R body vs non-R body ?

[Danni]

The last couple of weeks I've been planing the restoration of my newly acquired R. The more I work on the car and the more I think about it the more I realize that this body is going to take for ever to restore. Therefore I am thinking about getting another body. Since there isn't any supply of R bodies here I'm thinking maybe I should use a cheaper model like the LX.

My question for you guys is, how much does the R body differ from the rest of the sunnys? I realize that I'll have to cut the canal for the driveshaft out of the R and weld it into the LX and that the motor mounts are different (unless I bougth a GTi). Also I guess I'll need to swap the wire harness (also unless I bougth a GTi) and maybe make space for the rear axles.
Another question is whether this swap would offer any reduction in weigth.
Then there's always the third option (first being restoring, second being swapping sunny bodies) and that is swapping all this over to my 100NX, which I think would then be the only 4wd turbo NX in the world. This option is the most expensive though since I'll lose the chance of selling the NX for 6 times the price of a cheaper model sunny.
Just exploring my options, what do you guys think? Any input well appreciated.

 

[daz]

i would have thought that the transmission tunnel would be a slight problem being as the r is 4wd and the lx is fwd

 

[Odin]

If it where me, And I spent 16 month's under mine stripping it and repainting I'd just strip the GTIR down to the bare bones and restore that.......

It's not that hard to strip an R once the engine and gearbox are out their loads of room, And the rear axle drops down with just 4 bolts as a compleat unit, Then just drop the fuel tank and your pretty much there.....

You should be able to get it stripped ready for restoration in a week end matey...


Rob

 

[Danni]

daz: I'd be using the transmission tunnel from the R, that is a simple cut and weld job.

Thunder God: I'm not worried about stripping the car, I'm worried about rust issues like the rear fenders not being stuck to the inner fenders, sideskirts being non-existent and such.

 

[sunny scott]

Buy cheap, pay dear.

Sounds like way too much work, why not sell it and buy a good one.

 

[Odin]

daz: I'd be using the transmission tunnel from the R, that is a simple cut and weld job.

Thunder God: I'm not worried about stripping the car, I'm worried about rust issues like the rear fenders not being stuck to the inner fenders, side skirts being non-existent and such.

Why not buy the cheap lesser model and cut out the bits you need to repair your own car ;-) , To me that would seem the most simple solution .........


Rob

 

[Odin]

Buy cheap, pay dear.

Sounds like way too much work, why not sell it and buy a good one.

I think he's probably in another country dude ;-) .



Rob

 

[Danni]

sunny scott: because there are only 2 GTi-Rs in the country (Iceland)

Thunder God: Buying a cheap car and parting it was my initial plan but now I'm worried about the bottom of the car, I'll check the strength of that tonigth if I have time.

What about weigth, any of you know why GTi-Rs weigh so much more than other Sunnys... it can't all be the 4wd.

 

[Fast Guy]

What does a normal sunny weigh? (Gtirs come in at about 1200kg upwards)

It will be down to the turbo stuff/transmission/abs/aircon/other electrics as applicable.

 

[Danni]

I'm not sure on how much the sunnys weigh but I think the 1.4LX with no electric anythingweighs less than a tonn. My R with no electric anything weighs 1240.