Mekohler 818S Build - Start at Kart

[mekohler]

As my first attempt of anything like this I have had to lurk a lot, read for hours about Subaru WRXs, read countless posts on this forum, work through countless issues, and give thanks for the opportunity. This is my Everest. First I want to say thank you to so many posters who have shared and answered my questions and to FFR for creating this beast.

I have linked to my Karting and walk around videos and I have included a list of the options I have implemented so far.

- Kit 818S
- Donor - 2006 WRX
- Engine - Items completed below
Stock Turbo
Grimm Speed EBCS
Air Pump Removed
Evap removed
TGV deletes Motive AutoWerks (MAW) composite
Inlet
APS Cone Filter/intake
COBB Aluminum Main Pulley
Saikou Michi DC3 Dual Catch Can
Grimmspeed Inter-cooler

- Misc completed
RaceLogic Traction Control -
ABS retained and appears to be working, see Karting Video, running spare tires on wet concrete wheels lock/release several times.
NRG Seats - Mounted as low as I can with a two hole tilt in the side brackets
Mishimoto Radiator
Deka-manufactured ETX-14 battery
TIC Bushings (Turn-in-concepts)
OBX Limited Slip Diff
Boyd Gas Tank
Open Source Tuning Tactrix Cable - (Currently used to turn of codes related to Evap, Air Pump Removed, TGV Deletes, and temporarily dropped WasteGate duty cycle because of EBCS)

next - Wheels/Tires, Seat belts/harness, Steering wheel, Exhaust, alignment, corner weighting, etc...

Thank you again everyone for helping me get this far.

Karting !!!! Note I am 6'3" and ~ 205lbs for roll-bar height
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4m6LFE4c0hY

Walk around after Karting and buttoning up a couple of things
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-aLpmdycOE

[RM1SepEx]

congrats, nice job!

[AZPete]

Congrats! It's a great feeling when it starts, goes, turns and stops, eh? Sounds like you are having fun.

[mekohler]

I am having a blast, my wife asks why I am doing it at times, because I get frustrated, but I tell her it would not be fun if it was not challenging.

[RM1SepEx]

I just explained that to a friend, I told him that with a few exceptions I installed every bolt and rivet, painted and powder coated everything myself. Satisfaction... :)

[longislandwrx]

For such a quick video that was very impressive. This may be the best sounding video so far. Not many others have really captured that tone as well as you did.

Nice job on everything so far. I'm looking forward to some real tires so we can see how the racelogic works out.

kutgw.

[mekohler]

It has been a while and with the kid's sports I have not had as much time as I would have liked. I have been fighting the body for weeks however and have been really frustrated. I still have several areas to tweek, but I needed a motivator so I had to put it all together and back it out of the garage. I can actually see it coming together, I know it will be longer than I expect, but I am getting my second wind. Thanks to all on the forum, I would have not made it this far without you.
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[AZPete]

Putting the body together may have been a motivator for you but it also is a motivator for me. It looks good to me because I am almost ready to go-kart so you reminded me that it will eventually look like a very cool car.

[metalmaker12]

Cool

[EricScottZehnder]

I've subscribed to your YouTube channel because we have almost identical body builds. Would love to see more parking lot style videos when you get to that stage. We have very few videos of the 818 doing proper tests (0-60, 0-100-0, slalom tests, burnouts, on-track stuff, etc). I'd also love to know if you are able to heel-toe and whether or not the overall feel of the car is right. Does it feel like an extension of you or that you've been plopped down in a car that wasn't really made for someone of your size.

For example, I've driven an Audi S5 and it was the best feeling car in terms of accepting someone of my height but also having the seat, pedals and steering wheel perfectly placed for performance driving. The Mazda Miata or BRZ/FRS, for example, feel in every way that no matter the performance level I would not have fun driving these cars because of the car:body ratio going on there.