FCVadi

iTrader: (3)

I have been on here since I got my WDP, 12/2008, off a lease... I actually went to the lot to take a look at some RLs but after I was done test driving a few I walked by my WDP and just had to have it... now it has come a very long.. very long way from when I first got it but I love it the same if not more from the first time...
(I never knew how to drive stick until I got this car)

I wanted to thank everyone who have answered my questions (even telling me to search since I learned a lot from that) .. all the ones I argued with because I learned a lot from that as well.. and everyone who guided me to take risks and make me realize it is my car and to just do what I want...(everyone should know who they are)

I finally realized I need to put some pictures up since it has been enough time and I wanted to share my ride... also I realized putting pictures up will help drive me to finish off the projects I have been putting off due to time and laziness...

the following is just a quarter of what I want to be done on the car but wanted to get started

the beginning...





First change made.. look at that front wheel gap!



I did the AEM V2 and Progress RSB but did not take any pictures... I have the same feedback as everyone else on the two items... for the progress RSB I did get the lower mount area to break, had it welded to fix.. pictures in another thread on the issue

current/recent picture with wheels and a drop with some other changes... the first few pictures was after Aaron did the detailing (thanks!) I of course ruined it pretty quickly but still looks good!













and now for some of the controversial parts of my build, or de-build... the diet... I do not have pictures of what was done under the bumper, hood and other places... I am not also getting into details or numbers... the numbers will also be changing since I will be putting my rear seat back in... my dog doesnt like being in the front seat .. also my roof lining will be going back in since I guess that is the point the wife puts her foot down.. but I have a few changes to make before it goes back in





FYI this was right after I puled the seats... so its why there is so much trash on the floor...








and just a few normal pictures which will hopefully change in the next couple of weeks (slightly)




(I did get a new plate, its in the title)







so I have an exhaust (PCD to Muffler) in the garage waiting to go on.. sometime in the spring... some work on TB and IM.. along with some more dieting that has to get done.. on car and on person

a few other cosmetic changes inside and outside... and on and on and on...

wanted to share what I have done so far and hopefully going to have a lot to show you guys this year... minus a twin turbo and v8 swap... still trying to figure that one out

thanks again to everyone who has helped! and thanks for viewing!

The Machine

iTrader: (8)

Wow, that is one gutted TL....

ff4930

Sweet RPF1's! I would say ASPEC kit next? but with you doing the diet, i dont think you want to add more weight lol.

FCVadi

iTrader: (3)

I thought about the aspec but you got it right.. the diet ... everytime I think of something i always weigh (pun intended) what it would add and if the looks is more of value than the increase in weight

Steven Bell

iTrader: (2)

Wow, wait until Swoosh see's this!

ebelp

I respect the effort you're putting forth in the "diet" for your TL. Looks like you've gone above and beyond what other AZ members have done with their diets. God knows I wouldn't have the stones to do this. My question is WHY? Are you doing this just for the fun of it, or do you actually track your TL?

AnthraciteAspec

iTrader: (6)

Looks sweet I love RPF1s. Same question as above, do you track the TL?

ACCURATEin

cokorote

iTrader: (1)

Sweet! I hope you track this TL

omnuts

Wow, you really went far and beyond

FCVadi

iTrader: (3)

not tracking yet, might for fun but not serious... honestly just doing the diet for fun.. having the car for 3 years at stock and slowly moving stuff I have noticed a handling differnce... my commute to work is all lights for about 45 minutes... I notice it launches quicker, brakes a little bitter and feels more fun

now all of that could be just mental and emotional but I have been driving with the same type of cars and drivers for the past 7 years and i have noticed in the past year I shock the BMW, MBs, and Lexus cars on the road along with other Acuras... best part is I drive by all those dealerships and when they leave their lot (test drives i imagine) and come to the line they have a habit of wanting to launch fast and they are shocked I take them in my TL...

now the pictures I have shown is a diet in progress... I am not going to let it stay that bare but i wont be re-adding all that weight.. I am hoping I can do something to clean it up at the fraction of the weight

SharksBreath

iTrader: (33)

finally made a thread!

and yeah the car is def gutted to the max...i wasn't expecting that when i opened your door!

def is light on its feet tho, i could feel the weight difference just driving around in your passenger seat man. props to you.

let me know when you're ready for a spring detail, i'll knock out all that polishing and trouble spots with better weather on my side.

RU_JELLY

iTrader: (1)

i just dont really see the point in taking all that out. its still a heavy ass car compared to most and if you dont track it then really dont see the point

TL Luver

iTrader: (2)

Because everyone's style is different and I'm sure no two cars are alike unless your too scared to mod!

But I do think you should add atleast a front aspec; Im sure you've already made up for it in other places

Oh ya; every 100lb's lost is 10hp gained... my sub & box alone added with my spare has to be over 200lb that would already be an advantage over someone like me...


Thanks for posting...

Because everyone's style is different and I'm sure no two cars are alike unless your too scared to mod!

But I do think you should add atleast a front aspec; Im sure you've already made up for it in other places



Thanks for posting...

UA6

Very nice. I'm not a fan of the blacked out tails though.

AnthraciteAspec

iTrader: (6)

You should do it at least once for fun! It is amazing what our cars are capable of, especially with some mods. I wish I had your weight reduction when I was at the track I bet it would be phenomenal.

24no7

iTrader: (2)

This is madness LOL
Swoosh someone has beaten you to it!!! LMAO

TLtypeSex

How much do you think you really saved in weight?

FCVadi

iTrader: (3)

I do plan on taking it to the track but in all honesty I just enjoy my commute to work even more, it is faster than most 3 series and C and E class, I can take G37 sedans.. heck I can take almost all v6 cars on my commute minus a turbo.. it makes my commute so much more interesting... something to look forward to outside of spending time with the family

I wanted to do my own tail lights but just didnt have the time, found this on ebay so went with it.. might do different ones later in the year

Swoosh is beyond me and will take a long time to catch him, i will never catch up to innacurate

i think I was at 260lbs.. with the rear seats back in might be at 220lbs now.. still more to go.. want to get around 350lbs but that will take time

swoosh

iTrader: (5)

what rock have I been living under !!!

damn totally missed your thread bro....car looks great and the RPF's look SICK !!! now you have me confused LOL....

FCVadi

iTrader: (3)

hahaha.. didnt get the clutch, lost out on that.. got some other stuff.. but that is way down the line... not sure if I will get the Tilton clutch since this is the DD.. would want to test drive someone who has a twin-disc to see how it drives.. so maybe dodged a bullet.. who knows.. I have come to the conclusion I am very fickle

I think the rock you were under was a house.. also right after that thread I basically went silent for a long time... didnt have any time for the car

i imagine someone at the June Meet should hav RPF1s.. wish I could go but thats the wife bday weekend..

I hope to get it pded this June along with the calipers.. they are shot so will have some updates.. also some other ideas I am trying to bring to fruition

rockstar143

iTrader: (6)

We're all fickle...you've just graduated to honest with yourself.

Nice thread, bud...sorry I missed it for so long too. I remember you popping into the other diet threads but never followed up to see if you sacked up too.

swoosh

iTrader: (5)

Feji...whatever interests you at the time and whatever is a better deal at the time....like i had some $$$ and was thinking of rims but then thought, screw rims and let me just get some more engine mods...I do want rims, but what do I want more ?

and yeah after the house, i did slow down and didnt visit azine much for a little bit, but am back baby ....how i wish you would make it to the meet....it would have been fun

am eager to see the updates buddy....

FCVadi

iTrader: (3)

thanks dude

as for sacked up.. well hiding it from the missus before she takes it back she actually told me to put the roof liner back on.. but surprised she is cool with everything else.. even ok with sports seats!


@Anil, if things go a different way with that weekend then maybe.. but a big maybe.. KC is 16hrs from me, if the weekend does get free need to find my big boy pants for that drive

swoosh

iTrader: (5)

^^^ Maybe you and Morgan can caravan

FCVadi

iTrader: (3)

so as most have seen was selling (now sold) my RPF1s

if you can imagine those were the first afternarket wheels I ever bought for a car that I have owned....

part of me is wondering why I sold them since they were a lot of fun but I keep trying to stayed focused on the end game... so many miles to go

anyway while I was selling and planning I put on my stocks that were PDed black... i thought I would put a picture of it up

its a crappy picture.. i did not paint the caps yet and the lug nuts are the oem ones.. didnt get a chance to buy a better set yet

but here it goes




now the funny part is I no longer have that setup... I am running frankenstein on the car.. different wheels in front and back... ran into some fitment issues with a set of wheels I am trying out.. more to follow.. and some other changes

had to steal that from someone

FCVadi

iTrader: (3)

actually.. as I was packing up my RPF1s I just remembered I did buy a set of ASPEC wheels...

so not sure what part is sad... that I totally forgot about them because of how much I loved the RPF1s.. or that I am getting old and cant remember stuff from last year

rockstar143

iTrader: (6)

so you remembered the pc'd oem wheels, but not the aspecs. You're losing it, man...
haha...
look forward to what you got in mind next.

swoosh

iTrader: (5)

selling a set of rims is always bitter sweet....

well, to the next step

FCVadi

iTrader: (3)

the aspecs were heavy.. and I only had them for a couple of months... never really felt right to me

I got a funny suprise.. should finish most 75% of my exterior mods this weekend so will be posting new pictures early next week

oh and I might have a set of wheels on sale come the spring... I think I am turning into a wheel whore

twigglius

iTrader: (6)

NICE bro. Had no idea you were so guted!

FCVadi

iTrader: (3)

@Twig, thanks.. got more to go.. and some have to go back in but it is fun to drive

callahan

Love the car, didn't realize you had a progress thread. You ever think about getting some racing seats?

FCVadi

iTrader: (3)

@Callahan, thanks man... and yes.. its on my to do list.. need to start knocking out some low hanging jobs first... like stuff in my garage...

hopefully some point next year I am going to get the Swoosh Racing Seats

and I like the last bit on your signature

Bankz

I wish I had the balls to gut my car out like you did

callahan

Ha yeah :-), can't wait to Install them and actually I have a set of Swoosh racing seats. Love them, one of my favorite mods.

FCVadi

iTrader: (3)

@Bankz, it wsa difficult but once i started it got addictive... now I am just balancing between addiction and wife's comfort

@Callahan, how does it ride? and you miss anything from the old seat? my main thing is adjustment... once I find the right spot I never change again but finding the right spot is always tough especially on non-auto seats

callahan

Rides pretty well actually, I don't miss my old seats at all. These seats are actually more comfortable IMO. Did take me a day or 2 to get them adjusted but I have been loving it ever since.

FCVadi

iTrader: (3)

so some updates... I did not get done everything I wanted to get done... time flies when you have no idea what the f&#$ you are doing

first, sent this last week but still sad over it



ok, now I was running black stock wheels but I could never really accept them.. I like the way the wheels themselves looked but didnt like the black wheel look on my car... the funny part is when I see other white cars with black wheels I always love them and kept saying I want that color.. well I got it and now I dont so damn fickle

so one of the reasons I let the RPF1s go is because I wanted to go lighter.. so I didnt with Racing Hart CP-035 (I honestly got totally lucky with this... I was just at the right place at the right time)



they remind me of the RPF1s just one less set of spokes.. I do need to lower the car more since with how light the car is the gap has gotten bigger... might also get a lower profile tire.. but I like the 40 height in protecting the wheels

and the project that should have taken 1-2 hrs but yet took 4 hours is



so the reason it took so long is because of the Aerocatch hood pins.. and hood pins in general since I tried something else before... getting it lined up and flush was a pain in the ass.. I had to tweak, tweak and tweak... you shuold have seen how scared I was in cutting into the hood .. damn forgot to take a pic of the hole.. but imagine that whole size of the aerocatch had to be cut out of the hood... was stressed the whole time

now I am not fully in love with it just yet, I think the black trim around the shark mouth takes away from it so might try and remove it... it just makes the gap to the left and right of the shark mouth feel out of place.. more tweaks to come..

however... I do love how light the hood is... I could easily hold up the CF hood with just one hand while the stock one I could pick up with one hand but could not manuever it like I could the CF hood

the one thing to mention is the CF hood latch did not line up right with the lock... so I had to remove the lock all together and use something else for the latch.. that was a pretty weight there

and this is the last picture I took.. it does look nice.. but need to wash, clay, polish, and wax... also need to find a good cap for the wheels...



more to come.. probably not for a couple of weeks but hopefully not too long

swoosh

iTrader: (5)

Feji....car looks great....

the CF hood is just SICK....VIS?

also the sharkmouth looks nice....I want to do it but the only reason being for more cooling....let me know if you notice a drop in IAT/ECT temps....