Topanga needs love, too
 

So, in case anyone doesn't know, I do love my 03 Ion a bit more than my redline. I know it doesn't seem that way, but I do.


Lately I have been neglecting her, but once the Redline is boosting again, its her turn for some love.


We all know you cant tune an 03/04, so just a few little upgrades to give her a clean stock look that we all love. I have A LOT of extra parts for her, that I just haven't put on yet.


Currently all I have done has been:


Red accented the front grill
Redline Goods shift/ebrake boots with Speed Dawg shift know
Ion-3 wheels
Euro-style tail lights
New headlights with xenon bulbs


Not much in the few years I have owner her. But here are my up and coming plans now, with all spare parts!


Future:
New rear bumper (I have)
New quarter panels (I have)
Fe3 lower control arms (just need new bushings)
Fe3 shocks and struts (have struts, need shocks and top hats)
LSJ springs (have)
Swap upholster the trunk (I have)
LSJ catback with magnaflow muffler (still debating)
Low rise spoiler


When money allows I might do:
Rear sway bar
New/different seats
2.2 ZZP High flow intake tube


Heres Topanga:


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All because I like to stay busy guys. bahaha
Why not put all my spare parts to use?

You should totally do the LSJ cat back on Topanga... When I was driving around without boost, my header/exhaust combo sounded pretty good and almost like stock could be... If I end up with my moms car, I am highly debating getting a long tube/ cat less DP/ 3" exhaust for the IRL, and transferring my current setup(BadMab header, ZZP catted downpipe, 2.5" cat back) to the L61 car...

PLEASE do not put a catless dp on youre RL. It sounds horrrrrible. Seriously. Look it up on youtube.

Oh, and forgot to mention I have OEM Saturn mudflaps, too. Should be a nice little touch you don't see everyday.

Ooh... Topanga needs some current photos taken of her... The red accented grille sounds interesting... I did that mod on my old car(before the Taurus)

She does. Being it is a bit nicer out now, I want to either go down to the lake by my house and get some pics, or take a trip out to the coast and get some nice beach shots.

If these few deals go through this week, ill be ordering everything next week. Lets hope for the best.

Whatcha ordering for Topanga? Full FE3 suspension? Header and exhaust? LE5 intake? Pink fuzzy dice?

dee list be abofffff laike 10 posts

New list:
Hydraulics
24's
Fuzzy dice
Shag seats and carpet
A lot of Boom for the trunk

careful with the shag; the offgasses in the summer contain weed from the 70's

peace and love dude!

... The reason I asked is the said he had most of the stuff he wanted to do... I thought there was to be something that wasn't originally on the list...

nah, just need to order control arm bushings, shocks, end links, and top hats.
Plus I need to buy a spring compressor and press.

I own these. Did 8 struts, have 10 fingers and 2 eyes left (pls wear eye protection while using them.

They are beefy. You can drive the bolts down w an impact gun or use a 1/2 inch ratchet and socket (my preferred method---more control). Most difficult part is keeping them opposite and upright at the start (as the spring is helical (duh).

OEM/MacPherson strut spring compressor 25550 at AutoZone.com

So, not sure if I told you guys yet.


Later this month I am more than likely going to Texas to work for 2-5 weeks. It is a 5 1/2 hour drive. Granted, I have taken Topanga to Houston a few times (5 hours away), but this time I will be there for an extended time to work.


Tomorrow I will be ordering KYB shocks (have struts already), moog sway bar bushings, Monroe all ceramic brakes ( I just did brakes 5k ago, but I don't like them), and KYB top hats.


Besides that obviously check all fluids to prepare her for the long trip. For now, I am going to keep her on the stock height, just because I don't know the roads out that way (I don't want to be bottoming out everywhere).


Plugs and air filter are new (under 5k).


I will add the OEM Saturn mud flaps I bought for her too.


Decided no go on the exhaust and intake. Shes my daily. No reason to make her loud and slow.

If you've never tried ceramic pads, don't ever.
They are great in concept but brutal on your rotors and have a decidedly fading feeling compared to regular semi metallic.

I tried them on one of the S cars with 2 new rotors up front. Took me a week to learn to brake sooner due to the fade. Took 10K to warp a rotor

Removed from car.

Always liked saturn s car pads. I suppose I could track them down as a gm part number, but it's not worth the premium $ to go oem on that, and the compound is likely different than in 2001.

Really?
When I got the car from my mom, she had full ceramic brakes on there. Last me almost 50k, no issues what so ever.
She swears buy em, and I loved them, too.
I have semi metallic on there now, and not really liking them. They squeak bad, and the braking isn't as precise.

maybe it has something to do with the weight distribution or difference in power brake boosters between the cars---dunno. Just relaying my nasty personal experience.

Others have had different experiences. I guess ultimately it depends on the specific application

I guess. I loved em. Mom loved em.
Couldve been the brand, too. Or maybe I just had a good set. Who knows.

So, ceramic brake pads ftw!
Suspension, I like the fe3s, but I now have a clunk in the front end. Both struts seem fine (even though they were lightly used). Probably the end links/control arms.
Also sounds like the timing chain is starting to clap, that is something to look forward to when I get back...

Pulled the valve cover the night before I left to go back to texas, head was almost spotless, and the chain was near perfect. Very impressed.


Now, as for the suspension after putting some miles on it, I still love the fe3s on her. Also, the redline springs square her off nicely.


Just ordered moog end links for her, so hopefully that will fix the noise. If not, I will be ripping the front end apart and replacing everything. Not just to throw parts at it, but because with 125k on her, im sure she needs it.

Alright, good news, for once.


Suspension is now:
Fe3 shocks and struts
LSJ springs
Fe5 control arms, OEM bushings
Moog sway bar bushings
Moog endlinks


She drives like a Cadillac nowwwww!


Onto why I used the Fe5 control arms.
As you guys know, I bought them for my Redline to go with spherical cabs.
Wellllll, Topanga decided the stock ones aren't good enough anymore, and being the Redline is down, I couldn't wait and order new ones.
Here we are today, with Topanga rocking them. I love this set up on her.
Especially with brand new tires, she handles beautifullllly.


Still might get a strut brace and rear sway bar for her. Who knows, ill see what black Friday brings.

Sounds exciting! Can't wait for a "done" photo!

She needs a good buff SOOO bad.
The weather here is so bipolar though, its hard to plan it.

sounds cool. Why is the redline down? Did I miss something?

The redline...well....ill go update that thread...

Quick update on my new plans since the redline is 6 hours away.

Need done ASAP:
Water pump
Coolant tank
Alignment

Plans since apparently I am not capable of not tinkering with things:

Le5 intake manifold
Spectre homemade intake
Lsj exhaust
Lsj front sway bar
Modified rear axel for a progress sway bar
SS seats
HIDs- not sure if I am gonna attempt a retro or just roll with hids yet.


Biggest news:
She got some wheels :)
I'll post some pictures eventually as I need to pull the plastidip off of them and paint them.
But they are 17s
225/45/17. So same as the redline.

She is filthy, I know. So please excuse that.
I need to pull the dip off.
But thinking either a charcoal grey with a chrome lip like the redline comp wheels or just charcoal grey all together. I'll play with it a bit and see.

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