My "Auto"-Biography (pic heavy)

[Arctic-Rodz]

Hello everyone, just thought I would make a thread documenting my “Auto”-Biography. My personal automotive history if you will. Builds of my personal vehicles with the modifications I have put them though.

Sorry for the long thread ahead of time but I hope you enjoy checking out my few builds as I enjoyed doing them and driving them.

I've always been a car freak, but what started it all was when I was in high school (2001 or so), my dad gave me a 1994 Camaro Z28. I started doing some bolt ons to it:
52mm TB
2400 Stall
Moroso intake
Hypertech Programming.

Unfortunately, money was tight and when it messed up I couldn’t afford to fix it up. This is the last picture I have of it. I would eventually redeem myself with another LT1 F-Body.



Between this car and 2007 I didn’t have anything special. Just transportation vehicles. In early 2007 I got my first Motorcycle.

2007 Kawasaki Vulcan 900 Custom
MODS:
Cobra pipes
Cobra R Tuner
Bat wing mirrors
Flamed ISO grips with Stiletto end caps

In Late 2007 I bought a Black 2008 GMC Sierra Ext Cab 5.3L V8. This is when I really started to take pics of my builds. So unfortunately I don't have many pics of the Vulcan as it went through its minor upgrades.

In mid 2009 I found a 1998 GMC Yukon SLT 4x4 that I got as a project/beater. In stock form it was nice but did have room for improvement.

Heres a shot of the Vulcan, Sierra, and Yukon. One of the only pictures I have left of that Vulcan.



2008 Sierra details:



K&N intake
Custom Bent Borla Side exhaust
HP Tuners Custom Tune
Summit Racing underdrive pulley
PaceSetter long tube ceramic coated headers
Taylor wires
Circle D 3000 Converter
Off-Road y-pipe
Electric cut off w/switch under the dash
DJM 4/7 drop
22” Switchblade wheels on Nitto NT-420S tires
Colormatched grill surround, front and rear bumpers
Brushed finish diamond plated cut grills
Viper remote start alarm

Here are a couple of in between pics






The Yukon was a diamond in the rough. I always liked this old boxy body Yukon.





The changes I made were subtle:

Removal of Brush guard
Clear/black headlights, blinkers and corner lenses
Eagle alloy 17x9” wheels
295/70R17 Nitto Trail Grapplers
And of course tons of maintenance like, fluid changes, suspension improvements and so on. With 200k miles this thing ran like a champ.




I enjoyed them but later sold all three (Vulcan bike, Sierra and Yukon)

I liked the 4x4 SUV so I got me a 2004 Chevrolet Z71 Tahoe.



Mods received:

6” RCX lift kit
18x9” Eagle alloys
35x12.5R18 Toyo M/T
K&N Intake
Borla Exhaust
HP Custom Tune
4.56 gears front and rear differentials
Clear/Black headlights and blinkers
HID fog and headlights
LED / Carbon fiber look taillights
Excalibur alarm w/ remote start
JVC double din w/ back up camera
LED roof cab lights





I then began to look for something more like a sports car and found a 2008 BMW 550i M-Sport. This car was FAST. 4.8L V8



Changes on this were also subtle as it was already a REALLY nice platform.

Carbon filter delete
K&N filter
RPI ram air scoop
Magnaflow Exhaust
LED Halo bulbs
Truck spoiler
LED fender blinkers
black out front grille

 

[Arctic-Rodz]

I wanted a Camaro again, to make up for the lack of a build from back in High School. I found an actual 30th Anniversary Edition 1997 Z28 Camaro and it needed a lot of help.





Started to work.
Mods/Upgrades:

Fresh paint and Hugger Orange stripes
Newly upholstered interior
30th Anniversary trophy trunk mat
30th Anniversary floor mats
Cross drilled and slotted rotors / ceramic pads
BMR level two handling package:
(Front and rear sway bars
Rear lower control amrs
lowered springs w/shocks all around
Strut tower brace
Sub-Frame connectors)
Engine rebuild
40 over block
304 comp cam
PaceSetter long tube ceramic coated headers
Flowmaster exhaust w/ off-road y-pipe
PCM for less custom tune
SS (ZR1 style wheels) 17x9”
275/40 Nitto NT555 Extreme Performance tires
New built transmission w/2400 stall
3.73 gears and rear end rebuild

Still have more to do to it as of now. But here is how it sits now






Wanted a motorcycle again. Luckily a local dealer started to carry Triumph Motorcycles. I got this 2013 Triumph Storm 1700cc in Matte Graphite




Mods:

Hogslayer Exhaust in black ceramic coating
Highflow filter
Triumph tune
Dart fly screen
New headlight bulbs (clear/blue)
Rear seat delete (wife didnt like that too much)





Sold the Z71 Tahoe and Traded in the BMW. I wanted to get back in a Truck. As a GM trucks guy I never thought Id buy a Dodge/RAM. But after driving it and seeing how much they had improved I got one!
2013 RAM 1500 Crew Cab 4x4 5.7L Hemi




Mods:

Billet Tech Catch can
Vararam Intake
Moe's 87mm Throttle Body
Magnaflow Exhaust
HBS 2.5” Level kit
Diablo Trinity Tuner with HemiFever Custom Tune
Amp Power steps
Line X
All weather Mopar Mats

I still have a lot to do to it since this is one of my most recent projects. But here is how it sits now






Last but not least, the last vehicle I've bought. Wife needed a new car so I got her a 2014 VW GLI. 2.0L TSI Turbo 6speed manual.
Stock for now





Plans include:
Turbo Back exhaust
Intake
Tune

Gonna keep it simple with this one.

My forum resume includes:

rgvtruckperformance
performancetrucks
houstonperformancetrucks
rgvcycles
triumphrat
5series
tahoeyukonforum
ls1tech
southtexasfbodies
gmfullsize
ramforum
ramforumz
vwvortex

and im sure a few more I am forgetting.


Thanks for letting me share my “Auto”-Biography with you all. More to come, I hope.
God Bless

 

[smarsmar101]

Speechless... Very good read.

 

[Arctic-Rodz]

thanks, I tried to shorten it up. I didn't know that each post had a 30 picture limit

 

[Peattie]

For tuning the gli I would recommend APR. They not only produce the highest power but also have a race team with two audi r8's so you know they mean business lol. I had a 08 jetta that I did the stage 2+ with a 3" dp and apr exhaust. It was pretty quick and sounded good.

 

[fcbubba]

Nice read...Thanks

 

[HolyRamBatman]

Nice set of toys you have had. Each with it's own purpose.

Cool.

 

[LB3711]

not bad.

 

[Arctic-Rodz]

For tuning the gli I would recommend APR. They not only produce the highest power but also have a race team with two audi r8's so you know they mean business lol. I had a 08 jetta that I did the stage 2+ with a 3" dp and apr exhaust. It was pretty quick and sounded good.

Thanks, yea I've heard about APR for tunning but people of the VW forum have very mixed reviews about them. I forget the name of the other company a lot of guys claim to be better for tunning and customer service.

I really like the way their Carbonio intake looks. They say that they take a long time to deliver their products because they usually don't have them in stock. We'll see how it goes when they finally get performance parts out for the 2014's