Welcome To The PSI Blog

On the weekends, we sometimes have time to work on our own cars.  The other weekend the car of choice was Alex's Toyota Starlet.

Above: Back when Alex first got the Starlet.  

This past weekend we went out to Pat's Acres Racing Complex, PARC, for some grassroots drifting.  We were lucky to have a rain-free day in Oregon.  Kyle Pollard brought out his FD competition car, a Nissan Silvia, to have some fun during the off season.  

You can definitely tell we are in the middle of  drift season.  Coming up next week is Formula Drift Seattle Round 5 at Evergreen Speedway.  It is the major drifting event in the Northwest.  

Since the Achilles Radial drift cars were dropped off a few weeks ago, we have been working on many drift cars and getting them ready for events. 

A client recently brought in his 2011 Corvette Grand Sport to be lowered on a new set of wheels.

The Corvette was lowered with an Eibach Pro-Kit.

The client chose a set of OZ Racing Ultraleggera's, which we had powder coated gloss black. The Ultraleggera's were wrapped in a set of Nitto Invo tires, 275/30 ZR19 in the front and 345/25 ZR20 in the rear.

Have you ever wanted to get your car really low but not have to worry about speed bumps or driveways?

You can have the best of both worlds with an air suspension setup.

Above: Lexus with an air suspension setup.

Above: '65 Cadillac with an air suspension setup.  A work in progress.

Above: '63 Lincoln Continental with an air suspension setup.

Another project that is currently in progress is Erick Sackhoff's '64 Lincoln Continental. This car will not only have an air suspension setup but was channelled so that the lowest part of the car is the frame.  The exhaust runs through the frame.

Above: '64 Lincoln Continental.

There are many different companies that offer air suspension setups, which include AirRide and AirRunner, so there should be one to match your application.  If not, we can make you a custom setup.

If you are interested in getting an air suspension setup, come down or give us a call and we will be happy to talk to you about it.

We would like to offer Air Runner Systems to our clients who want a comfortable ride and extremely low when parked.

Here are a few examples from their website:

Above: 2007+ Lexus LS460

Above: 2002+ Infiniti Q45 2WD

Above: BMW 3 Series E90

Above: 2005+ Chrysler 300/300C

They have over 200 different applications for many different makes and models. They offer several different series depending on your specific needs. Contact us for more information and we will be glad to put together a solution for you.

Above: Air Runner setup with AccuAir on a Lexus IS250 done by Revision Audio in Hawaii.

When modifying your daily driver, some concessions need to be made. There are luxuries that one comes to expect from a modern car. The Lexus IS250 has those comforts, which makes it the choice for one of our clients.

Above: This is how the IS250 sits. It has been lowered and sits on a set of 19" SSR Vienna wheels.

This pearl IS250 came in to us in stock form. The client had a vision in mind for his car and we helped make that happen. Being his daily, he focused on a clean look.

We installed a set of BC coil overs, which lowered the car and got rid of the large wheel gaps. The coil overs offer better handling and make the car look good.

Rolling around on stock wheels just would not look right, so we installed a set of 19" SSR Vienna wheels with Falken FK452 tires.

A GReddy exhaust with Titanium tips was installed.

Above: GReddy exhaust system.

Above: Titantium tip on the GReddy exhaust.

Here are a few more shots for you.

These modifications come together and give this Lexus IS250 AWD a clean look that is perfect for a daily driver.

The Subaru WRX has been a popular platform for modifications over the generations and the new third generation is no different. A client recently brought in his WRX for a few performance upgrades, including a Cobb Accessport.

Most of the modifications focused on reducing airflow restrictions on the Boxer engine. A Perrin intake and front mount intercooler (FMIC) allow better air flow and lower intake temperatures.

A Perrin catless downpipe and turbo back exhaust were also installed.  A Cobb AccessPort was used to reflash the ECU to get the full benefits on these performance upgrades.

Here is a video of the dyno run:

This new setup produces 309 whp to the wheels.

The WRX also received some upgrades in the suspension department. The stock components were replaced with Tanabe Sustec Pro Five coil overs. These give the WRX the lowered stance and increased handling performance the owner was looking for.

The Tanabe Electronic Active Suspension (TEAS) system was also installed to adjust the dampening of the coil overs to further improve handling.

One of our client's brought back his G37S. 

If you remember, this is the car that we installed a Stillen supercharger and HKS exhaust.  Here is the previous post in case you missed it, http://blog.tunedbypsi.com/supercharged-2008-infiniti-g37s/. 

The G37S did not return because of problems but to have upgrades installed.  The client has been driving his G37S daily and is really enjoying the added power.  These power adders increased horsepower and torque by 120 and 70 respectively. 

With this increase in power, the client wanted to increase the handling performance. 

Left to right: SPC front upper control arms and SPC rear lower control arms

Left to Right: Hawk Performance HPS brake pads and dba rotors

The KW coilovers allow the car to handle better and increase aesthetic appeal by lowering the car.  SPC control arms were installed in the front and rear to adjust camber.  The rear lower control arms were also modified to allow for toe adjustment.  The upgraded dba brake rotors and Hawk Performance pads provide the car with the stopping ability to match its power. 

After installing a new suspension setup, a proper alignment is very important. 

Whenever modifying a car, balance is key.  It will posess the power, handling, and braking to match.  The entire package is what will provide the best driving experience, and this car now has it.  The owner recently picked up a set of Vossen wheels.

Most people have a tendency to overlook the full potential of their vehicles by just adding power.  Having a lot of power is nice, but the ability to control that power will ultimately increase the enjoyment of driving.  If you are able to increase the efficiency of power transfer, you are able to get more out of your vehicle and the power adders.  Upgrading the suspension on vehicles will improve the performance and make them more enjoyable to drive.  This is especially true for unibody vehicles like this Z28 Camaro.

This 2000 Z28 Camaro comes stock with an LS1, with a rating of 305-315 hp.  This particular Camaro has SLP intake, exhaust, and long tube headers.  These performance adders help to boost the power output of the LS1 to an estimated 350 whp.  The power gets to the ground via a set of Hankook 315/30/R18 tires in the rear and 275/40/R17 tires up front mounted on C5 rims.  This Camaro has already had the brakes upgraded to C5 Corvette units.