So it's been a while...

[ZLTFUL]

And I still have my Acura. Mods have been fairly light so far but I installed a CAI, a set of Tein Green 1.5" lowering springs at all 4 corners and have added a rear roof spoiler and trunk lip spoiler. I have grand plans to supercharge it and do a full exhaust from "headers" (The TL's headers aren't like traditional headers) to exit. Also going to find a set of 19s for it that I like.

But anyway, my brother and I started a project together that brings me back to this forum.
We recently picked up a 2001 Grand Prix GTP Daytona Pace car (Funny really as it was to commemorate the 2000 Daytona pace car).
The car had been owned by a friend of the family since new up until his passing several years ago. His daughter inherited all of his cars (Including a 69 Plymouth GTX original Hemi car, a blown WS6 Firebird and a 66 big block Baracuda). The cars pretty much all sat, albeit in a climate controlled garage, for the last several years.

We were recently at her house visiting and my brother and I hit her up semi jokingly to sell us the GP and the Firebird. She started talking numbers. For obvious reasons, she wasn't willing to come off either Mopar as they were both cars her dad had bought brand new and owned their whole lives. But everything else was up for discussion. Definitely some nice stuff in his collection...86 and 87 Buick Grand Nationals, 2 Typhoons and 1 Syclone, a 1985 Corvette with the engine out of yet another Typhoon, a 69 SS/RS Camaro, several 90s Vettes...

But we were only interested in those 2. My brother wanted to drag race the WS6 and the GP was sort of a novelty. Not to mention we were thinking of flipping it to my brother's boss who is a GP nut and already has one GP GTP Daytona car.
So numbers settled, we picked up the cars a few days later and head straight to my brother's shop.
Cracking the hood on the GP revealed that Gary, the dad, had already done some mods.
Headers, full cat-less exhaust (3" pipe to a pair of 3"in/out Flowmasters, coil packs (MSD), FWI and battery relocation to the trunk.

So my brother and I started debating and decided to drag the GP as well. That being decided, we ended up pulling the heads and sending them out along with the SC and the lower to be fully extrude honed, cleaned up and polished and a new teflon coating put on the SC vanes.
Once that was done, the top end was re-assembled using a set of SLP's 1.8 rockers, a Comp Cams cam, roller rockers and pushrods along with new LS6 springs and GM timing chain set.
A Thrasher 3.0" pulley was installed on the SC.
While the top end was out, the block was sent to the machine shop. A set of Carillo H-Beam rods were matched up to a *new* (local parts shop had a brand new GM crank still sealed in the box .00 rods .00 mains...) crank and a set of Diamond forged 9.5:1 .20 over pistons and balanced accordingly. The block was bored, checked, de-burred and then a full compliment of ARP stubs installed top and bottom.

We are still in the process of buttoning everything back up and have had to split time between the GP and the Firebird.
The goal with the GP is to run full on E85 or E100 with a sponsorship from a local Ethanol producer. Needless to say, the electronics, injectors, fuel delivery are next on the list but I am not entirely sure we will have this one wrapped up before the end of the season. Plus I have some other obligations coming up that I can't shirk.

Most of our efforts have been on the Firebird as in its previous form, was pulling low 10s in the quarter. And my brother tends to favor the blown small block/rear wheel drive. Since he is invested in the GP and I have no money into the Firebird, he isn't as focused on the GP as I have been.

Fortunately, my wife has been very understanding with this return to an old hobby. Especially after her outright hatred for my Bonneville.

Anyway, just though I would pop in and let everyone know what I have been up to.

Hope all is well with everyone.

[ZLTFUL]

I know this thread is worthless without pics btw...I have some before pics and my brother has a bunch of "during" pics on his phone. I will work on getting them posted up this weekend or early next week.

[00Beast]

That's crazy, between the story, and now your plans, lol. Glad to see you're back around a bit too.

I forget where you are, but IA rings a bell?

Any of the other cars for sale?

[Arrowhead]

Didn't you used to own some Cadillacs and Bonn. GXPs plus a G8 ?

[ZLTFUL]

Had a couple of STSs.
Tried to buy my god-father's G8 GXP...but he took it to his Florida house.

Iowa is correct.
When the heck did Andrew move? Hehe.
They have a few more they are selling but almost all of them have dibs from friends or family. If they do end up going public with the sale, I will post up info.

[ZLTFUL]

Been a while again...

Apparently, this post caused some Innerwebz drama...someone was all giddy that they may have caught me in some kind of big web conspiracy or something...

Anyway, the GP is back on the drawing board. Engine is done but fuel system/electronics are still being hashed out. We are pushing the project out to mid winter. But we have been on constant contact with the guys at Intense to help finalize the details. Some day details will follow hehe...

The WS6 has been raced almost weekly this past season at Eddyville Raceway Park in Eddyville, IA. Unfortunately, the last "Midnight Madness" event, a rod bolt sheared and took most of the bottom end out of the car. Plans are in the works for something new (to the car)...my brother has a pipe dream of twin turbos but the fuel injection required to make separate bank turbos work might be beyond either of us.


In the mean time, I ended up with a twin turbo of my own.
Earlier this week, I traded my Acura in on a 2008 BMW 535xi... My favorite part about the whole car... 300+ft/lbs from 1400-5000 rpms.
Got a guy over in Cedar Rapids, IA who is a long time Bosch/euro tech and has an ECU flash that can add 45hp/45ft/lbs with nothing more.
And there are tons of options to go over 400hp with just a CAI, cat-delete exhaust and a tuner/programmer. Not to mention that you can "unlock" sport mode in the non-sport mode package cars by simply running one wire for the ECU.
All I know is this thing pulls like a locomotive and is butter smooth doing it...and handling...almost zero body roll.



Anyway, back to work...

[00Beast]

Weird.

I too made a change, much for the better. See my sig.

[ZLTFUL]

The G8 will always be on my short list but I *really* wanted AWD.

I also found a 2007 Cadillac STS-V with under 40k miles for just over $30k that I REALLLLLLLLLLY wanted but the wife put a stop to that when she found out that it was for sale in her ex-husband's current town of residence. LOL.

[00Beast]

LOL.

[CMNTMXR57]

WTH does the ex-husbands town of residence have to do with anything?

[nos4blood70]

The best part about the no body roll of the BMW is that it's still super comfy!

[SSEiMan01]

Welcome again!

Interesting change. I can't say I don't like it.

[ZLTFUL]

Plans for the Bimmer:

So far, I have tinted the windows. 35% driver and passenger with the rear "3" 5%.
I have ordered the DTec V7 H8 64w LED setup for the Angel Eyes...and an amber H8 HID setup from Theretrofitsource.com for the fogs.

I still need to take pics of it with the windows tinted...looks a ton better just with that done alone.

My first set of plans are to complete the cosmetic mods.
Stance and wheels...(Stock wheels would be retained for winter tires...or I would try to find a set of the 19inch 10 spoke M Sport wheels for that task...)
20" Matte Black concave Split Spokes:


1.4" front and 1.3" rear lowering springs:


Body:
Matte black grilles and matte black all the chrome (Plastidip most likely...):


Color matched rear roof and trunk lip spoilers:


Possibly considering the side lower front bumper splitters...but not sold yet on this...



As for performance, I know an intake is in the picture...most likely the aFe twin cone intake:


Exhaust is still undecided but I will definitely end up looking for one that I like. Seems to be less available for the AWD version of the 535...

And tuner...that being Jack (The guy in Cedar Rapids I referred to above...) once the exhaust and intake are done and/or possibly doing the AccessPort V3...


Considering the P3Cars integrated vent/gauge. I dig the all in one concept.


Also thinking about the Sprint Booster "Drive-by-wire Enhancement Module". It is supposed to help eliminate the initial throttle pedal dead spot which I had to adapt myself to on my Acura too. The BMW's is much more pronounced though.

As for brakes, I am hesitant to do slotted or cross drilled rotors since the very HIGHLY recommended and "high dollar" set I added to my Acura made it sound like a wheel bearing was going out. But if I can find a decent brake upgrade without having to suffer the extra noise of the drilled rotors, I will most likely go that route.

I have a picture in my head of what I am looking for and want to run with it.
Aside from the exhaust, everything above is well within reason for weekend work and not breaking the bank.

But as I was planning on buying a KTM 500EXC in the spring, it is possible that this could end up being a long term project...or if I skip the dirtbike, then done this spring. LOL.

[SSEiMan01]

That ought to be cool! Be sure to post pics/videos.

Tint makes the car, hence why I've had so many done.

[ZLTFUL]

Really wish I could get away with 5% all the way around but the $278 tickets add up fast and the "DOT Medical Exemption" only allows to 35% on the front 2.

Noticed last night that the pads were down to the wear indicators so I have already ordered up a set of pads on the suggestion of some local BMW guys...supposed to be little to no brake dust and work great so we will see...

[J Wikoff]

So, I gotta ask. Is the monkey in your avatar hiking a football, or... dropping a deuce through a ring held between his fingertips? I can't tell. lol

[ZLTFUL]

Inappropriate relations with a football...military saying, "You look like a monkey effin' a football!" meaning you can't seem to do anything in a correct manner.

www.mybadco.com is the friend's website with such classics as "Screwin' the Pooch" and "Clusterf**k"...

[SSEiMan01]

So, I gotta ask. Is the monkey in your avatar hiking a football, or... dropping a deuce through a ring held between his fingertips? I can't tell. lol

LMFAO!

[ZLTFUL]

Well...good news/bad news...looks like the only mods are going to be cosmetic...at least until July 19th, 2015.
Seems that the CPO warranty was transferred to me and is good until July 19th, 2015 or 100,000 miles, whichever comes first.
The PO also had the BMW Presence Plus plan which was transferred as well. That covers tires, wheels and paintless dent repair...

So, for now, the performance mods are on hold. Having to swap stuff out for warranty service is going to be too much of a pain in the ass.
So I will do the wheels (easy to swap just in case) and cosmetic mods and hold off on the warranty voiding stuff until the warranty expires.

[00Beast]

Wow, interesting.

Is BMW really that big of sticklers? The Magnusson Moss act does provide you some protection in that. I know my dealer didn't give a hoot about my Intake or axlebacks...

Also, if your OEM wheels are 18's, I would not do 19's for winter, just keep the stockers. Tires get REALLY expensive for 19's...