Bugdet Build Sheet (Newbs Welcome), Low Cost Fun Car Options

[Bigmeanbulldog55]

Class is out so I'm home for a bit. I’m board to death. Thought I'd make this up just for the heck of it. Feel free to say anything about were I'm right or wrong. Any other suggestions would be nice. This is mainly for new members.
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Budget Build 94 Toyota Celica

Stage1, Handling:
1. Brake Pads (EBC Green Stuff brake pad front and rear) Price = $150
2. Front Strut Tower Brace(95-99 Dodge Neon full circle front strut tower brace lightly modified to fit Celica) Ebay Price = $20-50
3. Rear Strut Tower Brace (Celica GT-4 rear strut tower bar, direct bolt in on all hatchbacks) Dealer price = $80
4. Tires on Stock Wheel (Any V or H tire of preference, V is higher performance, but H were significantly better) Price = $65-200 per tire, recommended price = $100
5. Front and Rear Sway Bars(Suspension Techniques Front and Rear Sway bars) Price = $265-300 (most expensive mod)
Stage 2, Engine:
1. Synthetic Fluids, Price = Oil $5 per quart, Tran $7 per quart (trans not as important)
2. Tune Up (New filters, fluids, and ignition system) Price varies
3. Air Filter (K&N always a good choice, but generic brands are almost as good) Price = $5-50
4. Cold are Intake (Make it yourself, there’s a good how too out there) Ebay Price = $35 including filter
5. Cat or Half Back Exhaust (Get custom made 2 ¼ inch pipe, leave or get new resonator, and add new high flow muffler) Custom Work Price = $100, Resonator Price = $50-100, Muffler Price $50-200 (recommended $100)
6. Header (Use 86-89 3sfe header, or Camry 5sfe header, or Mr2 5sfe header; All choices for GT Celica, recommend 3sfe header, all must be modified to fit)(For ST, use Corolla 7afe header) Price = $150-$450
Stage 3, Exterior Styling:
1. Wash Car (Can use laundry detergent to save money on soap, works great) Price varies
2. Repeat Step one when needed
3. New Paint when needed
4. Possible Lip Kits mostly factory or factory look a likes, (gaudy body kits are for losers)
Stage 4, Interior Styling:
1. Radar Detector (Cobra Detectors are cheap and pretty good) side note: Cops Suck, Price = $30-100
2. Replace all speakers with better ones (Make sure speakers have good full rang, or you won’t get any lows)(systems are for losers) $100-300

Total Cost = $1176 (lowest priced items)
New Total = $1311 (I added the sway bar, but took off Interior junk)

Will continue to be editted as long as topic stays alive.

This post has been edited by Bigmeanbulldog55: Jun 19, 2005 - 5:23 PM

[darksecret]

Nice, but doesn't laundry detergent eat wax, or is that dish detergent only.

[Bigmeanbulldog55]

Nice, but doesn't laundry detergent eat wax, or is that dish detergent only.
[right][snapback]300978[/snapback][/right]

My car needs a wax now, it could be because of the laudry detergent. It's what my dad uses and he owns a body shop, so I've just always used it.

[Cutrara]

2. Front Sway (95-99 Dodge Neon full circle front strut tower brace lightly modified to fit Celica) Ebay Price = $20-50
[right][snapback]300977[/snapback][/right]

What kind of modification is required for this?

[946thGenGT]

2. Front Sway (95-99 Dodge Neon full circle front strut tower brace lightly modified to fit Celica) Ebay Price = $20-50
[right][snapback]300977[/snapback][/right]

What kind of modification is required for this?
[right][snapback]301001[/snapback][/right]

Nothing really if I recall correctly. There may be an extra hole you need to drill in the brace but nothing major.

[Bigmeanbulldog55]

2. Front Sway (95-99 Dodge Neon full circle front strut tower brace lightly modified to fit Celica) Ebay Price = $20-50
[right][snapback]300977[/snapback][/right]

What kind of modification is required for this?
[right][snapback]301001[/snapback][/right]

Same thing 946thgenGT said, all you have to do is drill one hole. It's really easy. On a scale of 1-10, one being putting gas in the car and 10 being a custom frame and engine biulding combo, I'd give it about a 3 to 3 1/2. If you have a drill and you know how to use it, it won't be a problem at all.

[Cutrara]

Great, thanks. I'll get on this right away.

[jgreening]

2. Front Sway (95-99 Dodge Neon full circle front strut tower brace lightly modified to fit Celica) Ebay Price = $20-50
3. Rear Sway (Celica GT-4 rear strut tower bar, direct bolt in on all hatchbacks) Dealer price = $80
[right][snapback]300977[/snapback][/right]

Those are STRUT bars...not SWAY bars. Sway bars are installed underneath the car. (said in a helpful, pleasant voice)

[Bigmeanbulldog55]

2. Front Sway (95-99 Dodge Neon full circle front strut tower brace lightly modified to fit Celica) Ebay Price = $20-50
3. Rear Sway (Celica GT-4 rear strut tower bar, direct bolt in on all hatchbacks) Dealer price = $80
[right][snapback]300977[/snapback][/right]

Those are STRUT bars...not SWAY bars. Sway bars are installed underneath the car. (said in a helpful, pleasant voice)
[right][snapback]301066[/snapback][/right]

lol, I can't believe I did that. Thanks.

[soven]

do the strut bars "really" improve the handling?

[jgreening]

do the strut bars "really" improve the handling?
[right][snapback]301181[/snapback][/right]

I noticed no difference when I added my front strut bar.

[boosted_K2]

strut tower bars only make a difference in performance driving... just driving around if you notice any difference its probably just in your head... but for autocrossing you will feel the car not lean quite so much into tight corners due the chassis being stiffer, it also helps during hard breaking when the front suspension is loaded the most to prevent the strut towers from flexing inward. its usually best to get one with atleast a decent set of adjustable struts to notice more of a difference.

[Bigmeanbulldog55]

do the strut bars "really" improve the handling?
[right][snapback]301181[/snapback][/right]

These other guys make good points, but I drive harder sometimes, and I can feel them working. The front one didn't do very much, but the back one helped a good bit. The front was cheaper though. This mod may not be a wonderful thing, but it's something to get you on your way. From the corretion earlier, it might actually be better to put larger sway bars on. I think I might add that to the list. With those, you can feel significant difference. But I didn't really think they were for newbs. I'll add it anyway.

[jgreening]

do the strut bars "really" improve the handling?
[right][snapback]301181[/snapback][/right]

These other guys make good points, but I drive harder sometimes, and I can feel them working. The front one didn't do very much, but the back one helped a good bit. The front was cheaper though. This mod may not be a wonderful thing, but it's something to get you on your way. From the corretion earlier, it might actually be better to put larger sway bars on. I think I might add that to the list. With those, you can feel significant difference. But I didn't really think they were for newbs. I'll add it anyway.
[right][snapback]301377[/snapback][/right]

Sways are the best improvement you can do to the 6th gen cheaply IMO.

[Bigmeanbulldog55]

do the strut bars "really" improve the handling?
[right][snapback]301181[/snapback][/right]

These other guys make good points, but I drive harder sometimes, and I can feel them working. The front one didn't do very much, but the back one helped a good bit. The front was cheaper though. This mod may not be a wonderful thing, but it's something to get you on your way. From the corretion earlier, it might actually be better to put larger sway bars on. I think I might add that to the list. With those, you can feel significant difference. But I didn't really think they were for newbs. I'll add it anyway.
[right][snapback]301377[/snapback][/right]

Sways are the best improvement you can do to the 6th gen cheaply IMO.
[right][snapback]301454[/snapback][/right]

I'm not going to argue with that. But were do you think I can shave stuff off so that my total is closer to $1000?

[chicklover345]

Nice, but doesn't laundry detergent eat wax, or is that dish detergent only.
[right][snapback]300978[/snapback][/right]

Don't - Never use laundry detergents or similar harsh soaps to wash your car. Harsh soaps will remove any protective wax plus the paints oil, which will dry out the paint and make it look flat.

i got that from http://auto.indiamart.com/auto-maintenance/car-paint.html

[darksecret]

^^^^^^^^
I told him that already. Good link though.