Toms official WTF mod path thread.

[mndsm]

Ok, so we all know I got a 2nd job. This is affording me about 600$ extra a month. Assuming I don't use it to do smrt things like pay bills, I want to start throwing parts at the ms3. I have toyed with the idea of either buying a Miata and Time Attack building it, or perhaps buying my dads' GSL-SE and going classic clean, for a nice cruiser. This is more to discuss what to do next with the ms3, barring the purchase of another car. I already have wheels picked out for it-
http://www.wheeldude.com/catalog/popup_image.php?pID=5939&image=0

I am open to other ideas on wheels, but you get the idea. I'm done trying to find black wheels, as I decided I want some color on the whip after all, and I really like the look of the DPT. I want an agressive offset for a number of reasons.#1 I can push the wheels further out, which will allow me to stuff some rad rubber under it. I'm thinking z1 Star Spec tires, 245/40/17, to go on those wheels. I'm not sold on an 9" wheel, but with the offset, having extra wheel width should actually help the bearings not fail on me running a wild offset.

http://www.streetunit.com/PhotoDetails.asp?ShowDESC=N&ProductCode=MBM2000
Next is the autoEXE front bumper. I know a lot of people aren't sold on it, but I'm in love. Plus I'm pretty sure I hit a car the other day, as there are some pretty good scratches down to the urethane in it. Sucks to be me, great excuse to upgrade.

http://www.streetunit.com/PhotoDetails.asp?ShowDESC=N&ProductCode=50-68-3103X

I would also love the DG carbon splitter, but I'm not sure it would work with the autoEXE bumper. More on that when I'm coherent.

Next- I want a spoiler extension. I'm torn between the DG lip extension

http://www.streetunit.com/DG_Carbon_Fiber_Rear_Wing_Extension_MAZDASPEED3_p/50-68-3105x.htm

and the RE lip

http://www.corksport.com/autoexe-carbon-rear-wing-for-mazda-3.html
The RE one is way more fly, but way more money. That about does it for exterior mods, except for perhaps a set of red angel eyes and maybe, maybe, a set of eyelids. I'll get Tien to tint my tail lights, and I'll call it good.

Onto performance mods. I need a tuning solution. I plan on getting the GrimmSpeed BCS once the final bracket and setup is developed. After that I need a tuner of some sort. I was actually leaning BACK towards the Cobb AP due to the ATR, and the ease of use..... but then CP-E dropped a bomb and they've got this car cracked. So, that's a bit of a confusing one to me.

I plan on ordering a downpipe at some point- not sure which one. May well be Racing Beat, as I am utterly smitten with the Racing Beat CBE, and that is going to tie up the exhaust end of the car.

http://media.photobucket.com/image/...3 exhaust/copperkiid/th_racingbeat_cbe009.jpg

I'm going to keep the CP-E nano for the intake, and eventually build a heat shield for it, to try and keep some of the underhood temps at bay. I'll get a TIP and boost tubes, and then it's on to intercooler. I'm pretty much sold on a custom LAIC, as traditional air to air kind of bores me, and after seeing the length of the piping needed to make one of those work, I worry about pressurising the system, and losing spool. Plus LAIC's are more rad, and you can get lower than ambient charge temps with them.

Onto suspension, and here's where I'm torn. I would like some sway bars, and am between the hotchkis setup, or the Cobb setup. I wanna keep the springs and sways matching, and I'm about set on Cobb springs.

The Street Unit full race motor mount kit is on the list as well.

I guess more than anything, I'm looking for honest opinions from the peanut gallery. Which direction do you think I should start? I also plan on adding more gauges on the inside, but those are relatively cheap so they don't count. I'll probably go with a wideband 02 sensor about the time the downpipe goes in, as it'll be easier to install since they're already out of the car. Honest thoughts? Things I may not have thought of? Experience with any of these parts?

 

[YSOSLO]

Since you're talking about wheels AND suspension mods, I'd start with the suspension first so you don't end up buying wheels that end up not working with a lower suspension setup. Cobb is pretty popular, and I've heard some really good things about Hotchkiss(sp?) sways...do they make springs too? Are you locked into springs, or are you considering struts at all?

 

[mndsm]

I haven't looked into uprated struts yet. IF I went that far, I'd probably just go full coilovers, and save myself the trouble of trying to match rebound rates and stupid stuff like that. I know I can have custom spec KYB's made, but that is exotic money, and I'd be into HKS coil territory.

 

[Picklz]

Pay the car off or buy a second vehicle, modding the crap out of your Daily Driver that you have a payment sucks IMO.

But my .02 on some of the rest of it

Cobb commissioned Hotchkis to make their sways, from the reading I've done I would go hotchkis personally. Springs w/o upgraded shocks/struts is kinda silly, you can get H&R Coils for a bit over 1k which would blow springs outta the water, or bump up to the MS Coilovers for 2 way adjust-ability, really comes down to what your gonna do with the car.

so that said...what are your goals for the car? What do you want it's end state to be or what are you planning to do with it (Just a DD, Auto-X, more competitve racing like SCCA, track days @ actual road courses, etc)?

 

[YSOSLO]

no mud boggin' option????

 

[mndsm]

I'd like to do some autocross with it, though with my current engine mods, once I got out of SI, I'd be classed far too high for my own good. The one goal I've always had for the car was to make it outhandle the Mini..... so we'll use that.

 

[JohnnyT]

I was never big on cosmetic stuff....wait, what? Well, body mods I guess. I had to make my car all black, it was just the way it had to be. I really do like the autoexe bumper, and a splitter extension really does set it off. I'm also not a big auto x guy so I never went full suspension simply because the cost factor wasn't there for the benefit I would've gotten out of it from my driving style. I wanted a quick cruiser, and I got it. I cheaped out on suspension to add extra power. It's tough for me to advise that for you knowing the road I traveled though.

My advice - do body/suspension mods for now. Wait until CP-e uncovers this veil of secrecy. Then, you can review and hear from others how it all works (I heard it was a flash that simply gives your car the power it should i.e. if you have a turbo/fuel/air that supports 450whp, with this flash you will finally get 450whp - and there are a few people running it right now). Ultimately, you decide how far you want to push the engine. Race Roots is running about 410whp on stock internals - but they've moved the torque curve away from the lean area and smoothed it out, it's a completely different car as it only has around 360tq. I was running 19psi steady for about 30k miles on the k04 and never had a hiccup. There's been a lot less blown motor threads lately too.

None of this probably makes any sense as I'm throwing random stuff out that pops in the brain. I'll keep going once this thread gets longer...

 

[dmention7]

Pay the car off or buy a second vehicle, modding the crap out of your Daily Driver that you have a payment sucks IMO.

troof.

I would second the suspension mods, ESPECIALLY if you plan to run a 9" wide wheel. Jeff was rubbing like a madman with 245s on a 8" wheel. Throw another inch of wheel under there, and you're going to need coilovers just to keep from destroying your tires/fenders.

Once you get that sorted out, a wideband and tuning solution would be smrt before more power adders.


Also.... cosmic blue wheels? Are you trying to provoke the curse or what?

 

[mndsm]

Yes. Plus they look cool with the neo chro ricer lug nuts I want.