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Why am I doing this?

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I suppose I should update my build,

When I blew my HG over the summer I decided to replace a bunch of parts while I had everything out of the car. I replaced all gaskets and bolts in the engine bay. I took my head out and sent it to a machinist to have Brian Crower internals put in (cams still stock) as well as machine the head. I also had 3G lifters added and I replaced the head bolts with ARP L19 torqued to spec.

With the head out I took the opportunity to wrap the water pipe with gold wrap to block heat exchange between my exhaust manifold. IDK if it actually helps, but the gold does look sexy. I also replaced the rubber turbo snorkel with a Stainless Steel intake pipe my mechanic gave to me. Atop that sits a new K&N conical air filter with the stock airbox deleted it will be replaced later with a sealed aluminum box and air intake will come from the fog light hole ( I did something similar to my volvo s60r) in a 2g eclipse front bumper once I can track one down.

All rubber tubing was replaced with silicone and the EGR silicone tubing is color coordinated for that extra classy feel. The boost control solenoid has been replaced with an AEM Truboost gauge and solenoid kit. I also replaced the POS plastic BOV with an evo 9 MR BOV, was a direct replacement.

I eventually replaced the timing and balancer shaft belts with Gates and HKS kevlar belts respectively. That was after my hydraulic tensioner failed (thank god I wasn't driving). A bunch of other stock parts decided to fail and that is a long story in and of itself, with my tow truck provider and mechanic on speed dial.
 
Now for the Aesthetic touches I worked on, this was the fun part. I replaced the front bumper reflector lights with smoked lenses and beautiful yellow LED's. I also installed yellow led turn signals on the front and deleted the hyper flash. I wired in some Hella horn sharptones because my horn was weak, sounded like a clown car, now it will make you jump if you aren't paying attention. Had to cut into the SMIC shroud a little bit but otherwise just used some factory bolt holes to bolt them in place. I took the center "TALON" section out and tested my new paint gun by painting that to match factory paint. Also plastidipped the talon letters BRIGHT neon pink (it reflects car headlights thats how bright). At first I wasn't a huge fan as I like subtlety, but I have to admit it has grown on me. I then bought an extra pair of tail lights off ebay for like $50 and baked them to VERY carefully take the lenses out. I sanded the lenses and painted them with VHT red tint only a few shades until it was solid red (left the reverse lights clear). With the housing open I cackled maniacally as this is the first housing that was easy to work with. Bought some yellow strip LED's to use as the turn signal 12" I believe. there is this weird skinny section in the middle of the housing that if you dremel it down will fit a strip of LED's perfectly!!! So that is what I did glued them in using high strength silicone. Bought 2 16" red LED's and silicone diffuser sleeves to match. The diffuser sleeves serve to make the LED's look like one continuous light, like a neon strip . I ran the diffuser sleeves around the perimeter of the tail light housing. Sealed the tail lights back up using factory glue and SHAZAM my 1997 car looks slightly less 90's, although my boomerang spoiler is still a dead give away.

Lights look something like this:
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I will get pics up of my rear section to those who are interested as soon as I am back in town (mid-April) but all my photos are on my phone and I have no service
 
Couple photos of the finished (for now) engine bay. I am ordering some catch cans for the PCV system. Will clean up the hoses later. I forgot previous owner installed a distribution block for her sub, I will have to look up the model later to see if it can handle power for my battery relocation, the wire is already routed to the wheel well so that will make my life easier. The ugly blue ceramic coated heat shields will go once the o2 sensor housing and exhaust manifold.

Eventually the theme of the engine bay will be brushed aluminum and blue, the brushed aluminum will carry over into the interior as well
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And the cosmetic photos I promised... Looks like passenger tailight is defective, still need to get a voltimeter back there make sure its getting enough juice, but pretty sure it needs to be replaced. The other one looks like it came unglued somehow at the end while I was gone so I will have to open both tailights back up and try again. Tint came out fantastic just needs to get hit by the polish wheel a couple times to get that smooth "glassy look" but otherwise looks stock and still retained the stock reflectors so I pass all washington laws. The neon lights are just running lights... brake lights are all on a seperate wire and also LED... For the front I havent done much, just changed the turn signals to LED and installed resistors. Changed the sidemarkers out for "smoked crystal" lenses and color matched with the turn signals
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And I just got my hands on a Fiberglass hood in rough shape, the gloss is peeling bad and there are veins where it lifted. No big deal, I am going to be cutting it up and installing hood vents as well as hood lock pins. Eventually color match it to the rest of the car. Also pulled a rough front bumper off a 98 eclipse in cherry metallic I believe. Most of the blemishes are just face deep no structural damage to the bumper except the middle of the lower part is bent upwards. Going to cut out a larger mouth for the intercooler and the passenger side fog light will be converted to a metal cold air intake that will J pipe up to a custom air box that will house the STM air filter. Plan on welding in a breather valve to relieve excess water as well as gluing in a drysock to absolutely make sure I dont hydrolock my engine. May even install a water vapor sensor in the cold air box to really put my mind at ease but am still uncertain on that. I will buy a fog light delete for the driver side fog light and install custom fog lights either in the mouth or the outer air slits, not sure yet... And thats where the car stands as of now
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Minor update no pictures:

Literally as soon as I picked up the eclipse front bumper from pick n pull another one went on sale in much better condition and looks as though it has not been painted so I swapped those.

Bought my next turbo setup from a fellow dsmer- full kit for the holset hx35 includes everything from exhaust manifold to o2 sensor.

Full fuel system upgrade is bought and sitting in its box.

PCV upgrade complete with mishimoto oil catch cans and check valve bought

Got home and my ignition module and distribution block crapped out on me so thats fixed now.

Next steps:

New Clutch, flywheel, bushings, clutchline, etc

Before I leave again for work I will send my ECU in to be chipped with DSMlink V3 since I am fairly certain I do not have EPROM

Purchase punishment racing FMIC

Slap everything on my car, limp on over to English Racing and get her all buttoned up and tuned

Work on custom interior


HAVE FUN!!!!!!!!!!

I will probably work on bits and pieces like coilovers and aerodynamic funbits over the course of the next few years, but not with nearly as much gusto, as I am now saving up to purchase a motorcycle (I have been bit with the gofast bug)
 
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With the rarity of the 2gb talon front bumper, I do t understand the desire to switch to something so commonplace and plain. 2gb eclipses look good, but the talon bumper is amazing in comparison...
 
With the rarity of the 2gb talon front bumper, I do t understand the desire to switch to something so commonplace and plain. 2gb eclipses look good, but the talon bumper is amazing in comparison...

I agree. OP I'll pay you some money for your front bumper if you want. Really been wanting one of these a long time.
 
Hehe I do love my Talon front bumper alot I just dont want to cut it up when I put the FMIC in. My biggest issue right now is trying to fab a cold air intake duct that would fit the awkward dimensions of the side slits on the talon bumper, it will be much easier to use the fog light hole on the 2gb eclipse bumper... But I agree with yall I love the talon front bumper it looks so aggressive, yet subtle at the same time
 
@ThunderChild alright I will e-mail them on monday and see whats going on. Worse comes to worse there are several shops around me that can socket my ECU

You can always see if they have an ECU for sale, they tend to have a few on hand they'll sell you and install link on.
 
Welp I have had 0 time at home to actually work on anything- still haven't even fixed my tail lights.

So goals for when I get back:
FIX TAIL LIGHTS
Finally send my ECU in to get DSMlink (probably v4 at this point)
Modify the 2gb bumper for Cold Air intake and FMIC
Custom weld a sealed aluminum CAI box
Get 2gb bumper painted professionally
Modify new valve cover with AN fittings for oil catch cans setup
Have friend CNC custom aluminum spark plug cover and door sills
If I have time install Holset HX35 setup and fuel upgrades


My custom interior will likely have to wait until March after I get back from Japan unfortunately... busy body

Pics as soon as I actually do something meaningful
 
Alright im back for the rest of the year and I am planning on kicking it into high gear

Firstly my car now has a new clutch and everything supporting it, plus a beautiful set of custom koni coilovers dropped it about 2" from stock ride height.

Pulled my HVAC controls and sending those over to spyderdrifter to get LED-ified. Pulled my ECU to get it chipped. Last thing I need for the engine is FMIC.

Working on interior components now. Need to buy vinyl paint from SEM, find new seats (eyeing 90s corvette stingray seats), and buy bamboo lumber as well as aerospace inaulation. Having my friend design eagle talon aluminum door sills on the CNC.

Tomorrow I plan on working on fixing my rear tailight (old LED running light was defective). Upgrading lowbeams to LED and figuring out why my horn is inoperable (fuse or wiring problem). If I have time I will start in on cutting up the eclipse bumper and plastiwelding the driver side foglight hole shut.

For now enjoy some beautiful CNC work from RTM racing and Performance Pedals. As well as beautiful air vents off a 2018 mercedes CLA250
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Day 1 of 4 interior progression:
Pulled all interior trim just neeed to pull dash, carpeting, and headliner. But pretty good for 2 hours of work. Today I will be talking to the bamboo flooring company, cleaning/sanding/priming all interior bits and hopefully get some electrical things done between coats
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Exterior minor update: Restored tail lights to stock except for led turn signal is still there. Painted center section black with pink lettering, still figuring out what im doing with the center section. I am ordering vinyl swatches to color match the hatch lip black I think it will look better not broken up by a thin strip of green. Got my FMIC routing done
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Day 2 and 3 interior update: pulled dash, headliner and carpeting. Bought bamboo flooring and panels. Primer coat on most of my interior bits but ran out when I got to the dash. :| So more will arrive tomorrow morning and I will only be able to primer coat before I leave for Vail.


Tomorrow will be wiring day and maybe laying out insulation
 
Day 4 interior update:
Everything is primed and ready for base coat and clear coat. Put in new gauge faces and LED's for gauge cluster. Removed previous owner dynamatting. Dash has 2 new holes for vent relocation surgery


Time to go enjoy Colorado for a week then I will come back and finish everything including the turbo swap
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Well enjoyed Colorado as much as I could before the world shut down.

Day 5: 1/2 of my interior has base coat. I honestly cant tell the difference between my primer and my wet base coat so I will take it slow.

AEM truboost rewired, A/C button wired, Innovate LC2 mostly wired. Hit a snag with my rear windshield wiper toggle. Seems there are quite a few resistors back there I will tear open the toggle tomorrow and see what I can do. Ebrake is polished and gripped with a new aluminum button
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And I just got my hands on a Fiberglass hood in rough shape, the gloss is peeling bad and there are veins where it lifted. No big deal, I am going to be cutting it up and installing hood vents as well as hood lock pins. Eventually color match it to the rest of the car. Also pulled a rough front bumper off a 98 eclipse in cherry metallic I believe. Most of the blemishes are just face deep no structural damage to the bumper except the middle of the lower part is bent upwards. Going to cut out a larger mouth for the intercooler and the passenger side fog light will be converted to a metal cold air intake that will J pipe up to a custom air box that will house the STM air filter. Plan on welding in a breather valve to relieve excess water as well as gluing in a drysock to absolutely make sure I dont hydrolock my engine. May even install a water vapor sensor in the cold air box to really put my mind at ease but am still uncertain on that. I will buy a fog light delete for the driver side fog light and install custom fog lights either in the mouth or the outer air slits, not sure yet... And thats where the car stands as of nowView attachment 564986 View attachment 564987 View attachment 564988

The color of that front bumper off the 98 eclipse is called sundance plum pearl and paint code is P51 that paint is expensive just for a gallon is $200 to $200 and a quart is $100 to $150 but its a super sexy color
 
Day 6: the nightmare of wiring is mostly over. Still need to do the hazard light and the LED door lights but those can wait and will be much easier.

Base coat is officially done. Tomorrow will be clear coat and hopefully I will have insulation and floors in by Monday so I can switch gears to engine bay stuff

Finished the gauge cluster face. The bezel will be bamboo. May have to calibrate temp gauge but everything else went in fine. Odometer readout is still in kilometers but itll be nice not having to guess my speed anymore
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