What have you done to your MSP today?

Also have been thinking a lot about it and I said I'd never actually sell the car and I really don't want to, so if I want to daily it and have some power I've got to do it right... Otherwise I'll be on here every three months bitching about a rod going through the block... I figure for $2500 I can make it reliable and quick... Keep in mind I have all the equpiment, tools, and knowledge to do all the work myself.

Forge the motor, MFactory Differential, Downpipe and 3" exhaust... I'm certain I can do this for $2500 and do it all at once so I'm not having downtime... I'll run 14psi assuming the GT25 can do it, otherwise I'll keep it at 12.5 as I am now... I'll pick up an extra block/crank and have one of my heads completely gone through by my machine shop. I'll also have to pick up another clutch because my Exedy S1 is already slipping... Everything else on the car will be practically new at that point- sway bar bushings, sway bar links, front lower control arms, front and rear pads and rotors, ignition coils, wires, radiator, hoses, etc... I've put a lot of replacement parts on the car since owning it. After I get the drivetrain fairly "reliable" for my goal of 275hp, I'll focus on the braking sysem by going with a big brake kit, though for what I have put the car through, the brakes never let up. It's either that or focus on the aesthetics- fixing any dings/dents and paint it. I think I'll stay with the SSAFC though. I don't want to get crazy with a stand alone unless I can get one for CHEAP and can find a reputable tuner to tune it for me. This process will start by years end if I decide to go through with it. After I do all this, I plan on keeping the MSP as a daily for two years (2013-2014) and retiring it as a daily and keeping it as a toy. So, any thoughts, opinions, or otherwise on this idea?
 
We've been discussing this, so the others don't know, but I'm not having to pay for the machine work. And I've searched and searched to find the components at the cheapest prices I've found. Unfortunately I am going to have to order basically every single part from a different vendor to keep the cost low. Also, fluids, chemicals, miscellaneous supplies I have at my access for free- oil, coolant, gear oil, gasket sealant, plastigauge, etc.

Here is the list with prices I've been able to find...

Gasket Set- $97.00
K1 Tech. Rods- $349.00
Wiseco Pistons- $480.00
ARP Head Studs- $115.00
Timing Belt Kit- $0.00 (Already have new in box)
Water Pump- $0.00 (already have new in box)
Bearing Set- $200.00
Fluids/Misc.- $0.00 (explained earlier)
Doc-B Oil Pump- $150.00

MFactory Differential- $700.00
(Undecided) Downpipe- $350-400.00

The exhaust can come afterwards and if I overshoot my budget it's okay as long as I'm not half way through and already within $200 of my budget or something. LOL

I think it can be done. Ryan (2.0t03speed) doesn't think I'll hit my goal horsepower number and I'm kinda with him on that. My main goal is to have a quick, daily-driven MSP, that's dependable, and won't require me to start modifying the transmission. Ultimately I DO NOT want to spend more than $3,500. After searching everywhere for the lowest prices on parts, no charge from my machine shop, and being able to use my shop to do the work myself, I think this is easily attainable. I could be wrong and ultimately might have a really awesome FS thread for you guys, but I'm gonna try because I love this car and if I don't mod it right, I'm going to finally get sick of it and sell it to some punk kid who's going to ruin it and I don't want that!
 
i am almost done building my complete bottom end, and i will be just under $1k deep. used parts parts and good deals and such...

I'm assuming you finally got that oil pan!! LOL! I even put a new drain plug in it for you!

Edit: And an oil pump that I'm now regretting because I could've sent that off to have it serviced! lol
 
Still don't know what to do....

Really thinking about swapping in this 626 motor and just selling it, or possibly parting it out. The KL swap would be a little more than I anticipated, to do a true JDM ZE swap, so I believe that option is out for now.

Just really sucks cause I just got the M-factory installed, the trans refreshened, and the coilovers installed and aligned. Probably dropped about another $3k into the car in the past 6 months.
 
Still don't know what to do....

Really thinking about swapping in this 626 motor and just selling it, or possibly parting it out. The KL swap would be a little more than I anticipated, to do a true JDM ZE swap, so I believe that option is out for now.

Just really sucks cause I just got the M-factory installed, the trans refreshened, and the coilovers installed and aligned. Probably dropped about another $3k into it in the past 6 months.

You could reclaim some of that money and start returning it closer to stock by selling a few parts to a local person... ::hint::

Andy is all about the KL swap, but it's too much to take on to do, and ultimately for the price, I can build the FS and keep the MSP "more true to itself". If that makes any sense to you guys.

And dependent on who/how you want to sell it, I'd consider buying that MFactory equipped transmission and putting in my open diff. transmission back into yours. Just saying.
 
You could reclaim some of that money and start returning it closer to stock by selling a few parts to a local person... ::hint::

Andy is all about the KL swap, but it's too much to take on to do, and ultimately for the price, I can build the FS and keep the MSP "more true to itself". If that makes any sense to you guys.

And dependent on who/how you want to sell it, I'd consider buying that MFactory equipped transmission and putting in my open diff. transmission back into yours. Just saying.

Going back towards stock is not going to happen, lol. It's either swap the block, and sell it how it sits, or sell all the parts, and hope someone wants a super clean, low mileage shell for a couple grand.

Another option is to just swap the block, throw a lower compression head gasket on it, turn down the boost, and pray it doesn't blow until my wife goes back to work, and I can afford to build the motor.
 
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Knox:
Swap in the 626 motor and call it a day Maybe scale back the boost a tad and cut out some of the low end.

Preferio:
You Might come up short on the HP side but you will make up for it in tq and the car will be so much fun. Also that's kinda the main reason I haven't sold mine. I don't want someone else to blow it up lol.
 
I'm keeping mine as a daily but only have very few things done to it, FMI, BOV , corksport J pipe and SLS mid-pipe, so I'm prob pushing 180 HP lol I would love to do a lot more to it, with keeping it to being a daily and some what reliable, just not sure what would be the next best thing to do, on it that would benifit it (more power) and stay a daily ... Any suggestions?
 
I'm keeping mine as a daily but only have very few things done to it, FMI, BOV , corksport J pipe and SLS mid-pipe, so I'm prob pushing 180 HP lol I would love to do a lot more to it, with keeping it to being a daily and some what reliable, just not sure what would be the next best thing to do, on it that would benifit it (more power) and stay a daily ... Any suggestions?
i doubt your at 180hp maybe crank hp but not to the wheels. especially without some kind of afc or boost controller. i know my car is one of the lower hp ones with all my mods. i just made 163hp/185tq. well i do have a odd dip and 4500 that drops to 100hp and then jumps back up at 5000 tho. lol
 
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Where'd you find k1 rods for $349? Lowest I can find is $380 shipped. I'm looking to build the motor for retard cheap. Around a grand for the bottom end. And also gonna have the head rebuilt and worked a little bit
 
I'm keeping mine as a daily but only have very few things done to it, FMI, BOV , corksport J pipe and SLS mid-pipe, so I'm prob pushing 180 HP lol I would love to do a lot more to it, with keeping it to being a daily and some what reliable, just not sure what would be the next best thing to do, on it that would benifit it (more power) and stay a daily ... Any suggestions?
boost gauge if you don't already have one, and maybe look into an exhaust mani and ARP studs since the oem tends to crack
SSAFC if you don't have it already!
+1 this will let you get the most out of your car and keep it safe (if tunes properly) on a budget.
 
I don't understand how you guys think you can pull this off while paying for machine work. Quality machine work in my area is minimum 300
 
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