BAK12484

Well, I will hopefully be getting rid of my dodge avenger soon and am figuring out how I will be spending the profit I make from it (still owe a few bucks on it..)... i figured i'll get away with around $2500 from the avenger, plus another $1000 or so i'll have in the bank by then...

so whats the best way to spend $3500??
...heres what i think...post any suggestions you guys feel...

1) i need to get the body work taken care of... quite extensive rust damage...new floor pans, sand/paing around wheel wells and other spots

2) new carpet and sound deadener to go along with the new floor pans.... perhaps new racing seats w/ 5-point harnesses

3) new weather stripping around entire car - its decent but some spots its torn apart

4) complete true dual exhaust - hooker super comp 1 3/4 headers, no cat, two seperate race mufflers (not sure which brand yet) dumped before axle

5) New rear end... 4.10 POSI (may be overkill, but i figure i'll be racing off the line a hell of a lot more than at top speed)

Hopefully i'll have enough money left to do a minor rebuild... i.e. new cam, intake manifold, new heads perhaps...and maybe a nice new carb (would have to switch from TBI) or better TB

How does all this sound?!?


..and one last question... My dad was warning me of the pain of having a carb in winter (gets cold here in michigan)... so i was thinking... buying a seperate intake manifold, distributor, and non-computer controlled carb to swap in during spring/summer/fall, and then when winter hits throwing back on the manifold and TB thats there now. How much of a pain would it be switching everything back and forth??

Vader

BAK,

Your idea of restoring your car to good condition is comendable, but unless you have some emotional attachment to it, you might want to shop for another body to start with.

Rust damage can be repaired, but unless the body is acid-dipped, is nearly impossible to stop. Your repairs will probably show rust again within three years.

A possible suggestion would be to clean up the car as well and inexpensively as possible. Touch up where it is practical, clean up the stained carpets and seats, detail the body, then put it on the market. From your proceeds from the Dodge, you should be able to find a fairly clean 'F' car with floor pans and body intact.

V-6 cars usually have had easy lives, and don't accumulate the kind of torque damage to the body that V-8 cars do. They often have higher rear gear ratios as well. Since you'll be changing the exhaust system, the factory exhaust system doesn't matter. With the cash you generate from the sale of your RS you can order a crate engine, or get a good used engine from the salvage yard and build what you want. When your new engine is ready, park the car and do the swap. You'll have a newer car with a solid body, fresh V-8, taller rear end, and probably still have some cash in your pocket.

I have seen several really clean late ThirdGens for less than $3,000, and even less with a V-6 or a little more mileage.

Just trying to get you to keep your options open.

GSXMEN

By the time you get all the body work done, upgrade interior pieces, exhaust, etc. you probably won't have enough to do justice to your motor.

I think you're better off doing the motor last (unless it's in bad shape now). That way, when you do get the motor done, everything else is done - especially exhaust and the rear-end.

The Edelbrock Vortec conversion from TBI to multi-port FI would be an excellent way to go. Would also add a decent amount of power and reliability. Probably better gas mileage too. Thinking about something similar to my C1500 350".

Are you building a nice street/occasional strip use car or a more of a drag car? A true dual exhaust on a street car dumped before the rear can sound kind of obnoxious. There are some heavy hitters out there with a complete system to the bumper. Just go with a 4" single pipe from the cat. back to the muffler. That will flow more than enough air! Should sound really good too.

Scott

Mark A Shields

I wouldn't go with 4" exhaust, I believe you don't need that much until around 375hp. Unless you're talking about building up that much HP. And with your limited budget, I would throw out the ideas of TRUE duals, it's not cheap.

And as Vader said, maybe look for a new car. I bought mine for $1700 just the way you see the outside in this pic. However, I have a lot more invested motor wise and all now.

Gta-Paladin

Here's something you might want to toss around. Find another Third Gen and keep the current one you've got as a beater... Work on the engine if you want, make it a sleeper. When you've got the "new clean" ride swap motors. Or parts whichcever floats yer boat.

BAK12484

Vader,

I have thought about what you mentioned before... i just never thought about it as much detail you put it in (i.e. higher gear ratios, less torque damage, etc..)... the only problem is that i havent seen many 3rd gens in my area at all, granted i havent exactly been looking real hard. Anybody live in the Detroit area and know of any thirdgens for sale??
The motor in the car is in good condition... the previous owner bought the motor new and did some work on it (not a whole lot, but some) and i bought the car for $3250... hopefully if i sell it i can get that much out of it (havent been driving it at all cuz its winter). Perhaps i'll get an estimate on repairing the rust around the wheel wells, which are the only majorly visible rust damage (rest is underneath) and then selling it.

What kind of crate motor do you guys recommend?? I was just lookin at jegs and kinda like the Fastburn 385 Crate engine...
Buying a new body and dropping in the new engine would also let me do the exhaust at the same time making it much easier....plus, being that I dont know a whole helluva lot about motors, my dad can teach me a few things while we're at it(good father/son project).

I'm figuring i could at least get ~$3000 from my RS (t-tops and has only 2000 miles on the new 350, and rebuilt tranny), plus another $2000 profit from my dodge (damn blue book value went down now that its 2002), plus whatever i have saved in the bank by then... so i'm lookin at around ~$5000 plus whatever i can save by then - this should be enough for a body and motor, dont ya think??

So like I said, if anybody in the Detroit area knows of any cheap thirdgens for sale (just the body even) please let me know... and any recommendations for crate motors would be appreciated too.

Thanks again guys for all the help, i really appreciate it.

BAK12484

ttt