Garrett_T25
13-02-2007, 01:32
Im using this as somewhere I can look at for reference to see/show others exactly what Ive done to my car since I bought it. Also as this is the start, Ill explain the name (:ghey:). Basically, I bought an AW11 about a year ago, with the intention of prepping it and then racing it around a Nurburgring trip we had booked for September '06. The AW11 died barely 3 months into ownership (valve stem seals) and I needed a car for that trip. (The trip was in Autumn...you get the idea..)
The RS13 was something Id loved for ages, and I had lots of people telling me Id never get one at 19. So I did the sensible thing, I picked up the Trader and looked on here religously until I found one. I spotted a nice black one for sale, gold compomotive wheels, it looked great. I gave myself a day to decide, finally gave the guy a ring, it was sold (Fudy :whip: :D). Gutted, I hit the autotrader once more and found a red one. I couldnt imagine myself liking it as much as a black one, but using the clearcorners demo car as inspiration, and my then crude photoshopping skills I knocked up what I wanted my S13 to look like. Red was suddenly the best colour.
http://img458.imageshack.us/img458/9462/hopefullymu3.jpg
Again, the example I wanted sold within a day. This SX hunting lark was hard work. A week passes by, already Im getting desperate, until there she was. Apart from some damage on the front, she looked perfect. What followed was the stupidest, and most expensive trip to Coventry I ever made. My parents didnt know (...whoops), but it was worth the bollocking I got on my return, the car was mine.
http://img239.imageshack.us/img239/2187/10vj2.jpg
Not a bad start! I paid £1800 with 70k on the clock, and genuinely thought Id got a bargain. It was running a strong stage 1 set-up, along with an uprated fuel pump and a Saab FMIC. Then, 4 miles away from the sellers house, all I could see was smoke. It turned out the turbo seals had gone on my T25, and it was time for a new turbo. I wasnt happy, but then this gave me the perfect opportunity to increase my insurance! So, I bought a second hand T28 from an S14A, and promptly had it fitted by Tony at ART in Wakefield.
My poorly T25
http://img406.imageshack.us/img406/456/11hz6.jpg
My new(ish) T28
http://img406.imageshack.us/img406/8572/12sy7.jpg
I was annoyed at myself for not trying to fit it myself. I bought this car as a means of teaching myself how to do things, and at the first hurdle I gave up, so I swore not to take it to the garage again unless I really had to. On the rollers at ART, Tony set the car to run at 0.4bar which made a very conservative 140rwhp (170bhp est). He was pleased...I wasnt really, I like numbers bigger than that. Unfortunately, the insurance dont so there it stayed, with a slight misfire for the rest of a very warm and enjoyable summer. Driving every day with no problems and a lucky escape involving me being a tool and leaving the oil filler cap in a petrol station. Cue a back-lane tussle with a Jag and a few hours later the trusty AA were taking me home on a flatbed to be safe.
Now, with the car running pretty well, and the Nurburgring trip only weeks away, its time I made the car look like it should. Luckily, my other halfs step-dad is a top bloke, and also a professional sprayer. Into his hands it went, and it emerged like this:
http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/8614/13at2.jpg
The front end resprayed, the bonnet done black, and a vented headlight cover fitted. I was back in love. However, 0.4bar simply wasnt enough, so I bought an MBC from GTS-Chris; an SW20 tuner. It didnt work, and I was going to Germany the day after. As ashamed and regretted an action it was, I went to Ripspeed and bought a bleed valve... :ghey:
It was awful. Running 0.6 bar, and with a boost leak, I wish Id have just taken it off, but I didnt. I did buy two Pirelli P-Zeros for the rears though (225/40/18), and a HKS SSQV BOV. Anyway, the 'Ring was awesome, and to my surprise, the SX really is a competitive sports car, and the rear tyres were damned impressive!
http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/2234/14br3.jpg
I got back from Germany, went drag racing the day after I got home, and the car didnt miss a single beat. Then, the days got shorter, the nights got colder, and the fun of modifying took a back seat to the daily driver routine. I did little bits, such as buying a Bren device. I accidentally fired the bolt into the atmosphere, so ended up buying another, set at 0.8bar..
http://img251.imageshack.us/img251/7572/owned2hs0.jpg
The misfire eventually developed, and I replaced the plugs in a skint last ditch effort to stop it. It didnt really work, and the misfire got slightly worse every day, eventually starting the car became hard, and shortly after Christmas, the car died. For some reason or another, I could never find the time nor the money to get the problems started. I knew my starter was dead, my coils were the cause of the misfire, and that my tracking is off at the front.
The RS13 was something Id loved for ages, and I had lots of people telling me Id never get one at 19. So I did the sensible thing, I picked up the Trader and looked on here religously until I found one. I spotted a nice black one for sale, gold compomotive wheels, it looked great. I gave myself a day to decide, finally gave the guy a ring, it was sold (Fudy :whip: :D). Gutted, I hit the autotrader once more and found a red one. I couldnt imagine myself liking it as much as a black one, but using the clearcorners demo car as inspiration, and my then crude photoshopping skills I knocked up what I wanted my S13 to look like. Red was suddenly the best colour.
http://img458.imageshack.us/img458/9462/hopefullymu3.jpg
Again, the example I wanted sold within a day. This SX hunting lark was hard work. A week passes by, already Im getting desperate, until there she was. Apart from some damage on the front, she looked perfect. What followed was the stupidest, and most expensive trip to Coventry I ever made. My parents didnt know (...whoops), but it was worth the bollocking I got on my return, the car was mine.
http://img239.imageshack.us/img239/2187/10vj2.jpg
Not a bad start! I paid £1800 with 70k on the clock, and genuinely thought Id got a bargain. It was running a strong stage 1 set-up, along with an uprated fuel pump and a Saab FMIC. Then, 4 miles away from the sellers house, all I could see was smoke. It turned out the turbo seals had gone on my T25, and it was time for a new turbo. I wasnt happy, but then this gave me the perfect opportunity to increase my insurance! So, I bought a second hand T28 from an S14A, and promptly had it fitted by Tony at ART in Wakefield.
My poorly T25
http://img406.imageshack.us/img406/456/11hz6.jpg
My new(ish) T28
http://img406.imageshack.us/img406/8572/12sy7.jpg
I was annoyed at myself for not trying to fit it myself. I bought this car as a means of teaching myself how to do things, and at the first hurdle I gave up, so I swore not to take it to the garage again unless I really had to. On the rollers at ART, Tony set the car to run at 0.4bar which made a very conservative 140rwhp (170bhp est). He was pleased...I wasnt really, I like numbers bigger than that. Unfortunately, the insurance dont so there it stayed, with a slight misfire for the rest of a very warm and enjoyable summer. Driving every day with no problems and a lucky escape involving me being a tool and leaving the oil filler cap in a petrol station. Cue a back-lane tussle with a Jag and a few hours later the trusty AA were taking me home on a flatbed to be safe.
Now, with the car running pretty well, and the Nurburgring trip only weeks away, its time I made the car look like it should. Luckily, my other halfs step-dad is a top bloke, and also a professional sprayer. Into his hands it went, and it emerged like this:
http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/8614/13at2.jpg
The front end resprayed, the bonnet done black, and a vented headlight cover fitted. I was back in love. However, 0.4bar simply wasnt enough, so I bought an MBC from GTS-Chris; an SW20 tuner. It didnt work, and I was going to Germany the day after. As ashamed and regretted an action it was, I went to Ripspeed and bought a bleed valve... :ghey:
It was awful. Running 0.6 bar, and with a boost leak, I wish Id have just taken it off, but I didnt. I did buy two Pirelli P-Zeros for the rears though (225/40/18), and a HKS SSQV BOV. Anyway, the 'Ring was awesome, and to my surprise, the SX really is a competitive sports car, and the rear tyres were damned impressive!
http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/2234/14br3.jpg
I got back from Germany, went drag racing the day after I got home, and the car didnt miss a single beat. Then, the days got shorter, the nights got colder, and the fun of modifying took a back seat to the daily driver routine. I did little bits, such as buying a Bren device. I accidentally fired the bolt into the atmosphere, so ended up buying another, set at 0.8bar..
http://img251.imageshack.us/img251/7572/owned2hs0.jpg
The misfire eventually developed, and I replaced the plugs in a skint last ditch effort to stop it. It didnt really work, and the misfire got slightly worse every day, eventually starting the car became hard, and shortly after Christmas, the car died. For some reason or another, I could never find the time nor the money to get the problems started. I knew my starter was dead, my coils were the cause of the misfire, and that my tracking is off at the front.