**New Project Car**
 

***Updates on page 4 and 12***
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Hey everyone, I just wanted to let you all in on my latest project...a 2011 Ralliart Sportback! I have an Evo X that I race in Time Attack, but now I picked up the new Sport Back for a cool project/daily driver. I just got home after my cross country road trip from CA all the way back to MN, check out the rest of this post for a detailed journal of that fun trip!

Over the next few months it'll be going through a pretty rad transformation. I'm still working out all of the details but there are a few different paths the car may take... I'll be working together with a few new sponsors on the R/A Sportback project, as well as my current sponsors.

Anyways...I'm pumped to get this thing underway, it's should turn out pretty awesome! I'll be doing some different things with this car, looking to break out of the current trends you see all over the place now...

Pic of my Evo X in case anyone doesn't know about the car, check out Gates311.com for info.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...R/1280x800.jpg

Back in MN with the Evo after a lonnnng journey:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...ack/Couple.jpg

First photo of the new R/A Sportback right near the beach up in Malibu:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3.../Firstshot.jpg

My friend Tommy from CA checkin out the new car while I was out in the neighborhood haha:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...ck/Sunshot.jpg

On the way up the canyon roads, pulled over to snag a photo:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...Lowerage-1.jpg

Up at the top of the canyon roads for a few shots:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3.../Backsun-1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...k/IMG_9708.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...ack/Sunset.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...k/IMG_9724.jpg

And one with Tommy's E46 M3:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...k/IMG_9716.jpg

A little Pshop drop...looks so good already!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...Scrammed_2.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...k/Scrammed.jpg

Fillin up near Vegas, this was the first fill up of the new car! It actually gets pretty awesome MPG...I averaged 28mpg all the way home and I was kinda cruisin...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...ack/Nevada.jpg

Back on the road in Utah after a rest:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...tback/Utah.jpg

Still in Utah........

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...ack/Copper.jpg

Heading into the mountains if Colorado from the driver's seat. A few things I noticed after driving the car for awhile now: TC-SST is amazing, the R/A Sportback is a great cruiser (90 feels like 60...haha), NAV unit as a whole is sick, and thank god for Sirius radio!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...back/Wheel.jpg

After a fun night with some friends in Denver, back on the road and filling up in Nebraska...obviously back in the Midwest haha

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...ack/Gloomy.jpg

Hmmm MN?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...tback/Icey.jpg

Yeaaaa getting close to home, only about 50 miles to go from this point. After a total of about 22 hours driving time, I've spent some quality time with my newest project car and I'm pretty pumped! I was a little skeptical about the TC-SST, but it turned out to be an awesome gearbox. It's smooth, fast and fun but when you want to just drive along in Auto its perfectly seamless, which was a cool surprise.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3.../Wintrymix.jpg

So from this point on I'll have some pretty interesting updates, experiences and hopefully some good info on my new Ralliart Sportback. I don't want to give any of the details away quite yet, but I'm open to any ideas that you guys have regarding the project...got anything cool in mind? Let me know what you all think!

I'm pumped to get this underway, it should end up being something special!

Ryan

Two words: Front. Lip. :lol:

Looks great man. I'm pretty stoked you got yourself a RA for your new project car. Can't wait to see what you do to it! {thumbup}

Haha thanks...it will definitely be an interesting journey ;)

love what you did/are doing with your x so this new one should be promising!

yeah, waiting for new pics lets see how it turns out.

Any ideas on what you're going to do power wise with the SST? From what others have gathered through their own modding escapades, the SST seems to only be able to handle up to around 300wtq. I'd assume new clutch packs are a must if you're going for more power...

I don't mean to be prying, I'm just throwing some thoughts out :). I'm sure you'll reveal your plans all in due time.

PS. You have the best co-pilot ever. :lol:

Glad to have you join us. The more I see of the SB, the more I like it.

Really excited to see how this turns out! Good Luck!

Thanks man...it's gonna be fun!
No I appreciate the questions...I haven't set the power plans yet, but hopefully I'll be doing some cool things....

And yes Mumphrey is amazing.
Same...the Sportback is actually a really cool car, especially once you see it in person. It also has a ton of potential look-wise...

I lol'd pretty good at this one
Can't wait to see what u got planned for your new project Sportback Ryan. It seems like pretty much every RA owner is looking for a front lip like the Ralliart one but affordable. Also if u are planning on getting a lot of power out of this car, it would be nice to see someone put in the new SSP clutch packs for the TC-SST that are supposed to hold 400hp and see what they are actually capable of. Good luck and can't wait for more.{thumbup}

so is ams going to have a hand in this one too? lol

nice work and looking forward to reading about your build :)

Can't wait to see how your project turns out.

Happy to hear you like the SST, I always get the feeling I'm missing something without the traditional manual. But as you experienced the car makes the best of it balancing the auto mode with a manual.

Nice pics, did you switch out the summer tires before going up north?

I haven't looked into front lips yet, but good to know. Power plans for this car aren't finalized yet, but hopefully we'll be doing some cool things with it.
Sure hope so :beer:
Thanks!
Yea I was really surprised that I like it sa much as I do. I've been such an anti-twin clutch guy forever, but now I do see the functionality of them and the TC-SST is pretty badass!

Still rockin the OEM tires.

Thanks guys :beer:

That's what I'm most interested to hear about, are your feelings when all is said and done with the TC-SST...