May 14, 2008
That Modding Itch
It’s that time of the week again where I spend more time with the apple green Savvy (nicknamed Mellon) then my iridescent white Neo (oddly enough no nick name was given). Under direct orders from my dear sister, no modification can be done to the Mellon, until it’s fully paid off. Hmmm… 3+ more years to go. Doesn’t hurt if I do some planning now. XD
In case you are wondering, yes, i’m a power user. I get addicted to fast cars very fast. And having experienced the Neo’s handling capabilities at old Ulu Yam-Genting route and last Sunday night touge at UM Lover’s Hill, I was thinking of tweaking the Savvy to the performing standards of the Neo. It might sound insane making the Savvy like the Neo, but I do think it’s an effort well paid off. The Savvy has one thing the Neo does not, it’s small nimble built.
[Parental Advisory: Illegal Activities]
Last night (at about 10.30om), after a short visit at UM to see my sweetheart, I had a little impromptu street race with a turbocharged Toyota Caldina on the way back home via SS17. I was driving the Savvy.
As the green lights appeared I gunned down the cross section to make a right turn heading to SPRINT - NKVE highway. I was halted behind a really slow moving old junk blue wira and there’s where the challenger appears at my rear view mirror. The championship white turbocharged Caldina let off some boost through its high pitched after market blow off valve. And that bugger tailed me close enough for me to notice it’s racing stickers in contrasting black on it’s front fenders and hood which looks unmistakable for carbon fiber finish.
So, I did what I naturally do, tailgate the wira in front of me with my car jutting out to the right so that my headlights (on low beam mode) shines at his side mirror to say "get the fuck off my road".
As the 30km/h train of Wira, Savvy and Caldina finally reaches to the SPRINT - NKVE highway intersection at San Francisco’s Steak House, and the road widens from one late to two, I gun down the curve overtaking the Wira on the right while narrowly missing the curb/kerb. Looking back while my speed was drastically increasing, I noticed that the Cladina too mimic my maneuver and gave chase. Not wasting time looking back anymore, I planted my foot on the gas paddle and rocketed the Savvy on the near empty highway weaving through whatever vehicle that’s cruising on the road, until I got halted again with two slow moving vehicles blocking both lanes of the highways at the Up Town flyover, roughly 500-700 meters from where I overtook the crawling slow Wira near San Fransisco’s Steak House.
I waited a good three seconds before the Caldina narrowly kisses the back of the car as it finally caught up. Seconds of adrenaline rush got me thinking "Hey, this Savvy ain’t bad". I never expect to catapult from the Savvy from a constant cruising speed to way above legal limits in just seconds with its stock standard D4F 1149cc naturally aspirated engine. Top that up with a small frame and good suspension work, it could fair off as an ultra low budget Italian Job mini. And to outrun/out weave a turbocharged Caldina.
Having "Won" that impromptu race, I eased off the throttle and let the Caldina pass the moment the car in front of me made way. That guy speed off towards BU Centerpoint while I headed home with more thoughts in my head. How to make a Monster Mellon.
Recalling the articles and forum discussion on the Savvy, I’ve drafted out a few things which will help boosting the overall performance of my sister’s Mellon.
1) R3 After Market Springs
Made specially for the Savvy with great help from Proton motorsport engineering division (with the help of Lotus), no other after market springs comes close to match these set of red coil. Priced slightly above Rm400, It’s not that expensive for a "branded" item.
2) Better Rubbers
With the current odd size of 175/50/15 tires, I need more thought into finding the right size to fit without rubbing into the underside of the wheel arch and also something not too expensive. While the Michelin PP2 serves averagely well on my Neo, I am look at other alternatives. And this time, maintaining the profile of the tires. Having upped the profile on my Neo, high speed cruises are at times dangerously floaty, especially while taking corners.
New engine, and it’s French made, this modification will cost a bomb. Lets face it, the D4F no doubt is a good engine, but it’s naturally aspirated, and the amount of money spent in increasing its output (while maintaining NA) is not worth while. There’s this guy spending close to 20K to make a one-of-a-kind 170bhp campro. A MIVEC transplant cost half that price with the same output.
This mini monster produces 100bhp @ 5500RPM and 145 Nm of torque at 3000RPM. The D4FT emission control can be cinsidered "green" with CO2 emissions homologated at 140g/km (why do you think my exhaust system is left stock in my Neo? I’m a tree hugging hippie) Plus, the D4FT comes with over boost even in stock form, save the trouble of getting an after market boost controller. The biggest headache (other then being sooo expensive) is actually finding one in Malaysia. Finding a Clio III halfcut with a (D4FT/1.2 TCE/TCE 100) one engine, many names is hard since Clio III also comes in 2.0L NA.
And in case anyone ask, yes, I’ve taken the Savvy for the rear wheel hub check and nothing is wrong with it.
May 15th, 2008 at 7:20 am
1)Instead of those expensive springs, I was thinking of changing the absorbers to Wira 1.6 abs (minus spring plate)and have Dennis to spray it PINK ^.^
2)Tires??? You pay ya~! ^^,
3)Cannot find engine? Ask Dennis to call his uncle see can source from Japan or not.
4)No PIMPING Melon until loan is settled! Until then, keep the modifications in your dreams
May 20th, 2008 at 11:16 pm
I heard that wira absorbers are too stiff for the savvy. the springs will not function properly with mismatched absorbers.
plus the R3 springs for savvy will reduce overall ride height by 15-20mm. lower center of gravity, better handling.