SVX on Jalopnik Project Car Hell

K_Dub · #1 01-09-2010, 04:01 PM

For those not familiar with the series, they present two different non-running beaters and compare them as restoration prospects.

http://jalopnik.com/5444343/pch-japa...lica-turbo-4wd

I know which one everybody here would take.

STeeL25T · #2 01-09-2010, 04:22 PM

Alltracs are pretty awesome, and turbo, and probably manual so I see why its doing well there. I would say they are greatly exaggerating our transmission problems, but then again I have an SVX outside my house missing a transmission...haha

Crazy_pilot · #3 01-09-2010, 05:03 PM

Sweet, the SVX is winning the vote! 64% vs. 36%!

SVXRide · #4 01-09-2010, 05:06 PM

Loved the "they were all this color so panels should be easy to get" comment

-Bill

subbieatnz · #5 01-09-2010, 11:28 PM

Quote:

Theres an SVX in my town being used as a pizza delivery car. In fact its the only example of this model of car that I have ever seen in person

Intresting to use a SVX for Pizza delivery car...

I want to see pics

alltrac · #6 01-09-2010, 11:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by STeeL25T

Alltracs are pretty awesome, and turbo, and probably manual so I see why its doing well there. I would say they are greatly exaggerating our transmission problems, but then again I have an SVX outside my house missing a transmission...haha

Celica All-Trac's are all manual transmissions.

subbieatnz · #7 01-10-2010, 12:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alltrac

Celica All-Trac's are all manual transmissions.

Just quick question since I dont know much about them.. but whats special about a All-Trac Celica?

BoxerFanatic · #8 01-10-2010, 12:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by subbieatnz

Just quick question since I dont know much about them.. but whats special about a All-Trac Celica?

unlike the main version, they had a turbocharged engine, and were all-wheel-drive, rather than FWD.

But I don't know how AWD they were... they were still transverse-engined. They could have had some sort of faux-wheel-drive viscous coupling rear drive, or something... I don't know if they had a center differential.

That being said... even SVX has a front drive weight bias, until you put a proper manual gearbox in it...

A late 80s Celica All-Trac would be interesting, but a GC-chassis Impreza with an STI swap would MOP THE FLOOR with it, and be MUCH easier to find parts for. The only thing the Celica would have over it would be the fastback hatch looks... if you really like that look (I kinda do.) But then so did Probe GT, and others.

The SVX, in comparison, is a gearbox swap away from being solid again, and there aren't any other cars out there that look like it.

And there isn't any thing else out there configured like it, mechanically. the only thing close is the turned-backwards Porsche Carrera 4, for more money. (I also like Porsches, though, too.)

The SVX has way more potential. And if you want light, nimble, turbocharged AWD... a lot of Imprezas are better options than a rare 80s toyota.

The only Turbo Toyota that I would pay a lot of attention to, would be an SW20 MR2 Turbo... Mid-engined RWD is purer for performance anyway, even if still transverse engined.

Mensaf · #9 01-10-2010, 12:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by subbieatnz

Just quick question since I dont know much about them.. but whats special about a All-Trac Celica?

Turbo and AWD. Solid motor, solid transmission, but the car was a pig, especially for the size. I had a ST185 All-Trac. 3300lbs...wtf.

BoxerFanatic · #10 01-10-2010, 12:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mensaf

Turbo and AWD. Solid motor, solid transmission, but the car was a pig, especially for the size. I had a ST185 All-Trac. 3300lbs...wtf.

The SVX is a bigger car, but weighs 300lbs more yet...

SubaRyu · #11 01-10-2010, 02:39 AM

I check Jalopnik like every 5 min...but not today...I was too late to post this up!

Never thought I'd see my car in the project car hell...then I again SVX is already 18yrs old... ha sometimes I forget how old SVX is.

theallpowerful · #12 01-10-2010, 09:19 PM

I'm the guy that races the SVX in Lemons. Murilee Martin is a really cool guy to talk to. He has been championing my SVX since '08 (or rather enjoying that I keep bringing it back anyway). Oh, and we've completed significantly more that 5hours of racing in 4 races

alltrac · #13 01-10-2010, 10:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BoxerFanatic

The SVX has way more potential. And if you want light, nimble, turbocharged AWD... a lot of Imprezas are better options than a rare 80s toyota.

The only Turbo Toyota that I would pay a lot of attention to, would be an SW20 MR2 Turbo... Mid-engined RWD is purer for performance anyway, even if still transverse engined.

Celica All-Trac uses a 3SGTE same engine as the MR2. There is far more built AT over 400HP than SVX's. Considering both the SVX and Celica AT had a 6 year production run in the US. Maybe 5-6K AT made it over to the US. I found two AT on Autotrader compared to 20 SVX's. They made enough of them so Toyota could rally.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3SPumiErvE

I have owned two All-Trac's and two SVX's and they both have a special place in my heart. The only similarities is maintence cost and AWD.