Revisiting

Arro · Post by **Arro** » Fri Jan 13, 2012 11:32 am

I haven't been on here in a long time... maybe two or three years. Some may remember me (I was occasionally outspoken) and some may not, but generally I liked the community here. Been busy with life, and got a couple other cars, but I still have the '00 Neon. It's been slumbering in the back yard since then. I keep it clean and keep the dash covered to protect it from the sun and southern Cali heat.

I didn't give up on the car. It still starts up on a dime. After owning a lot of different cars and a couple trucks, and rented many more, I will always have a fondness for the 2G Neon. We all know the stiff chassis translates to a surprisingly good handling experience considering its class of car... it has character, much in the same way as its 1GN predecessor. People usually love them or hate them. I of course fall into the former category like the rest of you here

Speaking on my other cars... I have an IS300 and a couple oldschool Nissan S12's (200SX, a RWD sprinter) one of which has an S14 swap. I also have a Tacoma V6 PreRunner (been a great hauler and towing toy), and sleeping next to the Neon is the sadly-neglected VW Corrado G60.

A few pics...

Anyways, the status on my Neon... Last I left it, it had a brighter paint job, a CF hood, some headlights and tails, rear SRT-4 disc brake conversion (night and day from the lame drums!), solid torque braces, new timing belt with less than 2,000 miles on it, underdrive crank pulley, a Typhoon intake, exhaust, Optima red-top, and MSD coil pack and wires leading to Champion 9001 iridium plugs. Also did the under-the-intake-runners cable mod and chromed a 1GN valve cover for a little nicer looking result. Car has been sitting on a set of semi-glossed SRT-4 wheels and some BC-Racing inverted coilovers:

I took the CF hood off this last summer and swapped on the red hood...the clear coat started to dissolve away, and I wanted to save it from total loss. I figure I can restore it with some guidance from some of you here. It also needs something done with the headlights, because they are foggy and peeling. Cheapo Ebay purchase... I considered polishing but they are so cheap on Ebay, it might be easier just to buy new ones.

It's an ATX. Yeah, yeah, I know. I hate it. I have a solid 2000 manual transmission, cables and shifter, and the passenger side axle for the swap. All I need is the modular clutch/flywheel and I should have everything I need to do the swap. I even have a 2000 manual trans ECU in case I decide that I don't want to mess with the neutral switch crap.

I have no plans to do anything with it until it gets a little warmer...the alternator is dying, so I figure I can replace that at the same time that I do the trans swap. Maybe on spring break or this summer. But I haven't forgotten this car. I know once I have the 5-speed in, I'll want to drive it more often. I drove someone else's 2000 MTX Neon and even tho it was bone stock, I was amazed at how much quicker it was. It's obvious that the ATX was designed around fuel economy and not performance. If I remember right, it's based off of the old A413 ATX in the earlier 2.2 and 2.5 Chryslers (I came from Turbo Dodge long ago lol).

Anyways, I wanted to touch base, maybe get some new inspiration, and see what is going on around here.

-J

Danteneon · Post by **Danteneon** » Fri Jan 13, 2012 11:39 am

Damn, it has been a while. Welcome back

Tam · Post by **Tam** » Fri Jan 13, 2012 12:38 pm

Welcome back! I remembered being annoying and asking you tons of questions about your paint job at Maaco. lol.

You'll love the trans swap. I've remembered how slow my car was when it's ATX, but after the swap, it's so much faster and I enjoy driving much more.

Arro · Post by **Arro** » Fri Jan 13, 2012 1:06 pm

Earl Schieb (same thing as Maaco lol) but while the initial work was crappy (a bit of overspray from lazy masking, and a couple small blemishes, hardly noticable), the paint itself has endured. The car has pretty much never been garaged ever in the five years since it was painted, and the southern California heat out here (I'm about an hour and a half inland so it's hotter than LA) is punishing... but it's still as red as ever, and if I bothered to wax it, it would still look good.

I'd still like to run with this (sans the wing and fugly hood):

I need to figure out how to restore the CF hood, what section of the forum is a good place to start a thread for that? Exterior? I think I'll start one there.

Midnight_Rider · Post by **Midnight_Rider** » Fri Jan 13, 2012 1:41 pm

Welcome back! Commenting on the SY "wish" pics, your car looks better as is IMO. Just give it some shiny new red paint.

Arro · Post by **Arro** » Fri Jan 13, 2012 1:45 pm

lol well you've always been one of the more modest folks on here, which is interesting considering you have an SRT-4 which visually speaking is anything but modest as OEM-packaged rides go

The Kaminari kit isn't a high priority. May never happen at all. I'd rather be b00sted first.. the advantages of the '00 and it's lack of next-gen PCM.

Post by **occasional demons** » Fri Jan 13, 2012 4:56 pm

Welcome back, didn't realize you had been gone that long.