Mike's 2016 Raven FR-S Build (RCE SS-1, TE37 OG, JDL 4-2-1, Brembo GT)

[Mike_ZN6]

Originally Posted by Z06ZN6

I like that bronze blast color a lot. It looks a lot more modern than the OG color and should match modern paint colors better. I've been "te37everything" since the late 90s and seen the colors change over the years. I have a few sets and none are the same. I feel like they do this to better match the target vehicle colors at the time (gotta look good in the advertisements). I think the bronze blast will be a good match for the D4S paint. I do prefer the texture of the OG style though. I have a D4S 86 also with the last set of OG bronze TE's from a System Motorsports custom order. I am glad I got them when I did. They are concave like the bronze blast wheel, not flat like the OG wheel shown in the pic. You know, looking at your build plans, I have similar parts. I even have the same black L32 lugs as in your plan. Lol. We must have similar taste. I guess I can tell you with 100% certainty your car is going to look great, but I am still looking forward to seeing to progress.

Yeah, I think I am going to stick with the Blast Bronze. I actually got these from System Motorsports, too. When I got the car last year I had actually planned on getting a set of OG Bronze, but when I tried to get a set I found out it was too late. System told me they stopped making them a few months earlier.

I don't like the new TE37 variants with the engraved Volk logos and I was dead set on the black/bronze combo with TE37s. I always wanted a set of bronze TE37s since I was reading issues of Sport Compact Car way back in high school. So when I found out System was getting a batch of custom Blast Bronze TE37SLs I jumped at the chance. The design of the SL is the closest to the OG you can get now and they are lighter and stiffer. They aren't quite as close to the OG bronze as I had hoped, but I think they will still look really good.

I ordered some black TE37 OG stickers to put on them instead of the SL sticker. Those and the black L32s are on the way from Nengun right now but they are taking forever to ship.

Do you have a build thread somewhere? I checked your profile but didn't find anything. I would love to see some pics of your car.

[Z06ZN6]

Yeah, I bought my car last year with the exact same intent, black with bronze TE's. I was really disappointed after I had the car and was shopping for TE's and saw what had happened to them with the engraving and such. Who could mess up an icon like that....but I guess they gotta do something different with all the reps out there. Given the time frame, I probably snapped up the last set from System Motorsports right before you. Sorry, but man do I appreciate them even more now. Thomson at SM really made it possible for me to own a set for this car. The guy is top notch in my book and I want to give him more of my business in the future.


I don't post a lot in these forums and don't have a build thread. I enjoy reading more than posting. I'm probably just a little more active posting these days due to the lockdown as it fills in some of the time. I do enjoy looking at everyone's build threads though. I threw a couple pictures of my car below. Maybe sometime I will take some proper pictures and make a quick build thread. It's a 2017 AT with an E-force, DT tune and their e85 flex fuel kit, FT86SF header, HKS exhaust, and 4.30 final drive. The suspension is HKS Hipermax Max IV-GT with Whiteline front geometry corrections. There are a lot of little things done to the car inside and out but that's the basic build list. It's my daily.


Oh, before I forget, I wanted to give you some info. I weighed my 18x9.5 "OG" TE's with Michelin PS4S 245/35 in front and they were 40.8lbs ea. With 255/35 in the rear, they were 41.2lbs ea. My OEM 17" wheels with stock Michelin tires were 41.1lbs ea. When the motor was stock, I could not feel any negative effects in acceleration or otherwise with the TE's (none was expected given the near identical weights). In contrast to that, I have some Motegi/Blizzak winter wheel/tires (for my snowboarding addiction), which were something like 5lbs heavier than stock. I can't remember the number exactly, but those really make the stock engine car feel sluggish on initial throttle tip in.

[WC-BRZ]

Jesus man, that looks insane...and you're just going to tease us with two pics? More pics please!

[Mike_ZN6]

Originally Posted by Z06ZN6

Yeah, I bought my car last year with the exact same intent, black with bronze TE's. I was really disappointed after I had the car and was shopping for TE's and saw what had happened to them with the engraving and such. Who could mess up an icon like that....but I guess they gotta do something different with all the reps out there. Given the time frame, I probably snapped up the last set from System Motorsports right before you. Sorry, but man do I appreciate them even more now. Thomson at SM really made it possible for me to own a set for this car. The guy is top notch in my book and I want to give him more of my business in the future.


I don't post a lot in these forums and don't have a build thread. I enjoy reading more than posting. I'm probably just a little more active posting these days due to the lockdown as it fills in some of the time. I do enjoy looking at everyone's build threads though. I threw a couple pictures of my car below. Maybe sometime I will take some proper pictures and make a quick build thread. It's a 2017 AT with an E-force, DT tune and their e85 flex fuel kit, FT86SF header, HKS exhaust, and 4.30 final drive. The suspension is HKS Hipermax Max IV-GT with Whiteline front geometry corrections. There are a lot of little things done to the car inside and out but that's the basic build list. It's my daily.


Oh, before I forget, I wanted to give you some info. I weighed my 18x9.5 "OG" TE's with Michelin PS4S 245/35 in front and they were 40.8lbs ea. With 255/35 in the rear, they were 41.2lbs ea. My OEM 17" wheels with stock Michelin tires were 41.1lbs ea. When the motor was stock, I could not feel any negative effects in acceleration or otherwise with the TE's (none was expected given the near identical weights). In contrast to that, I have some Motegi/Blizzak winter wheel/tires (for my snowboarding addiction), which were something like 5lbs heavier than stock. I can't remember the number exactly, but those really make the stock engine car feel sluggish on initial throttle tip in.

Looks so good! I'm jealous man.

When exactly did you get those wheels from SM? I think it was July when I got the car and within a few weeks I tried to get a set of the OGs.

I am going to do 255/35 square. The SLs are supposed to be slightly lighter. I'll make sure to post up some weights when I get a chance.

[Z06ZN6]

Thanks WC-BRZ.
Lol. Ok, I'lll slam a quick build thread together with some more pics instead of cluttering up Mike's thread.

[Z06ZN6]

Originally Posted by Mike_ZN6

Looks so good! I'm jealous man.

When exactly did you get those wheels from SM? I think it was July when I got the car and within a few weeks I tried to get a set of the OGs.

I am going to do 255/35 square. The SLs are supposed to be slightly lighter. I'll make sure to post up some weights when I get a chance.

Yeah, I got my car in May and reached out to Thomson beginning of June. Deal was done in a couple days. Now I really feel bad....

I will probably go 255 in front on my next set too. I was being a bit cautious since I was unfamiliar with this platform and not sure what might hit. Curious to see how much lighter the SLs. Hurry up and get them on!

[Mike_ZN6]

Just moving the pics of the wheels out of the first post.

[Mike_ZN6]

Just happened to go to the mall one day and found all these twins.

[Mike_ZN6]

Very first mod I did was removing the Scion emblems and putting the correct ones on.

[Mike_ZN6]

All the suspension mods ready to be installed.

[Mike_ZN6]

Right after I put the coilovers on.

[Mike_ZN6]

Had a chance to do a photo shoot this weekend. I wanted to make sure to get some good pics while it still looked basically stock. The only exterior mods in these pics are 2017 BRZ fender garnishes, Five:AD style rear spoiler, and approximately a 1.5" drop.

[Mike_ZN6]

So I had a chance to pick up a new set of TE37 OG Bronze 18x9.5 +36. I got them from Import Monster in Australia. After the Australian currency conversion, the wheels (including shipping, import fees, paypal fees, etc.) were cheaper than the SLs I got from System Motorsports. These are probably the last new set of OG Bronze for the twins in the world. I ended up selling the Blast Bronze SLs to pay for the OGs!

[Mike_ZN6]

I also picked up a discontinued Kinetic Custom Machines Shorai battery tray from forum member @Lightened.