Need feedback on SL2 and SC2

daddyman · 02-28-2003, 06:07 AM

Hey everybody,
I'm new to this board and I have a question.

I currently have a '93 SL2 as my DD and love it. I am getting a used '91 SL2 next year some time with around 200k miles on it (hwy miles)...well taken care of...I was planning on racing the '91 in autocross. Well today, not done-deal yet, I was offered a very cheap (maybe free) '94 SC2 with a bad engine. Apparently the engine has some bad bearings and is making some terrible noise. Question I have, which of these two cars, the SL2 or the SC2, has the best balance in stock form?

Thanks for any advice in advance.

jeep45238 · 02-28-2003, 06:30 AM

Autocross......the '91. Shorter wheelbase.

Might wanna drop in a later gen engine though, they actually see gains with the header that the '91 needed to make 124 horses.

minivankiller · 02-28-2003, 12:33 PM

The 94SC2 with a bad engine has a shorter wheelbase(99.2) than the SL2(102.4), and I know the 94 comes with a rear swaybar. They both understeer, but the 94 will probably respond better to a stiffer rear swaybar, strut bar, springs, whatever and be able to turn on a dime. The 91SL2, even well taken care of, had faults in the head casting process, which led to a recall that my Stepmom's 91 Saturn was the victim of. You can get a 91 or 92 model exhaust manifold and it is almost exactly the same as Hotshot's header(better I think, because Hotshot had some quality control issues) and bolt it up to your newly rebuilt or JBOD engine in the 94.

Check out Lane's Saturn Car Audio and Performance page. He has a 94SC2 that he's been modding since he bought it new. It should give you some good ideas.

jeep45238 · 02-28-2003, 08:41 PM

ANY DOHC saturn S series comes with a rear sway bar.

http://www.StreetDesignAuto.com/saturnsuspension.HTM
That's the only place I've ever seen a full front AND rear sway bar kit. Combo that with a front strut brace, a rear strut brace, coil overs, upgraded disks and pads in all 4 corners, light rims and a set of sticky ass tires. Then drive her to hell and back.

saturnd00d · 02-28-2003, 08:46 PM

my vote goes for the 94 SC2, you can get an engine cheap, and grab a 92 header for cheap, and there you go. The 91 already has a higher mileage engine, and though its well taken care of, you don't really know how good the compression still is, or how much longer it will last. I would say go for the 94 and drop another engine in there.

KAdams4458 · 03-01-2003, 12:00 AM

I vote for the '94 SC2 as well. Currently, I have a '93 SC2 that even with worn out struts would run circles around the '01 SL I had converted to SL2 suspension specs. I'm not sure what differences exist between the SC and Sl aside from wheel base, so if that's the only difference, it's a huge one. SC! SC!

SaturnMotors94SL2 · 03-01-2003, 01:15 AM

Don't try to autocross in the SL....LMAO i tried to do some crazy almost 45 degree turn going about 40 mph which wasnt really smart but the car understeered real bad and i nailed a curb going about 40. I dont know if the SC can turn and better, but i think it probably could manage to. Probably weighs less and with the shorter wheelbase it gets my vote as well.

utahraptor78 · 03-01-2003, 05:15 AM

[quote="jeep45238"]

http://www.StreetDesignAuto.com/saturnsuspension.HTM
That's the only place I've ever seen a full front AND rear sway bar kit.
quote]

thats a good price for the materials.