1997 Chrysler Neon V6 Engine Swap & 4 Speed Auto

I've been looking into getting a proper factory roof rack system for the car.
As you may recall there is just a thin strip of rubber covering the panel joins between the
roof and door frames on a neon. So If the seam needs repair and I have to put something
over it to cover the repairs then this will be perfect!(thinking ahead!)

I've never seen or heard of these roof racks even being an option for the export cars. And
this is going to be off a car in the USA, from a gentleman who is thining out his spares.
Considering that the after-market roof racks tend to nip and curse word the door seals as they
G-clamp the the length of the roof and under the door glass windows seals(scars me when I
shut the doors when I have it on in case I smash a window!) I thought that the factory one
would be a better option later down the line and buy one now while they are available at a
reasonable cost, it would save me later.

As the doors are frame less windows and the seals run down each side covering both
doors to replace they are about £150 plus vat a side the last time I checked!
(before FIAT took over from Mercedes And strange but Mercedes were cheaper!)

Service manual and parts catalogue for the factory fitted roof rack which was never an
export car option!



A Factory roof rack fitted







More cars with the factory roof rack

forums.neons.org/viewtopic.php?f=49&t=414316&hilit=neon+roof+rack

Amount you have sent: $143.00 USD
Currency conversion: £95.53 GBP = $144.43 USD
Exchange rate: 1 GBP = 1.51201 USD
Sent on: 17 July 2015

The seller thinking he was doing me a favour marked the value of the item at $100 !
When they look at the $100 they will see as the item only then add the shipping cost onto
that! With roughly what was told to me!

Item $100
post £83
subtotal $183

subtotal £117.64 (subject to exchange rates) £1 = $1.556 USD

+VAT 20%
+handeling £8 (I think but am more likely to be wrong!)
Total £149.168 ($232.187 USD)

Which means a possible minimum £31.528 ($49.067 USD) I have just had to bail a family
member out of part of a large bill I barely have that in my bank account!

He said that on the form he put 'automotive part, a roof rack' and ticked it as gift not goods/
commercial. It was posted on Monday I thought okay it will be a 6 to 10 working days plenty
of time for me to coble some more funds together and still have enough for another bill due!

Err NO!
SACRAMENTO, CA posted July 20, 2015 , 2:28 pm
SAN FRANCISCO (USPS) arrived July 21, 2015 , 3:43 am
San Francisco, UNITED STATES Departed July 21, 2015 , 1:26 pm
London, UNITED KINGDOM Departed July 22, 2015 , 7:49 am
Customs Clearance UNITED KINGDOM July 22, 2015 , 5:36 pm

And now it is with Parcel Force, but as the family call it Parcel Farce! Why call them that?
Because of what they have done to every large parcel I have ever sent or received with them
being the delivery company! I sent some toyota lights the recipient refused delivery and told me
why. When the parcel came back to me it had been badly damaged and had been everything short
of being driven over by a tank!

The insurance they point blank refused it even with evidence! Plus it was late there by 2 weeks!

So I am bricking it! The best laid plans of mice and men!

keep at it mate

don't let them beat you

Well! Parcel Farce strickes again!!
On Saturday I made payment for the customs charges and confirmed delivery for Tuesday.
I confirmed this TWICE!in two separate phone calls.

On the tracking page on their website has even stated "scheduled for delivery" since payment
was made on Saturday!

After waiting in all day, at 4:30 pm I called Parcel Farce!
Yes they had taken payment, no the parcel was not released from the depot for delivery!

Why?
Because they hadn't marked that payment had been received on the depots system!

Ergo no parcel and a wasted day and a stinking migraine at the same time!

The operator apologised, and had asked me would before noon tomorrow be suitable for delivery.
My answer was "NO!" after 12 noon as there will be nobody in. You watch they will turn up
tomorrow morning when there is nobody in! Ether that or it will be 6 to 10 weeks not days!

Parcel Farce could organise a P'up in a Brewery even if they were given an idiots guide to do so!

I was wanting to do the wiring but something else cropped up! Or rather it didn't!

The bonnet prop hole went as the are was that badly rusted. So what dremel cutting discs
I had were used to cut back to good metal without damaging the full structure of the front
of the bonnet.

A new piece was cut ready, then both the bonnet and the metal piece were wire brushed
clean back to bare metal ready for welding. The inside of the bonnet structure was cleaned
the welding areas taped off and coated with paint.It looks like the plate that came out had
separated from the bonnet loop structure as a lot of rotted metal fell out when it was
removed!










Welding tomorrow or Saturday but for that dad wants the bonnet off the car just in case!
He has seen the bonnet and knows that the area that he will be welding has been stripped back to
get a good weld! You watch the paint will catch fire instead!

dublin912 Which version did you think would suit every day use the 14" without whithe walls are or the 16" with?

Personally I like the white walls. You wouldn't think it would work but it does!

After the holes had been welded the area was flattened off.




As the skin had started to rust bubble where it folded over the bonnet's frame that had to be dealt
with by wirebrush attachments to the drill.






Your eyes do not deceive you the bonnet was originally blue and I had it painted green some time
ago, but it looks like were they cleaned and did what would be on show. The underside may not have
been degreased before painting!

Internally was coated with black spry sprayed in through the various openings.






one or two bits where it pooled to drip but didn't at leaset it's protected.




I got one of the speaker adapters out fitted the sony speaker put a grill over it to protect it form the
door card before using plastic sheet to make a new weather/water barirer.




The grill might not look pretty but it was all I had and it will do the job behind the door card.




I need to sort out the door glass stablizers before the drop glass gets damaged! And otrher means of holding the
door card on more securely!

Keep at it, I think you are getting close

In order to not damage the threads on the studs a few lug nuts and helps give a tighter way using the
angle iron to prevent the hub moving while removing the dust cap to get to the nut.




The fully bare voyager drum back plate rust and all! As you can see a big hole to deal with, but I have a
cunning plan Baldrick!




Just a few reference photos with talpe for measurements.



Voyager hub, and the assembly looks like this side was under water for a time before I got it!



Brand new just out of the box standard non abs drum cylinder for neon on the right.
Old Voyager abs drum brake cylinder on left




I left the springs and spacers etc on the voyager drum shoes then placed the neon handbrake soes ontop






A good show of the depth comparison of the two drum shoes




The neon brake cylinder fits the hole used for the voyager's old brake cylinder so I have options!




One reason the voyager might have faild an mot? The larger voyager cylinder missing one of it's pistons.




Old label off scrapyard





Now a brief outline of the cunning plan!

The Voyager Drum back plate will get a good going over with wire brush attachments to make it easier for it
to be worked with.

Theon hub/bearing unit will remain with the axle as will metal casring disc bracket so they are together when
both voyager back plate and hub along with Neon hub/axel is dropped off to so the can take the necessary
measurements.

I'm thinking 6 or 8m plate used to make an adapter plate, with the same metal plate acting as two slices of
bread and the voyager drum backing plate as the filling. The four bolt holes reused as bolt holes to bolt the
adapter together. ABS will be kept and the details taken from the neon disc bracket and drilled in the plate.

To make sure that it all lines up correctly and I'm not outside with a grinder in bad weather I will get the
machine shop I used previously for the lateral control arm alterations to do the work.

I just need someone who knows the details of neon rear disc caliper and drum cylinder displacement etc to
check to see which is the right drum cylinder to use and what restrictors need adding or removing!

What do you think?