Demon8Designs A-Pillar Gauge Pod

Being away from home for so long has resulted in a smorgasbord of modifications to my G8 in the past few days. Today I did a test fitting of my new Demon8Designs A-Pillar Gauge Pod!

The gauges are not yet hooked-up to sending units or power, but so far I’m really liking the way the A-Pillar gauge pod looks. I had it custom made with two gauge pods mounted just a little higher, so that I would still have a clear view at the DashHawk. Eventually the gauges will be connected, allowing me to monitor Oil Pressure (critical in those high-G turns) and Wideband A/F Ratio.

Maverick Man Carbon Fiber Hood!

After a year of planning and waiting it has finally happened… I am the proud owner of a Maverick Man Carbon Fiber Hood!

Two years ago when I purchased my Maverick Man CF Spoiler, I knew I was in love with the way Carbon Fiber looks with the MGM body color of my G8. I wanted to get something for the front of the car (to balance out the spoiler), and a hood was towards the top of the list. Unfortunately, no one produced a CF hood for the G8!

After some persuasion Maverick Man agreed to attempt a CF hood, but first he needed a stock hood to make the molds. I had been looking for a good quality used G8 hood on eBay and other websites, but was having a really hard time finding one. Eventually I was able to track down a hood from a G8 owner (who had just finished a Holden front-end conversion) and had it shipped to Maverick Man. The shipping process was crazy (have you ever tried to ship something as large/heavy as a hood across the country?), but it all worked out in the end.

A couple of months ago Maverick Man released a few teaser photos of the hood, and it sparked huge interest from the G8 community. Fortunately, having been involved with the creation process, I was at the top of the list to receive a finished hood. Unfortunately, when the hood was ready to ship… I was on travel for work!

Well, there was no way I was going to pass-up my chance to get the hood, so I made a few calls and arranged for someone to receive the hood while I was away. Not only did they receive the hood, the even did a test fitting on another G8 to get some photos that I could share with the G8 community!

During the test fitting on the other G8 it was observed that some modifications would be required to get the hood latch to fully close. When it came time to install the hood on my G8 a couple of minor modifications were made to the hood latch mechanism such that it could be mounted ~ 1/4″ higher… and after that, the fitment of the hood is just awesome!

One of my favorite features of the hood is just how subtle the CF looks compared to the MGM body color. From a distance, or in anything other than direct sunlight, you can hardly tell that the hood is not stock… but when you get up close, you’re like “WTF, is that Carbon Fiber!?!”

Now I just have to get my act together and install the matching Maverick Man Kidney Grill Surrounds and Lower GXP Grill Surround!

Suspension Upgrades Continue

The last time the G8 was up on the lift I found that in two days of driving I broke the front Sway Bar End Link. After a temporary fix (just popping the back into the socket and inverting the End Link) I ordered new replacement BMR parts. Turns out it was a good idea, as after yesterday’s drive on Mines Rd. I broke it again. Today I had the BMR replacement End Links installed.

They are adjustable in length, which is really nice… although, it would have been nicer if they were “counter-threaded” so that adjustments could be made with them still on the car (Heck, my RC Car can do that).

I can not feel a difference between the stock End Links and the BMR replacements, but time will tell if they hold-up to the abuse better.

“You are the weakest link…”

There is something wrong with this picture…

Let me give you a little hint…

Well, after the metamorphosis I have found the next weak link. In this case it was the front Sway Bar End-Link. This piece should connect the end of the Sway Bar to the wheel/shock and help keep both front wheels moving together (greatly reducing body roll). The ball/pin that has come out of the End Link and the Sway Bar was not even connecting the two wheels!

This is one of the few stock pieces of the suspension that were not upgraded as part of the metamorphosis, so it doesn’t really surprise me that it was the new weakest link… but not for long!

I have ordered some new, stronger, BMR Sway Bar End Links and they will be installed before the next time I hit the twisty roads!

Metamorphosis is Complete!

After months of patiently waiting… the metamorphosis is complete!

Over the past year I have been working on a plan for converting my G8 GT from a mild-mannered daily driver into a Road Course and Auto-X attacking beast. I put a plan together to modestly increase the power and tighten-up the handling without compromising the drivability and reliability. The car is still my daily driver, but it now has a new attitude.

Engine/Exhaust:
Magnacharger TVS1900
60lb Injectors
Ported throttle body
Roto-fab Cold Air Intake
JBA Shorty Headers
SOLO High Flow Cats (w/wideband bungs)
Corsa Cat-back Exhaust
Billet Prototype Catch Can

Drivetrain:
Camaro Differential w/3.45 Gears
GForce 1000 HP Race Axles
Transmission Cooler

Suspension/Brakes:
Pedders Track II kit with Super Car Coilovers
Spohn Rear Lower Control Arms (Poly Bushings)
Spohn Rear Trailing Arms (Poly Bushings)
Spohn Rear Toe Links (Poly Bushings)
Baer Pro Plus Big Brake Kit (Front & Rear) w/14″ Slotted Rotors

Chassis:
BMR Sub-Frame Connectors
BMR Driveshaft Tunnel Brace

Interior/Electronics:
In-Dash GPS
JHP Double Hump Gauge Pod w/Autometer Sport Comp II Gauges (Boost & Fuel Pressure)
HSV Smoker’s Package
Sliding Console Lid
Back-up Camera w/VIM and iPod integration
Factory (2009.5) OnStar w/Bluetooth
V1 Radar Detector w/custom Remote Display
DashHawk
Race-Technologies DL1 Data Logger (20Hz Advanced GPS) and DASH 3 Display

Exterior Appearance:
Maverick Man Carbon Fiber Spoiler
GXP Rear Diffuser

Wrenched & Tuned by:

The engine has received a modest upgrade and now puts 444hp and 460tq to the rear wheels (an increase of over 36%)!

The Magnacharger TVS1900 is running the stock pulley size, so is producing around 6psi of boost. This is a very manageable level for the otherwise stock engine. If I ever feel the urge to get some more power I have the option of decreasing the pulley size on the Magnacharger (which makes it turn faster… producing more boost), but that will also require an overhaul of the stock fuel system.

Some may say that bolting a supercharger to the engine would be the most noticeable change, but the most complex and noticeable upgrade has to be the suspension. Yes, the suspension!

While the added power from the Magnacharger TVS1900 is nice, it is only there when you decide to push on the gas peddle.  The suspension is always there, keeping the car glued to the road… Just begging to be driven harder and faster!

The first time I drove the G8 after the mods were performed I was shocked just how well the car handled. It’s not like the stock suspension in the G8 was bad (read any of my previous entries where I was hitting the corners hard), but the difference is just night and day.

Even at low speeds, “scrubbing the tires” (turning right/left quickly) you can feel how instantaneous the steering response is. The car just goes where I tell it… without any hesitation or hints of body roll. When pushing things harder, like a 90-degree turn at an apex speed of 35mph, there isn’t even a chirp from the wheels. I truly believe… I will fly-out the door… before the car looses grip of the road.

There are some consequences to having a car that handles so well… and it starts with a decrease in overall ride quality. While there is huge adjustability built into the Supercar Coilovers (which I have not yet had the time to experiment with), removing the “slop” and “flex” from the suspension has resulted in not having anything to keep the bumps and imperfections of the road from reaching cabin. Driving over pavement that once seemed smooth is now a bit rough… and probably more than most people would desire in their daily driver. Also having the car almost an inch lower means I can no longer shop at the supermarket down the street (because of bottoming-out over the entry way), but when you can do this… who cares!?!

For me, I think the setup is just about perfect…

With the suspension setup for handling, there was also a nice side-effect… the rear suspension is now ready to take the added power being produced by the Magnacharger. Having all the power in the world means nothing if you can’t get it to the pavement. Before the suspension upgrades I was experiencing wheel hop due to flex in the rear suspension.

Time will tell if this is fixed, but the leading causes (Lower Control Arms, Trailing Arms, and Toe Links) are all new/stronger. I also upgraded the axles and rear differential to minimize the risks of breaking something when putting the new power to the ground.

The new 3.45 rear gear ratio (up from 2.92) gives the car a real kick when accelerating. First gear is very quick, and is nearly impossible at wide open throttle (especially with traction control off). One of the down sides of running a taller gear ratio is needing to use higher RPMs at freeway speeds… and in turn a decrease in fuel economy. Remarkably, after a 26 mile drive on the freeway (average speed 55mph) I had an average fuel economy of 28.3mpg!

Now, what good is a car that can go fast and turn… if it can’t also stop? To help complete the package of my G8 I decided to also upgrade to a Baer Big Break Kit.

I have not yet had a chance to fully test-out the new brakes, since I’m waiting for the rotors/pads to fully break-in, but so far they are very nice. Slowing from speeds unimaginable before has been very predictable.

Before I said the G8 has a split personality… now it’s like Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde! I can drive around town in a quiet car with almost no hint of the beast waiting to be unleashed…

Overall, I am very pleased with how the car turned-out. I was getting a little afraid that the suspension would be too firm/rough, or that the 3.45 gears would be too tall, etc… but everything has come together better than I could have ever imagined!

The next round of mods are already in the works. Since I have the “go” taken care of, I figured I would work on some of the “show”. I could tell you all my plans now, but that would take away some of the surprise of revealing it when it is finished!

NCG Mega Mod Day

NorCal GOATs had a Mega Mod Day today. What might you ask is a “Mega Mod Day”? Well, imagine having a full garage with all the tools you could ever want… a bunch of parts… and a great group of knowledgeable people to help get the work done. Big thanks goes out to Garage Works in Vallejo, Ca for welcoming us into their shop, and Big Joe for setting-up everything.

I didn’t have any work that I needed to get done on my car, but there were many impressive tasks going on. The big one was a stall converter upgrade, which I guess isn’t that complex, but anytime you have to remove the transmission from a car it’s not a “simple” job.

I spent most of my day standing around a G8 GT that was getting the Solo High-Flow Cats installed. Working under a car that is on jack stands isn’t one of my strong points, so I ran around gathering tools and parts. The HF Cat install process sounds simple on paper, but due to the location of several of the bolts and connectors (specifically those for the front O2 sensors) it took much longer than expected. Once the work was done though, the results were spectacular. The car went from be loud to a monster… so much so that the owner has since changed exhaust/mufflers to quiet things down. I think when I get my HF cats I’ll save some trouble and have them installed.

Other work that was being performed included the installation of a dual-exhaust on a ’04 GTO (which is a factory single-exhaust), trans-cooler, headers, and a drive-shaft loop.

Like the previous mods days, I really learned a bunch. I’m still a little unsure about doing too much work myself, but the more of these events I get to the more confident I am getting about doing the “simpler” things.

Welcome Back OnStar

My battle to get Bluetooth in the G8 has been a crazy one. While I was looking forward to getting the BlueStar system, I was a little disappointing that I would loose the functionality of OnStar. Today I happened to get really lucky and was able to purchase an OEM OnStar module with Bluetooth! After reprogramming, this will give me all the functionality that I was exited to have all the way back in October. When I get everything together I’ll reactivate my OnStar subscription.

Valentine’s Day for the G8

Because I love the G8 so much, I decided to buy ‘her’ a Valentine’s Day present… a Carbon Fiber Rear-Lip Spoiler!

Not that I don’t love the G8, but V-Day wasn’t the real reason for buying some carbon fiber. The G8 is a rare car, especially being discontinued, so there are very few aftermarket companies producing parts. One person who has been a stand-out in the GTO community is Maverick Man. He has produced some really high quality, pre-preg autoclaved CF, parts for the GTO… and when I heard he was looking into making parts for the G8 I was very happy!

I’ve always been a fan of the look of un-painted Carbon Fiber and I think it would go perfectly on a MGM colored G8. The CF Rear-Lip Spoiler attaches to the trunk using all the OEM hardware, but has a slightly more aggressive/taller lip. The mod should be subtle (far from a multi-level ‘ricer’ wing), but just a little touch of style to set my G8 apart from the rest.

Unfortunately the lead time on Maverick Man’s products are several months, but I should be towards the top on G8 waiting list. I really can’t wait to get this spoiler on my car… and hopefully enough people purchase it, encouraging MM to develop additional products (like CF Kidney Grill surrounds).

Header Swap

I have been having a rubbing issue with my JBA Shorty Headers since they were installed over six-months ago. The steering shaft has been coming in contact with the driver’s side header, mostly when turning right while accelerating. It had not caused any handling issues, but it did produce a noise that was very annoying.

With the help from a member of the G8Board I was able to get in-touch with Pertronix, apparently the company that makes JBA headers, and aquire a re-designed shorty header. The replacement header arrived a few weeks ago, but I’ve not had the chance to get it installed… until today.

While I did the install of the headers originally with a group of friends, and it wasn’t too difficult, but getting people together for another Mod-day (without a garage) wasn’t possible. I decided to head to Synergy Motorsports to get the work done.

The experience was just what I expected from all the comments I’ve heard about Synergy. It took a little over an hour to get the header out and the replacement header installed. I was really impressed with the service that Rick provided… I called today at noon and he was able to get me in/out quickly. It was also nice to pick his brain about different Mod ideas I’m having for the coming months.

After the work was completed I headed home with a detour on Palomares Rd. In the past when I’ve driven this road there were several times the header would rub. Today, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t get the header to rub against the steering column! I’m going to have to make a trip up Mines Rd. just to make sure, but it seems like everything is good to go.

Goodbye OnStar, Hello BlueStar

I’ve been looking for a Bluetooth solution for the G8 for quite some time. While I don’t spend much time on the phone in the car, with the new hands free laws in California, I need something that works. The performance of Bluetooth headsets are poor, especially compared to the factory phone system. I refuse to pay OnStar for phone minutes (I already pay for too many minutes on my cell phone) and was not impressed with their service when I needed a tow (AAA arrived faster).

My OnStar subscription is running out in a few days, so now was the perfect time to cancel it and go with the BlueStar system. The loss of OnStar means that I will not get phone alerts telling me my oil life and tire pressure (which I can do anytime I’m in the car), unlock my doors if I get locked-out (which is basically impossible in the G8 anyhow), or turn-by-turn navigation (but that’s what the GPS is for).

There is a group buy on the G8Board, so I’ll even be getting a discounted rate on the BlueStar (only a couple of bucks more than a year’s worth of OnStar). It will be nice to have a phone in the car that actually works without having to spend more money on minutes.