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Astrum's 89 FC3S Build Thread

Old 03-25-15, 07:39 PM
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Astrum's 89 FC3S Build Thread

I've never done a build thread but I thought I would start one now for kicks.
So I bought the car as an imported vehicle from Japanese Import Classics LLC, everything they said about the car was true and amazing. Would deal with them again. Car was an epic condition when I got it. My only complaint is that they did not provide me with the stock shift ****. My intention when buying this car was to drift it, because I already have an S2000 that I am currently setting up to do HPDE and eventually a NASA honda series in.

Pics of when I received it at 10pm (shift **** is my j's racing USA shift **** from my s2k. They didn't send me the stock shift ****. Bought a RE-Amemiya one from nengun)


The day after!


First thing I did, remove the cusco wing and gave it to my buddy.


Mods on the car as it came:
GP Sports Front Bumper
GP Sports Aero Side Skirts
Ganador Mirrors
Sexy Style Hood
Dmax Front and Rear Wide Fenders
Raybrig HIDS with Fixed Headlights
Weds SA70 17x9 +35 rear, 17x8 +35 front Wheels (wheels are so small it's killing me)
Cusco Coilovers in front
Ohlins Coilovers in rear
Brembo GT Calipers
Project Mu 2 Piece Rotors
East Bear Drivers Seat and Bride Brix Passenger Seat
Greddy FMIC Intercooler
M's factory K&N Intake
5 Zigen Catback
Nardi Steering Wheel
Stack Cluster
Old school TRUST/Greddy Boost Gauge
Cusco Cage
AZRx7 LED tails
1.5 way lsd (assuming kaaz since my friend in Japan said 90% of people run them)
Some aftermarket clutch, feels heavy as ****. Probably a 6 puck.
SS brake lines
KnightSports High flow cat
KnightSports Camber plates (front)

Inspected the under side and found:
DTSS Eliminators
Derlin bushings for pretty much everything
rear suspension camber adjusters
Cusco lower bar (albeit it is bent a little in the center, previous owner in japan must of bottomed out)

Last edited by astrum; 03-25-15 at 08:23 PM.
Old 03-25-15, 07:41 PM
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LED tails -drool-

Second thing I did was pick up some LED tail's from a guy local in AZ. He owns AZrx7. Good guy.



Quality is amazing!!

Flushed all the fluids to get a fresh start (Not pictured castrol gtx 20w-50 engine oil, stock oil filter, Motul RBF 600)

Last edited by astrum; 03-25-15 at 08:01 PM.
Old 03-25-15, 08:05 PM
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Tial BoV on the way (the guy removed the stock BoV when installing the FMIC. Compressor surge is a big no no).
Crow racing harnesses are here to replace the willings because the willings is a 4pt and I can't run nasa apparently without a 5pt.

Last edited by astrum; 03-25-15 at 08:21 PM.
Old 03-26-15, 11:04 AM
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very nice. what was the process like getting it licensed? can you even drive it on the streets? and those tail lights are too legit!
Old 03-26-15, 11:52 AM
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Originally Posted by 13bREW
very nice. what was the process like getting it licensed? can you even drive it on the streets? and those tail lights are too legit!
Thank you.

Very easy to get it registered because the company provides you with a Virginia title and handles the importation process. Also there are third party licensing agencies and I just went through one of those since they tend to ask less questions and push people through quickly.

Only issue I had was that they couldn't look up the VIN because the vin number was shorter than an American VIN and it wasn't in the system they said but once I told them it was an imported vehicle they somehow got it through. I think the trick is to append X's to the end of the shorter VIN because that is what I had to do to get insurance on it.

As far as driving it legally on the street, in Arizona it does not matter if the vehicle is RHD or LHD as long as it is registered, so there is no issue driving it on the street.

Thanks the lights are amazing. He sells them on his website. Check him out at:
AZRX7 & Arizona Leds - AZRX7 & ArizonaLEDs
Again I can't say how great the quality is. He builds them with drifting in mind so that if I screw up the tail light, I can just pull them out and then put them in new tails.
Old 03-27-15, 12:07 AM
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Installed Tial Q Bov today:


Spent 2 hours chasing down a vacuum leak because idle jumped up to 2k. Thank GOD for the vacuum diagram posted on this forum!
Old 03-27-15, 11:29 AM
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thanks for the link I'm definitely looking into that I've always loved that "modern" look. and keep the build goin id like to see this one keep on keepin on
Old 03-27-15, 12:32 PM
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Looks like an amazing start! A lot of work is done, so I am curious to know what your plans are.
Old 03-27-15, 02:37 PM
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very nice man, I just got an imported fc3s as well.
Old 03-27-15, 10:36 PM
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Originally Posted by MickeytFC
Looks like an amazing start! A lot of work is done, so I am curious to know what your plans are.
Well I just want to focus on making it reliable for now and then building up power. Eventually I am going to be shooting for a reliable 300 whp with no port.

Things I have coming in:
  • Koyo N-Flow Radiator (Dual Pass)
  • Crow 5 PT Harness
  • Re-Amemiya Shift ****
  • Hi-Temp Silicone Vacuum Lines
  • Banzai OMP delete kit
  • Banzai Emissions block off plates
Things I want:
  1. AEM Uego or Innovate Wideband
  2. Crown Harness for Passenger
  3. Bride Zeta 3 Bucket to replace the east bear I have
  4. New wheels, not sure what yet but at least 18x10.5 in the rear, not sure on front yet.
  5. Drift Wing (Probably Garage BB style from Shine Auto)
  6. Works Bell Quick release setup
  7. Fix FRP cracks/Fill in holes from old spoiler
  8. Misc Trim / Lights for idiot cluster/ Clock / Replace wiper blade relay
  9. Clean/Replace Window Regulators
  10. Replace Driver's side (RH) seat belt with one that actually retracts
  11. Remove JDM rear seat
  12. Fix A/C
  13. Test Pipe
Last things to get:
  • Haltech platinum 1000 or Rtek (if I can make my goals on it?)
  • Injector Dynamics 1000cc injectors
  • Walbro 255 fuel pump
  • BNR stage 1 or 2? (Down for input from the community on which is better for my goals.)

Originally Posted by [jt]
very nice man, I just got an imported fc3s as well.
Good to hear there are more imported ones coming in!

Last edited by astrum; 03-27-15 at 10:40 PM.
Old 03-28-15, 12:08 AM
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Installed New Harness and gutted rear carpet/jdm rear seats. Need to drill for the 5th point.

Old 08-15-15, 11:12 PM
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Replaced all belts, replaced transmission fluid with Neo synthetic transmission fluid and installed v8 roadsters mazda miata frame rails and removed rust and re-undercoated the car. Here are the pictures of the final product for the frame rails. I will be writing a guide for it as well.




V8 Roadsters Frame Rails on my FC!
Old 08-16-15, 01:42 AM
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Installed a PBM Solid differential mount for the front diff mount.

Old 08-30-15, 11:04 PM
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The diff mount isn't the problem, it's the bracket. You might as well drop the subframe now and weld on some reinforcements and add a pinion snubber (if the car didn't come with one already).

If you drift with a solid front diff mount, its not a question of if, but when it will rip the stock mounting tab right off the subframe.
Old 09-02-15, 11:45 PM
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Originally Posted by sharingan 19
The diff mount isn't the problem, it's the bracket. You might as well drop the subframe now and weld on some reinforcements and add a pinion snubber (if the car didn't come with one already).

If you drift with a solid front diff mount, its not a question of if, but when it will rip the stock mounting tab right off the subframe.
I installed a pinion snubber with the mount. The other diff mounts are derlin as well. Why would it rip off the stock mounting tab? Has that happened to others?

Last edited by astrum; 09-02-15 at 11:50 PM.
Old 09-02-15, 11:50 PM
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Installed a cusco lower bar



Also installed a steel cusco bolt in bar for use with crow harnesses



Finally I finished installing my Koyo Dual Pass radiator with a flex-a-lite black magic E-Fan

Old 09-06-15, 01:18 AM
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Originally Posted by astrum
I installed a pinion snubber with the mount. The other diff mounts are derlin as well. Why would it rip off the stock mounting tab? Has that happened to others?
Yep! Typically right after they install a solid front diff mount or in my case, upgrade from a stock one to a mazdspeed unit .

However, you have a pinion snubber and solid mounts, so assuming the preload on your snubber is sufficient you probably won't have that issue.

For reference here's what a buddy and I did to solve the problem once and for all....

Old 09-06-15, 07:52 AM
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^^that is a pretty neat idea! where did he find that?
Old 09-06-15, 09:18 AM
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Originally Posted by Gregory Casimir
^^that is a pretty neat idea! where did he find that?
It's a Mazdaspeed diff mount and an Audi/VW sway bar end like he happened to have laying around from another project Everything was boxed in by cutting pieces out of some steel plate he had laying around , it was at least as thick as stock.
Old 09-06-15, 12:07 PM
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Originally Posted by sharingan 19
Yep! Typically right after they install a solid front diff mount or in my case, upgrade from a stock one to a mazdspeed unit .

However, you have a pinion snubber and solid mounts, so assuming the preload on your snubber is sufficient you probably won't have that issue.

For reference here's what a buddy and I did to solve the problem once and for all....

Looks good man. Well I didn't get to preload the snubber that much. It's touching but not by much it wasn't heavily loaded. I think I will drop it again and preload it more by adding some more washers.
Old 09-06-15, 09:05 PM
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Originally Posted by astrum
Looks good man. Well I didn't get to preload the snubber that much. It's touching but not by much it wasn't heavily loaded. I think I will drop it again and preload it more by adding some more washers.
Not a bad idea
Even with all that, I've still got a pinion snubber with some preload. Diff movement is bad
Old 09-07-15, 09:18 PM
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Originally Posted by sharingan 19
Not a bad idea
Even with all that, I've still got a pinion snubber with some preload. Diff movement is bad
Yeah I don't want any diff movement. Honestly though, I haven't gotten the chance to drift this car yet. I went to a drift even and did 1 pass and had to leave b/c my brother burnt himself. I'm actually thinking of Autocrossing this car more than drifting it now. The car just handles so ******* well.
Old 12-02-15, 03:22 AM
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Haven't posted in awhile but got some more things coming up. I dropped off my car for paint and i got a VIS bn sports kit. Shine auto garage bb wing, shine auto sexy style hood and shine auto roof wing. I also have Nagisa Auto Gacchiri fender supports. Okuyama Carbing aluminum strut bar and carbing radiator cooling plate. Bride Zeta 3's and bride rail for the passenger. Essentially while the car has been down for paint I've been buying a ton of ****. Also got my wheels back from powder coating.




Bn Sports Kit





Rays wheels before powder coat





Wheels after powder coating





Wheels after powder coat





Custom gauge pod made by retrospec





shine auto gt wing and roof spoiler





Nagisa auto gacchiri fender braces





Bride Zeta 3's





Cusco Lower bar in place





Works Bell quick release





Corksport FCD
Old 12-02-15, 03:23 AM
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More to come. Hopefully back from paint soon. Color is going to be Grand Prix White (in remembrance of my S2000 I sold).
Old 12-06-15, 03:33 PM
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Nagisa fender brace is in. Write up to come.


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