A little behind schedule but here are some pictures as promised. The garage is a work in progress so try and not let it distract you too much. My 2005 Dodge Neon SRT-4 that hasn't run in a decade as of this year. However, I was stationed overseas for nearly nine of them.
Some pictures of the front of the car prior to heart surgery!
Motor is and transmission out! Built 2.4L that will be going into a later project, I am really leaning towards a miata cart down the line.
Here are some shots of the 4.8L that I was able to pick up locally. Apparently it came out of a Chevy Express that was being used as a catering vehicle. I saw the van in the yard, which had been involved in a rear-end collision and rather than repair the company chose to total it out. I was told the Express had less than 60k on the clock when it met it's end. Once I tear into the motor we will see if that holds true.
Here are some shots of the 4.8L that I was able to pick up locally. Apparently it came out of a Chevy Express that was being used as a catering vehicle. I saw the van in the yard, which had been involved in a rear-end collision, and rather than repair, the company chose to total it out. I was told the Express had less than 60k on the clock when it met its end. Once I tear into the motor, we will see if that holds true.
This is all I have for now. I will try and take more "action shots" in the future. I was just so excited that it skipped my mind.
A tentative list of next things to accomplish:
1. Strip the interior of the car.
2. Get a mockup done of the enigine and pictures for motivation more than anything else.
3. Secure a T56, TR6060, or CD00X transmission.
4. Secure a Fr + Re subframe (I found a junkyard 2010 Camaro with a pretty cherry Fr + Re subframe).
5. Additionally find some new rims and rubber to help simulate the new setup going into the car down the line.
Let me know what you think; if you have any feedback, negative or positive, I would like to hear it! Lastly, if you have any tips or tricks that would help, I am all ears. I have never undertaken a project of this scope, and I know there will be many challenges I have not accounted for through inexperience or ignorance.
Thanks for reading!
Might I suggest salvaging the tunnel out of a Camaro or Caprice. That piece of formed steel is already made to cover a 700R4/4L60e. Could save loads of construction? Cut yourself a generous piece of floor with it and trim both to fit.
I am still in the "mid engine the SRT4"(Mini Miura style) camp. Lose that back seat, you never really used it, did you? And you won't have to build a tunnel and interior. "Save the Office!"
Still watching! You do You!, I'll do me! and hopefully we'll all have a blast!
In reply to AhBNormal:
Good morning, AhBNormal,
I have considered taking that route. I could rip the tunnel and some pan from nearly any RWD car, preferably a Chevy RWD. I may have mentioned this earlier, maybe not, but I want this project to be fairly fabrication intensive. Normally I am all for recycling metal from vehicles that are doing nothing except sitting, but not for this project. I desperately want to begin my personal fabrication journey and push myself to turn fabrication into a valuable and versatile skill. Maybe I fail at that dream. I may also hate the process and revert to a reuse/recycle mindset.
I want to take a flat metal sheet and transform it into something I designed. Bend tubes into something that is both functional and asthetically pleasing. I also want to achieve the same with composites when the time comes utilizing fiberglass, carbon fiber, and kevlar.
Project Jellybean is not about speed. The project is also not about saving on cost - within reason. I want to learn more about the hobby I love. I want to experiment, fail, learn, and eventually succeed. I appreciate your recommendation! On future projects, I may be more than willing to customize less and recycle/reuse more. I hope you will continue to follow along and provide guidance and feedback.
Thank you for your contribution and participation!
Certainly! Build from scratch! It would add an air of achievement to your project. If that is your style, go for it!
I am in a different place and have been putting things off for job and family. Now my time is limited by travel and, well, 60+, I'm not gonna live forever! Haha. So donor parts have a certain appeal to my schedule.
Having done some "body drop" builds I have found the interior and steering to be huge stumbling blocks. That steering rack has got to go somewhere!
So build your build and show it off! Always enjoy a good story! (No plan has ever survived direct contact with reality!) With persistence and vision goals are met. This will be interesting, I am sure! I know I can't wait.
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