Anyone else have a project that never ends?

[xe0]

I swear, these cars are the biggest money pits ever. When I first bought my car, I originally intended to drop the motor I had, which was supposedly a stock rebuild, into the car and drive it as a daily. When my mechanic was getting ready to drop it in, he noticed some issues(cracked turbo housing, cracked exhaust manifold, melted knock sensor etc...) and wanted to take a look at the bottom end. After he pulled it apart, the crank was damaged, needed new bearings, and was by no means recently rebuilt.

So I got talked into buying his forged short block. I decided if I was going to spend that kind of money, might as well upgrade some stuff. Well, I don't even want to think about how much I've spent now, but what was originally supposed to be a stock dd has turned into an almost drag car(Hx40, dual walbros, 2150cc injectors, ecm link, hks 272, shep stage 4, QM twin plate, jmf drag, ets 4 inch FMIC, evo 8 brembos etc) almost 2 years later and I've still never even driven it once.

I'm curious if I'm the only one out there that has more money into his car then anything else and it still sits on jack stands ? lol

Cliffs: Project begins as stock rebuild, ends as $$$$ build, 2 years later still not driving makes me a sad panda.

[BLINKY619]

yea man it happens... i mean by the way that i see people struggle trying to get their goal out.. they just seem to no get close at all... SPECIALLY WITH THIS ECONOMY...!!!

[akira235]

well at least you weren't doing it all on minimum wage (i assume, that's a pretty pricy setup you got there)

when i first got my car the shell was trailered to the house, i had to load the engine into the passenger seat of my beater, and the transmission/transfer case/ giant bag of misc. bolts was in the trunk of that same beater.

put the engine and transmission in, and started having problems.

the car runs after me buying:
new wiring harness
new clutch/pressure plate
new clutch release fork and pivot ball
rebuilt throttle body
new timing belt
new headgasket
arp studs
a t25(2 years ago, didn't know my stuff, was told it was an e316g)
a b16g(ironically i was told it was a 14b, and i only paid 150 for an mhi 16g =D)
an fmic
a radiator
about a million random bolts and small parts

all in all i totalled it once to around 3k including the 600 that i paid for the shell/engine/transmission

oh, then like 2 weeks ago the alternator went out. so that was like another 150$ in the hole

yes i agree, these cars are money pits, but they're fun. and in truth, if we didn't want to spend a lot of money on parts we should have bought toyotas or honduhs lol

i've kinda been where you are, it took me over a year and a half untill the first time i drove my car, but my friends still joke about the night that she first started, i felt the engine catch and i knew somehow that this time she was gonna work. i started jumping around and yelling like a little kid, it was probably the happiest i've ever really been about anything lol. and nothing beats the feeling of seeing something that seems so impossible finally come together.


but yeah, totally money pits. i want soooo many parts right now that it just isn't fair.

[xe0]

Originally Posted by akira235

well at least you weren't doing it all on minimum wage (i assume, that's a pretty pricy setup you got there)

when i first got my car the shell was trailered to the house, i had to load the engine into the passenger seat of my beater, and the transmission/transfer case/ giant bag of misc. bolts was in the trunk of that same beater.

put the engine and transmission in, and started having problems.

the car runs after me buying:
new wiring harness
new clutch/pressure plate
new clutch release fork and pivot ball
rebuilt throttle body
new timing belt
new headgasket
arp studs
a t25(2 years ago, didn't know my stuff, was told it was an e316g)
a b16g(ironically i was told it was a 14b, and i only paid 150 for an mhi 16g =D)
an fmic
a radiator
about a million random bolts and small parts

all in all i totalled it once to around 3k including the 600 that i paid for the shell/engine/transmission

oh, then like 2 weeks ago the alternator went out. so that was like another 150$ in the hole

yes i agree, these cars are money pits, but they're fun. and in truth, if we didn't want to spend a lot of money on parts we should have bought toyotas or honduhs lol

i've kinda been where you are, it took me over a year and a half untill the first time i drove my car, but my friends still joke about the night that she first started, i felt the engine catch and i knew somehow that this time she was gonna work. i started jumping around and yelling like a little kid, it was probably the happiest i've ever really been about anything lol. and nothing beats the feeling of seeing something that seems so impossible finally come together.


but yeah, totally money pits. i want soooo many parts right now that it just isn't fair.

Man, I hate dishonest people so much. I had a forum member scam me out of a set of 2g front and rear mounts so I know how it is to be taken advantadge of.

The messed up thing is, now that my car is finally getting so close to being finished, I almost don't want it to be done. As soon as it's all running, I have to bring it back to the painter that painted my car and have him fix all the problems he created so it's going to just sit again

[TheBassist]

Well, by no means have I spent as much as you guys, or have had any of the problems you've had, but:
Last year, I had about $4000 in my account (minimum wage job, whilst paying for school...same situation still haha), and I saw a 99 GS on craigslist for $2850. Talked them down to $2700. Which leaves me around 1300. Then after new tires, and $300 electrical problem, i dipped well below $1000. Between Klipsy and school, I haven't been safely above $1000 until the other day when I rolled over some cash I had sitting in a CD. I'm finally feeling comfortable. But yeah, between maintenance, bolt ons, and a dead fuel pump, this thing sucks money from me faster that I can even count it! And that's why I'm going to school to get a real job!

[akira235]

Man, I hate dishonest people so much. I had a forum member scam me out of a set of 2g front and rear mounts so I know how it is to be taken advantadge of.

The messed up thing is, now that my car is finally getting so close to being finished, I almost don't want it to be done. As soon as it's all running, I have to bring it back to the painter that painted my car and have him fix all the problems he created so it's going to just sit again

well that kinda blows, but look at the bright side, once you get it running and get the paint fixed you'll be riding in a shiny new dsm, that based on your setup, will be pretty damn fast.

every time my car has problems I'm like "god, why did i buy this?!" then i fix it, and the first time i hit boost, i remember EXACTLY why i bought it. turbo cars are just so much fun. So good luck, and post pictures when it's all said and done, It's always satisfying to see another dsm go from sitting to driving.

[rx7ttlm]

Yeah, my 2g started out as stock, Now i have enough into it to have bought an evo lol.

[90on35psi]

I don't know how many times I've been so frustrated with my car, but then it's way too much fun when it's running good... which is also very rare...

[shsking11]

Yeup, my car seems like a never ending project. But there are times I think of it that way because I always want bigger, better, and faster. So it's my fault. lol

[DSMer541]

i feel your pain...... it seems like every time i buy something, i have to buy 2 other things to use that thing....never ends

[rx7ttlm]

Originally Posted by shsking11

Yeup, my car seems like a never ending project. But there are times I think of it that way because I always want bigger, better, and faster. So it's my fault. lol

That's exactly how i have a $1000 intercooler lol, and a $2900 turbo setup lol

[gixrman]

This is funny becuase I was thinking the same thing when I took my Eclipse down for its emissions test which is every two yrs. and my mileage has only increased by 23 miles.:-( I look back at old pictures and dates and can't believe the car has been down for this long.
New turbo turned into new exh. manifold, which turned ino new radiator to make room, which turned into removing the A/C. New exh. manifold didn't clear hood, so new hood which HAD to be modified.
Traded old turbo for NOS so removed back seat for tanks, well hey might as well upgrade the stereo too... which has me now relocating the HVAC controls to the glove box. Needless to say the car is nolonger a DD and can not be left alone. Oh and cant forget the front lip project.

[xe0]

Originally Posted by rx7ttlm

Yeah, my 2g started out as stock, Now i have enough into it to have bought an evo lol.

We need to start an enough money into our cars that we could of had an evo club . I think about that every time I look at my engine. Oh well, at least I have the brakes from an evo lol.

[rx7ttlm]

Originally Posted by xe0

We need to start an enough money into our cars that we could of had an evo club . I think about that every time I look at my engine. Oh well, at least I have the brakes from an evo lol.

Totally! lol. I have reciepts!! lol But I don't know of any evo's around here that can hang with my car

[ranger87]

ok im not alone in oregon... I just went and picked up my rolling shell 90 tsi, thst to date has had 2 motors (due to me being to broke to fix right), no less that 5 turbo setups snd now im workin on motor number 3 (done right). All of this in the time span of 3 years and 2850 miles. A bonus is that in the end I still wont be happy with it and tear it apart again. I even quit updating my profile ### it changes weekly. I guess we all like having a pretty lawn ornament in the garage, or the ablility to say "wait til its done itll be soooo quick"!!!

[g_ferg]

Ive got one that never seems to end. Been towed to 5 diffrent times. Everytime ive moved the freaking thing doesnt run

[Evil94Evo]

I've never had one actually be done.

[rx7ttlm]

Originally Posted by Evil94Evo

I've never had one actually be done.

mine is almost done, Even got a great price on the stoptechs for next month's buy to finish off my 4 year long build.

[NYCRedlineTalon]

Originally Posted by Evil94Evo

I've never had one actually be done.

same here, this would be my first one actually finished, all i need for mine now is to get it started Lol and get some paint and i'm done. It's crazy cause i spent so much money over time, Sometimes i wish i just had brought an evo or something

[NorthStar2G]

Originally Posted by rx7ttlm

Yeah, my 2g started out as stock, Now i have enough into it to have bought an evo lol.

+1 for being in that category.

[DSMnoobsause]

ya but i like the satisfaction of building it yourself and you dont have to say you bought it that way.

[Hideki]

All I gotta say, when you buy a DSM you know damn well this car's been beat on for years, been modified, neglected (probably) and everythings gonna need to be replaced. Then you're gonna modify it and beat on the poor thing again and again till you break it and the vicious cycle continues. No, the DSM is a project that will never end

[icepikbiker]

if you want a real money pit you need to go with a 3000GT VR-4. i only had an NA 3kgt and i prob had more wrench time and money put into that thing then carter had liver pills. if i would have saved half the money i put into that damn car i wouldn't be living with my in-laws now. and thust the reason i went to DSM. parts are more avalible and little cheaper.

[PewPew90Laser]

For me the car always runs but it also ALWAYS leaks oil! I just can't seem to stop all the leaks.
It's my daily drive and I've driven it four times in three months.
1700 for the car
300 for coilovers
120 for brakes and rebuilds
250 in gaskets so far
last 4 oil changes have had less than 5 miles on them.
400 into the stereo
close to 40 hours repairing wiring that previous owner tweaker man ####ed up
So I'm not too bad into it. I'm doing this on minimum wage and part time college student though.

Sounds like you guys need to get better deals on parts, or become friends with a parts guy for a stealership.


I ride my honda spree daily now but am borrowing a car from a buddy because that's getting a motor swap too.

[AnewDSM]

The first chapter of my build is about to end..... but yeah... I've only had my 2g GST for 6 months but man it feels like 6 years....
Original intent was to just buy a wrecking yard special for a motor and just drop it in an slap all the stock parts back on... then i was bit by the dang bug and went crazy with the build.... (not too crazy though)

1995 GST Body
I went 7bolt
1999 Block.... .20 over... ROSS 8.5:1 forged pistons.. Eagle rods... new oil pump, water pump, tensioner, pulleys, all new bolts, (new everything else on the block) *except the crank..
ARP rod bolts, main bolts, exhaust manifold bolts, and flywheel bolts.
1999 Head.... Fulll "Street" port and polish... new valves.... BC springs, retainers, and 272 cams.... HKS adjustable cam gears.... Shaved and polished valve cover.. 1997 Cam sensor...
Intake manifold.... All stock except for the port match to head..
Exhaust Manifold...... Forced Performance
MHI TD05 16g turbo...
02 housing w/atmospheric dump....
VRSF Short route FMIC...
HKS SSQV3 BOV...
850cc FIC injectors...
Walbro 255 pump...
Autometer Cobalt Boost and Oil Pressure gauges
AEM Wideband Uego....
Turbo xs Manual Boost Controller...
ACT 2600 (6 puck sprung disc).
Stock Transmission...
Gates Racing Timing belt, Alternator belt, Power steering belt, A/C belt...
DSM Link V3.. (full version)
DC Sports CS-2 Front and rear strut tower bars..
Recaro Speed S knock off front racing seats..... (still comfortable and if i ruin them somehow i wont be bothered because they weren't expensive)
Rear Black leather 99 Seats...
Black door panels from a 1999 with leather insurts....
Alpine Head Unit..
Jvc 6 disc cd changer..
Jvc speakers all the way around..
3 gauge pilar pod...
1999 rear bumper and side skirts and door mouldings... (still looking for a front.. black)
19" Konig Imagines with 235/35/r19 Goodyear Eagle GT tires.
Megan Racing EZ-Street Coilovers...
Smoked Taillights...

Motor is going to be put together and dropped in within the next 2 weeks... then it's plug, bolt, slap and play.. and it's about time.... just in time to park it for the winter..... lame..

I know i'm still not done... but dang close... and then i'll find more that i'll want to do... it's just the way it is................

[JSand96TSi]

I have a project like this. I got a 1996 talon tsi shell with tranny for 150 bucks. So i swapped all the interior outta my other talon and swiyched it all in. Ive had this car for almost a year and it till sits. I got a motor and just picked up my t case. It should be done in the next month i hope!

[gusu]

The longest my car has been down is the 3 days I had Lucas English do a stage II rebuild on my tranny.

Whats sad is my 90 is in the best condition of all of my friend's DSMs. One of my friend's even has a 99 GSX lol.

Everyone thinks my car is a POS because the alt belt squeals (Just bought the bolts from a guy on here) and the paint is a bit rough. When I say rough it is just VERY minor door dings and the front bumper is scratched to hell. It's kind of funny how people judge your car based ONLY off paint.