V6 into a RHD Chrysler Neon mk1

[JPB]

Looks like a candidate for a set of fake (of course) tiger skin seat covers.

[Mitsuru]

Looks like a candidate for a set of fake (of course) tiger skin seat covers.

NO WAY!!!!! Are those THINGS going any where near Christine.
The seats if I can't do them myself it would have to go on the list of things to get professionally done next year!
Either that or full replacement of all the leather!!

[Mitsuru]

Well as I have this thread on other forums, guhfluh it's a colour which is
painted onto leather!

Can be saved, but needs stripping, sanding and recolouring.
This would be the only way to get it to look decent. I'd love to help but
I'm in north wales, is there anyone in your area that does leather?
If you want to have a go yourself I can point you in the right direction
and tell you where to get the best products ( leather cleaner, leather prep,
flex base, crosslinker and paint, half a litre should be enough for full
interior.
With the interior out it should take no longer than a day. You can either send a
headrest cover to be matched or choose a completely different colour.

I asked D.cee
Any Idea how much does something like this cost to get professionally done?

I do a full interior for about £400 but may be different in your area,
removed interior is cheaper because of not having to spend half a day masking
all of the inside out, from about £300 upwards you can expect to pay. You do have
to be careful that if you get prices cheaper than this what products are they using
and if the correct prep is done, same as any other paint, prep is key.

So this year it's the mechanical side as such, then next year bodywork and interior.
I was hoping that it might have been a case of apply leather feed or some similar
oil or cream and that would fix it. But as I have had no experience of working with
leather I am greatful for D.cee's help on this problem.

As there are still car parts stored inside the car, I will wait till we have a few
good days and see if it is just the back seat that has developed this problem or if
the front have started to go the same way!
There are thanks to D.cee's help and suggestions a few options O had not considered
or known about.
1. Repair- either by myself or done by a professional
2. Recondition- Replacing the leather on the existing seats.(might go for a change in colour)
3. Replace - Replacing the seats entirely with those from a different car.

The most probable time scale being at the beginning of next year before the car shows season starts.

[Mitsuru]

Considering the body colour won't be change but freshened up.
Emerald green peril, what colour would look best if I was to change the leathers colour or not.
It's gray with black piping at the moment, what about Burgandy with black piping, or just black.

[Mitsuru]

I did a little research on the seat issue.
According to the guys on the neons.org forum, the mk2 neon front seats
will bolt up no problem, the rear seat brackets will need a little adjustment.

So replacing the seats entirely has just been made easier and cheaper, as
there are more mk 2 neons in the scrapyard than mk 1's.
Now it is just a matter of keeping my eyes and ears open for a set of either
black or gray leather seats.

So if anybody is out and about round the scrapyards, please keep an eye out
for me for the seats. Thanks

[Mitsuru]

I got the rear seat bottom cushion out and another coat of that oily leather feed.
There is no way of reversing the problem giving it another oat, however if it is not
looked at closely I might get away with the leather problem till a new set of seats
is found.

At a distance



Close up



I then double checked and yes I have a few mounts the same, so I'm filling one.
Just to see how it works out for the rear engine mount.





I'm still waiting on dad welding the tensioner pulley bracket, I would do the welding
myself but he won't teach me to do it!
Even though he said he would at the begining of the year! There is even a welding
set there for me, which he put there!

[Mitsuru]

Mothers car has a bad battery on her escort and I had to take it off,
so just as an after thought I connected it up to the Neon's fuse box
and a strong earth on the frame.

The remote central lock moaned into life, I put the key in the ignition
and the instrument panel lit up. abs light came on and went off the
fuel level warning light pinged and lit up. I forgot about the internal
light till I looked in the back.

Then I did something stupid!!! I tried the drivers electric window.
It went down put no power for it to get back up again.
That and I think the rails & channels must be clogged as the
windows have not been used since January/February.
A battery with a little more power(also on it's last legs) and me
pulling on the glass, I managed to get it back up again.

I have checked the filled mount, it's still not set yet.

[Mitsuru]

Well here is the engine with pulleys in position, I still need the
top plate for the tensioner pulley to be welded.



The belt was put in place. marked at max and min sizes.



The min is 2105mm and max is 2220mm, a quick phone call to
the auto parts store and they have a suitable one at 2160mm,
and a price of about £11.50 they have put it to one side for
me which I will pick up on Thursday.(no transport till then)

[Mitsuru]

When dad got home at 4:30pm his first words were can the welding wait
till the weekend?
Both me and mother both said NO! in unison. So he has done it finally.



Tomorrow I can cut the excess off and smooth it down and paint it.
Also I can start stripping down the engine ready to drop it in later.
Thats if the weather forecast is wrong as they say it's rain!!!

The filled mount still isn't set, I might clean it out and think of something
else, such as an insert for it.

[Mitsuru]

In between getting drenched this afternoon.
I managed the following off the engine;
Alternator,
Power Steering Pump,
A/C Compressor,
Water Pump,
Idler pulleys,
and their Brackets.

When I was removing one of the bolts for the water pump,
it snapped off! So I will need drill and tap it for a new bolt
before the engine is moved.

Too wet to get the grinder out and trim the tensioner
bracket. I hope I don't get a cold for being drenched to the
skin a few times, it has taken 5+ hours to get the warmth
back into my legs!