When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Its happending fellas. Turning the Troung TL into a dedicated racecar. Only thing stopping me from getting my racing liscence is the strip down, roll cage, and full racing suit. Then after running three SCCA events Ill be able to run all the tracks in United States. Very excited to get to this point, even though there was reluctance to strip it down because the Troung TL interior was in great shape!
Inside of the Track TL is metallic. Pulled out almost everything. will reinstall the tesla screen as its a minimun of 9lbs of weight savings.
- Removing front and back weights
- Low speed crash absorbers behind both bumpers
- EGR delete
- Removing dash to take out firewall padding and passenger airbag as it is no longer needed
- Installing Short shifter module out of the turbo TL and reinstalling the OEM in its place.
The way the car handles now is extremely responsive and numble. almost no body roll with OEM type-s coils. It drove like a buffalo with full interior at the track. What a difference now! I also see all the dimensions in the car interior which gives me more of a connectedness to the car.
Since Im building a dedicated track car, the 6MT type-s will only have engine bay work done to it. That means BC coils are going to the track car.
Last edited by Acura TL Builder; 05-10-2022 at 10:46 AM.
Installed the KTuner short shifter and reinstalled oem on Black Type-S 6mt. next is egr delete, and front rear bumper weights. then dash removal(for the fifth time ).
start selling the interior to fund the race suit and other items needed! Got a helmet?
Perhaps someday, but cant get myself to sell the parts. They are in good condition and perhaps they may be needed in the future. I would rather wait and save for the items, no hurry.
Tomorrow:
- Uninstall Type-S OEM coils from M90 and put them back on the type-S(they only have 92k miles on them).
- Take the Spare Type-S coils I originally put on the TL-Sport and put them onto the M90
Took the Track TL lakeside driving with the new BC coils on softer setting tonight.
The Difference:
Full interior + Type-S coils: The car takes more brakes to slow down which bows the car and heats the brakes, though with my current cheapo brakes there is still no brake fade. The coils are a bit stiffer than base model, bounces, and much body roll when going into corners at higher speeds.
No interior + Type-S coils: Car is light and nimble, slight body roll when driving fast through corners but very managable and fun. There is a bit more give in the coils but that may be due to them having 140k miles on them. Brakes are light and you can roll to a stop by staying in neutral. Brakes feel very light, a litle goes a long way and there is almost no front end bow when stopping even though the engine(and majority of weight) is in front. Just removing the interior makes this car feel like a miata with great handling due to the TLs wide stance.
No interior + BC coils: This is on another level. I have never driven a car that I took into 20mph yellow advisory signs at 55mph and it could handle more even with the cheapo used wheels I have on. The BC coils make humps and dips almost non existant due to the light weight of the car. When I go through corners that used to bow the chassis sideways, now nothng happens, it stays solid(even in soft mode). Its like your driving straight forward. but your body is moving to one side in your seat.
I drove that car faster than I have ever driven a car and it only asked for more. I have not tracked this setup yet, but it will dominate. My limiting factor at this point isnt the brakes, its primarily the wheels/tires and the lack of aero.
I drove this setup tonight without lowering the psi in my tires. This means with track tires and 18x8.5" ASPEC wheels it will do quite well, despite the heavy wheels and higher unsprung weight.
Last edited by Acura TL Builder; 05-11-2022 at 12:00 AM.
- Removed the 15-20lbs Navi/Broken CD player - 6lbs Tesla Screen
- Removed XM antenna, Radio antenna(New screen has its own), XM unit, Alpine DVD player
- Need to do alot of cord management after i vacuum/clean the interior
- Removed side airbag sensors now that theres no side curtian airbags.
I reinstalled this rear desk panel because the only way to clearly see its a gutted out racecar is by the reflection, which makes it look like there is no tint in the rear. There is also a bad reflection in the rearview mirror on both sunny/could days.
Looks proper from the outside.
- Removed the XM antenna with a #14 and a x4 small bolts with a phillips screwdriver
Used super glue to carefully glue it back on for asthetic looks. I want it to be lightweight, but unnoticable from the outside
Dash will be removed today to remove the passenger airbag, passenger vent. This will also inlude grinding off any excess metal that is no longer needed. The interior side firewall insulation will also be removed as its quite thick.
Last edited by Acura TL Builder; 05-12-2022 at 08:31 AM.
The front, rear and rear door windows will be lexan. Been racking my brain thinking of how to delete the darn moonroof. It is 30lbs+ and it the top most point of the car. deleting it will bring good benefit! How would I cover it on sunny days when not using the car? Window Visor? Are there metal tabs I can drill into and rivot them on? Silicone will be used to keep the water out.
Been working on removal of the firewall insulation. Its quite heavy for what it is.
I'm a bit hestant about whether or not to remove the Heater/ A/C system. Do I remove it and only use the seat heater when cold and roll windows down when its hot? Or do I keep them and keep the 40+ lbs on the car? The car will eventually have the rotrex kit on it, so the A/C will go.
Last edited by Acura TL Builder; 05-12-2022 at 11:33 PM.
The front, rear and rear door windows will be lexan. Been racking my brain thinking of how to delete the darn moonroof. It is 30lbs+ and it the top most point of the car. deleting it will bring good benefit! How would I cover it on sunny days when not using the car? Window Visor? Are there metal tabs I can drill into and rivot them on? Silicone will be used to keep the water out.
When you get to the point of removing the moonroof and assembly make sure to take a few pictures.
It may be a 'test as you go' trail & error effort to get a good shape fitted to the moonroof opening using cardboard before committing to the final lexan cut.
I'm guessing there will be areas that you'll be able to fasten 'fabbed-up' brackets (bolted or riveted in place) to keep the lexan in place?
Good Luck.
$425 and a three hour drive later, got a 4'x8' of 3/16inch Lexan polycarbonate with Adhesive Resistant 2 coating. This is enough for the sunroof and two rear door windows. I will have enough for a door/sunroof window replacement as well. Would need two more sheets to do the front and back windows. At that price my main concern is the weight of the sunroof assembly.
Polycarbonate sheets with the coating have gone up 35% since last year due to industry demand. Non-coated is only $166 a sheet.
Now onto completing the dashboard and removing the rest of the firewall insulation behind the heater matrix and heater fan.
Last edited by Acura TL Builder; 05-13-2022 at 06:54 PM.
While working on the dahs board yesterday, there was a small metal screw retaining clip i was removing that sprung out and flicked a piece of metal into my right eye. I finished out the day with it thinking I could remove it in the shower but no dice. I have a huge magnet I keep in the garage, I put a clean glove over it and stuck it undet he eyelid. was a pretty big piece, happy that it wasnt injurous.
Headed to PIR for SCCA event to learn flagging, ect. Should be wet both days, hoping for no four car pileup like last time.
Last edited by Acura TL Builder; 05-14-2022 at 09:04 AM.
Learned from a lady that has flagged for the Le Mans series for 17 years today. Doing these different track rolee is counting towards my 1/2 day in each role requirement for racing licensure.
Now lighter-weight dashboard installed! Starting the Lexan sunroof tomorrow. Can hardly wait until I dont have to slouch/crouch down as I race due to my helmet bumping the roof. Racing seat will also help negate that.
When you've removed the same dash five times, you get into a rhythem of how to do it more efficiently the next time around.
My last suspension change was 2h 45m, Was able to change all three sets of coils on the three TLs within 6 hours.
Going to pull the engine/tranny on the black Type-S. Going to remove the shaft bracing and reinstall sitch gear. Removing the straight cut 3rd and fourth gear and placing it into the racecar TL.
Last edited by Acura TL Builder; 05-15-2022 at 08:11 PM.
Received this from the SCCA Flag chief at the volunteer meeting this morning. Its really cool, has "Super Touring" on it, which is the class im building the track TL for. There are signitures from a number of competitors, made it feel special, wanted to put on my race helmet.
The sun roof at the top most point in your car weighs, 33.5lbs
Much weight when going in and out of corners. I made a cardboard template and traced it onto the Lexaan polycarbonate sheet.
Removed the harmonic stablizers on the front and rear mounts, the windshield reservoir(and 1/2gal fluid), as well as some misc metal brackets from the engine bay.
About to buy a jigsaw and blade to but the lexan. Accidentally ordered a x20 pack of 4" hose clamps a couple years ago. Will be using those for the lexan bracketry. They are metal, shiny, and lightweight.
Accidentally ordered a x20 pack of 4" hose clamps a couple years ago. Will be using those for the lexan bracketry. They are metal, shiny, and lightweight.
Are the red circled holes adequate candidates for said bracketry fastening?
I already took those out. Kept the drivers side door card though, so that it still feels like a TL inside and I can rest my arm, regulate all windows and lock the doors.
Going to remove the rear window motors to lessen weight. front door sindows, regulators will stay in for now.
Are the red circled holes adequate candidates for said bracketry fastening?
That was my first inclination. But I couldnt find a way to get a way to get the nuts on the other of the metal.
In picture 4, you can see matal tabs that bring the two parts of the roof together in the rectangle of the sun roof. I plan to drill inbetween the spot welds, seemed like the best way to go. In the rear portion of the sunroof there is no tab to drill into, so I will fashion "hooks" for the back part. The hooks will be very similar to the Hardware that comes with the OEM Sunroof Visors. I would circle the what I mean in the pics but my computer has no picture editor.
Got a Black and Decker Jigsaw from Craigy for $20. Came with blades so I cut the lexan to fit the sunroof.
Those 4" coupler will be the new brackets for the sunroof. The other two peices of thicker letal will be the hooks I fashion to fasten the rear part of the sunroof. Bolts/nuts/washers arei nthe bag on the right. May need longer bolts as there is a gap between the two peices of metal where the spot welds are.
Here is what the OEM sunroof visor hardware looks like. The rear brackets will be shaped something like this
Got this Loctite as it was resommended during a search. I could have used clear plumbers caulk, but silicone is better for vibration and movement.
Last edited by Acura TL Builder; 05-16-2022 at 11:24 PM.
In life we all need to have something we are good at. Doctors practice doctoring, lawyers practice lying. J/K. But really, we all need something we practice on a regular basis that becomes something wonderful in the future. Something that we are good at, and have value in that field of practice.
I realized a few years ago that what I want to be good at is the Acura TL 3G. I want to know as much as I can about this particular model. I want to do Every type of possible modification that can be done to it, or at the least have experienced it.
No matter what I do in the future, I want to have as much experience with the 2004-2008 TL that one can obtain in a lifetime.
As Zeta suggested, I considered using the existing holes to mount the lexan sunroof to, but there is not enough of these holes, and I'm trying to have one type of bracketry style for asthetic looks.
Ill be drilling these metal tabs to use less metal and have a bit more headroom with helmet on.
Another preexisting hole I could use, but that tound ridge will make it look odd.
Tabski it is.
In the grass making brackets for the sunroof
Got the final cut for the sunroof. I wanted as little gas as possible. Feels better that way.
To continue the paddle shifter project in the M90 TL, I depinned oem pins from a clickspring plug.
They fit in perfectly! Did the same on the steering wheen and the dash harness. Resoldered the connection on at the shifter column just in case. Started the car and it only downshifts, but does no upshift. Disappointed as it was all done by the book. I suspect it is the upshift module that isnt working. I will reorder another new one and see how that goes.
Sorry for the contrast. The camera does this when theres too much light out. My stepson came over from his school town because his clutch case and tranny case seal was leaking. The MTF all leaked out and he drove on it this way for two weeks before the tranny gave out. Everything besides 5th and th gear were good. I used a flathead screwdriver to pop the seized synchos away from the two gears but this should work fine. The reason we couldnt salvage it is in the next two pics.
The interior clutch case wall cracked and becam a main shaft "end cap". This spilled the remaining MTF onto the brand new oem clutch we installed and ruined the clutch disk.
Sent my kid to Car-part.com(thanks Zeta) where he is buying a used tranny today. He also needs a new clutch disk to be able to drive his 3G again. Not easy for a college kid to do this work. But he removed the engine tranny by himself, and will now be reinstalling the clutch disk and tranny back on the car. Hes a smart kid, should have no problems completing the work without issue.
Downstairs finally cleared of all the TL items. Stashed them in the theatre room(havent watched anything in there for some time). Hooked up the PS2/PS3 to play some Gran Turismo. Need to get used to driving the NSX as its the closest thing to a Mid-Engine TL. :wink:
As Zeta suggested, I considered using the existing holes to mount the lexan sunroof to, but there is not enough of these holes, and I'm trying to have one type of bracketry style for asthetic looks.
Ill be drilling these metal tabs to use less metal and have a bit more headroom with helmet on.
Looking forward to see how your 'fabbed' bracketry turns out.
Is the yellow circled area below,
The red circled area of the clutch case below???
Or trans case?
The clutch case was damaged due to lack of oil in my stepsons 2004 3G 6mt. The trans case was damaged by me accidentally using the metallic part of my rubber mallet when installing my trans.
The damage in the posted pic of of the Clutch case where the main shaft popped a hole into the clutch area.
EDIT: Just read the first part of your question. The yellow circled area is the clutch case red circle, but on the other side.
Last edited by Acura TL Builder; 05-18-2022 at 07:39 PM.
The four 6MT shifter springs/rollerballs I installed into the Built 6MT, were installed incorrectly, but per the Helms service manual. I drove it and now hear a ball rolling around. Now have to pop the case again to retrieve it, and revert it back to stock. Will start that project after the sunroof is finalized.
I wonder if Acura would someday release a Limited-Edition tricket, or part that would be specific for the 3G that would be an homage to the Enthusiests? It does not need to be a new body kit like the S2000. Just something as a tribute to one of the greatest Sedans.
I know it seems a silly thing to say, but hey, thats The Power of Dreams. And when the 3G was being designed, the chief designer argued with Honda VP that, "We are building a dream here!".
Was part of some inter-speciel rescue today. Mowing the lawn in the backyard and was coming up near the fenceline perpendicularly. A small birdy flies right past me and hops onto the fencetop as im approching it with my lawnmower blarring. The backyard birdies trust me, but this was on another level. Thinking something is wrong i kept the mower on but backed up 5 feet. As I did the little bunny that lives in the backyard jumped out of the bushes and to the neighbors yard. Knowing the birdies watch neighbors mowing lawns they see im not hurting anything, but the bird was on that fencetop unafraid. It was trying to give me a signal to not get to close into the bushes where the bunny was hiding. I immediately shut off the mower and apologized to the lil' bunny. The birdy perched on a tree and I thanked it. After a few seconds continued carefully mowing. It was interesting to see the birdies looking out for not only thier own but the other little critters. That bunny has been at my door eating four leaf clovers for a couple weeks. Comes right up to the window and watches my wife on the treadmill.
This happened a few years ago, but differently. When I still lived at my Father's house, there were birdies that had younguns' in one of the backyard trees. One day I'm out there enjoying myself on the desk when I see the little birdy take its first flight. The parents where squacking at it but it took the leap anyways. It did a half assed glide in the yard and just then our charismatic cat Theo snatched him up to bring to me. This cat brought us everything. Panties, 1 glove, a poem, an empty pack of cigs(I smoked at the time), a small flag on the 5th of July, even a squirrel! I stood up from my chair and yelled for him to drop him, and he did. Just hen all the neighborhood birds were there. Had a bluejay swooping at me. I let Theo corner him for a moment and I watlked up. Theo looks at me and then at the little birdy saying(What are we going to do with him?). The birdy tood cornered, stunned for a minute. I picked up Theo and the bird Bolted! Flew away for the first time as if its life depended one it. The only thing was, Theo hurt his left wing when he snatched him, so he flew in a hobbled flight.
Fast forward 3 years, I stop by my Fathers place to see my little brother and we were in the backyard. A small but Fat birdy flys up to me. Litterally 2 feet away. I could have snatched him. He was peeping and gazing at me very curiously. I thought something isnt right. It stood there peeping for 2 whole minutes. My brother was stunned. I did my birdy serinade to it. After the two minutes the fat round little bird took off in the same direction as three years ago, with a little hobble in the left wing. Seems the bird remebered my voice and said wanted to say hello? I figured he was fat cause of the trauma so early on.
Its easy to befriend an animal. Anyone ever become friends with a fly? Like the insect. I once had the oppertunity to. Everytime I would go to the garage it would do a loop around me and land on my shoulders like a parrot. I would only have to put out my finger and it would land on it. Everytime I made a loose fist with a tniy hole, the fly would crawl into it. fully trusting I wouldnt smash him. If I wanted to put the fly down, I put the finger he was on onto the table and he would crawl off. I would then pick him up the same way. I would have him crawl from hand to hand by connecting any finger and he would run across. if i didnt connect my finger on both hands and made a gap he would leap across. He? yes, He, because I named him Christopher Mcfly. I'd always opent he garage and he wouldnt fly away until three weeks later. I opened the garage and he flew around my body many times saying goodbye and flew out. I figured he was at the end of his lifespan. We had good times together. I introduced him to my Wife, but as he was trying to build her trust by slowly getting making his way up to her head, she didnt particularly like the sinister looking hand rubbing it did. I tried to do this with another fly after the other one had left, but no dice. it was just a regular fly.
All life is much more intellegent than we give it credit for. It seems all visible life can be communicated wtih and even strong bonds made.
05-09-2022, 05:51 PM
).
