anyone have any suggestions on what i should start with on my 1998 Ford Escort ZX2?

Well, I'd recommend starting with replacing it. It's an escort after all. But if you're stuck with it, then look into a motor swap for something better that ford makes, then start building it up.

while i am stuck with the car which kind of sucks i want something else but i can't i am only 16 i don't have the $

Then I'd recommend waiting until you get a lot more experience. That will allow you to save up money for a better car, or just an engine swap, while not putting you and the people who live in the same town as you in danger of an inexperienced driver in a powerful car. Plus if you wait, you will have the chance to plan out what you want car and mod wise.

believe it or not escorts can be fast with a build and a turbo. but i wouldnt recommend that till later on down the road. but yes like any 4 banger car they can be made fast dew to there light

ok thanks i know it goes fast i have before, there is alot of empty area by my house. But thanks for the suggestions if anyone has anything else to say i would greatly appreiciate it.

Hi Jet, I would start with the basics. Get a new free flowing intake and open up the exhaust with a header and turbo muffler. Here is a link to a site that has a header and intake for an escort. The second link is for a header on Ebay. Once you get that little ford breathing right you can look into different gears, an LSD, a new cam, and even a turbo eventually.

http://www.2kracing.com/index.php/cPath/12_111

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=33631&item=7978695296&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW

Thanks a lot for the sites. i definitley need to get some new parts for the car. I hope that these will work out for me.

here's another site for you to look on. My girlfriend also has a '98 ZX2 and we have been slowly but surely building it up. right now all the mods we have on it are a pacesetter header and a piece of crap exhaust system and it already responds way better than before.

I'm not an expert on engine swaps but I also think that the Ford VCT engine that the car come with has a lot of potential. Stock the car accelerates pretty fast and it has an ok top speed. I hit about 135 on the freeway and it still had more to go when i had to slow down.

Ok thanks i will think about that. Still need to get more cash if i want to do all these things though.

That's why I said you should really wait and save up money for a car with more potential a couple of years down the road.

Yeah i probably will but stiil i need something to use for now. nad the escort is all i have so i plan to give it some upgrades.

for now you can find a SVO mustang or a murker all it is is a imported escort with basicly the same motor as the svo. but get all the components you need out of it and build that

ok i will think about thatbut for now i will stick with my escort.

well umm you cant drive a motor and tranny... thats why i said put it in your car aka the escort