Brendan's 2014 Solid Red STU Autocross Build Thread
 

I had a long thread about buying the car back in 2015 but that car got smashed and I bought another identical one. Lots of pretty pictures will go in the main post as the car changes. I'll update the thread periodically with progress.

Suspension wheels and tires:
Volk Racing ZE40 18x10.5 +24 / 18x10.5 +15
EVS Tuning burnt titanium lug nuts
Fortune Auto 510 coilovers with Swift main and helper springs: 18K / 16K / 3k helpers
Nismo front sway bar / rear sway bar delete
Whiteline adjustable endlinks
GKTech front upper control arms
Z1 street rear camber arms
Z1 ss brake lines
Carbotech AX6
Feal 14mm urethane progressive bump stops

Engine and drivetrain:
Status Elite Short Intakes
Nismo engine cover
Greddy Revolution RS cat back with titanium turn down tip
OS Giken Super Lock rear differential
Energy Suspension rear differential bushings
Z1 high capacity diff cover
Nismo power steering reservoir cover (sock)
Z1 urethane transmission mount
Z1 oil cooler 34 row setrab core

Interior and exterior:
EVO-R 4th brake light
Oem mud guards
15+ Nismo steering wheel
Shift Solutions Co SR-M shift knob with 1" extension
GTR start button
GTR crystal dome lights
Nismo aluminum heel plate
Recaro RS-GK with PCI Sliding mount
Z1 aluminum undershield

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...6e866fd8_c.jpg_BES6507 by brendan sobers, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...303703c5_c.jpg_BES6502 by brendan sobers, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...5362ba2e_c.jpg_BES6498 by brendan sobers, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...4fc437c1_c.jpg_BES6490 by brendan sobers, on Flickr

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/sL...o=w417-h625-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/cG...Q=w365-h625-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/TT...Q=w417-h625-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/wA...I=w938-h625-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/GA...=w1034-h625-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/jD...Q=w938-h625-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/JI...=w1084-h625-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/WE...-no?authuser=0

https://i.imgur.com/7wwEjYI.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/u0AS0ux.jpg


https://i.imgur.com/UFkUI0Q.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/Ih6qHyf.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/guElTeK.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/Ii7Ndx7.jpg

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw...-no?authuser=0

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw...-no?authuser=0

Car looks good! Way to drive it as the engineers intended!

Any additional pictures or comments on fitment it the 15+ Nismo wing with the stock Sport rear bumper?

no photos during install but it was a pretty easy. Looks like it could have come with the car. lines up with the non nismo bumper just fine

Very nice work! No concerns regarding potential failure of the Z1 FUCAs?

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

Not really. That was an issue years ago caused from what I understand to be people putting them together incorrectly. The ball joint now come pre assembled and is partially sealed. I'll still keep an eye on it and will report back with any issues.

Looks good and enjoy the autocross

photos the last event. I switched up brake pads to get a bit more bite and consistency and removed the rear bar. Almost got an elusive tire lift on corner exit. Maybe with more grip

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...e862f8c7_z.jpgSolo51219 700 by Jay Bonvouloir, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...faecfd98_z.jpgSolo51219 698 by Jay Bonvouloir, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...7294d865_z.jpgSolo51219 437 by Jay Bonvouloir, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...c8e985a2_z.jpgSolo51219 270 by Jay Bonvouloir, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...537df651_z.jpgSolo51219 268 by Jay Bonvouloir, on Flickr

Unfortunately my car was totaled out in a hail storm on the way back from spring nationals in Nebraska.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...7f8bdf6c_z.jpg_BES0957 by brendan sobers, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...5c5c16cc_z.jpg_BES0970 by brendan sobers, on Flickr

I loved this car so I am looking for a replacement. The parts will be going on to the new vehicle so no part out threads any time soon :p

That's horrible to hear especially since you just started enjoying it :(

I would ask to buy it back from the insurance company if i were you!

thats the plan. once the paperwork is done it will be for sale.

Incredibly sorry to hear this.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

Were you driving it when it happened? Where in Nebraska?

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

Mhmm it was super loud. I dont know the area but it was close to the Colorado border.

How much for buy back?How many miles on car?
I would fix.I have done body work on cars that had hail damage on every inch of the car.

On I-80? If so you never had a chance with an overpass only every 5 miles or so, ugh. I'm headed that way on a road trip next week and **** like this gives me a badness feeling.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

Damn man, sorry for your loss. I’m sure it’ll all work out though.

yea, just keep a eye on the radar. I wish i had.

Thanks dude. Its gonna be fine, just a lot of work getting the parts off the old car and on to the new one.

You pick out a new one yet?

This. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...5d91ef7230.jpg

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

I still need to get parts off the old car but I found a few red ones to check out once that's done. So far I have all the suspension off as well as the random Nismo bits I had on the car. The spoiler is toast though lol. Next week the old car will get all the stock parts thrown back and then I will need to find a space to swap the diffs over. Moving in the right direction for sure.

Its got 38000 miles. I'll sell it privately for $8000 once I get everything I need off it otherwise the insurance company can have it back. The car will run and drive when I am done, but I won't be putting the sway bars back on and the oem exhaust wont be installed perfectly either. Great if you want to replace those things anyways.

As far as the body damage is concerned, it will need a new roof, hood, doors, fenders, roof moldings, deck lid, windshield, tail lamps, head lamps, fuel door, and then a good amount of conventional repair on the qtrs. Thats if you want it to look good, but if you like golf balls it's ready to go lol.

From the description of the damage, that experience sounds terrifying.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

Actually, the golf-ball-like dimples are good for aerodynamics. I'd just leave em.

Like the Mythbusters car :icon17:
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-A...1298004530.jpg


Sorry for your loss. Hope you get made whole again soon and back on the asphalt :tup: :driving:

Thanks dawg. I'm hoping to have a new car soon. I got the old one back to stock today. All that's left is to swap the diff over.

Flying out to pick up my replacement car next week. If it works out I should have it ready by the end of this month. During the down time I also picked up some 18k springs for the front and I will be moving the 13k to the rear. I also grabbed some adjustable front endlinks. I'm not gonna let silly things like not having a car stop me from finishing my build :D

Picked up my replacement car over the weekend. It's pretty much what I had but fewer miles.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/X6...i=w834-h625-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/oO...r=w834-h625-no

Started swapping over parts last night and also installed a few upgrades. We put a z1 high capacity diff cover on to get the car ready for eventual track stuff. During this week I will attempt to get the suspension sorted in preparation for local time attack series. I'm hoping to try out the new adjustable front endlinks and my new 18k front springs.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/zX...c=w469-h625-no

I like this build thread!

:driving: :tup:

The new/replacement car is most of the way there. All that is left is to install and set up the coils, corner weight the car, and install some of the random interior bits like the steering wheel and engine cover.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/dz...h=w834-h625-no

While I had the diff out, I installed a Z1 high capacity diff cover. Fun fact: it will hit the Greddy single exit exhaust if not modified. The solution wasnt pretty but I had to break off the interfering fins for clearance. This wasnt as hard as I thought though. I started by sawing them off until i realized i could simply snap them off like kit-kats.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/rP...6=w834-h625-no

I had to trim the Z1 cover too with FI pipes. I used a 4" cut-off wheel on a die grinder.

I may go back in and clean it up. I'm just eager to drive again :driving:

I believe it. :driving:

nothing fun to report from this weekend. Finished the parts swap and even had time to detail the car on Sunday morning

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/p6...w=w834-h625-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Fn...A=w834-h625-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Zn...Q=w834-h625-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/fF...A=w834-h625-no

link and video to my ftd.

Car drove well with the stiffer springs up front. I was happy I didn't forget what I learned in Lincoln before the first car got smashed. I took second to my buddy Kai who won spring nats in his e46 m3. The delta is getting smaller but my driving and the car will need some work before I can challenge him directly.

Understeer on slow speed entry is the biggest thing I notice without the rear bar but it just makes sense on the faster style courses we get at Nationals. It is tempting to pick up a G37 bar for local events but I don't know if I want to introduce another variable to get used to when I travel.

Teaser till I get tires and have them on the car. Test fitting went ok.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Yz...5=w834-h625-no

Wheels really do make the car. Shot it up this morning.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...98405f34_z.jpg_BES2849 by brendan sobers, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...dd8d8b46_z.jpg_BES2846 by brendan sobers, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...5b85e40b_z.jpg_BES2845 by brendan sobers, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...bdf725c5_z.jpg_BES2844 by brendan sobers, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...4333df19_z.jpg_BES2841 by brendan sobers, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...4f05a102_z.jpg_BES2825 by brendan sobers, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...0735ba9b_z.jpg_BES2814 by brendan sobers, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...f1889bae_z.jpg_BES2809 by brendan sobers, on Flickr

Looking good!

Took some new photos today. They are also spammed everywhere else I can post them, lol.


https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...ddb21a25_c.jpg_BES2047-2 by brendan sobers, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...ff06efec_c.jpg_BES2044-2 by brendan sobers, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...fd601f78_c.jpg_BES2064-2 by brendan sobers, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...e3ed2962_c.jpg_BES2067 by brendan sobers, on Flickr

All riced up for nationals. Action shots coming soon!
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...392f8110_c.jpg_BES5759-2 by brendan sobers, on Flickr

:tup:

You cheated and actually cleaned all the concrete dust off your car.