94DS

Just picked up a 94 Del Sol. Getting excited thinking about what I can do with it. Like the thought of a swap to a b18c down the line but for now will have fun with whats in there now (a just rebuilt 1.5l)
The last owners chopped the springs which dropped the car nicely but didn't do much for the suspension. I have a line in to pick up some 15" te37's and wanted to know if rim/tire size was important to know before buying new springs and shocks. Also just want to introduce myself and ask what some small things I could do off the bat would be to improve its drive ability. Its my dd for now so want to balance its pep, fuel economy, ride quality, and sound.
Thank you much,
Sean

Sonia's Driver

Do all the regular maintenance: Tune up, valve clearance adjustment, change all the filters on schedule, change engine and tranny oil regularly, rotate the tires/keep at the right pressure, and inspect for any torn drive or suspension boots or leaks. Watch tires for even wear/signs of alignment problems. Also, keep it clean, waxed, and drive safe so you don't wreck it.

If you have any spare time from keeping up with all the maintenance on a 17 year old car, you could think about fixing all the little things that the previous owners broke, like the suspension and any interior trim pieces.

If you do all the regular maintenance and fix things as they start to wear out, you'll have a car that is just as reliable as a newish car and gets way better mileage.

Sonia's Driver

BTW, I love the ride height of the del Sol. It's really low, but it still has oodles of ground clearance. That said, the suspension *is* pretty soft for a sporty convertible.

I guess what I'm saying is: please don't ruin your new ride by putting on a silly suspension.

Whatever you do, don't forget to replace any worn bushings with OEM components when you work on the suspension.

moddedright

I wouldn't be too concerned about rim and tire size as long as you stay with 15's. Something you can do for driveability is install a rear sway bar. And of course all the standard breather mods, intake, header, exhaust.
x2 to fixing the little stuff and getting it back to spec.

Red_Army

replace your shocks/springs too while your at it. cut springs are no bueno to be driving on all the time.

94DS

Thank you all for that info. So, I'm new to cars, but more than happy to get in there and learn. Yesterday I cleaned out the butterfly valve and got that sticky gas pedal to stop sticking, RESULT! dropped in a k&n panel filter, spent a couple hours removing and cleaning the washer fluid tank, replacing the lines and sprayer nozzles due to them being clogged beyond repair. Washed it and then got rained on. Because I am new to cars I brought it in to get inspected to have an idea of what I could look for replacing and was told, (if I can remember right) the rear boots had exploded and would wear down my tie rod ends eventually? Does that sound right? Is that a fix I can make happen on my own. Also I have 2 friends that just had kids and are wyotech grads and could use some flow so I am happy to work with them when it comes to more advanced jobs.
When you say replace bushings with oem brand is there truth to that? Could I get more stability out of a full kit from some other jdm brand?
As for shocks and springs, where should I start in terms of price model/combo.
Thank you,
Sean