Ok, allow me to preface this tale by stating that this happened over a year ago. Some of the details may be a little fuzzy. However, you will find that the core of the story is strong.



It all started with my first Tiburon, a clean 2000 RD2. I had loved her for about 7 years when at the ripe old age of 130,000 miles her automatic transmission decided to give up on me. I did much research to see if a replacement could be found, but alas no good options turned up. It looked like this would be the end of my Hyundai love.















I was saddened by my impending loss, I had spent many good miles in my Tiburon. Suddenly a wild Tiburon wreck apperaed!











I proceeded to spend hours swapping parts from one Tiburon to the other. I had to start with the essentials, rad support, hood, headlights, bumper, fenders, and exhaust. Even then, it wasn't pretty.



















Later I rattle can painted the silver bits to match my new white car, and upgraded the wheels and tires. I put my lowering springs and badly faded CF hood on as well.



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All in all I'm happy to have my Tib back, plus now she's 5 speed, not crap-o-matic.



Recent fixes:

- Replaced the flex-pipe and header (again!)

- Replaced both O2 sensors

- Replaced both front strut mount plates

- Replaced driver's side cv axle

- Both corner lights (passengers side got smashed by a chunk or road debris)

- Rear pads rotors and calipers



Still needed:

- Passenger's side CV (not making noise yet)

- Driver's side wheel bearing (i think, it's making some kind of noise)

- Driver's side parking brake cable



Somehow despite all this I still think this is a solid car!

 

Good job on the swap over. You probably could have gotten all the needed parts to do a 5 speed swap on the A/T tib, at a very cheap cost had you not found the other tib.

 

I thought about that, but the new Tib was a steal @ $800 and swapping the body parts seemed much easier than swapping the drivetrain.

 

what about the old one...?

 

Whoa, nice work man. That's quite a large amount of work, swapping them all over. You should use the spare engine/chassis for something stupid

 

Funny you should ask...



After driving my new Tib for a few months I got tired of staring at my old stripped down baby. Every day I had to see it sitting there dying, no rad, rad support fenders, bent hood lying loose over the engine. So I decided it was time to finish the job. We stripped her clean (fairly clean), we removed the motor, all of the interior, the doors, the hatchand a few other bits.



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Then, and sadly I do not have video of any of this, it was time to finish off the shell. She had died at my hands and I deceded it would end there. First we cut off the roof, busted in the windscreen, and beat it with hammers. Then as a final hoorah we took what was left out back with the forklift, picked it up as high as it would go (30 feet?), and let it fall to the ground landing upside down. I wish I had video of this, I really do, but all I have are pictures of the aftermath.



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I tried to sell off most of what was left afterwards, and did successfully part out a door, a wing, and a few other small bits (never posted anything on here for some stupid reason). Eventually what was left of the shell, one door, and the hatch all found their way to the scrap yard. I still have the motor, the bumpers (tho they might be sold now if this guy calls me back) and most of the interior. My old dash has been re-painted and will soon find it's way back into my life in the white Tib.

 

good sh*t glad to see other guys keeping the RD2's on the road

 

Well, I had to completely kill one to do it.



Funny story too.....



When I bought the white Tib the guy tells me this story about how some kid crashed it, kid gives it (sells?) to a junk yard, junk yard sells it to him, then he sells it to me, all on the original kid's title. The kid that wrecked the car "accidentally" signed the title as the seller. So after I do all this work to get the car road worthy again, I go to the DMV to register it, and they say I can't. The lady at the counter doesn't even want to touch the title stating that it's a bad title and that I have to have this kid (from another state) apply for a new title, then send it to me. Well, that isn't going to happen, and now I'm concerened that this kid is going to find out that HIS Tib is fixed and decide that he wants it back. Luckily I already have a Tib, so I simply swapped my VIN tags and plates from my old car and *BAM* I've apparently owned this car for ten years! Hence why the shell had to be destroyed.

 

That's very interesting. That tends to happen with unregistered cars man, because they are bought and sold without process, it can get messy.



How on earth did you swap the VIN tags over? It's embossed on the firewall.

 

Apparently the DMV in New Jersey only required the one on the dash for it to be legal, so I just swapped the dashboards.