Time to give it up?

[BLINGMW]

FWIW, the fender flares make the Starion look 2x better. They're still both pretty ugly. :lol:

If the van just needs a clutch, and you still like it, do it! My vote is to keep it, and do whatever (hopefully cheap) things needed to make it a reliable DD. Paint it! Project car is up to you. Please don't get an SRT4. If you're concerned about where your $$ is "invested" the SRT4 is going to depriciate the whole price of your van every year or so.

[.RJ]

FWIW, the fender flares make the Starion look 2x better. They're still both pretty ugly. :lol:

+1

Wedge shape... flip up lights... ugly rear spoiler... same same to me

[Mike]

FWIW, the fender flares make the Starion look 2x better.

yes... and the fact that it is RWD...

[BLINGMW]

yes... and the fact that it is RWD...

True that. Ugly is ok when it's at least a real car. :wink:

[Dave]

My take
-Get rid of the van. It seriously is a drag on you and you've dumped way too much money into it. Yeah, you've gotten really good at pulling the transmission, but that's isn't a particularly helpful skill, IMO.
-SRT-4 or something newish is better than constantly working on the van just so you can drive it. I'd lean more towards getting a DD that is fun but that you don't want to modify, but that's up to you.
-Don't even think about the Challenger until you sort it out with your dad.
-Finish the friggin Daytona already. As was stated before, you've been dumping money and time into the van that could have easily finished the Daytona. IMO, you also need to decide with Sylvia who owns the car and start buying the other person's side out. That way, there is no question as to who owns it, who pays for parts, etc.
-Just let the Omni sit where it is until you finish this current shuffle.

[CaptainHenreh]

They came Sans-Flare also:



That *really* looks like a daytona.

[Mike]

They came Sans-Flare also:



That *really* looks like a daytona.

yep, but who would want one without flares?

[CaptainHenreh]

yep, but who would want one without flares?

Who would want a Daytona? :dunno:

[Jeff]

yep, but who would want one without flares?

Who would want a Daytona? :dunno:

asshole.

[JustinG]

agrred, daytonas is ugly

[Jeff]

Response didn't post twice! Long story short the SRT is no longer for sale and my dad said he would not help me out with insurance on a "car like that" so I am screwed for getting one anyway for the time being. Van will be fixed and I will go from there. Zoom brand clutch with a part number just for minivans was procured, the number was different from the cars, but I can't find anywhere in my TD literature to explain why that is.

[CaptainHenreh]

...my dad said he would not help me out with insurance on a "car like that" so I am screwed ...

That is pretty screwed up...what kind of car DOES your dad want you to get? A Sebring convertible or something?

[BLAIR]

How I usually get projects done is by having only 1 at a time and enough money to built it totally how i want from the start. from what i see you have 3 or 4 Projects... get a reliable daily that wont need any money or work and narrow it down to 1 project.

[Maengelito]

"Where does the Daytona fit in all of this?" Well, that's really a question only YOU can answer, but I think you'll be pleased as punch with the performance of the SRT-4, and when you're not constantly wrenching on your busted shitpile minivan you'll actually have time to work on the 'tona, and with the SRT-4 being a fixed cost every month, you should be able to budget for the Daytona, also. The Challenger isn't yours...don't spend a dime on it until you and your dad have decided what the deal is. Same with the Daytona...you need to talk to your woman about what's going to happen there.

Clearly the SRT-4 has got an edge over the van, and that's before we even get into about how silly it is to drive a ugly minivan with as much power as the V6 equivalent vs an SRT-4.

i couldnt have said it better myself. its incredible having a car that you never have to touch. with the STi, there are a few things here and there that i COULD do, but most of the time, its either maintenance of me literally looking for something to tinker with. i'm sure rex is learning about this too with his newest acquisition. its a weird feeling not worrying about a car. and as silly as it sounds, i sometimes worry that i havent done anything because it hasnt broke.

[Feersty]

as silly as it sounds, i sometimes worry that i havent done anything because it hasnt broke.

Cars are more reliable if you do nothing, save preventative maintenance.

[CaptainHenreh]

as silly as it sounds, i sometimes worry that i havent done anything because it hasnt broke.

Cars are more reliable if you do nothing, save preventative maintenance.

[Jeff]

Well, maybe a little update time?

Minivan is fixed now. I installed an HD clutch from Advance (Zoom brand). The clutch disk itself was thicker and had 6 springs in the center instead of 4. The old clutch was powder when I pulled the trans out. I have a few pictures of the operation I will post if I get a chance. I installed the rear solid bobble strut and everything seems to be working well. I am trying to source a 90+ manual transmission mount as the one I have is a rigged up bit of junk. Oh, and it has new tires on it now too (by new I mean used and free). If it makes it a month without any major brake downs its getting painted, we have already started pealing stripes and razor-blading the old paint off.

[Dave]

we have already started pealing stripes and razor-blading the old paint off.

Holy crap dude. Go to Advance and pick up a bucket of paint stripper. We used it on a friend's truck back in high school and it made removing the old paint a breeze, just wear long clothes and a respirator. It dissolved our brushes, I'm afraid to think of what it could do to my insides.
Lay a coat of that shit down on the old paint, go inside and grab a beer, come out and listen to it sizzle as it eats the old paint. Probably even etches the metal for better paint adhesion :-).

[Jeff]

we have already started pealing stripes and razor-blading the old paint off.

Holy crap dude. Go to Advance and pick up a bucket of paint stripper. We used it on a friend's truck back in high school and it made removing the old paint a breeze, just wear long clothes and a respirator. It dissolved our brushes, I'm afraid to think of what it could do to my insides.
Lay a coat of that shit down on the old paint, go inside and grab a beer, come out and listen to it sizzle as it eats the old paint. Probably even etches the metal for better paint adhesion :-).

TAL-STRIP is what you are talking about. Thats some mean shit. I have a few cans of it laying around. This paint is so thin and poorly adhered that you can scrape it off in big strips with razorblades. Then you just wetsand and prime areas you fix, do a final sand, prep, and paint!

[Jewels]

You can use Greased lightning to help remove paint too. I did the scrapper method on my dad's dump truck, it took the house paint that it was painted with, right off, in huge chunks, with no harshness to my hands.