Herblenny

ITs been awhile since I updated.. Alot have happened so I'll start with where I left.

Made it black again..






Week later, I took the car to Nashville TN to show under Grip Royal booth.













After the event, I had a photoshoot with some photographers.

Herblenny

Couple of weeks later, Did a drive around Barber Motorsports Park.. Just a short drive

Herblenny

Herblenny

I also had couple of features on the Neochrome RX-7

First was Performance Tuner Magazine
Made the cover

Here is an online version
Performance Tuner Magazine Volume 16

Photos from the feature... Photos by Mike Kuhn

Herblenny

So, my FD also got into S3 Magazine..



Photo by Richard Benson

Herblenny

So, I did several track days in year 2014. But one of the more interesting track experience was driving my friends R35 GTR at Barber Motorsports Park.

Here are couple of pics of his car and a video
2010 GTR making about 550WHP on Pump Gas..





YouTube Video:
My friend let me drive 2 x 20 min sessions with his car. Since it wasn't my car I was braking early and was getting used to the paddle shifter. Also the lack of 4+ point harness, I was sliding around in the seat. But was it FAST!!! Also, even on Race setting, I could feel the traction control kicking in at certain spots on the track. I guess it made sense as I was pulling some serious G in 4000lb car and I guess it kicked in to save me.

Anyhow, Driving the GTR made me realized I needed more HP and I was in the right direction when I started to build and upgrade my engine bay set up. I been wanting to build my own engine and turbos. Luckily I was good friend with owner at BNR Turbos and he allow me to be trained and build my own Stage 3 Turbos (bnrsupercars.com) and Engine build was assisted by my long time engine builder, Luis Canizales of LCR in Gadsden, Alabama.

More Photos of turbo build and Engine build in next couple of days..

Herblenny

More Update...

Turbo Build...

For 3-4 weeks, I would take one day a week to head over to BNR Supercars to learn how to build turbos. Funny enough, I started off by building upgraded Mazdaspeed 3 turbos. Mainly assembling.

Finally, started on my own Stage 3. Everything for these turbos are new. Everything!

Started off by rotating assembly


Learned how to balance


After balanced, assembly




Cartridges assembled..




Compressor Housing on




Yup! Here it is..


By the way, Exhaust housing are new and needed a lot of machining and such.. All that was done by Bryan at BNR. These turbos took solid couple of days on my part and couple of days of BNR. A lot of time goes into these.

Next update tomorrow is about the Engine...

Herblenny

Since I was putting in a new set of turbos, I decided to put in a new engine verses using one with about 80K miles on.

To Start, I wanted the new engine to be balanced, lapped, and using a newer housings.

Balancing the rotating assembly


Exedy Twin plate will go on and will be balanced




Lapping of the housings


Lapped housings


My JDM housings.

Inside the rotor housings


My color combo like the 3 rotor engine.


Spec'ing the rotors


Me assembling

Herblenny

Porting the intakes


New seals


Seals in the rotor


Assembling the engine


And here it is!
On a spare subframe, using Full Function Engineering Motor mount kit.
I should also thank Luke and Luis Canizales who have been very helpful to building this engine.


Next install and tuning pics.

Herblenny

So, Update continues..

I pulled the engine out of my FD.. old engined worked fine. Did over 10 trackdays in a year and several out of state trips.



While it was out did could of add ons.. Like this IRP Brake MC brace.





Also added new oil coolers..


And I decided to drop the subframe to install because I needed to also change out the coilovers.





I also added Radium Competition oil catch can and IR Performance Oil filler neck

Herblenny

Full Function Fuel Rails for 13B-RE LIM, Full Function Oil Filter neck, and few other new parts.. Anyhow long block is ready to install


Engine in!




Also upgraded fuel system using Radium Fuel Surge tank with Bosch 044 pump inside.



Stance Super Sport + coils installed!



Engine is port matched for 13B-RE Cosmo LIM and UIM.. I'm running sequential twin set up for this..


Installed some polished goodies

Herblenny

More Update..

I started to add some rare parts I had..

C's short shifter.



Mounted the Radium Surge Tank



Chase Bay overflow tank and eliminated OE tank.



Finally its all bolted up



Andy from Adaptronics flew in from Australia and with Elliot from Turblown, they came down to Birmingham AL to tune my car.







Video of the dyno run..


Due to some boost controlling issue, we ended the tuning and decided to do couple of days later.

Couple of days later (day when all of us were heading to PRI) I brought these with me in case..



Here is Andy watching the car being loaded.



And done!



Several days later, while trying to put some miles on the engine and such, I ran into my friend Zach with 20B.

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Herblenny

Quick recall from PRI in Indy..



Couple of cool stuff I saw at PRI

Davies Craig EWP


Holley's new fuel pump sock


Alpinestars gloves


And got to have steak at St. Elmos place.. little hyped but good.



Back to the project updates.

So... got these lights


And also changed the color on the car.



Trying out what wheels will go with the new color..


Decided on the Volk Racing RE30

Herblenny

Hit the local car meet





Track day at Barber Motorsports Park, with Just Track It! They are one of the best groups to track with.

Herblenny

More Update..

I had a photoshoot with Ryan Lopez, who shot my car other times.. I can't share those photos yet as they are still in bound to a media for publication.. but here are some I took..





Ryan Lopez's shoes matching the color of the car.



Preview of one of the shot



Couple of other things...
I put my SSM at my friend's house



Also started to work on my engine harness at Chase Bays. No one have made a quick disconnect for sequential twin



And since I'm a family man and with a dog, I been secretly searching online for a unicorn... Lexus IS300 Wagon. And finally found one!! 2005 Sportcross, only 1 of 240 ish sold in USA.





And had to get a custom plate

Herblenny

I had some old SSR's from my FD and put some new Toyo T1-Sports on them. I had great luck with these tires.





Talking about wheels.. I also picked up a set of MS-01S in 18s for the FD. Bought them throught GTR-Garage on Yahoo auction japan. Those of you looking for people to bring in large parts from japan, GTR Garage is the place! More info and their contact, GTR Garage

Herblenny

Catching up on my updates..

So, I've decided to pull the dip off and rock my Montego Blue paint. But to protect the paint, I've added some dip to areas where its prone to chipping.. Mainly using Toyo Tires, R888's.









Also, I was getting my RZ Recaro Carbon Kevlar seats recovered.

I didn't want something too crazy, so sticking with neutral grey suede.


perforated center cushions


All the original material removed.. I'm saving it in case for the future..


Meanwhile, still working on the OE harness at Chase Bays.. Completely disassembled and ID'd.

Herblenny

Also, working on a bumper. I've been a huge fan of FEED (Fujita Engineering) and RE-Amemiya. Both bumper has its positives and wanted to build a bumper that utilizes best of the both.
I was one of the first in USA to have the FEED Type 2R bumper and lights and its the signal Driving lights of Type 2R that I loved.
What I liked about the RE-Amemiya was the lower half. The aggressiveness of the lower half of the RE-A bumper is what I loved. Hence My 20B FD has the RE-Amemiya N1-02 bumper. So, I fused the two together.



But what I did not like about either bumper is the center lower section raised. This caused a problem when wanting to use front splitter. So, we are making it flat.




Everything smooth out



And Mold being made.. (credit goes to LC Racing for making the mold).






Bumper is currently on my car and few things to be adjusted and new mold needs to be made.

Herblenny

More Update...

No dip


I run an all rotary car event called, 'Deals Gap Rotary Rally' (www.DealsGapRotaryRally.com). Because this is almost 1000 mile journey at the end, I decided to dip portion of my front bumper to protect.



Event T-shirts


Video from my event
https://vimeo.com/126193813

After the event, I had a photoshoot with my friend Kenny Glover aka Super Model
These are photos I took of him taking photos.

Herblenny

Here are his photos