So I bought this car towards the end of last year. Was a filthy car when I bought it but I knew it had some potential. Bought the car with only 48,000kms. Had all the options, sunroof, leather/suede interior, premium sound, FPV steering wheel. Best thing I liked the car was the auto, which is a C9 3 speed. The engine had been rebuilt by HPF so it only had a few thousand km's. It had minor mods when I bought it, Bosch 42LB injectors, upgraded valve springs, 3.5" split dump pipe, intercooler and a custom CAI. The old owner told me it makes close to 300rwkw, but it didn't feel like it. The car went ok but I knew it could be alot better. So driving along one day, not booting it, was going rather slow actually, I hear a big BANG from the rear end. First thought? " Ahh FFS what now " So I baby the car home, the next day I jack it up and have a look for anything wrong.. Completely ripped out the centre diff bush, and that big bolt you see me holding had actually snapped inside the diff. So I took it to my mechanic and got to work. All rear bushes replaced with polyurethane units. So now that the car was going again, I needed music. The old owner had subs and amps in the car and had taken them out when I bought them because I didn't want them, so I had no music in the car. All the wiring was a big mess, none of the speakers were working, etc. So it started off like this, like I said, a mess. So I took the car to my mate at JB Hi-Fi and showed him the mess. Settled with an Alpine headunit, MB Quart speakers, JL Audio amp and a 13.5" JL Audio subwoofer. I left it with them to install it, came back the next day to pick the car up and the guy who installed it said the car was a nightmare. Felt sorry for him but meh, it's his job. So all new wiring, system installed, and the battery put in the boot, it was looking much better, and it sounds AWESOME. So now it's time to get it tuned. I had a set of Siemen Deka 60LB injectors so I got them fitted, also had a walbro intank pump fitted and had the car retuned. It was only making 255rwkw before, expecting over 300rwkw after the injectors and the retune it only made 282rwkw on 12psi. Tuner told me apart from the dump pipe the rest of the exhaust was standard, which was restricting it heaps, or it was just one of the lemon XR6T's that doesn't want to make power. Even though it only made 282rwkw the car went really well and I was actually quite happy with it, and I didn't really care about the figures anymore. Went for a cruise on a friday night, at about 2am on the way home, turbo gave up. Pulled over and turned the car off and you could hear a bunch of noises coming from the turbo, so I drove the car home really slow and left it in the garage for a while. Scored a turbo that came off a BF with only 30,000kms for $700 so I bought it and got a mate to fit it. So with the new Turbo on I decided to get a new exhaust system. XFORCE 4" stainless dump, 4" cat, XFORCE 3.5" stainless steel catback. Once that was fitted I drove the car carefully and wow what a difference. Gave it a tiny squirt and the difference was HUGE. The exhaust sound amazing, when it's on boost you can hear it scream from a mile away. Didn't drive the car around till I got it re-tuned, so while it was sitting in the garage I fitted a RAPIDSystems 4" intake with airbox. Booked the car in for a tune and was confident it would make over 300rwkw. Got a call from my tuner saying it was making 350rwkw with wheelspin on only 16psi. Picked the car up and WOW, couldn't believe how hard it went. He told me to bring it back so they can try strap it down harder to see if they can dyno it without spinning but I didn't care I was happy with the way it went. Not being able to get Brembos for a while I upgraded with slotted rotors all round, and bendix ultimate pads all round. Pulls up much better now and is much safer, big improvement over stock brakes. After a while it was time to get the auto checked out as I wasn't happy with it. Ended up completely rebuilding it, new race bands, race clutches etc. The car now felt way better with the box rebuilt, and it shifted much quicker and firmer. Was told that 350rwkw was easy power for the box and it will hold much much more. Couldn't be happier One thing that pissed me off about the car was the engine bay, and how messy it was. I ordered a Plazmaman plenum but I fixed up the engine bay before fitting. Before After I am yet to have it retuned since fitting the plenum but it's gained power since fitting it, should make over 360rwkw the way it is. In the future I want to fit a Surge tank with a Bosch 044 fuel pump and retune it on about 18-19psi, should make close to 400rwkw. I also want to upgrade the rear drive shafts and CV's and then take it down the track. Until then I'm enjoying every bit of it. Some original photos have not been recovered yet.

mmmmmmmmm, looks so sleepy Love it!! Might consider putting my money towards a xr6t ute now! Some original photos have not been recovered yet.

plenum and fpv engine cover looks heaps better! nice car mate

very nice mate. love how easy these things make power. makes me want an xr6t so bad.

**** man the paint is ****house, needs a detail asap.. lol joking bro, good write up, not a fan of fords yet it looks tidy and seems to make some decent power considering whats done, that plazmaman plenum made ****loads of difference, welldone!!

race it, damm i want a xr6t for some reason

how much boost was that on mate?

about 16-17psi, its still untuned since fitting the plenum though once I get a surge tank and 044 I'll retune it on 19psi, should make 390 something

That's some awesome power for how low the boost is. Seriously gotta get me an xr6t enjoy it with the 3 speed man? I was thinking of getting a c4 in the vl. Now I keep thinking of getting a Ba xr6t instead of doing up the vl lol Some original photos have not been recovered yet.

Yeh man 3 speed is awesome. Wouldnt be the same without it I had a VL that I was going to have as a show/drag car while I had the XR but I had a think about it and thought I was better off getting rid of the VL and focusing on the XR. I've got a Civic as a daily and I take the BA out whenever I feel like. It can be used as a daily though, if you dont punch it everywhere the fuel economy is suprisingly good. I dont thrash it everytime I jump in it, I just enjoy driving it. Sunroof open, tunes cranking, just cruising you know? I thrash the Civic more to be honest haha.

Sweet as don't think the 3 speeds cost to much to get into these really from what I've seen. Could be wrong though? Yeah that's how I was with the vl when I had me license flogged the crap outta my daily's and just gave it a bit now and then. The more I look at the xr6t's the more I want one just gotta decide on a ute or sedan lol. Put some more pics up of yours it looks mint bro. Some original photos have not been recovered yet.

I need to give the car a clean and take some new photos, which I'll do when we get some good weather

Quote: Originally Posted by G [View Post] I need to give the car a clean and take some new photos, which I'll do when we get some good weather do it while cooking a bbq carnt

Nice car bro , this thing is imac!

Quote: Originally Posted by BT [View Post] do it while cooking a bbq carnt haha, still waiting for the steaks ya cokblock.

Take it the engine was built with forged rods and what not? Keep reading the standard rods ain't that strong?

Nice write up G, I bet you got pissed off with that much failing in the first year of owning it 370rwkw would be fun on the streets!

So what's this rev at on the freeway at 110?