Sweet, having mods lined up for you for awhile must be a nice feeling
. Thanks for taking the time to share your progress, very enjoyable to follow.
That's exactly how I feel! Plenty of projects to do - a lot of projects I always meant to do with Big Red. The difference now is that I have so many extra parts, it makes starting those projects much easier. I can work them out on the bench, then just swap them into Silver when I'm ready. A few I have in the very beginning stages on my workbench. I'll have to take a shot of the bench - I'm usually very organized but with the volume of stuff I just had to keep... it's a little cluttered.
For Example - the HU screen move up to the headliner console. I now have extra wired connectors I can use to extend the OEM harness. Same wires down to the color coding. I also have Big Red's Sunglass/headliner console that I can mold into a custom enclosure.
I have Big Red's dual oil catch system laid out on the bench with a few of the hoses and fittings. I still love just looking at these cans. Heh.
More to come since it depends on the new setup.
The aftermarket gages on the driver's side pillar are on the bench. After uninstalling the PLX data modules, I plan a much cleaner install for Silver behind the glovebox. The haltech will go behind the passenger side kickplate and will have Big Red's setup; a USB cable extending through the glovebox for tuning access. I took a really good look at these areas when I was swapping out the interior. A couple custom brackets should really organize it well.
The list goes on... there are a few Miata projects on the bench too.
I've been getting into discussions with Powerfab about where we go after the motor swap. The existing piping is all tweaked and we would be cutting out any damaged areas and essentially refabricating both hot & cold sides on Silver. That's almost as much effort as just staring over, so I've been considering options. In increasing levels of cost... Jumbo's new boost options:
Option 1 - Leave Silver stock, sell Big Red's goodies, use money for new project.
Commentary: Whatever. I love a modified FX. Don't think Option 1 is going to make the cut.
$ - obviously the easiest to finance.
Option 2 - Recreate Silver exactly the way I had Big Red set up. We know everything about the system what work has to be done to get there.
Commentary: Seems to be a safe plan - I know what to expect and about what it will cost me.
$$$ - This ain't cheap and while it hurts to have to pay this again, I'm willing because I loved the product that much.
Option 3 - Recreate essentially what was in Big Red, but with a couple upgrades like an additional wastegate & composite driveshaft.
Commentary: Will pretty much be another development/new build project. Will get spendy and I'm not sure exactly what that means. This is probably my favorite Option for what I get out of it in the end.
$$$$ - If the project takes months (which it will) it is pretty easy to spread out the cost with scheduled payments. Doing it this way throws cost control out the window and I'm going to take a financial hit. Sacrifice for such a noble cause though... isn't that priceless? I feel like this is the most I can justify in terms of money. I hate saying that though because if there were EVER about the money, I wouldn't have modified the first FX.
Option 4 - New layout, turbo placement (single or twin), custom intercooler, an additional wastegate, custom forward facing manifolds, SFR built 5AT, Composite drive shaft. We would be cutting out any of Big Red's useable hot & cold side piping and essentailly use it for raw material. This is pretty much what Turbocad is doing with his FX - except with major differences as compared to my RWD 2003. I.e. we would be into a new development/build project.
Commentary: Well crap. This sounds really fun and I'm sure I'd get what I want. Hard to justify or rationalize but I'll try anyway.
$$$$$ - So we are saying if I spread out the payments I could possibly hide the final total from my wife. Because if she found out how much I spent over the course of this project and last... *shudder*
Option 5 - There's a chance... yes a chance... that I could purchase one of the only three existing front center feed plenums for the VQ35DE. The current owner of the GORGEOUS setup has had it for a while and thinking about something else. If I can land his setup, it's proven and has been maintained by Powerfab since it was built. That includes what began life as a Greddy TT kit, modified to what it is now.
Commentary: There would obviously have to be some fabrication to get it all integrated into Silver but talking about it much more is premature... not even sure what the guy is asking for his setup and if I really do have first dibs on it. The owner is the guy who build my FX so I'm hoping the unique nature of the whole thing will get him interested. After all - he'd be installing it on Silver.
$$$$$$ - Heaven help me if he comes to me with an offer I have to think about. I'll have to save for another year just to get it installed.
