Hello fellow Geeks!
I bring you the build thread for SCarlet, my tiny stick-shift SATURN SC1.
She came from Spring Hill already tuned to get great mileage, and I've proven she can (44 MPG!).
For the Ecomodders who are unfamiliar with me and my car, I hail from Minnesota, the tenth planet from the sun (thats why its so bloody cold here). I commute a million-billion miles to Minneapolis Tech where I attend the Cinema Division. I acquired SCarlet this past Independence day from a friend. They knew I am into Saturns, so when their shiny new G3 Prius got delivered early and they needed to unload the Saturn quick (they live in a condo, so parking space is in high demand) they called me. After the test drive, the gentleman asked if I wanted to buy it. I said 'yes!' and he asked how much I had on me. "$20"
"Deal"
I later donated parts and did some audio work on his daughters Taurus.
For $20, trading a stereo, and 3 or 4 hours of labor, I acquired a
street legal car (thats a big deal in my household... the doors in my old car had a habit of popping open in corners. WooHoo!).
When I get caught up on my schoolwork, I'll be laying the mods on heavy, so I thought it was high time to start a build thread.
What I've done so far:
-Cleaned the EGR system
-Replaced the gas cap (vacuum leak)
-Fixed the faulty Idle Air Control wiring (it now idles at 700 to 1100 RPM instead of 2500 RPM
-Removed the spoiler (the benefits of this are debatable)
-weight reduction... I think my shop vac weighed two pounds more after I cleaned SCarlet
-Installed a Kenwood that I paid too much for. I count this as an ecomod because it makes spending the extra time to drive the slow lane bearable. You haven't heard a bad stereo until you've heard a Saturn stereo. Ouch.
And now The Short List: things I plan to do in the near future...
-Move my number plate lower to improve aero and block 1/3 of the grill.
-Block heater- I have a magnetic oil pan heater. Should I use something else?
-Install my MPGunio- A new ATmega is in the mail
-Install a volt meter
-Switch the alternator's field coil
-Move the radio mast
-Make a more aerodynamic spoiler
-Pizza pans!
-Kill switch
-WAI
The long list: way-in-teh future projects...
-Rear wheel skirts
-Deep cycle battery
-Charger
-Manual steering
-LED running light conversion
-Paint the roof white to keep the car cool
-Sound and heat insulation... somewhat to lower the load on the HVAC, but mostly because this is a LOUD car
-Aeromod the headlights
-120 VAC rear defroster... so I don't have to draw on battery power
Any other suggestions boys?
~Jimbo
P.S. Jeff, If your reading this, your kindness is greatly appreciated. I sill feel I owe you for the car.