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portland metro area advice

R

RobFresh2SVTs

CEG'er
Joined
Jan 8, 2009
Messages
234
Location
Milwaukie Oregon
So I Got my Svt about 2 weeks ago from new jersey. I was told i need struts and springs i was thinking of going with the euro bat kit. where would be the best place to get that work done in portland or. I live in milwaukie :shrug:
 
I have a friend in Vancouver that can do the work for you. He's worked on a few member's cars on this forum including mine. Let me give him a buzz and see what his schedule is like. I'll get back to you via PM.
 
Bah, he's always up for some car work. I spoke to him today. His strut spring compressor is broken, but the parts are coming to get it fixed. When do you think you'll have the struts in?
 
Hey Mike: Your guy in Vancouver WA... Is that Chris? If so, say hello to him for me. Would he like to take my wife (and her son?) and I to a shooting range sometime soon, before little league eats up our weekends?

RobFresh: If Mike's nominee is Chris, along with working on Mike' car, Chris had also installed springs and struts on mine, did a UIM cleaning for me, and a handful of other things. Chris and Mike know their way around a dropped front subframe on these cars, pulling Mike's transmission too.

Sometimes you get lucky and can sit around talking with him and Mike about gearhead stories while they work on your car.
 
Ya, that's Chris. I'll tell him you said Hi!

He's pretty much up for just about anything right now...not just Contours. He got laid off :-(

One other thing he's working on is access to a lift. Once he has that set up he'll be able to do header and exhaust installs, among other things.
 
shotwell said:
Bah, he's always up for some car work. I spoke to him today. His strut spring compressor is broken, but the parts are coming to get it fixed. When do you think you'll have the struts in?
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I talked to a mechanic he said that i only need struts. Would it be worth it to purchase both or should i just get struts like the mechanic said. He is a good guy. He has always worked on my family's car's. I have never used him for my own stuff. i've just been the idiot that buys new cars. 2000 bought new CSVT. 2003 traded in CSVT for lightning now have both.
So i am a little green on working on own vehicles. Just changed the rotors and pads on the CSVT for the first time it went allright. I'm rambling but i wanted some advice before i made the purchase.
 
shotwell said:
Ya, that's Chris. I'll tell him you said Hi!

He's pretty much up for just about anything right now...not just Contours. He got laid off :-(

One other thing he's working on is access to a lift. Once he has that set up he'll be able to do header and exhaust installs, among other things.
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Man i'm sorry that he got laid off. If we do get together after i get everyone's advice. I could show him what i do. I own my own business might work out for everyone.:laugh:
 
RobFresh2SVTs said:
I talked to a mechanic he said that i only need struts. Would it be worth it to purchase both or should i just get struts like the mechanic said. He is a good guy. He has always worked on my family's car's. I have never used him for my own stuff. i've just been the idiot that buys new cars. 2000 bought new CSVT. 2003 traded in CSVT for lightning now have both.
So i am a little green on working on own vehicles. Just changed the rotors and pads on the CSVT for the first time it went allright. I'm rambling but i wanted some advice before i made the purchase.
Click to expand...

Get just the struts if you're looking to tighten up the suspension. Get the springs too if you're looking for an upgrade and slight lowering. I don't remember how much those springs lower your car, but I hear it's the preferred setup.

I'm actually running the original struts and springs on my car. over 152k on a '98 E0...they're not super tight but they all still work and the car still handles well.
 
shotwell; I'm actually running the original struts and springs on my car. over 152k on a '98 E0...they're not super tight but they all still work and the car still handles well.[/quote said:
:shrug: I have a OMP strut brace, 21mm rear sway bar and wider tires yet you pulled:shocked: And i have only 89k on my suspension. So yeah i think yours still handle well. Although your superman tires prob helped. I was granny shifting and not double clutching like i should have so.....:blackeye: on me.



Oh, i found a nice shop to do my headers/y-pipe. Im going to check out the shop and see if i like what they say. If i like what i hear/see Travis, the shop foreman will work on my tour, do a dyno pull for a baseline then a pull after the headers/y-pipe and high flow cat replacement. If the prices are right maybe i will have them tune it. Fast Specialties in Vancouver Wa. From my searches they are first class. I have no choice since my last trip permit for the year is going on!

Someone make me a deal on my T-bird so i can have an LSD/clutch and maybe a trans rebuild.:laugh:
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RobFresh2SVTs said:
I ordered the struts all the way around. I ordered them last friday so im excited to get them
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Sweet, im going to have to check them out after you have them put in. What kit did you order?

Im having my msds headers and y-pipe put in WED, im exited as well. I might get an SCT tuner and have them burn a nice tune. They said i would eliminate the p0420 code so no need for mil's. I going to do some searching.
 
Hey, Humboldt, how did you hear about Fast Specialties? "Bob's Contour" is still pictured on their customer cars gallery. My bud Pat Armstrong and I are @ p3 of the guestbook.

They have that nice dyno, ask Travis about the turbo work he did on his T Bird, his brown sleeper (is it a mitsu sedan?), a supercharged Focus... He WILL try to talk you into his building and installing a turbo in your CSVT. Travis did a custom tune on an SCTxcal2 on my car w/intake, headers, etc.. He's damn good on everything he touches. Pat's Cobra was a beast after they worked it.

There are some postings in the OLD forum/archives about Ron posting pre-tune and post tune dyno graphs for my car, although the attachments expired. I wonder if Ron has it in a data base, and maybe Travis kept his data on mine to use for a starting point for you. There was disbelief w/ many CEGers of an NA 2.5L doing 200+ fwhp. I can't recall if I sent copies to Marty/Groovenerd. Shotwell and Groovenerd both took turns driving it at the PIR drags a few years ago, a good launch proved elusive but it had a nice top end. Thus the "92.03 trap speed" in my sig. It took a 350 4 spd Malibu at Woodburn my first time out.
 
I just searched and searched, lol i seen the silver frost contour travis worked on so i emailed them, then called and finally i went to visit on friday, and now have a wed appointment. Will the xcal2 delete the p420 code so i dont have to bother with mil's? Thats what Amber at Fast is saying, i sure hope so. I don't really want a tune yet( optimized T-body needed) but i must pass emissions. Im on my last trip permit so i may not have much choice. If i want another tune later it should only cost 200 or less correct? And i may have him tune my stang when i get a turbo kit for her, but the tour's just a DD. Should i just have them just do the headers/ypipe do the mil's myself and go in later after the T-body upgrade (and maybe a catback) for a full dyno tune? Grrr im confused! SHOTWELL call me!!! Bob (AU) has my number somebody call me to help me decide!!!!!

Oh what exhaust gaskets should i get for the msds headers? Im not sure if i have a 3 bolt cat what one needs a gasket? I need them rush shipped to FAST specialties. Im thinking on just going upto baxters auto and driving them up with the car but dont want to get the wrong or crappy gaskets. Thanks guys!
 
Humboldtkill said:
Sweet, im going to have to check them out after you have them put in. What kit did you order?

Im having my msds headers and y-pipe put in WED, im exited as well. I might get an SCT tuner and have them burn a nice tune. They said i would eliminate the p0420 code so no need for mil's. I going to do some searching.
Click to expand...
I ordered the euro struts from b.a.t. on monday the 16th. hopefully shotwells friend chris would like to do the work. Based on what you guys said earlier that would be cool to get to know some of the other csvt guys out here.
 
I got the struts in today i havent opened the box yet. i am excited to get this done. Hopefully shotwells buddy chris is interested in doing it. I don't know him personally but based on what you guys have said it sounds like he knows what he is doing and has all the parts.
 
Just get her fixed up so it will pass emissions. You shouldn't need a special tune for that.

I'll send Chris an email and see what he's up to. Hopefully he has the parts in for his strut compressor.
 
Got the car back from FAST. It runs amazing! It feels so strong with the unclogged cats, headers/ypipe and sct tune. I am very pleased. Im hoping to see a gain from 19mpg to 25-30mpg's. We will see after a tank of gas. I ran it from Vancouver and a joyride-test so im certian it did a drive cycle and no check engine light:cool:

I think/hope it passes!
 
I did not see much of a mileage jump from the headers and tune myself, but then again, I stomped on the gas a lot more then too.

With the tune, you will find yourself not downshifting as much. Coming out of the Vista Ridge Tunnel on westbound US 26 from downtown Portland, I was able to accelerate much better in 5th... but still usually go down a gear for fun or being in a hurry.
 
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