Dan Cobb

What things are most often modified/upgraded/updated to a street driven daily driver that are completely useless?

I'm considering several things to improve upon the performance, safety, value and good looks of my 84 coupe.
I don't want to waste money on things that are not appropraite for how I expect to use the car though, so I won't need a roll cage or a set of 5 point harnesses, etc.

I am considering larger diameter wheels (currently has the 7 & 8 x 15 Fuchs) with wider tires if possible, followed by a big brake upgrade.

Aside from probably putting in new shocks and replacing any worn bushings, what part of the suspension can offer worthwhile performance gains for the money? Would it be beneficial for the ocassional freeway run? Would it make the ride harsh on crappy streets?

I'd say that a pair of sport seats (factory type would be preferred) to hold my butt in place would be a really good way to spend $$ on the car.

I would also consider replacement seatbelts, afterall they are 21 years old now.

I would make sure the gearbox is tight and the clutch was good (possibly a good place to invest some $$ - I'm thinking Sachs Power Clutch, not the race one, the street version.)

Aside from that, I am willing to bet that the best way to spend money on the car is to properly manintain it rather than upgrade or modify it from original, as there are limited gains that can be achieved while still passing CA emissions tests and all that mess.

I think upgrading to bigger brakes is always a good bet, as this offers additional safety while also allowing you to drive faster, because you can slow down faster

Increased rim size is a requirement for big brakes, so that is a forced issue.

Exhaust setup, ignition control, big $$ air filters, & such can add up rather quickly whereas the HP gains or performance improvements are less noticable and considerably more expensive.

Am I right, or am I mis-informed?
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Conekiller

If your only going to be driving on the street there is no need for a big brake kit because the point of a big brake kit is not to stop quicker, but to keep the brakes from overheating on the track. As far a suspension goes get some turbo tirerods, thicker torsion bars and maybe swaybars, have it lowered and alignned, and the car will feel much more nimble and will be a lot more fun to drive. As far as bigger wheels go that is a personal choice, i love having 18's they look great and i don't have to worry about the tire sidewall stiffness like you do with 15's. As far as power mods go your right nothing is really going to give you a noticeable gain, however it will make your car sound good.

earlyapex

Your car must pass smog so you can't legally put on SSI's and a better muffler. This alone will open up the motor and result in noticable power gain.

Leave the d... brakes alone.

Flush the fluid. Make sure the lines are in good shape. Rebuild the calipers. Use an appropriate street pad. Don't use a race pad on the street.

The rest of this stuff is answered in the Rennlist tech section.

earlyapex

Oh, I forgot to comment on your rational for going to bigger wheels. We already know that you don't need bigger brakes. The reason to go to larger wheels is to improve on your tire selection. Tires are drying up in the 15 inch size. There are many more tires available for 16 and better yet 17 inch wheels. You need to be very careful with what you buy. Bigger wheels usually mean more weight which means more stress on the suspension. Buy a light weight, high quality wheel and you won't have any issues. You can easily go with 16x7 and 8 Fuchs. The 16x9's are rare and very expensive.