Jeff's beater #8, 9, 10 update

[jeff]

Hey friends,

It's been 9 months since I passed the FiST on to a new and happy owner and I have no regrets. It was a great car for 7 years but I don't miss it. I found that my truest joy was acquiring rare and interesting cars rather than owning any one or two for the long-term. I've previously posted 7 (I think) of my projects in the last few years, since selling the Fiesta I haven't been around but I thought for some of my friends here (I did own the car and participate here for 7 years!!!) and to inspire automotive hobby I'd share the three cars I've purchased since selling the FiST a few months ago. They are:

#8, another G1 Insight which I repaired and sold for a handy profit which paid for the entirety of the next car...
#9, an extremely rare PT Cruiser GT 5-speed, cannot say enough about this amazing car...
#10, an EM1 (2000 Civic Si to all you non-Honda people), searched loonnnnnggggggg and hard for this car, found a fine example....

Still have the red Insight, CR-X and my truck too, the driveway is getting full.

Check my youTube channel gray25xt for content on these cars or 50+ Fiesta ST videos I made way back in the OG days. Take care everyone and God bless you!

https://public.fotki.com/greentrees2/cvt-2002/1681304557056.html]

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https://public.fotki.com/greentrees2/pt-gt/1680808824488.html]

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https://public.fotki.com/greentrees2/em1/1689724887598.html]

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[rallytaff]

Coming up to owning my 2014 for 9 years middle of next month. Never owned a car this long before and I've been 100% happy with it with no problems. 10 years will be here before I know it. Been parked on the street all this time and the paint is like new!

 

[tri-pedaler]

Hey friends,

It's been 9 months since I passed the FiST on to a new and happy owner and I have no regrets. It was a great car for 7 years but I don't miss it. I found that my truest joy was acquiring rare and interesting cars rather than owning any one or two for the long-term. I've previously posted 7 (I think) of my projects in the last few years, since selling the Fiesta I haven't been around but I thought for some of my friends here (I did own the car and participate here for 7 years!!!) and to inspire automotive hobby I'd share the three cars I've purchased since selling the FiST a few months ago. They are:

#8, another G1 Insight which I repaired and sold for a handy profit which paid for the entirety of the next car...
#9, an extremely rare PT Cruiser GT 5-speed, cannot say enough about this amazing car...
#10, an EM1 (2000 Civic Si to all you non-Honda people), searched loonnnnnggggggg and hard for this car, found a fine example....

Still have the red Insight, CR-X and my truck too, the driveway is getting full.

Check my youTube channel gray25xt for content on these cars or 50+ Fiesta ST videos I made way back in the OG days. Take care everyone and God bless you!

https://public.fotki.com/greentrees2/cvt-2002/1681304557056.html]

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https://public.fotki.com/greentrees2/pt-gt/1680808824488.html]

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https://public.fotki.com/greentrees2/em1/1689724887598.html]

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EM1 looks amazing - vtec!

What’s so good about the PT?

 

[tri-pedaler]

EM1 looks amazing - vtec!

What’s so good about the PT?

Also, a friend is a Honda engineer and convinced them to k-swap a G1 Insight for endurance racing. Lightweight and a good chassis.

 

[Jabbit]

That PT cruiser is legit. Same drivetrain as the SRT4 if people didn't know. 03 SRT4 didn't have an LSD, 04-05 did. Not sure about these. Intake manifold was different than the Neon but that's about it.

 

[jeff]

Thanks for the good words everyone.

EM1 looks amazing - vtec!

What’s so good about the PT?

That PT cruiser is legit. Same drivetrain as the SRT4 if people didn't know. 03 SRT4 didn't have an LSD, 04-05 did. Not sure about these. Intake manifold was different than the Neon but that's about it.

PT GT was well engineered and seriously overbuilt big time by Chrysler. The car has so many upgrades compared to the standard PT it's insane. All sorts of appearance changes, suspension changes, 5 speed Getrag transmission, sport seats, a ton of other things. The engine and turbo are the main thing...the engine had stronger crankcase webbing, a thicker deck with 11 mm head bolts (vs 10 mm), a cast aluminum structural oil pan, a higher capacity oil pump, improved machining of bearing journals, eutectic aluminum alloy pistons made specially by Mahle, forged connecting rods with cracked caps and 9 mm bolts, larger diameter valves and seats, exhaust valves made of Inconel, different camshafts, and a bunch more. The PT Cruiser Turbo engine package differs from the SRT-4 because the intake manifold, turbocharger plumbing, and intercooler are different.

Besides all that it's just a hoot to drive. It simply should not be as fast and fun as it is in such a dorky package. Its a sturdy vehicle. Mine has the stage 1 OEM tune which makes it around 240hp and 260tq. Not fast but plenty quick. Old school TD04 turbo action. I have a bunch of videos on the car on my channel.

A very well-kept secret sleeper car!!!

 

[alex7]

20+ years ago, that electron blue civic SI was the "Dream car" lol At the time, a friend got one and stuck an injen short ram intake and once vtec hit there was nothing like it - of course, at the time it was because I was driving a 91 CRX ... HF lol what fun times, nice pick up

 

[akiraproject24]

I think it was in '99 at my explosive ordnance school, cherry point NC as a Lance Corporal in the Marines wide eyed and bushy tailed ALMOST BOUGHT that SI. Ended up getting an Accord instead. Should have gone with the SI but back then I was not a fan of 2 door cars for some reason.

 

[Clint Beastwood]

Thanks for the good words everyone.





PT GT was well engineered and seriously overbuilt big time by Chrysler. The car has so many upgrades compared to the standard PT it's insane. All sorts of appearance changes, suspension changes, 5 speed Getrag transmission, sport seats, a ton of other things. The engine and turbo are the main thing...the engine had stronger crankcase webbing, a thicker deck with 11 mm head bolts (vs 10 mm), a cast aluminum structural oil pan, a higher capacity oil pump, improved machining of bearing journals, eutectic aluminum alloy pistons made specially by Mahle, forged connecting rods with cracked caps and 9 mm bolts, larger diameter valves and seats, exhaust valves made of Inconel, different camshafts, and a bunch more. The PT Cruiser Turbo engine package differs from the SRT-4 because the intake manifold, turbocharger plumbing, and intercooler are different.

Besides all that it's just a hoot to drive. It simply should not be as fast and fun as it is in such a dorky package. Its a sturdy vehicle. Mine has the stage 1 OEM tune which makes it around 240hp and 260tq. Not fast but plenty quick. Old school TD04 turbo action. I have a bunch of videos on the car on my channel.

A very well-kept secret sleeper car!!!

I was driving on the freeway once in my ~320 fwhp srt4 and a pt cruiser with the fake wood paneling and bad/peeling paint pulled up next to me, honked a couple times, then just.... took off, turbo noise more than anything else, and I didn't have a hope of catching up. As it pulled away (quickly!) I believe the license plate frame was for ATP or something. Now, i don't know that it was a turbo kit company shop car, but... it sure did look and move like one

 

[jeff]

I was driving on the freeway once in my ~320 fwhp srt4 and a pt cruiser with the fake wood paneling and bad/peeling paint pulled up next to me, honked a couple times, then just.... took off, turbo noise more than anything else, and I didn't have a hope of catching up. As it pulled away (quickly!) I believe the license plate frame was for ATP or something. Now, i don't know that it was a turbo kit company shop car, but... it sure did look and move like one

There's one out there on YouTube with 800 wheel hp. I suppose any platform can be taken to the moon.

Mine is properly quick. 0-60 is in the low 6s. It's a fun change after 7 years with the ST, it's an old school turbo where you get nothing nothing nothing then all of a sudden around 3k rpms the car pulls like it would climb a tree. ST is by far the better car, but I didn't replace the ST with the PT, it's just one of the next cars I'm enjoying owning for a time.

 

[NATYPE]

Leave it to this forum to help me love every other car. Love the Civic, your pitch on the PT Cruiser has me sold hahaa! Really appreciate you taking the time share.

 

[Jabbit]

There's one out there on YouTube with 800 wheel hp. I suppose any platform can be taken to the moon.

Mine is properly quick. 0-60 is in the low 6s. It's a fun change after 7 years with the ST, it's an old school turbo where you get nothing nothing nothing then all of a sudden around 3k rpms the car pulls like it would climb a tree. ST is by far the better car, but I didn't replace the ST with the PT, it's just one of the next cars I'm enjoying owning for a time.

I came from the SRT4 world back in it's prime so the PT GT has always been a favorite of mine. See if you can find a Stage 2 "with toys" kit as it includes factory boost control settings as well as a high octane mode. Stage 3 kits (replacement turbo) are probably hard to come by. The Mopar short throw shifter and Mopar lowering springs are both terrific if you can find them.

 

[jeff]

I came from the SRT4 world back in it's prime so the PT GT has always been a favorite of mine. See if you can find a Stage 2 "with toys" kit as it includes factory boost control settings as well as a high octane mode. Stage 3 kits (replacement turbo) are probably hard to come by. The Mopar short throw shifter and Mopar lowering springs are both terrific if you can find them.

Thanks. I have the Mopar OEM stage 1 PCM and a 50% reduction short throw shifter, that's it. Yes there are other options available and these cars respond very well to bolt ons....however my need for speed no longer exists and I don't want to strain the car, I just enjoy it as a runabout, so I'm not doing more mods. I only did what I did to satisfy my curiousity and desire to wrench.

 

[tri-pedaler]

Good to know about the PT GT - on reading it again, my question sounded pretty dismissive. Happy to learn it's a great car. How does it compare to the HHR SS manual?

 

[jeff]

Wow guys the PT is getting all the attention, so surprised the EM1 is losing out here.

Good to know about the PT GT - on reading it again, my question sounded pretty dismissive. Happy to learn it's a great car. How does it compare to the HHR SS manual?

I've never driven the HHR so I don't know...on paper it's a bit quicker. I think it's a pretty hideous automobile. Interestingly there's a video where the two cars raced that was recently posted, the PT had a few mods and won the race handily (end of video iirc):

View: https://youtu.be/D7P1-V_jZe0

 

[Jabbit]

Thanks. I have the Mopar OEM stage 1 PCM and a 50% reduction short throw shifter, that's it. Yes there are other options available and these cars respond very well to bolt ons....however my need for speed no longer exists and I don't want to strain the car, I just enjoy it as a runabout, so I'm not doing more mods. I only did what I did to satisfy my curiousity and desire to wrench.

Yup I can respect that. My car was 280whp/300wtq and it was fantastic. Helped a friend build a 400+whp one and it was silly. We street tuned it with a TurboXS Dtec run through a Gameboy Advanced SP. The early 00s was a unique time for modding cars.