Basebllstar

Well, I’ve been on ScionLife now for about 3 and a half years. I started on this forum as a lurker, like most of you once did, trying to soak up as much knowledge as I could.
As I learned I started posting, and now I feel, after these 3 and a half years, like I should finally post my Car/Build Thread.

I came to Scion after owning a 1998 Grand Am GT. I was going to school full time and working part time as a mechanic. The GA was great, until it technically got totaled by a hit and run.
Because the car wasn’t worth much, I didn’t have full coverage insurance and I fixed it as best as I could with junkyard parts. Over the time I had the GA It blew a head gasket, master cylinder failed, radiator blew up and several other costly repairs had to be made.
This is why I came to Toyota; reliability and quality.

So in August of 2009, I purchased my 2006 Super White Manual Scion tC. At this point, all I cared about was the overall quality upgrade from my Grand Am; I wasn’t too interested in modding, mainly because I didn’t have the money.



The first mod was footwell lighting, 2 9” strips of blue LEDs.



Looking back, it seems like this opened the flood gates. Soon after this I tinted the windows, installed cool white LED running lights and tag lights, and blue dome lighting.
As an electrical engineering student, I decided to tackle the LED swap in the gauges, HVAC, steering controls and even the radio; a blue/white two tone. This is one of my favorite mods still today.



Next I got a Oznium FTBL in red, APT Foglights, a S2K Shorty Antenna, a HIDextra 5k HID kit, I made a badge-less grill out of an 07 lower grill, painted my rear Scion emblem and removed the tC.
I also had my stock rims powdercoated a semi-gloss black. I recommend this finish to anyone over painting.





I managed to buy a K&N Typhoon Intake in blue and a HKS Hi-Power Axleback pretty cheap off the forums here. This picture is one of my favorites.





I picked up one of the first HIC roof Visors in the first group buy, a Lip Spoiler, 08+ OEM Headlights and a HID kit to match and shaved my rear garnish.





Next I picked up an RS4 upper grill, A rear TRD sway Bar, a TRD Strut tower bar and I wrapped my Mirrors in Matte Black vinyl.



I installed a Megan Short Shifter, Sickspeed ****, Anzo Tail Lights and Hotchkiss Rear Camber Arms. I installed the cambers arms because a bushing went bad in the old ones.
In the three year’s I’ve had my car, outside of regular fluid maintenance, this was the only thing that’s failed. A bushing.



This brings us to the latest additions. After being backed into, I replaced the front bumper. Picked up some Tein SS-P Coilovers w/ the Pillowball upper mounts and NIA eyelids. I replaced my brake rotors and installed EBC greenstuff pads.





So this is how she sits today. My very first show, Scion Wild Wheels was in November. I got the privilege of being displayed in the lobby of the convention center here
and by the end of the weekend, I had won Scion’s top pick and snagged a decent sized trophy.











So since the last update a couple small things here and there were done. I managed to find a set of Tweaked Ice Convex Mirrors (Only been looking for a set for 2 years.) and mated them with a Broadway Convex Rearview. I also picked up a set of window visors, a set of the OBX manual pedal covers and a sheet metal engine cover by SSD performance. The cheap paint on the hood had a few chips so I had the hood wrapped in White CF vinyl; it looks good, and it keeps the hood looking decent.

The first big addition was the Dezod Green Header. My butt dyno tells me performance was gained. I'm glad to get rid of the ugly stock header, eliminate rasp and I actually saw improved MPGs. That was an unforseen benefit. It's a great header, much approve.



The second big addition, and by far the most noticable is NEW RIMS! I originally bought them in Gold with the intention of powdercoating them the neon yellow, but fell in love with the gold during test fits.

XXR 527 17x8.25" +25 with 205/45R17 Nitto Neogens.

Not super original or super baller, but I like em and its my car. I had front and rear fenders rolled. Front sits perfect with a slight poke. rear is slightly les than flush. I need to gut the fenders wells and space the rear out a bit.
The car isn't slammed and I think its a very practical/modest setup since it is DD.

Basebllstar

MOD LIST:

Exterior:
ANZO LED Taillights
APT Foglights
Blacked Out Mirror Covers
HIC Roof Visor
LED DRLs, Tag Lights and Reverse Lights
NIA Colormatched Eyelids
OEM 08+ Headlight Swap w/ 6k HIDs
OEM Hood Wrapped in White CF Vinyl
OEM Lip Spoiler
Oznium Blue LED Underglow
Oznium Red Full TBL
Ptuning Front License Plate Mount
RS4 Upper/Lower Grill Swap
S2K Antenna
Shaved Rear Garnish Wrapped in White CF Vinyl
Tweaked Ice Convex Blue Sideview Mirrors
VA Legal Tint
Weathertech In-Channel Window Visors

Interior:
Blue LED Interior Overhead and Footwell Lighting
Broadway 270mm Convex Blue Rearview Mirror
LED Swapped Gauges, HVAC, Radio and Steering Controls
Megan 1.5” Reduction Short Shifter
OBX Brushed Pedal Covers
Scanguage II with Cubby-Panel Mount
Satin Black Painted Interior Trim
Sickspeed 5Spd Shiftknob

Engine:
AEM Battery Tiedown
AEM Oil Cap
K&N Typhoon Cold Air Intake
Pennzoil 5W-30 Full Synthetic Oil w/ K&N Oil Filter
SSP Performance Engine Cover
Doctor Isotope Air Diversion Panel
DEZOD Green Catted Header
HKS Hi-Power Axleback Exhaust

Suspension:
Hotchkiss Rear Camber Arms
Tein SS-P Coilovers w/ Pillowball Upper Mounts
TRD Front Strut Bar
TRD Rear Sway Bar

Wheels:
Muteki Black SR48 Lug Nuts
Nitto Neogen 205/45R17 Tires
XXR Gold 527 Super Stretch 17x8.25” +25 Rims
EBC Rotors and Greenstuff Brakepads

In the Future:
I need to cut the rear fenderwells out so I can space the rear wheels out about a centimeter more.
Full Exhaust, S-Pipe(Bought) and Mid-Pipe
I used to have a LEDglow Blue Underglow kit, but it got destroyed by road debris; I’d like to reinstall a custom kit of LED strips(Bought) instead of LED tubes.
I want the get the Ingalls 4pt. Rear Strut Brace; that will complete the suspension for me.
Lip Kit is needed, I have purchased the RS2 Front, so that will be on soon.
Passenger Side VRD is cracked, need to replace.
Headlights are in rough shape, I have another OEM 08+ Set that I’m going to bake open and customize.
Header was touched at a car show when I wasn’t looking. Need to figure out how to remove burned in fingerprints. Will report findings.


So anyways, that's my car. To some it's still stock. Some will never respect it because it’s a scion. I know how much work I've put in and I like it, and that's all that matters to me. It’s been a long slow change, but it’s getting close to where I wanted it to end up.

scionSS

Nice. liking the HID everywhere, head and fogs.

I love my interior blue dome lights. it makes the car great.

xTheyCallMexGx

Great build bro. I'm hoping to save up for a manual tC. My first car is a 2007 tC in Auto bought by my parents.

Hella clean and loving that roof visor and the lip spoiler. Makes me want to get rid of my pedestal spoiler and go with the lip. Hope to see more in the future. Keep it up!

Basebllstar

Thanks! I'm going to try to keep at it. I'm saving for a wedding and a house so it's hard to legitimately spend money on the car.

I love the lip spoiler for our cars, so simple, but it makes a huge difference.

xTheyCallMexGx

Just curious, for your footwell lights, what did you use and where can I get them?

gtu160

Looking good.

gtu160

Looking good...

Basebllstar

Thanks.

I used 9.5" Flexible LED strips. I got them here:
http://www.oznium.com/led-flex-strips

Basebllstar

So this past weekend, I made it to my second show. I went with a few guys here in my car club, Scion Faction. The event was geared more towards low riders and domestics, but that didn't stop me from having a good time. We even got some coverage by Dropjaw Magazine and ECS Magazine.

At the end of the day, I didn't win. Lost out to a stock FRS and a stock xD.

killatc171

iTrader: (2)

car is looking really good man. bout time you made a build thread lol. jk. but might come out to a meet soon once i get my tc done and chill with you guys.

xTheyCallMexGx

Lost to a stock FR-S and xD? For some reason that just doesn't sit right with me. I know the whole point is to have fun but I don't know...I like all the Scions but that's just....wow. I'm kind of baffled. But as long as you had fun and got to see a lot of cars, it's all good!

Basebllstar

Eh. I talked to the "Judge" after the show. He found it hard to believe the frs was stock and he seems to have made his decision based primarily on cleanliness. Of course, if these are the judging points a 2013 frs and a 2012 xd will win over my 2006 tc. My car wasn't dirty; just 7 years of DD takes a toll.

xtCxo

Love what you've done so far! Looks great!

Naval_xB

i think every one was surprised that the stock xD and FRS won out over yours.

skeeter04

Very nice. I seen your windows were tinted and that your are also from Virginia like me! :D What percent were they and did you ever get harrassed about them?

Basebllstar

They are VA legal. 50% up front and 35% in the back. It looks a bit darker since the tC has a slight factory tint. It looked a lot darker without the black rims. I haven't had any trouble with cops. With so many Florida rides around here with dark tint, mine doesn't stand out.

Basebllstar

Been thinking about changing some stuff up lately. I'm seeing too many white cars with black rims. I've had the color combo for about 2.5 years now and I was itching for a change.

Before making anything permanent, I decided to platidip the rims for proof of concept. The color is Blaze Yellow. What does everyone think? Personally, I love the new color.

xTheyCallMexGx

I honestly think it looks MAN-TASTIC!!! I agree with you on that. There's way too many white on black combos. Time to mix it up! I think you should go with it.

roadrunnergt

great build bro. clean and simple