Learn me..... a lot.

OK, so I made the comment to the wife one night this week that "If that damn accent doesn't sell soon I'm going to gut it and make it into a track car." I was more than a little suprised that I wasn't met with instant disdain and anger.

So that got me thinking.... We've owned this car since 2007. Paid $2k for it then, put a E36 M3 ton of miles on it etc but I have done a lot of work on it keeping it decent. It got all new suspension etc last spring and everything has been kept up. What is it's value for the GRM $20xx challenge? Is it's starting value still $2000?

SEcondly..... the alpha in this is the same design as the last of the Scoupe Turbo's. That means the log turbo manifold bolts up perfectly..... meaning adding a turbo to this lttle 1.5 is as easy as picking my nose. The problem is... I know nothing about turbo'ing anything and I'm too lazy to go read a book on it. So that's where you people come in.

This thing weighs a tick over 2200lbs as it sits. If I pulled the AC/carpet/seats/trunk crap I should be able to get it in around 1900lbs I believe then add a rollbar/cage/keep my ass safer thingy. With a small turbo, it should put down 150whp easy and be dead nuts reliable, weigh less than 2k without driver and be a hoot to drive. Since it shares civic bolt pattern/offsets, wheels are EVERYWHERE and it would be nice rocking some 15x8's with 205/50/15 Rivals.

Thoughts?

I have nothing to add other than it sounds like a brilliant plan!

If you're running Rivals, 225/45/15s fit nicely on 15x8s...if there's room for more rim you can put them on 15x8.5s or even 15x9s.

If it were me, I would argue that the value is $1,500 or less seeing as you can't sell it for that.

Turbo Accent... hmm... where have I seen one of those before...

An MX6/626/Probe intercooler might be a good addition. They are cheap and a good size for that application.

wELL, it runs a half sized radiator already, removing the condensor opens half the grille area so running intercooler piping is NOT an issue. lol

Gimp: Mines the next gen so no problems finding wheels with that 4x114 bolt pattern like the first gens.

Keep in mind, this is merely in the thought process stage.

I can only say that 1.5x.095 DOM tubing is probably what you will go with at your intended weight and it is 1.426lbs per linear foot. You will need roughly 80-100ft to build a proper cage. Add more weight, say 8lbs for MIG wire and 10 for plating.

So, a cage will weigh roughly 140 to 180lbs by the time you get done with it.

That puts it in the 2000lb range. I'm good with that. The current suspension with 200-250 less pounds would be a lot of fun in that car with 150whp.

The bad thing, is if I did this development on the Forte for STF would have to stop.

I don't think there's any way you're stripping 300lbs from the car just with a/c, carpet, seats, and trunk crap.

2200lbs with a cage and turbo kit is a more realistic number.

I have an MX6 intercooler. You can has for $20.

I'd give ya.... about tree-fiddy for it... so... it's worth about tree-fiddy?

Ben, front seats are 48lbs each. that's 96lbs in 2 parts. AC compressor is another 19 lbs, p/s pump/lines/condesor another 40-50 etc. It adds up fast. They used stupid heavy CRAP in these things.

And you certainly don't intend on replacing those seats with anything, right?

You're going to gain 200+lbs between the turbo setup and the cage.

Yeah, a 12lb kirkey. Duh!

Bobzilla wrote: Ben, front seats are 48lbs each. that's 96lbs in 2 parts. AC compressor is another 19 lbs, p/s pump/lines/condesor another 40-50 etc. It adds up fast. They used stupid heavy CRAP in these things.

Bob, bumpers are heavy, I pulled 80lbs out of the Mustang and replaced them with less than 20lbs of aluminum.

Not sure how the Accent bumpers are but weight is weight

Bobzilla wrote: Ben, front seats are 48lbs each. that's 96lbs in 2 parts. AC compressor is another 19 lbs, p/s pump/lines/condesor another 40-50 etc. It adds up fast. They used stupid heavy CRAP in these things.

I have a bucket of bolts, nuts, fasteners and brackets that I removed from an E36 I gutted that weighs about 35lbs. I took 15lbs of excess wiring out. Dash supports and so on are heavy. Airbags are heavy. Door guts are heavy. Speaker magnets... you get the picture.

When you gut it, gut it. Take every single thing that you do not need off/out. Strip the sound tar off. Cut out thread bosses for things like rear seats and sunroof cassettes. Go nuts.

Safety comes from a proper cage, shells and belts - don't be afraid to remove things that used to be there to keep the jelly inside your carcass.

I can help you get this thing under 2000lbs, but it's going to be RACE CAR.

Funny this comes up, though... i'm fighting the urge to take the MX6 down to about 2200-2300lbs.

mndsm wrote: I'd give ya.... about tree-fiddy for it... so... it's worth about tree-fiddy?

Dammit, I already offered him treefiddy......

I think treefiddy should be his starting point with the condition that he must have a "Loch Ness Monster" paint job or vinyl wrap theme done to the car....

Swank Force One wrote: And you certainly don't intend on replacing those seats with anything, right? You're going to gain 200+lbs between the turbo setup and the cage.

Start making speed holes!

In reply to Giant Purple Snorklewacker:

This is how we pulled so much weight out of the ti......its amazing how much wiring/sound deadening there was in there.

I like this idea. Very much.

I'm liking this idea as well. If racecar, think 'after the Challenge' also and plan accordingly. I knew the Abomination would wind up as an E Mod AX car so I planned/built accordingly, saves having to go back and redo something to make it legal.

Other stuff you can do: cut the inner steel 'web' out of the door shells then cut out the door side impact beams (obviously do this only if you plan to build a cage), do the same with the underside of the hood and the trunk lid, Plexiglass for the side and back windows, lose the stock steering column and use an aluminum steering wheel.

Door latches are porky, as are their related rods/handles/cables/etc. I saw a Lotus Elan where the latches had been removed, the door had a hook that pointed down and a loop on the body. To open the door, you lifted straight up and then pulled outward.

Those plastic fender liners etc add a surprising amount of heft too.

It looks like the 1.5 x .095 wall roll cage tubing is your only real choice in that weight category. You can keep weight down if you plan the cage carefully.

Swank Force One wrote: I can help you get this thing under 2000lbs, but it's going to be RACE CAR. Funny this comes up, though... i'm fighting the urge to take the MX6 down to about 2200-2300lbs.

That's what I'd be doing. full on RACECAR. It would only have a heater to help keep the windshield clear in rain.

You make me want to do this with the Civic in my driveway..

Also have you consider LeChump?