Here's the quick story.
Got the car in 09, blew it up a few months later.
Got a 2.4 to replace to blown up one, and then the car sat... and sat... and sat.
Enlisted in the National Guard, got deployed... 3 years later and I'm finally able to work on my car.
This was the first time I have ever really worked on a vehicle, other than the random brake bleeding and oil change.
Took a few weeks to remove the old engine, got the "New" (75,000 miles) engine, tore it apart and replaced all the gaskets, new water and oil pump.
Took a month or so to get the engine in and ready to go. Put in suspension along with some other randoms.
FINALLY!!! Just earlier today I got to drive my Z after over 3 years of it being dead.
Ooh, dirty dirty.
Kinda clean
No hood and VERY VERY dirty
Another
Don't mind the reverse rake, it'll be dialed in soon enough.
It's kinda low
MODIFICATIONS
Engine:
LD9 w/ ~75000 miles.
TTR Upper and Lower motor mounts
Pacesetter 4-1 header
Magnaflow Resonator
Magnaflow Muffler (Not yet installed)
Magnaflow Hi-Flow Cat
Suspension/Wheels/Brakes:
17x7 American racing wheels
215/45R17 Fuzion-ZRI tires.
Ground Control Coilovers
Tokico D-Specs
GM 'vert strut bar (Not yet installed)
O.E.M. Front Camber/Caster Kit
O.E.M. Rear Solid Mounts
Still needs some work for it to be 100% Exhaust isn't finished, interior needs to put back together, I've got 02 lss sides and rear lip, and a RK sport front lip to install. It needs a real fender roll, some spacers and eventually better wheels.
Still, I'm pumped to finally be able to drive this car. I've been lurking here since before I got it, a member here since March 2010, and now I'm able to post pictures of my car.
Say what you will, it's MY CAR, NOT YOURS.
More progress pictures in the future.
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I like!
Supercharged 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier Z24
Kevin Richter wrote:I like!
Thanks!!
I gatta go premium...
03-05 LSS sides, not 02... why would I swap z24 sides for... z24 sides?!
Also forgot to add. AC Delete, Cruise delete. I'm working on a battery relocate and a washer fluid reservoir relocate.
Uhhh, engine has a new timing kit.
Will be lightly (and I mean LIGHTLY, so don't go getting your panties in a bundle) tinting the headlights and corner lights. Most likely going to use film.
I also have a second set of headlights so I plan on makin' a set of projectors.
The old engine will be completely rebuilt, looking for roughly 250 horse.
Am also looking for a donor car so I can make a set of custom over fenders and do a 5spd swap.
Oh and once I'm back from my mission that's coming up I'll probably be picking up a different set of coilovers, something I can really slam without worry about blowin' my shocks.
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must feel great to be able to drive it after so long. Nice work
Good job on bringing it back from the dead. Looks like your up to a great start
Oh I'm PUMPED, I seriously haven't been able to sleep for the past 3-4 days.
It's soooo funny when you tell people that you've been working on a Cavalier.
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Evan Undead (The Black Pearl) wrote:GCs and D-Specs got you THAT low? Holy @!#$! That's A LOT lower than my RKS Pro-Streets.
Yeah, they're completely dumped. I should be lower with the wheel and tire set up I have in mind.
In time I plan on IRS swap and N body (I think that's what it is?) front swap.
I want more low.
Got the car somewhat washed today, it needs a really good buff... maybe clay bar?
Ran RCA's, remote wire, and ground.
Will be picking up bolts so I can get my hood on.
Still waiting on my buddy to paint the lip kit... he's had the parts for 6 weeks...
Gatta roll the rear fenders a little more, they have room, but I'll have to do it eventually anyway.
Also picking up some paint to get the interior looking decent for now.
Pictures tomorrow.
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Got the amp and sub woofer all wired up, going to get it tuned whenever I get some blank CDs... my headunit is so old, it has a tape deck behind the screen
Started spraying the interior pieces black, looks 100% better.
Car's running like a saint, once the interior is good to go I'm getting it legal (Plates, insurance, yadda yadda) then bringing it to an exhaust shop to get that finished up.
Question: How long are the hood bolts? I know they're 8x1.25, but no idea on length.
I lied about pictures... I hate using a camera.
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LOL i know the feeling.... pretty much exactly. i just got mine going after 3 years as well.
lookin good man!
I choose the technology built for land speed records... not the technology built to save on emissions and gas mileage.
Thanks!
Just found out I should be getting my lip kit and skirts back either Thursday or Friday, so that'll be nice!!!
Interior should be finished up tomorrow? Depends on if I go out that way. (The car isn't at my place, it's out at my parents)
Also got a good lead on a reputable muffler shop, so I'll be calling them up tomorrow and see what it'll cost.
This thread will be like a blog.... for my car. That way I can get it out without annoying the crap out of my wife, she's sick of my car talk.
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Interior is 99% done, just have to put the rear seat back on and re-run the remote wire.
Got the hood on, lines up pretty decent if I do say so myself.
My buddy said he should be done with my lip kit TOMORROW... so if that's true, I'll be installing that. I can't imagine how low she's going to look.... mmmmm.
I can't get over how smooth she runs. I was expecting some kind of catastrophic meltdown as soon as I got her running... but nope. Like I said before, this is the first time I've ever done any kind of major mechanical work, I guess it helped having my brother by my side the whole time. He's been messing around with cars since he was 14, went into the Army as a mechanic, and maintains a really good reputation around town for being the guy to go to. If it wasn't for him, I'd still be trying to remove the dead engine.
Looks like I'll have plates and insurance on the car early next week. Oh I can't wait!
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Interior is done minus the arm rest, I'll be wrapping that when I get the material and time.
Car needed a new belt, went on like butta'. No more squealing!
It was a sad day... I raised the car up so it'll be able to fit on the lift at the exhaust shop. >.< It looks so ugly.
Also hung the exhaust (lack there of) a little better. The resonator was constantly dragging.
Still no lip kit, kid said I can pick it up tomorrow! Woot!! Though he never got the front lip painted... I think I'll just wrap it instead.
I'll have lots of pictures after the 4th.
Hopefully I can get her clean enough... she's DIRTY.
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cars looking good man, must be a good feeling of satisfaction to finally be able to drive it.
btw, thank you for your service. i ship for basic in Oct.
Recognize this bad boy from S|W!
blucavvy wrote:cars looking good man, must be a good feeling of satisfaction to finally be able to drive it.
btw, thank you for your service. i ship for basic in Oct.
Oh it's great. I just got insurance on it today and will be driving it tomorrow... straight to the exhaust shop and than to get the brakes bled some more. Haha
Thanks for the support. What branch? MOS? I went to BCT at Ft. Jackson. Just remember, the whole thing is just a huge mind game. Listen to your drill sergeants and you'll be fine.
Jeff Wybrow wrote:Recognize this bad boy from S|W!
OH YOU KNOW IT!
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OH YEAAAAHHH!
Car's home!
Couldn't get the car in the exhaust shop until next week... good thing they give you 10 days for a fix-it-ticket.
I understand now what people are talking about when they say solid motor mounts rattle the interior like crazy... my dash pad looks like it's having a constant seizure.
I guess I could slam it back down until then.... hmm.
She rides soooooo nice though.... mmmmm I love it.
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active duty ARMY, 91 bravo (light wheel vehicle mechanic), basic at ft. Benning ga., ait at ft. Lee virginia, I'm pumped man excited to go.
Oh cool! My brother was a mechanic also, he did a year in Iraq... 04-05 I think?
I've heard Benning is pretty serious business. Ft. Lee is a joke, haha.
I had TONS of fun during BCT, you get to do a lot of crazy high speed stuff, it's awesome!
Goodluck!
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Exhaust is done and the car is now legal, so that's nice.
After I got that done I went and spun my coils all the way down and drove it home.
Worst. Ride. Ever.
I seriously felt like my life was in danger... so I got to to my brothers house and started checkin' stuff out.
I was rubbing my computer.. My rear tires were making out with the wheel wells. Hell, even the strut caps in the front got slammed up (and stuck) into my top hats.
Maybe I'm being a huge vagee and never realized how painful driving a slammed car was... but oh my god.
I was convinced that my struts busted through my towers.
So, I raised the coils up ~1" on all corners and drove it home.
Anyway, any advice on what I should do to make it bearable?
I'm going to crank my struts stiffness up tomorrow and look into getting springs with a higher rate.
I'll eventually have to tub out the rear and either; extend my rear trailing arm... or IRS swap. I'm leaning more towards IRS... we'll see.
On a side note, I got my front lip and side skirts on. The skirts look over 9000 times better than the rest of the car.
I need a wash, clay bar, scrub, polish, wax and/or repaint very badly.
Also got some BA grenade valve caps... Hahaha
I'll take pictures tomorrow... or something.
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If you truly want to be low, you'll need to have shortened and very modified front struts. With the IRS the back is a cake-walk.
The front is the hard part. Tubbing fender wells, modifying the pinch weld in the wheel well. There is a lot you have to deal with
I've been fighting this fight for over a year and am only now getting on top of things.
Some motivation for you, sir.
Jeff Wybrow wrote:If you truly want to be low, you'll need to have shortened and very modified front struts. With the IRS the back is a cake-walk.
The front is the hard part. Tubbing fender wells, modifying the pinch weld in the wheel well. There is a lot you have to deal with
I've been fighting this fight for over a year and am only now getting on top of things.
Some motivation for you, sir.
Your build on here and SW has been my motivation for a long time now.
When my brother and I talk about what we need to do to my car, I always find myself mentioning the modifications that you've done.
I've got a general idea of what I need to do. My brother is a good fabricator and mechanic so we'll figure stuff out as it gets thrown at us. It'll just take time.
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Just some quick shots. I need a wash, like stated before.
I'll fix the time stamp someday.
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Lets see some side shots. I wanna see the stance of it.
I'll get some this weekend.
The wife and I are moving tomorrow, so it's been pretty crazy around here lately."
Plus the car needs a good wash and I have to either, raise the rear, or lower the front... there's a bit of reverse rake that needs to get dialed in.
Once I'm done and moved in, I'm going to start on my custom steelies.
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