[M.FriedmanFast]

FINALLY, I took receipt of the truck and Stage-1 is officially complete. Given that I am posting via a mobile device, I will render the images in several posts given the app limit of 6 per event...

Aesthetically, my expectations were well-surpassed. The paint and body work is immaculate, the stance is menacing and the wheels are absolutely gorgeous. Being a first-time Velos customer and long time HRE loyalist, I was naturally skeptical as to quality, fitment, finish and the like. Whilst I remain HRE loyal, I agree with those who place Velos amongst the top tier forged manufacturers. I am also a first time Sstoptech customer having only used Btembos in the past; quality and finish are first rate, and the red accent amidst varying tones of grey lends just the right amount of "pop" per se.

Performance wise, the vehicle has been transformed. The butt dyno suggests quite the improvement, especially in the lower rpm regimes, which was a surprise given the centrifugal orientation of the blower. While far from a speedster, it is adequately quick for semi-aggressive motoring and will make a nice grocery getter or road trip offering. The exhaust note is subtle yet present; an understated growl that ascends in register as the engine revs. The handling improvement was expected given KW's excellent reputation (I have the same coilovers on my e92 M3, F10 M5 and X5M); coupled with the wider rubber and greater contact patch, cornering at high speeds is no longer an exercise in nerve, rather pleasure. As you would expect, the car now stops on a dime.

I must acknowledge GMP Motorcars and in particular Lance, who assumed an absurdly ambitious project and delivered with aplomb. There are very few vertically integrated performance operations let alone those who are equally competent throughout the value chain. The SC installation was far more complex than originally envisioned. I posted images of the fabrication work, particularly the custom coolant reservoir; phenomenal engineering and the engine bay retained the pristine OEM look as opposed to a patient exiting the Cook County Emergency room. The exhaust fabrication is bar none the most fastidious I have seen, which is quite the endorsement given the myriad cars I've built over the years and my background in open wheel racing. In short, GMP delivered the project to spec with the greatest attention to detail. I recommend Lance and GMP without hesitation.

I will again acknowledge RJ of RJ's paint and body in Pleasanton, CA as the best at his craft, certainly in California. He is an artist.

At some point in the near future, I'll dyno the car to ascertain whp and tq gains. As for Stage-2, such is already underway. A bit of a teaser until we fully spec it out: stroked, bored and blown!

For the morbidly curious, the total project cost was approximately $65K. Out of respect for the several vendors in play, I won't provide an itemized breakdown, but for those who wish to know about a discreet aspect of the build, feel free to PM me. Many thanks to all who took the time to peruse this journal and stay tuned for Stage-2 at some point this year! Cheers!