I have been pondering this quite a bit lately. Most of those that know me know that my mod decisions are borderline obsessions. Always gotta have that next part. Gotta have the best. Over the last 3 years of ITR ownership I've made some questionable decisions. Changes of opinion/goals/direction. I have viewed the overall outcome of my car differently over the years in terms of what it would/should look like. I've modded almost every piece of my car aside from an engine rebuild. Looking at the receipts from over the years I've porobably past 20K CAD. This would include parts that I have changed like different wheels, strut tower bars, steering wheels, headers, intakes, etc. This got me thinking about what I would do if I could start with a bone stock ITR and use it as a DD as well as a weekend track car.

Based on what I have learned here from others and in my own experience I would do the following mods:

Mugen intake
Mugen bushings all around
Mugen pedals
Koni Yellows on stock springs

Yup, that's it.

I'd like to hear from other ITR owners who have yearned for a stock ITR after years of modding. Or anyone who has an opinion .

-WR

 

I learned from my mistakes in the past. I had a couple of Honda's before my R and both were modded. The benefits/driving pleasure I got from the mods were definately not worth the time, effort, discomforts, etc. So when I bought the R, I left it stock. If/When I get another R, I will leave it stock. That's my $.02

 

I can't help but think a header and exhaust with a Mugen computer would be nice, too!

Looks like my last bits for the car will be fresh Mugen bushings and some stock retainers w/a JDM valvecover.


Though in answer to your original question, I can't help but think that just plain stock would be nice too!

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by zygspeed &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I can't help but think a header and exhaust with a Mugen computer would be nice, too!</TD></TR></TABLE>

See, that's where it starts. One thing leads to another. It's like a disease

 

If I were to start all over again....I would do everything that I have done except, AP roll bar and a clutch pack differential.

I have:
Mugen Intake
Toda Header
Hytech Exhaust HYTECH FTMFW!!!!!
Spoon clappers
Mugen Lowdowns
Mugen pedals
Mugen rear sway
Hondata IM gasket
Password Strut bars (would probably change those to mugen)

 

i had a eg before so i figured it out on that

my R is mostly stock
Comptech Icebox
JDM 16's street
16in TE-37's for track
Spoon Calipers
JDM Recaro's
Nardi Steering wheel

 

a bigger turbo

no Id probably keep it simple like my previous all motor setup, but this time make sure its built right

 

Chris, why does your ankle hurt? Oh yeah, I'm staying at your place for the winter Olympics in Two Thousand 8

Things I would do differently if I was on my second and all stock R?
1) Mugen Intake - from experience, I'd gladly buy a second one
2) Hytech exhaust mani, or comparable
3) Hytech exhaust or comparable
4) Supercharger, mayyybe... Brad has had great success with his so I know this is a totally streetable option.
5) Suspension/bushings - Hawaii has **** roads, so this would take some thought.

That is all.

 

I would not do anything different aside from maybe choosing a different header + suspension, both because of noise issues. It is not that they are too loud, but my Mugen header has an annoying resonance/rattle that is not an install issue and my Zeal coilovers clunk/ratte over normal roads. Buddy club coilovers on the other hand are relatively silent, but not nearly as lightweight. Minor stuff though. They both pay dividends at the track where the noises go unnoticed.


If a car is mainly for street and weekend driving I would just keep it simple and subtle.

In the long term for a street car you want something that is reasonably close to the comfort level of stock in terms of ride quality and noise.

Here is a simple list of ITR mods I would suggest to someone to personalize their car a bit, make it look better, and also make it perform slightly better. It does not deviate too far from OEM either.

1. Get a really good alignment, slight toe out in the front, zero rear toe. Sounds small, but really can increase your driving enjoyment.

2. Upgrade front brake pads, upgraded brake fluid.

3. Rear strut bar, new pedals which are drilled in to the stock pedals, JDM shift boot to add to the red stitch theme.

4. New 15x7 or 16x7 wheels with lightweight cosmetic lug nuts for looks and personalization. Keep the offset very close to stock (+45 to +50) and you won't alter the steering feel too much. Although, tire choice plays a role in steering feel as well. Don't skimp on tires, they can affect your handling and steering significantly and don't go too wide for the wheels that you have.

5. Get a set of the custom valved coilovers offered here on HT marketplace, get them valved just a hair stiffer than stock and the same bias, maybe 5k/5k if you can do that. You will get the dropped appearence, reduced body motions and a better handling feel. Those spring rates will be close to the balance OEM offers and will not be that much stiffer. Ask around and see if the ones you choose make any noises while they operate. In my experience, different suspensions can make different types of noises.

One could also choose the Bilstein SP shocks + lowering springs combo for a solid drop + handling upgrade for a bit less money. You lose your ability to fine tune your stance though.

6. If you can handle increased noise levels for a moderate gain(~15) in HP, do the intake/header/cat/exhaust combo or some part of the combo. Get the quietest combo you can get since any combo of these parts will be significantly louder than stock. The loudest combos don't add all that much extra HP anyways. Here are the quieter options:

Intake: Comptech or Mugen.
Header: Any 2.5" type
Cat: Any 2.5" cat
Exhaust: SMSP, HyTech, Mugen, or Futjitsubo RM-01A

7. Get any dings/scratches removed and get your car detailed regularly to keep the paint looking new. Having a car that looks flawless is always rewarding and invites you to get behind the wheel.

8. Tint if you think it looks better, I love the way tint looks on my R.

9. A clear bra for the front end to prevent rock chips. This can really help on the track & highway where a lot of small rock chips seem to fly around. I have this on my TSX and wish I did it to my Type-R.

10. New headunit, upgrade the OEM speakers in the doors and rear panel. If you have the cash get a Navigation dual din head unit so you can find your way back after you go for random back country drives in the middle of nowhere because you love your car!

Well that is about all I would ever do if I was starting over with a brand new ITR.

I personally did a few things different from that list only because my car is mainly for HPDE's now i.e stiffer spring rates, rear sway.


Modified by AamirCWITR at 11:23 AM 2/7/2007

 

i don't think i'd do anything differently besides not slack off. . .

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Haleiwa-Brando &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Chris, why does your ankle hurt? </TD></TR></TABLE>

https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=1859158
Guess you missed this thread.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Haleiwa-Brando &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Oh yeah, I'm staying at your place for the winter Olympics in Two Thousand 8 </TD></TR></TABLE>

No probs. We gotz a nice fouton bed for you .

 

if i had chance to do it all over again..

i'd wanna keep her as close to stock form..

i realized the more **** you do to your car. the more headache and more cash

 

and to think i am being barked at for wanting a stock caR

 

Nothing..

 

regrets are for pansy asses

it's a freaking toy that conveniently has a plethora of go-fast and bling parts that you can throw your wallet at because it makes you feel all special inside

no different than blowing your load in Vegas on high limits Hold-em and ******...... except you get more rides with the R

I just wish Honda made the wheel wells bigger and the LCA out of the way so I could run 8" rims without having to tub out the body

Hopefully I will be able to keep the R in my stable forever...

right beside my modded...
Ariel Atom with K24 supercharged
Corvette Z06 Blue Devil with chip, pulley & exhaust
Nissan GTR with modded ceramic ball bearing turbos and massive FMIC (my dd)
and my bone stock Porsche 997 GT3 RS

Muuwaaaha ha ha ha ha haaaaaa

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Big Phat R &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">regrets are for pansy asses</TD></TR></TABLE>

No regrets from me personally. Blowing an engine from over boosting, buying the car from Len and driving across the country with it... all good times. Even the stressful times were good times.

I'd simply be more subtle next time around.

Chris: A friend of mine sold me a buddy pass for Delta, so we'll talk soon. I heard they are going ape **** up there at Whistler village and that the highway is tripple the size it used to be.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Haleiwa-Brando &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I heard they are going ape **** up there at Whistler village and that the highway is tripple the size it used to be.</TD></TR></TABLE>


Landslide last week closed the hwy for 8 hours.

The next day there was a crash between a logging truck and a bus.

Not exactly the safest hwy to do canyon running imho

http://www.canada.com/victoria...96427

"A logging truck lost its load on a corner as it headed south. The logs, some at least a metre in diameter, spilled into the southbound lane and hit an empty Gray Line bus head-on as it travelled toward Whistler, seriously injuring the driver."

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Big Phat R &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">regrets are for pansy asses

it's a freaking toy that conveniently has a plethora of go-fast and bling parts that you can throw your wallet at because it makes you feel all special inside</TD></TR></TABLE>

QFT

 

^^^^^those were two brutal events. The Sea to Sky is a nice road in the spring/summer months but lately is has been a catastrophe

 

I'll tell you what I'd do (or my wish list for what I'd do) if I could start with a stock R right now.

First, I'd have the dealership perform every last one of the scheduled maintenance items, plus oil changes every 3,500 or so. I'd personally check out the CV joint and tie rod end boots a couple times a year. Replace all suspension and steering bushings every 50,000-75,000 miles, or as they wear out, with OEM parts.

For mods, ideally I'd add the same Bilstein/GC setup I've got now, except with 10" springs in front and 8" springs in back. This would offer a bit more ground clearance than the 8" and 7" springs that come with the kit. Under the hood:

Mugen intake
Mugen oil pan
Toda spec A cams
Toda cam gears
Toda header
upgraded timing belt
SMS cat and exhaust
ATS carbon clutch
ATI super damper (street)
Hondata S200
Hondata IM gasket
Larger fuel injectors
Lots of tuning

Other than that, not much else. Get out the heat gun and peel off the R stickers, put the wing in storage until track days, keep good tires on it and have fun.

 

I would have not bought this POS, Should have got the 02 Camaro SS instead.
Fast, very fast, handles great and is an American car that a real collectors background. While the whole time theft would never been part of owning it.
Of course in the Burnt Orange color:

 

Did they^^^ come with the white pants and pink collared shirt?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by walker111 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Did they^^^ come with the white pants and pink collared shirt?</TD></TR></TABLE>

Hey, leave Len out of this

 

I honestly don't regret any of the mods I've done to the car. That being said I don't think I woulda done the Mugen header, probably woulda gone w/ the Comptech race header and I probably woulda done a Koni/GC setup over my Zeals. Other than those two things don't think I'd change a thing.

Oh and here's my current mod list

- Zeal B2
- Password JDM strut bars
- JDM 23mm rear swaybar
- Spoon drain plugs & resevoir covers
- Spoon twinblock
- Autopower 4pt rollbar
- 15" Kosei K1
- Mugen N1 steering wheel
- Mugen JDM 4-1 header
- Mugen intake
- Mugen oil pan
- Mugen 2nd gen rear wing
- Mugen S1 bucket (driver and passenger) w/ Mugen Rails
- Toda flywheel
- Exedy clutch
- Cobalt GTS rear
- Cobalt Spec VR front
- ATE Super Blue
- Dynabatt battery
- T1R testpipe
- ATS 4.929 FD
- Circuit Hero shift extender

 

I would not have farted around with cheap *** parts at first. You get what you pay for.