New here! Cavy 2.2, Which Parts should i start with?

So i finally just got my first car. it was a gift from my grandfather.

Its a 1997 Chevy Cavalier LS ( the 2.2 ) with 57K miles on it. Its also in really good condition for the age, and the body is ALMOST in pristine shape, save a few marks on the bumpers and one small dent in the door that is only visible if you LOOK. :)

Im a bit late in the game when it comes to first car stuff, but hey, i dont have car payments now!!!!

Im already thinking of a few things to get for this car, and am just wondering what you all ( cavalier owners ) think about them, or what you might suggest.

im new to cars too, though i know a little, and am willing to learn as much as i can, so i can do most of my car stuff on my own.



Anyway, i suppose HELLO! and thanks for help you might offer.

These are the things i would like to start out with on the car:
New Wheels:
http://www.tirerack.com/images/wheels/asa/swap/asa_jh3_ci3_l.jpg

OR
http://www.tirerack.com/images/wheels/asa/swap/asa_em9_ci3_l.jpg

I like the first, because theyre fairly simple, and not too gaudy looking. ( i checked them out on tirerack.com on the car itself, and these are the only two that i thought looked the nicest on the car. I already have 15" yokohamas on the car, all of them are brand new so im not going to need tires for it.

Im not sure what brakes i want to get, but i certainly want to get new ones cause... old brakes dont look as nice with new wheels now eh?
Is there a place i could get calipers ( if the car needs them, im not sure yet and another reason why im asking here) that match the cars paint job? Id rather them not "stick out" since its not really going to be some suped up ride. i just want a bit nicer looking stuff, and some safer than the stock.

now, would you recommend a cold air intake? or a warm?( i was thinking cold, personally) and what sort of, reasonably priced engine work do you think i should have done?
or just really anything else i might do to the car to make it run more efficiently for me?


I also want to get one of those Car "bras" and for that, im thinking of getting this:
http://www.car-stuff.com/performance/images/products/covercraft/2piece_car_bra.jpg

and i also wanted a simple stock spoiler, cause they look pretty nice :)
This:http://www.car-stuff.com/performance/images/products/lund/WINDOE1.jpg

So, for now, thats what i plan to have done for this summer. If theres anything else, please feel free to suggest, or advise me differently on.

I really dont plan to, whats the term..."rice" it out? ( read that somwhere yesterday :) ) but id like, again, just a few things done to it.

Wheels: I also like the 1st kind better. If you want to choose only between those 2, then the 1st one is the way to go. Id look at different sites though to get a better selection.
Tires: You will need new tires if you get new rims. The rims will more then likely be bigger and wider.
Brakes: For the rotors, you can buy some cross drilled or slotted ones. They look better then a solid one. Also for the calipers, you dont need new ones. Just tape off everything and paint them the color you want. Get the rust off, clean them, primer if wanted, spray paint them (dupli-color caliper paint), and clear coat them.
Intake: Personally your choice. Cold air is supposably better because its brings cold air into the engine versus warm. But you can alwayz get a cheap Ebay warm intake and buy a K&N filter for it. Works just as good.
Bra: NO...just no....
Spoiler: That all up to you if you want one.
Other: First and foremost, shave your emblems. It improves the look of your car that much. Other things can be... a lowering kit (ex: lowering springs, coilovers, air suspension), cat-back exhaust system, header, etc.

Hope that helped!

i would say the first set or wheels is better than the other, and i would get at least 17" and some rubber to match.

as for rotors, this is what i have and they stop on a dime

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f268/JStumpalump150/CellPhonepics057.jpg

calipers, just paint them and you can paint the drums too(thats my next project)

for the intake cold is better but anything is better than stock so warm is good too.

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f268/JStumpalump150/CellPhonepics055.jpg

and like deadblade said "NO..JUST NO" on the bra

and another thing deadblade said was to shave the emblems, i think it looks nice and clean, see no emblems

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f268/JStumpalump150/bla041.jpg
http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f268/JStumpalump150/IMG_1222.jpg

and just a few more things you can do that are cheap and make the car look nice, change some bulbs

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f268/JStumpalump150/IMG_1174.jpg

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f268/JStumpalump150/IMG_1173.jpg

and paint the interior(which is also a work in progress)

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f268/JStumpalump150/IMG_1214.jpg

Dont get a bra. All the are is a crap collector which ends up messing up your paint.

LOL thanks guys! I honestly dont know what it is, but i love the look of the bra, but if you insist ^_- I mean, if im gonna stick around here, id rather not be made fun of right? hehe

Thanks for the imput on the wheels, the first, were my first choice, and the first things that caught my eye on the site as well. Ill look around now, for those wheels, or similar for different prices, but really 80 bucks a wheel isnt bad. I was even looking into 100 or more a piece. ( if i can avoid it, i will)
As for the tires, i believe that those wheels are 6" and my tires are also 6" wide. Ill double check them, but i believe they are the same and would fit. i WILL check them though, cause, it would suck to get them and not have them work out for me. If i do have to get new ones, i may just stick with what i have for now till the tires i have get worn enough, because theyre all brand new...*shrug*

Ill do the cold air intake then, though, what is the acual truth on the amount of power they give? if any at all? or are they just purely aesthetic?

Also, what on the engine can i paint, or make look newer? or fancier? shiny??? ^_^ its a bit rusty or just dirty in there, and id love to make it look nice when i open the hood. ( like JStump's tubing thingers there)

Spoiler ill definitely do, but those emblems, i LOVE them.... *shrugs* i dont think i could bare to get rid of them.. at least... the front one.. i just like that bugger!!!

The inside of mine is all black, so, i really wouldnt want to paint it. Though i do love that look, its not something i really feel like doing, since its fairly normal and simple as is. ( im going for a subtle sort of thing here... its no sports car!!! :) )

Gauges look COOL, i might do those, and i LOVE those AC and Heat Knobs you have there JStumpalump150 (http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/member.php?u=464443).

For the Exhaust, i was thinking Greddy. I figure its not super high end, but enough that i would be happy to spend some money on. Again, if im wrong on that, its just something im going off of what friends have had, or put into their cars.
Im a total Noob when it comes to these things.


So yeah, i appreciate the replies!!!
NO BRA then!! *whimpers* :*( even though i like em.... hehehe

well......if you have painted bumpers than no bra but if it is the textured black one i think a bra would look good. and i would really consider going bigger on the rims instead of getting 15" again, it may be a little more but it will look soooo much better IMO.

the AC and heat knobs are an easy thing to change, you just pull the black covering off of them and then take a sharpie to color them and they look cool, thats how i used to have them but then i took the sharpie off and replaced the bulbs in the back with green bulbs. and if you dont like how they look just put the black covers back on them. and you can even just take the covers off and leave them clear and they would look good.

you should post some pics of your cavy cuz that would help with suggestions on what you should get.

Yeah get some pictures up here!

taillights, clear corners and bumper lenses are a must also.

taillights, clear corners and bumper lenses are a must also.

not so much the taillights, but the clear corners & bumper lenses are almost a must

Do all exterior and interior stuff.
Lower it with some 17's.
Don't even bother with an exhaust or intake, just get a shiny muffler tip.
And don't get clear taillights or "carbon fiber" ones.