Nicholas D. Sargent's 2016 Scion FRS: A SEMA Adventure

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Nicholas D Sargent

2016 Scion FRS “Project T7YLOR”

www.t7ylor.com

Instagram: @t7ylor

By Photographer/Author: Donnie Rochin
Instagram: @r0cean11

Facebook: r0cean11 Photography
Website: r0cean11.com

From a Passion for Cars to the Ultimate Build

My name is Nicholas D. Sargent, and I’m 23 years old. I was born in Chicago in 2001 and grew up in Houston before moving to Denver at the age of 13. Currently, I’m studying finance at CU Denver and economics at CU Boulder. Alongside my studies, I run Sargents Detail, my own detailing business, and I also created a legal defense app called Defense Recorder. My automotive journey began humbly with my first job at a car wash, where I started drying cars as they came through the tunnel.

A Love for Cars That Started Early

My passion for cars goes way back. I remember in 2009 when my dad took me to a NASCAR race at Talladega. He worked for Gatorade at the time, and they were a major sponsor of NASCAR. He even allowed me to go onto the track and into the pits before the race. This experience, along with the sight of exotic cars parked across from my elementary school playground, ignited a fascination with cars that has only grown over time.

Growing up, I didn’t have many friends and struggled with bullying. Cars became my escape, and in 5th grade, my mom took me to my first Cars and Coffee event. It was the first time I felt truly accepted by a community outside of my family. That moment helped shape my journey into the car scene.

My First Cars and the Transition to the FRS

My first car was a 2017 Subaru Impreza hatchback. To be honest, I prefer not to dwell on it, as it was far from the car I’d hoped for. However, my journey took a significant turn when I ordered my dream car, a 2020 Subaru STI. After owning the STI for some time, I decided to sell it and make a change. I was ready for a fresh start. While I was looking for a C7 Corvette, I stumbled upon a Scion FRS for sale on Facebook Marketplace, and I fell in love instantly.

After two months of convincing the owner to sell it to me, I became the proud owner of the FRS. But soon after, things took a dark turn: I suffered a severe burn injury due to an unrelated incident, and, to make matters worse, the FRS caught fire within the first month of ownership. This was especially traumatic for me given my past, and I found myself thrown into an emotional spiral. But rather than giving up, I focused on rebuilding this car, which had come to symbolize a new chapter in my life.

Overcoming Obstacles and Rebuilding

The FRS is the most heavily modified car I’ve ever owned. In the past, my Subaru STI had a Cobb Stage 1 kit, an AWE Track Exhaust, and hood louvers—nothing major. But the FRS? That car became an extension of my heart and soul. Every step of the way, I worked tirelessly to understand how the car functions and how to make it even better. It wasn’t just about the performance; it was about building my "perfect car," something that truly reflected my vision, regardless of what others thought.

From dealing with the aftermath of the fire to facing oil and tuning issues, my FRS and I have been through a lot together. I take immense pride in the fact that I know this car better than anyone else. It's a car that I have rebuilt from the ground up, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

The Journey of Building "Project T7YLOR"

One of the things that makes my FRS special is its unique combination of European-style accents and JDM elements. For instance, the wheels were carefully chosen to fit the vision I had for the car—bringing together the best of both worlds. But it wasn’t just about aesthetics. I wanted this build to be meaningful and to reflect my journey, my struggles, and my passion for cars.

The car originally came with several modifications done by the previous owner, Danial Saleem. These included a SBD Turbo, Rocket Bunny V2 widebody, V-Land headlights, Alcantara interior, and custom Tiffany blue paint. However, when I took ownership of the car, I decided to gut it and rebuild it, making sure every part was installed by me.

Modifications:

Engine/Drivetrain Modifications -

• 54 mm Oil cooled SBD Turbo

• Greddy G Force 3 EBC

• Ecutek street tune with Bluetooth

• Mishimoto thermostatic oil cooler

• Coolant to oil heat exchanger

• Twin thermostatic oil cooler fans

• GREDDY Evolution GT exhaust

• Twin catch cans 

• Short ram, cold air intake (through the driver-side fog light)

• Stage 3 action clutch with lightweight flywheel

• Strut brace in the front 

• R1 Concept brakes

Suspension Modifications -

• HKI Move-e Bluetooth Air Suspension Management System - (Full Set) 

• HKI 5 in 1 Digital Pressure Gauge

• HKI Custom Airbags (this is the prototype car for their bags)

• HKI height sensors

• HKI Dual 444C Air Compressors 

• HKI Dual water traps 

• 5 Gallon-polished aluminum air tank

Brakes/Wheels/Tires Modifications -

• VFC Performance wheels with aero rings

• Cut the front of the chassis for perfect wheel fitment

Interior Modifications -

• Wrapped Alcantara interior

• Starlight headliner

• GlowShift Black 7 Color Oil Pressure Gauge

• GlowShift Black 7 Color Oil Temperature Gauge

• DND Performance quick-release steering wheel mount

• OMP GT/Formula 310 steering wheel

• DND Performance Spline Quick Release

• DND Performance Cruise Control Kit

• Mishimoto carbon fiber shift knob 

• Braum ELITE-X Series Sport Reclinable Seats

• Braum 5PT - SFI 16.1 Certified Racing Harness 3" Strap

• Braum 48-51" Universal Harness Bar

Audio/Video -

• Kenwood Carplay head unit

Exterior Modifications -

• V-Land headlights

• Intec carbon fiber tail lights 

• Rocket Bunny V2 widebody kit

• All paint, no wrap on the car

• Verus Engineering hood louvers

• Thule crossbars

• Thule ski box

The Work

I did 90% of the work outside the parts above on the initial install (I have completely gutted and redone the car, so all parts have been re-installed by me at one point or another). The remaining 10% of work on the car was finished with the help of: 

• Grayson Anderson @the_original_grayson_anderson

• Edward Lutz @optixeddie

• Hamza Ahmed @hamza_.ahmed._

• David Wait @carz_240z

• Ari Kutzer @ari_kutzer

• Vraj Kachhia @oas1s_auto

• Sami Azam @samiazam29

• Ryn Bond @ocean_e.yes

• Aneesh guha @aneeshguha

The car is close to perfect in my eyes. The cosmetics are finished, and the engine is on a unicorn tune: she is still running strong after 30,000 miles on the turbo with stock internals. So I will be turbo LS swapping this engine once it dies. But outside of that, I am thrilled with the build as it sits. 

The Struggles and Triumphs Leading to SEMA

In the six weeks leading up to SEMA, I felt like I was in a constant battle. I live about an hour away from the car, and I was juggling college with wrenching on the FRS. At one point, I thought I might not make it in time. To make matters worse, I discovered that mice had taken refuge in my car’s headliner just weeks before the event. After stripping down the interior and setting traps, we managed to remove 17 mice from the car.

Despite all the obstacles, I pressed on. I reached out to a fellow student, Hamza, who helped me with the air system, allowing us to finish rebuilding the car. It was a long and exhausting month, but in the end, it all paid off. I made it to SEMA, and I couldn’t be prouder of what we had accomplished.

The Road Ahead and Lessons Learned

Now that the FRS is nearly perfect in my eyes, I plan to keep pushing the limits of what’s possible. I’ve already started planning for a turbo LS swap once the current engine reaches its limits. But for now, I’m enjoying every mile, every drive, and every interaction with the car community.

Through this journey, I’ve learned that the car scene is not just about building the perfect car—it’s about the connections you make and the lessons you learn along the way. The FRS has unlocked countless opportunities for me, and I’ve met some of the most amazing people through this community.

Dream Cars and Future Goals

As for my dream car, it’s the Koenigsegg One:1. That would be the ultimate goal. However, more realistically, I’d love to have a mid-2000s exotic car with the same level of customization as my FRS.

Call to Action:

I hope my story inspires others to take the leap and pursue their own car projects, no matter how difficult the journey may seem. Whether it’s through building your dream car or simply becoming part of a community, the car scene offers endless possibilities.

If you have a unique car story of your own, consider sharing it with us! We’d love to feature your build and experience in Stance Auto Magazine.

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