Ok. I'm confused on this. I'm looking to gt an Eclipse and eventually turn it into a street racer. I don't know too much about Eclipses to beging with.

What exactly is the difference between an Eclipse GSX and an Eclipse GS?

Which one would be better to get to build a street racer?

Thanks

well where do i start? the GSX is turboed and all wheel drive with a 4G63 engine. the GS is non turboed, front wheel drive and has a 420a engine. for a street racer i'd say a GS because the GSX is kinda heavy eventhough the obvious advantages. but it also depends on how much you want to spend also. so how much? i know there will be some who disagree with me but street racing is a lot not off the line so being lighter would help with a rolling start. although i know i could be wrong but it's my opinion. with the GSX you also have to worry about crankwalk when you are modding it, then again you wouldn't have to build the internals until after a good 400hp+. it all depends on how much you want to spend, if all wheel drive matters or not, etc. hope i helped!

Thanks for the help first of all.

I'm willing to spend upwards of 20 grand eventually. This will be a long term project lasting for at least 5 years after this year. I'm just clueless when it comes to dealing with Eclipses. But again, I'd be willing to put in enough money to achieve all the Eclipse's total power. Plus I'm wanting to put on a body kit and other things. I just wasn't sure if it'd make a whole lot of difference between a GSX and a GS.

This could be a dumb question. But I'm going to ask anyways.

Could you still pretty much sup out a GS with the same mods as you could a GSX? Or would you need different mods? Because usually when I look up parts on the internet, it rarely specifies between a GS and a GSX.

Any help would be welcomed.

well there are 4 types of eclipses.
1. the RS
2. the GS(also comes in convertable)
3. the GST(also comes in convertable)
4. and the GSX(not sure if is also covertable or not, dont think so)

difference between the RS and the GS are basicly the looks and some electronics. engine is the same(420a)

the diff between the GST and the GSX is that the GST is fwd turbo and the GSX is awd turbo.

if you wanna build a street racer i would say go with the gsx. the awd relly helps on the launches so you can keep up with those V8's. (not that you couldnt with with fwd)

ultimately, i would say GSX is the way to go.








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Wanted:
1. Star stage II(possibly the NER kit now)
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i say gst. I heard too many problems come from that gsx. They are tight as hell, but then again both the gst and gsx have tranny problems. shit I don't know, go turbo gs stage 5. There is a street racer for you.

to answer your question, yes, you can achieve just as much hp with a GS as you can with a GSX. if your willing to put that much $$ into it you could have a helluva fast car. try www.hahnracecraft.com or http://www.newedgeracing.com/Turbo_Kit_Updates/NER_Turbokits.htm
this is a new kit coming out for the RS/GS's. there is also the star kit. after getting a kit, build the internals, injectors,etc and you can be beating cars that cost double and more than what your car cost or what you've put into it. i'll be doing the same but it'll take me awhile considering i'm going to college soon and have a shitty job! but by august i should have a turbo kit with built internals and injectors. man it's going to be fun!!!

Thanks for everyone helping me out and giving me different advice.

For what it's worth. I'm currently looking at a 1995 Eclipse GS. It's a POS right now. Meaning the paint is actually chipping off and it has a couple of dents. But it seems like a nice project to take on and nothing a new paint job and a body kit can't fix.

Dude, go with a factory turbo car. 99% of people with non-turbo DSM's regret not getting the turbo versions. I'm one of them. If you really want to sink a lot of money into the car, which is what it sounds like, definetely go with an AWD turbo DSM. Also make sure that it is not automatic. Theres so much more potential with a stick-shift car, plus there a hell of a lot more fun to drive. People will tell you to go non-turbo and then drop 3 grand on a sick turbo kit. Buy an already turbo DSM sink 3 grand into that and make it a 12 second car. There's no comparison. Plus, with the turbo DSM's, there are modifications that cost nothing that will produce the same added power of a non-turbo with 5-600 dollars into it. Believe me, if you want a street racer, go turbo AWD. Just my $.02

i dont like ur $.02. :-) Actually i say go GS cause if u can get it kinda cheap then do everything u want to it u will be hella happy. You wont have as many problems with it over the GSX plus u can make it even faster without buying a new turbo kit for the GSX then having 2 turbos. Now that i saw the NER kit im definitely goin with that! but i want a ball bearing turbo. The ball bearing turbos spool up faster right?

If you going to race and have the money, go with the GSX. With the money that you are going to spend on a GS/RS ($3000-4000) on just go fast parts and probably break 14's you could have the GSX in the 13 or 12. In reality who here can keep up with a well moded well tune GST or GSX? 1,2or3? and thats after well over 4G's. Not .02 but the facts.

Hmmm...thats a really good question. After having my RS for a while now, i really want a turbo. And after racing a WRX, i really want an AWD turbo!(i knew i wouldn't win, but wanted to see how fast it took off). The GSX and the non turbo eclipses BOTH have amazing potential, as peeps have said. But i chose the RS because of insurance costs. The turbo models were gonna kill me!!! Now i can put on a kit, and the money saved in insurance will pay for itself over a while. So i would keep that in mind also. Basicly, the GSX is AWD and somewhat heavier, with a slight chance of the notorious "crankwalk" problem, but stock, is a stronger motor than the 420A, which is the chrysler motor in all non-turbo eclipses and talons. If you want to be quick off the line, go AWD. The peeps who are front wheel turboed, do have some tracksion issues, so it is harder to race. The choice is up to you, either way you will spend lots of money!

Thanks to everyone helping me out. A little update on my situation here. I found a 2000 GT Eclipse that's priced at about 14,000 with only about 30,000 miles on it. I haven't really taken a look at these cars before, but it was actually a pretty sweet car. I think I may end up going with this car, mainly because of leg room (I'm 6'3"). It's an automatic. I test drove a standard, but I just can't do it. I know how to drive one, but I've had 2 knee surgeries on my left knee, so it's just too much strain on my knee, sucks on that part because I really wanted a standard.

Anyways, I test drove a GT. It has some giddy up on it and rode pretty smoothly. I believe it had around 200 HP, straight out of the factory. Its body reminds me a lot of the Wings West Body Kit (Maybe it is). Anyways, lemme know what you guys think of the 2000 GT Eclipses.

i've thought about this one alot too. look at it like this. for the most part the stock turbo cars are basically a time bomb. they have a plague called crankwalk where the bottom half of the motor locks up. some cars don't have it at all but it does happen. with that in mind sinking money into a car that has a higher potential of blowing itself up is not a good idea. as stated before their engines can take 400 horses before you need to build the bottom end but crankwalk will have you building your bottom end over before you reach that 400horse marker. the awd is awsome but it's not worth the risk of losing your car unexpectedly. go with a 2gnt if you want an eclipse or if you can afford it get the nw impreza wrx they can fly on minimal mods.

the math
2gnt spend 3000 get to about 270-300 hp from any turbo kit

wrx get full custom exhaust intake and custom frontmount intercooler and your well over 300hp for about 1000 to 2000. depending on howyou spend the money.

don't even worry about the turbo eclipses to much risk for what your gonna get compared to the situations mentioned above.

just my opinion and no offense to any 2g turbo membres on the board