Michael's BRZ Build Thread
 

Hello, Everyone! Welcome to my build thread!

I purchased my new-to-me 2015 Subaru BRZ Limited with 50,000 miles on February 18th, 2019.

This car will be my daily driver, so most mods will have comfort in mind (must pass the wife-test), but I also wish to visit the track/auto-x courses, so there will be some compromises.

I've owned many cars in the past (I think i'm up to 27 cars right now), most of which I have modified, taken to the track or auto-x events. I've decided to focus on an SCCA STX Build this time around (something the BRZ is pretty competitive in).

I'm a former ASE & Toyota/Nissan certified technician, but I went back to school for Automotive Engineering with a bit of CAD. I've also owned a pretty large variety of cars, so I think I offer a good background (I'll post my car list). I don't claim to know everything, but if you have a question, i'll try to answer/research it. I'm usually a pretty friendly guy at events, so feel free to come up and say "Hi" if you see me.

Now... onto the build!

One of the first things I wanted to do was get rid of that stupid sound tube. At first I was researching a Silicone Inlet Tube and a K&N air filter, but luck was on my side, and someone on Facebook Marketplace was selling a used TRD intake.

I also found a DIY to plug the empty hole to the cabin, now that the Sound Tube is removed: I just went to Home Depot and purchased a PEX 3/4" plug.

The interior noise dropped, while the intake note deepened. Much better. I'm gonna have to add some sound deadening eventually...

I purchased a set of 17x8 +43 Enkei RPF1's with some 225/45R17 All-Season tires! Perfect!

225/45R17 is fine for now, but eventually i'm going for 245/45R17 (extra sidewall is great for comfort and protecting your wheels from pot-holes.).

Car is coming along nicely! Also just FYI a 245/45/17 tire is pretty big tire it will affect the gearing and speedo a lot. If you want something wider 245/40/17 is an exact match to the stock specs if not i would stick with the 225/45/17.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/SharkBit...518A/202033081
is it this one that you have purchased?
Thanks

I'm well aware. I usually add a bit of sidewall to most of my vehicles. I don't mind the discrepency on speed (I believe at 62.7 MPH, my speedo would read 60 with 245/45R17's), I can get that adjusted at a Subaru dealership. Besides, a little underdriving wouldn't be the worst thing for this car on the highway, haha!


Yes, Actually! Works like a charm!

I did a small upgrade today: LED smoked side markers. The orange was really annoying me. Especially on a black car.

Nice car list! Especially the 240sx :)

Decided to add some comfort mods to the car. Sound deadening, back up cam, and those JDM leather knee pads.

I'm not quite done with the sound deadening, as I only finished the trunk, rear quarter-panels, and under the rear seats for now. Sadly, I didn't take photos of the finished product, as it was getting darker. I'll try to take more when I get back in there.

More updates soon. I got some more stuff on order.

I just installed a brand new set of Tein Flex A's with hydraulic bumpstops, along with a set of ISC Adjustable Camber Arms.

I had Mach V Motorsports do the alignment for me and they did a fantastic job! Dan at Mach V is an amazing knowledge source and he recommended that I go for their "Performance Street" alignment, as it will provide me with performance road feel without sacrificing my tires.

The time has finally come for me to unlock some power and gain that beautiful boxer burble with a Tomei UEL Header + Overpipe + OFT Ver. 2!

I was originally concerned about how much louder the car would be after the install. However, after a cold-start, warming up to operating temp, and driving around town and on the highway, I'm quite satisfied with not only the exhaust volume levels but also the rumble. So, If you want a very mild bump in volume, but gain that boxer growl, the Tomei UEL Header + Overpipe + stock exhaust system is a very subtle way to enjoy a more free-flowing exhaust, without the wife getting angry at you.

Now that we went over the sound, lets get into the power. I drove the car for a few days without a tune, and just running the Header + Overpipe, and I gotta say, it was pretty subtle. It just felt "easier" to drive around town. I've heard that the UEL header design offers more mid-range power compared to EL headers (where they usually shine quite well at the upper rpm range).

A few days later, after flashing the ECU with an "OFT Stage 2+" tune, I immediately noticed more of what I mentioned above: Mid-Range power. I heard that the tune on the ECU "wakes up" after you drive around a bit and it does some learning. I'll be looking forward to more power so I can keep up with those pesky minivans. Haha!

I decided to wrap my TRD intake with some gold heat-reflective tape that I had leftover from another project.

It supposedly keeps out up to 800 degrees. Perfect for an intake box that sits under the hood. I assume it'll result in better Air Intake Temperature (AIT's), but I didn't really care to do a before/after measurement or anything.

I decided to go with some added styling, so I purchased a set of Tom's Red US Spec tail lights. The OEM's just weren't my style, and I like how Tom's "Boomerang" matches the front. I also added a set of LED front turn signals + flash module.

Hey, everyone! This isn't that big of an update, but it's sort of a big deal for me:

I recently sold my 17x8 gold RPF1's with 225/45R17 tires...

...and bought a set of 17x9 gold RPF1's with 245/40R17 Continental ExtremeContact DWS tires.

Not a huge change, but I figure why not max out wheel width for the STX class and a get a better UHP A/S tire for a mix of daily driving and autocross/track days?

I probably won't add any photos of the wheels because... lets be honest, they're basically the same except for width/offset. lol!