the mid-1990's, before production ceased, with a total run of 7145 cars. This car was designed in England for world rally competition, but was assembled by Karmann in Germany, so the build quality is very good.

 

i had no trouble at all in registering it in Alaska, as it has its own assigned VIN number, and all the emissions and crash ("simulated crash") testing was done on the model by Sun International before importation began. Most of the emblems identifying it as a "Ford" product were removed by demand of FoMoCo, and it is officially registered as a "Rally Sport."

 

in stock form, the car has a kerb weight of around 3000 lb., and 220 horsepower from a 4-cyl., 2-liter Cosworth turbo motor. My particular car was tuned by Eggenberger Motor Sport in Switzerland before being imported. It has an engine enlarged to 2.3 liters, revised engine management, and 378 hp at 5500 rpm and 435 lb./ft. of torque at 3500 rpm.

 

Needless to say, this pocket hand grenade moves -- particularly with studded tires on snowpacked roads. Top speed is limited by gearing to around 160 mph, so it is not an ultra-speed supercar. But it is extremely quick, responsive, and tossable, as a rally car should be. It is also a sleeper among the rice-burners with their gills, fins, and coffee-can exhausts (though the Cossie's huge rear wing is a dead give-away among the knowledgeable).

 

Tom Meacham

Anchorage, Alaska

Alaskossie

 

And of course a cheaper and no less fun alternative (of which I just happen to own 2) is to buy an 85-89 'XR4ti', cut out the false C pillar, find proper front and rear bumpers and pull out that pinto engine (which should'nt be too underestimated) for whatever you can fit in the hole- I prefer a CA18DET, but with an engine bay that large the options are limitless! Then you have a Ford Sierra Cosworth (without the Cosworth) for around $6000. And I do drive the beater in the winter- tail hanging out everywhere!

[Robert O. Urfer]

I second the Merkur as a great alternative to the 7 for the winter or for a cheap daily driver. I have had 15 of them over the last 14 years and plan on buying a couple more shortly. I sold my last one in pieces to finance my 7 purchase which by far is the most fun you can have for the $. Merkurs are just damn fun cars to drive and can be modded to be incredibly quick for next to nothing and the engines are bullet proof. O.K. if you haven't figured it out I kind of have a fettish for Merkurs.:jester:

[Mandurath]

Hehe I am considering purchasing the engine-trans-driveshaft assembly out of a merkur right now as a spare that i can mod at my leisure. Though I would love to have a skyline as they are super fast and durable. So many cars, so little money.