Joined
·
227 Posts
Update from a LONG Easter weekend. Went in to visit family and my dad told me to go ahead and bring in the parts I've been waiting to put on. This ended up taking the entire weekend plus Monday (is "because racecar" a good reason to skip classes?).
Drive in was uneventful, got in late Friday night.
![]()
Set to work early Saturday morning on the roll bar assuming that would be the worst part. It is a Hard Dog M2 Sport. Everything went smoothly aside from the complete and total lack of knowledge either of us had on how to do this. I had read writeups online sure but when I actually got to putting the bar in those all seemed to miss some details here and there. In the end it was fine. It wasnt super difficult to work out however once we realized we had to cut the parcel shelf and not just the metal piece that unbolts. It seems self explanatory now...still that first cut hurt my heart a little.
![]()
Test fitting
![]()
Its in!
![]()
We cut the interior pieces to fit back around the rollbar and trimmed up what we needed and here is where we make the great mistake. The headers. Cheap Raceland headers. They should be easy we said, we can knock it out tonight we said. They were not, we couldn't. I don't have many pictures of this process so I apologize in advance.
![]()
Put the front end up on stands and got to work. Also shoutout to my girlfriend and her blue Lexus in the background of this picture for not only putting up with my family this weekend but also me being insanely busy trying to visit family and get this car back in one piece. You're a saint.
![]()
Lost a very important piece in the attempt to get the headers off. Not long after this there was a sudden downpour. They were not removed that night. I don't have any pictures of the next day but we ended up finally getting the headers out and the new ones in. It took 2 hours just to get the EGR tube bent enough to fit. Raceland also ships a gasket for the top of the headers but not one to fit between the headers and the cat. That was another trip out and 2 parts stores to find. Also had to extend the O2 wires but I knew that was going to be an issue.
![]()
They ended up fitting (but not well) finally after much cursing and struggling. The headers bounce off of the transmission tunnel under acceleration so that will take some massaging to remedy.
![]()
I am glad to have this stuff done I hope there wasnt too much whining in this post! The headers do make a difference around 3.5-4.5k and the car feels better power wise but I can see why the RB headers are the suggested route. Not gonna lie though right after this picture some highschool kid on a field trip asked to take a picture with my car and it completely made my day.
Drive in was uneventful, got in late Friday night.
Set to work early Saturday morning on the roll bar assuming that would be the worst part. It is a Hard Dog M2 Sport. Everything went smoothly aside from the complete and total lack of knowledge either of us had on how to do this. I had read writeups online sure but when I actually got to putting the bar in those all seemed to miss some details here and there. In the end it was fine. It wasnt super difficult to work out however once we realized we had to cut the parcel shelf and not just the metal piece that unbolts. It seems self explanatory now...still that first cut hurt my heart a little.
Test fitting
Its in!
We cut the interior pieces to fit back around the rollbar and trimmed up what we needed and here is where we make the great mistake. The headers. Cheap Raceland headers. They should be easy we said, we can knock it out tonight we said. They were not, we couldn't. I don't have many pictures of this process so I apologize in advance.
Put the front end up on stands and got to work. Also shoutout to my girlfriend and her blue Lexus in the background of this picture for not only putting up with my family this weekend but also me being insanely busy trying to visit family and get this car back in one piece. You're a saint.
Lost a very important piece in the attempt to get the headers off. Not long after this there was a sudden downpour. They were not removed that night. I don't have any pictures of the next day but we ended up finally getting the headers out and the new ones in. It took 2 hours just to get the EGR tube bent enough to fit. Raceland also ships a gasket for the top of the headers but not one to fit between the headers and the cat. That was another trip out and 2 parts stores to find. Also had to extend the O2 wires but I knew that was going to be an issue.
They ended up fitting (but not well) finally after much cursing and struggling. The headers bounce off of the transmission tunnel under acceleration so that will take some massaging to remedy.
I am glad to have this stuff done I hope there wasnt too much whining in this post! The headers do make a difference around 3.5-4.5k and the car feels better power wise but I can see why the RB headers are the suggested route. Not gonna lie though right after this picture some highschool kid on a field trip asked to take a picture with my car and it completely made my day.
