2013 Scion FRS – My new car!

A slightly used 2013 Scion FRS is in my garage!

I have been wanting to buy one of these cars (either an FRS or BRZ) for a couple of years now. I finally gave in and bought a 2013 Scion FRS in the Hot Lava color! The car is a couple of years old but in fantastic condition. With just under 11k miles on it, it will make a great autocross race car project. The FRS is a 6 speed manual and sports the 200 horsepower boxer engine. Being that the car is extremely lightweight and agile, it should be a blast to drive.

Scary e36 autocross!

A scary e36 autocross event ends up incident free.

Front Range airport is the site for this autocross event. This would turn out to be one of the last STX autocross events in my 1994 325is. I had a great day from a competition point of view and also a lot of fun as well! Some drama ensued as it turned into a slightly scary e36 autocross event. With cars sent close together and on a tight course, keeping things on schedule is tricky. As a result, we have a few instances of corner workers being in potentially dangerous situations. Thankfully, there were no incidents and everything went well. In addition, some valuable lessons were learned in how to better run a course when we encounter such conditions (a tight course and tight schedule).

2015 Solo Nationals

Racing my e36 BMW at the 2015 Solo Nationals.

Finally, I have my video released from the 2015 SCCA Solo National Championship! We had a great time at the 2015 Solo Nationals and also met some great people as well. The event was an overall success. Although I ended up placing mid-pack, it was still a ton of fun driving the big nationals courses. The e36 BMW is just not up to snuff to be competitive at a national level with all the great drivers. Comprising the large majority of the STX grid is the Subaru BRZ and the Scion FRS. These cars prove to be the most dominant in the class and are hard to beat!

aFe filter install – Lexus ISF

Performing an aFe filter install on my 2011 Lexus IS-F.

I recently picked up a new aFe air filter for my 2011 Lexus IS-F. The air filter will improve air flow for the heavy breathing 5.0 liter V8 engine while also adding a bit of muscle to the sound. The aFe filter install process is pretty simple and also requires just basic tools. However, there are a few steps where you need to be careful. In addition, there are a couple of tricks you can use to make the process more simple. The aFe air filter is a “dry” filter, which means it never has to be oiled. To clean the aFe filter, you simply need to blow it off with some compressed air or alternatively, knock the dirt and debris out of it. That’s it!

e36 radiator repair

My e36 radiator repair work has been completed!

After replacing all of the common cooling system parts, my e36 BMW is finally back on the road. As part of this e36 radiator repair work, I needed to replace the radiator and upper/lower radiator hoses.  I also replaced the sensors and expansion tank for good measure, even though the existing ones were OK. The maintenance was pretty simple, except for draining of the coolant (which always gets messy). Everything is  now running great and the result was good at the last SCCA autocross event. The location for autocross event was Front Range airport, a common site for us. A fun course and great weather made for an awesome day of racing!

JoeZ exhaust for my Lexus ISF

JoeZ exhaust versus stock exhaust for my 2011 Lexus ISF!

I felt it was necessary to wake up the V8 in my Lexus ISF with a JoeZ exhaust system. The stock exhaust system is nice and has a decent rumble, however the JoeZ takes the V8 sound to the next level. This exhaust is a fantastic product at good price. I was also surprised at the quality of the construction and welding. In addition, the installation process was pretty simple and the fitment was nearly spot on. I also took the liberty to do a sound comparison between the stock Lexus ISF exhaust and the aftermarket JoeZ PTS exhaust system. The results of the sound test speak for themselves, this exhaust is a winner! The JoeZ system costs roughly $1600 dollars and in my opinion, is well worth the price. The smile that the ISF V8 puts on your face with this exhaust system is priceless!

ISF first autocross race

My Lexus ISF first autocross race proved to be pretty tricky!

I have owned my Lexus ISF for about a year now. The car is a fantastic daily driver and family sports car, no doubt. However, to really get a feel for the power and handling, it must be put to the test on an autocross course. For my ISF first autocross race, I attended an event that takes place at Front Range airport. The ISF has over 400hp and 380lbft of torque, which made for an interesting day of learning car control. The car still has the original tires that are cracking and worn out. As a result, they have very little grip left in them.

e36 radiator leak

e36 radiator leak brings my race day to an abrupt end for my BMW 325is.

My last autocross event with BMW club was not so successful. During the first run of the morning, I was bit by an e36 radiator leak and as a result, my 1994 BMW 325is was slipping and sliding all over the course. Not good, and not to safe for myself nor the driver behind me. It turns out that the plastic end cap on the radiator cracked off and was leaking the coolant everywhere. This is not uncommon for e36 radiators, unfortunately. Next task at hand is to find replacement parts and hoses to get her back on the road!

2015 Spring Nationals in my e36

My first visit to Lincoln, NE for the 2015 Spring Nationals.

This year I took my Project 325 BMW to Lincoln, NE for the 2015 Spring Nationals. This event happens every May and is a fantastic experience. The site at the Lincoln Air Park is the pinnacle for autocross! Long, fast courses make for very exciting and also very intense autocross action. While my co-driver and I had a good time and the BMW drove great, our results were less than stellar. There were a few other e36 BMW’s at the race along with ours. In addition, a mix of other cars including Subaru BRZ, Scion FRS, Mini Cooper, Mazda RX-8, and more could be found.

TMS shorty headers for my e36

New TMS shorty headers for my 1994 BMW 325is.

The winter season chugs along which means more off-season upgrades for my e36 BMW. Today I have an un-boxing video of my new TMS shorty headers. The headers are from Turner Motorsports who are well known for their quality products. Furthermore, they have their own racing program which translates to track tested products for their cars. The headers come with a ceramic coated finish which looks good while also reducing heat dissipation. In addition to my headers, I will also install a lightweight exhaust system. Together, these upgrades should yield some pretty decent power gains for the e36.