Hows it going guys, my name is Chris I have been a member for a while and posting when I had questions or CONSTANTLY reading on this website, as you guys know you get this bug.. And the bug becomes a routine, which then is a "hobby" or obsession... Whatever you want to call it lol! But I have had this car since Oct of 2010, since then MANY things have occurred to this car, some beneficial... Some catastrophic, but always ending up in a better result! (At least I hope so lol) so I will try to keep this updated to the best of my ability, I pay for this all myself, so I save up and buy parts and I do all the work myself (dad taught me the basics and then I started to love working on cars and I have started teaching him now I go to school full-time, and I have a job that I work at 30 hours a week driving, so im sorry if I don't post on this daily. I hope you enjoy reading as much as I enjoy Building! Thanks

• backstory

I had this car for 2 months. I let my friend drive it in Dec. 2010 he mis shifted and bent some pushrods I then took the motor out (I wasn't aware it was only pushrods and I wanted to change the rear main seal). I took it out, let the car sit for about 9 months.. Maybe it was 11 months. But Hey it was under a year lol. Got the car running threw a new clutch at it, along with all new pushrods. here are some pics of the process.


When I was pulling the motor


&& she's out!


Once I had the motor out for a while I gave her a really nice power washing and put some elbow grease into her to make sure she looked good for all the ladies haha


Could almost eat off it!



heres what spinning our motors too the breaking point looks likedum





Here is what the car originally looked like the day I got it I took it home and cleaned her up and snapped a couple pics







Heres some of the parts I threw at it, mostly gaskets, but I got a short throw shifter in there, all NGK plugs, msd wires

 

After this I got the windows tinted 5% rear, and 15% Driver/passenger
On a side note. I live in the Bay Area if anyone needs some windows tinted Matt at Rocky Mountain Window tint does a fantastic job and he is located in Livermore
Here is a picture of the windows done




After I did the windows I saved up for a couple of months for some wheels and tires. You can tell that I did a couple of donuts on those tires^.

I went with some zo6 18" wheels from online, and some 295 Nitto Invo's for the rear and 265's up front. They handle AMAZING, couldn't be happier, have had them on for about 500ish miles, a little rubbing in the rear, but I fixed that with the BFH mod . Here is a pic of the rear's with the lighter to give perspective




Here are the wheels and tires installed. I love em






And I also had previously saved up and bought some 1 3/4' Hooker Stainless Steel headers, with some Borla 3" Xr-1 mufflers.





Heres the headers installed on the lift when I got Scott at Minute Muffler in Pleasonton to weld the Xr's up and he threw in a x-pipe. It sounds amazing and its ran all the way to the back, Yes I know I have an oil leak (It's my rear main still -____-)

 

After I had the wheels installed, I HAD to paint those ugly 12 year old calipers and the brackets, its too bad I didn't take too many pictures of this and the process but heres what I got.

Heres the brackets all roughed up


Heres the brackets painted and cleared just to make sure that brake dust will come off nice and easy.



Heres the only picture I have of the calipers while I was working on them, I roughed em up before and cleaned them well, sprayed some duplicolor red caliper paint on it and cleared it.









Then yesterday I got a wild hair and decided I wanted to VHT my tail lights, yes I know it is illegal but rules are ment to be broken heres a pic of the rear end with the lights how they were.








I had sanded the light on the right, that is why it looks so dull, I went 600 gritt, a 1000, then 1500, I gave them four coats of clear, and then I polished them and they are as smooth as a babys butt. and super shiny!







Tried to immitate the first picture when I took this. One looks lighter then the other in both pics but its just because of the angle of the sun.














I also VHT'd my running/side lights with about 5 coats just to make them completley black.

This is where I am sitting right now, I started on my filler panel between the tail lights and I smoothed the key hole out with some abs plastic and used a VERY light layer of bondo so it won't crack, im going to VHT that also all black. I am going to do the CETA mod some time this month also. other then that I am going to lower it once I pay my taxes. Planning on throwing some Strano Springs on it, and some eibach shocks, Tell me what you guys think! PLEASE! Input is appreciated. And if you have been reading this whole thing thank you!

 

Looks really good so far.
Just dont be like another guy on here and create a new thread for every new bolt you add.

Love the red and black theme, keep it up!

 

Nice job,
this is why I don't let "friends" touch my car.

 

nice car! Mine used to have those rims. In fact our cars would have been ALMOST identical. lol

Have you thought about doing anything to your third brake light? I didn't think it would make a huge difference but i got an led one with a black housing and it really set everything off.

Also, do you have any videos of the exhaust?

 

Thanks man!
I plan to lower it like I said, and put a ws9 hood on it. Need to do the brakes, I have 1 w6 sub for it already. Waiting for another one for a full trunk box, and MAYBE some 243 heads and a cam! but idk tune next though so she runs even better!

 

Ya definitely learned my lesson man! He stepped up to the plate and paid for everything though so that was awesome!

 

I tried to take a video on my phone, but the quality wasn't so good. and it just sounded extremely loud and distorted. Sorry I don't know how to multi quote when I post guys

 

Sorry man didnt see the last post you made before I commented stating your future plans lol.
Sounds like a good mod list to me and a tune is always a good thing.

 

Dang, I bet it sounds pretty awesome though, I can't wait to see it with that CETA mod

 

intake before the tune though

 

Looks good! I have been through quite a bit with my Formy as well... It's nice doing all your own work and paying for everything. It's a good feeling.

 

Looks good how about a drop!

 

Awesome man. I bought my car when I was 17 too, triple black SS m6 vert. No 'friends' are going to drive it, given the instance you had. My plans are exhaust first, then suspension, then AI 243 heads and cam and a fast intake. Possibly rims in the later future.

Your tail lights look great, I hate it when they're completely blacked out.

 

Nice progress so far.

 

looking great so far man keep it up

 

Thanks guys! means a lot, when you actually care about it. I have some LED strip lights im going to install in the floor area where your feet go, and for my license plate light. I also plan to get some cross and drilled slotted rotors, and those one brake pads I forget the name of. Also going to get the Chris1313 air intake thats #1 on my list and lowering (with a panhard bar)

The motor is backfiring on engine deceleration a little bit. I am 50% sure its from my exhaust leak where my headers are on the head (I forgot a bolt and blew the gasket out, no $ to replace gasket at the moment) If its not that I don't know. I think a lifter may still be bad or something on the motor from when my buddy messed up. I want to rebuild the motor one day with some nice internals. But that's long down the road

 

Looks good

 

Do the CETA mod, drop it, and get a new hood and the exterior will be done..