It's basically going to act as a filler cap, but because it's not at the highest point, it's kind of pointless in the end.

Believe me, I'm not keen on spending $2k even if it IS the coolest thing since sliced bread.

I'm trying to snatch up a used AEM EMS V2 right now off Supra Forums, but the OP isn't responding to my posts and his PM box is full. >_<!!

I'll take or ask for pictures, sure. They're just going to look like shortened OEM tie rods.

What did you not like about aem v1? I am planning on using it because that what I have, and again its a lot of money to get a new one. I have yet to hook it up and really mess with it. But is there a huge noticable defference between the v1 and v2? Maybe someday after everything is up and running ill save up and upgrade.

I'm sure you can Google the differences, but the long and short of it is that the shop techs said the Version 2 is much better for tuning...more tuning options and features, that kind of thing.

Got some goodies in the mail today!

Attachment 656950

^.^

Should look great with the center dash triple gauge pod and new steering wheel I got off the forums recently. ^.^

Attachment 656951

Gonna go drop all the goodies off this week I think.

On a GREAT note, the shop had been asking me to allocate various wiring harnesses because they couldn't find them in the car.

APPARENTLY they had been wire-tucked in places that were "odd" and difficult to find...but nonetheless, they found them..so that's great news.

They also transferred over the glass from my stock trunk to my carbon fiber trunk, so that's cool too.

I'm debating on picking up this one Scoot hood from a forum member but it's already got the two holes for extra hood latches, which I really didn't want. Since I am planning on painting the hood down the road anyways, I might still pick it up though.

Oh yeah, and since I sold my AEM EMS Version 1, I still need to pick up a replacement.

I ALMOST got my hands on a used Version 2 but NoOoOOoOoOoOoo, the guy sold it to someone else. lol

Annnnnnd lastly, the "OEM" tie-rods that the shop has been acquiring were apparently all th WRONG part...once they get the RIGHT ones, they can shorten them up to fit the new relocated steering rack, and then that matter will finally be settled as well.

:]

Stand by for pics after I visit the shop! :D

^.^

Are aftermarket hoods really that unreliable? My FD has been running a "Mazdaspeed" hood all this time without hood pins and it's been fine...?

Is it maybe just carbon-fiber hoods that are like that? :/

Car update:

Stopped by this afternoon to drop off the goodies.

Attachment 656901

The engine bay was all torn apart. They basically had to tear apart the wiring and they found a few MORE issues with the Chase Bays harness...so more fixes, more re-work, and more custom work. Bleh!

At this point I think it's safe to say that whether mechanically or electronically, the car has been torn down to a point that it is finally being put back together CORRECTLY now, once and for all.

Some notes from the visit.

1.) My intake manifold and a few other plumbing components were powder-coated a nice wrinkle-black. I'll take pics once they're all reinstalled.

2.) Wiring has basically been completely torn down and is being re-done CORRECTLY.

3.) A/C, power-steering, and steering rack hydraulic lines still need to be ordered and custom-made.

4.) Still waiting for them to receive CORRECT tie-rods so that they can modify (shorten) them to fit.

5.) The boost, water temp, and wideband gauges will now need to be wired up along with the rest of the car and mounted in the new triple gauge pod I got.

6.) And lastly! My carbon-fiber trunk had the glass swapped into it from my stock trunk and had fresh weather-stripping installed. It looks great!

Attachment 656902

I've decided to keep the FD wingless until I do my eventual wide-body kit, at which point I'll paint everything and reinstall the '99 OEM wing.

The carbon fiber trunk will look sharp with the carbon fiber Scoot hood that I'll be getting. Having the trunk kind of gives incentive to get the hood sooner too. lol I wanna see how baddass the car looks with the hood and trunk combined. ^.^

No i don't have a carbon trunk. But if i did, i would leave the sides of the spoiler white with center wing black. That is how my current FEED spoiler is( white sides with black center). Also i am running the AEM v1. It works fine, just be sure to get a supra tuner (SP, titan, DD tuning, Alpha, etc) to tune it out nice. And if i was going to buy a new ecu like that, i would go with the PRO EFI over the AEM stuff any day. Its the best system out it seems

Speed for Sale (Service & Tuning - SpeedForSale LLC) are the guys working on the car. They'll be tuning it.

I ended up going with an AEM EMS V2:

Attachment 655772

Also, I've been super splurging on other parts for the FD..

Attachment 655773

Shine Auto Rear-Diffuser...in the mail as we speak. :D

And I think I've got a buyer for my RPF1's on the FD. I'm looking at replacing them with these:

Attachment 655774

Attachment 655775

18X9.5 +29 and 18X11 +11 w/ 225/35 and 255/30 tires...

Fitment is going to be interesting! Gonna need a pull and roll for sure! lol

I'm stopping by the shop today to drop off the AEM and also a replacement A/C condenser, because apparently mine was all banged up.

The only major things left are some hydraulic lines for A/C and P/S and then the engine bay can be put together.

Gauges are all wired in with the exception of oil-pressure. I might have to invest in an aftermarket gauge. I've got an OEM oil sending unit in the mail, so we'll see if there's any way to just use the factory gauge.

I don't want an aftermarket oil pressure gauge if I don't need it. Too many gauges...

How much did you pay for the diffuser?

Bought it used for like $275.

I ended up going with a different set of wheels for the FD.

Attachment 655718

Attachment 655719

Just gotta buy Volk center caps now..man they're expensive.

Tell you what though, I've always loved Volk GT-C's since I first saw pictures of this particular FD almost 10 years ago:

Attachment 655720

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This is the FD that made me love Scoot hoods too.

<333 lol

On that note, here are a few pics I took while I visited the shop on Wednesday to drop off some parts:

Attachment 655723

Attachment 655724

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Got some pipes and the intake manifold powder-coated black. :D

Attachment 655726

Gauge pod and gauges all wired up! :D

So I dropped off my AEM EMS V2 and the replacement A/C condenser, so the shop has literally every major part they need.

There are a couple loose ends like tracking down an RX-7 and 2JZ power steering lines so that they can take the two fittings and make a custom hydraulic line.

But it's looking like the car could be done by Christmas. It's really just matter of cleaning it all up, hooking everything up, wiring, etc.

We'll see! This car has gotten my hopes up for almost 4 years, so I won't hold my breath!...but at least I can feel good knowing the shop has every major part they need to finish it.

My brand new Scoot hood should be coming in the mail soon, so I'll be stopping by the shop next week or so to see it looks and fits!

The rear diffuser is already in the mail. I'm having it shipped to my house because I'm probably just going to wait until the car is done, and then I'll just install it myself at my house or my buddy's house. lol..

The Volks should ship on Monday and I've got a buyer for my RPF1's already so hopefully the timelines all work out! lol

Stay tuned! We're in the home-stretch!....I think. lol?

Rear diffuser showed up in the mail today!

Attachment 655575

It was recommended that I have the shop professionally install it.

What do you guys think?

Absolutly do it yourself! I have the exact same one and made it happen all by my lonesome. Its nothing compared to all the other stuff iv had to do. They will just over charge you anyway for something that is well within your abilities! All you have to do is drill the holes and bolt it up. I had to chop mine on both sides cause of my wide rear fenders, but yours will be much easier.

Did you use screws or rivets? What kind?

I love it all! Here is a quick clip i shot of my 7 this weekend so u can get a idea on the 2j goodness. Maybe it will get you more pumped

Looking good. Stoked to see you wrap this up successfully! Such a tough swap to do well.

looking great, mike. :)

I used small screws, I believe they used to hold on the stock diffuser/ rear lip thingy... not surewhat it was called. But you stock bumber should have holes and a theaded piece of metal already there.

7passu, post moar vidz! Interior vidz and I wanna see dat engie! :P

Thanks so much for the encouragement, guys!

The Scoot hood arrived yesterday!

I'm gonna stop by on Friday to drop off the oil-sending unit, pick up my RPF1's to sell on Saturday, and see how she looks with the new GT-C's that are scheduled to arrive on Friday.

Can't wait!

:D

here it is with the old 74mm i had on it earlier this year
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/k...ps7025155f.jpg
here it is after i had just got'n it running 2 years ago on 14 psi

Wow.

Yours sounds beast! lol

Attachment 655420

I like that engine bay too! Clean!! Where's your coolant filler at, though? You should have one welded into that neck that goes into the top of the head, so it's at the highest point. That's what the shop did for mine.

Also, is that a newer VVT motor? R154 or V160 tranny? I haz so many questions! lol

Not bad!

no look closely...i use a sealed system. See the over flow bottle where the abs used to sit. With this type system, you don't need to do all the highest point filler neck mess. Im the only one to do this that i have found. This system is used on all your newer GM ls powered trucks and ford crown vics, escorts, grad prix, etc. And no its not a vvti engine, i just cut and used plastics from one to give a newer updated look. I use a r154 for now. Ask away on the questions...im full of useless knowledge

Ahh only a week or two and mine will be in! Keep up the good work bro

~ Update ~

Stopped by the shop on Friday.

The Volk GT-C's arrived, but I was completely unaware, like most people are, that Volk GT-C's require Volk's exclusive lug-nuts that are both inverted and conical. The seller of the wheels was gracious enough to give me a partial refund to cover that additional cost.

Next, the Scoot hood arrived...and BOOOYYYY am I not happy.

To those who are familiar, there are two known variants to the Scoot hood. The difference being the aggressiveness of the scoops. It was claimed that the "VIS" version had larger more aggressive vents and that "Seibon" had the more-flat and less aggressive vents.

I specifically ordered the "VIS" version because I wanted the aggressive scoops.

Here are some pics I took:

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This is NOT what I wanted, so I've sent a message to the seller on Amazon clearly pointing out they falsely advertise the WRONG hood.

Other than that, Jared and the guys at Speed for Sale are telling me that the only two parts they really need to finish putting the car together are:

1.) Oil-Sending Unit - I'm dropping that off to them TODAY
2.) RX-7 banjo-fitting for the high-pressure line that bolts to the steering rack
3.) 2JZ banjo-fitting for the same high-pressure line that bolts to the power-steering pump FROM the steering rack

Once they have the two banjo-fittings, they can have a hydraulic shop make the custom high-pressure line.

Once they have that all done, they can put the rest of the car together and they are confident they can have the car at least started and running within a matter of days.

We'll see.

Here's a quick rear-side shot I took:

Attachment 655238

...Definitely falling in love with the carbon-fiber trunk. :)

Side note: My driver's side air-vent behind the front wheel was damaged by one of the previous goobers who worked on my car. That's why you see a yellow one there, for now. I'll need to get it painted. lol?

your supposed to be able to use the stock pressure line for the P/S pump

It went missing at some point over all these years.

That's why I need to find another one.

~ Update ~

The company that I bought the hood from on Amazon is trying to convince me to keep the hood by offering me a partial reimbursement of only $150.

Mainly, they're concerned about the hood getting damaged during shipping on the way back to them, in which case they would be SOL.

I can sympathize, but $150 to have exactly the hood I DIDN'T want? No thanks.

However, they encouraged me to look at all of the other products they sell and I found these:

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51D71qcDh6L.jpg

I told them if they ship me those side-skirts free-of-charge, that I'll keep the hood.

Either I ship the hood back and buy the correct hood elsewhere (for less) and they refund me 100%....OR....I get free side-skirts valued at ~$200+

Not a bad deal either way, I guess. The guy said he'd get back to me tomorrow with what they want to do.