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How did you get involved with the car scene:I’ve been into cars my entire life. When the time came around to get my license, the “tuner” scene was really beginning to blow up, so I started picking up issues of magazines such as Super Street, Import Tuner and Sport Compact Car. The magazines really sparked my interest, and from then on i’ve been hooked.

What’s the story behind this build, is it your first:Its actually my 4th car. I originally had an ‘88 RX-7 convertible, which I dumped a ton of money into. It was my highschool/college car, and I loved it. However, the miles were getting pretty high, and i’ve heard too many horror stores when it comes to high mileage rotaries, so I began researching other cars. Before the Cobalt, I had two “impulse buy” cars. First, a 2003 Honda Accord V6 coupe. I had big plans for the car, but unfourutnantly, my time with it was cut short. The 2nd day I owned it, a semi truck changed lanes over the front of it, totalling it. Not one to be discouraged, I quickly found another car to my liking…….a ‘97 M3. I did a few things to the M3, but I got into a minor fender bender about a month after getting it. This put a sour taste in my mouth……but it was my parent’s announcement that they were moving to SC that pushed me to sell the M3 for something more practical. Living on my own meant I would need a practical, reliable daily driver…….and my parents told me that before they moved away, they wanted me to look into a NEW car. Originally I was looking into a Mini Cooper S or a new Miata, but when my parents refused to co-sign on either car due to their “un-safe small sizes”, I began thinking of other cars I liked……which is when the Cobalt SS popped into my head. I had always been a fan of the Cobalt SS since it’s introduction in 2005, so when it came to deciding on a new car, it was at the top of my list. Plus, I was tired of seeing modified RSX’s, WRX’s, EVO’s and SRT-4’s on every corner, so I decided to do something different. I originally planned on getting a Sunburst Orange Metallic SS/SC…..until one unassuming day I was at college browsing Cardomain.com, when I came across a white Cobalt 2.4SS. For those who aren’t familiar with the 2.4SS, its the Cobalt SS that came with the high output 2.4L engine (LE5) as opposed to the much more popular 2.0L supercharged engine (LSJ). I’ve always been big on being different, and since this car was so underground at the time, I decided it was what I wanted to buy. I chose white for the simple fact that the 2.0L supercharged Cobalt SS was not offered in white……making my car a bit more unique in the Cobalt community. The car doesn’t sport a crazy stereo setup, a built boosted motor, or an extravagant exterior……..but what it does have is an array of carefully selected, subtle modifications. I didn’t want an over the top look with this car…….nor did I want a motor more suited to racing a few miles at a time rather than a 20 mile commute to work. I modified the car in a very balanced manor, focusing on suspension, engine, and brake modifications equally, but not overdoing it with any one aspect of the car. With almost 60k (reliably) on the odometer now, respect from nearly every car enthusiast I meet, and multiple website features under it’s belt…….I can easily say that I have no regrets about my decision to modify a very un-popular car. It just goes to show that a little creativity can go a long way.

How much power is it putting down:170-180whp (est.) Its actually never been on a dyno, but I’m scheduled to have it dynoed in April

Future Plans:SS/SC front lip, Modern Performance “SS” embroidered floormatts, SRP Racing satin aluminum pedals, Dyno Tune wet kit, Exedy clutch/Fidanza flywheel, K-Sport coilovers.

Shout outs or Thanks:My mom and dad for co-signing on the car with me and pushing me to keep it when I talked about selling it numerous times, all my friends who help put in the wrench time on it……….especially Kris, PTuning for helping me out on multiple occasions, and everyone at CobaltSS.net for all your support and motivation…………without all you guys, none of this would have been possible! Thank you everyone! Thanks to Tony Acuna for the amazing snaps.

Modifications:

Engine:
AEM cold air intake
Cobalt Addiction v1 header
XTC 2.5″ de-cat downpipe
ARK N2 cat-back exhaust
Ingalls “stiffy” engine torque damper
Modern Performance polished oil filler cap
GM body color matched hood strut
Outerwears pre-filter
HP Tuners tuned

Suspension/Brakes:
Eibach Sportline lowering springs
DC Sports CS-1 front strut bar
Progress 22mm rear sway bar
Powerslot slotted rotors (front/rear)
Hawk HPS brake pads (front/rear)
SPC adjustable front camber bolts

Exterior:
Cobalt LS wingless trunk lid (de-badged)
VHT nightshaded tailights/sidemarkers
ARK shorty antenna

Wheels/Tires:
19″x8″ Axis Mods (+35mm offset)
225/35/19 Nankang Ultrasport NS-II tires

Other Misc:
TWM Performance short throw shifter w/ TWM Performance Classic shift knob
Prothane polyurethane front/rear transmission mount bushing inserts

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