GTO vs. 3000gt/Stealth

[devanrules]

Originally Posted by tha92Boostguy

There is a HP limit in Japan. The limit is 280Hp when they were in production (not sure if its that now). Many cars actually have more power (japan spec supra, GTo), but they are de-tuned in japan so they can be legal.

Awesome, thanks! Any idea what would have been done to de-tune the car, and more importantly, what would be required to un-de-tune (retune?) it?

you guys are so helpful....

-Devan

[kylejw]

It is my understanding that the whole "gentleman's law" thing about 280hp, meant car manufacturers would market the cars as having 280hp, but many, including GTO's had higher. It isn't made any slower, just marketed as such. However, there is a speed limiter so you can't go any faster than 180km/h, but snipping a wire to the ECU solves that (I think the tach wire? Not 100% sure) with no ill effects.

Also, the day your rack starts to groan will suck :P I had to go through that, but luckily 3sx had a front clip which they were able to sell me the rack off of.

Steering columns are different, racks different, wiring harnesses I think?, doors are different (mirror on one side is further back than the other), shift boot is a different shape (trivial), dash of course, door locks are slightly different -- theres no 'lock button', you just slide the big lock switch instead.

I can't really think of any other differences right now, however if you were getting an N/A a few more things change including the transmission, tcase, (maybe rear diff and driveshaft, haven't checked into those myself yet), and exhaust.

[tha92Boostguy]

There's no "law" for being over 280hp, but there is a "A gentleman's agreement". Anything done to extract or get more HP must be documented in order to stay legal. The catch 22 is that if you have a car with hp over what the manufacture has listed then you have to pay a tax on it. So it is a law...kind of.

Why they do it?
For many reasons such as environmental and safety etc... However it doesn't mean that the car has less than 280 HP. Its just what the sticker on the car says.

Take home point is that a factory car with more than 280hp is quite legal, but it needs the extra paperwork. Its a stupid "law" but hey I don't live there.

[AudibleSilence]

Originally Posted by tha92Boostguy

The GTO's came with 13g turbos instead of 9bs that came with the vr-4/TT.

Ummm wrong. Way wrong actually. The only models that came with 13g's were Eurospec 3000GT's not GTO's and it appears that even that may have been an option.

Originally Posted by tha92Boostguy

I guess I should of explained better.

JDMs came from the factory with 9bs and offered a dealer upgrade to 13Gs.
Only Euro Spec 3000gt's had a dealer option of 13g's.

So I guess the answer is yes and no, check the part # on the housing to make sure.

: beats head on wall : ALL GTO's and 3000GT's came from the same plant. Eurospec 3000GT's got 13g's as either an option via the dealer or stock. If you have a GTO or North American 3000gt/Stealth you only have 9b's...PERIOD!

Originally Posted by raven1231

3000gts are imports the GTO is essentially the exact same car overall

Not exactly true. There are several mechanical, electronic, and emissions differences. I could start a list if you want

Originally Posted by blackjdmpower

I thought only euro 3000gt got the 13g's.

Correct...I swear to God watching this section is like taking a time warp to 4 years ago.

[Chris GTO TT]

If you live in the US dont waste time getting a gray market GTO... lets just say its a great way to get a car crushed or you thrown in jail for swapping vins. There is zero mechanical difference between a 1st Gen GTO and a first Gen VR-4 for all intent and purpose. You will also have a better chance of getting a nice clean car in a VR-4 instead of a ragged out gray market import.

[AudibleSilence]

Originally Posted by Chris GTO TT

If you live in the US dont waste time getting a gray market GTO... lets just say its a great way to get a car crushed or you thrown in jail for swapping vins. There is zero mechanical difference between a 1st Gen GTO and a first Gen VR-4 for all intent and purpose. You will also have a better chance of getting a nice clean car in a VR-4 instead of a ragged out gray market import.

aside from some accessories being on the opposite side they are essentially the same. 2nd gens do have a different final drive ratio in the trans though. People thought that only the MR's had the shorter gearing, but all 6spd gto's had it in Japan.

[iGoRa]

everything what AudibleSilence said is true.

If you live in the US dont waste time getting a gray market GTO... lets just say its a great way to get a car crushed or you thrown in jail for swapping vins. There is zero mechanical difference between a 1st Gen GTO and a first Gen VR-4 for all intent and purpose. You will also have a better chance of getting a nice clean car in a VR-4 instead of a ragged out gray market import.

He doesnot live in us, so he can get clean,ultra low kms jap spec GTO 100% legal.

[tha92Boostguy]

Didn't I just state that???

Originally Posted by AudibleSilence

: beats head on wall : ALL GTO's and 3000GT's came from the same plant.

When did I say they didn't come from the same plant? They all came from Nagoya plant in Japan then migrate to other markets (JDM).
As i stated JDMs came from the factory (Nagoya) with 9bs and offered a dealer upgrade to 13Gs (Euro Spec).

Originally Posted by AudibleSilence

Eurospec 3000GT's got 13g's as either an option via the dealer or stock.

Like I said before: Euro Spec 3000gt's had a dealer option of 13g's.

Originally Posted by AudibleSilence

If you have a GTO or North American 3000gt/Stealth you only have 9b's...PERIOD!

Hence not Euro spec, therefore it never had the option.

[Colt45_GTO]

AFAIK 1g GTO's came stock with 9b's, 2G came with 13g's but that might have been the UK spec 3000GT. the GTO's come fully loaded where as 3000GT uk spec was all optional extras.

apart from all this....they are near on exactly the same. except you can see where your going at night in a UK car unlike the guess work and candle powered headlights of the Jspec GTO's

[Akira]

Remember to look for Z16 as the model number, Z15s are N/A (also, not sure how much it matters to you but none of the Japanese GTOs came with leather interiors). And all GTOs came with AWD