I'm about sick of my Celica...

...honestly, it's a fun car, but the body work alone is going to cost more than my ENTIRE projected project car will be, total...

https://dodgeforum.com/forum/members...ml#post1813083

This is what I want to do.

I found a 1997 Neon on cars.com for 1,000 bucks, and an srt4 motor on eBay for 1900...

I think for 3 - 4 large, this is a no brainer...

Opinions?

 

Have you ever heard, A fool and his money are soon parted?

 

for 3,000 more ill sell ya my 300zx twin turbo

eats srt4's for breakfast lunch AND dinner

 

I have attempted an SRT-4 swap into a 3rd gen neon before and it cost the owner over 3 grand in parts to make it all work. You will have issues with the front steering system being able to handle the extra power (the steering links WILL break due to torque steer and wheel hop), the wiring harness is going to be a PITA, you will probably have major issues clearing the lower cross-member and you will have to fab up a new exhaust. Your shift linkages are going to be all wrong, as is your clutch. 2002 was the first year all neons had a hydraulic clutch which is required for all SRT-4 transmissions, meaning you will have to modify the firewall to a great extent.

The PCM will have to be able to run the old neon chassis and the new neon engine which is always a pain, but it can be done with copious quantities of wire splicing and hours on end searching wiring diagrams.

In the end you will still have brakes that are not up to the challenge of slowing the car down, wheels that should probably have at least one more lug on them. A fuel pump that needs upgrading and all sorts of other little costs that always sneak up.

That being said, if you get it done then it would be an awesome little sleeper and if I lived near you I would be in on it with you like a dirty shirt (provided you supplied the beer and paid for the parts).

 

Pictures?

...please?

 

Q-Tip...

If I remember anything from my 2003 Neon, I believe the rear knuckles from the SRT4 were able to be put on the 1st and 2nd gen Neons...

They didn't change anything on the rear brakes for the SRT4... same setup, just rotors and calipers, instead of drums...

Pretty straight forward swap, IIRc...

 

for the 2002 up ones the swap is dead simple. the earlier ones are where it gets tough. I am pretty sure the knuckles work on the 2nd gens directly but require a tiny bit of modification for the 1st gens (could be mistaken) either way you have to track them down.

And of course you don't have to do anything with the brakes, I was just saying that the Brembo front setup is what really stopped the car. Hell, I know guys who STILL think that the rear brake on a motorcycle is all that you need!

I think this is an awesome and entirely possible swap, but the OP should be warned that it will end up costing him a lot more than 3-4 grand if the engine and car together come out to $2900. Plus on a $1000 neon you can be sure that shocks are worn out, brakes are tired, tires may be useless and there is probably some body rust.

If he wants to do it for fun then he should go for it. If he wants to do it because he thinks he'll have fun for less $$ than fixing his Celica then he might be sorely mistaken. I estimate around $6500 when all is said and done.

Engine swaps eat money, and I have done three of them now including an H-series swap into an Accord which is one of the easiest to do but still ended up costing an arm and a leg.

 

ill snap some when i put the bumper back on. just installed a new passenger intercooler, Z1 pop charger, 600k HID, and a new fog light (replaced the cracked glass)

shes a daily, and pretty F'n fast for stock. but no show car. would be good for a project/daily.

How it looks now bumper is sitting on top
IMG_0235.jpg?t=1253823781

New headlights and fogs
IMG_0247.jpg?t=1253823905

 

Holy ****, that things beautiful!