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03Panther
03Panther PowerDork
5/14/24 10:31 a.m.
John Welsh said:

Challenge budget PT Cruiser of sorts

That is another ad, my wife would be glad I didn't see while I was up there!

while the overall look I'd DEFINITELY not my tastes, it does not look to be a total butcher job. 

barefootcyborg5000
barefootcyborg5000 UltimaDork
5/14/24 12:54 p.m.

See, I knew this was a discussion worth having. Most likely nothing will come of it, but it's fun to bench race. 

TJL (Forum Supporter)
TJL (Forum Supporter) SuperDork
5/14/24 1:03 p.m.

I want to use a PT cruiser for a fun challenge car.  I figure there is zero chance of me liking the car and not wanting to chop it up and make it clowny. 

trigun7469
trigun7469 UltraDork
5/14/24 1:16 p.m.

I have seen them raced in Lemons, never owned a PT, but have owned last gen Neon which is nearly the same. They are typically always cheap, go for it.

Gearheadotaku (Forum Supporter)
Gearheadotaku (Forum Supporter) GRM+ Memberand UltimaDork
5/14/24 4:29 p.m.

After getting seat time in both a PT and HHR I found the PT has a nicer interoir, the HHR had a better chassis, engine, brakes,  body, and serviceability.

But if its damn near free, who cares? Pick it up and have fun. 

chandler
chandler MegaDork
5/14/24 4:43 p.m.
EchoTreeSix said:

In reply to Somebeach (Forum Supporter) :

Saw a Donut media vid where they had a lowered PT on aftermarket wheels and front lip. It was kinda cool.. video was ehh. 

Red convertible in my town lowered on Porsche wheels that looks pretty darn good

KyAllroad
KyAllroad MegaDork
5/14/24 4:46 p.m.

My autocross co-driver decided (since his GF owned one) to make a track car Cruiser for the Time Trials.  Last year it wasn't done in time so he slapped tires and shocks on her auto-tragic naturally aspirated PT Cruiser and ran it at Time Trial Nationals.  It wasn't fast and the automatic sucked ass but it didn't break and since he hasn't finished his Unlimited class build just yet he'll repeat the effort this year.

Noddaz
Noddaz GRM+ Memberand PowerDork
5/14/24 6:20 p.m.

I have seen several PT Cruisers lately.  So often I have to wonder where they are coming from.

As for getting a PT Cruiser and doing something with it?

No one ever suspects a PT Cruiser.

Mndsm
Mndsm MegaDork
5/14/24 7:09 p.m.

PT cruisers are of the age and occupy the demographic where a fast one is absolutely the last thing anyone would suspect. Being platform mates with the Neon and subsequently the SRT4 means it should be a relatively easy affair. Combine these two and half of the Pep Boys chrome aisle and you have the recipe for some seriously hilarity. 

 

ShawnG
ShawnG MegaDork
5/14/24 7:12 p.m.

Don't forget the jorts, new balance shoes and Hawaiian shirt 

Mndsm
Mndsm MegaDork
5/14/24 7:16 p.m.

In reply to ShawnG :

If I had a fast one, I would have a racing suit printed with that uniform. 

j_tso
j_tso Dork
5/14/24 7:49 p.m.

I've always wanted to turn one into a Dick Tracy movie police car.

No photo description available.

barefootcyborg5000
barefootcyborg5000 UltimaDork
5/14/24 7:53 p.m.

The unit in question:

Pete. (l33t FS)
Pete. (l33t FS) GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
5/14/24 8:01 p.m.
Mndsm said:

PT cruisers are of the age and occupy the demographic where a fast one is absolutely the last thing anyone would suspect. Being platform mates with the Neon and subsequently the SRT4 means it should be a relatively easy affair. Combine these two and half of the Pep Boys chrome aisle and you have the recipe for some seriously hilarity. 

 

I suspect it'd be easier to just buy a GT Cruiser.

I like the things, they are nice small-sized minivans.  Just get used to replacing the Watts bellcrank or listening to it knock.  And avoid parking curbs, as they love to break the radiator.

A fleet account had five PT Cruisers as delivery vehicles (the supply of Rangers dried up) and I was replacing radiators very regularly for them.  It got to the point that we stopped replacing the lower mount bracket (U shaped sheetmetal thing) and I'd just slam it back into shape by putting the vehicle on the lift, wrapping a ratchet strap around it, and slamming a sledgehammer through the strap, slidehammer style.

 

One day, the manager had all but one of his drivers outside for a meeting to tell them to quit berking driving into parking curbs already.  The last driver came back from a run, drove into the parking curb, and released all of the vehicle's coolant, right there in front of all assembled.  It made for a nice object lesson, albeit an unplanned one.

Datsun240ZGuy
Datsun240ZGuy MegaDork
5/14/24 9:31 p.m.
barefootcyborg5000 said:

The unit in question:

Kinda looks broken down on the side of the road with a for sale sign on it....

Mndsm
Mndsm MegaDork
5/15/24 8:38 a.m.

In reply to Pete. (l33t FS) :

You're using logic. Can't be doin' that around here. 

Tony Sestito
Tony Sestito UltimaDork
5/15/24 8:58 a.m.

I can't believe I'm saying this, as someone who has loathed the "PT Loser" for so long, but I'm almost sorta coming around on them. Especially the GT versions. I mainly couldn't stand the people customizing them to look like faux gangster cars from the 1930's. There have been some recent attempts to rehab the Neon-based retro car, and some look pretty cool. As cheap transportation, they aren't that bad. The GT with a cranked-up 2.4T would be a fun sleeper for sure. And that's coming from a guy who once changed vacation plans due to a PT Cruiser convention happening in the destination city I was scheduled to go to! 

OLDYLR
OLDYLR GRM+ Memberand Dork
5/15/24 9:13 a.m.

Donut just did a video on them

 

https://youtu.be/ZPkzX5PCNFg?si=wRYctnHUkjHMhtz9

theruleslawyer
theruleslawyer Reader
5/15/24 11:28 a.m.
OLDYLR said:

Donut just did a video on them

 

https://youtu.be/ZPkzX5PCNFg?si=wRYctnHUkjHMhtz9

I didn't really care for the tone of them dunking on pt cruiser owners at the start. 

fatallightning
fatallightning HalfDork
5/15/24 1:11 p.m.

I would gladly daily a PT GT vert with a stick. They usually rot away here in the Northeast though. A 1st gen Neon was also supposed to be my first car in 2001, so maybe I have a weird spot for the chassis.

I'd also want to wrap it like gravedigger.

Turbine
Turbine GRM+ Memberand HalfDork
5/15/24 1:15 p.m.

I was firmly in the anti PT Cruiser gang until I saw this floating around the internet a while back. Looks pretty good actually?

Turbo Chrysler PT Cruiser on Bentley Wheels Goes Hard | The Drive

ShawnG
ShawnG MegaDork
5/15/24 1:50 p.m.

In reply to Tony Sestito :

You could put Billy Gibbons, Tom Waits, Herbie Hancock and James Brown in a PT Cruiser and it would still be a dorkmobile.

grover
grover GRM+ Memberand Dork
5/15/24 9:50 p.m.
OLDYLR said:

Donut just did a video on them

 

https://youtu.be/ZPkzX5PCNFg?si=wRYctnHUkjHMhtz9

Came here to say this ^. 
 

they're doing a project car, which sounds pretty rad. They are also doing a Baja ranger. Donut has become my favorite car YouTube channel even though I'm way older than most of them. It's also the only car YouTube my wife will watch. 

M2Pilot
M2Pilot Dork
5/15/24 10:50 p.m.
Turbine said:

I was firmly in the anti PT Cruiser gang until I saw this floating around the internet a while back. Looks pretty good actually?

Turbo Chrysler PT Cruiser on Bentley Wheels Goes Hard | The Drive

Except for the wheels & roof rack that looks like the PT GT that my wife drove for 5 years or so.  It was a practical, fun car. Only unexpected maintanance was replacing cam shaft position sensor & that wasn't a bad job.

barefootcyborg5000
barefootcyborg5000 UltimaDork
5/16/24 2:24 p.m.

The car has been sold, and not to me. Which is good. 
 

Now if I can resist the unexplainable urge to buy my coworkers second gen Prius....

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