“So, I purchased my FR-S in March of 2013. One of the first things I did was wrap the sun visors in microsuede to get rid of the ugly airbag sticker. Quickly followed by that was removing the DRL module, if I want my headlights on, I’ll turn them on. Subaru BRZ‘s and FR-S‘s come with a “sound tube generator” thing that filters engine sound into the cabin…although it’s not as bad as BMW’s that play vroom vroom noises through the speakers, I removed the sound tube, its parts and plugged all connections for weight savings. I then debadged the car, and filled in the “Scion” logo, painted it black and re installed. I then added a GPS to the dash, to the right of the headunit-I like have a separate gps for its usability, map updates and generally better touch screens. Stopping by one of the local shops, I picked up a Kartboy short shifter and lightweight crank pulley. The shifter really helps to make shifting feel a lot more direct, and the crank pulley allows the engine to have less rotational mass.
A reverse camera was added, for increased safety and to make parking easier in general. The car is equipped with JDM underbody panels-these are an option for some of the higher up models in Japan, but we don’t get that option here! To save on insane shipping charges, a group buy was organized amongst local FR-S owners, and we ordered together.
To start adding to performance, I submitted a letter to Yoshihara(wheels designed and inspired by the drift champion Dai Yoshihara) to get sponsored for wheels for FR-S. Upon my selection for sponsorship, I picked up some 18×9 +40 Yoshihara DY-12C wheels for FR-S.
I didn’t quite like the stock tail lights, but aftermarket tail lights were a little outside my budget, so I picked up some stock tail lights that had been painted candy apple red. To further increase the shifter feel, I added a solid aluminum shift bushing from Forcefab inc. Although there was an increase in noise and vibration, this made a dramatic difference in the way the shifter feels. To get rid of the ugly stock antenna that looked like it belonged on an R/C Car, I replaced it with a color matched Beatsonic shark fin FR-S Antenna.
To work on the engine a bit, I selected a Vishnu Openflash tablet for FR-S. This allows for custom tuning and maps to be run on the engine-which is how I run E85. The OFT is affordable, lets me flash maps quickly(between gas or E85, or whatever I want) and is very user friendly. I felt like some of the other options for tuning this engine were very expensive, and I am very happy with the OFT.
Wanting to get rid of the tiny stock exhaust tips, I opted for the ARK Grip exhaust for FR-S. This gave me a slight increase in sound, but a huge WOW factor for looks. I went with the burnt tips, as I love the way they stand out.
To further increase looks and performance, I went with ST Coilovers for FR-S from ST Suspension. These coilovers are affordable, give me a great stance, ride great, are manufactured by KW and help increase the handling of my car-not to mention I can now run more aggressive offset wheels, more camber and wider tires.
To enhance my driving experience, I wanted to have better light output. I hate hate HATE when people put HIDs in headlights not designed for HID use, and so I didn’t want to be “that guy“, even though the FR-S comes with projector headlights stock. So, I called up TheRetrofitSource and found out they make drop in projectors for the stock FR-S headlights-which came with everything I needed, a bracket to connect the new projector lenses, HID kit, all the wiring and relays, and various screws/zip ties etc I would need to complete a “headlight retrofit”. When the kit was delivered, I took advantage of my open headlights(you have to bake them open!) to paint the reflective chrome reflector gloss black. With the headlights back together and on the car, the light out put is amazing, and the blacked out headlights make the car look very aggressive.
Most recently, I added a carbon fiber Duck Bill Trunk Spoiler for FR-S & BRZ, Side Skirt Diffuser Extenisions for FR-S & BRZ and 2H Front Splitter. The car looks awesome right now…but I’m sure that will change in the future, haha. (Check out how these carbon parts look on Shutter’s FR-S here)
I want to add rocket bunny fenders, forced induction(cant decide between sc or turbo), light weight seats and suspension bushings throughout the car. I want to keep my car as a great DD, that’s a blast to drive on the weekends.”
So there you have it, straight from the horse’s mouth. It’s with great pleasure then, that we at ModBargains welcome Charles, AKA Shutter, to the ModBargains team. He’s signed on to help us with new products and photography and his experience with the FR-S is a great asset.
If you’re interested in getting your FR-S or BRZ looking as sick as Shutters, check out our selection at ModBargains.com or give us a call at 714-582-3330 to speak to our Modification Experts, who specialize in the FT86 platform.
Story by Nick Gregson in Collaboration With SHUTTER
Photos by Pages Photography
If you’re interested in the Scion FR-S or Subaru BRZ, check out these other great articles related to your platform.
Carbon Creation – Carbon Fiber Front Lip, Spoiler & Side Skirts INSTALLED
13 Great Exterior Mods for Scion FR-S
6 Mods to Get The Most out of Your Scion FR-S or Subaru BRZ
Quick Snap: Scion FR-S on Klutch SL5 Wheels at Sundown
Product Spotlight: FR-S/BRZ Duckbill Style Rear Spoiler
Quick Snap: Michael Chen’s Scion FR-S on Klutch SL14 Wheels
Full Blown Turbo Kit for Scion FR-S and Subaru BR-Z Now Available at ModBargains