I am trying! My mechanic friend is supposed to give me a hand this weekend....hopefully I can get everything back together again...cleaned up...and some pics taken. I have been dreaming about it for over a month!

 

ok....so I need to make a decision on how to install the Cusco bar. I am leaning towards install brackets with tires slightly on ground then lift more to release load on suspension and then place the bar...i KNOW this is a heated question....but I am willing to listen to everyone's input...that is what these forums are for anyway isn't it!

 

Might shoot a PM to Soundmike, I think he's done at least one of these installs.
Look forward to your install pics, it's going to look sweet!

 

Brad, dude thanks a ton. I appreciate all the help and advice you have been throwing my way. I am getting ready to venture out into the garage....and not come out till I can drive my baby! or I run out of beer!

 

Ok...so I got a little jump on the weekend reconstruction process. I want to shout out to Mike my neighbor for really being a huge help with all of this work.
OK....so Goodridge lines were installed. Not to big a deal, back lines are a little tight fit, but we adjusted one of the brackets by bending it some to relieve extreme pressure on the ss line. The kit was for a 370 g and they say they are the same...I say the back lines needs to be a little longer...at least one of them anyway. Stock line was a good .25" or more longer than replacement line.
Front ones went on without any incidents and the fit was perfect.
The DBA T3 rotors were snap. I cleaned all of them with brake fluid taking care not to get any on the hat. I did spray my hats with a clear coat as well. Just trying to cover my bases.
The calipers went on pretty easily as well. Anti rattle pins were a little tight, but eventually we got them to work. We did some minor sanding on the pins as well as reaming the holes in the calipers. A little bit of PC build up was making them tight. The Hawk HPS pads were a snap to install as well.
I REALLY like the way these rotors and calipers look. I think they are going to look great behind my piano black TSW's. Not to mention I know I am going to feel a HUGE improvement in brake performance and overall pedal feel.
WE added some 1/4 line to set up some gravity bleeding. I am going to let the brakes gravity bleed while we do the CAI tomorrow. Once the lines start dripping, we will close them of and bleed according to the prescribed order.
We also installed the new piano black grille. Looks freaking awesome. Went back in easy and no broken shroud parts and no leftover parts!
Tomorrow we are doing CAI, finish brakes, Cusco bar, install all painted parts, install new tires and I should be good to go for now. Whitleine sways are do in Monday or tuesday so I might leave the car on stands until they come...or I might take her out and wash and clean her.
Starting to see the light at the end of a month long tunnel.

 

Those rotors/calipers look bad as$, nice work
What color grill emblem are you going with? Would look pretty nice color matched to your factory paint.

 

yeah that would look sweet color matched. I am going to get a nose piece so maybe I can have it painted then....leaving it stock for now.

 

OK....it was a long and brutal day. My mechanic friend Mike and I started around 7am and the goal was to get my baby back on the road today.
Today's agenda: Bleed brakes, install CAI, install painted engine pieces, install Cusco bar, install new rims and tires, clay, seal, wax and detail car....
Brake Bleed.
I chose ATE Super Blue Racing fluid for my new system. We started out doing a gravity feed for a while to get things going. Then we used a vacuum pump to assist and draw all of the air out of the system. We had short hoses set up at each bleeder with some pie tins. This worked really well and in about an hour or so we had blue fluid dripping from every bleeder. Then I jumped in the car and we did the prescribed bleeding routing: passenger rear/driver front/driver rear/passenger front and doing the inner most bleeder first. The system bled pretty easily and after a few hundred (or so it seemed) pump and holds the brake system was ready to go.
Used a little over one full battle. Total time for brakes was about 2 hours or so.
Moving onto the CAI, we prepped the newly painted filter boxes as well as intakes tubes - moving the MAF sensors. We had to move some components on the driver side, but the kit included everything we needed to do that. We had to trim a few hoses to make them neat as a pin and not kinks or bends. The driver side went in well and in no time we were moving on to the passenger side. This side was WAY WAY tight. Stillen should look at the box for the 2012 and give it a little more play room. After jostling some stuff around we finally got the new box mounted and in the proper pin hole as well as mounted to the side wall bracket. We spent about 2.5 hours getting this mod on. I then went ahead and cleaned and detailed the engine and reinstalled the batt. cover, brake cover and the engine cover. Everyhing looked freaking awesome. I was soo happy with the color scheme and all of the planning and patient painting paid off. it looked great.
Next was the new TSW wheels. I had sealed and waxed them several times with wheel way (especially the inside) before we mounted them up. I also detailed the inside of the fender wells while I was at it. The wheels went on without a hitch and we torqued the new piano black gorgeous rims to 90lbs (rec. by wheel shop) and moved forward. The wheels are 20x10.5 rear and 20x 9.5 front so I am +1 all the way around in height and width. they fit perfect and the look was exactly what I wanted. I was starting to get excited at this point!
The Cusco bar was a snap to put in. I clipped a couple of the wire ties on the harness to allow freedom of movement and we installed the braces first. then we mounted the bar and torqued everything down. I retied some of the wire loom down to make it nice and pretty. The bar really was the finishing touch to a very classy engine bay...well at least I think so. I might paint my radiator overflow bottle the same blue as the Cusco mounts as a nice accent....I think it would work well.
I am VERY VERY happy with the composition, the overall colors and look. The DBA's are freaking fantastic and the CAI really added some growl at the higher rpm range. On Monday the Whitlines are going in and the FI CBE is about 4 wks away. I am also getting tails tinited next week and maybe fronts as well. I am very pleased with this cycle....now on to the pics....Looking forward to comments from the forum members!
and ....so....without further ado....introducing Sophia.
sexy, sensual, with a dash of wicked....just my style!
Vic

 

More pics on the engine bay

 

almost 6 weeks in the making....Pics of her all dressed up....

 

I will take better pics later at some local....just really burned out, Need a hot shower and a Shocktop.

 

You should look into getting some JDM tail lights, the amber in them will go with your brake calipers nicely.

 

Looks great! I don't know which style you prefer, but the oem spoiler or a duckbill trunk would end the car with a great look. Awesome build so far.

 

Fantastic attention to detail and it payed off, car looks top notch, now the headlights are screaming to be painted. Engine bay looks great and the color combo is unique and blends well, brakes & calipers are sublime!

 

So how'd the Cusco strut install go for you? nvm.. i saw the bit in your post above.. what was the torque setting to tightening the cusco?

Also, how's the sound on the Stillen Gen2's? Any rumble too it? or just normal. Originally I had R2C, but I could never get the R2C to sit just right... i liked the rumble.. but then switched to Takeda long tube for more gains.. but i miss the rumble.. Stillen Gen 2 looks good.. and I like the idea of being able to paint the housing (as i've painted my cover and such).