57 replies to this topic

[KennyL]

---Original post---

The Purple Beast, Kenny's project log.



("the purple monster" is actually what we called my dad's dump truck, since he had painted the cab "Plum Crazy Purple"...and that is the basis for my car's name, heh)



Hello all, this is my fairly stock 2000 Stratus SE 2.4l DOHC. I'll be posting progress as I go along doing different things, planning on eventually having some decent performing N/A horsepower.

---End original post---

EDIT: Corrected for current mods and future plans. March 20, 2012

Current modifications:




Performance: "hot air" intake tube Chromeintakes with K & N filter / TCU torque management hack / Urethane filled front, side and rear motor mounts / Balance shaft removal / front and rear strut tower bars / AC compressor bypassed.

Stereo: basic Sony X plod head unit with front/rear/sub low level outs and the regular high level outs from the internal amp, Pioneer door speakers and rear speakers wired through the high levels via the installation kit harness(had a dual 15" sub box/amp setup, but removed to reduce weight for more performance oriented mods...may get a small single sub and amp for some low end kick eventually)

Appearance: Since I changed the headlight housings, I no longer have clear corners but plan on doing the mod again. Cut angle off muffler and have a 3" exhaust tip that's about fell apart on the inside (as resonator tips always do). Aside from that, I have a Stratusphere.net vinyl decal in the back window.

Next on the list: Mostly performance related. Carbon Fiber hood (needs re-prepped and cleared), coil-overs on Konis for suspension, oversize rear anti-sway bar and urethane bushings all round and full cold air intake(have the "true cold" air tube extension somewhere along with the AEM bypass valve. Battery re-location box and long cables are in the parts car). Full 5 speed swap, perhaps further down the road but if the auto trans goes out I'm not putting an auto back in it's place so this could happen any time...heh. Have most the parts to do it.



Down the road, I'll be removing the AC stuff/blocking off EGR/fully custom 2.5" exhaust with long tube header, 2 in-line mufflers(one long cherry bomb style as a pre-silencer and a 'tuner' style muffler with removable silencer at the rear)/Neon DOHC intake manifold and bored/half shafted throttle body/port matching at first then ITB later on, head port matching/shaping, PT lifters/2.7 rockers, valves turned in with 3 or 5 angles and other head work....

Finally getting some things done to the car after all these years. I'm building to street spec at first, but I plan on building one of the if not THE most powerful N/A 2.4 DOHC Stratus' ever. Shooting for 280-300 HP at the wheels much further down the road. The first build will be a "factory part" high compression 2.4 with head work, likely capable of hitting 170-180 WHP with the "stock part" 420a intake cam on the exhaust side and closer to 200-220 WHP just by dropping in a proper set of after-market cams (I'll have the correct springs/retainers in before hand).

As far as non-performance related, car is in major need of a re-spray but I'm more worried about point A to point B and making it get there faster before I worry about making it look pretty while doing so.  I'll either do a simmilar color to the stock Deep Amethyst Perl coat or something like a deeper Whine Red like color but perhaps with more metal flake so like a Flame Red but darker...heh.  Also, modified front fascia and some type of...oh I fear the wrath...rear spoiler.  Not a huge thing mind you, a low slung "drag" style producing little real down-force and generating a minimalist amount of drag (hence putting this in the non-performance category...I just like the way they look pure and simple).

Edited by KennyL, 20 March 2012 - 04:28 AM.

[lovemonkey15]

Not a bad start I'll be keepen an eye on this one.

[Mckinney_Tx]

reminds me of a grape i want to take a bite into hehe.

[jbuff]

looks good...that parts car looked like it would be a great mods boost for anyone on here....good to see you jumped on it....do you plan on reclearing that hood before you put it on? (i hope lol)....also, that front (anti roll bar? im guessing) will give you some wicked understeer, so you might want to hold off on that until you pick up the rear, or hold off completely....car looks clean tho


jess

[captainkirk]

I was considering that parts car, but I wouldn't have used many of those parts on my car. I don't think I have the resources to bring that car up to something good. It seems the cost of restoring would be pricey, figuring on seats, possible body parts, and whatnot. Oh well, good luck to you.

Edited by captainkirk, 24 February 2009 - 07:26 AM.

[KennyL]

Yea, I'm not restoring the car, just using for parts. ...and YES I will be buffing and clearing that hood before I use it, heh. I plan on doing allmost "how to" like writeups as I go along, as well. I'm glad you are all looking forward to this...I know I am .



EDIT: Also, I have a new ARB on the front and I think it's oversized but I'm not sure(it came with the car).  ...and yea, I have some understeer problems.  I might be able to compansate a little with the coilovers by preloading the rear until I get that rear ARB.  Plus, on a FWD tighter rear will aid in off the line grip, by transfering weight back to the front..or so I hear.  I have some idea of how suspention effects the car, but thanks for the warning.  I don't claim to know it all, and I appreciate all help.

Edited by KennyL, 24 February 2009 - 08:19 AM.

[KennyL]

The parts car is home safe, full write up tomarow.

EDIT: OK, here it is.

The trip to Gastonia:  1040 Miles in ONE DAY.

Monday/Tuesday:  got all the major things ready like the truck and got all our stuff together like tools, jacks, etc.

Wednesday...

Around 4AM: roll out of bed and get ready for the day

4:35AM:  Depart from home

Around 7AM: First showing of light, we're allready around Renfro Valley KY

7:40AM: First fuel stop

8:00AM: Small ways down the road, and a teeeny mishap.  The charge gauge dropped to nil and the "check gauges" light came on.  We jiggled the wires, and it came back so we may need to check connections.  Only happened one other time on the trip.

8:15AM: Cross over into TN

9:30AM: Breakfast stop at McDonald's

10:25AM: Cross into NC

12:05PM: Fuel stop 2

1:00PM: Arrival at Gastonia, NC.

1:00-2:20 or so:  We arrive at the storage unit where the car is,  clean out a spot on the driver's side(that's how much stuff is inside this thing), tow it out of it's spot, put on the tow dolly and strap down, took off the rear bumper and raised the rear ride to keep from bottoming out(and it worked too, never did on the entire trip), got the OTHER spare parts that he couldn't stuff into the car or didn't want to(including a set of side skirts and lots of part not even listed in the writeup), and then left.

2:30PM: Leaving Gastonia

5:20PM: Cross back into TN

Around 7:00PM: Fuel stop 3 and last food stop

7:36PM: Cross back into KY

10:11:PM: Cross back into IN

11:03PM: HOME FREE

I'll have pictures of the car later, after we get it of the tow dolly(just parked and came in last night, heh) and and rifle through the parts some... then I'll be ready to start transfering parts and doing the mod write ups.

Edited by KennyL, 26 February 2009 - 08:15 AM.

[jbuff]

sounds like a great buy man....cant wait to hear about all the crap packed inside!

jess

[kidofthecastle]

clean out a spot on the driver's side(that's how much stuff is inside this thing), got the OTHER spare parts that he couldn't stuff into the car or didn't want to(including a set of side skirts and lots of part not even listed in the writeup)

I told you guys there was a ton of stuff.

[KennyL]

Oh yea, TON of stuff. Rifling through the junk and getting down to the goodies was like christmas, heh. I took off the headlights and have those on my car allready(don't have pics or a writeup for that one, super simple). Put my old hazed ones back on the parts car. I tried to buff the hood and didn't have much luck. I just have the wrong stuff I think, I have polish and need what amounts to "liquid sandpaper" to get the most of the clear off and get down to the resin smooth. Then, re-clearcoat it. I have to admit, I am tempted to just use it on my car anyways .

As for the parts car running: We did get that wire hooked up for the fuel pump and got the battery charged. Car fires right up. The fuel doesn't seem to be as bad as you said, even though it does have an odd smell. Once I get the goodies off and get my parts back on it, it'll be a perfectly drivable car it seems. The interior work is the main thing, smoothing off the outside and spraying won't be a major issue.

I'll let you guys know how things go, plus I will be doing those write ups on the more major modifications.

[kidofthecastle]

The fuel doesn't seem to be as bad as you said

I will admit I may have been overly concerned about the fuel quality, but better safe then sorry.

[KennyL]

Yea, I appreciate your concern with what you tell people about what the car will/will not do. For me, it's just a nice plus to have a second fully functional car without even doing anything major. Aside from the headlights, I cleaned and re-oiled your filter and put that on my Ebay intake. That alone made a difference in the responce and sound. I also put the MSD coil and wires on, which seems to help more in the higher RPM ranges(I hear it alone only makes a few HPs difference and you can't really tell BUTT DYNO). As much as the car falls off powerband, I still don't like turning it that hard though...such a torque motor the 2.4 is, with that LONG stroke. I'll help the higher range with that Neon mani/bigger TB/port matching and etc(I noticed you allready have marks for gasket matching the intake)/exhaust work. That's down the road though.



EDIT: also, I ran out of daylight so I have no pics.  I'll have those tomarow.

Edited by KennyL, 26 February 2009 - 08:24 PM.

[jbuff]

I have to admit, I am tempted to just use it on my car anyways .

patience....do it right! it will still be there for you lol


jess

[KennyL]

patience....do it right! it will still be there for you lol


jess

Heh, I know.  I found a good how to on exactly how to do this to a carbon hood.  1500 grit sand in one direction, 2000 in the other direction(to avoid swirling)/wipe down/buff out with a buffing compound/wax.  You apparantly don't really need clearcoat, but people do use it after sanding and it also works.

I know I don't have much in the car overall, but I really hope this works out well.  I have sandpaper laying around, but not that fine grit.  Shouldn't be hard to find though.

[captainkirk]

Yeah, you can find wet/dry sandpaper in 1000, 1500, and 2000 grit at Wal-mart. I have bought some there a couple of times. It's the same brand and packaging as the auto stores, just cheaper price

[KennyL]

You can finally see my coilpack/wires in these pics:



Also, today I got to putting the front/rear strut bars on.  Not sure why you had that duct tape on there kidofthecastle, but it was time consuming to get off heh.  I got it and got it polished a little.  They are a bit scratched but I'm not horribly concerned with looks.  They don't look awfull anyways...I mean, see the pics ;D .



I haven't worked with the hood any, but i have the sandpaper.  Hopefully, I can get to that sometime soon and get that hood onto my car.

[KennyL]

Got and installed my clear 3rd brake light today, thanks Chatterx.  I don't have any pictures, but I have video!

WATCH THE VIDEO HERE

You can see me working the brakes from outside the car.  Other than that, a little too cold to do much elce~

[KennyL]

Major update: Carbon fiber hood polished and on my car

I cleaned it off to be sure it was free of debris, wet sanded with 1500 grit, cleaned again, used fine abrasive buffing compound, buffed with my new super soft pad, cleaned again, car polish applied and buffed out twice.



You can't really tell in the photos or from a distance, but there are still some fades and fine line scratches...actually, you can't really even tell it's carbon fiber in those 2 long shots .  Later, I'll go back over it with the 1500 wetsand like I did, and then do the higher grits like 2000 or more for better finishing.  THEN polish it out, and perhaps even clear.

[jbuff]

Major update: Carbon fiber hood polished and on my car

I cleaned it off to be sure it was free of debris, wet sanded with 1500 grit, cleaned again, used fine abrasive buffing compound, buffed with my new super soft pad, cleaned again, car polish applied and buffed out twice.



You can't really tell in the photos or from a distance, but there are still some fades and fine line scratches...actually, you can't really even tell it's carbon fiber in those 2 long shots .  Later, I'll go back over it with the 1500 wetsand like I did, and then do the higher grits like 2000 or more for better finishing.  THEN polish it out, and perhaps even clear.

looks like it came a long way from what it was lol...be sure to clear it as soon as you get a chance...it will help protect it


jess

[Mckinney_Tx]

i'm not trying to dog the hood or anything but is that just the light hitting the hood or is that area just to scuffed up? and will a few shots of clear fix that area?