So I figured starting with replacing the convertible top for one that doesnt leak (water is getting on the floor and in the well in the trunk)...But then again I'm not sure if Ishould start with the motor first which also needs some attention...

so im asking those on this site for some help...........

where do you think I should start?
I have my own ideas of course just wanted some recommendations and to hear other more experienced opinions

 

Do the top first! I have 2 big holes in my top and I have yet to replace it and it sucks.

 

i don't have a vert but i would say way the options if you can afford to do both then do both at the same time. if you are going to have a shop rebuild the engine why not have them do the top as well.

if you can garage the car i would say do the engine and then keep the car garaged till you can do the top. you can't garage it then do the top first then while the engine is being done you will have a leak free car waiting for the engine

 

what are your goals?

My 1st mod in my 88se was swapping in a s4 turbo luce engine.

Car looked like ****, but had *****. Body modifications came later and are currently ongoing.

how do you visualize the vert in a year?

john ny

 

the car is my daily driver so I will have to do things in small projects.

goals for the year...
(keeping the car as my daily driver)

Under Hood:
* Engine at a 1/4mile at LEAST 14s
* engine cleaned and painted
* engine parts detailed to mach

Exterior:
* New paintjob
* Body kit (still havent decided)

Interior:
*New carpet (Different color than original)
*Upholstry to match carpet
*New seats (to match)

 

I definitely wish I could afford multiple fixes at once.

 

i would say do the top if the car is parkd out side. if u can keep the car covered or in the garage if u have one or can rent one. i have a 91 vert and its starting 2 get water in as well. but its a weather striping problem. so not a big deal there. but urs might sound more in need of a new top. so my guess would be 2 get the new top.

 

the tops leak even when new, so a new top may not solve your leaking problems.

I had looked into my canvas guy making a cover that only covered the top section of the car for when I parked it outside, I never got around to it because I bought a house and finally had a garage for the car.

If the car is your daily driver im afraid you should look into getting something else if you want to modify the car. Having to complete projects quickly enough so that you can drive the car to work or school is a lousy way to go about things.

Get yourself another car and take the vert off the road so you can take your time doing things.

 

I'd do the top first, cause otherwise it can lead to rust issues. Plus, if its your DD, you prob dont want to be getting wet or sitting in a wet seat when you get into it. Adjusting the little hooks on the center piece that hook to the top of the A-pillars can help with some leaks; new seals around the windows would probably go a long way too. The top was the first thing i did when I got mine. Get to know the car a bit while its NA, that'll make you appreciate it more when its turbo, and get to know the handling and maintenance on an easier, more forgiving engine.

 

some how the water is getting in from the sides or the rear.

the water is starts to puddle behind the pass. and driver seats more so behind the driver. and the carpet is starting to smell from the previous owner. I only had the car now for less than a month. the engine looks untouched the car is well kept and ALL stock, so I am definitely keeping the car.

the carpet HAS to go its starting to smell like a old wet towel. I hate to drive with no carpet but until I can afford the new top I rather drive with no carpet and just put something to absorb the water.

 

5 steps...................



1. pull carpet because mold is nasty ****.
2. fix top.
3.install new carpet.
4. order s4 t2 motor (JSPEC) from reliable vendor only... like atkins or japan2la.
5.Do research like an obsessive lunitic on swap so you can bang it out in a very long weekend.


john ny

 

if you remove the padding from the carpet it will smell better already, then shampoo the carpet. You can replace the padding with any padding at that point.
New carpets run about $400-$500, I forget the exact price but thankfully there is now someone who makes them- this was always not the case.


Water leaks in through the weatherstripping. I have the original work orders when my car was new and everythime it went to the dealer one of the complaints was for the leaky top. Having owned 6 verts I can tell you every single one of them leaked, puddles behind the seat, puddle by the jack in the trunk.


You may not have to remove the engine to clean things up, these engines go 150k+ and even over 200K miles with normal maintance.
The engines themselves clean up pretty good, this is my engine before I removed it last winter to do my turbo swap, thats original underhood paint and the engine was never painted or touched in 20 years and 155k miles.

personally if I was not removing the engine to rebuild because of some mechanical issue I would leave the engine alone.

 

omg!!! ur flash 2 pass cover are so dam clean!!!! omg! cant even find thos in "good" condition anymore.

anyways back 2 the water leak!!!!
i have a 91 vert that is also leaking when it starts 2 rain. same thing...90% of the water is behind the ps. the rest is behind the ds. now i orderd some new weather all around.top/doors. i know that will help but i know i ma need a new top aswell. but i cant afford it atm. here is a pic of my top.
<a href="http://s114.photobucket.com/albums/n256/epicmaster/cars/?action=view&current=100_0179.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n256/epicmaster/cars/100_0179.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

 

my ftp lenses look like that because I replaced them with new ones, they are not original. They are about 7 years old though.

 

ah got cha. whered u get them if u remember?

 

My vert leaks from the door seals they are both torn. and maybe the top. When raining and in washington state thats all the time you can see the water drip in onto the seat. The water builds up behind the seats because of how the car sits. if you have a sprinkler you can try to diagnosis where the leak is coming from. If it is your daily driver i would try to find the water leak first. then worry about the other mods i would also put money into the normal tune up items...oil change/ oil filter, spark plugs, wires, fuel filter..ect.. to keep her running good

 

dealer

 

ah the dealer. i bet they where vary expensive.

 

so this carpet removal ting is taking me too long! I believe I took out all the screws from the dash to get to the carpet from above were the transmition is under the dash. but there seems to be only two screws behind were the radio would sit but they sit so close to this bulky white plastic were the air vents are connected is there a way around it?

 

yeah if you're planning on replacing the carpet like i did. just get a utility knife as far back there as possible to cut a slit in the carpet so you can pull it out from both side. i removed the dash when i reinstalled the carpet but i wanted to get the old nasty carpet out quick and easy.

only do this is you are not reusing the carpet thats in there.

 

dude getting the 1/4 mile in the 14's all motor on a vert isn't going to be all that easy. they are really slow from the factory. You're better off just doing a quiet exhaust and suspension... an n/a vert is a bad platform for the straight line.

 

yea it is. slow but u know wat it hauls a$$ if u can keep the speed

 

my vert is pretty quick. i think it would keep up with my 07 saturn aura and the aura hauls *** with 250hp

 

where do I get a carpet from?

Looking to make some changes and make the car "look better"?
any suggestions or links to find things to buy?

 

jkhakjshdajbds im still waiting on my weather striping. but i did getsomething nice for the windows