Holy shit, am I about to do another blog post a few days after my last one? Yes, or no depending on if I finish this draft in time. 2023 in retrospec was very eventful, I went to Hawaii, back home to VA to visit my parents, went to NYC to watch the US Open, and went to Taiwan and Japan….. I backed off a bit doing car shit. I’ll attend the occasional morning meet here or there, but I won’t be bothered to take a picture. Just live in the fucking moment.
Beginning of 2024. Got some boba and snapped a picture of the E30M3
Sometimes I stop by Fujiwara tofu to shoot the shit with Vin. Saw an interesting EM1. As time goes on, these cars are becoming more rare. It was a pretty cool car to have in high school.
Ran some errands in my E30M3. Cool BYD building in the background….
Hit up a local meet. I can’t remember this real name, but he’s known as Baldy…. Owns this Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX with all the voltex and all the TE37.
RE Amemiya Kitted FD Mazda Rx7
my S2k Engine less….
I was still setting up my snapon toolbox that my dad gifted me….
Stopped by Formula S to talk to the guys at night….
Alan’s Honda S2000 CR running an RG-O rear wing and RG-O rear trunk spoiler.
Filling out my toolbox….
Picked up an assorted 10mm socket set from Snap on Dennis #1 snapon man ever.
These ASM badges were exclusively sold at ASM at TAS in 2023…. I know they released more of them eventually….in 2025, I don’t see this on their website so probably no longer made or in store only?
The older snapon toolbox I was working with before…..
Sticker collection…
Picked up a cool Top Fuel metal badge. It’s funny because I own no top fuel items….. Well an intake for an EK9 at some point….
Filling up my Snapon tool box with my snapon wrenches…..
At this time my 1995 Subaru WRX arrived from Japan….. this is when I first got it.
my friend’s Ek9 he got from me also arrived from Japan after waiting a year for it.
100% bone stock 1995 Subaru Impreza WRX GC8
The Mitsubishi Evo IV I was working on was still on the lift…..
The scene at my house at some point…… in 2023. E30M3, S2k, and my friends ITR in my garage. Only 1 car ran here…. and barely at that
First mod on the GC8 was a Zoom mirror. They work really well for RHD cars since the larger part of the mirror shows the blind spot.
The in and out near Formula S is perfect for RHD cars…..
My wife was getting into surfing at this time…. The Lexus IS300 was looking fire…. Cwest hood, altezza headlights, TRD Neo 2 bumper, TRD side skirts, Quallitat Rear bumper, and Altezza Wing….. JDM window Visors if you are wondering…
I met up with my Buddy Andy at the Source in Buena Park, I let him have a go in the GC8
The Gc8 has an interesting rear windshield washer tank for the rear wiper, which apparently was a JDM only thing…..
I picked up an LINKECU for the Subaru….. and E30M3.
Just cruising home in the GC8…..
While my friends DC2 ITR was at my house with parts were just piling inside of it for storage.
My gas cap door fell off…. and I picked up some 17″ CE28n from my buddy Cody. They are supposed to be gold, but they faded to a rose silver color….
Caught a picture of Jason’s S2k…. When he owned it at the time…. now it is owned by Alex
EVO coming together….. New Oil pump on.
A Fujiwara tofu cafe meet I was at…
Crazy how much people wanted for these cars… these are like $1000 cars in Japan
Decided to replace one of my Toda pistons, I didn’t need to, but I wanted to make sure everything was 100% perfect.
S2000 F20c Toda Piston and rod combo!
They were working on a spicy S2k at Formula S…. HKS Supercharger, V Mount setup, JRZ!
Alan’s CR looking proper…. you can see the Endless mono 4 calipers behind Volk ZE40 wheels and not common RGO wing setup.
Engine back together!
Took the Subaru Gc8 to Tokyo Central to remind it what home was like….
It’s amazing how clapped out some cars are in CA but stick around because there is no rust here. On the East coast this would be a pile of dust already….
I got a new Oil line made at Earl’s in LA. This is an XRP line. The Urge tank is odd since it’s a -16AN, but the Toda dry sump is a -12AN…. I needed a weird reducer setup to make it all work. I have no idea why the damn fitting is -16AN on it, it makes no damn sense.
Engine back in the car from under ….
Some clean cars at the shop this day…. This car is owned by gibbs He tracks his car heavily with some decent parts… i.e Authentic Mugen Dry Carbon Hardtop.
Fresh Toda Head gasket on….. and ARP Headstuds.
Head on!
Making Sure my timing is still good with the Toda Racing TDC tool.
I decided to clean my Toda Racing Dry Sump pump and WPC treat it all.
WPC treated Toda Racing Dry Sump Gears
If anyone knows what big ass oil gears these are… please let me know. I doubt Toda Racing makes the gears themselves…
A bit more complete here!
Accidentally smashed the corner light on my GC8 in my garage…. Apparently these are JDM only, the joys of a JDM daily driver.
Teddy’s S2k at Formula S…..He has the latest version of the Hytech header on his S2k.
Formula S picked up a new GR86 for development.
Cam caps back on…..
Back to Formula S…. Teddy’s S2k was going the opposite direction of my car. I like his cool yellow Toda Racing pulleys…
I got the ASM spark plug cover back on…… and engine is ready to start again!
I sold my ASM FRP hood on my S2k so I bought a rep ASM hood from Gibbs while I was waiting for my ASM dry Carbon hood to come in. I drove my car down to my friends shop for a test…..
Since my dad probably bought this tool box in the mid 90s. I upgraded the locks to the newer snapon type…..
The Urge S2000 Dry sump tank vent can is massively undersized, I was getting all the blow by coming out of the filter. For those that don’t know, a dry sump pulls much more vacuum, all the crank case pressure is pulled out instantly…. Thus also eliminating the PCV system.
Mocking up a Mugen Gen 1 intake to see if it will ever fit…… unfortunately the Urge Dry sump tank sits too proud and is too wide….
Assortment of Zoom mirrors at Formula S….. yeah i was there a lot
Caught a rare Larry Chen at Formula S.
Engine back in the car and the Turbo setup ready to go back into the EVO IV….
Somehow all my cars were outside my friends shop. This combo can never be replicated again since the LS430 is long gone.
E85 prices in 2023….. and Normal gas prices!
filling up that sweet sweet corn juice.
I popped on an OG oil filter since the oil pump seal was pinched….
A different E85 station with significantly cheaper E85 in 2023….
My visiting my buddy in torrance this day…. I stopped by to get gas and I saw this duo tag teaming this E92 BMW M3…..
Best curry in LA by a landslide….
Back at Tokyo Central….
I see this pink J’s racing S2000 all over the place. Not many people run the J’s Ap1 front lip….
EVO IV up top, my EG under it…. and my friends EK9
I made a S2000 Clutch tool from a cut up S2000 input shaft…. the best type of clutch tool.
20 years apart Subaru Brothers.
I was working on a oil temp sensor for my S2000…… A weirdo -16AN fitting with a 1/8npt fitting ready for a sensor…
Can’t stop taking pictures of the E30m3…..
The EVO IV back in action and running!
I decided to pick up these strainers to protect my dry sump pump in case something happens….
I was rolling my E30M3 and I caught a sweet BMW 2002 cruising…..
My Tom’s Kitted Lexus LS430…..
Next to my E30M3
Oil temp sensor installed!
Converting the OEM fuel return line to AN fittings….
took the Subaru to mooneyes in Santa Fe Springs.
I picked up some Sti calipers for the Gc8…. It fit fine with a small spacer…..
Underneath the E30M3… all the SEV
SEV sway bar?
SEV Subframe strengthener?
Kevin picked up an E30M3 of his own…… His E30M3 and my EDirty m3. Funny enough the wheels are both the same specs, CE28 vs TE37 both in 5×120 E30M3 Specs…..
I picked up an ASLAN Carbon roof for my civic….. I really hate the sunroof.
The Gc8 developed a shake on the freeway. I deduced it to bad inner tie rods…..
new tie rods on and shake went away!
555 goodness
New lower ball joints installed too!
And with that…. I’ll continue 2023 in another blog post.
The S2k and the Ant 