Hey guys i have a my Fd shell for about 2.5 years now and im defiantly regretting it. i think the difficult part is that the car had an LS1 in it so it needs a lot of stupid little parts I love the car and i love the look but i feel like its a money pit. Im just looking for some encouragement to get the car finished. It has been at IR Performance for about a year now because they keep finiding stuff that need to be fixed or replaced and its just costing an arm and a leg. I believe that i should be close but i need to convert the car to a single turbo because both sets of twins are bad. Again just more $$. Im just at a loss because i want to build it right but i feel like i should have just bought a running driving car. Thanks for the help/ advice and encouragement.

 

That's always the problem with getting a car that needs something major like that, it's only a deal if you can do all the labor your self and even then it's crazy.

You may want to see if you can track down a good used set of twins, they typically go for $300 or so. I know IRP would probably recommend going new turbos or new single since they want to be able to stand behind the work but a single turbo setup is going to be a LOT more money.

How far along is the car right now?

Also you may need to evalutate what all you're doing to the car and just stop and get it running. It's so easy to keep going down the "while you're in there" path with doing different mods and repairs but sometimes you have to just draw the line and get it running. It's much easier to stay focused and excited with a car you can actually DRIVE than one on jack stands. Get it running, then get it driving, enjoy it, then come back and revisit other fancy stuff you may want to do.

I'm happy that you're working to keep another FD on the road, way too many are being lost to the crusher and we need to keep them running and happy.

Dale

 

You did exactly what I did. Bought mine in 2014, and had the stupid notion I could finish it within a year. LOL!
Mine was a basket case. No engine, transmission of unknown status, incomplete interior... Needed all the things. I wanted to do as much as I could myself. Well I've certainly learned a lot! Done so many things myself. To name a few...
Helped tear the engine down, rebuilt all the brakes, rebuilt my steering rack and PS pump, sent the turbos off to BNR for the full package and installed that myself, rebuilt my suspension (also installed my coilovers), Rebuilt my fuel system (B2A surge tank, new fuel rails and injectors and AN lines full replacement), put all the accessories on my engine when it came back from being rebuilt, installed my transmission, installed my full exhaust, battery relocation, and the list keeps going on! Don't give up. If anything, you should try to do more yourself instead of just writing IRP all the checks.

** Doing as much as I could, myself, kept me engaged. **

I recently started mine up. I sorted a few fuel leaks, an oil leak, and I have a surging idle problem, but I am finally dropping my car off at a local RX-7 and rotary specialist to fix that, setup the suspension, and tune my car because I really want it to run right a.s.a.p. This will have been the only time my car has seen a shop. Good luck, and stay with it!

 

just source what you need and get it running, and stop spending money. money and happiness are not linked together so ultimately a single turbo at this point will not be any better than stock twins. i'm sure you and some of your mates could get the thing wrapped up for pennies on the dollar once its close to the end.

or unload it!........i have been down this road before unfortunately, the stress and money at the end are not worth it. after so much heartache and money i sold my last project at a loss but it was worth it in the end as i got the car i really wanted and i could close up that painful chapter of my life. funny enough i got my FD at a good price so it all worked out.....life has a way of doing that.

 

I agree with the others. Source what you need to get it running. It's in good had at IR Performance. Send Tomsn16 for any used random parts you need and Ray Crowe for new stuff.