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97 Hatch Build; building my gf's red metro
Topic Started: May 5 2014, 02:55 AM (3,688 Views)
yiffzer
Forgot His Manpurse

1DCGUY
Jun 14 2014, 07:51 AM
Exelbaradin
Jun 14 2014, 12:09 AM
so i went on rockauto and ordered some parts :)
but i had a couple questions i wanted to see if you guys could answer

• has anyone ever used MOOG lower control arms or sway bar links? (Pros/Cons)

• and i already bought the energy boot covers and sway bar link bushings should i still replace the boots?

4 sway bar links
K750070

2 Lower Control arms
RK620303
RK620304
I ordered MOOG lower control arms for my wife's Metro, and they are a far better product than the Dorman's that I had originally put on the car.
I laid both brands down and compared them, and the MOOG's are made much better in my opinion.
I will definitely be buying MOOG products again.
Can you elaborate?
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Exelbaradin
New Member
[ *  * ]
Well the geo finally got that much needed love to its front lower control arms and wheel bearings...
i still hear a slight humming while driving, im hoping its not transmission internals, if it is i will leave it be...

so let the destruction begin, first i started with the rear sway bar links. they didnt look to bad but i bought them and with red bushings, who doesn't want re-greaseable sway bar links, especially with red bushings haha :drool
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i didnt end up using that small little metal plate you see between the old bushings, just because the red bushings were slightly bigger and they seemed harder anyway so i dont think it'll affect it much

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while i was under there i took a peak by the gas tank and learned i actually do have a fuel filter on mine, and sadly enough it looks like the OEM one :'( :smackface so i need to pick one up and fix that little issue

now lets make our way to the front :rocker
so i got the lower control arms out, wasnt to hard at all especially with an all California no rust geo :banana
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im actually impressed with the build quality from moog the welds look better than the OEM part in my opinion
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while i was pressing out the front wheel bearings i cleaned my calipers and matched the color scheme
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so our finished product
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oh and i did end up swapping out the balljoint boots that come one the new lower control arms with the energy ones so i could add extra grease since they do NOT come with a greasing nipple on the bottom :banghead
they do fit on the arm very snuggly and also look nice :)
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Exelbaradin
New Member
[ *  * ]
hey every one :)
its been some times since i last updated the thread :whistle
but nothing to big going on right now...

but i still have some things that i have worked on:)

recently (being past couple months) ive been junkyard hunting and looking for a red trunk hatch that was to body damaged, had NO rust, and had the rear defroster window, and as an added bonus red.
i know that is a bit hard to come by but just one day i decided to head down to my local junk yard :drivin
and BAM

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i find one already taken off and pretty much yelling take me :)
so i did.

so hopefully soon i will be swapping out this
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with this
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also recently i finally got around to changing the hatch lift supports :) it no longer falls on my head

so once that is swapped out the new dash should also be on its way in:) i was able to get my hands on some nice vents for it :rocker
now the hunt continues for a good condition steering wheel

OHHH and before i forget....
i order an owners manual on ebay :)
its in amazing condition, i figure if im doing all this i might as well make it complete :thumb

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M4tthewd
Matt

Looking good!
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Exelbaradin
New Member
[ *  * ]
Ive been out of the game with this thing for a little while, i had to catch up on a couple of my other projects, i picked up a 03 pt cruiser with a blown out clutch for 500 so i spent a couple bucks fixing it and cleaning it up.
but any way back to the geo

i have successfully completed the dash swap :) i was kind of funny for about a week i couldn't figure out why the gas gauge stopped working and the interior light stopped working, it turns out i forgot to connect a plug that was hidden :whistle

i was also able to replace all the air vents to nice working ones :)
i now need to find a new glove box and center console. Soon all the sun fading will officially be gone

i also finally got around to swapping out the old flakey & crumbling steering wheel for one in better condition and put a steering wheel cover on it for added life :)

i will soon be adding pictures to show my progress .

i wish some one sold new pre-molded interior carpets for these
Edited by Exelbaradin, Feb 19 2015, 02:20 AM.
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Metromightymouse
Member Avatar
Powdercoat Wizard

Exelbaradin
Feb 6 2015, 03:05 AM
ive been out of the game with this thing for a little while, i had to catch up on a couple of my other projects, i picked up a 03 pt cruiser with a blown out clutch for 500 so i spent a couple bucks fixing it and cleaning it up.
but any way back to the geo

i have sucessfuly completed the dash swap :) i was kind of funny for about a week i couldnt figure out why the gas guage stopped working and the interior light stopped working it turns out i forgot to connect a plug that hidden :whistle

i was also able to replace all the air vents to nice working ones :)
i now need to find a new glove box and center console and all the sun fading will officiallly be gone

i also finaly got around to swapping out the old flakey & crumbling steering wheel for one in better condition and put a steering wheel cover on it for added life :)

i will soon be adding pictures to show my progress .

i wish some one sold new pre-molded interior carpets for these
You and me both brother...
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Mythstae
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Defrost hatch! Nice!
Just make sure you add the button to turn it on, the harness for it is already in your car, it's on the black to the right of the dimmer knob on your dash. Plug is green, IIRC.
And a hint, for when you swap the hatch (unless you've already done it):
Tie a string to the wiring harness that's connected to the hatch...
When you take the hatch off, the string will pull through the channel the wires go through.
Then, untie the string and tie it to the harness of the new hatch.
Use string to pull harness through.
It makes it super easy. :thumb
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Exelbaradin
New Member
[ *  * ]
well i got around to pulling the old hatch off :)
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transferred the hinges and latch to the new one
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and the "New" hatch on B-)
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so once i got the hatch in i ran the wire and installed my trunk release for the alarm and got the defroster working
the only problem i seem to have is i guess the cluster i swapped my dash with was different? so when i turn on the defrost the open door alert lights up on the dash (it is in the location where the old defroster on was) so i dont know if i should just pull the bulb and see if i can find a button with a light built in or what

but onto other news
the geo is now in the body shop getting every single dent pulled and painted :D :rocker :banana :bacondance
im super excited my body guy is doing an amazing job, he is pulling off all the old bondo and hammering out as mush as possible. he even had to cut my old quarter panel off and replace it since the old one was too damaged.
i got the new fenders today so now im on the hunt a 2000 front bumper. im going with the "razor mouth" look.
im spending more on bodywork and paint than the car is worth but i want to restore it to its glory :)

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more to come soon
Edited by Exelbaradin, Mar 1 2015, 01:45 AM.
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ZXTjato
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bass heads

Wow talk about cool, body work new hatch. Makes these cars highly valuable. :shake if I painted my car it would probably add $1000 value :hmm
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Exelbaradin
New Member
[ *  * ]
ok so a update on the body work,
all the dents are out and the car is primed. i couldn't get my hands on a newer style bumper so i got another guppy mouth bumper, one that was just in better condition than the original one.

im super excited that its already getting painted.
OEM Wildfire Red

here are a few shots of them finished prime and first coat

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ZXTjato
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bass heads

for some reason the metro sitting in the haze, wet floor dim lighting and random things hanging from the walls is such a cool picture, im not sure why but its really really cool looking.
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yiffzer
Forgot His Manpurse

Awesome, awesome.
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Exelbaradin
New Member
[ *  * ]
so here is the almost final product lol
i still need to do interior stuff and get my hands on new OEM windshield trims

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idmetro
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LOOKING GOOD!!!
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Stubby79
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Can I be yer gurlfriend too? :x
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