Future Planning: a mod list I want to get proofread.

[TurboLag23]

So in my seemingly never-ending quest to plan for the time I get myself a Legacy GT, I've gotten bored and made myself a list of modifications I would want to do to it. I think the list is relatively complete, but I have no real experience modifying cars (although I do have experience working on them). I tried to make the modifications balanced and relatively affordable... must admit I kind of failed on the latter, however .

 

This is a project that would likely happen in 3-4 years, about how long it will take me to scrape together money to buy the car & mods. This project is me planning ahead and apportioning my money from now.

 

My goals tuning-wise are to create a well-rounded, reliable, and fast Legacy. I don't have a specific dyno number I'm shooting for, none of that nonsense. I just want a reliable, good-handling car that goes vroom and puts a smile on my face whenever I drive it

 

PLEASE give input on this list; what did I miss, what don't I need, what would you recommend instead, etc. If you've got an opinion, I want to hear it!!!!

 

Engine tuning ($3,077):

-COBB AccessPort ($600)

-AVO Front-Mount Intercooler ($1,200)

-Mishimoto rad/fans and reservoir ($350)

-Grimmspeed EBCS ($100)

-Grimmspeed MCB ($87)

-Grimmspeed AOS ($300)

-Deatschworks 750CC injectors ($440)

-TGV Deletes

 

Exhaust ($2,275):

-Perrin EL Headers ($800)

-Perrin Up-Pipe ($195)

-CNT Catless DP ($230)

-SPT Exhaust ($1,050)

 

Transmission upgrades ($868):

-ACT Clutch kit – SB5-HDSS ($588)

-ACT Light weight Flywheel – Street Lite Series ($280)

 

Turbo upgrades ($1,830):

-VF39/48/52 Turbo ($1,200)

-APS 3” turbo inlet pipe ($200)

-AVO Fuel Pump Assembly ($430)

 

Suspension ($4,172):

-Cusco:

· Zero2 Coilovers ($2,352)

· Front Sway Bar (Hotchkis, 25mm) ($240)

· Rear Sway Bar, (Hotchkis 22mm) ($216)

· Front Lower Control Arm Brace ($260)

· Rear Lower Control Arm Brace ($204)

· Front Strut Tower Brace ($180)

· Rear Strut Tower Brace ($180)

-Whiteline rear camber kit ($42)

-Lopro Lower Control Arm bushings, High offset ($50)

-Whiteline RCA Kit Progress RSB reinforcement brackets ($448)

 

Brakes ($975):

-Red/gold paint for calipers

-DBA 4000 Series slotted & drilled rotors front ($320)

-DBA 4000 Series slotted & drilled rotors rear ($320)

-Hawk HPS Brake Pads F&R ($180)

-Goodridge G-Stop SS brake lines ($155)

 

Exterior/Wheels ($3,200):

-STI Front Lip ($100)

-BBS RE (silver lip, gunmetal or body-color inside) 18x8 +50 (~$2,500 a set lightly used)

-Michelin Pilot Sport A/S Plus ($600 a set)

 

Prices based on findings from Infamous Performance's website; used to get a rough estimate of pricing. Total price of parts comes out to about $16,000.

 

Thanks!!!

[robitrice]

dont bother with the accessport save a little and just go opensource unless you want to be able to switch maps whenever. Prob dont need the mishimoto radiator unless your stock unit is dead or dying. Are you planning on racing the car in any capacity? Those coilovers might be a little over kill if you're just planning to DD the car and you could save a ton of money with Koni's and a spring setup. DW65 Fuel pump is drop in and i think it is a little cheaper than that avo kit (not sure). my .02

[LosAngelesLGT]

[dingbang]

 

+1

 

 

 

The list looks pretty...I think it comes down to what you want to do with the car, what you want it to be...your dreams and aspirations...do you picture long walks, hand in sidemirror with your car on the beach under the soft moonlight? Or are you wanting to just spank that rear end, polishing those exhaust tips with fervor (and CRAZY EYES)?

 

I mean, this is a long-lasting relationship you will have with your baby...you have to decide...do you want that loving, caring, spawn litters of half-man/half-subie babies? Or do you want it rough, beating her mercilessly until she bends to your will, training her to take it and just smile?

 

Yeah...it's friday...I'm bored.

[xero287]

This list makes me depressed. Good thing I didn't keep tabs on how much I was spending =D

 

Goodluck to you sir! Your list looks wonderful!

[laff79]

In 3-4 yrs its gonna be kind of retarded to buy a 4thgen and dump 16 grand into it. Food for thought

[BoozeRS05]

Looks like a wish list, certainly don't need to spend as much to get as much. For instance, AVO makes some high quality, well regarded parts, but they are expensive. You can shop different brands and buy like-new used parts and stretch your money a lot further.

 

Perrin header and UP = $1000

Grimmspeed PnP mani with UP = $400

 

OEM new turbo = $1200

Used like-new vf52 in the marketplace right now = $800

 

AVO FMIC = $1200

RacerX FMIC = $750

 

For starters...

[LosAngelesLGT]

This thread smells of building a car that does not even exist but since some regulars have come in, my opinion about much of this is FEH.

 

-COBB AccessPort ($600) I suggest laptop/open source

-AVO Front-Mount Intercooler ($1,200) For a vf39/52?: Since you have money burning a hole in your pocket, make it a PW TMIC[ Otherwise racer X for sti style or any used TMIC you can make work for a 52.

-Mishimoto rad/fans and reservoir ($350)

-TGV Deletes

 

Exhaust ($2,275):

-Perrin EL Headers ($800) -Perrin Up-Pipe ($195) If you are going to spend a $1000 on a header/up combo that cant be wrapped for a vf size turbo I'd like to sell you my LGT for $100,000. GTSpec is a good choice. 3 flange header-up connection and 2yr warranty WRAPPED. Wrap the perrin, lose your warranty

-CNT Catless DP ($230) And now you want to cheap out nothing wrong with this dp but your parts list is all over the place

 

Transmission upgrades

I like my COMP setup

 

Turbo upgrades ($1,830):

-VF39/48/52 Turbo ($1,200) $1200 for a 39/48/52 turbo? Again, IVe got a $100,000 LGT to sell you.

-APS 3” turbo inlet pipe ($200)

-AVO Fuel Pump Assembly ($430) DW65

 

Suspension ($4,172):

-Cusco: Zero2 Coilovers ($2,352) Kw2 or RCE

· Front Lower Control Arm Brace ($260) because you are so

· Rear Lower Control Arm Brace ($204) hardcore you need

· Front Strut Tower Brace ($180) chassis bracing for a

· Rear Strut Tower Brace ($180) LEGACY street car?

 

Brakes ($975):

-Red/gold paint for calipers I will BEAT you down RICER:p

-DBA 4000 Series slotted & drilled rotors front ($320) Its been discussed to DEATH that centrics last as long with track use. LATELY in fact. Oh but I'm not gonna track, yeah okay Mr CHASSIS BRACE.

-DBA 4000 Series slotted & drilled rotors rear ($320) WHY? Rotors are not going to change your brake feel much unless yours are toast

-Goodridge G-Stop SS brake lines ($155) Technafit

[paintpollz]

used parts, buy used parts, even though you have a shitload of money.

 

Like Laff bluntly stated, you buying an old car and dumping 16 grand into it, you get the picture. That's a lot of dough, even for a true car enthusiast. People who undergo these kind of projects don't really do them for the end result, although it is a great feeling. Its all about building it little by little, and making relationships along the way, the chase for the end result. But, ironically, many car owners (especially leggy owners) that dump that kind of money into a car are never really satisfied with the end result. They keep changing their masterpiece. The mod bug virus.

 

16 grand in parts, say 6 grand for the car at that point. That's 22k, plus the 5k in labor for the stuff you can't do yourself. 27k all together is the way I see it.

 

For 27k, you can start with a much newer and advanced platform, than you can with an older leggy. Its food for though, especially with a daily driver.

 

But don't get me wrong, we all want to see you dump 16 grand into a leggy.

[.Catalyst.]

Unless you just have money to blow or a serious purpose for extensive and expensive parts (read track only duties), I have to agree with LALGT (I do that a lot actually ), laff and paintpollz. Clearly define your goals. Then research what will get you to those goals, and don't be afraid to shop the classifieds here for some of your parts. I've had my car for just over a year. I spent a few months narrowing down my choices from a list that started similar to yours. Notice my iTrader rating... found some killer like new or NIB goods that fit my plan and didn't rush the process. This saved a considerable amount of money. I also participated in a few group buys in the process. I could have spent double what I have to date easily (I track every purchase I've made for the spec.B in Excel).

 

For me my planning went along these lines...

 

Suspension first for me so I dug through the suspension forums for a while. Realized Whiteline was a great product that's not nearly as expensive as Cusco, Zerosports, and AVO and it was highly reviewed by the community. Then decided what I wanted to gain from performance suspension upgrades. Found used springs in great shape, a BNIB roll center/bump steer kit (Hicksta), and a BNIB ALK/LCA kit, and purchased the other bushings I needed from Infamous.

 

Once maintenance and suspension were dialed (until I got in on the Hotchkis GB from Infamous), I focused on my power goals. Stage 1 for a shakedown, Stage 2 was my near term goal (why plan huge power until you know how it feels at Stage 2 which are all required parts for Stage 3 and beyond?

 

Now I'm focusing on brakes and a clutch upgrades and again - research. There's a ton of knowledge and experience here and I've spent countless hours reading thread after thread. Reviews, comparisons, and even some failures exist for almost every upgrade out there.

 

While it's fun to build a dream list - it's hardly practical, nor prudent to pay close to what the car's value is. If you're doing this in 3 to 4 years, and "I just want a reliable, good-handling car that goes vroom and puts a smile on my face whenever I drive it" you can probably find a used 08-09 at that point, drop in suspension, stage 2 bits, and a DD brake upgrade (blank rotors and pads with some good fluid and a master cyllinder brace), and rack up the miles with smiles! Then decide what's lacking (if anything and plan future upgrades).

 

I also found with a used car it's easy to find failing parts and for me it was easier to justify upgrades to replace something OEM that failed (i.e. LCA bushings, or upgraded TMIC due to problematic stocker).

 

My shiny 2 pennies and a ball of lint for good measure

[charlie_sheen]

anyone care to tell him not to bother with the MBC when he's getting a EBCS. save the 87$ for some stickerz

[jasejase]

mCb.. master cylinder brace.

[jasejase]

Im gonna jump on board with the $ arguement here. Thats a lot of cash to put into a 10+ yr old car IMO. At that rate, just save a bit more and get something thats a bit newer, and/or perhaps something thats a bit more performance rated out of the gate.

[BDII]

All those mods and you're gonna use a factory turbo?

 

You'll kick yourself later.

 

Add:

1000cc injectors

bigger aftermarket turbo

Spring Strut combo

 

subtract:

Coil overs (unless you're gonna be autocrossing the car they're a huge waste)

front strut tower brace (useless)

[paintpollz]

anyone care to tell him not to bother with the MBC when he's getting a EBCS. save the 87$ for some stickerz

 

2 boost controllers are better than one

[TurboLag23]

used parts, buy used parts, even though you have a shitload of money.

 

Like Laff bluntly stated, you buying an old car and dumping 16 grand into it, you get the picture. That's a lot of dough, even for a true car enthusiast. People who undergo these kind of projects don't really do them for the end result, although it is a great feeling. Its all about building it little by little, and making relationships along the way, the chase for the end result. But, ironically, many car owners (especially leggy owners) that dump that kind of money into a car are never really satisfied with the end result. They keep changing their masterpiece. The mod bug virus.

 

16 grand in parts, say 6 grand for the car at that point. That's 22k, plus the 5k in labor for the stuff you can't do yourself. 27k all together is the way I see it.

 

For 27k, you can start with a much newer and advanced platform, than you can with an older leggy. Its food for though, especially with a daily driver.

 

But don't get me wrong, we all want to see you dump 16 grand into a leggy.

 

Haha I would definitely go for a newer platform... but I just like the Legacy the best - namely in wagon form. There hasn't been a fast, nice-handling AWD wagon since, as far as I can see. TSX Sportwagon is wrong-wheel-drive, and used BMW & Audi wagons are way expensive (and they're BMW's and Audi's, so anyone under age 30 can't really pull them off without looking like a tool )

 

I posted this list and the 16k price figure basing it off prices for all-new parts... better to overestimate the price and work down using lightly-used parts than underestimate.

[TurboLag23]

This thread smells of building a car that does not even exist but since some regulars have come in, my opinion about much of this is FEH.

 

Haha this stings a bit, but it is immensely helpful. Thanks for the advice

[thefultonhow]

Wait, so you put in coilovers, chassis bracing, etc. and then speced out ALL-SEASON TIRES?

 

Tires are the number-one suspension upgrade you can make. If you're going to spend all this money, at least get Star Specs for the BBS and maybe put performance winter tires of some sort on the stock wheels (or maybe not, since you're in SoCal).

 

Also, if this is a street car, I'm personally a huge fan of the Konis I had on my 05, so much so that I'm considering putting them on my Spec.B. And I think the HPS brake pads are going to let you down. I put them on my fiancee's Mustang, and honestly, my Stoptechs are far better. And I think even the Stoptechs would be shown up by some Carbotechs.

 

Clutch-wise, I've seen some people say the ACT HDSS has some issues. The CM FX300 is the way to go IMO. And you will probably regret a LWFW on a pure street car, especially if you have to drive in traffic a lot.

 

And if you're getting injectors and a fuel pump (I second the DW65c, BTW, and it's only $150), you should probably go for a bigger turbo than the VF52 unless you're going to be running corn. VF39, VF43, VF48 won't fit with most ICs; I'm not sure about the AVO. Don't do the Grimmspeed AOS, they cause more problems than they solve.

 

Finally, you've got a lot of balls going catless in Cali. Street cars should have cats, anyway. I ran catless for a while, regretted the decision, switched to catted and sold my catless DP.

[TurboLag23]

Wait, so you put in coilovers, chassis bracing, etc. and then speced out ALL-SEASON TIRES?

 

Tires are the number-one suspension upgrade you can make. If you're going to spend all this money, at least get Star Specs for the BBS and maybe put performance winter tires of some sort on the stock wheels (or maybe not, since you're in SoCal).

 

Also, if this is a street car, I'm personally a huge fan of the Konis I had on my 05, so much so that I'm considering putting them on my Spec.B. And I think the HPS brake pads are going to let you down. I put them on my fiancee's Mustang, and honestly, my Stoptechs are far better. And I think even the Stoptechs would be shown up by some Carbotechs.

 

Clutch-wise, I've seen some people say the ACT HDSS has some issues. The CM FX300 is the way to go IMO. And you will probably regret a LWFW on a pure street car, especially if you have to drive in traffic a lot.

 

And if you're getting injectors and a fuel pump (I second the DW65c, BTW, and it's only $150), you should probably go for a bigger turbo than the VF52 unless you're going to be running corn. VF39, VF43, VF48 won't fit with most ICs; I'm not sure about the AVO. Don't do the Grimmspeed AOS, they cause more problems than they solve.

 

Finally, you've got a lot of balls going catless in Cali. Street cars should have cats, anyway. I ran catless for a while, regretted the decision, switched to catted and sold my catless DP.

 

All good points.

haha completely spaced on the all-season tires. In SoCal it'll probably be worth it to run summer tires.

And I was debating catted or catless DP; they're similar price if I recall.

[thefultonhow]

All good points.

haha completely spaced on the all-season tires. In SoCal it'll probably be worth it to run summer tires.

And I was debating catted or catless DP; they're similar price if I recall.

 

Catted is 1.5x the price of catless, usually.

 

It's worth it. Especially if you need to get smogged like you do in Cali.