it will never be enough lol. and there is always someone else out there with a lil deeper pockets and a lil faster car.

 

I know what you mean. Built it to 400 whp last year, encountered several issues ironing out the kinks, blew a trans, replaced it, swore I wouldn't spend a dime in 2011 except on maintenance. Happy to say I almost succeeded. Have spent very little on the car this year. But now the prospect of a built motor is making me want to budget again.

If you're like me, go add up every cent you've spent on the car so far and decide if you want to at least double that going forward. Not sure I do. Good way to keep your feet on the ground.

 

when will we stop??? Never!

 

It's definitely a bottomless pit of money... some of the drops are bigger than others. It's pretty inexpensive to get to the 400 whp level comparatively... built motor, trans, big turbo, new clutch etc... once you step off that ledge its a long way down.

 

I don't want to upgrade anything on my car. I need to maintain stuff but I don't want to upgrade at all. lol.

 

And how long have you had your current set up?

 

I think I could have hit about 400whp with just 1K in mods... unfortunately I barely stepped over the ledge and had to get a new clutch, new ignition coils, etc
If I had just stuck with basic bolt ons + E85 I would've saved about 2K

 

Yeah, it also depends on what you are doing with it. If I was just going to drive the car around on the street I would probably have done cams and BBK-Full on pump and pretty much called it day. I've spent most of the money on the suspension and safety upgrades, very little on power. Doesn't make it cheap though heh.

 

deepest pocket wins

 

unless the deep pockets lack the driver mod

 

You always want to improve the car, especially if you visit this site. I mod a little at a time. You do not have to spend alot of money upfront and it keeps your interest in the car. You can also find good used deals on items you want here in the classifieds. Sometimes, I decide what part I want, then wait until one comes available in the classifieds. Almost every part you want will appear if you wait long enough. The only part I have not found is a Tanabe medalion tourist exhaust. People must like them because I don't see them for sale. Modding a little at a time is fun.

 

Yes and no. I think 750+ whp is more fun than 380 ^_^

 

Wins what?

I would venture to guess most of the people on this forum aren't serious track racers, barely auto-x and may have been to a drag strip once (if that). Most of us mod and drive our cars for/on the street.

No one has the answer for the original question but those of us with the experience can lend some insight. I'll lay mine out.

*********Disclaimer this will be a long post (but it will be a good read)************

I have always been a avid Honda owner. I owned at least 5 hatchbacks and one Integra Type-R. I bought the ITR brand new and after how much I sold it for vowed to never buy brand new again. Had a brief affair with a Neon SRT-4 and came to my senses after barely a year. All the while I LUSTED after a EVO. From the time they came out until I bought one. I couldn't afford one when they came out so I loved from a afar. Then alot of my friends got one and it kinda killed the dream.

WRX STi......I love hatchbacks but at the time the hatchback just came out. The cost of a brand new one would put me slightly out of my price range (aka small car note). Aside from the fact that would be breaking the promise I made to myself about NOT buying brand new I started doing my homework and compared to the Evo....mod for mod the Scooby didn't compare.

Hyundai Genesis: Variation of the 4B11 motor......bonus!. Looks great.......but I couldn't get past the fact that it was a Hyundai.

M3: Maintenance, Maintenance, Maintenance. Not to mention it costs an arm and a leg to modify.

This brought me back to the Evo. Time and time again. Price, looks, modability........Everything. So I started hunting. I was dead set on a White Evo IX MR. Those at the time were fetching a premium. So I bought local and ended up with EB. Glad I did though.

So I have my favourite car and I know I want to make it faster. I discover E85. Buy PTE 1000's and a walbro and a local tune (When I purchased the car I bought a Greddy Ti-C and Perrin intake, already had a shep built X-fer case and transmission with ultimate gearing and a Carbonetics Triple carbon clutch). Car is stupid fun to drive. It is seriously the fastest car I have driven at this point. On E85 its making 385 and on pump it makes 340 something.

I discover stock frame turbos. I read up about the BBK's and FP offerings. My goal with my car was always to get about 400-450 to the wheels and leave it alone. Installed the BBK Full and Kelford cams. Get retuned and it puts down 427 to the wheels on E85. I was so happy with the E85 performance I didn't even bother with a pump gas map.

At this point I was thinking of going with a BBK-B, HTA Green or HTA Red. Again I only wanted 450ish to the wheels. Then HKS put out the 7460. I figured the BB center would be cool and for the price I was getting it for it wasn't going to cost all that much. Sold the BBK, sold the Kelford cams and supertech springs and retainers. Make almost about what needed for the HKS kit (Turbo, new HKS cams and springs and manley retainers). I also sold my Greddy exhaust and purchased a Tomei full Ti exhaust

HKS kit installed. Had some issues with the motor I tried to fix on the cheap, had an issue with tuning and ultimately tried to do too much instead of stepping back I pressed on and the block got ventilated in spectacular fashion.

So I was faced with a rebuild I never intended. After parking the car for a few months I decided to figure out what the next step needed to be. I decided on a front facing kit that would retain AC, build a 2.4 Long Rod motor and port/polish the head and over size valves.

At that point I had no horsepower goal. Just goals for reliability. I wanted to over build the setup and not max it out to help with reliability and longevity. After everything came together and we went to the dyno I was shocked to know that my base tune was already in the 600's....all along I said if i make 650 I'd be happy. It was making 633 on 20 PSI. So while excited I was curious to see what the parts combo would do.

We left off with a fuel pump going south and the car making 777hp @7k. I would've made more but IDC's were high. We replaced the fuel pump and went back to the dyno (after a cancelled session) and found the head gasket was compromised (It was a Power Enteprises). Replaced it with a AMS OEM one. I haven't gone back to the dyno since I have since developed the dreaded deathwhine, having a hard time shifting into gear at 8k+ and the clutch (while it checked out good) seems to be slipping in 4th gear when you try to hammer on it.

So I'm limping the car into next year and I will be sending the X-fercase off to Shep again but for their stage 2 treatment and wavetrac upgrade, rebuild the transmission again and I think I will switch to a Exedy Triple or Quartermaster 8 Leg.

I will attempt to post the money spent on everything (both sold and spent) to best of my recollection:

BBK Setup on E85:

900 for turbo used + my OEM turbo
300 for injectors used
100 for fuel pump new
600 for cams
300 for springs and retainers
200 for tune for 2 tunes

2nd setup on HKS Turbo:
1700 for Turbo, cams, springs and retainers
375 for tune
450 for FIX 1450's
600 for upgraded fuel system
300 for BlaqOps double pumper+ OEM fuel pump assembly
Sold BBK for 1200
Sold Cams for 450
Sold Springs and retainers for 200
Sold Injectors for 250

3rd setup with motor and turbo:
6000 for motor (2.4 shortblock completely redone head and all parts +GSC S3 cams)
4000 for Turbo, manifold, Intercooler, Intercooler pipes, wastegates, dumptubes
500 for half cut radiator
250 OEM master Gasket set
500 for used FIC 2150's
Sold HKS turbo for 1300
Sold cams for 300
Sold springs and retainers for 200
500 for tuning


That is just a rough estimate. This isn't including labor, other things i decided to change, like wheels, some more rexspeed stuff. Thats not important to go fast. I just wanted to give a small snapshot into this. Now most people would need to build their drive train and I was lucky (so I thought) until recently so now we can add:

Exedy Triple: 2500
X-fer Case: 1500 + 800 for wavetrac upgrade
Transmission: 900

So for money spent for horsepower gained:

Base on 85: 385 HP = $900
1st stage: 420 HP = $2000
2nd stage: 460 HP = $3425 - minus parts sold = $1325
Current stage: 777 HP = $11750 - minus parts sold = $9950
+ drivetrain refresh = $17450 - minus parts sold =$15650.

So 20k is not out of the realm of possibility (Again none of numbers posted are including labour which would easily push you over the 20k mark).

Also I daily my 700hp Evo so you can totally do it. The high compression with the bigger displacement and the twin scroll make for a fun street car. I barely have to hit boost in order to stay with or ahead of traffic. Whats turbo lag? LOL.

Let me add I bought my car for 15k and my 05 CBR 600RR. You can do the math for what I've spent. And nothing was done on a loan or on credit. Everything has been cash money. For good or bad.

 

< ducking> Sure, in theory. In practice one deals with traction issues and a relatively narrow powerband, while a kid in a Spped3 or a GTI with 200whp where he can use it runs circles around you on the street. Fun, right? </ducking>

 

I drive a 1986 Nissan pickup. Standard cab, lowered, exhaust, and it barely runs with a massive 75WHP. I drive that every day to and from work and when i drive the evo it just seem so fast. Thats why mine is strictly a weekend car.