July 2006:
I'm abandoning this project due to RUST. I've decided to put all my money into restoring and modifying my Aries wagon, as that car is worth more in sentimental value and was already a project before I got the Spirit. So, I am parting this car out. I am keeping the T2 parts, plumbing & turbo, es body kit, gauge cluster (tachometer), upgraded brakes, shelby rear axle, turbo driveshafts, center console, etc for myself.

go here: PARTS FOR SALE

Trans and shifter are sold!

Anything else you need, mostly A body specific (spirit, acclaim, late model lebaron 4dr) let me know. The glass is all good as well as the 89+ T1 (non-intercooled) air box that includes all the plumbing. These parts will be sold for reasonable prices, plus shipping. Make offers! I need money towards my Aries restoration!!!

PARTS for sale...You need some of these!!!

New pics from my visit to the custom car show "World of Wheels" at the Bayside Expo Center in Boston on January 7th, 2006.

God Bless America:

Wonderful CHRISTINA of the TEXAS BIKINI TEAM, busy signing all my newly acquired treasures...

Carrol Shelby put it best: "Horespower sells cars, Torque wins races."

Import Crowd beware!!!

I think this paint job would look very nice on my Spirit ES:

Picked this up in the fall of '02 for 400 bucks. It will eventually replace a 91 dynasty 2.5 tbi (that car will donate its drivetrain and k-frame to my k car). The Spirit is equipped w/ the original 2.5L 4 cylinder engine and 5spd transmission. It came equipped w/ a small mitsubishi turbocharger for fast spool up.

215k miles on the clock, but: new windshield, recent fuel pump, decent exhaust pipe, etc. The battery tray was cracked so i put in a junkyard k car one. Need to fix the driver's window. I just put in a 180 deg thermostat (195 deg stock).

It had a few scratches and rust spots on the roof/trunk, but underneath is pretty good (touched up w/ zinc primer) which is a blessing up here in New England. The headliner is sagging, but i found an identical one in a junkyard (mint condition). Just gotta have the time and weather to pull it.

I wish it was a 1990 model, 'cause then it would have rear disc brakes and the 523 5spd (instead of the 520) which has a smoother shifter and standard "H" shifter pattern. Thankfully it is not the earlier 525 5spd and this car is gonna be a daily driver and so will not be made into a super high output vehicle in the forseeable future.

This is the sporty ES model, yet it is very stripped as far as options are concerned. Only cruise, tilt wheel and a trip computer. No pwr windows or AC - kinda like a race car. I'd like to add an intercooler. There is no AC condensor in front of the radiator - plenty of space to put a bad azz intercooler! This is what my car's [dirty] engine bay looks like.

The other mod I want to make is to add rear disc brakes. I'll just swap in a solid rotor system from a daytona or lebaron at the local salvage yard. The solid rear disc system fits 14 inch wheels, which is good because I only have the 4 15in snowflake rims that came w/ the car. Be great to run steelies in the winter time (narrower tires are better to cut through snow).

Funny thing is this car has the same wheels and interior as many (1991)Spirit R/T's. Unfortunately it would take a lot of parts, time and money to turn it into an R/T car. I gotta keep it 87 octane friendly, or I won't be able to drive it - gas is too dang expensive these days!

Even so, this car should be a pretty good match for my buddy's 96 Neon Expresso (5spd equipped w/ mopar clutch)

Update (11/4/03):

engine or headgasket blew (coolant in exhaust). at 214k miles figured it be best to swap in a new engine rather than pull it apart and take a chance later.

picked up a 2.5 T1 from a wrecked 90 Shelby Daytona in western Pennsylvania. supposedly the engine has 5000 miles on it since it was rebuilt and it cost me 400 bucks plus driving out and back. it looks good and you can feel it has good compression turning it over w/ a wrench on the crankshaft pulley!!!