charris
12-02-2016, 04:37 PM
I figure I should start posting up what I've done, along with the sob stories. These are from years ago, so I don't have pics of a lot of stuff :-(
This was me in 2008:
http://i.imgur.com/2rHDBOe.jpg
It looked good, but it had problems. Bone stock, 15" steelies, tacky chrome hubcaps, the grille had riveted tabs to hold it on (bend up radiator support from previous accident/owner), bondo (a LOT of it) on the rear quarter under the paint, and the dash buzzed/rattled like crazy.
But it was my first car, and I had the bug. I had to FIDDLE WITH IT!
I cleaned it out, and performed the first major modifications while I was in college: I removed the dash (apartment parking lot work FTW), and put it back in one piece with rivers of plastic weld epoxy on the back side. I'm surprised it worked; it held together for 7 years.
Injen short ram went in at some point.
Next up, I got some seat leather from someone on here (I've lurked on this forum for ages). Spent hours with pliers because I'm stupid and I had no idea hog ring pliers were a thing.
http://i.imgur.com/QrTInBy.jpg?1
http://i.imgur.com/Zfbnjqg.jpg?2
Fast forward to senior year/2009:
New mods to go in: Acura shifter (idea from Zobgel), AC S7 gauge overlays and Defi VSD-X heads-up display. Also some ill-advised paint on the velvet door panels. :hhg:
http://i.imgur.com/ez15Qmu.jpg?1
On a trip back home the intake manifold cracked due to stress from the Injen intake. So my dad and I went all out on it and put in an Outlander IM/Outlander TB/Outlander fuel rail.
And we also lowered it. Sadly, no pics from that.
Fast forward again to 2010:
I finally have a job and some money to burn. I've moved to Texas. I'm still a n00b, so what better way to learn than with some track time?
http://i.imgur.com/fuesqwU.jpg?1
Don't ever let anyone tell you you can't take a 4-banger family sedan on the track. Slow cars are the best to learn in. Experience can make you a lot faster than power (exhibit A: passing corvettes on a track in a Galant):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTo1ZnGvcCo
I probably did about 4 track days in this bad boy and I started getting serious with mechanical mods.
First up, wheels and tires. 17" wheels made a HUGE difference in brake fade; they let a lot more air get in there to keep things cool. Good tires also help a lot. Stock Bridgestone Turanzas are REALLY bad at gripping.
Next up, BRAKES! YEAH boi, StopTechs FTW. Purchased brand new for less than half MSRP from a member here. I'm still in love with these.
http://i.imgur.com/AZRjyZy.jpg?1
Before:
http://i.imgur.com/q6dzxyK.jpg?1
During:
http://i.imgur.com/LxBd4K0.jpg?2
After!
http://i.imgur.com/l70n1ny.jpg?1
Spacers and studs, because racecar.
http://i.imgur.com/hHfceGd.jpg?1
And finally, the big one: 5 speed swap.
Prothane bushings and a short shifter:
http://i.imgur.com/ScjOzSF.jpg?1
All about dat knob:
http://i.imgur.com/4OO45Q0.jpg?1
Out with the old:
http://i.imgur.com/CanC6rH.jpg?2
http://i.imgur.com/h7vufWU.jpg?1
Clutch pedal in, trimmed the brake to give clearance:
http://i.imgur.com/gRxR6GU.jpg?1
More to come! As soon as I get the next round of crappy old cell phone pics organized.
- - - Updated - - -
More images from 2008-2010:
Carpets pulled up in 2008 to fix the inevitable A/C drain leak:
http://i.imgur.com/9ljYNz7.jpg?1
Interior goodies:
http://i.imgur.com/H5zbhpI.jpg?1
http://i.imgur.com/gNL1TXW.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/q3nW7j7.jpg
This was me in 2008:
http://i.imgur.com/2rHDBOe.jpg
It looked good, but it had problems. Bone stock, 15" steelies, tacky chrome hubcaps, the grille had riveted tabs to hold it on (bend up radiator support from previous accident/owner), bondo (a LOT of it) on the rear quarter under the paint, and the dash buzzed/rattled like crazy.
But it was my first car, and I had the bug. I had to FIDDLE WITH IT!
I cleaned it out, and performed the first major modifications while I was in college: I removed the dash (apartment parking lot work FTW), and put it back in one piece with rivers of plastic weld epoxy on the back side. I'm surprised it worked; it held together for 7 years.
Injen short ram went in at some point.
Next up, I got some seat leather from someone on here (I've lurked on this forum for ages). Spent hours with pliers because I'm stupid and I had no idea hog ring pliers were a thing.
http://i.imgur.com/QrTInBy.jpg?1
http://i.imgur.com/Zfbnjqg.jpg?2
Fast forward to senior year/2009:
New mods to go in: Acura shifter (idea from Zobgel), AC S7 gauge overlays and Defi VSD-X heads-up display. Also some ill-advised paint on the velvet door panels. :hhg:
http://i.imgur.com/ez15Qmu.jpg?1
On a trip back home the intake manifold cracked due to stress from the Injen intake. So my dad and I went all out on it and put in an Outlander IM/Outlander TB/Outlander fuel rail.
And we also lowered it. Sadly, no pics from that.
Fast forward again to 2010:
I finally have a job and some money to burn. I've moved to Texas. I'm still a n00b, so what better way to learn than with some track time?
http://i.imgur.com/fuesqwU.jpg?1
Don't ever let anyone tell you you can't take a 4-banger family sedan on the track. Slow cars are the best to learn in. Experience can make you a lot faster than power (exhibit A: passing corvettes on a track in a Galant):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTo1ZnGvcCo
I probably did about 4 track days in this bad boy and I started getting serious with mechanical mods.
First up, wheels and tires. 17" wheels made a HUGE difference in brake fade; they let a lot more air get in there to keep things cool. Good tires also help a lot. Stock Bridgestone Turanzas are REALLY bad at gripping.
Next up, BRAKES! YEAH boi, StopTechs FTW. Purchased brand new for less than half MSRP from a member here. I'm still in love with these.
http://i.imgur.com/AZRjyZy.jpg?1
Before:
http://i.imgur.com/q6dzxyK.jpg?1
During:
http://i.imgur.com/LxBd4K0.jpg?2
After!
http://i.imgur.com/l70n1ny.jpg?1
Spacers and studs, because racecar.
http://i.imgur.com/hHfceGd.jpg?1
And finally, the big one: 5 speed swap.
Prothane bushings and a short shifter:
http://i.imgur.com/ScjOzSF.jpg?1
All about dat knob:
http://i.imgur.com/4OO45Q0.jpg?1
Out with the old:
http://i.imgur.com/CanC6rH.jpg?2
http://i.imgur.com/h7vufWU.jpg?1
Clutch pedal in, trimmed the brake to give clearance:
http://i.imgur.com/gRxR6GU.jpg?1
More to come! As soon as I get the next round of crappy old cell phone pics organized.
- - - Updated - - -
More images from 2008-2010:
Carpets pulled up in 2008 to fix the inevitable A/C drain leak:
http://i.imgur.com/9ljYNz7.jpg?1
Interior goodies:
http://i.imgur.com/H5zbhpI.jpg?1
http://i.imgur.com/gNL1TXW.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/q3nW7j7.jpg