Any car this brash should have something significant under the hood to give it a good kick in the ass when need arises, so Ryan commissioned Dynamic Turbo in Miami upgrade the factory turbo powerplant with a full array of GReddy armaments: 18G turbo, front-mount intercooler, Type S blow-off valve and GReddy Airinx filter mounted on a custom intake pipe. Exhaust-side upgrades include a Buschur manifold, 3-in. Eliminator downpipe and Random high-flow cat. A custom dual-exit exhaust with twin Revolution carbon-fiber mufflers blows wasted gases out the back. Supplying the upgraded turbo equipment with a proportionate amount of fuel falls to an Aeromotive fuel regulator and Holley pump. Other additions to the engine bay include NOS nitrous injection, AEM cam gears, Koyo radiator, FAL dual fans, and an MSD Digital ignition and Magnecor plug wires to apply flame to the fuel. Various dress-up items like the Radd radiator hoses, STR dipstick and brake reservoir cover and Injen coolant reservoir, as well as custom chrome plating throughout the engine bay, serve to give Ryan's 4G63 the show "bling" it needs at the events.
Underneath the custom molded and flame-brushed madness, Tanabe Sustec coilovers drop the topless chassis over a set of 18-in. Niche Shocking Shock wheels. The wheels have been wrapped in Z-rated Nitto 555 tires of the 225/40 variety. Behind those shocking rollers, the front brake assemblies have been upgraded with enlarged Stillen hardware-13-in. rotors, Stillen/AP Racing four-piston calipers-and the rears with 10-in. AEM rotors. Hawk carbon-fiber pads and Goodridge braided lines are present at all corners.
Since the car runs with its top down whenever nice weather allows and, of course, at shows, Ryan knew the car's interior needed to be on par with its exterior. The front seats were removed to make room for a pair of Sparco seats. Sparco harnesses keep the car's occupants strapped, and Sparco pedals, a Momo steering wheel and Levoc shift knob replace select factory pieces. A Greddy turbo timer is present to keep an eye on the turbo, and an A'PEXi S-AFC and AVC-R collaborate on the engine's fine tuning. A pair of aftermarket gauges-GReddy EGT and Autometer air-fuel ratio-assist in the fine tuning.
To put the project on ice, Ryan called on the experts at JR Electronics, also in Miami, to install a comprehensive entertainment system. It's based on an Alpine head unit with integrated 6.5-in. LCD screen and Alpine digital surround sound processor. Phoenix Gold amps and capacitors feed Diamond component speakers and three 10-in. JL Audio subs mounted in a custom box where the back seat used to be. The trunk has been modified with a custom diamond plate floor and enclosures for an Alpine 12-disc changer and second Optima yellow-top battery (the first is under the hood). An airbrushed NOS bottle sits in the middle, and a custom diamond plate cover for the bottom of the trunk lid accommodates an 8-in. Pioneer LCD. In addition to that monitor and the one in the dash, There are no less than five other LCD screens ingested into various locations throughout the car's cabin.
To date, the Eclipse has racked up fourteen awards at various Eastern events, including awards for best of show and best Mitsubishi. Also, since by trade Ryan works as a gaffer and lighting technician for TV and motion pictures, he's been able to hook up a little screen time for his baby. The car can be seen in such filmed features as "In the Shadows", "The Crew", "Any Given Sunday", and-soon-the sequel to "The Fast and The Furious." He'd like to thank his family, especially his wife, for their support throughout the project's various stages.
What can you learn from this story? Next time your wife, girlfriend or parents tell you to put your money away and save it for a rainy day, go ahead and do it. Then when it rains, go out and get your car stranded in the biggest puddle you can find. Hey, it worked for Gary Ryan.
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Auto Indulgence
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Dynmaic Turbo
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Auto Pro
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SPS Chrome
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