Hi all. Happy New Year~!!! I've always wanted to start my own build thread. I guess there's no better time to start than now that i have my car back.
My FD was in hibernation for 3 years due to a blown 2nd rotor, which the apex seal end up carving in and scratching up many parts of the rotor and housing. But as of last month, this sexy beast is finally back and alive. Much props to Norman from Sidepex who started my new build, and Glenn Price and Kevin at Illicit Performance who are kind enough to squeeze me into their busy schedule to finish up and get it running.

This is how some of you remembered my car back in 2008 ,




New mods during this rebuild:
New rotor x1
New rotor housing x2
Iannetti single piece 2mm ceramic apex seals
Street Match Port
BNR Stage 3 Sequential turbos
Sakebomb dual oil cooler kit
Nortec Motor Mounts
C's Short Shifter (thanks Kai)
Efini Nardi steering wheel
Knightsports white face gauge cluster
Red Spirit R seats
Powerflex polyurethane full bushing kit
Mazdaspeed front swaybar
Tanabe rear swaybar
SMB resonated midpipe with V-band removeable metal substrate cat


first day after the car returned home from being away 3 years

not long after, my headlight cover broke and flew off on the freeway. replacement is on the way



New gauge cluster, spirit R seats, nardi steering wheel, alpine stereo, and placed back my stock dash

 

This FD is currently in it's break-in period still. Soon it will be tuned and ready to get some body repair and custom work by Makito at seven7apple

 

so after selling my previous SMB resonated mid cat I purchased during the last GB to Mike, I decided to pickup another one with some custom requests. Little did i know that SMB has gotten even more awsome than great with their superb craftsmanship.

sorry for crappy iphone pics, but these I really want to share with you guys. their welds have gotten so tiny that they look pretty much flushed with the pipe. I have never seen welds like this, they're too good

special thanks to Grant to quickly deliver this custom resonated mid pipe with v-band removable metal substrate cat

 

that midpipe is the hotness

 

I got this C's short shifter a while back from Kai. very generous of him to sell it to me. This rare and discontinued shifter is definitly one of my top dream parts for the FD since the 90's. Now it's in the car, I finally got to experience why C's short shifter was the best. It feels slightly notchy but very solid and the throw is very short compared to my previous RE-A D1.

 

some pics of my motor when it was complete prior to droping in the car



Nortec motor mounts

xcessive LIM match ported

 

Couple pics during motor install completion at Illicit Performance, Palm Springs

 

Nice build dude.

 

New engine build:
2x new rotary housing
Iannetti 2mm one piece ceramic seals
street/match port
Aquamist water injection kit HFS3v2 + Summer v3
BNR sequential twins
polished Y+crossover pipe
knightsports AST
knightsports CF shroud
SMB metal CAT with removeable V-band

New Cosmetics
custom Shine's FEED front bumper
authentic FEED light kit
CF rear bumper exhaust guard
metal door handles
fixed door map pocket
fulll JDM rearseat


Finally got around to do some bodywork. Picked up my FD at Makito's SEVENAPPLE last weekend. here are some new pics

 

Very nice looking car.

If you haven't replaced those foam filters in over a year you need to do so immediately. :]

 

Noticed Japanese newspapers used as permanent floor mats Great build, well done sir!

 

Cant help but think that a Spirit-R cluster would really make the car. Glad to see you back on the forums man. Good build so far.

 

great result)

 

Some nice parts on the car Link

Consider some spacers for the wheels to get them a bit more flush......also, how do you like the SMB midsection?

 

Thanks! yeah I've been contemplating about changing those filters or just re-oil them since the filters barely got 3k miles usage in the last 5 + years


Thank you sir! my bodyshop talent is Japanese. although I should've took those papers out at the shop :P


Thanks! Glad to be back and alive. the cluster is actually from Knightsports. can you tell I'm a fan? :P

Thanks Rich! great suggestion. now I have my fenders rolled I will get those spacers next and lower my coilovers

the SMB mid is awesome. I had one before from the forum group buy long time ago. I sold that one to mdpalmer. now when I got this newer one with removable metal substrate cat, I can tell the cat has gotten better looking and the craftsmanship is uncomparably better than any jdm manufactured I've seen. Very clean with tiny TIG welds. It's hands down one of my best part on my car

 

Looking good man

 

Link,

Bumping this bad boy. Any updates?