Bullit's evolution/build thread!

[BULLIT]

So I've been on here a while and I have finally had time to make an introduction/build thread. My name is Richie and the wife is Krysta. Been married 1.5yrs. I love Hot Rods and classic trucks. I own a 1955 Chevy Cameo P/U and a 01 Cavi. Been around cars 15+ yrs now. I like doing my own work if possible.

Not new to the Deltas. Had a couple. In 06 I bought a new 2.4 SS 4dr. Black, lt gray int, auto. Great car but I always wanted the LSJ. So in 08' I bought an 05 Cobalt SS/SC Arrival Blue, completely stock with 34k on it. Loved the car. Went a little overboard cosmetic wise but loved the power. Dynoed at 290/270 whp/trq before we had to get rid of it. Missed it so much we ended up buying this 05 Redline and glad to be back. This is our 2nd Ion as the wife has her 04' Ion2 since 07. Also black with beige int...ewww!! We had planned on building it, but with no great tuning options we kept it as a mild tuner.





Ok so now on with the Redline. I love power and an all around car. So the plans for this car is nothing less than 425whp on TVS and a suspension to carve the corners! I'll do whats needed to meet the goal as we plan on never getting rid of this car. Build the bottom stronger, upgrade fuel system, etc. We like to take lots of pics so be prepared for that LOL!! I'm always up to learning anything new and still learning on this platform. Like bouncing ideas around to meet the final goal and hope you guys can help me through my build. So far things I can think of to help get me there are:
-TVS
-Ported head
-Valve springs
-Sleeved block
-NBS delete
-3in exhaust
-1000's inj
-E85
-BRFS
-Fuel pump
-Cooling mods
-Giggle juice
-GM Stg 3 tune

So to start, Stock Black 05' Ion Redline, 109k on the clock, this car is gonna be built for the wife!!. Bought it locally used, obviously. Was in pretty good shape. Motor runs strong, int in great shape. Has some cosmetic flaws but overall good. Things I noticed right off hand, dead h/e pump, leaking left axle seal, worn out suspension, and bent rear axle and killing tires bad/wonders.

As of today its mods are:
-Black corner frt lights
-L.E.D Tail lights
-H.I.D 6k headlights
-Black face/red display Aeroforce Interceptor
-Double Column pod
-LNF FE5's all around
-24mm frt bar w/poly bushings
-LNF rear axle assy
-Progress springs
-Powell Hard core rear bar
-Powell Stg 1 mounts
-Powell Steering rack spacers
-Low rise trunk swap

Waiting in the garage to go on:
-Griffin H/E
-Extrude Honed Mani
-LNF catback
-GMP racing pedals
-Homemade dual pass endplate

On with the pics. Here it is stock the day we bought it.



We had some stuff done to the base model so we transferred over some parts. 1st things we did was swap over blacked out frt corners and L.E.D tail lights

[BULLIT]

The L.E.D. lights are great. We love them. Also forgot to mention we have H.I.D's in the stock frt lights for now till I build some retro's for it. We have some good close friends we always hang out with, mostly Deltas also, and enjoy taking pics together. Heres some random ones







So lets see, after I got the lights on and we enjoyed some cruisin, next I installed the interceptor and pod next


Since enjoying and driving the car so much, the bent axle killed the tires and it wasn't long before it had to be parked and new axle found. Went to Phoenix and found one out of an HHR SS.



We set a day aside for install and to transfer over the suspension from the base car to the Redline and in one day knock out and install and go from stock to
-LNF rear axle
-LNF struts/shocks
-24mm frt bar
-Powell hardcore rear bar
-Powell Stg 1 mounts
-Powell rack spacers















Got all done at night and instantly could tell a diff

[BULLIT]

Steering wheel was off center from the spacers and suspension install. I aligned it at my work and put some used 225/45/17 tires in the rear and once down, the car is great to drive. Very neutral in the corners, although when I push it hard in the corners it wants to push the frt a little. So I'll def be need to strengthen the frt and get better tires all around and shorter sway bar endlinks, with some FE5 cont arms and Powell CABS.




Going on a couple more local cruises and having fun, I was tired of seeing the IAT2's be so high. So I finally got around to ordering and installing the new Bosch h/e pump.

It was good to bring the temps down, but instantly remembered why the stock set-up needs help. More on that later

Loving our lowered look, we wanted to clean the car up. The plans for the outside of the car are a clean simple mature look. So we tracked down a low rise trunk and set a date to swap and meet in Yuma. We meet up with this really chill girl named Mariah and had an awesome day swapping the trunks and hanging out.










So there it is. Pretty much how the car sits now. We are prob gonna go out tonight and get some better pics with the low rise on. But seems next on the list for us is cooling mods. Obviously plan on pulling down and wanna be prepared for that. The next drag day is Feb 9th for me so I'll be going to that and get my stock baseline. I'm expecting high 14's here since our elevation sucks. I'm looking into teh GM stg3 tune with Vince and will prob do a tune on stock pulley to kick fans on, raise rev limiter and clean it up for another go around at the track. I plan on taking steps and seeing what each mod does and post it here for future ref and to help others.

[recaro86]

Great pictures and clean engine bay. Looks like you know your shit, great to see you make it yours.
Now, Pics of this said Mariah?

[IonNinja]

nice man, I didn't know you picked up a Redline!

I hope I can reach your old SS/SC dyno numbers lol

[hnbracing]

looks good sell the lnf cat back it sounds like complete hammered ass behind the lsj

[GMRedline]

Nice thread.

I like those tail lights. Nice and clean.

[djames]

cars looks awesome. your engine bay is the cleanest ive ever seen. be careful with that "giggle juice" ive seen to many that have blown their engine with it. and what springs you riding on seems like your ride height is different in different pics. Glad to see this kind of thread seems this forum has become kind of a graveyard with everybody trying to selling there car or parting it out from a wreck.
good luck

[Tennpenn83]

God damn I miss Arizona...

Your plans for the motor sound eerily similar to mine...

[slitterell]

Nice. Why you are there and having he head ported, consider getting cams for it. It will make it easier to achieve your goal

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