Student Modifications

[samol]

This being my first car I've insured, and being a student i need to keep costs down...
I don't want to go modifying it so the insurance goes up... and at the same time the things that i do to the car will be small things.

First thing i can think of...
The air intake thing that goes to the air filter seems to have something stopping the air from getting to the filter and just goes into the engine bay....is this normal? should i pull it out?

What other things could i do to help out without being classed as modified and without costing much.

Thanks

Sam

[Hyperblade]

Where that plug is on some honda citys you can find a pipe which goes from behind the headlight to that point, i suggest you find one and install it, just remove the plug.

The most important mod you should do is to get some good tyres on your car.

185/60/13's are a really good pick especially for a N/a or T1 makes a big difference to the whole feel of the car.

The only other thing then is to remove the CAT and replace with another pipe.

Those two mods will give you a nice handling car, which has a bit more grunt, especially up the top end of the rev range.

[Mike_NZ]

Those two mods are a good idea, and they won't change your car in a way that an insurance company could get excited about.

You may need to be careful with further modifications though. I don't know what your insurance company is like, but if something happens to your car and they find modifications they didn't know about, they can use it as an excuse not to honour the claim.

It'd probably be a good idea to ring them up and ask them their position on modifications, they might be totally fine with it as long as you keep them informed. It's not like these cars are worth much in NZ so I don't see why they would care.

[samol]

Where that plug is on some honda citys you can find a pipe which goes from behind the headlight to that point, i suggest you find one and install it, just remove the plug.

The most important mod you should do is to get some good tyres on your car.

185/60/13's are a really good pick especially for a N/a or T1 makes a big difference to the whole feel of the car.

The only other thing then is to remove the CAT and replace with another pipe.

Those two mods will give you a nice handling car, which has a bit more grunt, especially up the top end of the rev range.

By plug you mean the thing stopping air getting into the air filter?
and yea it goes into the sidewall (above the wheel) of the car

It already has bigger tyres on it.

thanks any more suggestions would be good

[James]

Intercooler, makes a big diff and can be done on the cheap.

[samol]

Yea iv read posts saying you did yours for $20....thing is i have no experience in modifying cars. Dont know what kind of intercooler to look for, where to put it, how to mount it and where it plums in...

If anyone has any modifications that would strap straight on a city that would be ideal.

(Oh mini question....Are there many turbos 1/2's without sunroofs?
Having a sunroof on mine may mess up the sound a bit compared to my citye which doesnt have one...so i may be wanting a trade my t1 for a non sunroofed turbo. Ill now in the next few days how loud each is compared to eachother (in regards to sounds)

Sam

[Mike_NZ]

....thing is i have no experience in modifying cars. Dont know what kind of intercooler to look for, where to put it, how to mount it and where it plums in...

A good way of learning about how different mods fit into the car is to look at the garage and see what other people have done. Then go and look at your car and see how those things would fit in for you.

It can be very educational just to pull bits off your engine (provided you remember how to put them back on) and have a look at what's inside/underneath them. Easy things like the airbox are a good place to start.
You may be surprised how simple everything actually is.

(Oh mini question....Are there many turbos 1/2's without sunroofs?
Having a sunroof on mine may mess up the sound a bit compared to my citye which doesnt have one...

My T2 doesn't have a sunroof, but I wouldn't expect having one to interfere much with the already pretty crappy acoustics. The amount of road noise you get is going to drown out any subtlety in your stereo so all you can really do is be loud.

[samol]

....thing is i have no experience in modifying cars. Don't know what kind of intercooler to look for, where to put it, how to mount it and where it plums in...

A good way of learning about how different mods fit into the car is to look at the garage and see what other people have done. Then go and look at your car and see how those things would fit in for you.

It can be very educational just to pull bits off your engine (provided you remember how to put them back on) and have a look at what's inside/underneath them. Easy things like the airbox are a good place to start.
You may be surprised how simple everything actually is.

Yea i know a few basic things, am slowly getting there thanks

(Oh mini question....Are there many turbos 1/2's without sunroofs?
Having a sunroof on mine may mess up the sound a bit compared to my citye which doesn't have one...

My T2 doesn't have a sunroof, but I wouldn't expect having one to interfere much with the already pretty crappy acoustics. The amount of road noise you get is going to drown out any subtlety in your stereo so all you can really do is be loud.

Yes having a sunroof will increase the resonant frequency (due to smaller resonating panels) but increase acoustic reflections (due to the roof not having the liner in the way of the glass) depending on how braced the sunroof is it may be weaker too.

As to the road noise, i completely lined my other city (CITYE) with dynamat extreme. Added maybe 10-12kg's to it but could only hear the motor really with a small amount of background road noise.
I'm going to line the city i finally decide on with hushmat for the same reason. Plus by adding mass to the main resonating panels it A sounds better (the city's SHAKE over 145dB) and B it increases the SPL score (through less losses in vibration, think this is why you make your sub box of sturdy wood not flimsy stuff)

I do plan to get some nice sounding gear in the car too, though the main thing with it is that it will be my SPL car, which i will compete with.
Aim is to take the Australasia Street A SPL score. At the last competition (and only one amplifier working and using my daily box) i scored an official 145.1dB. http://www.termpro.com/asp/competitorst ... 007&Page=1 I have hit 150dB in testing before and my amplifiers are back from being repaired ($35 for RCA repair on one amp).

I have an event in Dunedin this weekend where i hope to take the NZ record (148.8dB) and from there i will be over the holidays purchase a 7000rms amplifier to take Australasia (only running 3500-4000rms into the subs at the moment)

If you struggled this far through my post then you should probably get the idea that i am pretty keen on audio....if you need a hand with something along those lines id be happy to help. Pm is fine.



Sam

(plan is that if the score is low with my t1, then ill sell that and my cityE and buy a non sunrooved t2)

[Hyperblade]

Honestly theres no reason to do any performance mods if your going to line your car with weight you will just ruin the feel of the car.

Personally i think your nuts to turn a performance car into a giant radio, but that's just my personal opinion.

Good luck with your project

By plug you mean the thing stopping air getting into the air filter?

Yep thats the one i mean.

[James]

I think it sounds like a great project, and the turbo will be good to haul all that load around. Hell if you can set NZ and AUS records in anything then go for it.

[samol]

Honestly theres no reason to do any performance mods if your going to line your car with weight you will just ruin the feel of the car.

Ah but there is... I probably wont be lugging the subs and amplifiers around for every day use...more for competitions. This makes for better security also

Personally i think your nuts to turn a performance car into a giant radio, but that's just my personal opinion.

Haha yea well the gear that will stay in there most of the time will add maybe 20kgs to it so not enough to lose performance

I think it sounds like a great project, and the turbo will be good to haul all that load around. Hell if you can set NZ and AUS records in anything then go for it.

Yea the cityE could carry all the gear and 4 of my mates and still go decent, the turbo will be better again.

And yea the hope is Australasia but ill update after the weekend on what score i can get

Sam

[stum]

in nz performance car they say a new austrilasian record has been set 160.2 db.i dont know what class you are running in though

[samol]

Actually that was 162.6dB. Set by pauls audio in a car that my mate built then sold to them. But big ups to them. Note they are running 2x18" subwoofers and 20,000rms with a whole battery bank and a wall. And also they are running at 18volts

We are only allowed one battery (to not exceed 14v) and run 2x10" subs in the boot and currently using 3400rms power. And have got 150 in testing before (but never at a comp so is unofficial) our subs in the box must not exceed the bottom of the windows and also cant impede the seats (as for them using the whole area behind the front seat as a sub enclousure

So a very different league.

Good to see your making sure im not talking smack though

Sam