[Stanton]

Hi Guys!

Ive not long owned my Carbon Black M5, a little over one month now... i bought it 100% stock and having owned a string of very seriously modified cars (360bhp drift prepped S14a, 550bhp R32 Turbo etc etc) it was only natural i couldnt keep the M5 stock for too long.

i looked hard for a carbon black model with black leather within my budget, but eventually i found one!

This is how it looked after i machine polished it right after buying it...

it was overall in good condition but if yo look a little closer and you can see some wear on the alu interior trim, and the headlights are not nice, and it has a strange rear window spoiler on it!

first port of call was to service the car throughoughly! i knew i would be using it in anger, so all the filters inc the fuel filter was swapped and so was the oil...

could not believe how big the fuel filter was! (and expensive lol)

next up was to sort out those front lights, which REALLY bugged me and detracted from the whole car. got some smoked depo lenses that were a doddle to fit!

and changed the bulbs while i was there to really update the front end....

i then took off the rear ///M5 emblem, which i guess is not too much of a popular mod but its something i like - i like to creep up on people, and keep them guessing!

by this point i was quite happy with the looks for now....

but i felt it was too quiet and too restrained... i was cleaning the bay one day and i knew what i had to do!

so i did it....

which was a step in the right direction, but not enough... so being competent with metalwork... i took out the rear boxes and fabricated a pair of nice delete pipes

the car has been remapped to suit the intakes and now flies! im waiting to get it on the dyno but i hope for a nice improvement - the car made the stock 400bhp before the mods!

i havent forgotten the interior, and ive wrapped all the alu trim with carbon vinal

im picking up my rial daytona wheels tonight from the refurbisher, so that is exciting! i will also order my coilovers soon, i think the wheels and suspension are the only two outstanding area's i would like to address immediately!

so yea, sorry about the long intro and sorry my pics are not to a professional standard but hi everyone!! :wroom:

 

[chowdah]

Excellent introduction. That's the way they all should be. Welcome to the board.

In case you didn't do so already, check your coolant level (first pic). Better yet, if maintenance history doesn't indicate, change coolant and brake fluid. FYI, coolant is every 3yr, and brake every 2yr.

 

[Stanton]

Thanks for the welcome!!!

Ive got new pads and discs on order so was going to do the fluid at the same time, coolant is topped but i might change now you mention it, trying to get everything up to scratch.

Just picked up my new wheels now, look forward to fitting them this weekend with any luck!

 

[Mfreakin5]

I wouldn't expect to pick up any horsepower on the dyno, the stock mufflers aren't very restrictive and the AFE's just suck in hot air from the engine compartment.

If you want power, save your money and pick up a set of headers and a tune, pretty much everything else is snake oil unless you want to go forced induction. In which case start saving. Now.

 

[Stanton]

as i say i am well versed with building cars, and know the m5 as a superb airbox setup - the box deletes and intakes are purely for the sound + enjoyment of the drive.

im well aware it wont pick up any power. but power is not allways why we modify.

the software remap WILL give power however, i do some custom remapping myself on alot of opel and VW/Audi cars and a friend of mine in SA has alot of experience with these m5's for customers in dubai. it has his tune on it right now so excited to see what he's managed to produce, it feels more spritely and throttle response and smoothness is much better anyway!

 

[Stanton]

quick pic of the wheels! hopefully have them trial mounted tonight...

 

[harry d]

Hi and welcome, that's some tasty mods you have done - especially the backbox removal. Who did this for you and how much was it if you don't mind me asking? Does it sound alot louder than stock..??

I'm interested in the muffler delete but I don't want a constant drone/hum sound in the car, only when I give it some gas then I want to hear the roar of the V8..!!!

Cheers.

 

[bmcwhirt]

Nice Carbon Black!

 

[Marto]

Welcome aboard and some nice subtle updates there....

Enjoy

Marto

 

[Stanton]

Hi and welcome, that's some tasty mods you have done especially the backbox removal - who done this for you/how much in £ and does it sound alot louder..??

Reason I ask is, I don't want a constant drone/hum sound in the car, only when I give it some gas then I want to hear a noce roar of the V8..!!!

Cheers.

hi harry!

i did it myself, the sound is as per the 'muffler delete' thread really, keeping the centre resonator takes care of all the nasty drone on the motorway and at idle/part load etc but removing the back boxes ups the sound level and quality - sounds just how a V8 should sound now, throaty and a very deep roar!

im very tempted to make up my own x pipe but im very aware i need to keep the noise down to make it out to any of the UK tracks. for the sake of a little noise i think i would prefer an easy entrance to the tracks...

I was quite time consuming to get it really nice, i guess overall it took around 4 or 5 hours to do and the tips and pipework, clamps and brackets came to around £170 :thumbsup:

it's not something we would generally take on at the shop but if you were local im sure we could do something for you - im not here to sell though.

im currently searching for some original rial centre caps for my new wheels - turning out a right pain! zzzzz

 

[harry d]

I was quite time consuming to get it really nice, i guess overall it took around 4 or 5 hours to do and the tips and pipework, clamps and brackets came to around £170 :thumbsup:

Bit of a trek for me to get to Southampton, but hey what other car could you ask for to do the miles..!!!

The car is looking good, post the pics once you get the new wheels in place - enjoy...!!! :biggrinbounce:

 

[Stanton]

haha absolutely! they are amazing mile munchers! i regularily drive to wales/the midlands etc and the m5 is the perfect car for it, it's comfy to get there and then an animal on winding roads when you do.

visited a buddy i used to drift with when i had my nissan this weekend, he has a very 'messed with' mx5 now... we both needed new tyres after a little 'reunion tandem' session, and with my new wheels on the horizon... there was only one way to give the style 65's a proper send off right?

a little naughty perhaps but alot of fun :thumbsup:

im excited to see how a set of KW Coilovers and some camber plates will change how it drives - its VERY close to perfect right now, but i feel it has a little low speed understeer - especially in the wet and can be a little 'wallowy' if you get it a little out of shape out of a corner... but for a stock car - it's amazing!

 

[BenTong]

Welcome to the Board. Very nice introduction post. I like how you haven't wasted anytime getting the car modified to your liking.

Keep up the good work. It looks like your M5 has a nice life ahead of it.

 

[Stanton]

thanks for the warm welcome guys!

i test fitted the wheels last night to make sure the centre bore size was good and that they cleared everything... good news! they do!

now to get them tyred up, get the suspension and space the wheels for nice fitment! :noSMG:

 

[harry d]

Looking good already, nice one...!!!

PS When you doing my muffler delete...??? LOL

 

[Stanton]

haha harry! come down and get it done

i tried to pm you, and tried to email... but i dont have enough posts to be able to do so, so i guess ill have to post the message here - i dont want to be accused of advertising, im here to be part of the community

"Hey harry!

this is the shop i work at, we take care of all manner of high end performance modifications - Regal Autosport Blog

to do your muffler, as i said in the thread it was £170 for the clamps, brackets, tail finishers and pipework and around 4 hours to get a nice neat job... around 1 hour to remove the OE back boxes and 1.5 hours each side to make a nice job of the fab work.

we charge £55+vat an hour for labour

we regularily have customers visit from london way, we've got a nice waiting room or you can pop over town which is about 3-4 miles away for a spot of lunch

Cheers,
Ryan"

 

[harry d]

haha harry! come down and get it done

Cheers Ryan, i'm gonna sort these belts out and get the noise issue done then will consider getting this done, you got any videos of the sound it makes?

 

[Stanton]

this is the sound, on the work dyno. hopefully you can hear over the sound of the fans - the muffler thread is the best barometer for sound though, the iphone microphone is rubbish tbh!

only videos i have i uploaded straight to facebook, but these links should work!!

http://www.facebook.com/v/10150414284535161

http://www.facebook.com/v/10150414276025161

 

[harry d]

Looking good those pipes, think I need to get some brillo pads on mine as the tips look rubbish at the moment...!!! :7:

I guess the sound on the dyno is going to be different, will be different if you just rev it while parked - good stuff though.

 

[Stanton]

i'll get some videos over the weekend - i dont think the dyno pulls really do it much justice because of the noise from the fans... i really love the sound though - it sounds restrained enough to sound classy but deep and throaty enough for you to know it is modified in some way lovelove