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Bought a Silver 4 door 2010 Base model recently and I want to be able to maintain and upgrade the car. It has a 30K motor with 144K on the body. The first upgrade is going to be the speakers because the right front doesn't work and the drivers side is intermittent. Stock paper cone junk, Alpine component speakers for the front and JVC for the back. My other car which is a work in progress is a 1979 Pontiac Sunbird.
It has 49K on it. I'm the 2nd owner. Bought it in 2000 and have been slowly working on it since. Replaced the 2.5 Iron Duke and wimpy th200 with a 4.1 Buick V6 and a TH350. I have a 200 4R to go in it but I want to go through it first. Car has been sitting in my garage for a while as life, work, and all that got in the way. 1st pic is the car with "79 Formula Grills. The 2nd is the rear after the rear 5 lug conversion with '86 S-10 Axles.
Hey welcome. Base model actually makes a decent daily driver. I need to replace my junk speakers as well. Just hate taking the door panels off and fighting those junk tabs.
If it is the ride that isn't as smooth might do wonders to swap some suspension components. Struts go bad and the front control arm bushings fall apart. You can replace these with new components fairly cheaply on the base model. If you are looking for more performance you can swap in SS suspension components.
I'm going to do the suspension in the spring time. With Eibach springs, FE5 struts and shocks. Plus the FE3 control arms. I heard the fe5 requires a specific spindle so I'll do the fe3. The dent was from the previous owner. I have a friend whose boyfriend who has one of the weld on stud machines to pull it out with a slide hammer. For now my son who works at Best buy is getting me a great deal on Alpine component front speakers and JBL rears.
I'm going to do the suspension in the spring time. With Eibach springs, FE5 struts and shocks. Plus the FE3 control arms. I heard the fe5 requires a specific spindle so I'll do the fe3. The dent was from the previous owner. I have a friend whose boyfriend who has one of the weld on stud machines to pull it out with a slide hammer. For now my son who works at Best buy is getting me a great deal on Alpine component front speakers and JBL rears.
FE5 spindle is slightly different size but it's not that big of deal. It's a squeeze type connection with a split and you just have to open it up a bit more. I have done it on my car and it is a mod that John Powell approves of and he knows his ****. Just saying don't shy away from FE5 arms just because of that because it is an easy workaround.
We are talking about upgrading worn suspension components instead of just replacing them with stock units. Wouldn't do any good to buy a worn out SS and have to replace the same components.
We are talking about upgrading worn suspension components instead of just replacing them with stock units. Wouldn't do any good to buy a worn out SS and have to replace the same components.
The car has 144,500 on the odometer. I don't know If the struts and shocks have ever been done. It makes sense to me that if I have the opportunity to upgrade then I'll do it. If I could afford an SS I would have bought an SS if not a different car from craigslist. I bought my last car for a little less than $4,000 and drove it for 9 1/2 yrs., got my money out of it. I'd like to drive this car at least 5 yrs. Might as well have some fun while I'm doing it, don't you think? So fix the speakers, upgrade the suspension, find out why the trunk button don't work, fix the body stuff and drive it.
The car has 144,500 on the odometer. I don't know If the struts and shocks have ever been done. It makes sense to me that if I have the opportunity to upgrade then I'll do it. If I could afford an SS I would have bought an SS if not a different car from craigslist. I bought my last car for a little less than $4,000 and drove it for 9 1/2 yrs., got my money out of it. I'd like to drive this car at least 5 yrs. Might as well have some fun while I'm doing it, don't you think? So fix the speakers, upgrade the suspension, find out why the trunk button don't work, fix the body stuff and drive it.
You realize to do all that work correctly you'll spend just as much as you did on the car.
You realize to do all that work correctly you'll spend just as much as you did on the car.
Proper body work and paint isn't cheap.
Parts on my car are worth 4X the value of my car. It's not an investment. I never understood the threshold for car value before it is acceptable for you to try and make it better. You can afford good parts when you get the basic car for so cheap. IMO I think it is dumber to take a brand new expensive car and start modding it than to take an old bargain car and spend that saved money on good parts.
Fixing the body stuff means Getting the dents out and fixing up the scratches and stuff. I wouldn't waste my money on a body or paint shop. I don't need a picture perfect car. Just fix up what I can and drive the stinking thing. On my last car I fixed what I had to keep it going as long as possible. I changed out the faulty turn signal switch today with an AC Delco original and will be continuing that trend. I got the trunk latch to work by wiggling the connector. Cleaned up the interior some and will keep on going. Get my speakers installed and wait until spring to do my suspension.
Last edited by chuckabtjr; 09-04-2017 at 05:05 PM.
harsh dude. take it easy, especially with new people. not sure what your intention is trying to **** off new people for no reason. just makes the site suck.
The dent is mostly in the door, I'll replace the door. The rocker is dented some but not too bad. Working on finding someone with one of those stud welders so I can pull it out with a slide hammer. Car drives straight and passed inspection so I'm not too worried about it.
09-01-2017, 10:51 PM
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