BRZ STi x TRD "BSTiRDized"

[calic]

Interesting. I'm also pondering whether to do the OEM sub or OEM audio +. Love the build and progression.

[switchlanez]

Originally Posted by calic

Interesting. I'm also pondering whether to do the OEM sub or OEM audio +. Love the build and progression.

So I was concerned with my louvers rattling and called OEM Audio Plus (O+) to see if any of their customers with louvers had issues. Their brand manager Daniel offered support to tune out any frequencies that might cause my louvers to rattle and sounded very reassuring. But I didn't want to go through that trouble and the lower cost and easier installation of the OEM Kicker is a less risky commitment. I'm willing to live with occasional rattle.

Also a couple years ago at 86Fest I spoke with O+'s system tuner Sandy Lirag. He went over how he picked out the DSPs and the new CF speakers. I trust he knows what he's doing. Plus the system sounded great. And this article, though biased, does a great job selling the system: http://dsportmag.com/the-tech/sonic-...und-systems/3/

But I reasoned the stock speakers were also selected with the car's acoustics in mind to some extent. They are sufficient and not terrible. Just need to offload lower frequencies to the OEM sub (and bass limiter harness) so the 6 stock speakers can better blast the frequencies within their optimal ranges. I also feel upgrading the stock Fujitsu Ten head unit to aftermarket will be mandatory to unlock the full potential of O+ but I'm stubborn to change it because OEM and money. If the Fujitsu Ten is the common denominator between the two systems, I'll pick the speaker system better matched to it (stock) instead of spending extraneously on something with greater potential (how much greater, I'm not sure) that remains dormant. The OEM sub enclosure is designed from a bigger name (Kicker) and installation is higher quality than O+ which requires cutting of interior pieces and bending of brackets in the trunk. I've listened to O+ and it might be marginally better but doubt it's 3x ($1k worth) better than stock speakers with Kicker sub + bass limiter on stock HU.

[FujiwaraTofu86]

any problem getting the SARD to fit along with the TRD?

look like it sit further up more

[switchlanez]

Originally Posted by FujiwaraTofu86

any problem getting the SARD to fit along with the TRD?

look like it sit further up more

SARD instructions recommend to install the stands 22cm from the rear edge of the trunk. The TRD lip spoiler overlaps that point by 6cm. So I had a local shop fabricate brackets to extend the wing out by 6 cm to compensate.



Note that bracket can only be swapped onto the replica SARD wing and not the genuine wing. The corresponding bracket on the genuine SARD wing has 6 rivets (not 4 bolts) per side and is not an easy bolt-on swap:



The vendor of the replica wing is getting its manufacturer to mass produce a 6cm extended bracket option: http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showp...&postcount=157

[FujiwaraTofu86]

thanks, very useful info

[switchlanez]

OEM Kicker sub + OEM bass limiter harness have been on a few weeks. Cool thing about installation is its harness routes along the car's harness from behind the instrument panel, shares existing clips in the door sill, and follows all the way to the trunk. That's why it mounts on the driver side. Bass sounds clean and full but not overbearing. I discovered the stock headunit sets the speakers to a factory default of rear bias (resets to this every time you disconnect the battery). I set it to even bias all around (rear, front left, front right) - that woke up the front speakers so highs and lows are much more audible. That almost has me thinking I would have been happy with the stock system. But now that I've felt additional bass from the subwoofer, I won't be happy going back.




All sounds great when parked. Only complaint is no matter how good a sound system, road/wind noise will always be present and need to be overcome. Better to do that with soundproofing than cranking up the volume.

Also in some parts of some songs, my louvers vibrate against the rear glass. But it's so minimal that I have to listen for it and sounds normal when other parts of the car vibrate louder and more often.

Also installed new exterior pieces. Pics coming soon.

[switchlanez]

Finally did lower priority afterthought mods I held out on for years like legit seat covers and OEM faux leather knee pads. Latest cosmetic mods which add to my black/blue scheme that I pondered then dismissed as too ricey years ago: Modellista side mouldings (wrapped in 3M gloss black) and side stabilizing fins. They're easy to remove so figured I'd give them a try. Messed with my camera settings and a new lens out on a shooting spree:





























<< BONUSES >>

STI phase (top), TRD x STI phase (bottom):



Shot 10 years apart, same place:

[switchlanez]

Spontaneous FB livestream with some local club members

https://www.facebook.com/importvsmus...3558911346058/

[Clipdat]

The tire tread looks backwards.

Originally Posted by switchlanez

[switchlanez]

Originally Posted by Clipdat

The tire tread looks backwards.

Thanks for the catch. I double checked the rotation markings after I applied CQuartz Pro to all wheels and remounted. But my car has been on and off jack stands so many times this past month (put quickshift bracket in transmission tunnel, springs/struts, sways, replaced underbody panels, drill out a broken bolt extractor then re-thread/ez-coil the hole, reposition e-brake line for tire clearance) I must have inadvertently swapped sides at one point.

[2point0]

haha I was about to post the same thing.

But the car is looking great, man!

[switchlanez]

Swapped rear tires to correct rotation and a fill-er-up.

[Teclis]

Originally Posted by switchlanez

Swapped rear tires to correct rotation and a fill-er-up.
*snip*

Awesome build!

Just a quick question, where did you get the wraps on the doors?
Or did you just go to a wrap shop, and had them do it? ^^

[switchlanez]

Originally Posted by Teclis

Awesome build!

Just a quick question, where did you get the wraps on the doors?
Or did you just go to a wrap shop, and had them do it? ^^

If you're talking about what runs along the bottom of the windows, those are hard black plastic pieces that are taped on. I got them here: https://www.japanparts.com/parts/detail/49052

The long skinny piece between that and the side skirt is the Toyota Modellista side molding. That comes in a dark gunmetal/black chrome but I got a company/franchise called Fastsigns to wrap it in 3M gloss black for $100.