almost done!

[matty-matt]

we put the IPD plenum and 75mm throttle body on late last week. i only had a chance to drive it to the post office and back, maybe 7 or 8 miles total, before going to MotoGP for the weekend. thankfully that 7-8 miles is very familiar, very smooth, very twisty two-lane backroad!

initial impression was underwhelm, honestly. the sound is better, with a more noticeable growl to the intake even at idle. (granted, the idle since install has been higher and hovering, yet to settle down.) just dipping in to the throttle a bit elicits a throaty rasp through the EVOM filter....it DEFINITELY sounds meaner and balances out the burble at the back from the headers and exhaust.

the combination of underdrive pulley, headers and exhaust produced more apparent gains than the new plenum and throttle body throughout the rev range, especially down low where it used to fall into a hole created when the EVOM went on years ago. the biggest improvement felt was in third gear, proving to be much more eager to rip toward the redline than before.

driving in this morning to have the ROW M030 installed and a 4-wheel alignment, i was happily surprised at how quickly it zipped up to an indicated 80mph getting on to the highway, spinning up the rear tires a bit through first.

i caught every stop light on the way in, and as usual, every one in the opposite lane wanted to race (older mustang GT, duramax with exhaust and gauge pillar, mitsubishi ecllipse turbo) but i didn't play along, just let them launch and then accelerated smoothly and quickly up to 70mph behind them.

the whole time, i'm thinking to myself, THIS is how this car is supposed to feel and sound!