The Protege5 Build Up Thread

[MrH]

To coilover or not to coilover, that is the question.

Killer deal on K-sport coilovers that ends today.  The cheapest I've seen them new in the past is $975.  I can get these for $760.  If I end up not liking them, I could probably sell them for even more than I paid, so I think I'm going to jump on it.

Supposedly the old design used to snap the front end links by just putting the car back on the ground, but the new ones can use the stock ones, just have to be sure to tighten them really well.   Spring rates are pretty ridiculous on them, but they are supposed to atleast be livable on the street.  The shocks are 36 degrees of adjustment.

[the Teuton]

I said get the coilovers.  Get them.  Now.

[MrH]

Haha.  The funny thing is.  I really don't know what I'm doing installing all this stuff.  It's pretty much a "learn as you go" experience.  I think I'm going to go through with it.  They were supposed to be $813 shipped.  The guy who's getting the deal from a distributor leaves like 2 miles from me though, so he's dropping the PayPal fees and shipping.

[the Teuton]

Haha.  The funny thing is.  I really don't know what I'm doing installing all this stuff.  It's pretty much a "learn as you go" experience.  I think I'm going to go through with it.  They were supposed to be $813 shipped.  The guy who's getting the deal from a distributor leaves like 2 miles from me though, so he's dropping the PayPal fees and shipping.

Ask Crosswire, most of the stuff anyone's ever done around our parts have been learn as you go.  When he dropped his driveshaft and exhaust system, when I helped a mutual friend change the clutch in his 240SX, and a bunch more stuff.  Everything is learn as you go.

[r0tor]

ksport products tend to have questionable quality from what i've seen.

as far as learning as you go, i helped my friend on his 240SX the last month or so put on a: header back exhaust, coilovers, sway bars, control arms, various braces, pretty much everything in the interior, tap a stripped cylinder head, and converted his car to 5 lug hubs and installed skyline wheels.... with a 300ZX brake conversion scheduled maybe today and a full silvia front end conversion in a few weeks.  After that is an SR20DET sway

[MrH]

ksport products tend to have questionable quality from what i've seen.

as far as learning as you go, i helped my friend on his 240SX the last month or so put on a: header back exhaust, coilovers, sway bars, control arms, various braces, pretty much everything in the interior, tap a stripped cylinder head, and converted his car to 5 lug hubs and installed skyline wheels.... with a 300ZX brake conversion scheduled maybe today and a full silvia front end conversion in a few weeks.  After that is an SR20DET sway

I think for the price, it'd be silly to get anything else.  $760 is dirt cheap for coilovers.

[MrH]

I went for it.  Bought the coilovers.  These better be worth it.  Wheels possibly being purchased late this week.  My wallet is crying so bad right now.

[BimmerM3]

Haha.  The funny thing is.  I really don't know what I'm doing installing all this stuff.  It's pretty much a "learn as you go" experience.

The E21 is definitely going to be a learn as you go for me. Hell, I think I'm going to attempt something crazy, and try doing a clutch job next week. Hopefully I can grab a friend who's free, but if not it should be a fun couple of days of cursing my head off.

[MrH]

Here's a little picture update for you guys.  These are from the ECU swap.  This took much much longer than expected, and was a big pain in the ass.  Just like I'm sure every upgrade is going to be on this project.

The dirty Protege5, in an extremely messy garage.  It was pretty cold out.  Had to disconnect the battery, that's why the hood is up.


My laptop with my car's owner manual on it, and my new tool set from Sear's.  All I'll really need for this job.


Dirty interior.  And my seats that continue to look really obnoxious in low light conditions.  I swear, they're not that bad.


Here's the bastard I'm trying to get at.  It's under the carpet, up in the passenger footwell.  Needless to say, it's a pain in the ass to get to.  I was upside down in the foot well for about 3 hours that night.


Here it is more zoomed out, so you can get an idea where it is.


Finally got the carpet up.  I first removed the passenger seat, thinking I could take the carpet up that way.  Turns out it's one piece all the way to the backseats.  I ended up removing a ton of interior pieces up front, which I was trying to avoid.  That metal plate was the devil.  It was like wrestling a sharp, awkward gorilla strapped to the floor.  Since I value all my fingers, I had to wear gloves.  The ECU was bolted in with brackets to it, and the metal sheet was strapped to the floor.  It was a challenge for sure.


SUCCESS!!!  There's the ECU in the nude finally.


Bastard...


New ECU and my sexy bear claws that the ladies love...

That's the end of the install.  Another post immediately after with current state, and what's coming up for the Protege5!

[MrH]

I was seriously going to purchase those wheels I posted previously, but these turned up cheap.  They are badly curb rashed Mazda MP3 wheels that I can snag for cheap. 



Currently working on getting a quote on getting them stripped, fixed as best as possible, and powder coated.

Also, I'm getting an intake manifold cheap possibly.  I think I'm going to try my hands at porting.  It'll definitely be something to learn from.  Short throw shifter also in the works.

Also came across a JDM intake cam.  Anyone have any experience with cam swaps?  How long of a job am I looking at, and how difficult?  How much would a shop charge to do this for me?  It's an easy 10-12 whp for $165 shipped.

[Cookie Monster]

Dang, you're putting a lot of money into this project...

[eThirteen]

sweet, looks like some good progress coming along.

[TheIntrepid]

Why do you buy things from McDonald's?

[MrH]

Why do you buy things from McDonald's?

Why do you buy things from Chrysler? 

Sorry, couldn't resist.  Once in a blue moon, I'll swing by there with people from work.  You can't deny a double 1/4 pounder once in awhile. 

[MrH]

Short throw shifter came in today.  My intake manifold should come in sometime this week too.  I'm working on getting some bushings before I install the shifter. 

I passed on the curbed up wheels.  Ron brought me to my senses about the shape of them.  I'm holding off on the other wheels until I get all this stuff installed first.  Ordering the spacer thing needed for the intake and the actual cone today too.

Parts needed to be installed:
Intake
Intake Manifold (needs to get here, then I gotta remove some valving on it, and try porting it)
Shifter
Coilovers (should be here later in the week)

Still have that exhaust.  I'm putting it up for sale or trade on the forums I think.  The end is just too ricer for me.  I'll throw a picture of it up here in a minute.

[TheIntrepid]

Why do you buy things from Chrysler? 

Touch?.

Haha, I agree. I had a chocolate milkshake from there today.

[The Pirate]

Do you have another exhaust lined up?  And I'm really, really interested in hearing about the results of the short-throw shifter.

[MrH]

Do you have another exhaust lined up?  And I'm really, really interested in hearing about the results of the short-throw shifter.

I'm hoping someone will trade me a racing beat exhaust for this one.  Chances are slim I'll find someone willing to trade.  If nothing else though, I'll probably just sell this and keep the money.  Those coilovers raped my wallet.

The short throw shifter is supposed to be the best bang for the buck mod for our cars.  Apparently the new bushings are essential for shifting feel though.  I'm trying to get them cheap right now from someone on the forum.  I probably won't get around to installing any of these for another 2 weeks or so.  I'll be gone all this upcoming weekend.

[The Pirate]

I'm hoping someone will trade me a racing beat exhaust for this one.  Chances are slim I'll find someone willing to trade.  If nothing else though, I'll probably just sell this and keep the money.  Those coilovers raped my wallet.

The short throw shifter is supposed to be the best bang for the buck mod for our cars.  Apparently the new bushings are essential for shifting feel though.  I'm trying to get them cheap right now from someone on the forum.  I probably won't get around to installing any of these for another 2 weeks or so.  I'll be gone all this upcoming weekend.

Yeah, tough to go wrong with Racing Beat stuff.  I found one on CL a few months ago (for an ES), and thought long and hard about it.  January was a nasty month for expenses though, and I was right to hold off.  And I really need to do some suspension stuff soon.  No coilovers in my future, unfortunately.

[MrH]

Yeah, tough to go wrong with Racing Beat stuff.  I found one on CL a few months ago (for an ES), and thought long and hard about it.  January was a nasty month for expenses though, and I was right to hold off.  And I really need to do some suspension stuff soon.  No coilovers in my future, unfortunately.

Hey bitch, go big or go home.

I got my coilovers for about the same price new springs and shocks would have cost anyways.

[TheIntrepid]

Hey bitch, go big or go home.

That's what she said?

[The Pirate]

Hey bitch, go big or go home.

I got my coilovers for about the same price new springs and shocks would have cost anyways.

Yeah, I know.  Car stuff is just pretty low on the priority list right now.  And there's a decent set of shocks/springs on protegegarage.com for around $500.  KYB or Tokico, I can't remember which...  Anyway, that's probably the route I'll go.  It will be an improvement over my worn out stockers.

And I'm kind of at an impasse here with my car.  I'm leery to throw a ton of money into it; I'm getting the hankering for something with more power, or RWD, or both.

[MrH]

Yeah, I know.  Car stuff is just pretty low on the priority list right now.  And there's a decent set of shocks/springs on protegegarage.com for around $500.  KYB or Tokico, I can't remember which...  Anyway, that's probably the route I'll go.  It will be an improvement over my worn out stockers.

And I'm kind of at an impasse here with my car.  I'm leery to throw a ton of money into it; I'm getting the hankering for something with more power, or RWD, or both.

You can do what I'm doing.  Make it the most bad ass grocery getter EVAR!!!  And keep it forever too.  Then wait a few years and blow your money on a secondary car.

[CALL_911]

That's what she said?

And that would be why you're at home right now.

[TheIntrepid]

And that would be why you're at home right now.

I'm not at home.

[MrH]

Is it too ricey?  Yay or nay?



In comparison to my hand for size reference:

[Eye of the Tiger]

What do you have against coffee cans? It's just a straight through muffler. Looks fine to me. Put it on.

[The Pirate]

Yeah, it doesn't look bad at all.  And it's supposed to sound decent too, right?  Slap that puppy on the car.

[2o6]

That's what she said?

And you are at home.

[r0tor]

My friend put an exhaust that looks similar to that on his 240SX... i think his is a greddy that has a silencer built in and it actually sounds really good (not fart can like at all).  We were both suprised after we installed it because just looking at it we both had our doubts on it.