Category Archives: Project Cars

A Look Back at the TEIN S15

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Recently saw on facebook that Import Tuner magazine is running a contest to see what the next cover car should be. One of the front runners is a white S15. It reminded me of when the TEIN S15 was on the cover of Import Tuner.

March 2006 issue. Click HERE to read the article.

Back in 2005 when drifting and time attack were blossoming in the US, TEIN decided to build a monstrous demo car. The purpose was to build a single car that could compete in select drift and time attack events. Prior to this decision we were sponsoring or borrowing cars to compete under the TEIN name.

One of our engineers who had some fabrication and rally racing experience was put in charge of the project. I obtained parts and helped with final assembly when I was not working on our 2006 Civic Si Coupe (also debuted at the 2005 SEMA show). I do not think our bay door closed for an entire month. Some of us worked, ate and even slept at the office to get the two cars finished.

This picture was probably taken at 2 or 3am a few nights before the cars had to leave for Vegas.

In the end the S15 was completed just in time to display at SEMA.

Under the hood sat at RD28DETT which was pushed back over 10″ to improve weight distribution. The motor was fully built from top to bottom with HKS parts and produced an easy 600HP and 550ft-lbs of torque.

There were tons of custom parts including Ikeya Formula arms to widen the track, tubed front and rear fender wells, v-mount rad/ intercooler, crazy jungle-gym like cage, gussets everywhere, this car could have probably launched off a cliff and nothing would happen.

Ikeya custom arms, custom composite driveshaft, ARC transmission and Diff coolers, Fujitsubo custom flat side exit exhaust.

Custom fuel surge tank, dual Bosch fuel pumps, ARC pumps for the trans. and diff., halon nozzle, plus last minute fabricated aluminum wing supports.

DEFI Super Sports Cluster, dual EDFC, floor mounted pedal assembly. Not much room since the trans. tunnel was remade to fit the OS Giken 6-speed sequential and because the engine was so far back.

Over the next couple of years the car shipped back and forth from Japan. While in Japan it displayed at Tokyo Auto Salon, and had work done by MCR.

A quiet day at Streets of Willow for the car’s first shakedown. It was pretty awesome to see the car run for the first time. 

In the end we ran the car twice at Super Lap Battle but the results were nothing special. Not enough testing and tuning to really get it properly dialed-in. Our engineers re-focused on product development instead of trying to be a race team, which we are not.

This car always reminds me building cars is about the right combination of parts and proper testing/ tuning. The TEIN S15 was constructed with a plan, had high-end quality parts and tons of fabrication but in the end maybe the combination just wasn’t right. Hopefully we will see the car re-emerge one day.

 

 

Coilover Spring Swap

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I have not really touched my EVO since my last track day back in May. The car felt the same, stable. Maybe too stable, meaning a tendency to understeer. I tried to compensate by aggressive trail braking and almost jerking the wheel to get weight transfer but the wide tires, wide body and aggressive aero keep the car super planted.

I have been meaning to try some different spring rates or R-comp tires for, hmmm… about the last 2 years. Spring rates and tires are VERY related. Higher grip tire = higher spring rates and vice versa. I am currently using 14kg front and 12kg rear springs plus slightly larger sway bars for front and rear. Over the past couple of years I have run Hankook RS2, Azenis RT-615 (non K), Continental CSC3 and Continental ExtremeContact DW. All street tires with similar performance. In my mind I thought my next purchase would always be a set of R-Compounds or extreme performance summer tire like an Advan Neova. But I just never seem to get there. I always end up buying something else, like my Voltex street front bumper, HKS V-Pro (which is sitting on a shelf in the garage), new DEFI Advance ZD, etc….

It FINALLY dawned on me that I should stop being lazy and just switch the springs to better suit the tires I always seem to use. A cheaper and more practice solution than spending $1300+ on tires. So last night I bought some softer springs (MSRP $120 per pair) and installed them. I went for a 2kg spring rate change. Now I have 12kg front and 10kg rear. The spring swap went relatively quickly. Depending on the damper we recommend a damper revalve if the spring rate is changed by +/- 2kg (for BASIC and Street Basis +/- 1kg since the damper is not damping force adjustable).

New 10kg springs for the rear. The 12kg originally on the rear will go to the front of the car since my setup uses SQ type springs for front and rear.

Here is a little useful information: This is how you can check what TEIN springs you have. The number printed on the spring is the individual spring part number. The part number listed on our website, catalog, etc…is a kit part number. So these springs are from kit part number SQ100-01175. The “SQ” designates a type of spring which is in this case is a standard straight spring, 65mm ID, 175mm free length.  The “100” after SQ is for the spring rate, 10kg. ex. 050 = 5kg. 140 = 14kg. “01175” is for the free length. Just pay attention to the last three digits which is the length. ex. 01200 = 200mm. 01150 = 150mm.

On the actual spring the part number is “Q100-GOC”. “Q” represents spring type, 65mm ID, 175mm free length. “100” is spring rate = 10kg. “QOC” is the LOT/ batch in which this spring was made.

First, I measured wheel center to fender height before starting. Maintaining the ride height will mean I will not need to do an alignment.

Not using the lift for this. (Getting lowered cars with aero parts on a normal lift is a pain. Got to drive up on ramps, use wood, adjust the risers on the arms, etc…) Simple jack and stands is quicker for something like this.

Started with the rear since my rear springs will go onto the front of my car. Super easy since my interior trunk panels are not installed.

I use Simple Green and a rag to clean off the coilovers. Then I inspect all components of the coilovers for damage, etc… I made a small adjustment in spring seat height to maintain ride height with the new softer spring rate. If the spring seat or damper length is not adjusted, the ride height will be lower due to the softer spring rate (softer spring will compress more = lower ride height).

Now for the front. Cool trick on the front of the EVO 8/9 and maybe older gens is that the front spring can be swapped without removing the damper. This means the alignment is not affected since you never even loosen the upright (hub bracket) bolts. Plus this saves LOTS of time.

Just remove the top nut then top mount. Then the spring can be removed and swapped through the strut tower. Depending on what type of tower bar you have, the bar may need to come off. My aluminum Carbing 3-pt. bar does not need to be removed as it has an open top design (quick spring change compatible and EDFC compatible).

Removed my EDFC motor first. Then I slowly removed the top nut with a 21mm deep socket. (Impact Guns need to be used with care as internal damper damage may occur if used excessively).

Used my leg to push the hub down and got the piston shaft out of the top mount. I just angled the damper in the fender well so it was out of the way while I removed the upper mount.

After removing the EDFC strut kit parts and upper spring seat the main spring comes right out.

After swapping the spring I re-installed the top mount then used a floor jack to lift the damper back up into the top mount. Jack was placed under the under arm and I slowly raised it up.  Re-tightened everything and re-installed the EDFC motor. Lastly I adjusted my shell case length by a few mm to maintain the original ride height.

I use a paint pen to mark the seat locks so I will know if they get loose. Be sure to torque the lower bracket lock.

Car back on the ground. I moved the car around to settle everything. Lastly I re-measured the wheel center to fender to ensure my ride height/ alignment has not changed.

All done. Now it is time for a test drive and a little fun. Hope to be testing the new spring rates next month at ButtonWillow Raceway.

Sleepy Time Car Show

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Usually when we prepare for a car show, we do an early drop off, set up and then return later or possibly the next day for the actual event. Let me tell you, I’ve been to a number of these kind of events but never to a Cars & Coffee event which is held in Irvine, CA simply because of the early check in and show time. I’m talking about arriving before 8 am and finishing around 11 am on a Saturday (sorry but I need my beauty sleep).

Here’s a few shots a friend took while I washed the car the night before.






Morning of the show

Just a few Lotus Elise

A beastly Camaro

K20a Ariel Atom

Big Body Bentley

Classic Ford GT

And the best car at the show.. This bug

Hmm what motor could this be?

Oh Snap! 13b Rotary!

Peep that custom fuel cut off

Overall it was cool show to check out. I don’t think I will be attending another anytime soon… or maybe once I pick up my Bugatti Veyron Super Sport.

TEIN Mustang GT Up For SALE – SOLD

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Our 2005 Ford Mustang GT is now up for sale. This Mustang was built with a mixture of Japanese, European and American parts – the best from around the world. And for this reason it does not look or sound like a typical Mustang you might see on the street, at the track or at a show.

Roush billet grill and ProCharger intercooler peeking through the lower grill.

Aggressive stance with FLEX fully adjustable coilovers, Volk GTF with gunmetal center and polished lip wheels, paint matched 3D Carbon Lip Kit and Wilwood BBK 6-piston front and 2-piston rear.

Sparco seats, Momo steering wheel, Clarion DVD/Navigation head unit, DEFI gauges and of course EDFC.

ProCharger supercharger with intercooler, JBA longtube headers, JE pistons, Eagle rods, ARP fasteners, painted valve covers and TONS of polished parts.

The short block has just been upgraded with a JE pistons, Eagle rods, ARP hardware and a new crankshaft. As of right now the newly built motor has about 10 miles on it. Here is the complete specification sheet:

Volk Racing Forged GTF 2pcs. wheels, light weight and incredibly strong. Wrapped in Continental rubber, 255 up front and 275 in the rear.

Seibon carbon fiber vented hood and trunk. Black roof done in vinyl decal so it can be easily removed.

 

If anyone is interested in purchasing this vehicle please contact Philip@tein.com.

SOLD

My Evo X and Mono Flex Dampers

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Tein Blog Readers,

I introduce to you my 2010 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X.
I chose the Evo X because I believe it has the perfect balance between daily driver and track car.
For your everyday needs it has 4 doors, it seats 5, and has a decently sized trunk.
When you get to the track it’s 2.0L Turbo Charged S-AWC System makes for a very fun time.

New off of the lot this is what I had to work with:

Having switched from a nearly 2 decade old BMW that was still running the suspension that was installed at the factory, the ride quality of the Evo’s stock suspension was a difference of night and day for me. But I still wanted more out of my car. Not to mention the stock ride height, it may be acceptable if the car was going to see any time on gravel; but my car was destined to be a tarmac queen, it needed to be lowered.

When it came time for me to choose one of the many suspension products we offer for the Evo X the decision was quick. Right at the time that I purchased my Evo, Elliot’s TEIN Sponsored EVO X was being returned to stock form, so all I needed to do was remove the suspension from his car and install it onto mine. Having done the majority of the track support for Elliot’s car I knew the suspension and setup well enough to be confident that my car would have no problems with said suspension installed.

Front Dampers installed and EDFC Wiring being taped up:

I even switched out my stock brakes for Elliot’s APM Rotors and Project Mu Pads:

In order to route the EDFC Wiring and mount the Controller I had to tear apart my brand new interior:

After having worked through the night transferring over many more parts I later took my car to Evasive Motorsports for a track ready alignment.

On the streets the Mono Flex Dampers provided just the right amount of comfort and control. The ride height was also right where I wanted it, not too low, not too high:

Using Mono Flex Dampers and upgraded brakes I was able to push out a 2:20 on Buttonwillow’s Time Attack configuration:

Lexus GS450H Race Car

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You might have seen this car on various online sites from SEMA 2010 coverage.

It is the 0-60 magazine built Lexus GS450H track car. Since nobody really has experience increasing power on a Hybrid, builder Gordon Ting, concentrated on all other aspects of a full blown race car. Overall weight was reduced by removing unneeded components and using composite materials, aerodynamics were greatly improved, suspension was upgraded to full 2-way adjustable coilovers, larger brakes front and rear, light weight forged wheels, competition slick tires and of course all the safety gear.

Here is a little closer look and maybe something few people know about.

1) Using custom application Super Racing Coilovers with dual EDFC (both units not yet installed).

2-way damping force adjustment, compression and rebound separately adjustable. Full length adjustment for setting ride height and spring pre-load independently. External reservoir tank for added oil capacity and cooling. Pillowball upper mounts and racing springs complete the kit.

This kit was produced under our Specialized Damper program in which TEIN can create custom coilovers for applications we do not normally produce and in custom specification to meet the customer’s requests.

2) Has the new DEFI ZD display.

DEFI ZD display, one of the EDFC controllers and a host of vital switches on the carbon center console. The unconventional shift knob was fabricated because the OE shifter was way too far forward.

3) The aero was made by TEIN dealer Evasive Motorsports

Dual canards, CF lip and custom CF front splitter from Evasive Motorsports. Forged TE37-SL from Rays and 6-piston neon green calipers from Brembo.

4) The car has a fully function air jack system.

Fully functional air jack system gets this car up in 3 seconds and back down even faster. The ultra aggressive aero and race ride height make the air jacks a necessity for service (imagine trying to get a floor jack under there without them).

You can see this car in the Lexus Booth at the LA Auto Show from 11/19 – 11/28.

Select photos courtesy of Gordon T. of 0-60.

Future Import Tuner magazine feature

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Luke Munnell of Import Tuner magazine was at TEIN yesterday shooting the Lexus ISF for a future feature. The ISF is an Import Tuner project car which TEIN USA sponsors. We have helped with the build and maintenance ever since the beginning of this project. The car was displayed at SEMA, CES and has competed at Super Lap Battle finals. It is the only newer body style IS to compete in SLB that I can remember. Tanner Foust drove the car to a 2:02 in the 2008 finals. I think the car can definitely break 2 minutes with the current NOS setup, wider tires and some aero upgrades.

Although Luke’s title is Technical Editor for Import Tuner magazine he along with all the editors do multiple tasks. One of Luke’s favs seems to be shooting feature vehicles.

Setting up the lights for one of many pics. Each shot takes at least 10-15mins to setup and then constant tweaking until everything is perfect.

Our warehouse is not ideal due to sky lights, tons of reflections, etc… so the right lighting is key to getting a good clean shot.

With everything in place it is time to shoot.

Luke will come back to shoot the exterior pics at one of his secret locations. Nah jk, just a spot nearby that he found on the way to TEIN. Pickup Import Tuner to see the full feature.

A Look Back at the TEIN Yaris

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Back in 2006 TEIN modified a Toyota Yaris 3-dr as a track toy. We knew going into it that it would not have a lot of power or handle like a sports car but it was something anybody could have fun in.

Started off with a detailed build plan and an awesome rendering made by Dennis Caco of AutoCannon.

Totally stock Yaris in all its glory. 1.5L 103 Flywheel HP, 92 WHP.

No way to add lots of power so we reduced weight.

Burnout front bumper and side skirts from KS Auto, Japan. Pond Premium rear wing and rear lip also from Japan. Bodywork and paint completed by Autowerks Body & Paint in El Monte, CA.

Stripped interior. Roll cage and custom seat bracket by Rothschild Fabrication in Riverside, CA.

K&N Intake for when the car ran NA (106WHP). Custom modified Greddy SuperCharger with Power Enterprise CamCon II for when it ran with forced induction (119WHP at 5lbs). Other under the hood mods included complete oil cooler system, Koyo radiator, KAAZ 1.5-way differential, ACT clutch, DC Sports Header and custom Vibrant exhaust.

All put together. Using BASIC coilovers which were converted to Super Street with EDFC (option is available to any customer) with 14kg fronts and 12 kg rears. Enkei 17×7 RP03 wheels and 215/40/17 Falken Azenis rubber. Mr. Andy Hope drove the car to a 2:08.091 at Super Lap Battle 2008. Good enough for 3rd in class. Not bad for a car with 119WHP, rear drum brakes, full glass and about 25MPG.

Matching support vehicle. v8 Sequoia equipped with 4 Bride seats, DEFI meters, JBA headers, MagnaFlow exhaust, K&N Intake, 20″ Enkei with Falken rubber and a sliding rear platform housing tools, jack, spare wheels, fuel jugs, etc…

TEIN’s 2005 Ford Mustang GT

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TEIN’s global involvement in producing aftermarket suspension goes well beyond the Japanese Domestic brands, such as Toyota, Nissan, Honda, etc.  In 2003, we started developing suspensions for European and U.S. Domestic brands. Soon after, we started campaigning our line of suspensions for these markets and had demo cars, like the E46 BMW M3(on TEIN SS-P) and MkV GTI widebody(on TEIN Euro Damper). But, my favorite one to date would be the 2005 S197 Ford Mustang showcasing our TEIN Type Flex dampers.

Other than our Type Flex dampers as suspension modifications, some of my favorite modifications are ProCharger cetrifugal supercharger, custom 3″ exhaust by Fujitsubo, massive Wilwood 6 piston front and 2 piston rear big brake kit, a host of Defi Red Racer gauges, and the 19″x8.5″ front and 19″x9.5″ rear  Volk GTF’s. The list of modifications goes well beyond those and definitely contribute to a very unique car build for the TEIN group.

Below are a few pics

Mustang Interior w/ Defi Red Racer Gauges

Sparco seats, steering wheel and shift knob. Clarion DVD/ Navigation Double DIN, and of course DEFI Red Racer gauges.

Mustang Engine BayPolished Procharger kit along with polished piping. Exedy clutch and flywheel. 496WHP

Wilwood 6 piston BBK kit.

JBA Longtube headers feeding custom Fujitsubo exhaust. BMR Fabrication subframe and front control arms.

Mustang Underside RearTorsen Differential, more BMR suspension links and chassis bracing.

Past TEIN USA Demo Cars

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Was looking through some older pictures on our server and found these. Some of the modifications may be considered out-of-date but at the time these cars were built this was the trend.

2004 Scion xB – built in 2004, debuted at SEMA 2004.  Featured TEIN’s Hybrid Wagon Dampers which allows for ride height adjustment from the cockpit. Greddy turbo kit, custom metal widebody, Bride seats front and rear, custom dash, Racing Hart wheels, and complete Lightning Audio setup. Was sold a couple times, last seen with new a paint job and many of the goodies removed.

1999 Nissan Silvia S15 – initially built in 2005, debuted at SEMA 2005, and went on to continually be modified/ revised/ re-tuned until 2007. 650WHP, RB28DETT (stroked), V-mount, OS Giken 6-speed sequential transmission, TEIN Super Racing coilovers, C-West widebody, stitch welded, crazy roll cage, too much to list. Now owned by a private party in California.

2006 Honda Civic Si Coupe – built in 2005, debuted at SEMA 2005. Custom metal widebody, custom turbo setup, custom red suede interior, TEIN Mono FLEX coilovers, Enkei RPF1 Type RC wheels, etc… Stolen while on the HIN tour and later recovered completely stripped.

2006 Volkswagen Golf GTI mk. V – built in 2006, debuted at SEMA 2006. Featured TEIN Euro Dampers, BRS widebody, host of Seibon Carbon parts, APR Turbo upgrade, JE pistons, Carrillo rods, Bride Gias Carbon Kevlar seats, custom Rothschild Fabrication roll bar, dual composite NX nitrous kit, and custom AutoArt VX wheels. Sold to a used car dealership, not sure where this car ended up.

2007 Toyota Yaris 3-dr – Built in 2006, debuted at SEMA 2006 and competed at Super Lap Battle Finals 2007 (driver Andy Hope pushed this car to a 2:08.091). Burnout bodykit from Japan, custom painted graphics, Super Charger kit, KAAZ LSD, Custom Rothschild Fabrication roll cage, Bride Bucket, Defi Meters, and custom spec TEIN Super Street coilovers. Currently sitting inside one of Toyota’s warehouses.

more past demo cars to be revisited in the future…