So here it is, a week after delivery. It’s been one of the more fun weeks I’ve had.

As you can see, the car didn’t stay standard for long. I have aspired to own an 86 for years, but I’ve never aspired to own a standard one. The purchase experience would have been a bit underwhelming if the car had to stay stock for a while, so I stockpiled my parts and booked a week of leave to build the car I envisioned.

The first mod, aside from the HIDs & LEDs, was RS*R Super Down springs and Work XSA 02Cs.

I wanted a stance that was flush, purposeful, functional and (essentially) legal. This wasn’t a car I wanted to slam and poke. The springs and the wheels (18×8 +38, 18×8.5 +30) gave me exactly what I wanted.

It’s all about the fine details.

Next came the Invidia Q300 cat back. Also note the TRD spoiler, Work Wheels badge and Cusco aerial.

I thought the titanium tips would look great on a new car and I wasn’t wrong. The exhaust is perfect insofar as it gives the car a subtle, sports car type sound as opposed to an obnoxious drift car type noise. Subtle is basically the keyword for everything I have done on this car. It sounds, dare I say it, refined.

The interior was a major focus for me. While this looks relatively standard (which was the goal), the red stitched door trim panels, red door handles, arm rest, storage tray emblem and carbon pieces are all either factory option pieces I sourced from Japan or aftermarket bits. I’ve ended up with an interior that, in my opinion, looks better than the GTS for a fraction of the cost.

Stock GT head unit is a bit of a letdown and doesn’t integrate well with the rest of the interior. This Kenwood unit looks much more “premium” and works well with the black/red theme of the interior. Note the background.

Maintaining and, if possible, improving the handling was of paramount importance when planning the build. There’s a Tanabe strut brace in the boot…

…and one in the engine room. These, along with the AVO intake and sound tubes, play in well with the overall black & red theme. There’s an A’PEXi filter tucked away in the stock airbox as well.

Staying in the engine room, these carbon fibre (no, not “carbon look”) GReddy bonnet lifters are super cool. Easy install, super practical and just kind of classy.

With the bonnet open you can see how low the boxer sits – probably the biggest factor in this car’s nimble feel.

I was really unsure about fitting these tail light garnishes. I shouldn’t have been. They’re the perfect finishing touch for the exterior. Who needs aftermarket tail lights?

The garnishes seem to darken the tail lights and finish off what is now a pretty aggressive looking rear end.

The LED daytime running lights were the first thing I bought after I switched my order to a black car. I couldn’t be happier with how they look. This shot also nicely shows off one of the biggest investments I’ve made on the car – a full paint correction and Opti-Coat protection done by Dan from The Ultimate Detailer. The paint looks incredible now.

From a distance you really notice how compact the car looks now with the big wheels and small ride height.

I love the way the TRD spoiler carries on the car’s hip line.

So yeah, that’s my car. Everything I wanted and a little more. Here’s to a long life together.