Mods
Suspension
- AMR Engineering coilovers/camber plates
- 500f/250r in/lb springs
- 22mm Rear bar, Deyeme end link brackets
- 22mm Stock front bar
- Rear strut tower bar
- mix of poly bushings, Moog problem solver
- Alignment | Camber -2.5f / -1r, zero toe
Wheels / Tires
Street / Rain
- Rota Slipstream 15x7, Bridgestone RE-71r 205/50/15
Track
- Front Rota Slipstream 15x8, 245/40/15 Hoosier A7
- Rear Rota Slipstream 15x7, 205/55/15 Hoosier A7
Drivetrain
- 266K mile transmission (original)
- LSD, hardened pin, retention tabs
- Filled motor mounts, semi solid/poly rear mount
- Napa HD axles and hubs
- BM shifter with poly bushings
- Fidanza aluminum flywheel
- South Bend clutch
- Hawk HPS front pads / Napa rotors
- Cheap rear pads / stock rotors (I think they are the original)
Engine
- Ported / polished intake with custom lower plenum (no 90 degree bend)
- 56mm TB port matched
- 3D printed KN adapter
- Long tube header 2.5" exhaust resonator and muffler
- EGR removed
- 2.4 liter valve train components (better oil control) and mechanical timing belt tensioner
- MPx Underdrive Pully
- Magnacor plug wires
- Syked tuned ECU
- Moroso oil pan (bearing saver)
- PS fluid cooler
- Air / Oil separator
- Walbro fuel pump
- Autocross Class rules limit me to stock cams, pistons, compression, no balancing, no turbo fun time, no motor swaps.
Other stuff
- Custom built air dam / splitter to SP class rules
- Corbeau Forza seat with Schroth Rallye 4 harness
- NRG hub, steering wheel and custom designed 3D printed self cancelling blinker adapter
- Peak late 90’s white gauge faces and oil pressure / bearing replacement gauge
- Odyssey PC680 battery in custom tray
- Mix of Mobil 1, Amsoil, Redline fluids
- Typical late 90s clear coat issues now prepped, sanded back and garage plasti-dipped anthracite grey
- AMR Engineering coilovers/camber plates
- 500f/250r in/lb springs
- 22mm Rear bar, Deyeme end link brackets
- 22mm Stock front bar
- Rear strut tower bar
- mix of poly bushings, Moog problem solver
- Alignment | Camber -2.5f / -1r, zero toe
Wheels / Tires
Street / Rain
- Rota Slipstream 15x7, Bridgestone RE-71r 205/50/15
Track
- Front Rota Slipstream 15x8, 245/40/15 Hoosier A7
- Rear Rota Slipstream 15x7, 205/55/15 Hoosier A7
Drivetrain
- 266K mile transmission (original)
- LSD, hardened pin, retention tabs
- Filled motor mounts, semi solid/poly rear mount
- Napa HD axles and hubs
- BM shifter with poly bushings
- Fidanza aluminum flywheel
- South Bend clutch
- Hawk HPS front pads / Napa rotors
- Cheap rear pads / stock rotors (I think they are the original)
Engine
- Ported / polished intake with custom lower plenum (no 90 degree bend)
- 56mm TB port matched
- 3D printed KN adapter
- Long tube header 2.5" exhaust resonator and muffler
- EGR removed
- 2.4 liter valve train components (better oil control) and mechanical timing belt tensioner
- MPx Underdrive Pully
- Magnacor plug wires
- Syked tuned ECU
- Moroso oil pan (bearing saver)
- PS fluid cooler
- Air / Oil separator
- Walbro fuel pump
- Autocross Class rules limit me to stock cams, pistons, compression, no balancing, no turbo fun time, no motor swaps.
Other stuff
- Custom built air dam / splitter to SP class rules
- Corbeau Forza seat with Schroth Rallye 4 harness
- NRG hub, steering wheel and custom designed 3D printed self cancelling blinker adapter
- Peak late 90’s white gauge faces and oil pressure / bearing replacement gauge
- Odyssey PC680 battery in custom tray
- Mix of Mobil 1, Amsoil, Redline fluids
- Typical late 90s clear coat issues now prepped, sanded back and garage plasti-dipped anthracite grey
Build story
Admire the somewhat awkward styling thanks to innovative “cab forward” technology. Open the huge doors and take note of the distinctive hollow sound they make when closing them. Gaze your eyes over the finest of 1990’s hard plastic interiors. Take in the lush cloth seats and trim that looks like a toddler threw up multi-colored confetti all over them. Note the well-equipped features like manual window cranks, manual side view mirror adjusters, a dash..... with a tach, air vents, two cup holders AND a glove box.
Then, strap on your helmet, buckle your four-point harness and cinch it down, forget that your keys are in your pocket and you can’t get to them because of the seat bolsters, unbuckle your harness, get your keys, rebuckle, and go thrash mercilessly on probably the most fun, well balanced FWD car I have ever driven.
Yeah, it’s a 90s crapbox nugget. But it’s mine and it always has been. I am the original owner - bought it new as my first car when I was 18. Stumbled upon an ACR and didn’t even really know it until I found the Koni adjustment knob in the console. It didn’t take long before I started modifying it and then drag racing it at our local 1/8th mile track. It was never fast - mid 9s in the 1/8 was as quick as I ever went – although it was quick enough to catch a lot of people off guard. I got invited to an autocross event in 2001, rode with a lunatic in a GTI, and was hooked. From 2002 until about 2014 it was a mixed use daily driver, autocross and occasional drag strip car. I even did a rallycross in it as part of an Iron Man event (autocross, drag race, rally cross in the same weekend).
During those years I racked up about 250K mostly trouble free miles, over 150 drag strip passes, and more autocross runs than I can count.
Now it is primarily an autocross car. I run it in F Street Prepared which as anyone will tell you is the greatest autocross class. Low power FWD econoboxes on Hoosiers... what could be better? I still drive it often to local cars coffee events, the grocery store (obviously), to pick up the Christmas tree annually (tradition) and it is always driven to events (in or out of town) – No trailers, I like to live dangerously. I just pack enough tools to replace axles when I go to out of town events. If I drive it well and the Hoosier gods smile on me, it is typically a top 10 RAW time car at our local events which usually draw around 100 people. I have even managed a few overall Top RAW and PAX year end wins in it. Not bad for only having about 135HP at the wheels – and the whole thing about it being a Neon.
I have done probably 95% of all the work on it myself – because Neons will make a mechanic out of you one way or the other. It had to have the original non MLS headgasket replaced at the dealership early in life and I ran it low on oil once and tore up some rod bearings. I replaced those in the driveway and they lasted another 190K miles. I had the entire engine freshened up in 2013. I did the final assembly but let the experts do the machine work and assemble the bottom end. I also don’t do my own alignments because I suck at doing them. Over almost 25 years of ownership and 266K miles I have done just about everything to the car. It has had probably 6 different stereo systems, 4 or 5 exhaust versions, three clutches, three timing belts (and associated junk like tensioners, idlers and water pumps), complete dash replacement due to old cracked plastic, headliner (I didn’t do this either), two full suspension swaps, probably 8 axle replacements (sometimes over a lunch break at an event) and 6 front hubs due to autocross wear and tear. It’s really not as bad as it sounds – most of this stuff is just normal wear and tear or brought on by taking the grip to 11. SCCA FSP class rules keep me from going crazy with it (it has to have full interior, no swaps, no turbos, stock cams, stock compression, no balancing – none of the fun stuff). There is more to do (better engine management, better header, wider wheels and tires, better LSD, maybe real paint one day???) just to name a few – and I am working toward those.
I mean, it’s certainly not fancy, or rare, or exotic and there are thousands of cars that are more impressive. But it is a really great combination of grip, balance and power that really lets you attack an autocross course. It’s just as good on the backroads too. No ABS, no traction control, no stability control, no nannies – just light weight, LSD, Hoosiers and an on / off switch for a throttle. Makes me smile, makes co-drivers smile and makes unsuspecting passengers squeal out of fear which is just so worth it.
Then, strap on your helmet, buckle your four-point harness and cinch it down, forget that your keys are in your pocket and you can’t get to them because of the seat bolsters, unbuckle your harness, get your keys, rebuckle, and go thrash mercilessly on probably the most fun, well balanced FWD car I have ever driven.
Yeah, it’s a 90s crapbox nugget. But it’s mine and it always has been. I am the original owner - bought it new as my first car when I was 18. Stumbled upon an ACR and didn’t even really know it until I found the Koni adjustment knob in the console. It didn’t take long before I started modifying it and then drag racing it at our local 1/8th mile track. It was never fast - mid 9s in the 1/8 was as quick as I ever went – although it was quick enough to catch a lot of people off guard. I got invited to an autocross event in 2001, rode with a lunatic in a GTI, and was hooked. From 2002 until about 2014 it was a mixed use daily driver, autocross and occasional drag strip car. I even did a rallycross in it as part of an Iron Man event (autocross, drag race, rally cross in the same weekend).
During those years I racked up about 250K mostly trouble free miles, over 150 drag strip passes, and more autocross runs than I can count.
Now it is primarily an autocross car. I run it in F Street Prepared which as anyone will tell you is the greatest autocross class. Low power FWD econoboxes on Hoosiers... what could be better? I still drive it often to local cars coffee events, the grocery store (obviously), to pick up the Christmas tree annually (tradition) and it is always driven to events (in or out of town) – No trailers, I like to live dangerously. I just pack enough tools to replace axles when I go to out of town events. If I drive it well and the Hoosier gods smile on me, it is typically a top 10 RAW time car at our local events which usually draw around 100 people. I have even managed a few overall Top RAW and PAX year end wins in it. Not bad for only having about 135HP at the wheels – and the whole thing about it being a Neon.
I have done probably 95% of all the work on it myself – because Neons will make a mechanic out of you one way or the other. It had to have the original non MLS headgasket replaced at the dealership early in life and I ran it low on oil once and tore up some rod bearings. I replaced those in the driveway and they lasted another 190K miles. I had the entire engine freshened up in 2013. I did the final assembly but let the experts do the machine work and assemble the bottom end. I also don’t do my own alignments because I suck at doing them. Over almost 25 years of ownership and 266K miles I have done just about everything to the car. It has had probably 6 different stereo systems, 4 or 5 exhaust versions, three clutches, three timing belts (and associated junk like tensioners, idlers and water pumps), complete dash replacement due to old cracked plastic, headliner (I didn’t do this either), two full suspension swaps, probably 8 axle replacements (sometimes over a lunch break at an event) and 6 front hubs due to autocross wear and tear. It’s really not as bad as it sounds – most of this stuff is just normal wear and tear or brought on by taking the grip to 11. SCCA FSP class rules keep me from going crazy with it (it has to have full interior, no swaps, no turbos, stock cams, stock compression, no balancing – none of the fun stuff). There is more to do (better engine management, better header, wider wheels and tires, better LSD, maybe real paint one day???) just to name a few – and I am working toward those.
I mean, it’s certainly not fancy, or rare, or exotic and there are thousands of cars that are more impressive. But it is a really great combination of grip, balance and power that really lets you attack an autocross course. It’s just as good on the backroads too. No ABS, no traction control, no stability control, no nannies – just light weight, LSD, Hoosiers and an on / off switch for a throttle. Makes me smile, makes co-drivers smile and makes unsuspecting passengers squeal out of fear which is just so worth it.