Ryan's Garage
 

Alright I'm going to keep this spot as a build thread for my car. Also to show off, some of the stuff I do on a regular basis :)

My Ion has changed quite a bit since I was driving it in the summer. I didn't even take pictures of it last summer, because I was un-happy with it.
last summer mods list
CA front mount heat exchanger
Pacesetter header
"custom" Catless downpipe (that I hate)
Meth injection
LS4 Throttle body with custom spacer
Custom Intake (stupid design)
AEM UEGO
HP tuned (terribly)
60 lb/hr injectors
Return fuel system
35 shot nitrous
2.9 pulley
Spec Lightweight flywheel
Spec stg 2+ clutch

I had a lot of issue's with HPT flashing my car, it kept throwing communication codes and what not, and I could not figure out why. I tried everything I could, everything tested fine but still no luck with HP tuners.
I dyno'd 238whp 218wtrq off nitrous (pegging my wideband at 10:1 AFR :lol:)
266whp 236wtrq with nitrous

I was fortunate enough to be able to keep my car in the garage all winter because I got a winter beater for cheap.
This is how it looked before last monday (the hood was put on a few weeks ago)
http://i647.photobucket.com/albums/u...e/DSC_0816.jpg

I have also spent quite a bit of money on the car, to get it to the point of where I will be happy with it.

Now since it starting to warm up, I can finally start getting the car ready for spring. First off, body work

I drilled the rivets out of the license plate holder, because I hate the front license where it was. Well this obviously left holes that were just as ugly. So I filled them
http://i647.photobucket.com/albums/u...e/DSC_0818.jpg
http://i647.photobucket.com/albums/u...e/DSC_0819.jpg

Obviously started with removing the bumper
http://i647.photobucket.com/albums/u...e/DSC_0822.jpg
I used a plastic filler bought from Welle Auto Parts
I forgot to take pictures using it. Required a lot of sanding.
This is how it sits as of right now
http://i647.photobucket.com/albums/u...e/DSC_0278.jpg
Holes filled, sanded and ready for paint.

Next I started on my hood. The hood was used, and damaged in shipping. I personally do not like the full carbon fiber look of the hood, and decided the sides would be painted to match the car.
Here's the damage
http://i647.photobucket.com/albums/u...e/DSC_0820.jpg
I started with grinding the damage off each side and beveling the edge for better bondage (lol)
http://i647.photobucket.com/albums/u...e/DSC_0285.jpg
http://i647.photobucket.com/albums/u...e/DSC_0286.jpg

Then since the area was so small that was damaged and not a structural part, I just used fiberglass enforced filler. Built up the corners
http://i647.photobucket.com/albums/u...e/DSC_0290.jpg

Then I shaped the corners with my grinder
http://i647.photobucket.com/albums/u...e/DSC_0291.jpg
and sanded and primed everything
http://i647.photobucket.com/albums/u...e/DSC_0296.jpg

And this is how it sits as of now. Everything will be painted either this weekend or next weekend. (don't mind my friends finger lol)
http://i647.photobucket.com/albums/u...e/DSC_0303.jpg

I have a lot of work to do on this damn car in the coming weeks.
Including putting these on
http://i647.photobucket.com/albums/u...e/DSC_0824.jpg

To do list (this month lol)
Paint
Pull my gas tank and figure out my fuel issue (explained later)
Finish fabbing my new intake system
Re-wire Meth injection
Remove my trans to replace the clutch actuator
Re-make my CF front lip

More pictures will be added as things come around

off to a great start!

I like those MSR rims, what size are they?

They are 17x7 +35 offset..
Bought from Jason @ Aplusperformance, very good guy to work with. Highly recommended

Wheels are on..

http://i647.photobucket.com/albums/u.../DSC_08212.jpg
http://i647.photobucket.com/albums/u.../DSC_08222.jpg
http://i647.photobucket.com/albums/u.../DSC_08232.jpg
http://i647.photobucket.com/albums/u.../DSC_08242.jpg

Painted has been delayed until this weekend, the person painting it had some other work that needed to be finished first.

I am hoping I figured out my fuel issue.
I removed the fuel tank, replaced my fuel pump sock with a new one, re-did my fuel line under the car. Turns outs I had a evap leak, that I knew about, but might be the culprit to my tuning woe's I have had. The car would be extremely rich when my gas tank is full, and extremely lean when the gas tank would get below 1/2 tank of gas.
Unfortunately I didn't get any pictures of this

I did however make a new bracket for my Aeromotive FPR. My old one was literally falling apart (poor buildmanship lol) but the new one is 100000x better
old
http://i647.photobucket.com/albums/u.../DSC_02772.jpg
New
http://i647.photobucket.com/albums/u...SC_08182-1.jpg

Those look great on a rl.