pcked up my new project

and effectively stole it. 1997 neon ACR. 127XXX on the odometer. still has the adjustable konis, and theyre not leaking. would have driven it home, but the front right wheel bearing is so bad it scares me. the wheel moves about a half inch.

ive been looking for a 1st gen, 2 door, five speed, twin cam car for a while. was NOT expecting an ACR, though. dont know if ill keep it long term or sell it to a guy to make a dedicated racer. i was lookinng for a pocket rocket commuter/STS car. this may be more than i want.

i will start a build thread on it when i bring it home monday. questions:

1. anyone have a link to the factory service manual for free?
2. anyone have a link to just what was different on the ACR cars? i know the struts, springs, trans, and sway bars. but what about things like hubs, clutches, computers, steering racks, etc?
3. any good forums?
4. any good mods for cheap for better MPG that wont throw me out of STS?
5. anyone ever converted a non AC car to an AC car on one of these?

on to the pics. hotlinked for your pleasure.

if i dont decide to keep it, ill throw it up here for someone to buy first for cheaper.

Nice find!

Enlighten me: How do you confirm that it started life as an ACR?

rear disc, no ABS, no AC, radio delete (afetrmarket hardwar and wiring on the deck speakers, as well as previous owner stating that "it was so cheap it didnt even come with a radio")as well as rear sway bar, adjusters on the front struts, alumium wheels. also, no side rub strips, and a foglight bumper with no lights and no switches, etc. any one of these things could be ordered on any other neon, but ALL of them is how i determined an origonal ACR.

i know that theres other ways of telling, but i dont know how. theres probably a build sheet somewhere in the car listing the ACR package on it.

I seem to remember most of the ACRs having different seat fabric too?

Dusterbd13 wrote: rear disc, no ABS, no AC, radio delete (afetrmarket hardwar and wiring on the deck speakers, as well as previous owner stating that "it was so cheap it didnt even come with a radio")as well as rear sway bar, adjusters on the front struts, alumium wheels. also, no side rub strips, and a foglight bumper with no lights and no switches, etc.

My buddy has this blue one too that is mint condition.

The empty fog lights is a sign, those wheels, and the Konis were unique to the ACR. Nice find.

Dusterbd13 wrote: rear disc, no ABS, no AC, radio delete (afetrmarket hardwar and wiring on the deck speakers, as well as previous owner stating that "it was so cheap it didnt even come with a radio")as well as rear sway bar, adjusters on the front struts, alumium wheels. also, no side rub strips, and a foglight bumper with no lights and no switches, etc. any one of these things could be ordered on any other neon, but ALL of them is how i determined an origonal ACR. i know that theres other ways of telling, but i dont know how. theres probably a build sheet somewhere in the car listing the ACR package on it.

But the presence of those things is not always an indicator that it is not an ACR. I had a factory stock ACR with A/C and a Radio. Also the early cars 95 and I think 96 used Arvin non-adjustable struts instead of the Koni's

5th gear is shorter in the ACR and RT boxes. Twincam 3.92 final drive, and the OD went from around .7 to .8. Or so... There is a guy in Michigan someplace that offers the Euro market 1.6 liter 4:12 final drive sometimes. He knows the gear builders that did the originals, and when he gets enough orders, he calls them to build a run.

Phone your local Dodge dealers parts department with the last 9 of the VIN and they can tell you whatever it was built with.

i like the paint

See if this site verifies your ACR status http://www.neons.org/vin/

belteshazzar wrote: i like the paint

i think it'll buff out......

why would you? it's kind of a nice marine camo look.

belteshazzar wrote: why would you? it's kind of a nice marine camo look.

wow.....

i can actually see it after staring for a few minutes.

thats scary.

dad and i leave first thing in the morning to pick it up. im really, really excited.

and i think i may leep it long enough to run at the challenge this fall. just for E36 M3s and giggles, bring an essentially stock factory racer to the challenge.

think id be competitive? can i find used slicks for the 14's?

michael

I can't explain it, but I want one of these in the worst way. Great project!

Javelin wrote: I can't explain it, but I want one of these in the *worst* way. Great project!

ive got one!! where you located? cause ill sell it to ypou at the end of the summer.

just feather in some white paint along the bottom 4-6 inches of the car.

Nice buy. Looks like a good project. I love the pattern on the seats!

Dusterbd13 wrote:

Javelin wrote: I can't explain it, but I want one of these in the *worst* way. Great project!

ive got one!! where you located? cause ill sell it to ypou at the end of the summer.

Kelso, WA. Ah hell, shoot me an email when you are ready to sell. Might as well price shipping when it comes.

my '98 came with a factory radio but it was also so it was an option at that point

I loved it and still miss it.... funny enough I picked up some old GRM's from someone on here and was looking though them yesterday and came across a '96 issue that had a neon getting ready to race... they where big in scca back in the day...

for better MPG... I think I averaged right under 30mpg even delivering pizza (where the low gearing really was a nice benefit...

as I recall the "CAI" that sit at the back of the engine (more accurately referred to has hot air intakes) helped for MPG as its less dense air but also less power... you can cheaply build a real CAI for a little benifit but don't know how much MPG helps... I just took the snorkle off of mine (as yours sits) gave a deeper throaty sound... by butt-dyno couldn't tell a difference

and lastly if I recall right the ACR had a shorter 5th gear along with the shorter final drive... there was another model with the shorter final drive but a longer 5th gear... for interstate/HW that longer 5th would be benificial

figure ill just use this as my build thread as well. wonder if the moderators can rename it for me?

so we went up and got it today. spun over three times, and fired right up from dead cold. no smoking, no noises, which is a good sign. after i had it on the trailer, i got to looking at it a little harder. this thing is tired. but solid and absolutely rust free.

it has been tapped in the right side at some point, hence the door and some waves in the quarter. they also painted the taillight trim on that side when repaired.

the front left fender is pretty much crushed, and i have no idea how i missed that.

theres no brake fluid in the resivoir.

3 out of the 4 wheels only have 4 nuts on them, and theyre all only finger tight.

the passengers side window doesnt roll down. or up. or seal.

new battery! no two tires are the smae brand, and theres three different sizes. all bald.

fresh timing belt and water pump by appearance.

both front headlights are busted.

power steering works intermitently. and its full of fluid.

doenst overheat, but smokes lightly when hot with the thermostat open.

no adjuster knob for the Koni's.

fresh-ish belts and hoses.

thats the inspection that ive given it so far. i also cleaned it up some, and drove it around the block to get a better driving impression. the shifter is vague, the clutch releases at the floor, and the motor moves around A LOT. plenty of power and the clutch doesnt slip, though. no noises that i can hear over the wheel bearing/cv axle.

all in all, i think i may have overpaid a bit at 650.

cleaned up pretty good so far, and backed into the shop so i can get it up on stands, knock the wheels off, and start giving it a thorough once over. my goal is to get it to the 2012 GRM challenge. and have it daily drivable.

so ill be tracking the budget. car and title fees: 650 Booger bushings to fix the shifter: 22 from ebay. cleaning supplies: free! used the same castrol superclean i use on my concrete and siding, and dishwashing soap. total to date: 672.

on to the pics!!

please, feel free to comment. and mods, please change the title of the thread to something like "the dirty ACR, 2012 GRM challenge build" michael