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Hey everyone, recently picked up a mint 85k 2012 G37s 6MT sedan and wanted a place to document my build. Side note: This forum is quite active, which is awesome. I hate the FB pages compared to actual forums such as this.
Build goal: Simple, reliable, and comfortable for the street with enough track-ability for 6 - 10 HPDE days a year in CA.
Upgrades will mainly be completed as required for maintainability, tracking, and as driver skill increases. This will be my first RWD build. I've been searching on the site and have come across some really well put together product reviews and builds. Members like Bull, 4DRZ, Rochester, and others have been of great help in determining what I want for the car and what's just extra.
Previous "builds" include a 4th gen 93 Si-VTEC Prelude(high school daily), 2006 CBR600RR(Street toy), and 1st gen 2006 TSX 6MT (DD/HPDE). Currently have a 07 TL-S that'll be going back to stock for the wife as a daily. As you can tell I've been a Honda/Acura guy my whole life. This is my first non Honda/Acura product.
Now on to the G. I'm going to try and take a slow approach while I learn the car and work on my driver mod. Here is my Phase 1 plan. Please feel free to pick it apart and make suggestions as you see fit. It's just copied and pasted from my notes app, I'll clean it up later.
Car was purchased with CSC and throw out bearing replaced around 80k. K&N short ram intakes which I'll swap with my brothers 09 stock intakes + AFE drop in's + TB/MAF cleaning. Typical busted rear diff bushing. Had 20% ceramic tints installed quickly. Some minor things like full LED's from VLED's and Diode Dynamics as well as the DD turn as tail modules are purchased and awaiting install. Full 90k fluid service is due as well so if you guys have any fluid recommendations please let me know.
Phase 1:
235/45 Front and 255/40 Rear Pilot Super Sports on 18x8.5 +38 square OG Volk TE37’s
245/45/18 Square Indy500. Budget and rotation. Plus the tire size I wanted wasn't a good fit for the G.
Step up in grip from current A/S proxy’s.
Sharper turn in then square set up. Helps maintain slight understeer bias vs neutral(less margin for error) or oversteer(Wee, fun, spin..)
Can switch to a square set up if stagger pushes too much or my driving skill catches up.
Allows me learn the chassis and RWD track driving in near stock bias before progressing
Wheels already owned from my TL-S/Tires will be sourced from used take off's.
Z1 Oil cooler
Don’t need my first track day in the car ruined by limp mode.
Scored fully spec’d out $700+ configuration brand new for $450 on CL
Acquired. Waiting on PS cooler to install.
Z1 PS cooler - Going to hold off for now and try redline fluid first.
Still in the air with this one. Seems like I’ll end up needing it according to the internet. So might as well do it now right?
Following same thought process as oil cooler.
People are still boiling their fluid? Wtf.
Running first day slightly under-filled in the reservoir appears to solve the issue for some. Or at least avoid spills.
Need to purchase - $230ish
GKTech 1.3 High pressure rad cap
Allow’s a little more pressure in the system
Fairly cheap part if it works well.
Need to purchase $25 - $45
Poly filled diff bushing
Purchased with the typical busted bushing.
Motorvate’s 1 year follow up was encouraging.
Temp fix until later phases of the build.
Polly bushing sets according to a few others on here don’t really add too much for the overall feeling. So why spend on them now and drop the diff when poly fill works and I'll be dropping the diff in later phases anyway.
Need to purchase poly fill - $15
Bell Raceworks Diff Brace
A community favorite for bang for buck.
Acquired. Waiting on Polly fill to install.
Xp10/Xp8 pads and blank rotors
Likely an $$$ purchase if I run Bobcats on the street on same rotors.
Hate to make life harder for track prep. So pop in pads or full brake job every time.
Castrol SRF Fluid
Go straight to brake ducting now?
Need to purchase/finalize decision.
RJM Clutch pedal
Well known modulation issues with factory unit. Thought I could get used to it. Nope.
1st month of ownership purchased and had installed. Game changer.
Welcome! Sounds like you have some great plans ahead and have done your research. Get the basics in place, start learning the car, and then figuring out what to upgrade next. Enjoy!
Welcome! Sounds like you have some great plans ahead and have done your research. Get the basics in place, start learning the car, and then figuring out what to upgrade next. Enjoy!
Thanks! That's approach I'm going for, get in and drive the car for the lowest dollar amount first with the "must have" mods in place.
Originally Posted by Lego_Maniac
Congrats on the new to you car!!
You probably want to put sway bars on the list
On the phase 2 list already
Actually leaning towards your old Koni/Swift spring set up for ride quality over something like a KWv1, which I previously had on my TSX. Which were actually the STX's with same valving and spring rates. Just trying to decide I want to go springs and shocks first then fine tune with the sways for go sways first.
On the phase 2 list already
Actually leaning towards your old Koni/Swift spring set up for ride quality over something like a KWv1, which I previously had on my TSX. Which were actually the STX's with same valving and spring rates. Just trying to decide I want to go springs and shocks first then fine tune with the sways for go sways first.
Of all the stuff I did to my car, sways and the rjm pedal + short throw shifter were the most transformational. Sure, exhaust and intake make fantastic noises, and the springs and shocks and wheels and 275 rears improved the ride, handling and looks. But sways made a huge difference. Plus they're relatively cheap and easy to install.
The Koni/Swift setup is awesome. Just be careful not to mount the spring perch upside down or it will raise the car.
Congrats on the car and good choice on the white. So you currently have the Toyo Proxes A/S?
Thanks! I've been following your build as well, those RPF1's man are money. Question for you though, how much clearance do you have at +15? I was researching is seems like some people say 18x9 +25ish will clear the sport brakes.
Yeah I've got Toyo Proxes 4plus currently in 245/45/18 on the rear.
Thanks! I've been following your build as well, those RPF1's man are money. Question for you though, how much clearance do you have at +15? I was researching is seems like some people say 18x9 +25ish will clear the sport brakes.
Yeah I've got Toyo Proxes 4plus currently in 245/45/18 on the rear.
With regards to RPF1, for any size wider than a 8.5", only the 9.5" +15 and 10.5 +15 will 100% clear the front Akebono. The rears is more forgiving in clearance.
This was the only reason I chose the 9.5" +15. I would have prefered the 9.5 +38 as it wouldn't poke so much and would be right at the fender.
If its another wheel, some will clear in that size and offset, some wont, but depends on the spoke design and face profile.
The Michelin Pilots Super Sports are definitely the better tire, but Toyo just released their newer all season, the Proxes A/S. Its a newer compound. The 4plus is an older tire in their line up.
With regards to RPF1, for any size wider than a 8.5", only the 9.5" +15 and 10.5 +15 will 100% clear the front Akebono. The rears is more forgiving in clearance.
This was the only reason I chose the 9.5" +15. I would have prefered the 9.5 +38 as it wouldn't poke so much and would be right at the fender.
If its another wheel, some will clear in that size and offset, some wont, but depends on the spoke design and face profile.
The Michelin Pilots Super Sports are definitely the better tire, but Toyo just released their newer all season, the Proxes A/S. Its a newer compound. The 4plus is an older tire in their line up.
Yeah the spoke design on the 9+ is the only option for me if I ever get a set. I've struggled with BBK clearance and the high offset necesary with the 9+ RPF1's for as long as I can remember, most recently on my TL.
Ah I see yeah sorry no feedback on the new Proxes A/S's didn't realize that's the name Toyo went with. The 4plus's came on the car when I purchased it, for an all season they're really nice and handle great, with a little bit of road noise but nothing major.
Of all the stuff I did to my car, sways and the rjm pedal + short throw shifter were the most transformational. Sure, exhaust and intake make fantastic noises, and the springs and shocks and wheels and 275 rears improved the ride, handling and looks. But sways made a huge difference. Plus they're relatively cheap and easy to install.
The Koni/Swift setup is awesome. Just be careful not to mount the spring perch upside down or it will raise the car.
Oh I hear you on that, I've gone through my fair share of intake/exhaust/tunes/suspension set ups. Everything from 3" exhausts to Tein Monosports, and I've learned only a few of those mods I want to live with on my DD. So this build is all about balance.
Ha that Koni spring mount reversal is prevalent on nearly every chassis I've owned. I've had Koni's on my prelude with ground controls, on my Tsx with Tanabe springs, and currently on my TL with stock springs. I blame it on Koni's horrible instructions.
My plan if I go with the Koni/Swift combo is to run a spring sleeve similar to what iCrap used to bring up droopy bum:
Now the sway bars are really interesting to me. On one hand they are touted as a great bang for buck option but on the other I've always believed you should use sway bars to fine tune your suspension once you have a proper shock/spring(or coil-over) set up in place. Another thought in my head from research has been does this car need a bigger rear bar? Or will the front bar alone be enough like the 370z track guys claim? Again these questions I can't answer without first getting the car out on track.
I feel like I've seen that user name somewhere. I had a 92 CB back in 07-11 that I did a full shave and wire tuck along with a F/H hybrid combo in the CB7tuner.com days. Glad to see a honda guy in here!
Welcome to the forum, she's a bit slow but full of knowledge, the FB groups are full of immaturity but is far more active. Part of my involvement is to encourage people back into the forums where this immaturity can be limited.
Same username for every board I've been on for the past 16 years. Nearly every prelude forum of the time, preludezone, preludepower, etc. Regardless of the FRM sleeves the H series was my favorite until the K24, I couldn't take the torque less B's and D's. Plus the CB and BB chassis were different than the more common Civics and Integra's back then.
Nice! I always wanted to do a G23 build and boost it but never got around to it before selling the car. I did have the bluetop EuroR H23 though and it was awesome.
Finally got her cleaned up and took some decent pictures from my iPhone XS.
Also installed DD turn as tail, full interior VLED's(waiting to do the cabin filter for the glove box LED), back up LED's, and license plate LED's. Love the color, exactly what I was looking for...OEish white color.
09-09-2020, 05:10 PM
