Thread: Where are the real budget builders?

I love seeing all these big high $ builds going on, but let's face it, 90% of us can't afford to do all that. I'd love to see some of you post some build threads detailing your super budget builds. Budget to me doesn't mean $5k. I'm talking about those of you that bought a POS sr powered car for a grand and slapped together a $500 turbo setup from the junk yard and Craigslist, and sit back and laugh because your car is fun and it's not the end of the world of it blows up.

A buddie of mine just bought a 4 door b14 with a bad ga16 and it now has a junkyard 200sx ser drivetrain.......car and swap and he`s into it for less than a grand......not turbo.....yet....hahaha

I'm doing a budget build. I save money and buy the parts when I can. Since I don't want to just blow all my money on parts and live pay check to pay check. That is a budget build save and buy, save and buy, save and buy.

I am all so on a budget, pay check to pay check whatever, built mine ground up for roughly around 4000 from every little nick knack paint can to the tune to get it running correctly (coming soon in a few weeks).

How much whp and what do you consider budget $$$ wise.

Aren't most of us on a budget? LOL

Yup. But even slowly things add up.


I'm 3500 into my NX, not including the price of the car, and it't not running yet.
Who knows what I'll spend on the SE-R

i try not to look at money spent on cars....it looks really bad on paper.

Most of us started out with budget builds. Facts are most of the big build guys are guys that have been in the scene a long time, got older, got higher paying jobs and so on to afford the big builds.

My first setup was a rwd t25 setup on my b13. I got the aftermarket tubular manifold, s13 t25, 3" greddy downpipe for free from a buddy from rebuilding his rwd det motor.

$220 fmic and universal piping kit w/ t-bolt clamps,
$100 Walbro 255 intank fuel pump
$75 370cc injectors
$120 SAFC II
$40 Turbo XS RFL knockoff bov w/ flange
$450 JWT S4 cams
$150 Used ACT Extreme clutch setup
$150 Used Fidanza lightweight flywheel
$100 Used Gspec Crank and water pump pulley set.
$100 Oil feed line and some misc stuff like vac lines and so on.

Thats less than $1500 and was put on the fresh jdm motor in my car. Went 12.4@110 on only 8psi of boost and was very fun for the setup.



















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My 60 trim turbo setup could have also been considered fairly budget built.

$740 CP Piston/Eagle Rod combo
$150 Cosworth Headgasket
$100 Golden Eagle Headstuds
$130 ACL Rod and Main bearings
$140 Block and head resurface and overbore
$200 Gspec VE crank and water pump pulley set
$250 Venom 720cc injectors
$250 Used Garrett t3 60 trim turbo
$100 Ebay SS RWD topmount manifold
$50 Custom made downpipe dumping at the bottom of the bay
$200 AEM Wideband
$120 Calum Basic Ecu
$100 Aluminum Civic dual core half width radiator
$150 Flexalite 1250 cfm fan
$150 Used Mezier Electric WP and blockoff plate
$40 GTIR main bolts
$50 Tial 50mm knockoff bov
$100 misc hoses and crap

Thats less than 3k into that build and went 11.1@132mph

Later added a custom intake manifold w/ Q45 throttle body $500, Comp Clutch used for $800 and upped the boost to 30lbs and went 7.1@108mph in the 1/8th. Didnt get much seat time as I only went that once and broke my axle on the 3rd run. Blew couplers off the previous two right when I hit 4th gear hence the 1/8th mile time only.

Definitely a 10 second capable car with more seat time and close to 140 traps based on the 1/8th mile mph. All with less than 5k into the build.

My build now is nowhere near budget. lol.

Couple vids of the 60 trim turbo setup


This one was just playing with the throttle cuz it was all spin, haha








That doesnt include the wheels, GC coilovers and other dress up tid bits. I built the car to perform and it did and daily drove the 60 trim turbo setup every day to work and put over 11k miles without any problems other than transmissions.



Alot of my old parts that I had laying around were used in the build

Try the DSM forums?