Here is my project log. Most of the log will be just description info with periodic images to shoe progress. thanks for checking it out.

Cookie Monster:

Picked up neon today at Bickmore auto (its my b-day) 11.10.2009

1998 DOHC Expresso (Sport) Coupe Pb3

So the car had paint flaking off the front bumper from a bad repaint job, the back drivers quarter panel had a fist size dent in it right above the rear bumper. Asking price on the car was $1900, here is what I noticed with the car.

Water leak (huge amount of water in trunk and flood boards.) probably from drivers side tail light that is broke and non-working sunroof.
Paint flaking on front bumper, light scratch's through out the cars paint, fist size dent with light rust in paint in back quarter panel on drivers side.
Needs new motor mounts
Fuel pump sounds messed up. Makes a bad gurgle noise.
Sloppy shifter
Sunroof not working, fuse is missing from the fuse box for it.
Small oil leak. Valve cover had oil on top of it, and the oil pan shows visible signs of leaking.
Interior is immaculate other then the horrible wet, moldy smell.
Headlights are fogged over.
I pointed out to the dealership all of the problems with the car, and told them I would not pay their asking price. After talking about it for awhile, they agreed to have the body work taken car of on the car. Estimated repairs : $497.80

Here are a few shots of the car before anything was done to it. Notice the short antenna. That was me, I could not stand to see that long antenna.

In this picture you can see the damage to the drivers quarter panel. Also the broken tail light.

Engine is pretty much stock. I did replace the plug wires with some Granatelli Spark plug wires.


More shots:




This is the best part of me getting this car, I installed these SRT-4 seats. Ex-wife took the old car, I took her seats.


12.01.09 - So I have ordered & installed:
Booger Bushings
TYC Crystal Red Euro Tail Lights
Timing Belt Kit
Water Pump
Thermostat
Radiator Cap
Thermostat Housing (Filler Neck)
I have also ordered & waiting for them to arrive.

Depo Projector Head Lights
Walbro Fuel Pump
So the first fuel pump I received I tried to install today. I pulled my fuel tank down, had the canister out and apart, was starting to remove the plugs from the wire connector and I noticed that the new fuel pump from Modern was broken. I will be calling them tomorrow.







12.21.09 - Got the new fuel pump from modern. Looks good will be installing that soon. Here are some new pictures of the car with the body work and new parts installed.

12.23.09 - So I am kicking around the idea of moving the PCM to under the fender and inside the bumper. Also will be relocating the battery, and fuse box. This of course will probably not happen until spring comes around. I will start stocking up on parts before then.
So I have noticed the oil leak from the valve cover seems to be small, and oil from the oil pan is leaking more. I think while I replace these gaskets I might even throw in a new oil sending unit from dodge.

Future Mod I would like to do.

3.0 intake mod.
2.0L Intake Manifold (side plenum like ones of srt4)
Pull out headliner and dye it black/slate grey.

So as you guys have seen i updated all my exterior lights minus the third brake light, which i have ordered and should be here some time this week.

Started messing around with the tips on my SRT Rear exhaust. Just a little polish. Need to scuff up the entire exhaust and give it a nice flat black high temp paint job. The tips will remain chrome. Also need to get a muffler or resonator to go in the exhaust tunnel to quiet the thing down. Then just need to find someone who can help me modify it to fit on the neon.

Not Polished:




Polished:





I have not done anything to it except about 2 minutes of buffing on the one tip. here is how it sits now:

Just a couple updates. THANKS to SportCoupeErik for the handles

Before:

After:


Not quite sure if they were trying to designate my car as the devil or what?





Before:


After:





I will get better pictures of the handles when there is better lights out. It was kind of dark.


Used to be black, had some major scratches and chips, i have removed most of the paint from the valve cover.






And i don't believe i have posted these pictures yet.

New 3rd Brake Light.



New side marker lights

Not the best shot, i will add more when it is light out, but i was too anxious to wait. Ha ha.



Paid $50.00 for the wheels. And bought new tires for them.

I started sanding the rough spots out of the valve cover, and tried some SRT silver on the valve cover to see how it looked. I am not sure anymore how i want to paint it.

Here is a picture: Only painted the top where the letters.


So i am thinking these for the following combination of paint:

*Srt4 Silver Letters, Black valve cover.
*Pb3 Intense Blue Letters, Black valve cover.
*Polished letters, Black Valve cover.

Okay here it is. NOT FINISHED.

I originally was going to paint it Blue, with silver letters. But i could not get the Vaseline to come off the letters right, so i opted for the OLD fashioned way. Blue'd the entire Valve Cover, and hand brushed the letters. Still have the letters on the right to finish, but it is a sneak peak.

Be Gentle:




I may end up doing a VERY light wet sand on the letters, and 3 coats of clear. I am a bit nervous about the paint holding up to the temps, but I guess we will see what happens.

It is all cleared. Used High temp primer, and high temp clear. The Pb3 paint color was a lower temp paint, i believe 200 or 250. The white is the same.





Got bored on my Day, so decided i would have some fun.



Got this all polished out, had some bad black spots from PO that i wet sanded out and then polished by hand.

vc looks good

thanks, the letters look pretty good for being hand painted, but if you put your face like 2 feet or closer and really inspect it you can tell they are brushed on cause the edges are perfect.

So went to the junkyard on Thursday with Cudaguy and picked up some stuff. I got to say the rear disc stuff was more then i thought it would be, but i wanted it and had it all already pulled.

Rear Disc conversion
3.0L Intake tube
ATX TB
Sunroof carpet panel (mine was ripped)





Started working on tearing stuff apart and decided i would see if i could clean up one of the rotors.




The paint lines are not perfect on the rotors, but that is okay. New pads should burn them off. If you noticed a small groove in the painted one, It is not to bad, very light and i think pads will burn that off pretty quick.