Forgestar F14 SDC Gunmetal 19×9.5 ET22 / 19×11 ET25 / AirRex Air Suspension
Hankook Ventus V12 Evo2 225/35-19 / 255/30-19
Vince has been modding his Montego Blue E92 BMW 335i for years now with the help of Sr Mod Expert Alan Wei here at ModBargains. We featured Vince’s build a while ago, but in the time since, the car’s evolved even more and has a whole other look to it.
Sure the car still boasts an M-Sport E92 Front Bumper fitted with a CPS Carbon Fiber Front Lip for E92 and the M3 Style Side Skirts for E92 are adorned with a set of Carbon Fiber Side Skirt Extensions for E92 M3 style Skirts, creating an aggressive yet refined look- aggro without going the full DTM Monty, and it’s worth mentioning the Gloss Black Kidney Grilles for BMW E92 do clean things up a bit more.
Since we installed the Airrex Air Suspension, redoing the trunk was necessary – a custom trunk enclosure was made to house the Airrex tank and a JL Audio 12W3 V3 Subwoofer, powered by a JL Audio XD600/1 Amp.
At the rear of the car, the foundation for the whole look is an M-Sport Style Rear Bumper for E92, fitted with a Carbon Fiber Performance Style Rear Diffuser. It’s the accents though, that really make it – driving the look home are a set of Carbon Fiber Rear Splitters framing the Cyba 3.7in Titanium Blue burnt tips on the BMW mufflers. Up on the decklid, a Carbon Fiber Rear Spoiler completes the rear end.
In the rear, some E92 Lighting modifications have been made as well to bring this older E92 current, like a set of OEM LCI LED Tail Lights and LED License Plate Lights.
Forgestar F14 SDC Gunmetal 19×9.5 ET22 / 19×11 ET25 / AirRex Air Suspension
Hankook Ventus V12 Evo2 225/35-19 / 255/30-19
Since we showed you the car last, the suspension has changed dramatically. The old coilovers and wheels are gone, instead the car now rides on a cloud. Giving the car a super aggressive look are a set of Forgestar F14 Super Deep Concave Wheels for BMW, spec’d out at 19×9.5 / 19×11 (this fitment is VERY hard to do on a 328i/335i – click HERE to find out what it takes to run SDC on all four corners on a NON-M E9X) and finished in gunmetal. Giving the car that sexy drop is a AirRex Air Suspension system for BMW E9X. The eagle-eyed among us might also spot the Black painted Brake Calipers and the StopTech Drilled Brake Rotors for BMW E92 really complete that part of the car.
Vince is thrilled with how the upgrades made the car feel, “I love my AirRex digital air suspension system. I prefer bags over static for many reasons. The biggest benefit is the fact that ride height is easily
and quickly adjustable. It allows me to control my stance, while not losing
driving functionality. I don’t have to worry about speed bumps or steep
driveways anymore. It also gives me a smooth ride and sporty handling, much
like a good set of coilovers. It can be expensive, but it’s a modification
that will let you truly enjoy your car.”
Forgestar F14 SDC Gunmetal 19×9.5 ET22 / 19×11 ET25 / AirRex Air Suspension
Hankook Ventus V12 Evo2 225/35-19 / 255/30-19
Completing the AirRex Air Suspension system are AirRex Air Struts & AirRex Camber Plates, keeping the suspension lined up correctly.
With all the cosmetic mods, Vince and Sr Mod Expert Alan didn’t forget the performance parts, either. Beefing up the power in ways you can’t see is a Cobb Tuning AccessPORT for BMW N54 – the AccessPORT has really taken the BMW market by storm, with many traditional BMW tuners switching off of older platforms and jumping on board the AccessPORT train and riding it all the way home to Boost Town. Keeping the air charge cool is a VRSF Intercooler for BMW 335i – the fat, 7in core intercooler is a huge improvement over stock and is available at a steal of a price. As we’ve mentioned before, the original chargepipes on BMW N54 and N55 engines are made of plastic, and now that they’ve aged, they’re failing – which is why Sr Mod Expert Alan suggested Vince upgrade a while ago, replacing the brittle OEM chargepipe with a Evolution Racewerks N54 Chargepipe, fitted with a Tial Blow Off Valve. This combination not only enhances reliability by eliminating the brittle factory chargepipes as a potential point of failure, but also enhances response by eliminating the leaky plastic diverter valves that hemorrhage boost like a sieve – the result is spool is approximately a second faster for much sharper response. In order to clear the ER Chargepipe, when it came time to upgrade the intake, an Injen Dual Cone Air Intake for BMW N54 was the only option that’d fit perfectly with the chargepipe in place, and the Injen unit looks great under the hood. Allowing the twin turbos to breathe a little easier is a set of VRSF Catless Downpipes. Last, keeping the inside of the N54 clean is a BMS Oil Catch Can to keep those Walnut Blasting services spaced further apart.
Forgestar F14 SDC Gunmetal 19×9.5 ET22 / 19×11 ET25 / AirRex Air Suspension
Hankook Ventus V12 Evo2 225/35-19 / 255/30-19
Up front, the E92 boasts a set of LS3 V3 Angel Eyes with full blackout, a set of GP Thunder LED Turn Signals, Smoked LED Sidemarkers and GP Thunder 7500k Fog Light Bulbs and 7500k Cornering Lights completes the E92 lighting package.
It’s been a joy watching this car evolve into what it is today. Vince let us in on what keeps him coming back time and again.
“Sr Mod Expert Alan Wei is my go-to guy when it comes to modding
my car. He takes the time to answer all of my questions. I can count on his
solid advice and suggestions for my build. I always refer people to
ModBargains because I know their awesome staff will take care of them. My
experience with the company has been exceptional.“
We love the way this car turned out, and Vince certainly likes the end result – but what do you think? Sound off in the comments below.
Need something installed? Our shop, Mod Auto, offers full service installations – if it’s aftermarket and bolt on, odds are we can install it for you. Call 714-582-3330 (x8006 for Sr Mod Expert Alan Wei) or CLICK HERE to Use Our Online Appointment Scheduling System
Story & Photos Nicholas Gregson
Select Photos Vince Tran