Original Dates: 1997-1998
When a car is four years old and has traveled multiple trips from NY to Savannah, it's supposed to get worn down and become weaker. In the case of my Eclipse, this was the beginning of a quest for power. The air filter was upgraded to a K&N and the aircan was hacked open for maximize the air flow. This wasn't much of a power upgrade... maybe 5 hp (although the ads say 15-20 all the time), but I knew my car well and felt the slight change in power and engine hum.
Shortly after, the exhaust system and headers were upgraded to high-flow (2.25") products by Pacesetter. Back then, they were one of the only manufacturers to make them for the Gen 1 Eclipse. After looking at the parts, it was obvious that they were made for the '89-'91 model because some of the measurements were off by a little. The mechanic had to make a few modifications, but it worked out and still looked good. More importantly, this was the first significant power upgrade. I easily felt the extra 20 horses.
When building a car, defense must be upgraded whenever offense is increased. With the entire exhaust system changed, I had to add something defensive (brakes, suspension, etc.). So I installed an Extreme Motorsports front tower bar. It was a simple bolt-on that only took a few minutes, but I felt a huge difference especially on downhill corners. There was almost no swaying and the grip on the road was better.
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