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RAAMaudio ST, street, track, dog hauler, grocery getter, ultra low weight audio.....

7K views 15 replies 6 participants last post by  RAAMaudio 
#1 · (Edited)
Silver, Recaro, sunroof and NAV, sunroof for the dogs as they need lots of air, NAV because it was in the car when I bought it.
293 miles on the car for now.

Power mods, *means not finished, -means not on hand or completed.
*3" DIY SS DP with 5", 100 cell cat, 3" outlet. (to be heat wrapped soon:)
*3" DIY SS exhaust, Vibrant 5" dia resonator, Borla straight through race muffler, 3" to oval exhaust tip(have to have a little style, less restrictive than twin tips)
*Ported stock turbo manifold
*Mishimoto Intercooler
*2" DIY turbo outlet pipe, heat shielded out of the turbo for 8"
-Mountune AP, not yet installed
-CAI, DIY with modified NACA duct grill inlet to 3" brake cooling hose under headlight to air box, heat wrapped piping and box
-Ported and heat wrapped intake manifold tube, Symposer delete
-GT or BW turbo when available

Cooling:
*Setrab oil cooler, Mocal Tstat plate, heat wrapped lines
*Grill opened up for full air flow
*Bumper cover modified for more flow
*Radiator support sections opened up for more flow
-Race radiator, if needed after testing with the rest of the mods.
-Water wetter with 25% or less antifreeze so more distilled watter


Drivetrain:
*DIY drivers side engine mount
*Cobb RMM
-Quaiff LSD on order.
-Clutch and or flywheel upgrade, still deciding
-DIY short shifter
-Aluminum shifter bushings

Brakes:
-11.75" custom Wilwood BBK to fit 15 track wheels, slotted rotors.
-Track pads
-DIY Brake ducts using fog light mounts for air inlet
-SS lines
-Race grade brake fluid

Suspension/steering:
*4x100 bolt pattern re-bore
*Custom DIY rear sway bar(for testing, might not need it now) with teflon lined adjustable end links
-BC Racing Coilovers on order from 2JR with custom springs and valving as he runs
-Race urethane bushings in full suspension and front sway bar
-Rear camber and toe change(as needed after test results)
-Front camber, castor plates(BC Racing)
-Stock front sway bar with adjustable teflon lined end links and race grade urethane bushings

Wheels and tires:
*15x9 Konig, roll formed, 13lbs, track wheels
*RA1 DOT race tires, 225/45/15
*Fender rolling to fit wide wheels and tires
*17x7 Konig Feather wheels for street
*MIchelin Pilot A/S 3 W rated 205/45/17 for street and rainy track days.
*Gorilla short, open end security lug nuts, very low weight

Interior: 120 lbs removed so far
*SS dead pedal
*Rear seat delete
*Spare tire and jack delete
-Alumalite rear floor and trim
-Complete ultra low weight sound deadening

Audiophile sound system, I am in the business (mostly retired now) so have to have it:
-Complete sound deadening with low added weight.
-Stock NAV HU with output to Audison BIT 1 processor for correction and tuning
-Arc Audio XDI V2 amp, 150x4, 500x1, high end just released under 6 lb amp
-Low weigh, high output and quality mids and tweets, still deciding on them
-Arc 10 sub in fiberglass and baltic birch enclosure(ultra low weight design)
-Quick Release Sub, amp, processor, rack for track days, all mounted in tire well.


Misc:
-rear mount 8lb battery
-rear mount 2 qt washer bottle
-rear washer delete
+Headlight bulb upgrade
-Window tint
-Debadged

More to come as I remember it, decide on it, etc.....

- Front splitter
- Rear wing extension(s)
- Rear grill backing removed to let trapped air out
- Possibly real rear diffuser


Having fun: Hell yeah:)

Rick
 
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#3 ·
Back seat, seat belts, spare tire, jack and cargo cover added up to 125.4 lbs measured very carefully. I did not weigh the stock rear floor cover so will do that and weigh everything I put back in as in deadening, new floor, etc, it will not be much. I wish I could take that much out up front.

I weighed the stock down pipe and exhaust and will weigh the new parts for them.

There was a tab welded to the top of the twist beam I had no idea what it was for, gone now:)

I have seen some material I can remove from the end of some larger bolts I will trim off as I work on those areas.

I want to pull a front seat and weigh it, could not do so on the lift and no wheels or tires here for the car as well as no hubs on it right now, cannot open the door far enough but now I can pull the front passenger seat out the back of the hatch.

I might put the amp, very low weight, under the front passenger seat to save on the weight a long power cable would require to put the amp in the back of the car.

I will remove the rear door speakers and seal up the access holes with the minimal amount of mat then cover it all with the Ensolite as well as all the pillars, many places to use it all over the car, very very low weight.

Front doors will get aluminum channels bonded to the skins so little mat is needed, Alumalite panels to cover the access holes and if I need to make speaker mounts, super low weight stuff and very still. I will use some mat and lots of Ensolite on the front doors but not much Ensolite inside them.

Rear qtr panels, floor, etc, a bit of mat, factory stuff will remain except in wheel well as I might make a fiberglass liner for it to have the sub enclosure, emergency spares, a few tools, tire repair kit, etc....easy to pop out for the track and far lighter than the spare tire and jack.

I am looking at a pretty big intercooler, sucks to have to put the weight up front so far but it will help if I put a reservoir for the window washer in the back so I can use the fog light openings for brake ducts.

Though not a pretty engine I will probably leave the cover off and any other trim I can find under the hood, etc....

Between the engine cover, washer reservoir and lighter battery the front will be lighter than now but still not as low as I would love to make it, just have to keep digging:)

Most cars have excess brackets, wiring, etc.... when I have time I will pull the dash and see what I can find, I took 20 lbs out of the Scion TC just under the dash and did not effect any systems!
 
#4 ·
When I get it back off the lift I will put it on my scales and see where it is at for now.
 
#6 ·
Great idea and it could be adjusted when weights are posted using a postal scale, mine only goes to 20 lbs, I have a gram scale from when I used to race bicycles as well:)

I use a digital bathroom scale for heavier items but weigh them when holding them and then weigh myself, much more accurate and I have shipped thousands of packages using that technique and only had a few weights adjusted by UPS, FedEx, etc.
 
#7 ·
I need to get busy and make this a real build thread, moving all things I post all over the forum to here, pics and info, etc...I am looking at different ways to do this most effectively and also more easily for me as it will take some time to sort it all out.

Your input, ideas, suggestions, are all most welcome:)

For now.

1) Update regularly the main if not all mods on the first post, minimal pictures there then time line all the mods I have done regularly updating this single thread? .

2) Leave all the posts I have started all over the forum and post links on the first post here to them all?

Part of me wants to continue posting all over as I do certain things because it adds more to the overall site posts, which helps the forum owners in a way, more traffic, more revenue.....and they need it to pay for this site we enjoy.

BUT, the main reason is I want others to see some of the possibilities they may not otherwise see what they can do to their cars to make them more fun, especially the DIY low or no cost mods.

It also helps me as I know a lot, have done a lot but hardly know it all, nobody does except the dilusional which I hope to not be labeled, maybe a bit nuts, I can live with that:) I get to enjoy the suggestions, recommendations, questions, etc...as more will see the posts.....I get to share and learn at the same time.

Let me know what you think, suggest, etc...

Thanks
Rick
 
#9 ·
Thanks:)

Ensolite:
Originally developed by NASA for the space program and aerospace, thermal and acoustical barrier, very low weight, fire retardant, many versions now, I use one that has proven to be exceptionally effective in use and cost effective. It was used a couple of years ago in the International Space Station Training Lab for the air handlers and ducting, has been used for a very long time in modern aircraft, used in boats, cars, trucks, industrial solutions, etc.....amazing stuff.

The trick is using the minimum sound deadening mat per area and the using a great deal of Ensolite, better results than using a bunch of mat, less costly, easier and saves money, win, win, win:)


Audio plans, all gear hear except the Audison Bit 10 processor on hand.
-Arc Audio mids in doors, tweets in pillars, no rear speakers, none needed for true stereo and a proper sound stage.
-Arc Audio XDI V1 1100.6 amp, 4x150 and 1x600, 13x6.25x1.86", 67.5 lbs, state of the art D class amp, brand new design just released.
-Arc Audio 10 sub, ultra light enclosure in wheel well with amp and processor, quick release for track days.

I might sell the swap the 1100.6 to the 1100.5 when it is released as the .6 is $100 more and has bi-amp crossovers, meaning a true three way built in but I do not need it with the Bit 10. There is also an 850.5 on the way, 85x4 and 400x1 I am considering but nearly the same size and not much lower in weight. BIG power on mids helps them be far more dynamic, 150 is a ton on tweets, will never use all that of course, tuning will protect them, the sub at 600 is a very good amount for a single 10, even 400 watts is good. Talking about real power not cheapo junk amp massive distortion ratings. I perfer more than 85 on the mids but I am going to use some older really light weight Arcs that I might not want to give 150 to anyway.
 
#10 ·
Updated list of mods done, underway or going to do.....

I have posted quite a few pics on various threads, I will pick the best and put them on this one.

See first post:)
 
#11 ·
More parts on the way:)

Quaife LSD
BC Racing custom coilovers(from 2jr with the same valving and spring rates)
Urethane suspension bushings, all race grade, full suspension will be done
Aluminum shifter bushings
More 225 race tires
 
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#13 ·
I have a thread or in part of a thread somewhere with it but not sure and a bit brain dead right now.......I will check later to find it for you,
Pretty simple idea, a big of labor involved looks great when done right.
 
#15 ·
Great, glad you found it:)

I learned something about the bumper beam the other day, it is made from some very hard steel, I had cut and welded on it but had not drilled it, dulled some self taping screws then 3 drill bits when mounting some aluminum brackets to it.
 
#16 ·
The car is all together except the rear interior, lots of work there to do yet, driving it, loving it, the list of mods has grown considerably now.
 
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