Blue91lx's Budget 97' SC2 Lemons/AutoX Project

[blue91lx]

Hey all,

I've had quite a few fast cars, but have never actually got any seat time, which was the only reason why I built any of them. I bought a 97' Saturn SC2 for $500 in pretty decent condition so I didn't have to drive my built Evo as a daily, and I've decided to turn the SC2 into a mildly functional AutoX car on an extremely minimalistic budget, while still keeping it as my daily. This is also because I can't take the Evo out with me to school, so I want to give the DD a little more of a fun factor.

I have a $500 budget for modifications.

Important Lemons rule:

4.2: Safety Equipment DOES NOT Count Toward $500 Total: Safety equipment described in Section 3 (cage and everything in that realm) DOES NOT count toward the $500 total. "Safety" refers to things that can save the driver--not things that can save the car.
4.2.1: Beside the items and processes listed in Section 3, the following are considered safety-related and therefore exempt:
-Wheels, tires, wheel bearings, balljoints, and brake components
-Exhaust systems downstream of the header/exhaust manifold (NOTE: Turbos and related components are NOT exempt from the $500 limit. Nice try.)
-Windshields and wipers. (Stock windshields, true Lexan, or circle-track mesh are acceptable; non-Lexan plastic is not acceptable.)
-Driver comfort & information (steering wheel, shifter, gauges, pedals, cool suits, vents, heaters, radio)
-All fuel hoses, fuel fittings, fuel filters, and related mounts
-All fuel-system components upstream of the fuel pump, including tanks/cells, mounts, fillers, vents, etc. (NOTE: Fuel pumps, carburetors, injection pumps, computers, and individual injectors are NOT exempt from the $500 limit.)

Any suggestions are welcome, but this is what I have in mind (in no particular order):

-Weight loss wherever I can while still keeping the car mildly comfortable for use as a daily. (How much will a diet help?)
-Fresh stock clutch because said current one is dead
-Suspension: Cut springs. Lower car about 1.5", but level. Weld a piece of angle iron to rear sway bar. Stock front bar. Drain struts, refill with 10wt for oil or ATF, weld in bilstein schrader valves, pressurize. -2 deg camber front, -1 rear, zero toe all the way around.
-Cheap but decent set of wheels. Was thinking XXR 513 16x7 +15 with a 205/50 tire.
-Decent pads/rotors. Hawk HPS or EBC GreenStuff are my top two choices. I've been reading about a rear disc conversion, but if it's anything like the Foxbody Mustangs, you really need a bigger master cylinder and an adjustable proportioning valve to make the rear discs even remotely worth it, so I'll probably leave the drums.
-A/C Delete
-Possibly P/S Delete
-DIY Short Throw Shifter
-DIY Front splitter
-DIY functional wing (not big and hideous). Saleen Mustang style.
-Exhaust: 92 Header to a 2" straight pipe. Cost willing I'd like to utilize aluminum to keep the weight down.
-Whatever else I decide along the way

Cosmetic crap:
-Emblem delete
-Tinted fogs


Desired look with said wheels and drop:





Pictures of said POS $500 platform:

[blue91lx]

Short Throw Shifter

-Not actually functional because I'm not modifying the bottom half of the shaft which actually makes it a 'short throw', but I'm convinced that a shifter feels a ton better shorter. I cut 3 functional inches off (including height of previous knob), and installed an extra Greddy Counterweight knob I had left over from the Evo. Feels incredible. Don't mind my driving companion on the dash.





DIY Air Splitter

I'm a big fan of splitters. Plus, all the plastic **** you can pull off underneath the engine makes up the weight of the wood, so you're not really gaining any extra weight over stock all things left untouched. I made a template of cardboard, cut the wood, fabbed up rear mounting brackets, used existing bolt holes in the bumper. Extremely sturdy. The bumper will come off before the splitter does. If anyone wants, I can send them the template.

I'm going to make the edges look pretty and then it will be sealed with 2-3 coats of Urethane and then sprayed gloss black, so it won't look jank.

Template:





Mock up:




Brackets and installation:







The beginning of the emblem delete and tinted fogs (because my little bro had some yellow tint left over from doing his E30 headlights). Also, my little brother likes painting things and wants to get into body work, so I let him tackle the emblem delete as a little stress-free entry into the field.

[jpalamar]

Sounds like a waste of money to me.

[Bates]

Originally Posted by jpalamar

Sounds like a waste of money to me.

I knew I could count on you to say what we were all thinking JP lol.

[blue91lx]

I'm going to use the car for Lemons over the summer, and am going to spend a max of $500 to get some seat time.

I think a bigger waste of money is daily driving a Vette ;)

[jpalamar]

Originally Posted by blue91lx

I'm going to use the car for Lemons over the summer, and am going to spend a max of $500 to get some seat time.

I think a bigger waste of money is daily driving a Vette ;)

Lemons looks like a blast. I'd love to do it sometime but I don't wanna shell out $1000s to do it. FYI... don't do straight pipes as they have db limits. Also think they require a cage and harness. Since you bought the car for $500 you really can't do much of anything to it other then some of the safety stuff. You likely will go over budget adn be docked laps.

How is using the car I bought any more a waste then buying a car that depreciates to just look it at and drive 2000 miles a year?

[blue91lx]

Originally Posted by jpalamar

Lemons looks like a blast. I'd love to do it sometime but I don't wanna shell out $1000s to do it. FYI... don't do straight pipes as they have db limits. Also think they require a cage and harness. Since you bought the car for $500 you really can't do much of anything to it other then some of the safety stuff. You likely will go over budget adn be docked laps.

How is using the car I bought any more a waste then buying a car that depreciates to just look it at and drive 2000 miles a year?

The only thing I actually have to purchase are wheels/tires, and I'm selling off my A/C, P/S, and interior stuff to make up for the difference. Everything else I'm making.

For now, from what I read, the diameter of the exhaust should keep the dB's within limit. I'll test it and if need be I'll throw a muffler on it. I read the Lemons rules and got some insight from someone who did it before in the same type of car. Also, safety budget isn't attached to the $500 limit, which is nice.

If you daily the Vette you have to pay for depreciation and tires . I'm just giving you a hard time, man. I almost traded the Evo for a C5z to do the same thing you're doing.

I figure instead of jumping into racing a fully built Evo I have to learn the art of driving on a road course before I make myself look like an idiot in a built car. It will be much cheaper this way too, as if I start out in the Evo I'm bound to break something because I don't know how to drive properly in that setting.

[jpalamar]

Wish I had the skills to build a cage. That really was the biggest thing holding me back because labor to build it I think went into the $500 buget.

[blue91lx]

Here's the rule where things get a little easier:

4.2: Safety Equipment DOES NOT Count Toward $500 Total: Safety equipment described in Section 3 (cage and everything in that realm) DOES NOT count toward the $500 total. "Safety" refers to things that can save the driver--not things that can save the car.
4.2.1: Beside the items and processes listed in Section 3, the following are considered safety-related and therefore exempt:
-Wheels, tires, wheel bearings, balljoints, and brake components
-Exhaust systems downstream of the header/exhaust manifold (NOTE: Turbos and related components are NOT exempt from the $500 limit. Nice try.)
-Windshields and wipers. (Stock windshields, true Lexan, or circle-track mesh are acceptable; non-Lexan plastic is not acceptable.)
-Driver comfort & information (steering wheel, shifter, gauges, pedals, cool suits, vents, heaters, radio)
-All fuel hoses, fuel fittings, fuel filters, and related mounts
-All fuel-system components upstream of the fuel pump, including tanks/cells, mounts, fillers, vents, etc. (NOTE: Fuel pumps, carburetors, injection pumps, computers, and individual injectors are NOT exempt from the $500 limit.)

[jpalamar]

Maybe I mis-understood when I saw '•4.6: Labor Costs: If you didn't pay for the labor, it doesn't count toward the $500 total. If you did pay for it, it does count toward the $500 total. This just ain't that complicated, guys.'

I assumed the labor cost to build the cage was included but it looks like it might be exempt since its safety.

[blue91lx]

Originally Posted by jpalamar

Maybe I mis-understood when I saw '•4.6: Labor Costs: If you didn't pay for the labor, it doesn't count toward the $500 total. If you did pay for it, it does count toward the $500 total. This just ain't that complicated, guys.'

I assumed the labor cost to build the cage was included but it looks like it might be exempt since its safety.

I saw that too and just assumed cage labor wasn't included. I'm gonna to check into it.

[Twisted tuning]

I am trying to build a lemons car as well. There are a bunch of saturns around for that price. Do you have a full team yet? Labor on any safety stuff doesnt count towards the 500. Just upgrades

[blue91lx]

Originally Posted by Twisted tuning

I am trying to build a lemons car as well. There are a bunch of saturns around for that price. Do you have a full team yet? Labor on any safety stuff doesnt count towards the 500. Just upgrades

That's what I thought. And nope, I don't have an official team set in stone but I have a good idea of what it'll look like.

Saturns are a great Lemons car because they stay running while most of the other cars break.

[Twisted tuning]

Ah, i have three solid guys so far but no car yet. I was going to use my caged z31 but its way too modified and too nice a car still. There is a chump car race at watkins glen in april that we are trying to make. Didnt know if u would be interested in that but its a sweet track. They really do want u to start with a pos. let me know if u are interested. I have a solid 3 to four people. We can probably build a cage at the shop, i have trailer and truck, lift and shop and free dyno time... Ha

[rocknrace03]

my friends did lemons for a few years. they prefer the bolt in/bolt together autopower cages. they have a real weld in cage and they gave them a hard time about it. heres their bmw race "truck"

[blue91lx]

Originally Posted by Twisted tuning

Ah, i have three solid guys so far but no car yet. I was going to use my caged z31 but its way too modified and too nice a car still. There is a chump car race at watkins glen in april that we are trying to make. Didnt know if u would be interested in that but its a sweet track. They really do want u to start with a pos. let me know if u are interested. I have a solid 3 to four people. We can probably build a cage at the shop, i have trailer and truck, lift and shop and free dyno time... Ha

Man, I would LOVE to take you up on that, however, the car has to be my DD for the next few months while I finish up my last semester of school. I'm not selling the car, so when schools out I'm down to join forces if you don't find a car by then!

Originally Posted by rocknrace03

my friends did lemons for a few years. they prefer the bolt in/bolt together autopower cages. they have a real weld in cage and they gave them a hard time about it. heres their bmw race "truck"

That's epic! I was reading the cage rules and they said they didn't allow bolt in cages. May be a new rule or something. Sweet truck though for sure!