Well, now that I've finished my truck project (for now), I've started on my cavalier project and have been trying to find some resources and body/engine mods and found this site. Hopefully the community is as good as I think it is.
This is the story behind Frankencav:
Bought a 99 Cavalier RS and a 98 Cavalier Z24 from an insurance auction for $700 ($250 for the Z and $450 for the RS). Both are wrecked, but I'm building up the 99 RS (it's subframes are in better shape, and the interior is immaculate). I'm swapping the FE3 suspension from the Z into the RS (stock FE0). The Quad-4 motor in the Z is no good I'm afraid to say... if it was, the RS would have a Quad-4 in it as well, but I'm still keeping my eyes open for either the Quad-4 or a supercharged Ecotec.
The RS is getting a straight front clip from a 96 Cavalier, and a rear quater from a 97. I will be doing all the bodywork, engine work, and painting of this car (I have a part time job in a garage... this is what we do). When it's all said and done, the car will have a Bomex-type body kit, FE3 suspension, a supercharged Ecotec or Quad-4 if I can find one in time, and a custom paint job.
The paint job is what I'm really excited about, Black with red perl on the body kit fading into the sunset red with black perl on the body. I'll be installing some black projector headlights, black JDM/euro (whatever you wanna call them) taillights, and tinting the windows with a black-red fade type tint.
The interior is going to get a little work as well, white glow gauges, re-dying some of the trim, and using carbon-fiber look-alike vinyl on some of the trim as well. I haven't decided yet whether it's getting underlights or accent lights in the inside yet.
It would be nice to have this car show quality, but some of the bodywork I'm doing will be easily visible to a judge, but nevertheless the car will overall look great.
I don't have any plans to lower it quite yet until I see how the body kit sits with the FE3 suspension... I don't need the asphalt scraping off a good paint job.
Here's some photos of the cars when I got them, In a couple days I'll have some progress pics of the car on the frame rack.
98 Z24 - Driver's Side frame is really tweaked
99 RS - Just needs part of the front clip and a rear quater on passenger side99 RS - Immaculate Interior 
The 99 RS has a 2200 SFI I-4. The Z24 has a 2.4L Twin Cam I-4. Good luck though,
with all of this work you want to put into it....your planning on keeping it on stock suspension?
So what's the timeline on this?
It sounds like a really interesting project but many people come by here with stars in their eyes and that's where it ends. Then a year goes by and nothing comes together.
I look forward to seeing the progress. Have you got a few deadlines set for yourself?
Yeah, the car will be running with the original engine within a couple weeks, no real fancy bodywork done... the transmission in my truck (700R4) blew up last week. Need a DD first.
I have the means to do this, I'm 22 and have at least a couple year's experience with building cars; so I'm not your 16-17 year old hopeful (no offense to those that are
).
This is my current timeline:
Get clip and quarter panel welded by saturday.
New front fenders and hood get delivered next Thursday, installed by Friday.
Install stock bumpers and primer shot the bumpers and replaced body panels so I can get it tagged.
Have body kit delivered by mid-july.
July 18th I get deployed, return in September.
Between now and September, find a new engine.
After I return in September, engine swap and body kit install... still primered.
And over the course of a couple weeks after the body kit, work on the whole body, smoothing out the car to prep for paint. I'm hoping to mold some fender flares into the kit as well... I don't want any 'lines' from the kit, I want everything to be smooth from the body to the kit.
Paint and lights are last for the body.
All the interior work is almost negligible and can be done in a weekend.
Oh yeah, for the suspension question... as I said earlier, I'm swapping the FE0 for the FE3. The body kit will go on before I do any suspension work, so I have a general idea about ground clearance and how much travel I want in it.
And another little tidbit;
This is a camaro that I did a while back:
91 Camaro RS
And this is the front end damage to the 99 Cav RS, bit more visible without the hood, radiator, condenser, and bumper support
99 Cavalier RS - Front Clip Damage
lol the FE3 is still a stock suspension ...the Z suspension isnt all too great . it would be more worth your time if you put in an aftermarket suspension
FE2... that's what I meant
way to make myself sound real smrt eh? Got the 3 stuck in my head reading it in a different post somewhere. Heck, I've got a Mitchell's book stitting on my desk for crying out loud
The FE0 has no anti-roll/sway bar, and it has different bushings IIRC. Rear suspension is an easy swap, front is a PITA, but it's still better having a roll bar than not IMHO
Argh, I need to think out my whole post before posting, and they need an edit post feature
Anywho, aftermarket suspension costs $$$, unless you want cheapie ebay adjustable coilovers. I really don't get paid that much to begin with, AF enlisted and the job I work at the shop I only get paid when we actually have work to do
Well, I know from experience, deployment pay is VERY nice. With a kit, you really might want to look into an airride kit. They run about 1900, but worth it in the long run, as I have found. Hit a possum, not a deer or a dog or something big, but a possum on the interstate a few weeks back, and did over 1200 in damage. Which brings my install/paint grand total so far to almost 3500. Hope I dont hit anything else between now and the time I can afford airride, to save me some $$. Just my $.02.
Wow man, can't wait to see how this turns out!!! It's a shame that the 2.4 outta the '98 is no good, but as long as the other still runs, I guess you can't complain.......for now (LOL). Good luck with the project man
So, if I understand you correctly you are wanting to put a 2.4l Twin Cam into a car that has a 2.2 OHV engine? You realize that everything is different down to the wiring, sensors and ECM? That 2.4l is only producing 150 hp. Or are you in search of An older Quad-4 , like the h/o producing 180 hp? If that is the case you had better get all the underwood wiring and the ECM too, cause the older Quad -4 has no camshaft sensor and no EGR system either. Sorta makes problems when it comes to hooking up the wiring.
Jim Ellis wrote:So, if I understand you correctly you are wanting to put a 2.4l Twin Cam into a car that has a 2.2 OHV engine? You realize that everything is different down to the wiring, sensors and ECM? That 2.4l is only producing 150 hp. Or are you in search of An older Quad-4 , like the h/o producing 180 hp? If that is the case you had better get all the underwood wiring and the ECM too, cause the older Quad -4 has no camshaft sensor and no EGR system either. Sorta makes problems when it comes to hooking up the wiring.
Yeah a little late. You can make the ECU and wiring work if you wanted to.
FU Tuning
