Joey's Budget Rallycar: RallyX #10 - Oakshade Raceway

Beginnings

Over the past month myself and a couple of my friends have been on the look out for a budget autocross/race car type project to come our way. Our goal was to build something fun for around $2,000 including the car and anything else we wanted to do with it.

Well tonight something finally came our way. A buddy of mine called me while I was at work today and basically said he had a line on a Neon and would I be interested. I was hesitant until he shot me a picture and a price...there on my phone was a bright green Neon for $500. I was sold and told him let me know when we can go and see it. The day went on with no call but around 4:00 while I was walking to my car I got a call from my other buddy saying they had a trailer and were ready to go. I raced over and off we were on an hour drive to claim our budget racer.

We ended up snagging the car for $400 and it's very rough although the body and suspension are sound. The engine wouldn't start but late on in the night we got it to turn over, however it's on it way out. The oil had chunks of metal in it and it sounded like the world was coming crashing down. The rims are hideous and the tires are completely bald, but there's five of them we can scrap for a decent nick. It's all an automatic.

Right now we are going to have to replace the engine since fixing it would cost more then we could get another one for. We are thinking a 2.4L out or a Stratus right now hooked up to a 5-speed from a Neon. It should be really easy to do and we are heading to the scrap yard over the weekend to try and get one.

My buddy's girlfriend only snagged a few pics, but at least it'll give you an idea of what we are working with.









And we settled on the team name of Death Nutz Racing since that was our Rock Band name and it just kind of stuck. We also took one look at the car and dubbed it "The Pistachio".

Oh and as a fun fact the Nitro Yellow Green colour is extremely rare. They only made like 1,500 of them or something so that was kind of cool. We are going to paint the front and rear bumpers to match the rest of the car too so it's uniform cool.

We will be doing a lot of work over the winter and I'll be sure to keep this thread updated.

Those wheels are so rad.

LSx /thread

Keef

Those wheels are so rad.

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I guess they wouldn't be so bad if they weren't beat to hell.

I like that colour, I've always liked Lime Green on cars, but I don't think I'd ever get it on a daily driver. For a track car that's an awesome colour.

If you could find an SRT/4 Turbo I4 you'll be sitting pretty. I've seen the people who drive SRT/4's, so finding a wrecked one to salvage the engine should be cake.

However you go with this, I'll be sure to follow along. Good luck! Hope everything goes great!

astrosdude91

If you could find an SRT/4 Turbo I4 you'll be sitting pretty. I've seen the people who drive SRT/4's, so finding a wrecked one to salvage the engine should be cake.

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I know where a wrecked one is actually. Guy who bought it wrecked it the same day he bought it and then sold the hulk to another friend of mine for $700. ECU is wrecked, intake manifold is wrecked, trans bellhousing is wrecked, long-block is fine.

That said it's not the way I'd go.

Also, the 2.4 swap isn't entirely plug-and-play, there are a few minor things that need to be done to make the 2.4 be "happy" with the 2.0 ECU. A quick Google search should provide you with it.

astrosdude91

However you go with this, I'll be sure to follow along. Good luck! Hope everything goes great!

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+1.

Chunks of metal in the oil can be a VERY bad thing. Be prepared to replace the entire bottom end. $400 is pretty good for an entire, though.

These are chunks or flakes? Flakes aren't a big deal.

Zenith013

Chunks of metal in the oil can be a VERY bad thing. Be prepared to replace the entire bottom end. $400 is pretty good for an entire, though.

These are chunks or flakes? Flakes aren't a big deal.

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The bottom end is smoked.

It's getting a 5-speed and a 2.4 according to their plans anyway. 2.0/5-speed wouldn't be half bad either.

The car will be getting a 2.4L out of a Stratus/PT Cruiser, we just need to find one. It shouldn't be too hard though as we live in Michigan and everyone and their brother owned a PT Cruiser when they came out. It should cost us no more then $400 for the engine at a junk yard and we are really hoping to snag one this weekend so we can start working on it. It also won't be all that hard for us since the most mechanically inclined one of us has worked on Neon's for years.

SRT-4 swaps are very expensive to do, we probably had the highest number sold here in Michigan so many of the wrecked ones go to the highest bidder online.

The 5 speed is going to get a gear swap off a Caravan because it apparently gives us a closer ratio. I never heard about it before, but then again I don't know Neon's very well yet despite owning one back in the day.

We also know that an engine swap will greatly outclass us in autocrosses, but we really don't care. As long as we run a decent time and have fun that's what we are aiming for. It's going to be how much can we do on a given budget and the autocross is just a way for us to see our results safely and legally. I'm sure the car will be taken to a road course at some point too.

Our next big work day is Friday so I'll be sure and get pictures up.

Now that's a project car! Have fun and be safe.

Erm, if that's the stock color it means it's an ACR. Which means beefed up suspension and brakes, and some other crap I can't remember.

Doesn't mean it's an ACR actually.

It means it's an ACR or a Sport. Being that it's an automatic, it's a Sport.

Congrats on the 2nd job.

Rotary Junkie

Being that it's an automatic...

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Looks like Joey is going to learn how to do a manual swap.

Rotary Junkie

Doesn't mean it's an ACR actually.

It means it's an ACR or a Sport. Being that it's an automatic, it's a Sport.

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Shame an ACR at that price would've been a steal... All the right suspension bits in place already.

I rather like it in that green. And I had no idea Dodge even made 3dr Neons, so that's quite exciting. And I'm strangely attracted to those wheels.

Interesting project Joey. Look forward to reading about it as you progress.

It's not an ACR, but it is a sport meaning it has IRS on it and a proper rear sway bar. Putting ACR parts on it shouldn't be an issue, I'm trying to locate a set of Koni's they cam with.

Yes it is an auto but a manual swap is very easy on a Neon. The one guy on the team has done a few and knows what he's doing.

Jondot

And I'm strangely attracted to those wheels.

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I think that sums up the wheels perfectly, actually.

No offense, Jon.

Quite like the green. Stands out on a track car.

Jondot

I rather like it in that green. And I had no idea Dodge even made 3dr Neons, so that's quite exciting. And I'm strangely attracted to those wheels.

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I'm trying to figure out what the wheels remind me of. I tend to like wheels that look like propeller or turbine blades. Spyker, Ford Puma, Merc SLR etc. I think the ones on the Neon look most like the Spyker ones, but very obviously aren't them.

Also, you should totally get a Neon, Jon. You already know I know where to get 150 of them.

I have no idea what the wheels are other then they are Enkei's, they are heavy and they are really beat up.

I could've sworn those wheels looked familiar... upon some Googling - you mentioning they're Enkeis helped - I realised those wheels were in NFS Underground (lol), which is why I had a feeling I'd seen them before.

They're Enkei Arashis:

Toronado

I'd support the idea of a spec Neon race series.

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There was one actually a while ago. Not sure if it's still around though.

Toronado

Egads, I KNEW IT!

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I recognized them from Underground immediately but couldn't be bothered to look them up because horrendous.

I used to love those wheels; they went on anything and everything in NFS:U2. I was a closet ricer back then, I know.

Quick, someone add "Because Race Car" to that first pic!
But seriously, I'm looking forward to seeing your progress. Great stuff!
Also, I like the wheels... but seeing as you said they are heavy I imagine you'll be replacing with some lightweight 15's.