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My baby turned 300 at last (pic heavy)


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  • Manual mode ________________________ All day, erryday
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  • Member For: 16y 3m 23d
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Probably above atmospheric pressure

Well this is my build thread, but it is a bit different. I hope you enjoy the story and take the positives from it like I plan to.

I bought a Lightning Strike (silver) 2007 BFII XR6 Turbo on the 12th of August 2008. I had been hassling the Ford dealer for a week to find me one with the ZF gearbox, they found one at auction which was ex highway patrol. One quick test drive and I signed, couldn't help myself once I heard the whistle hahaha. My old man drove me down when it was ready to be collected...here's me with a $h*t eating grin having just taken delivery :)

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Quick trip back to dad's place for some more snaps of the big day.

The stock engine bay, all 245kw and 480Nm of it, it won't be this clean again for a couple years!

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By the time I got it home it had only 37,444kms on the clock.

I got involved more actively with the FordXR6turbo forums, and joined them for a cruise. Got to see my first FG up close (DJ Kice). All the excitement went to my head however...

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Yeah not good. It drizzled on me while I waited for a lift home by dad which felt fitting. I apologised to the car and promised not to hurt her again! Full insurance meant a (slow painful) month later I was back driving again. Thanks to Mat for some great pics:

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June 09: time for my first mod. Nothing dramatic as I was still enjoying my new car warranty. I bought the obligatory K&N air filter from Brendan on the forums. He commented that my stock air filter didn't look like his original one.

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I said maybe the police used different ones? My suspicions were confirmed upon reading the fine print on the side of the old filter.

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Somewhere around here I bought the all important Ford flash box (XCAL3) off of IH8TOADS. It sits dormant.

No pics but I also fitted the F6 Typhoon lower air intake snorkel to my airbox. Cut out the hole at dads yet again with measurements taken from fordxr6turbo.com, thanks!

In July 09 I decided the car needed some tarty bling. Off to eBay for some interior light LED replacements, MUAHAHA! Sadly the polarity was the wrong way around for the passenger courtesy lights so off to dads for some dodgy soldering. It's not hooked up quite like this now, it's a bit neater I swear (this one actually blew 6 months later when I was messing with it).

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Yes!

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I also read about the oil cap getting brittle and breaking off into the engine. I thought "yeah, nah" so off to supercheap for a new red one! Peeled off the crappy logo from the cap, much nicer this way

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Awww yeah, added 2kw just there, lol. Also hit 55,000kms this month.

I learned that there's a fuel filter on the car (heh) and decided it was time to replace it. As many others found, the nuts were FFFFFNNNN tight. I let dad do the honours with his super duper "tighter you twist the tighter it grips" tool which left nice teeth marks on the nut but did the job.

New filter in. Not looking forward to doing that again, might get XFT to do it from now on :)

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Eww, dirty fuel.

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60,000kms ticks over at the end of the month. I'm living in the hills and working in Freo now (ouch). Poor car is my daily.

26/10/2009 - I buy a Nizpro intercooler off of FrostyBoy for a tidy sum. It has the piping to suit an aftermarket plenum which I do not have. Still enjoying complete new car warranty, it sits dormant.

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  • Manual mode ________________________ All day, erryday
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  • Member For: 16y 3m 23d
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Probably above atmospheric pressure

Come December 2009 I found the angel eyes forum group buy going, rapidly decided they were all kinds of awesome and I had to have them.

This was fun... a text from Mat "you're doing the oil change wrong!" - hahaha.

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They are brittle things unfortunately and not able to stand up to my dad's gentle grip, lol.

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With one of the smaller rings broken, we pushed ahead to fit the other 3 and only connect the larger outside rings to power.

Waiting for silicone to set

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The interim result! Not bad.

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70,800km by the end of the month.

I get back from a visit to Tassie to see mum in the new year (2010) and receive replacement rings. Off to dad's once more where they are promptly fitted!

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Finally the look is complete. Much better at night now as the inner rings are visible while the headlights are on. Probably not enjoyed as much by BMW fans though :P

19/05/2010 It's Whoop Ass Wednesday at the Kwinana Motorplex and the drag season is drawing to a close. I am keen to see what the car has got in it. Back when I bought it the salesman gave me the old "it feels a bit more powerful than a normal one" line... I think he was unknowingly speaking the truth!

Best on the night, 13.59 at 105. Just can't get that 60 footer down enough for my liking but it was my first ever night competing so I was BLOODY STOKED! Run in well by the cops, thanks guys.

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I shifted in manual mode, no burnout, stalled it up only a little I think, hard to remember due to the adrenaline. About 1400rpm if I did.

Low quality Vid of the run, dad missed the start though! The Nissan was running low 13's/high 12's to compare.

Car ran with about 88,000kms on the clock and a very dirty K&N filter which had been through two trips down south in the dirt, poor thing.

I'm planning to get a custom tune done soon so I chase down the right section of piping for my new intercooler. It was a looong process but finally I got my hands on it.

July 2010 rolls around, my new car warranty is expiring. I have had concerns over the noise my turbo seems to make as I shut down the car so I take it to Simon at XFT for a check. He says it's on the way out so we get in touch with the dealer and I'm soon the happy owner of a new Garrett GT35/40 under warranty. Sa-weet.

I get a hold of a Manta full exhaust system. Twin 2.5inch in mild steel, the budget just won't stretch to the twin 3 but this will handle my power aims fine.

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I score some cheap gauges off of eBay and get happily reamed in the wallet for the tripod gauge holder by BPT, heh. We start fitting at dad's but it gets too late and I have to head home having only learned how to take out the damn ICC unit >_<

Next day...fitting them myself in the garage took 8 hours as I pained over the details (like cutting into my BOV tubing!) and fought with the damn Ford ICC plugs again :/

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It was worth it though!

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97,000kms!

With the warranty finally gone it's time for proper mods. I book it in with Simon at Xtreme Ford Tuning at very short notice which was great of him.

I drop it and the parts in on Tuesday morning as it's my Uni day of the week and it's a study break. The initial dyno run posts 208rwkw, a good result (generally he sees 190-210 stock).

I get a call later on that it's going to be late before they finish it. No worries as I've gotten a nice cold so have taken the Wednesday off work, I'll pick it up then.

Wednesday rolls around, my crusty old fuel line broke during a dyno run where it made over 300 before it finished. Ford are couriering the replacement part up so no drama. I head off to get lunch.

This is where my day stops going according to plan. I get a call, my dad is in hospital in Freo with heart problems. I arrive there but news is bad, they are doing CPR so I decline to go in. He doesn't pull through. I sort out the immediate family business and head back to the hills to pick up my gf from work and take the car off Simon's hands.

The car is done, I have a long chat to Simon as he knew I was headed to Freo hospital. It's not good timing, but these things never are. I talk about the car results and take it away to get fuel and have a drive home. It feels very strong though I've not really driven it properly yet. I'll head to another WAW soon I'm sure and see what it pulls.

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My cars have been a great bonding experience between me and dad over the last few years. He was a Ford man himself having owned an XW GT which he started converting to an XY (he didn't keep it sadly). I worked on my XF with him when it popped radiator hoses and we fixed up a crashed EAII for me which I eventually gave to him when I got the XR6T. I wish he could have seen the newly tuned car this Father's Day - I was keeping it a secret - but it was just not to be. He was the only other person I've let give the car a good run and I know he loved it. I can only hope to gain half the mechanical knowledge he had. Always a project on the go over at his place, a shed full to the brim of bits and pieces (including my 12 slotters I removed from my XF). These memories of working on my cars and his are the ones I'll keep with me and this car will probably remain mine for a very long time as I drive it in his honour.

Thanks dad, you were always there for me with a joke and a helping hand when I had questions. You're loved and you'll be missed.

The day I bought her.

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Edited by -SteveR-
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  • Tampon inserted, Auto Acquired, next purchase a new handbag
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Thanks for the write. I know its already been said but Sorry for your loss, Im sure your old man knew the power mods wouldn't be far away.

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Was really enjoying the read until the end. I know how much you wanted 300+ :)

Really sorry to hear about your dad mate.

Edited by Mat
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  • Member For: 15y 7m 15d
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SALUTE TO YOU!!

f*ckin great write up mate. This is what its all about... I hate it when people tell me its just a car..

No it f*ckin isnt!! I am who I am due to the time I have spent over the many years giving my blood, sweat and tears to these things. Whether it be with my best mate or my old man the lessons you learn spending time enjoying a common interest like cars are endless.

There goes my sob story deeply sorry to hear about your loss. Good work mate, stay safe im sure that's what would be most important to him.

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  • A much better forum
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  • Member For: 15y 7m 25d
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Great right up man....

Sorry to hear about your old man... Kinda left me feeling a little bit shocked...

Hope the family is handling it as well as can be expected... Dads are awesome... My dad got me working on cars from a young age to save a few bucks... Now I (usually!!!) love to do it when I have time!!! :blink:

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Nice result on the tune, really sorry to hear about your loss mate. Went through a similar experience with my mum recently, never easy when they go quickly, leaving you without the chance to say your goodbyes. I'm sure your dad is watching from above,and bloody stoked with your dyno results. :blink:

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  • Member For: 14y 8m 2d
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great post. read every word. sounds like great times. Alot of people dont get a chance like that with their dad sop at least you got that. He would be proud how the car has turned out.

my condolences

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