autoX and road course machine!

[pacman552]

well now that i have a few mods i guess i will start a build thread.
im putting my sonic together as a DD/ autoX and track day machine, dont really care to much for low and slow or cosmetic stuff, i just like to go fast!

mods so far

2012 sonic lt 1.4 6mt

DDM works cat back exaust with ressonator, no muffler

DDM works intake

DDM works coil cover

ported intake manifold

trifecta tune

ultragauge

sparco assesto gara's 17x7.5

215x45x17 hankook evo v12's for summer and racing

blue plastidiped stock 15's with stock all seasons for winter driving

RS rear bumper

Hella rallye 4000's

redline gl-4 75w90 trans fluid

ecotec just kicked in Y0! sticker http://www.ebay.com/itm/ECOTEC-Just...omeDecor_Accessories&var=&hash=item46038d6a1c




soon to come

ddm big brake kit and mabe rear disc swap

clutchmaster clutch and flywheel,





other odds and ends i will get when i have spare cash

ddm works intercooler pipeing

ISM metal sway bar links

turbo tech motor and trans mount

r-comp tires

ddm works intercooler diverter, might just try to build my own if i have time

coilovers, not sure what ones i want yet, i have to deal with michigan winters so i need to be able stay close to sock ride hight in the winter, but would like a 2 or so inch drop for racing in the summer




dream parts that i will never be able to afford

endtank usa exaust manifold and new turbo?

rs trans and quaife qdf25b differential.

 

[firstorbit84]

Nice, I want to build mine for the same purposes. What do you plan on doing for suspension?

How did you do in hs?

 

[pacman552]

I haven’t done much research on suspension yet, if I want to stay close to stock and go cheap I will just add a little camber to the front. but I am on the borderline as to whether or not I want to go to coil overs (either the BC coil over or the Pedders coil over) or get the Eibach springs and new shocks.

The Sonic is FAST for H stock, I am usually getting times around the same as stock NA and NB Miata's, the car actually has great! handling on tight autoX courses, just enough lift off oversteer to rotate the rear end around in the tight corners, also you can really force it to oversteer by trail braking or giving the brakes a little tap in the corners to upset the rear end.

Nick Miller SCCA Region 56 Old Marquette County Airport Autocross 09-02-12 - YouTube

 

[JohnT]

The 17x7.5" wide wheels (and when you get it) the intake aren't technically legal for stock class

Looks good and I concur the Sonic is very competent on the autocross course for H-stock, but lets be honest its no miata.

If the sonic get's placed in new STF class you will be close to set up for it.

 

[Swordsmith]

I'm confused about your order of priorities, intake and exhaust aren't really doing you much good without a tune, while tune without either would do you more good than both combined even after tune. If you wanted noise, with performance second, then your build order would make more sense to me.

The wheel and tire thing, now, I admit have nothing to do with tune and for handling probably mean more than adding more power would.

I'd also look at the TTR upper and lower mounts, help get power from your upgraded engine down to the tires.

 

[pacman552]

ya i will have to go to STF because of my intake now, but the stf class actually has a better (slower) pax time ajustment so i should even get a little bump in my pax times. luckly most the people in my autoX region dont take autoX to seriouly and dont mind if you have small things like non-stock wheel sizes and whatnot.

 

[pacman552]

I'm confused about your order of priorities, intake and exhaust aren't really doing you much good without a tune, while tune without either would do you more good than both combined even after tune. If you wanted noise, with performance second, then your build order would make more sense to me.

The wheel and tire thing, now, I admit have nothing to do with tune and for handling probably mean more than adding more power would.

I'd also look at the TTR upper and lower mounts, help get power from your upgraded engine down to the tires.

ya i have kinda been working backwards so far lol, i wanted the exaust first due to the fact that you could not hear the engine at all if you had the windows up and the radio on low, it made it annoying to shift without being able to hear your rpm. i also plan on getting some small things like the motor and trans mounts when i get the tune and probly some shifter bushings for a little better feel when shifting.

 

[Swordsmith]

The shifter bushings are a great little mod for driving feel, but I'm not convinced they actually help performance wise. Cheap and easy though. Trifecta offers a budget tune, and no extra charge for getting that and then moving up to full tune, instead of going straight for it, might mean you can budget tune in spring instead of saving all the way to full for summer.

I'll grant you the stock Sonic is one crazy quiet ride, but it's hard for me to remember that far back. I'm actually considering adding the resonator back in, as the combination may have ended up louder than I really want. On the other hand, spending money to add weight and reduce noise, well, it does seem a little like going backwards.

 

[ThatTmoGuy]

There is a charge to move from budget tune to full tune its $100 (the difference in price between full and budget)

 

[Eric Smit]

There is a charge to move from budget tune to full tune its $100 (the difference in price between full and budget)

I think he meant no extra charge. you don't end up paying any more than someone that just got the full.


-Eric Smit

 

[Swordsmith]

Yes I didn't mean to suggest that moving to full was free, I mean that the cost of full tune is the same as the cost of (budget + move up to full), there's no extra charge, and you get the benefit of budget while saving towards full. At least that's my understanding, I actually had the full tune before I bought my car.. I believe in doing things backwards too, I guess!

 

[laborsmith]

Swordsmith said, "I'm actually considering adding the resonator back in . . ."

If one does a lot of driving, a resonator is almost mandatory. It does not reduce the decibel noise level all that much but it does reduce the kind of noise that takes a physical toll on you. My exaggerated way of putting it is that you feel like you have driven 500 miles for every fifty miles of actual driving. An exaggeration true, but too close to the real to be comfortable.


Laborsmith

 

[pacman552]

i would love to get my tune and other goodies this spring but i have decided to spend all my money on running the 24 hours of Lemons at gingerman this spring, otherwise i would probly already have the tune.

 

[pacman552]

well got some spare cash so i think its time to order a tune!

 

[Eric Smit]

woohoo!

 

[sx sonic]

Your in for a real treat!

 

[ThatTmoGuy]

Have fun trying to keep your foot out of the floorboards.

 

[lambertsonic]

Nice car ! Enjoy the tune .

 

[pacman552]

Have fun trying to keep your foot out of the floorboards.

i already have trouble with that

 

[Eric Smit]

i already have trouble with that

it's only gonna get worse.


-Eric Smit