$3000 to spend on my MKI... what to do?

[curvesrgood]

I got a replacement sunroof glass for $17 bucks at the junk yard... actually bought two because one week they had the more common? brown tint, then a week later they got a mk1 in with the wicked sweet blue tint I like (retarded I know, but I don't like the factory brown tint with these carolina blue skys... it screws with my view). I don't exactly suggest trying to ship one... even when marked GLASS and FRAGILE UPS likes to step on them... they left a heel print in the glass on one I tried to ship. The Toyota visors are kinda expensive but you can usually turn those up in the parts section (haven't run across one of those still on a parts car I've stripped yet, but it happens sometimes).

If you do an intake just use a K&N cone filter (cleanable) and a section of hard pipe to make it fit... I've seen lots of folks move the mass air up level with the intake and then add a filter right off the end of that (may need an adapter plate to make it fit). I don't think the filter on the Weapon R is as durable. I'd show a pic of my setup, but my intake has a 90 degree bend and then a massive K&N intended for a 5.0 Mustang... this is excessive and you don't need one that big.

I did exhaust and cold air intake on my N/A as well as something most folks overlook... I put on an Accel coil. Cheap, and I dare say when matched with some new plugs it has a little more spark than the old coil did. Those three things really made my N/A wake up at WOT. Of course you don't notice many mods doing much until the TVIS kicks open those extra runners anyway, so that's a given. I also stuck on some pretty light 16 inch wheels. Oh, and I got a shift kit... don't waste your cash on the TRD (like $150?!?), I'd suggest the twosrus kit if you want a little shorter throw in your shifter. I have both kits on two different mk1's.

Between all that I have had no problem pulling consistantly on similarly modded high mile mk2 N/A cars (and by comparison most Turbo's don't catch up with my buddies in their mk2 N/A cars until somewhere around 60-80 before they fly on past... quickly at that point mind you). Aside from that, just make sure your suspension is in good order and hopefully someone has done your timing belt and all that jazz already or you'll be due soon (every 60-80K miles is fairly normal on these... I replaced mine shortly after I got the car at just over 100K miles when it went out on me so I suppose that is on the extreme upper side of how long they last). A supercharged 4agze motor would be a great swap (really puts you back in the seat, especially with a pulley upgrade), but that would blow most of your budget right there. Wheels and tires can easily do the same if you aren't careful! I bought an old set of GR-C Volk's imported from Japan and the wheels weren't that expensive... the tires, on the other hand, ran me $650 (wheels weren't but $480!). Also, the HKS is a nice exhaust... but for the money (like $400) you could easily do a cheaper setup (Pacesetter monza... $300 I think) or a custom exhaust much cheaper... most exhaust shops can do something for you. I've seen some use z28 mufflers, etc with good results. If you decided to go with the 4agze I'd still suggest the cold air intake and a good higher flowing exhaust.