Spent the day getting the exterior ready and protected for winter. Yes, she’s going to be my winter car as well.
Washed, then clay-barred the exterior before applying two coats of Xzilon coating. It’s molecularly-bonded! Just like K.I.T.T.! Also applied Aquapel treatment to the glass after using their cleaner.
Clay, Quick Detailer, Xzilon & Aquapel
As clean as she can look in the dirty garage
Leaves, leaves everywhere.
Just a 500 and some leaves in the drive
After my plates came in the mail, and I was tagged as “BUB 558″, it was most definitely time to submit the application for a personalized plate. In Iowa, it’s a $25 application process, then an additional $5/yr on top of your normal registration. The form allows you to make up to 5 choices, and they’ll choose the first one that isn’t already taken, and isn’t something scandalous.
My choices in order were:
1) ABARTH
2) 4B4RTH
3) 5OO
4) 5OOA
5) GRIGIO
After an arduous 3 weeks of uncertainly, the notice came in the mail. My plates were ready for pickup! “ABARTH” was already taken, so I was issued “4B4RTH”. Much better than “BUB” 
4B4RTH Plate
4B4RTH Plate
My other vehicles are far from stock. The ’94Z has a cammed 3400 engine swap with longtube headers for example. So, how long can I keep the Abarth stock? Apparently, 3 weeks.
Starting things off simple. Just a replacement intake pipe and the cool chrome fuel filler. Will try to hold off on anything else until after winter, but no promises!
Why did I just go for the replacement aluminum pipe, rather than a full cone intake system? The stock system draws in cool air from behind the headlight, and appears quite efficient, aside from the bit of a bottleneck in the piece I’ve replaced. The other aftermarket systems seem to lose this “ram air” advantage, and some route the intake pipe right over the turbo, causing a drastic increase in IAT (Intake Air Temperature).
Stock intake system
Intake pipe replaced
Chrome fuel filler waiting to be installed
Stock fuel filler cap
Chrome Fuel Filler Installed
New chrome fuel filler installed. Requires removal of inner fender liner to access the bolts to remove the stock filler door
I’ve owned Cavaliers since 1997. That’s my high school days! I still own two of them today. My 1992 Z24 was purchased in ’98 and my 1994 Z24 acquired in ’03. I used to run the biggest site on the net for the 2nd gen Cavaliers, v6z24.com, until selling the site in recent years.
I’ve continued to organize a yearly “bash” for members of the site together. This is the 11th annual event, and the first year that I’ll be attending sans-Cavalier. Unfortunately neither of my J-Body beasts were up for making the trip this year. Scandalous, I know.
Here’s the little Abarth nestled in amongst some bigger little cars.
With some Cavs
3 whole feet shorter than a Cavalier
Still the same width as a Cav
Ooh, Nova