![](http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q279/autoxgalant72/DSC_0335_zps520bfa7b.jpg)
![](http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q279/autoxgalant72/DSC_080021024x597_zps057abb4f.jpg)
![Quote](images/styles/ztech/misc/quote_icon.png)
First off, I never really figured I'd get voted for COTM seeing as its not the prettiest of cars on here. I've owned it since 2003 and its been a dedicated track car since 2008, its been the basis of all my racing and mechanical experience since I turned 16. I got the car with 38k miles on it because a neighbor of mine had a white 4 cyl model on black steelies and I really liked the way it looked. Back then I really didn't know much about cars, so when I found this one it seemed quick to me and had the bigger engine, unfortunately it wasn't a manual, but my mom wouldn't allow me to have a car she couldn't drive, so it had to be auto. I bought it with 38k miles on it, and after discovering autocross the first auto died at 54k, I had already seen some information about the 4 cyl guys swapping to the manual, and was looking it up on the V6, which hadn't been done yet. It was around then I came across Lawrence (Blue Ice on here) right as he was swapping his 7g to a manual. I helped him out with that, and eventually got my dad involved as well. Thanks to him this entire project actually happened, as my dad didn't want me to pull the car apart for an 'experimental' swap without having any real experience with doing it, and not knowing if it was even possible. So when it blew the 2nd trans I knew what I needed and what I had to do, found a GTS trans from Pharm Ecis over on Club 3g and after the absolutely disastrous shipping (Fed Ex F'd up everything he sent out that day) I got to work.
It really was the 5spd swap that took this project off for me. It allowed me to hold gear in 2nd safely and easily, and got me comfortable with driving manual, not that I couldn't, I just still had the newb jitters. Even so, I was sitting in the 20th percentile in raw time finishes in Autocross. Over the years many mods where made, mostly performance related, the trans got a Quaife LSD, a set of JIC FLT-A2's, Port and polished heads, AEM intake, RPW headers, the list goes on. As I moved up in class I removed more weight, stripping the trunk, backseat, air conditioning and more. Then early in the season in 2010 I had a bad off on the track, I cracked the mount for the front JIC, seized the other side together, tore up the front end, radiator and a control arm. Since JIC didn't have any replacement parts for the old A2 series I was SOL, didn't know what to do so the car just sat. Fast forward 2 years and the weather had gotten to it, it looked like hell, but I had the parts to bring it back and that is what I did. Everything was taken down to its components save the interior. The strut tower rust was fixed, the bent lower radiator support was fixed, the engine was torn down to get resealed and cleaned out, however a shelf collapse lead to destroyed pistons, so a GTS motor was sourced through my LKQ connection, which got it back up and running strong!
I really would like to encourage everyone on this forum to go try racing at a track or autocross, it makes all the time spent building a performance vehicle that much more worth it. It gives you the reason why you spend all the time and money, it gets you that much more acquainted with the car, and you get to meet a bunch of other car people. Like I said earlier, I was placing in the 20th percentile for raw time each event, now I'm in the 80th or higher, its a really good feeling to see how I have progressed as a driver alongside the cars capabilities. I wish I had more money to build the car with, but to be honest having to save up for parts and slow myself down with the build has helped me keep from having an overcapable car with an undercapable driver.
I'd like to thank the entire TGC family, past, present and future, you all have been a great help, and I've met some fantastic people off this forum, I hope it continues to be a haven for everyone from the casual enthusiast to the truly mental like me!
The car racing this past season.
![](http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q279/autoxgalant72/DSC_080021024x597_zps057abb4f.jpg)
This is about the best current picture I have of it.
![](http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q279/autoxgalant72/DSC_0335_zps520bfa7b.jpg)
With Demond0d5 after completing his 5spd swap.
![](http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q279/autoxgalant72/DSC_0077_zps3c95596a.jpg)
Just after the 5spd swap.
![](http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q279/autoxgalant72/_MG_9580.jpg)
One of the earliest racing pictures I have.
![](http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q279/autoxgalant72/activefid54617.jpg)
The ruins it was rebuilt from.
![](http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q279/autoxgalant72/IMAG0060.jpg)
It really was the 5spd swap that took this project off for me. It allowed me to hold gear in 2nd safely and easily, and got me comfortable with driving manual, not that I couldn't, I just still had the newb jitters. Even so, I was sitting in the 20th percentile in raw time finishes in Autocross. Over the years many mods where made, mostly performance related, the trans got a Quaife LSD, a set of JIC FLT-A2's, Port and polished heads, AEM intake, RPW headers, the list goes on. As I moved up in class I removed more weight, stripping the trunk, backseat, air conditioning and more. Then early in the season in 2010 I had a bad off on the track, I cracked the mount for the front JIC, seized the other side together, tore up the front end, radiator and a control arm. Since JIC didn't have any replacement parts for the old A2 series I was SOL, didn't know what to do so the car just sat. Fast forward 2 years and the weather had gotten to it, it looked like hell, but I had the parts to bring it back and that is what I did. Everything was taken down to its components save the interior. The strut tower rust was fixed, the bent lower radiator support was fixed, the engine was torn down to get resealed and cleaned out, however a shelf collapse lead to destroyed pistons, so a GTS motor was sourced through my LKQ connection, which got it back up and running strong!
I really would like to encourage everyone on this forum to go try racing at a track or autocross, it makes all the time spent building a performance vehicle that much more worth it. It gives you the reason why you spend all the time and money, it gets you that much more acquainted with the car, and you get to meet a bunch of other car people. Like I said earlier, I was placing in the 20th percentile for raw time each event, now I'm in the 80th or higher, its a really good feeling to see how I have progressed as a driver alongside the cars capabilities. I wish I had more money to build the car with, but to be honest having to save up for parts and slow myself down with the build has helped me keep from having an overcapable car with an undercapable driver.
I'd like to thank the entire TGC family, past, present and future, you all have been a great help, and I've met some fantastic people off this forum, I hope it continues to be a haven for everyone from the casual enthusiast to the truly mental like me!
The car racing this past season.
![](http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q279/autoxgalant72/DSC_080021024x597_zps057abb4f.jpg)
This is about the best current picture I have of it.
![](http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q279/autoxgalant72/DSC_0335_zps520bfa7b.jpg)
With Demond0d5 after completing his 5spd swap.
![](http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q279/autoxgalant72/DSC_0077_zps3c95596a.jpg)
Just after the 5spd swap.
![](http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q279/autoxgalant72/_MG_9580.jpg)
One of the earliest racing pictures I have.
![](http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q279/autoxgalant72/activefid54617.jpg)
The ruins it was rebuilt from.
![](http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q279/autoxgalant72/IMAG0060.jpg)
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