Hi!,<br>I just got a used contour 98 SE, I am totally impressed with the car, and I would like to make basic modifications, also put an exhaust pipe ( not to noisy). <br>Anybody has any recomendations. and also how can i rewire the fog lights to be on with the parking lights. <br>Thanks<br>J.C.

As far as modifications try www.contour.org, they also have a how-to for rewiring the fogs.

What is it that you really want Blake? You want car that's only good at going fast down the track in a straight line? Is this the kind of car you want to build? This isn't my cup of tea pearsonally but some guys want just this and maybe you do to. If so then think biggest possible power plant of an engine (whether turbo-charged, super-charged, or normally aspirated) and drop it into the smallest, lightest possible chassis available. Why don't you take one of those solid Mustang 5.0 engines and drop it into a Miata? This is an incredibly FAST car. It's so fast it will take out a Viper at the drag strip. And it had no forced induction in it yet. Let's see any of your heavily modified Acuras do that. I saw two of these cars a couple of years ago in person here in So. California. They called them Monster Miatas back then. You might be able to find it online if you do a search for it. -Lino Sacman, SCPOC Hybrid '93/'95 Rio-Red PSE, 5-spd

Well to tell you the truth yes this car is just for the strip I bought it for 700.00 not a big investment and I added about 1500.00 and now it's one of the fastest car's on the street here but the track is another story and that is were this car spends most of it's time that is why I put just about every performance part in it that I could fantasize about and I still can't take those damn civics that have the turbo's and all that crazy shit that they don't even make for the probe but see this is were the monster miata although one hell of a drag car I bet runs into problems the engine needs to be 2.0 or smaller thats why I was looking at the acura I never really got into the bigger cars if I did that is were I would go the miata that is just let me know if there is anything possible to do to the probe that can kick the hp up to 200 or I think I'm gonna hit the road to the performance car lot and pick up that acura later Blake >

I have an even better idea.  everyone has the miata/5.0 conversion.  they came out with a kit to convert a ford focus to a ford focus with a 5.0, rear wheel drive, etc.  newer kit....not many people have it and theyre pretty quick...or, if u really wanna make your probe fast blake get a zex adjustable 50-120 shot of nitrous and hook it up, make sure the internals can withstand a good bit of nitrous and set it up to run a 100 shot...maybe even have it as a wet setup instead of dry and even make it 2 stage instead of single.  just an idea if u want ALOT more go go juice.
Jeremy

blake...if you want to stick with the 2.0 motor and go faster, either hook up the baby bottle and set it at 100 hp, or turbocharge it!  theres a million and one ways to turbocharge these cars...requires some work but if you got time money and patience then you'll go out there and whip some serious civic ass.  trust me....dont go honda...im going mitsu, but thats diff than honda...at least my car runs factory 14's.  lol.  seriously just turbo the probe uness you're dead set on the acura....because if u want a TRULY fast acura you're going to drop at least 10grand to get an acura with a b18c motor ( the gs-r / type-r vtec.....this model of vtec motor is a dohc 1.8L vtec making approx 200 hp at like 7100 rpm's). Just stick with the probe, you can make it go alot faster than the acura could if u drop 8 grand on the probe all together...go get em man.  if u need ideas for turbo stuff...let me know, turbo's are my specialty :)  
Jeremy

One of our members already put the ZEX kit into his Probe GT. He was running 100 shot but had problems so he backed it off to 80.  It does work dropping his 1/4-mile stock times of about 15.4sec down to mid to high 13's.  Sure that's fast enough to beat most modded Hondas or Acuras but still not fast enough to beat a Vette or Viper.  He also had problems with tire traction during launching . See...biggest probelem with turning a Probe into an all out drag car is that it is front wheel drive and most of the weight is shifted off the front and towards the rear of the car at launch.  If he wants a drag racer better to start out with a rear wheel drive car....like that RWD kit in the Focus... or the Miata (which is already RWD).    BTW Jeremy, what advantages does the 5.0  in a Focus have over the 5.0 in the Miata...other than the Focus kit is newer and not many people have it yet?        -Lino Sacman, SCPOC       Hybrid '93/'95 Rio-Red PSE, 5-spd      

the focus wouldnt have any advantages over the miata, as far as i can tell, except that everyone would have more respect for you because the kit isnt a complete bolt in and go piece, it lets you bolt in the motor and tranny, but the exhaust and everything else require custom fab's and this makes for a more personal and unique car.  as far as the weight shifting off the front in a front whel drive car, you may not have thought of this...but put whli bar on it.  this will prevent to much weight from comming off the front tires and shifting to the back because the car cant flex as much that way.  as far as the vettes and vipers...i never said the nitrous would get you into runnings with 450 hp v10's and 375 hp v8's...i said it should take on most of the tuners, thats all.  by the way, if u want an easy to go fast and have a complete line of parts available and dont want to go with the honda route....go with a first gen dsm....thats always a safe bet.
Jeremy

Ok you got me I wont go with the acura the whole 10g thing got me off my import high hehehe yes I'm sure it will hold a nit shot I have only the best of the best inside that engine high compression heads with the rods the springs valves everything I'm still working on the dual exhaust though gonna have that professionally done though glass packs no muffler I was thinking of a flame thrower kit but the nitrous will take care of that I love this car I'm gonna take out the a/c tomorrow so I have a lot more room under the hood I have a few pics that are going to get developed tomorrow gotta post these they look sweet I still have my stock intake on in them though haven't changed that yet since I got the new motor in it yesterday but the turbo thing is a good Idea if you could let me know how to do that. later Blake >

turbo system number one.  lol
turbo: first gen talon/eclipse/laser ( turbo code 14b)...efficient to 18 psi...spools quck and holds high boost

We decided to get the Environmental Protection Package with consists of undercoating, teflon paint sealant and interior carpet and upholstery treatment. It carries a 5 year warranty. Some think is foolish, but we have 3 children and a dog and go on trips to the beach.

I have run only synthetic oil in it since i got it and i average 15+ miles per gallon.. though with the eddie bower, you can see how you are doing via computer. keeping my fuel economy up has kept my speeds down to speed limit haha if I can save 10 bucks per tank, i will do it. just crank the mack stereo and cruise. that's with the bigger engine too.. rotate your tires every 5000 miles, you wouldn't believe the difference it makes.. love your baby<br><br>Dan

I am planning to start using Synth oil on my next oil change at 6500 miles. I will be using Mobil 1.

Hey John, I recently purchased a 1999 Sport, and had the same confusion with the fog lights. On all other vehicles the switch is with the head and running lights. On the 99 Sport, the button is located below the sound system on the far right side, just below the rear defog switch. Can't help you with the stereo, but thought I would put my 2 cents in for the fog lamps...hope that helps. Rob

Thanks Rob I will try again tonight. I've have seen that switch for the rear fogs, but when I tried it the front fogs did not come on. Could be because I did not have the head lights on, otherwise I'll go checking the fuse, bulbs etc. Thanks again for the input See ya John

No problem John...and yes your headlights have to be on before the fog lights will work. I found that out the hardway too! Rob

I have a 98 and unless Ford has changed, the fog lamps will not come on unless the low-beam lights are on. They will turn off when when the high beams are on. The switch is just next to the rear wiper knob. About the stereo, Ford uses a "floating" ground and most equipment has a direct ground. It won't interface, (learned from experience) and don't buy an adapter, they don't work. However, the CD players play via an FM signal though your antenna. Hope this has been some help. Hope this has been some help.

Cheers Mark I will look in to the stereo problem. I am surprised that the CD plays via FM and not hard wired in. That makes getting a MD player to work almost impossible. Looks like I'm going to have to buy another car as well so I can listen to my MD's!! Yeah right!! Thanks again John

John, If the UK models are the same as the American you should find the fog lights between OFF and Full by the side of your steering wheel. ALso, if it is the same as the American then it should be a JBL stereo. I live in the US but used to live in the Isla of Man, ever been over that way? JOnny aka MANX

Cheers Jonny I had a good play around on Saturday, and found that the fog lights under the bumper, must actually be spot lights because they come on when I turn on the full beam. So the only fog lights we have on the UK models are at the back. No wonder I could not get them to come on! Also I am going to have to adjust the hieght of my headlights. They are way too high, and I am getting a hell of a lot of people flashing their lights at me. Any one out there know if this is a major task or simple enough? Thanks for the Stereo info, I will chase that one up. As for going the the Isle of Man, yes I have been there once. I sailed from North Wales to Ireland and then we stopped in the Isle of Man(Douglas) on the way back. We actually got stuck in Douglas for two days because there were 80 mph winds and massive seas, not good in a 50ft yacht! So you know all about the Tax haven we enjoy in these offshore islands. Thanks John