Reversible mods are always a good plan. Sounds like you've got a clear picture of what you want to do.

Enjoy!

Subscribed. I'm in about the same boat. Good luck with everything.

TY... latest project - a new drive shaft/prop shaft. Ouch. The car has been leaking transmission oil out of the rear seal since I acquired it about a month and a half ago, so now that the pervertor (convertor) is gone, I was able to drop the heat shield and see what was going on under there... both u-joints are wanged to varying degrees, so here comes a new shaft from Cali with replaceable joints.

Still staying stock-ish for now mainly due to funding limitations

The u-joints in the factory driveshaft can be replaced. I took my driveshaft to a driveshart shop and the old stacked u-joints were replaced with servicabled ones. Cost me $100. I went ahead and powdercoated the driveshaft after the old u-joints were removed and before the new ones were installed.

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...ps92876533.jpg

Looks nice! The only place in town said, 'not possible - must replace both yokes 'n weld new ones onto the shaft itself'. The end that goes into the trans also had a serious notch worn in it where the trans seal rides, causing the fairly massive oil bath under the car. I gotta take a pic of this thing... it's truly awful under there. I've only had it for about a month and change and I'm honestly quite amazed that it didn't cause a grease fire in the tunnel. No joke! Previous owner is a nice guy but a mechanic, he's not as I consider this whole repair not much more than basic maintenance. Also noticed that the trans mount has a bit of a rip in it. Good thing I anticipated that and purchased one when I first got the car.... :D

Ugh, I need to start a build thread instead of just posting all my work on Facebook, hahaha. Today I'll shoot another couple videos for everyone and post it up to my YouTube channel.

I don't mean this as a thread steal, but we are in very similar situations.

Your right about that
 

Your right about that. I've gone through three rear ends and one pumpkin since '92 on a virtually stock SE. Now I drive conservatively.

Regarding Foghead's new car, I would keep it stock with maybe some light mods. It's beautiful and a v8 will destroy your rear end the first time you get on it hard.

Yes... the 12a is going to stay pretty much where it is until something breaks. Currently, the mods are:

- cat delete with resonator pipe where it once resided (massive improvement in the way the car runs!)
- air pump delete with dual alternator pulley
- rotary aviation oil injector pump adapter with a separate 2-cycle engine oil tank (kinda funny now - when it starts it smells a lot like an Evinrude outboard... :lol: )
- rb muffler (to be installed sometime in the near future)
- all suspension bushings have been replaced by urethane stuff
- glass sunroof panel (pretty sweet, says I.... :nod: )


Additional future mods:

- possibly finding another parts car to pirate some interior parts from...
- a set of konig rims so I can jam some 15" tires on the car. They just don't make any 13" tires that are worth a damn...
- a set of new springs if I can find any... all I can find are lowering springs and it may come to that...
- and new struts/shocks to finish it off

That's pretty much where it'll stop and be enjoyed... all mods thus far are pretty much reasonable and should do nothing but add value to the car...

I've got a few months of winter to mess with it all... I'll tell you what though - the amount of people stopping to talk to me about the car was really incredible while it was on the road... my now sold Neon SRT-4 never got that much positive attention!!!

(PS - if by some chance I run into ca$h, I may - just maybe - consider sending the 12a out for a mild street port... but that's waaayyyyyyyyyyyy at the end of a long list of other priorities for now!)

#2 nothing to wild and off the wall. Remember CLEAN AND SIMPLE NEVER GETS OLD.