running out of ideas!

**Pontiac Racer** · 01-07-2015

i know I've asked this a lot but what else could i do to my car. I'm in high school and still have to pay the car off, $1600 left so i can't spend willy nilly or buy expensive stuff. the current mods i have are rear inlay, no antenna, no engine cover/insulator, GT emblem on grill, polished stock exhaust tips. ill be getting 17" mustang rims in the spring and i plan on tinting my head and tail lights in spring. I'm running out of ideas. i have the emblem on the grill so would it make sense to debadge the car? to me it doesn't make sense. I'm not looking to put in a cai or anything...

**coolone** · 01-07-2015

Don't tint headlights, they're bad enough as it is... Flip dogbone bushings (free), open cone ($60) and spend the $ on a good stereo system rather than 17's... You'll get more out of it! : )

**HighOctaneRacing** · 01-07-2015

Well what are you goals? Want more power and/or better MPGs? Want more looks?

**FordMan77** · 01-07-2015

I assume the Mustang wheels are bullitt's. I'd rock em if cheap enough over the stockers. You could upgrade the front brakes to 06+ Impala rotors/calipers. Those still fit under stock rims as well. Could get some retrofit headlights from ClassyPontiac on here. Worth the money but not cheap. Could also find a new rear spoiler (Anniversary edition, Daytona, SLP,etc.).

Time for grown-up questions... How is the car overall maintenance-wise? All the fluids been changed (including coolant), struts, front sway bar, control arm bushings, tie rods all good, etc...? Have the LIM gaskets been replaced with the updated ones? As much as I like modding there's no sense in throwing money into a car that will sit broken in the driveway for weeks because you spent it on other things and didn't maintain the core. Granted it will look better just sitting there, but what fun is that? Being on a HS budget sucks, but if you search here and ask some questions we can certainly help guide you and help you maximize your bang to buck ratio.

**Pontiac Racer** · 01-07-2015

yes they are the bullitt wheels and I'm getting them for free from my dad so i will definitely be switching over to those. maintenance has been alright. its never had a tune up, never had a coolant flush, never had brake fluid change nor transmission but honestly the car can live with those. it has 122k miles. if anything id probably flush the coolant in the spring but that'd be it. I'm not too concerned about it. i need to get it in to get a tune up asap. i still need to replace my front valve govert gasket but ran into some trouble. I'm looking for all 3, looks, mpg, and performance. again i don't have a lot of money so I'm pretty limited. there are some imperfections that i need to get fixed such as exhaust, the right tip is shorter than the other and they are off centered. theres a tiny spot of rust under the driver side door handle, not too hard. some scratches that ill touch up but it is winter and i have to hold off on literally everything cause its too damn cold. and the biggest one of all is the right head light. its jacked up. it works and everything but docent sit properly. it sits too far behind so the edge of the side panel hangs above the light where it should be in line. i have no idea how to fix it. I'm 90% positive its the car and not the light itself. any ideas?

**NebTurboST5** · 01-07-2015

was the car wrecked in the front? as far as mods go i would say you are pretty stuck if you cant scrounge together a few hundred to purchase some mods. most of the free stuff you have done. roof rails maybe if you like the look. as for the headlight there are two bolts on top of the light when you pop the hood. a 10mm wrench or socket will fit them. pull them out and the headlight will come out if you gently pull on the side with the turn signal and slide it to the side. it could be someone put it in wrong when changing a headlight.

**NebTurboST5** · 01-07-2015

another thing you could do that is cheap. look online for a vinyl sticker that says pontiac and you can pull the rear seat and deck lid and cover the 3rd brake light so when you hit the brakes it lights up pontiac at night.

**NebTurboST5** · 01-07-2015

**K Slice** · 01-07-2015

I've head this story before... "I want my car to look great, go fast, and get good MPG but I have no money".

If it's an 01' and you just bought it I would change out all the fluids, do plugs and wires, make sure everything underneath is tight and nothing leaks, then think about adding.

One you get it in good condition I would put a shift kit in while doing the trans fluid. It's cheap and will extend the life of the trans. From there I would probably get a good tune and replace the stock airbox with a DIY intake. It's just a GT so I can't see recommending you do a lot to make it faster, because it will never be fast short of a top swap or turbo.

Lowering it would give it sportier handling as well as make it look better. GMPP or other aftermarket swaybars will also make it more fun in the corners.

Having goals and making a plan is the best thing to do for a project.

**FordMan77** · 01-07-2015

What year is this GT? If it's anything below mid-05 then you need to change out the LIM gaskets before you flush the coolant and change both the valve cover gaskets and bolt grommets. It's not expensive to do this and it will ensure that you aren't looking for a used motor due to spinning bearing once the original LIM gaskets let go (which they will do).

Since it's never had a tune up then I would suggest some Bosch plug wires (cheapest ones will work), some stock irridium plugs gapped at factory specs, clean the MAF with approved cleaner, clean the TB inside and out and install a new TB gasket. These are all things you can do yourself without "taking it in" and getting raped by a shop, plus you can learn how to do basic maint. stuff yourself and save some $$ for other things. These cars are some of the easiest to work on. If you don't already have one maybe grab a good shop manual. That combined with the experience on here you can do anything even if it seems way too complicated at first.

**BillBoost37** · 01-08-2015

My recommendation, drive it. Do that one mod and you'll save some dough for any repairs that come up. It looks fine, it gets you there... drive it. Save your money for the next car.

**Pontiac Racer** · 01-10-2015

i tried taking the plug wires off but no matter how hard i pulled they wouldn't come off. thats why i want to get it taken in. I'm convinced that they're melted on considering its been 14 years... i will get a majority of the fluids changed but not all cause i don't really care about brake fluid. yes i know i should change it but lets face it, its fine. my dad has a winter beater with over 225k miles and its never been changed, its fine. the car was in a front end collision as the previous owner rear ended someone as they cut her off. i took the light numerous times and didn't find anything. i did notice though the positioning of the whole light bracket in the car that holds the light in place is put in a little differently. i can't really explain it but they're not the same. again i can't do any maintenance as its balls cold outside. i took my intake tube out and the TB plate is a screen and noticed crap on the plate. about a pea size. my car idles kind of rough when its warm like you can feel it jerk sometimes but the rpms stay the same. could this debris cause this? I've been looking for roof rails. no junk yard GP are any special editions so I'm out of luck there. ill keep looking though.

**Scottydoggs** · 01-10-2015

get a pair of leather work gloves, then twist the boot back and fourth AKA spin it, and then pull it off, the gloves are for when your hand goes flying you dont tear your hands open.

**Pontiac Racer** · 01-10-2015

i took a sock and still no. theres nothing i can do because i don't want to buy tools that if it doesn't work then i just wasted money. I'm just gonna take it in for new plugs and wires. but ill probably end up flushing the coolant and stuff

**Scottydoggs** · 01-10-2015

dont quit over plug wires, cut the boot with a razor then rip it off with pliers. you putting to much into it.

undo the dog bones and pull the engine forward to add some room too. ratchet straps are king for this.

**camopaint0707** · 01-10-2015

are you seriously modifying the car instead of actually just paying it off when you clearly can't afford it? Kid, you need to learn.

**Scottydoggs** · 01-10-2015

how i flush my coolant. you can flush to clear water, add a flush if you want, drive it a bit, then re flush and add coolant. if its cold where you are do it all in one day.

how to flush coolant.

remove the t stat, put the t stat housing back on, take the upper hose off the radiator, then push it down to the ground to a bucket or let it fly.

get your garden hose out, put it in the rad turn it on, then fire up the car, let it run till clear water pumps out the top hose.

then turn the hose off, run the car till no more water comes out the upper hose. then turn it off.

put your t stat back in, with new gasket, the upper hose back on.

now take 1 gallon of full strength green antifreeze, not the 50/50 crap. ( parts store cheap green is fine to use) dump the whole gallon in the radiator, fire up the car, fill the rad with hose water till its full. top as needed till its ready to be bled of air. it will burp and take coolant as the water in the block warms up the t stat opens up for a few seconds till cold coolant hits it and it shuts again.

now to bleed the air out, let it idle rad cap off till the fans turn on, (when the fans are on the temp is over 195 deg, the t stat is wide open) then open the bleeder screw on top the t stat housing a few turns till a steady stream of coolant comes out the hole, shut the screw, top off the rad. cap it.

done.

**Pontiac Racer** · 01-10-2015

honestly i don't wanna take the chance of ****ing something up cause I'm bad with luck. i know I'm gonna pay a lot more for what its worth but with my luck id cross thread the spark plug threads...

**Pontiac Racer** · 01-10-2015

what is a t stat and rad. yeah i know, dumb question. and where would a gasket be present. i thought it was just take off lower radiator hose flush with hose. put back on done?

**Scottydoggs** · 01-10-2015

you put them in by hand, then only snug em up. if you have a real socket wrench this is easy stuff.

once again i blame the HS's for cutting auto shops. all you need is to see it done, or play on stuff thats not yours lol

go watch the new auto shop class. its called youtube.com. lots of good how to vids there for grand prix's.