The fall and rise of Shyla...The End

ZeroChad · Post by **ZeroChad** » Thu Apr 03, 2008 6:32 pm

On a side note.. Dang, I didn't realize those r/ts had 2.4s. Does it have an active intake manifold or any other goodies like the neon r/t?

Danteneon · Post by **Danteneon** » Thu Apr 03, 2008 11:35 pm

No, no similarities to the 2.4's used before. These engines are the new "World Engines" built as a joint venture of Chrysler, Mitsubishi, and Hyundai. The engine uses V V T, a first for Chrysler. And fortunately, my wife is a bit of a car nut (well, now anyway) and opted for the 5sp. I'm so proud of her (I am referring to my wife, of course)

Panhead · Post by **Panhead** » Fri Apr 04, 2008 12:33 am

one kick ass wife you got. wish i could find a girl that likes to work on cars instead of gettin manicures (sp?) every weekend.

Danteneon · Post by **Danteneon** » Fri Apr 04, 2008 12:46 am

Thanks man

She is perfect...she loves Dodge's now (she even works at the dealership with me), she did most of the mods to the car herself (I helped a little bit), and she is a game/anime geek like me as well. And she's cute too.

I caught her in this one. She would kill me if she knew I posted it. So if you are coming to the meet, don't rat me out!

hansken_yo · Post by **hansken_yo** » Fri Apr 04, 2008 12:53 am

it'll cost you.... muwhahahahahahhaahhahahaha

j/k

Panhead · Post by **Panhead** » Fri Apr 04, 2008 12:54 am

haha. thats cool man. i wont say a word.

Danteneon · Post by **Danteneon** » Fri Apr 04, 2008 12:59 am

I will probably show her anyway. She knows I'm on here a lot, and she would probably find it amusing that her picture is on here in a couple posts already...

after she smacks me around a bit first of course

Sorry Yo, no extortion tolls for you

Panhead · Post by **Panhead** » Fri Apr 04, 2008 1:08 am

hahahaha!

hansken_yo · Post by **hansken_yo** » Fri Apr 04, 2008 1:10 am

Danteneon wrote:after she smacks me around a bit first of course

Yoooouuuuu knoooowwww yooooouuuu like it!

Danteneon · Post by **Danteneon** » Fri Apr 04, 2008 1:13 am

Well, actually......

Yeah

King Crab · Post by **King Crab** » Fri Apr 04, 2008 11:43 am

hansken_yo wrote:
Danteneon wrote:after she smacks me around a bit first of course
Yoooouuuuu knoooowwww yooooouuuu like it!

+1....... After all he is a male

Danteneon · Post by **Danteneon** » Fri Apr 04, 2008 1:55 pm

Thanks David

As always, you guys can cut right to the heart of the matter

King Crab · Post by **King Crab** » Fri Apr 04, 2008 2:37 pm

So.......... when are the Mopar springs going to be on?

Don't forget to do a before and after photo shoot. As, I for one would love to see the difference. I would also love to hear your view of the ride quality, before and after. Have fun and enjoy.

Danteneon · Post by **Danteneon** » Fri Apr 04, 2008 3:03 pm

I may have the springs installed tomorrow. Depends on what winds up happening.

I will do a full photo write-up (mostly to post on Dodge Caliber SRT-4 Forums) along with same position before and after pics.

As a side note, I have to say that I get more response on Kitton's Cali here than I do on the Caliber site. Richard (the site owner/admin) is a great guy, and there are some good folks on there, but for the most part it is a wasteland. No real interaction, no feeling of belonging.

I guess not all sites can be cool like us

King Crab · Post by **King Crab** » Fri Apr 04, 2008 5:10 pm

That's why 2GN feels like home, well cyber home.

Danteneon · Post by **Danteneon** » Fri Apr 04, 2008 5:18 pm

Very true

Kelevra · Post by **Kelevra** » Fri Apr 04, 2008 9:37 pm

Danteneon wrote:and she is a game/anime geek like me as well. And she's cute too.

Damn, she likes cars, games and Anime? she have a younger sister?

Danteneon · Post by **Danteneon** » Fri Apr 04, 2008 10:56 pm

Nope, she is the baby of the family. She is the only one with all those interests though.

Sorry

Kelevra · Post by **Kelevra** » Fri Apr 04, 2008 11:08 pm

Damn. you're one lucky mofo!! lol. my search continues!

Anyway, you have to show me the pics when you lower the caliber and get the hood.

I might like the caliber lowered. lol

Danteneon · Post by **Danteneon** » Sat Apr 05, 2008 12:34 am

You and me both! It sits waaaay too high for me as it is..

It's kinda funny, Kitton had to drive my Neon (and be a passenger) for almost a month while I got her car road worthy again. She told me that she now understands what I mean when I say her car is squishy.

She is all for the suspension mods now

King Crab · Post by **King Crab** » Sat Apr 05, 2008 12:38 am

Squishy.......... Oh, no....... not that again!

Kelevra · Post by **Kelevra** » Sat Apr 05, 2008 12:54 am

LOL!! Can I come down to VA and test drive it when you're done with the suspension? I drove the SXT with the CVT and hated it

Danteneon · Post by **Danteneon** » Sat Apr 05, 2008 8:32 am

Yeah...squishy. It's fun to say and do...but not have. Go make sense of that one.

You are more than welcome to make the trip from Jersey to drive the Cali

I haven't driven any other models of Caliber, and I am scared to honestly. The handling of her car is ok for what it is, but hers is an R/T. I shudder to think what the SE and SXT handle like

As far as the CVT's go...I wouldn't drive it except to say I did.

So you should come down. Or, if we do bring Shyla to the meet, you can drive her there. Either way

Kelevra · Post by **Kelevra** » Sat Apr 05, 2008 9:08 pm

Haha, willing to teach me stick? lol. I might make it a summer trip. probably early june? since I will most likely be in DE for dover the first weekend of june. we'll work something out.

NOTE: I know theory of how to drive a stick, just never done it.

Danteneon · Post by **Danteneon** » Sun Apr 06, 2008 2:39 pm

I think you scared my wife

Not too sure if she wants Shyla to be a 5sp training vehicle

If you are going to be in Dover, we are still pretty far away...we are 30-40 mins. (without traffic) west of DC.

Kelevra · Post by **Kelevra** » Sun Apr 06, 2008 4:18 pm

Lol, well, I will be staying in south DE and traveling to dover.

And that's fine. I dont want to hurt Shyla

Danteneon · Post by **Danteneon** » Mon Apr 07, 2008 11:39 am

Shyla got her new stance on Saturday. Let me tell ya...not only did it improve her handling like would be expected, but some things improved that I wasn't expecting. More on that in a bit.

I'm not doing a whole write-up here. I will be doing a write-up on CaliberSRT4fourms, so I'll just hit the highlights.

Here are some pics of the stock struts and springs as a comparison

Front...

Rear...

And now the before and after stance shots.

Before I started

After the springs were installed and driven around the lot a little

Doesn't look much different, does it? The springs didn't have much of a chance to settle yet. So we drove her home (and gave her a much needed bath as well) making sure to use the suspension as much as possible. Here she sits after about 20 miles.

The springs should settle a bit more. Now for the improvements. As I said before, handing is much improved. The ride hasn't suffered at all. It is still very compliant during regular driving. But when the springs are pushed past the "normal" area of travel, they firm up and provide a much firmer level of damping. This is the way the R/T suspension should be from the factory.

The surprise came when I first started shifting through the gears under load (dogging it). The Cali has had a problem since we got her with not always wanting to go into gear when you really get on her. The older guys here (as well as the younger guys that still play with the older Mopars) will remember the rod operated shifters on the pre '85 Omni's that just wouldn't go into 3rd if you were romping it. The Caliber wasn't quite that bad, but in a race, many times the shifter would just bounce of 2nd or 3rd gear rather than engaging.

Not only did the springs stop the R/T from squatting the rear on accelerating, and nose diving on stops, but I haven't had a problem with shifting at all! The car used to dive/squat during shifts, but no longer.

So that's the assessment so far. Now, about the sway bar kit.....

King Crab · Post by **King Crab** » Mon Apr 07, 2008 1:32 pm

WOW, Shyla is looking very sexy with her new stance. I'm glad to hear how she reacts after her little adjustment.

I'm hoping for the same result when I finally put my H&R springs on my baby. The whole "squatting the rear on acceleration, and nose diving on stops", and I'm sure the same thing will go with shifting (not as severe, though), really sounds appealing to say the least.

Danteneon · Post by **Danteneon** » Mon Apr 07, 2008 1:42 pm

It will defiantly help in all respects David. You will wonder why the factory didn't do this from the beginning

Kelevra · Post by **Kelevra** » Mon Apr 07, 2008 2:57 pm

I love the way it looks now! I think I want one with the first mod being the suspention! lol