WARNING: LOTS OF WORDS BELOW

So I figured I would post up a new thread to keep track of the goings on with the car lately and the road trip coming up.

So it all started back in February when I finally found out that I would be moving to Houston to accept a new position with my current company. I am quite blessed and am looking forward to the move. So as soon as I was officially moving to Houston, I decided to splurge and buy myself a few new parts for the car, and have some others refreshed. As I started making a list of things I wanted for the car, it kept getting longer and longer.

Here is how the thought process started...

I really want to be able to monitor the engine, I should call Rob and order a DashDaq/Zt-2 setup for the car with all the trimmings (Boost, IAT, AFR, Fuel Pressure Sensors). Ok, that is definitely happening. Well crap, to get the boost sensor and new IAT sensor I will have to make some modifications to the intake manifolds. Well, I do have an extra set laying around the apartment, lets just send those to Rob so he can modify them for better airflow, port/polish, and coat them...oh yeah, I guess he should put the bungs for the sensors as well. Ok, easy enough, lets do just that...

...well, if the intake manifolds are off and getting ported/polished, I might as well take car of the y-pipe while I'm at it, so let's get Rob to port/polish/coat that as well.

So what color should I get the intake manifolds coated...man that red sure does look good. I really want to do them in red...but then it won't match the DCAI that is on the car, or the valve covers.

...better add that to the list. So off the DCAI goes to Rob for cleaning and re-coating...and the valve covers were ordered at the same time.

Now I'm just flat out excited...

Wait, we definitely need to make sure the newly coated parts stay clean, better get oil an catch can too...but while we're at it, let's make it red. So where do we stand at this point:

- DashDaq/Zt-2 (with all the trimmings)
- Modified Intake Manifolds (Red)
- Re-coated DCAI (Red)
- New Valve Covers (Red)
- Catch Can (Red)


That's a good list...and a good place to stop. Perfect. Well, almost. I better go ahead and order new stainless steel bolt kits for the manifolds and valve covers. I'm not sure if I actually needed them or Rob is just a good sales guy. Either way, I'm ok with it.

Order in, money paid...now we wait...

 

Well that was the end of March...a couple weeks ago.

A few parts started trickling in, a few parts started heading towards Michigan...and the anxiety about how awesome this is going to be started building.

The first this to show up at work...the DashDaq, Zt-2, and assorted sensors.
r3n7th.jpg

QdxHI.jpg

J22FR.jpg

Then, after a bit of time...the y-pipe shows up, ceramic coated, and looking good.
T2sLK.jpg

...at that point, Rob had received my extra set of intake manifolds to begin working on them. Curiously enough, when they were given to me (yes, for free) I was never sure if I would use them as they had a crack from some previous modification pioneering. So they took a bit more time than a normal set of manifolds would have to modify, and port and polish...but as Rob always does, he makes the impossible, possimble (that's for your How I Met Your Mother fans).

Well at this point it is a waiting game. I was waiting for Rob to let me know he was finished modifying the manifolds so that I could send him back my DCAI for everything to get re-coated at the same time.


...and then it happened. Well it was actually a couple things. One was a long standing issue, that I finally decided to fix. A tiny crack in my water pump pulley, which I posted up about a few weeks ago. I had been running on an original design LET aluminum water pump pulley as a temporary replacement, which were known to not be able to stand up for long periods....so it HAD to be a temporary thing.

So I had ordered the replacement ASP Water Pump Pulley (from Rob of course) and it was in my hands...and by goodness, the next Saturday morning I was going to replace it and I was going to do it early, and quick...no reason to burn too much daylight. So, bright and early (what later appeared to be TOO early), I went out to change the pulley...started the process: belt off...oh crap, needed to break the water pump pulley bolts loose before pulling the belt off...that's ok, let's just put it back on and go from there...

Oh crap, why is the tensioner not working...why is the socket just spinning on the bolt....but, but, but I know I used the right E10 socket. Turns out, a 7am appointment with my car should never happen without caffeine and a thorough washing of the face...I grabbed the E12, and it had stripped the tensioner.

So now the belt is halfway on, and the tensioner is not pleased with me and has gone on strike to prove a point to me.

So now joining the ranks of parts delivered to the house, a new tensioner assembly.

BUT WAIT!!!! I was able to get the belt back on as a temporary fix (the SRT is my daily driver) by using the 15mm nut holding the pulley on...and was only able to do that thanks to some ingenious use of the search feature on the forum. So the car was up and running again, albeit it had a bit of a bruised ego.

...

 

I can't wait to see all these installed. Nice choice with red too. I was laughing reading through your post because I think the same way.

 

It was too late, the worst had happened...my infection had worsened and there was no hope now. The mod bug was in full blown mode now, and I just couldn't get it to subside fast enough. So I needed more. I needed something else to do while I waited on the parts to come in.


...and then Steve (32krazy!) and I started talking offline. Just as a heads up, he is one man who is hell bent on pushing this platform to its limits...and when that doesn't satisfy him, he is going to re-define the limits we all thought the platform had. Anyways, so after some discussions with Steve, the next purchase was made.

A quick call to my (now) good friend Bruce at TTM and I was now the proud owner of the third set of larger injectors he sold for our engine. The first being Anthony (grip grip), the second Steve (32krazy!), and then me.

New spray pattern, much improved, and a proven injector on the 55k platform by many many people.
n7d1k.jpg

40aXZ.jpg

...now we're getting somewhere. Well, in order to make sure the injectors have enough fuel, I needed a new fuel pump. After a quick discussion with Bryan in Chicago (ImportLabSRT) he let me know he had an extra Walbro laying around as he went with a bigger pump for his turbo SRT6 . Done and done, it was at my house two days later (Thank Bryan!)

8QPUl.jpg

By now my head is spinning and instead of dreaming of sugarplums dancing I am dreaming of tires squealing and engines torquing.

One last order to Rob for a Supercooler and a bottle of Water Wetter, just to make sure the temps stay at a manageable level. That box will arrive on Saturday.

So now the parts are stacking up, and getting ready for install...Bruce at TTM called me and really wanted to get his hands on our engine and spend some time with it, so I offered to let him have the car for a week if he would install my other fun parts (for a nominal fee)...he was more than happy with that and I will be dropping the car off on Sunday for him to play with.

Bruce is a great guy to deal with...and there is one last modification that I am keeping under wraps until I can post up with pictures of it, though I will say that it has already been tested on a SLK and a SRT...and it works incredibly.

So install next week, a few hours with Jerry at Eurocharged at the end of the week for some tuning...and she will be turning heads all over again.

Not to mention the refreshed permagrin I will have.

 

So as you finally get through my long-winded, Diet Mountain Dew filled, late night posts I just want to let you know one thing; there will be more posts, more pictures, and more Diet Mountain Dew in this thread in the coming days and weeks.


A few days after the install is completed, I will be moving from NJ back to TX where I spent almost all of my younger years...like I mentioned before, thanks to a new position within my company.

I will be posting up some fun pictures from the drive down. My best friend (and also a crossfire owner) is flying up and we will be making the drive down together.

I will be stopping at Auburn University (my alma mater) for a fundraising golf tournament, and hopefully I will meet up with Max. We will have to compare the red of my engine bay to the red of his roadster. I can already guarantee his car will be cleaner

I will post updates often, and answer any questions as I read them. When it is all said and done, I will make a bit more coherent post with the parts list, thank yous, and results.

Until then, I'm just going to keep on rambling...

 

so weres the downpipes, springs, shocks, miker bars, wavetrac and killer chiller?!!! glad to see everything coming together. hope you stop by nashville for a bite to eat. theres a few of us here!

 

You know this is next...though I should probably put a new rear end in before my current one blows up.



I'll see what I can do. I know we will be driving through the mountains (and the dragon), but not sure how far inland to Tennessee we will get.

 

I'll go ahead and recommend what you already have planned. A dyno tune when you get to Houston. No messing around, one and done. Now that I've added new parts and remotely retuned my car I'm wishing I'd retuned it on a dyno where Jerry can adjust it on the fly. BTW, way to go all in on the mods. They should hold you for a while. (6 months?) perhaps.

Les

 

Enjoyed the read and look forward to the pic's and the follow ups. That moding bug just has to be fed, I can relate. The good news is the payoff is there every time you drive your car.

Give us a heads up when you are going to be at the dargon. There are a few of us that live relativly close and don't need much incentive to plan a day driving in the mountains. We may be able to show you a couple of runs you may like better than the dragon.

 

Hey BK, where in SC are you? I am just west of Sumter in a town called Wedgefield!

 

Not sure if we will be stopping to drive it multiple times or just taking a drive through it...there are definitely some great roads around there as well. I am definitely open to suggestions, though we are already planning to drive through most of the Appalachian mountains as it is.

 

those are my colors:
IMAG0619.jpgIMAG0636.jpg

 

I am in Spartanburg about 2 hrs and 15 minutes from the Dragon area.

 

It took me a second to rememer/realize you have a C32. I was staring at the engine bay going, "something seems a bit off/different"

I like the colors. Did you have Rob do the coating, or do it yourself?

 

all works done by myself.

 

What's going on with your S/C. That definitely doesn't look like the original blower...what am I missing here?

 

This is my new build, 3.72 L engine with 55 SC on the V6, you didn't follow my thread on mbworld "my new project" also i made a post here.

 

Heading over to MBWorld now...

 

Looking forward to meeting up when you finally get down here...

BTW: My dad powdercoats....so whatever you want done, we can get it done.

 

Nice read Matt...glad you have started your build. I know you wanted to do some work to her for sometime now. I love what you are doing. I am just leaving mine stock looking. I hope to start working on mine soon, but time has been a big issue with mine. The house seems to be taking all the cash now. But, it has to be tuned up as well from time to time...lol. Anyway great read. Safe travels to the Lone Star...