[L3g10n]

The signature was getting foolishly long, so I guess it's time -a year and a half or so later- to finally just post a proper build thread to update as I go for my dear Major Motoko Kusanagi (Major), currently at ~52K miles.

ENGINE / TRANS

• HKS M45XL (at .028 until tuned)
• AEM SRI - polished
• Borla Touring catback exhaust
• Mishimoto polished compact baffled PCV-side catch can & hoses
• UPR 100psi check valve
• N75 IC resonator delete
• Mishimoto silicone IC hoses
• KDMTuners polished TB spacer for future takeoff/WMI use
• Antigravity Grp75/78 40Ah 1500CA LiFePO4 start battery (11.9 lbs)
• Torque Solutions 75A polyurethane lower engine mount inserts
• Torque Solutions 75A polyurethane exhaust hanger bushings
• Megan short-throw shifter
• Megan solid shifter base bushings
• Torque Solutions solid shifter cable end bushings
• CERMA engine treatment
• CERMA NANO Turbo treatment
• CERMA M/T treatment
• CERMA fuel system treatment
• GReddy magnetic oil drain plug
• MOTUL 8100 x-Cess Gen 2 5w-40
• AMSoil 75w-90 M/T fluid
• Dress Up Bolts full titanium engine bay hardware kit
• SCGW carbon fiber engine cover
• ADD W1 carbon fiber intake filter cover
• Boomba Racing polished coolant reservoir cap cover
• Boomba Racing polished brake/clutch reservoir cap cover
• Mishimoto 1.3bar carbon fiber radiator cap
• Mishimoto oil filler cap
• SuperStik oil dipstick

EXTERIOR

• KDM-spec custom-built headlight assemblies w/black internals; Morimoto XB35 HID retrofit projectors, ballasts, and bulbs + anti-flicker resistor; Lasfit H7 high beam/DRL; Lasfit signals
• EPR LordPower carbon fiber eyelids
• Lasfit LD Plus Switchback H8 fog lamps
• SCGW carbon fiber Sequence-style spoiler
• FortLuft 4.5" carbon fiber clad stainless exhaust tips
• CFG carbon fiber front & rear license plate frames
• VVivid Micro-Bio Hex+ light smoke rear reflectors + custom decals from Spinnywhoosh
• Carbon wrap taillight bezels & infill
• Carbon wrap functional hood vents
• Lasfit LEDs in all positions other than low beams
• Pierce Motorsports rear tow hook
• SickSpeed front tow hook
• Canadian Hyundai OEM bug deflector
• ZSpec 44mm rear wiper delete
• Löden rebadge kit "M"
• Billetworkz custom 3rd window vent
• PIAA Super Silicone front wipers
• 20% Black Pearl ceramic tint
• EPR carbon fiber mirror caps
• EPR carbon fiber fog light bezels
• Phase2 Motortrend frame rail jack adapters x4
• Tippett-style(ish) carbon hydrodipped bumper quick-release kit
• Moderate decals

INTERIOR

• SCGW carbon fiber & perforated leather D-bottom steering wheel & carbon fiber button trim
• SCGW carbon fiber door handles
• Diamond Car Mats full-coverage floor mats front and rear
• Shark Racing brushed aluminum heel plate
• Shark Racing brushed aluminum dead pedal plate
• Shift Solutions Co 200g billet aluminum & carbon fiber shift knob
• Shift Solutions Co custom black Bride shift boot
• eBay carbon hydrodip start button cover
• Hyundai OEM rubber hatch liner
• Hyundai OEM spare donut kit
• Mounted fire extinguisher
• KilMat sound barrier
• Lasfit LEDs in all positions
• Hardwired Opt7 Aura interior LED mood lighting
• Upper clutch switch unplugged

SUSPENSION / BRAKES / WHEELS / TIRES

• KONI Sport Yellow rear shocks, OEM front
• EBC GD Black slotted and dimpled sport rotors
• EBC Yellowstuff pads
• König Hypergram 18x8.5 et45 in Carbon Metallic with machined lip
• BFGoodrich g-Force Comp2 A/S Plus 235/40ZR18
• Raceseng TNR-1 brushed titanium lug nuts
• Polished aluminum valve stem covers
• Dress Up Bolts milled titanium valve stem caps

HANDLING

• Pierce Motorsports rear torsion bar
• Pierce Motorsports upper hatch brace
• Pierce Motorsports front 2-point brace
• Pierce Motorsports mid X-brace
• Uniq Performance polished strut brace
• Uniq Performance rigid collars

AUDIO/ELECTRONICS

• Hardwired Uniden BearTracker 885 CB + police/fire/ems/DOT/weather scanner w/GPS + inside windshield-mount scanner antenna and thru-glass-mount CB antenna
• Hardwired Radenso DS1 radar/laser detector w/GPS on BlendMount rearview mirror mount + remote mute/GPS lockout switch
• Hardwired dual-channel 4k rearview mirror dashcam system w/GPS
• HU Test Mode enabled for video playback through Aux port while driving
• OEM Aux in adaptor + external media player for movies & music videos
• Garmin GPS (because the OEM navigation system is terrible)
• Rockford Fosgate DVC subwoofer in OEM enclosure
• UltraGauge EM Plus v1.4
• Dragy

GENERAL / OEM

• 91 octane only (best I can get in CA)
• LiquiMoly Speedtec every other tank
• CERMA fuel system treatment every 4th tank
• OCI <3k miles, OEM filters
• New OEM PCV valve
• New OEM coilpacks
• New OEM BPV (VTA at valve, hose to intake plugged)
• New OEM windshield washer pump (which is so far the only thing I've actually needed to replace other than the brakes)

FUTURE PLANS

• Pierce front crash bar
• Pierce rear crash bar
• Braided brake/clutch/fuel lines
• 60mm TB
• WMI
• OEM+ tune
• TMG or ALP laser jammer
• Door speaker upgrade
• Radenso Theia someday if it's ever released

Thumbnails: first two are more or less right after purchase, last 3 are where she stands more recently.

 

[trdtoy]

Nice build!

You need a good stage 1 tune in it though!

 

[L3g10n]

Nice build!

You need a good stage 1 tune in it though!

Thanks man, she's getting there... certainly come a long way since my first post here, but a long way left to go!

I'm definitely considering the level of tune; my first track day -now moved to August 20 due to some oddities with the Lotus group I'm going with- is to get a baseline sense of how she does at that point with however much I've been able to get installed (or taken off or swapped out, as the case may be) by then and I figure I'll decide after that exactly what I want to shoot for. I'm not really doing rolls or stoplight pulls -had plenty of that in my youth with real straight-line cars- but I definitely wouldn't mind a bit of the "waking up" that I've heard others talk about from even a conservative tune, so we'll see!

 

[RPW00Mirage]

Look up track night in America. Probably a lot easier than running with another group.

 

[L3g10n]

Look up track night in America. Probably a lot easier than running with another group.

😱DUDE
Thank you!! When I moved here somebody told me Auto Club Speedway had been closed, but apparently not and that's going to be totally acceptable for me to do some baseline runs. And much closer and cheaper than a day at Laguna Seca too, even with the group discount... Definitely still going to hit that track with them, but I'd much rather wait until she's dialed in more.
Perfect, thank you for that... No idea why so many prior searches hadn't turned that up, but I appreciate the suggestion!

 

[RPW00Mirage]

you're welcome! personally i hate the scca the fee structure is outrageous.... pay us to volunteer to flag our track! hahaha... but tnia is a great super cheap program for entry level track time. every other program they offer is way too much money for so little seat time.

 

[L3g10n]

you're welcome! personally i hate the scca the fee structure is outrageous.... pay us to volunteer to flag our track! hahaha... but tnia is a great super cheap program for entry level track time. every other program they offer is way too much money for so little seat time.

Yeahhhh it's been almost 15 years since I've been on a track, and there was definitely some sticker shock when I started looking up prices here in CA... but hell, I also know it's tough for tracks these days (the few that are left), people are slowly but surely losing interest in motorsports, which means prices have to go up, which means fewer people can afford it, which means fewer people can participate, which means prices have to go up... bloody downward spiral unfortunately.

 

[misnblu]

Nice list and build you have. 🥰
Subscribed for future drool emoji's. 😆😉

 

[L3g10n]

Nice list and build you have. 🥰
Subscribed for future drool emoji's. 😆😉

Thank you! She's coming along nicely and at a respectable pace... not TOO fast, but not soul-breakingly slow either.
Wheels and tire package just got ordered today; decided to go with Konig Hypergrams in metallic carbon with machined lip instead of my proposed black Motegi MR131 or black FlowOne F5s - 17.8lbs for these rather than the 18.6 of the MR131s or the 19 and change of the FlowOnes, plus ehhhh a bit more character to these Konigs I think... seems like everyone and their mother is running black wheels!

 

[trdtoy]

Could've fit 245 or 255 on those wheels.....

 

[L3g10n]

Could've fit 245 or 255 on those wheels.....

Not with these tires - I already rub slightly on the fender on a hard turn as it is.

 

[misnblu]

Thank you! She's coming along nicely and at a respectable pace... not TOO fast, but not soul-breakingly slow either.
Wheels and tire package just got ordered today; decided to go with Konig Hypergrams in metallic carbon with machined lip instead of my proposed black Motegi MR131 or black FlowOne F5s - 17.8lbs for these rather than the 18.6 of the MR131s or the 19 and change of the FlowOnes, plus ehhhh a bit more character to these Konigs I think... seems like everyone and their mother is running black wheels!
View attachment 107555

Very nice combo for the wheels and tire. 😍
Konigs are a great wheel and great weight for an 18" wheel.

I've got a set of the Konig Rewind wheels and love the looks of them on the car plus they too are light weight compared to stock.

What offset on your wheels and how will the fitment be once in the car?
You looking for pure performance or flush fit offset for your setup?

Now the most important question. How much? 😂😁
It's gonna look sweet man. 🤙

 

[trdtoy]

Not with these tires - I already rub slightly on the fender on a hard turn as it is.

Not sure how

 

[L3g10n]

Not sure how

Although these are 235 section width, the tread width is over 1" wider than a typical 235, so in terms of tread width they're a lot closer to the tread width on a typical 245 or even some 255s.

 

[L3g10n]

Very nice combo for the wheels and tire. 😍
Konigs are a great wheel and great weight for an 18" wheel.

I've got a set of the Konig Rewind wheels and love the looks of them on the car plus they too are light weight compared to stock.

What offset on your wheels and how will the fitment be once in the car?
You looking for pure performance or flush fit offset for your setup?

Now the most important question. How much? 😂😁
It's gonna look sweet man. 🤙

These are +45, so -factoring in the added width of the wheel- they'll be as close to flush as I dare to run with these particular tires... if I think I can get away with it I might throw some 5mm spacers on just to really dial it in, but I don't think I'll have room to do that and still be able to run the corners like I do. If I only went in straight lines, I could have gone with a more aggressive offset, but I'm more about the twisties than anything, tbh, everything I've been doing so far (aside from the aesthetics) has been geared more toward the canyons than anything else.
Definitely a mix of performance and aesthetics for me... If the cheap MR131s had weighed less, I'd have gone with them instead as I don't mind them at all, but I like the not-exactly-black centers of these and the machined lip, I think it'll be nicely different from the norm as well as going well with my black-internal headlights and my carbon fiber bits and they weigh almost a pound less than the Motegis, so that's a win-win... and at the same time if I was purely about performance I'd have gone even lighter like the RPF1s, but ehhhhhh SO many people are running those that I lose interest
Kinda same with the tires, they're the exact ones I have now and I could definitely get lighter tires for around the same money and have similar if not better performance, but I just bloody love these; I'm used to how they handle and love them on the corners with their super square shoulders and even though they're a bit heavy I only very briefly considered going with anything else. Soooo yeah... a strong mix of pure performance and my own particular sense of aesthetics and a deep-seated desire to not be doing what everyone else is doing!
Price, yeahhhh definitely not cheap but not too bad all considered... just about $2400 out the door after taxes, including new TPMS sensors and lug nuts and ceramic coating. Definitely could have saved a lot by not ordering the full set, since there's nothing wrong with the tires I have or my sensors -and I could have done the ceramic coating myself- but sometimes it's worth it to me to have a complete solution delivered that I can just mount straight up without any dicking around!

 

[misnblu]

Yeah you and I think alike when it comes to what we are doing with our rides.

I never could get the tpms to work when I got my other wheels and for the price I had to pay for them it's pretty disappointing.

Seems you're now forced to buy them when you buy online and another freedom lost we no longer have.
All good though because when tires will be changed the tpms will be gone and some nice valve stems to adorn the wheels once more. 😂

Post some pics when it's all set up. 🙏👍

 

[RPW00Mirage]

i ordered tpms sensors from rockauto that should have worked with my vt but they dont. next time i will order oem-ish sensors, lol. the ones i ordered were an exact look too. nobody can get them programmed in.

 

[L3g10n]

i ordered tpms sensors from rockauto that should have worked with my vt but they dont. next time i will order oem-ish sensors, lol. the ones i ordered were an exact look too. nobody can get them programmed in.

Well Fitment Industries swears that they're going to properly program the TPMS sensors before the package is shipped, so fingers crossed I won't have to deal with it. If I do, though, I'll probably just pick up an Autel and do it myself rather than dicking around with any tire shops or a dealership

Autel USA TS508 MaxiTPMS Diagnostic & Service Tool - Program & Relearn

Autel USA TS508 MaxiTPMS Diagnostic & Service Tool - Program & Relearn for a great price with free shipping! JB Tools

www.jbtools.com

 

[L3g10n]

Fitment Industries came through! And true to their word, the TPMS sensors were properly programmed.
7.97lbs lighter per corner now, and holy hell is it noticeable in literally every single aspect of the car's handling. Acceleration, braking, cornering, turning, it even feels better over bumps since the suspension doesn't have to work as hard. And these are far more in keeping with my girl's overall aesthetic - I didn't mind the chromies, exactly, but they were way flashier than I have any need or desire for.
Photo is right after I put them on, so the suspension hasn't settled yet, but you get the idea.

 

[L3g10n]

Early morning drive (about the only decent time to drive in SoCal) got the suspension settled back to my preferred 2 fingers clearance and yeah... Yeah that'll do.