Super Sleeper Stagea

[Jay]

Finally got a chance to go over the car properly today and try and do a few bits, never went to plan though, but there`s always tommorow. On the list was.

Apexi Filter
Turbo Timer
Boost Gauge
Oil/Filter change
General tidy

Well, the last 2 got done anyway, didn`t bother with the Apexi today as i found it had a new HKS panel in there already. Turbo timer, er, well, took the cover off the steering column, looked at wires, then decided i`d let someone who knows what there doing help. Drew a blank with the boost gauge and neither Halfrauds or CAF keep such an item, so i`ll try elsewhere. Found a few other nice bits on it too, apart from the tein coilovers, hks filter and hks silent exhaust, i think it`s also got Endless pads on it too, stops a damn site better than the GTS anyway. CD/MD changer in there, and it works, got to rip out all the SatNav wiring though, it`s everywhere. Another spare key was in the door pocket (that makes 3!!)

Found out a few things about the owner though, they smoked quite a lot of Phillip Morris cigarettes, while the passengers were on Menthols or Marlboro, He liked it to smell nice, i`ve found 5 tins of air fresher stuff so far. His favorite place to stub cigarettes was his seat, but never mind. And he ate some kind of revolting dried fish stuff, which i found in the door pocket too, yumm.

The suspension has definatly got to be raised a bit, measured it earlier and i`ve got a whole 3 inches of clearance for the downpipe, the backbox has already taken a few smacks. Also it looks like it`s had a bit of paint in the past, the front bumper has been touched up and in need of laquer and the n/s rear quarter has had a blow over, but i think a bit of gentle t-cutting will sort this.

Anyway, new piccies people......

[Moff]

Looks good that...

Are they 34gtt rims on there ?

Moff

[Squeak]

Yep they are Moff,

Looking good Jay

[Jay]

Also just found that the previous owner was owners club, Stagea Web for Advanced Tune Kanagawa

http://translate.google.com/translat...n%26safe%3Doff

Christ knows what else has been done that i don`t know about then.

[Ahapartridge]

Looks well

[essee]

Sweeet looking front end on that!!

[Jay]

Just got off the phone to A Flux sorting out the insurance on the Stagea, and they`ve made my day. Modifications declared my premium has DROPPED from that of the GTS`s by a massive 800 quid!!!! What the hell was i paying all that money for before then??

[mad dog]

very nice jay is a bit low init

[Kemnay]

I wish my grass was emo..... so it would cut it self!

Think the front spoiler is going to remove this chore from your 'to do' list

[Jay]

Well this morning i decided on going for a little drive, maybe go and get some bits for the house, then wherever the wind blew me, as it happened it turned out to be quite windy as i ended up at RSP, then some money fell out of my wallet and a shiney decat pipe ended up in my hands

After a bit of drooling over some of the toys down there i came home and swapped the filters from the GTS and the Stagea. Couple of things i noticed. They`ve got completely different AFM`s. And the Airboxes are completely different, i found this out AFTER i`d bolted up the afm to the Stagea airbox and tried to fit it in the GTS, it`s a lot shallower, none of the bolts line up as a result, and the stagea airbox seems a lot more restrictive internally (piccies below, stagea airbox on left) Anyway, as a result of swappage i put a new standard filter back in the GTS, so there`s an HKS foam panel filter (new) up for grabs for the first person to come pick it up and buy me a pint.

All in all, not a bad day, especially with the insurance luck this morning, i wonder what i`ll do with the extra 800 quid i`ll have

[Jay]

Well, at 9.30 this morning the plates turned up, so i slapped them on and went to fill it up and go for a little drive. About 60 miles and half a tank later and i`m wondering why i`ve ever bothered driving anything else. It`s just so connected. I`ve got to say, at first i thought it was a bit slow, then i started pushing some buttons and realised i had had it in overdrive AND snow mode. **** me does that thing fly, and the amount of space in there is just stupid. I had 3 bags of bark, one of granite, one topsoil, 6 shrubs, a tree and a dozen koi in the back earlier and didn`t fold the seats. Anyway, think i`ll go now, need to help that global warming along as it`s gotten rainy. Hopefully see some of you in Kent tommorow.

[Bubble]

Great to see that you are so pleased with the Stagea Jay

[Jay]

After over 7 weeks of not driving, I went down to SP to pick up the car yesterday, a big thanks goes to PK (Dr Evil) for the ride down, top bloke.
Before it went in, the manifold was blowing badly, and i was majorly down on power (couldn`t keep up with a corsa) so i`ve had that sorted, as well as 4 broken studs, nice shiny downpipe fitted and the decat has gone on and 2 stage boost removed.

MY GOD!!! It`s a completly different car, with the car standing before, given a rev, the turbo wouldn`t even spool, it sure does now. On the road, the gearbox has stopped messing around trying to find the power, and on the test drive, the back end was squatting with the power and slamming the exhaust into the road, meh, was fun though.

Anyway, we got back, chris fixed the exhaust up for me (using some random bits or R34 bracing) and now it`s got some clearance.

After the traffic cleared on the way home, had a spirited drive, doesnt half shift now, i thought it was good before. Not only that, with everything set the same, and drving the same as i did on the way in, i only used HALF the amount of fuel on the way home.

Stuck a few pictures in just to show how bad the manifold was, i was shocked that an OEM part would be break in such a way, no wonder the turbo wasn`t spooling, it was only being fed from 3 cylinders.






An a beautiful piece of jewellery from Andy`s new range, made from my broken studs, priceless.




Once again, a MASSIVE thankyou to Andy and Chris for sorting my car, i wouldnt recommend anyone else and certainly wouldn`t use anyone else.

Plus you know i`ll be back for the next stages, looks like the pads will need doing shortly, the suspension has to be raised as it`s stressing the driveshafts and the tiebar bushes are well on there way out.

[Moff]

Excellent mate..

My manifold was fooked and I thought it was bad, yours was proper fooked !!

Moff

[Squeak]

Thats so bad that you could sell it on as a puzzle

Great to hear its much better now Jay