racer's 2004 Neon SXT

Post by **racer12306** » Sun Nov 19, 2006 12:42 pm

I will put all of the stuff I do to my car in one thread.

To start out:

Ram Air Intake Project

The ram air setup includes a scoop of sorts that i made and mounted under the car. the scoop measured about 2" tall and 10" wide. all of the air was directed through 2" pvc pipe and couplers. i got another air box from a yard for $5 and used the lid from that and drilled a hole in it. it may have looked like shit but it functioned very well imo for a $25 investment. here are the time slips from the nite that i ran the car.

run 1 (baseline)
r/t: .471
60': 2.491
330': 7.021
1/8: 10.697
mph: 66.65
1000': 13.877
1/4: 16.531
mph: 85.32

run 2 (another baseline)
r/t: .183
60': 2.440
330': 6.967
1/8: 10.656
mph: 66.53
1000': 13.832
1/4: 16.484
mph: 85.49

run 3 (ram air)
r/t: .203
60': 2.415
330': 6.901
1/8: 10.571
mph: 66.33
1000': 13.745
1/4: 16.397
mph: 85.08

i know the welding looks bad but it was really thin stuff.

My next project is a pistol grip shifter. I purchased an SRT shifter off of ebay for $18, got booger bushings, jonnymopar cradle bushings and the hurst pistol grip handle. I have to machine an adapter to be able to use the threaded handle on the SRT shifter. My goal was to start the project yesterday, but I wasnt able to spend much time in the garage. I am almost 100% positive that I will be able to use my dads machine shop on Friday and Saturday. I would like to get the adapter made. If I can get it set up on the shifter and maybe have the shifter in place and then cut to length I will be very happy. Im not looking forward to putting the shifter in and taking it out again and again and possibly again.

I just took the shifter and the handle up to my parents house, otherwise I would put pictures of everything up now. But it will have to wait until next weekend.

702Neon · Post by **702Neon** » Sun Nov 19, 2006 12:47 pm

so are you riding like this all the time or is it just for track? if it's just for daily then why don't you just take off the lid and call it even. instead of picking up what other cars left over.
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Hinduism dicussion

Post by **racer12306** » Sun Nov 19, 2006 12:56 pm

This was a one time deal that I used at the track.

Taking off the lid does not help. The nite I ran my 16.11, I took the lid off and ran 16.12 on the next pass.

This setup actually forces air into the air box. Taking the lid off just sucks in warm air from the engine bay.

I have been thinking of making another that will go to the area that is used for fog lights (i dont have fogs) that would direct air into the elbow and it would be able to be on all the time. But I havent started that yet, I might do it in January if I can do it really cheap because I wont have a job in January.

scneonchic · Post by **scneonchic** » Sun Nov 19, 2006 1:17 pm

Are you going to put some type of grille over it so bugs and stuff dont get sucked up inside of it over time?

702Neon · Post by **702Neon** » Sun Nov 19, 2006 1:30 pm

racer12306 wrote:This was a one time deal that I used at the track.

Taking off the lid does not help. The nite I ran my 16.11, I took the lid off and ran 16.12 on the next pass.

This setup actually forces air into the air box. Taking the lid off just sucks in warm air from the engine bay.

I have been thinking of making another that will go to the area that is used for fog lights (i dont have fogs) that would direct air into the elbow and it would be able to be on all the time. But I havent started that yet, I might do it in January if I can do it really cheap because I wont have a job in January.

yeah. i don't have fogs either. and i have the same color and bodyshape neon as yours. you can actually start by taking the airbox out that is in your fenderwell. and do you have any of that material left from that ram air? you can easyly use those pipes to navigate air into your airbox.
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GIFT CARDS

Post by **racer12306** » Sun Nov 19, 2006 3:45 pm

scneonchic wrote:Are you going to put some type of grille over it so bugs and stuff dont get sucked up inside of it over time?

its only for the track so thats not a concern.

I took the box out a while ago. That is what gave me the idea for a new ram air setup.

702Neon · Post by **702Neon** » Sun Nov 19, 2006 3:47 pm

oh cool.
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Lolol

bigbird · Post by **bigbird** » Sun Nov 19, 2006 4:23 pm

you would need to block off the intake on the other side of the airbox to force air into the tb, otherwise, it wouldn't help any.

Post by **racer12306** » Sun Nov 19, 2006 4:59 pm

it did help though.

Post by **racer12306** » Sun Nov 26, 2006 10:55 pm

Again I didnt get much time in the garage this weekend so I didnt get to make the adapter. I am going to try to go up to my parents house on Thursday and make the adapter and then install it over the weekend.

But I did get some pictures of the parts Im going to use:

SRT Shifter

JonnyMopar Bushings

Boogers

Hurst Pistol Grip Handle

and for those that havent seen it, the adapter (drawing)

Post by **racer12306** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 10:36 pm

well i got almost the entire adapter made. i still need to cut the threads on the top part, but that shouldnt take too long. hopefully i will have this fully installed on saturday. heres a few pics

edit: wow those pictures suck. i guess its the low light. i tried it with the flash on and they were all white. maybe ill try a few more pics later and maybe they will be better.

Post by **racer12306** » Sat Dec 02, 2006 7:18 pm

ITS IN!!!

I got everything installed and working. It looks pretty good imo. Almost looks like it came that way.

Ill post pic when i get home.

Post by **racer12306** » Sat Dec 02, 2006 9:57 pm

Heres the pics:

dustin_shull · Post by **dustin_shull** » Sun Dec 03, 2006 3:05 am

I like the shift knob, it looks a little familiar.....lol....but i still gotta get a boot to cover the shifter gate

duholt · Post by **duholt** » Sun Dec 03, 2006 5:35 am

^holy crap

forget the shift boot man, your dash just threw up on your center console... if i had to guess, it didn't like all those nasty crimp caps

dustin_shull · Post by **dustin_shull** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 11:40 pm

those are just what someone did in the past with the stereo adapter harness

it looks nothing like that now...

neonpla · Post by **neonpla** » Mon Dec 25, 2006 2:06 am

holy dirt car racer, lol. looks cool, not my cup of tea though.

Post by **racer12306** » Mon Dec 25, 2006 3:50 pm

its only a few leaves on the driver side, and most of the stuff on the passenger side were the tools that i was using to put in the shifter.

Post by **racer12306** » Thu Jan 04, 2007 3:39 pm

Time for a little tease...

Post by **racer12306** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 1:50 pm

well the install is complete. ill post up pictures either tonite or tomorrow and what i did for those that didnt figure it out.

Post by **racer12306** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 11:27 am

If you haven't figured it out, I installed the QuickLIFT kit from Redline Tuning. For those not familiar with this kit, it allows you to remove the prop rod and use gas charged springs to hold the hood up.

The kit cost ~$80 shipped to the door. The level of difficulty of pretty easy. The hard part is making sure all of your measurements are exactly what Redline's directions say and getting the screws started for the fender bracket.

and now for crappy video

bad04srt · Post by **bad04srt** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 5:49 pm

i did the same thing for $10 with some rods from a zx2 trunk

Post by **racer12306** » Thu Feb 08, 2007 10:21 am

Well, I've been thinking lately.

I think I'm finally going to put an UDP on the neon. I had been worried about reliability. But I've read that a few people have had theirs on for >100,000 miles. So I figured, if theirs is still going strong I don't see why mine can't last that long. So, if all goes well in the tax refund department then I will be getting a new MPx Pulley, an SRT boost gauge housing and a Summit digital voltmeter. I'm hoping my tax refund is nice to me so I can get this to improve gas mileage

.

I'm sure all of you know what an UDP and a SRT boost gauge housing looks like. But here is a pic of the Summit voltmeter. I also found a gauge that is $10 more, but you can get it in green, amber or red display.

I'm also working on relocating my XM. As you can see in the shifter install pics it is right under the radio. It has always rattled a little on roads that aren't perfect. Lately thats been really bugging me. I have also run into it when I go to quickly downshift form 5th or 3rd. Hopefully I located it right and it will sit right next to where the srt boost gauge housing goes. Even though I started doing this before I thought of the boost gauge housing, I think I'll be ok. Hopefully, I'll be doing this over the weekend. If I get my car back on Friday like I'm supposed to.

Post by **racer12306** » Thu Feb 22, 2007 1:34 pm

well, the tax return isnt what i thought it was going to be, but i think i can manage to grab a couple hundred dollars out of there.

im going to make a short antenna, similar to the zzapp one. probably out of aluminum and then paint it black.

since i just got my car back, i am probably going to move the xm radio to its new location this weekend. i have had the new bracket in place for a few weeks, but since i havent had my car for a couple weeks i havent been able to do any thing.

heres a few pics of the xm unit

^old location

^new location

Post by **racer12306** » Thu Feb 22, 2007 2:22 pm

here is a little list of stuff that i want to do by the end of the summer (by carlisle if possible)

High Priority
* tinted side markers
* udp/voltmeter/srt boost gauge housing
* air horn
* color matched 3rd brake light
* full size spare, 14” wheel with 175/70/14 tire
* SRT-4 ACR spare tire cover
* new rubber floor mats
* make a new catch can
* make short antenna
* switch back to stock radio and get the adapter from crutchfield so my xm will plug into the cd changer port

If there is money left over
* Temp/Compass rearview mirror (probably not since i just found out its $200)
* retro dome light
* white led dome light

Post by **racer12306** » Sun Feb 25, 2007 6:43 pm

I finished up the XM bracket. I smoothed out some divits i had in it from vise grips when i bent it. I also painted the screw heads and nuts. Didnt get a chance to install it over the weekend. Next weekend is the goal.

here are a few pics.

Post by **racer12306** » Thu Mar 01, 2007 10:55 pm

I got everything with the XM installed. Looks pretty good imo. Damn good thing too, or else i would be driving around with holes in my dash.

Ill try and post some pictures up soon.

Since when I took the A piller cover off the antenna wire for my remote start was right there, I moved the antenna. It is now stuck to the defrost vent. The antennas sticky tape lost stickyness quite a while ago and I never got around to putting new tape on it. So I accomplished two things with it, restuck it and moved it.

My radio seems to be on the fritz even worse than it was so saturday im going to put my factory radio back in and use the FM modulator built in to the roady until i get a little adapter so i can wire it into the cd changer port.

Post by **racer12306** » Mon Mar 05, 2007 10:44 am

Heres some pics. Had to rewire the power for my XM, pretty easy. Spliced it into the cig lighter.

Pics of everything:

^hole i drilled in the dash to get the wires to the XM

Heres a couple pics of my antenna in the making:

And a video of it, if anyone is interested in seeing a lathe in action (it is a bit long, ~1min):

I also received my 1gn.org sticker for my How-To. I am also planning on getting the matching 2gn sticker. What does everyone think about this for locations, the 1gn sticker will be on the driver side and the 2gn sticker will be on the pass side:

]

Post by **racer12306** » Thu Mar 08, 2007 12:39 pm

I picked up a new set of floor mats from ebay. They arent custom fit, more of a universal, but they do fit well. They were also cheap, $25 shipped to the door.

I also put my 1gn sticker on the back window. Im waiting to see if I like it before i order the 2gn sticker. If I dont like the silver Ill order a 1gn and 2gn in black.

Post by **racer12306** » Fri Mar 09, 2007 4:31 pm

To Do List
* tinted side markers - spray tint on the way
* udp/voltmeter/srt boost gauge housing - udp ordered, pod here, voltmeter will be ordered soon
* horn - will be ordered soon
* color matched 3rd brake light
* full size spare - JonnyMopar looking for a 15" wheel/tire combo
* SRT-4 ACR spare tire cover - searching high and low
* new floor mats - installed
* make a new catch can
* make short antenna - about 40% done, will be finished this weekend
* switch back to stock radio and get the adapter from crutchfield so my xm will plug into the cd changer port - stock radio in, probably order adapter at the end of may