Modifications to your current car

Hey guys I wanted to know if anyone out there has been busy modifying their car besides me. Hopefully this thread will help eachother with any problems we are all facing or tips to successful modification.

My latest car is a 2007 Subaru WRX I bought out of Houston. I found it on ebay and put a deposit, went over and drove it.... went home with it. When I got home I found out the previous owner installed a turbo-back exhaust along with a custom boost gauge, the latter of which was apparent when I was test driving the car. The gauge works great and shows stock boost levels when under full load. Interesting enough it wasn't the type with a vaccuum line running into the cabin, it has an electronic line which runs to a small box mounted in the engine bay.

The exhaust gave the car a very nice sound but I noticed when I used the cruise control sometimes it would fall out and trigger a check engine light. I ran the codes and found a P0420 (catalyst efficiency below threshold). Being under warranty still I brought it to the dealership near here and they told me it was because of the exhaust. I found a guy in NH making O2 sensor simulators that would fix the problem but after installing it I have had the code trigger one more time. Since the last clear it hasn't triggered and seems to be working so maybe it was just a loose wire.

The only other modification I have made myself is removing the air intake resonator. My friend has one the same year/model and you can hear the turbo spool much louder.

List or explain what you all have done below, I'll try and post some about my other cars later. Good luck all, performance or show!

Id love to modify my car. I have a VW GTI that needs some accessories!


Do you have any pics?



[edit on March 25th 2010 by greeneyedleo]

reply to post by greeneyedleo


[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/1d2d95288970.jpg[/atsimg]

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this one my friend used photoshop on it

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/4d19dad29ac8.jpg[/atsimg]

Those pictures are from when I got the car, I'll take some of the gauge and O2 simulator/exhaust mods later.

[edit on 25-3-2010 by Estharik]

At the moment I only have an intake with UICP and LICP as well as a TBE and high flow fuel pump.

I have quite a few more plans for the car but I can only do stuff as money allows. Family comes first you know.

My car is a 2003 Mitsubishi Evolution VIII

This pic is on 2+ inches of sleet. The car gets around great in the stuff. This year I was going through 7 inches of snow with no issue what so ever.





A pic of my dirty and cluttered engine bay before some modifications for appearance.



After a wash and wax.





My new exhaust that just went on about a month ago.






Looking down the barrel so to speak.



For the most part though the car is mostly stock. I want to get somewhere between 300 WHP to 350 WHP before I stop. I am not looking for crazy number just something a bit over factory and still fun on the streets. Not going to say the top speed I have hit only that is was three digits. The car handles like a dream on the corners and is perfect season round.

This is also my first performance vehicle. But it is one I have wanted since I seen it on the show room flow and they hit the U.S. market. I had to wait though for the original owner to get rid of the car before I could get it. The previous owner had left the thing completely stock. The car is certainly one of my passions in life. My son loves to ride in it and even makes car sounds and pretends to shift when you ask about “daddy’s car”

I noticed your Subaru stars in your avatar before you ever said what you drove by the way

Nice ride. No Subaru hate from this Mitsu owner here. AWD is the way to go.

Raist


Edit: Sorry about pic size I am no good at resizing the things.

[edit on 4/10/10 by Raist]

As far as codes go I have been lucky. I fixes for any issue I might have ready before hand because of another forum that is loaded down with info on the Evo.

The only issue I could not figure out was a slight leak as boost started to build prior to the installation of the intake. Putting on the intake removed anymore CELs being thrown. I found the issue to be a small tear in the factory intake hose. It seems as the car sucked in more air it would collapse the rubber hose causing the tear to open up messing with the MAF sensor.

Raist

Very nice EVO! I love mitsubishi, one of my other cars is a 98 eagle talon (chrysler I know, but everything under the hood is mitsubishi) TSi. I've been in love with turbos ever since. It was only FWD and when the time came I was determined to get an AWD car. I needed a 4 door so it was either a WRX or EVO

I still have the talon but I learned the hard way that when you overmodify an engine sometimes you'll break transmissions... like the 3 I went through with it. I've kept it in hopes to fix it someday. I might post some pictures of it and what I've done to it.

Also the Subaru stars in my avatar are from my other Subaru my first is an 86 Subaru GL. After I got it I was so impressed I had to get another. Even being so old the interior is very nice and everything on the car still works, even the windshield wiper sprayers. If you look close at the spaceship you can see the eagle talon emblem on the back

Thanks.

I wish the previous owner would have done more to protect it looks wise though. I had to get the top of the wing recleared because the carbon fiber had the clear coat peeling off. Sadly there are a few spots on it that were burned to badly by the sun so I am getting a different wing from another guy. There are also some other things that he should have done to treat it better. But now it has a better home and will be treated with respect. I guess he had more money than common sense so to him it was nothing. To me it is a piece of work and is an investment. I have had it for 2 years and the prices seem to be coming back to what they were when I got it.

For a short time prices started to drop, but now they are rising again. It only had 41k miles when I got it and now has just over 52k. I switched all the fluids to AMSoil when I got it. I guess you could consider that a modification as well. I even use the stuff in my wife’s van now too. I’ll never go back to anything else since I started using AMSoil. I can get it at my door in only a few days after I order it, so it works out well.

Yeah I see the Talon emblem now lol.


I like the 4 door of the Evo it helps with a kid. The weakest part of the Evo is the T-case. The engine block of the 4G63 is pretty strong and can handle more power than I plan on delivering to it. The transmission will also be able to take more than I am going to put to it. The T-case will be fine so long as I do not launch the car all the time. But I am not looking for a drag car so much as I am just a funny car that can be driven daily.


Raist

reply to post by Raist


I know the feeling with needing another 2 doors for children...

There's a guy in Colorado I heard about that does good DSM work www.jackstransmissions.com...

He's answered a lot of questions for me. The work he does is a bit on the high end of prices but like I said, I heard he does good work. Check him out if you plan on dumping more into the engine and you're afraid of the transfer case going. He revamped his site since last I visited but I remember him offering unbreakable gears in the differential and transfer case.

If you're afraid of breaking something I would suggest beefing up what you're talking about. Buying transmission parts can be expensive... that's why mine is sitting.... for now

My understanding is that the stock transmission is good for 400 – 450 WHP. I will not touch that unless I throw in cams and I don’t really plan on doing that. The main reason is you definitely need a tune directly after installing them and the drive to a good tuner I trust is quite far.

The stuff I plan on doing is simple bolt-ons that while needing a tune will be safer to drive distances without than cams. At the moment I am only looking at adding a larger FMIC, upgrading my hotside to 10.5 from 9.8 and getting that ported and coated as well as porting and coating my O2 housing. I am debating on injectors since my stockers should be good until 350. I guess I’ll see if I am getting fuel cut when I am done to see if I should add them.

As far as appearance I have added the Euro badge to the rear and flat blacked the diamonds on the front and back of the car. I want to get the JDM rear bumper and the flat blacked head and tail housings for the JDM look there as well. The light housings I will do myself, I only need to take them apart, paint and reseal them. I want to get some spares though incase I crack a lens. I also plan to repaint the fading and peeling Brembos that are on it but instead of red with white logos I will do black with silver logos. I also want to get the stock wheels powder coated black. I want to get the valve cover powder coated black and the plug cover painted silver with blue or black diamond’s engraved into it. I don’t want “ricey” but it is nice to have some “rice” on the side lol.

The overall color scheme will be silver and black with a touch of blue here and there in a few spots simply to match the blue of the Recaros.


I plan to change the break and clutch lines with S.S. lines and add dampers under the hood instead of the prop bar. But this is future thoughts and plans for the car. I have to wait for extra cash to fall into place for it. If everything works out I might even drop the car overall about a half inch not much but will make wheel gap look better.


Sounds like a lot of work and money when I put it all down in writing lol. All work aside from major things such as transmission, engine internals, or painting I can pretty much do myself.

I have done plenty to it myself from what it was when I got it. It is slowing turning into a much better car ride wise and looks wise.

Raist

Here are a few pics I took today.





I call this one “Stalking an Evo”















That is the Mississippi River in the background.












Raist

Ive just finished mine after a 5 year build.

Its a 1965 Falcon Sedan, heavily modified.
Removed a 173ci six cylinder, BW35 transmission and horrible crapulent Diff.
Replaced with heavily modified and built by myself 302 Windsor, C4 transmission with Kevlar internals and Stage 2 shift kit, and a BW 78 series differential.

Ive built an entirely new brake system for it, even brake lines, totally gutted and rebuilt the wiring loom, replaced every steering component and bush, replaced every suspension component. I completely refurbished the interior, except the front seat which needs to be done.

At low speed its hard to handle, but at high speed she corners on rails and is quite enjoyable to take through the hills.... just dont slow down and all will be fine! hehe.

I was moding out my 1985 1/2 Porsche 944 back in 2005 when katrina hit. I had the car since 1998 and bought it stock. I added headers and a performance chip. Changed out the water pump to the updated version and put a new timing belt on in 2004. The car had several electrical gremlins and it was having issues when I had to park it for the storm.

Now it just sits in my yard killing grass as I ran out of money to dump in it.

My other vehicle is a 2005 Toyota Tacoma TRD Sport 4X4. I had it decked out with LED warning lights back when I was a firefighter. Now its toned down with just a dash light and a light bar in the back glass. I installed a short tube air intake and man did that thin open up. Only issue was the air filter had to be cleaned monthly and the milage went south in traffic. i put the stock system back on as it draws in cooler air from the fender well.

Since its out of waranty now I was thinking about trying out and HHO system. Anyone have experince with that?

Nice thread, I am looking for threads like this because I am currently working on restoring and customizing my dodge pick up and a hand me down Chevy Coupe. Will post updates soon. I also want to share this resource How to Customize Your Car, found some useful information and links there. please share other links as well. i really need it thanks in advance.

The modifications I am making are of a totally different sort. I have already installed 2 extra batteries and an inverter. Now I want to install solar panels on my roof to run a window a/c unit while my van is off. I have already installed a "coffin locker" bed with storage space underneath, as well as a cabinet that holds a microwave. I may add a small refrigerator if the solar panels can handle the wattage. I plan to hit the road full time in about a year.

Not sure if it's what you had in mind for the thread, but the lift I just finished Sunday could be considered a mod..

Wow, it sounds like a lot of people are doing some interesting things to their rides.

I still have the Evolution. Not added anything to it other than the modifications listed. I recently got a 2000 Subaru Impreza Outback Sport as a daily driver so that I can keep the Evo mileage low. The Subaru has some body damage but it runs awesome. It has the 2.2 liter non-turbo engine. I like the all wheel drive part of it and the MPG of it as well. I hope to add an intake to it maybe a one inch lift and a push bar/brush guard for the front. Nothing to make it fast just some stuff to make it a more efficient winter car in case the snow gets too deep.

I would love to see some photos of other members rides, I want to see the projects going on.



reply to post by enjoies05



Nice lift. Have any other photos? Planning on adding any other modifications? Do you use it for off road driving or did you just want the look the lift gives?


Raist

reply to post by Raist


Thanks. Not sure what's next. I'll probably keep it like this for a while. And I love taking it off road. Haven't gotten a chance to test this new set up yet though. But it'll be soon.

reply to post by enjoies05


It would look sweet with a brush guard/push bar on the front with fog lights on it.

Good job so far.

Raist

Ford au series 3 2001 model

Engine work;
port polished and shaved head from atomic performance with over sized valves
k&n high flow air filter
Custom cam shaft made up
2 1/2" custom exhaust with 4490 racing pace maker headers
half tune with my old head and cam made 170hp
when my tuner comes back i should be making 220 to 260hp if not more



Sound system
Pioneer head unit for iphone
600watt 6x9s kenwood
5"splits focal
1000watt jbl compertiton 15" sub
1200watt mono block kenwood amp
8gauge and 4 gauge wire used to wire it all up

Aftermarket control arms, axles, shocks & struts, calipers, pads, rotors, SS lines, wider tires, free flow exhaust, injectors, plugs, steering rack, stiffer engine/transmission mounts, stage 3 clutch/fly plate, radiator, replaced coolant lines with metal, CAI (yea, I know) ABS disabled, battery relocated, custom tuned ECU, and some other minor crap I can't remember.