98 coupe - 2/26/11 final update

INVUJerry · Post by **INVUJerry** » Sun Jan 20, 2008 1:18 pm

Dec 30:
I figure, I've been here for a while, I'll finally start a project log.

I just sold off my 95 NYG that I was going to scrap anyway, and I bought this sweet 98 Platinum coupe! Very little body damage, and dead stock except for the 3.0 intake tube and my 95-96 Sport rims. I swapped rims from steelies to the sport rims before I even took pics of it!

I've got all sorts of parts getting lined up for it, and I've got a good game plan. So far I've got an AFX LTH (that needs to be refinished), and a ghetto blaster from Chipdogg.

Eventually I'm gonna get a 3.94 transmission, PT clutch, Mopar computer, a better set of struts and springs, and a rear sway. I also want to hit at least 170 whp on a stock bottom end, but thats down the road a bit.

Jan 6:
Well today I helped a .org guy (Ghost Neon), and I got a 2gn console! Plans now are to go with 2gn interior. I also cut my shifter down about an inch or so. Boogers will help that thing out badly.

Jan 9:
Installed the depo's Monday, the clear turns and boogers yesterday and got my title and tags done today, so its legal! For 30 days atleast. I gotta get through inspection, and then it'll be good to go.

Jan 11:
My PIT "titanium" catback came in today. It looks pretty good, the tip is a burn style (blued), and it's VERY light. The shipping weight on the box was 30 lbs, it came very well packaged. I think I got a good deal for $150.

This guy has it in Stainless

Jan 13:
I got it installed today, looks pretty good! Definately took adjusting since my mount on the can is different than the stainless version. It clamped to the stock cat fine, and with the extra part inside the can its as quiet as stock inside.

Jan 18:
Here's a video I took of my exhaust:

I'll have pictures of it in a little bit, they're at my moms house.

It wasn't this loud when I first bought it, its kinda "unpacking" as you'd put it. The silencer does take down the volume a lot.

By the way, 195/60/14 Falken Ziex 912's FTW

Sorry about how dirty it all is, snow FTL.

Jan 19:

Here's a few more pics:

New front look with the depos

Rear with the exhaust

Side angle of the exhaust

Inside the muffler, I think it looks like hell. I'm gonna probably paint that part black so you can't see where the tip was welded on.

Today:
I'm thinking about cutting the bracing from underneath the hood, but the hood is in such good condition I don't want to. Same thing about the trunk. If I can find another hood and trunk in the same color, I'll probably do it.

Also: Looking at either buying slicks or a good set of DR's. The shortest DR I can find for a 14" rim is 205/50/14. I'd love a 195/50/14, but noone makes them in DR. BFG sells them for like $120. All out slicks new are like $150 or so for 20x8x14. These are price per tire.

Sorry about how dirty the car is, the main roads are still salty so I haven't washed it yet.

INVUJerry · Post by **INVUJerry** » Mon Jan 21, 2008 6:58 pm

New computer:

Re-hung exhaust:

kc2005ptgt · Post by **kc2005ptgt** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 6:42 pm

that's beautiful man! I wnt a 1gn coupe so bad.

INVUJerry · Post by **INVUJerry** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 7:09 pm

Throwing codes 11 and 17 now.

11 Timing belt skipped 1 tooth or more from initial learned value;
Intermittent loss of either camshaft or crankshaft position sensor;
No crank reference signal detected during engine cranking

17 Closed loop temp not reached or engine cold too long

No idea why, I am using a Mopar DOHC computer, and I just fixed the thermostat (old one stayed open at all times).

INVUJerry · Post by **INVUJerry** » Sat Jan 26, 2008 11:35 pm

My ghettoblaster was shipped Thursday, so it'll be here later this week!

3rd tank of gas through it with the DOHC mopar computer.

27 first tank (rich because of thermostat)
31 2nd tank
29.7 3rd tank (beating the crap out of it too)

I'm lovin' this car!!

INVUJerry · Post by **INVUJerry** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 10:57 pm

Passed MD state inspection today! Gonna shoot for next week to try to install my header. Only had to replace wipers and adjust my alternator belt!

INVUJerry · Post by **INVUJerry** » Sun Feb 03, 2008 10:49 pm

Drove to Pittsburgh this weekend. Left Saturday, came home today. Got 45.5 MPG going up with my fiance, and going about 65. Coming back I brought my friend JC with us, and all of his luggage. Was driving a little faster, got 40.2 MPG. Best $1500 ever.

INVUJerry · Post by **INVUJerry** » Sat Feb 09, 2008 3:28 pm

Well, I got the blaster today!

Tricked me at first, I thought you sent me something extra Chip!

It looks pretty nice though, WTF is that red thing?

Great where the runners come to the plenum

But it looks like stuff got busted off:

INVUJerry · Post by **INVUJerry** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 8:15 pm

Installed the LTH yesterday, and my solid bobble today so it sat right Very Happy. Currently I'm just running it off the header, reduced to 2.5", and that fits just over the catback.

It. Sounds. Like. Shit.

Gains are pretty good, but I didn't really get on it through all the gears, because I don't want anyone around here to hear it. Its way too loud. Come tax season I'm getting a flex pipe and some sort of resonator.

J-Villa · Post by **J-Villa** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 11:43 pm

the exuast in the video sounds good

Midnight_Rider · Post by **Midnight_Rider** » Thu Feb 21, 2008 1:22 am

invujerry wrote:Drove to Pittsburgh this weekend. Left Saturday, came home today. Got 45.5 MPG going up with my fiance, and going about 65. Coming back I brought my friend JC with us, and all of his luggage. Was driving a little faster, got 40.2 MPG. Best $1500 ever.

That was my experience with the '95 Highline that I had. Wish I had that kind of mileage with the SRT.

Nice car, interesting read about your progress.

INVUJerry · Post by **INVUJerry** » Tue Jul 22, 2008 3:55 pm

Well, lots has changed.

I have a different exhaust setup at the moment, I'm changing again for a side exit. I bought a magnum intake, and a Crane 004 cam.

black03rt, I think I might beat you.

contagious18 · Post by **contagious18** » Tue Jul 22, 2008 4:35 pm

looks good i might want to pick up a cheap 1st gen

INVUJerry · Post by **INVUJerry** » Sun Nov 16, 2008 11:16 am

Well, as the car sits it has this:

3.94 trans
Crane 004 cam
Mag Head milled .030"
Fast Fab v2 header
2.5" exhaust
Custom intake mani
52MM TB
Mopar Computer
Apexi SAFC2

I'm getting some all motor times today on DR's, we'll see how it runs!

bone-yard-racing · Post by **bone-yard-racing** » Sun Nov 16, 2008 11:53 am

I'll say 14.1

INVUJerry · Post by **INVUJerry** » Sun Nov 16, 2008 1:00 pm

I'm thinking 14.5. Gonna advance my cam in a few minutes.

INVUJerry · Post by **INVUJerry** » Sun Nov 16, 2008 4:43 pm

Welp, 15.1 @ 93.5 is all I could muster. I'm thinking that my cam is too big for a stock bottom end.

INVUJerry · Post by **INVUJerry** » Sat Jan 10, 2009 8:35 pm

Welp, I bought a 12.5:1 motor with a crane 005 cam. I was going to put it in another shell, but instead, I'm just going to buy another DD and throw that motor into this car!! Not sure what it'll do. I'm sure I'll run some 13's my first time out, and as I upgrade things (slicks instead of DR's, bigger axles, my clutch, probably a transmission or two, cutting the interior) I'll get it into 12's, and with a hope and a prayer (and some nitrous) 11's. However, all I'm hoping for this summer is getting the motor into the car, and being able to make some passes. I want to take the highest N/A dyno at carlisle this year.

Also, I bought a set of koni struts and stock ACR springs. I think I'm going to convert the struts into coil-overs and use a good set of high-rate springs.

I did however get my exhaust situated at Mandrel Bending Solutions in Pasadena. If you ever need exhaust work done, go there, these guys are awesome, and do amazing work. Their mandrel bender was acting up, so they used mostly pre-bent pieces. The guy that did it (Greg, a good buddy of mine) told me that if I want to, when I come back to get my test pipe done (for running cam2 at the track) he will bend me a single piece for the exhaust.

Speeder · Post by **Speeder** » Sat Jan 10, 2009 11:46 pm

the exhaust sounds good

INVUJerry · Post by **INVUJerry** » Sun Jan 11, 2009 2:31 pm

Eh, it sounded good before, then I put on my afx long tube without a cat, it sounded terrible!

I've got a custom bent catback on the car now. It used a 3" metallic-core cat, re-used my old flex pipe, and a thermal muffler (which was the best muffler ever made for a 1gn neon). It sounds pretty decent until it goes above 5K, and then it has that rasp sound.

superdan · Post by **superdan** » Sun Jan 11, 2009 10:09 pm

ah it doesnt sound too bad,

could be worse....http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXOwrmL1Dso

INVUJerry · Post by **INVUJerry** » Fri Apr 17, 2009 9:28 pm

Well guys, made it back to the track.

Here's a back-date. I sold the high compression motor because I was broke. I'm going to keep the car as it sits this summer, and work my way up nitrous wise. Depending on what I come across will see what I do next summer, I'd love to do a 2.4 swap with a set of cams and bolt ons, but if I find a 10.5:1 block I'll probably stick with that.

As the car sits, it has a magnum head milled .030", a crane 004 cam, crane cam gear, fast fab v2 header, 2.5" exhaust from mandrel bend, thermal muffler, mopar dohc computer, safc2 only adjusted for idle, crane box with 2-step set to 3500, and high limiter set to 7500.

Well.. here's the problem:

Fuck Spec clutches. That's right, FUCK them. They're total shit. My clutch only has a few thousand miles on it, and it's fucking done. It's not terrible in traffic, it bang's gears hard, but it wont launch!!! I have my two step set at 3500, and it's roasting the clutch coming off of it. Fuck all of this, I'm going to a PT.

Also, my transmission:

I bought it in August, installed it, ran it for a little bit, and pulled this amazing thing out in January.

It's some part of the race bearing assembly.

Last weekend, I change the fluid, and find this:

That's right. It's a fucking gear. Atleast, part of it.

Well, I have a built 3.94 to go into it, with a phantom grip, and I'm going to a PT cruiser clutch. For $270, having a clutch that holds 270 WTQ is fine with me.

Onto tonight:

I was paranoid about breaking the trans, blowing the motor, and blowing up my clutch. I brough $100 with me just so if I had to get towed home I could. I was going to use the nitrous, so I found 3 range colder plugs, and I gapped them to .030"....however I never ended up using them.

All the runs I was shifting around 7200, and shifting to 4th maybe 50-70 feet before the end of the track.

I cleared the car out, and headed to the track after hooking up the nitrous kit. My first run, I really babied it.

60': 2.559
1/8:10.254
1/8 mph: 72.03
1/4: 15.639
1/4 MPH: 91.36

As you can see, I have tons of room for improvement.

Next run, I decided to just barely hold the car against the two step, and do what I did last year, kinda slip the clutch out fast, and get on the throttle as hard as possible.

60': 2.273
1/8: 9.9872
1/8 mph: 71.68
1/4: 15.299
1/4 MPH: 90.76

Here, some off the 60', lost a little MPH, massive time improvement though.

This run...I was in the pits, looking at the nitrous bottle in the rear view mirror (it's in the trunk, no back seats). And my lane starts moving, so I decide, fuck it, if it decides to blow up using stock plugs, advanced timing, and higher compression, so be it.

Really....all I said was "eh, let me turn on the bottle, if I get the nuts, then I'll do it."

60': 2.276
1/8: 9.905
1/8 mph: 72.12
1/4: 15.122
1/4 MPH: 96.11

As you can see, I picked up 6MPH from my last run. But, I had no time improvement from November's 15.1@93.5.

Now, here's what I did, I launched the car, shifted to 2nd, shifted to 3rd, then turned the nitrous on around 5200. It wasn't a solid hit like nitrous is supposed to be...because my clutch was slipping. Although, when the clutch finally grabbed, and I went for 4th, I can definately see why people like this shit. I was using a 65 shot, and I don't think my bottle pressure was as high as it should have been, but it was still fun.

BTW, I did my 1st run at 6:05, and my final run at 8:08. There were so many wrecks at the track it was crazy. Plus, they take FOREVER to check the track and clean it up. Terrible.

However, I did make my total goal. I didn't have to use my $100 for a tow.

INVUJerry · Post by **INVUJerry** » Tue Jun 23, 2009 4:36 pm

Wassis? Updates?

The car pretty much looked like this since late April:

Ballin'

Got it back together last week, and got my exhaust finished by mandrel bending solutions in Pasadena, MD. Need to put 500 miles on my Clutchmaster stage 3 clutch by Friday so I can get some good times.

The good angle:

Battle Neon:

Puts things into perspective:

chosenone2386 · Post by **chosenone2386** » Tue Jun 23, 2009 7:47 pm

Love it! I love my first gen.

glasswars · Post by **glasswars** » Tue Jun 23, 2009 8:21 pm

your gonna love your stage 3. love mine. grips real hard. oh man.

sullivan · Post by **sullivan** » Tue Jun 23, 2009 9:50 pm

nice im rockin' a 98 platinum coupe now too!

suave23 · Post by **suave23** » Tue Jun 23, 2009 10:10 pm

So are you going to spray it this weekend?

Sounds like you've had a real adventure with this car so far, I hope you at least hit mid 14's this weekend.

Fuzzyneon · Post by **Fuzzyneon** » Tue Jun 23, 2009 10:15 pm

looking good man cant wait to see some track times after clutch is broken in!

INVUJerry · Post by **INVUJerry** » Thu Jun 25, 2009 2:38 pm

Thanks for all the comments guys.

Glasswars, you were right, this shit grips. With all my inserts (front, sides, and adjustable rear) it no longer wheels hops. I did a launch today on my street tires (195/60/14 falken Ziex) off my 3500 two step. I spun, then hit my high limiter (7500) and hung out there, banged 2nd, and it kept spinning. This phantom grip really works well too, I'm excited for the track. I'm finally going to be able to launch off the two step and not worry about axles breaking from wheel hop, or the clutch letting go.

I really want a 1.9 60', but if I get a 2.0 I'll be happy. With my MPH all motor I should be in the high 14's, and if all goes as planned, spraying 1st gear I might go 13's. Spraying just 3rd and 4th last time I was out gave me a 96 trap speed, with a good 60', that's good for a high 13 as it is. Spraying out 1st and 2nd will be good times.

INVUJerry · Post by **INVUJerry** » Fri Jun 26, 2009 2:08 pm

2-step : 1
Drag Radials : 0

4500 dump in 1st, and yes that little chirp is part of 2nd too.