You can usually find me behind my camera shooting someone else's car, but when it comes to my own ride you're unlikely to find many shots of my Scion tC taken by others outside of the two seen here at Trilogy Performance. Like many others in the car scene, I'm in an ongoing cycle of modifying my car to make it my own, which is why I thought it would be appropriate to introduce my ride to the masses as I keep pushing to modify it tastefully, instead of defaulting to the HIN style of the late 2000s. So, allow me to reintroduce myself, here is everything you need to know about my 2006 Scion tC.
The journey with my Scion tC started a few years ago after high school when I needed to get a car, and for the cheap. I searched Facebook Marketplace for a manual Scion xB for a while until I found a listing for a 5-speed tC for $1000, it was local and according to the seller, it didn't start. Upon inspection of the car, it was rough on the inside, mold had consumed most of the materials on the inside which made for an unpleasant smell and health hazard, this gave me some negotiating room and I purchased the car for the low-low price of just $800 (talk about a deal). After getting it home, I replaced the battery that was still under warranty and it started right up! Good ol' Toyota reliability at its finest.
Although I bought the car for less than the monthly car payment of a GR Supra, that didn't mean it was a total deal and wasn't without its faults. Some time and money would have to go into it to make it at least halfway decent. First, the interior was replaced, all of the moldy parts were thrown out and replaced over time with the best-used pieces I could find while disinfecting everything else. The car came with a TRD intake system so I matched that with a Borla axle back exhaust to help free up a few ponies. Unfortunately, while sorting the car I also had a mishap which lead to some damage after putting the tC in a ditch. To repair the damage a new bumper, headlights, and a lip was sourced to bring it back to its intended direction. I was also able to do something about the stance and handling by installing Rev9 adjustable coil overs and a TRD rear sway bar, the car now has a perfect drop in my opinion, able to sit low enough to close the gap between the fender and tire but without rubbing or a harsh ride. Of course, one of the biggest changes you can make when modding a car is installing aftermarket wheels, in this case, I found a set of Buddy Club P1 Racing II wheels that may just be one of a kind.
The Buddy Club P1 Racing II wheel is a very versatile wheel, it has six spokes and comes with a flat-faced design that is perfect for front-wheel drive cars. I purchased this set without much thought, they look really good and are in the color I wanted, but little did I know these are the only 5 x 100 examples in existence. One night when searching for side skirts, I came across a picture of a pretty heinous-looking tC, a big bulky body kit covered with weird graphics but the wheels were exactly the same as the set on my car. There was a sticker on the fender that had the name of the wheel and a plate that said "SemaLAS.com", all of this traced back to the 2005 SEMA show where I can only come to the conclusion Buddy Club created this one-off set to display on the once hot Scion tC. Apparently, these wheels were removed from the car and sold off, eventually making their way to my own car, perhaps it's anecdotal but it's the most special part of my build at the moment.
Coming from a family that almost exclusively owns Toyota-made vehicles, I decided to stay close to my roots while also taking on the challenge of essentially un-shitboxing a poorly cared-for car and elevating this platform from its popular show car style that died 15 years ago. It would've been great to see Toyota offer a faster, better-optioned version with a V6 or if the 2AZ-FE engine wasn't rife with flaws, but this car was made for young people graduating college who wanted to drive to job interviews in style. For me, however, the Scion tC is more than just a decent-looking coupe, which is why I have future plans of either doing an all-motor build that also resolves some of its inherent flaws or doing a 3MZ-FE swap. Plans are in the works for a pair of bucket seats and a harness bar in case I ever take it to a track event, but mostly to add style and comfort. The exterior will get some more TLC but I'm currently searching for some functional aero bits that will also accentuate the smooth lines running to the short overhang out back. Until that time comes, I'll just keep driving and shooting, maybe you'll see my car parked in the next Tampa Bay area meet like my own Ashleys After Hours meet that takes place every Tuesday night from 8 PM at 2615 Vildibill Dr, Brandon, FL... see you there.
**Looking for a photo shoot of your own car? Find me on Instagram @813_Mediia and send me a DM. Covering the Tampa Bay area and surrounding area, thanks for stopping by.**