Build Overview
The build was approached in a deliberate order. Rather than jumping straight into power, we wanted to establish the foundations first: wheel and tyre package, hub conversion, suspension direction, engine build, and then tuning. In many ways, the early stages of the project were about giving the chassis the grip, geometry, and hardware it needed before asking more of it.
1. Wheels and tyre direction
One of the first pieces of the puzzle was the wheel and tyre package. We found a set of 17 x 8 WedsSport-style wheels wrapped in Yokohama Advan Apex V601 tyres for a good price on Facebook Marketplace and picked them up straight away.
Even though they were bought early, they did not go onto the car immediately. They sat in the garage while we focused on the hardware needed to support them properly, because the plan from the start was to move the car to a five-stud setup before fitting the new wheels.
From the beginning, the wheel and tyre package was part of a larger direction for the chassis. The car now runs Yokohama Advan Apex V601 tyres in 225/45R17, which gave us a meaningful step up in grip while keeping the package usable on the street.
2. Five-stud conversion
The next major step was the five-stud conversion using parts from a BB6 VTi-R Prelude. At the same time, new rotors were installed along with the VTi-R calipers, which gave the car the correct hub pattern and a stronger brake foundation to support the new wheel and tyre package.
Once the five-stud conversion was complete, the WedsSport-style wheels could finally go on. That moment was important because it was the first time the visual direction of the build started to line up with the mechanical plan.