27 replies to this topic

[SFort]

So a mate and I decided to built something for the track. Just something simple we can thrash and save our dailies a little. Probably some sprints, hill climbs and that sort of thing.

We picked up a cheap '85 manual GL with IRS. Pretty ghetto, but straight enough and it managed to survive the hour drive home. Good start.




First we got checked out the body and decided on a colour. Some previous repairs to clean up, but over all not too bad. Pulled off all the mouldings etc and decided on satin black. Rattle cans ftw






Car painted. It might get another coat once all else is done. It scored a Pintara TR-X wing and some AVS Model 6's in 16x7+32 & 16x8+32




Everything on the interior is being stripped including sound deadening and unused brackets. Trying to make it as light as possible. Will probably paint it white inside.





Started tackling the front suspension. Usual S13 based set up, but using S14 coilovers. Just meant we had to make some sleeves.



Not all of this went in this car but you get the idea.



Before:


After:


That's about all I have pics of so far. The new engine is getting some gaskets and a clean up while we wait for engine mounts. We've got most of the parts together, apart from rear suspension and a few odds and ends. Final specs will be...

Engine:
S13 CA18DET standard long motor
Billet engine mounts
T25g currently, might go T28
eBay alu radiator
Cooler under rad support, short piping through headlight motor area
Match port exhaust mani>head and mani>turbine inlet
Walbro 255l/hr pump
Emanage or Microtech tuned on E85

Gearbox:
Standard CA20e manual with Excedy clutch

Diff:
CIG locker

Front suspension/brakes/steering:
Standard manual rack
S13 LCAs
S13 uprights and 4-stud hubs
R31 castor arms, SuperPro bushes
S14a sway bar with Nolethane bushes
Zeal Function D coilovers. 6kg/mm springs
S13 SR callipers and slotted rotors
QFM A1RM pads

Rear suspension/brakes:
Not sure! Probably Aurora 5kg/mm springs, 2.5" drop
Suggestions for IRS shocks and bushes?
Anyone gone dual rear swaybars?
Standard callipers/rotors
QFM A1RM pads

Body:
Alu ducting in front bar for oil cooler, rad/IC and brakes, front bar opened up
Extraction vent in bonnet behind rad
Headlights and motors gone, fixed 165x100mm headlights to go in
80's V6 Camry front lip
Bonnet pins
All bonnet and boot mechanisms, any unused brackets etc removed
TR-X spoiler
Perspex rear windows
No heater, no fan, excess wiring and sound deadening removed

Interior:
4 point cage
Alu dash
Usual gauges to make sure we don't kill it
Random wheel and fixed bucket


I'm sure I've forgotten stuff, but that's it at the moment. I'll get some more pics tomorrow.

Edited by SFort, 18 August 2012 - 08:53 PM.

[joe65]

keep up the good work , look forward to seeing it complete , and competeing .

[TDM Racing]

Looks awesome dude! I painted the notch with rattle cans, looked awesome, just lots of light coats! Did you primer the interior? Looks nice in there!

[SFort]

Cheers. Paint probably looks better in pics but came out ok. The front of the interior has been primed after the deadener came out. We still have to chip away under the passenger seat then we can prime the rest. Probably knock that over tomorrow.

Found one more

[james]

Welcome!

Bonnet badge is pretty rare. So is seeing a complete IRS Gazelle.

Why the billet engine mounts? Standard mounts work just fine.

[SFort]

Badge is tucked away for later

Billet mounts because race car! It's not going to be registered so it can be a bit more full on. The s13 and 12 mounts we have are all pretty worn.

[swampdonkyy]

I've been in an s12 with Billet mounts & I understand racecar but fixed seat & harness & Billet mounts = nothing much more shacking bones & a sore back!

I literally have a pile of ca18det mounts & brackets if you need any

Edited by swampdonkyy, 19 August 2012 - 09:32 AM.

[doink]

Oh hai - this looks interesting

Edited by doink, 20 August 2012 - 02:03 PM.

[SFort]

Oh hai!
Enter doink... rattle-can-respray extraordinaire and other owner/builder/driver.

Got anymore pics to put up geez?

[gadget1382]

Toyota Lip suits (as much as I can see in the dark image)

I have to agree though, you need something to absorb the vibrations.

[SFort]

The lip worked well I think. The shape at the curve is a good match, just filed it back in a couple of places. They come in 2 parts on the Camry too, which makes fitting easier. In the end, as the subframe didn't want to move, we filled the S12 engine and trans mounts with a really firm sikaflex and let them set for a week. They seem to be nice and tight now, looking forward to seeing how they work.

Good progress was made yesterday. Here’s what I remembered to get pics of.

Tank removed. I couldn’t believe the crap that came out or it, looked like a baking tray! Much better after a pressure and metho wash.


Walbro pump on hanger, ready to go in


We picked up an S15 journal bearing T28 to replace the T25g


Freshly machined flywheel


Engine buttoned up and ready to go in


Bonnet went to Jenny Craig


CA18 and box find new home


Yeahhhh dohc ftw


Oh hai!



Lots of plumbing, wiring and odds and ends to go, but it’s starting to come together

Edited by SFort, 01 October 2012 - 11:31 AM.

[castle]

Awesome progress mate, car is coming along very nicely indeed.

When are you planning on doing the fixed headlight conversion? I'm interested in seeing how you go about this, got a plan?

Front lip suits the car nicely also, nice find.

Looking forward to seeing some pics of this thing thrashing it around a track!

Keep up the good work.

[SFort]

Thanks mate. Matt has been doing a lot of prep, so we were able to get a stuck into it yesterday.

Headlights, still deciding. If we cut the parkers down to MK2 size we could have the lights fixed down, or have a slim light with the cover mounted 10mm or so up. The stock lights and motors are gone, and cooler pipes will run through that area, so we have to decide at some stage. As for the lights themselves, I think CAMS states 55w, so we can get away with some rectangle driving lights. Otherwise, Chevy trucks and DeLoreans are two sizes that would work.

[v1jilante]

Brilliant! What kind of time period have you been doing this build over?

[SFort]

It was November or December last year we picked it up. Just been collecting parts and chilling away at it.

[TDM Racing]

Looks great mate!

[SFort]

Yesterday we pulled the front end apart to decide how we were going to mount the intercooler, rad and oil cooler. Started chopping everything in the way.




Decided to run a 600x300 cooler with 90deg joiners running where the headlight motors and brackets normally sit. There is a foam seal along the bottom of the core.




It all fits, and brackets chopped plenty to get most of the front end back together.




Next we need to run alu ducting along each side and fill the gaps in the end tanks with foam. Oil cooler will sit in d/s of bumper, we just need to make up some brackets for it and cut below the indicator.

Anyone got pics of their oil cooler install?

Edited by SFort, 08 October 2012 - 08:51 AM.

[SFort]

Would anyone be interested in a cash job, or knows an auto elec familiar with ca conversions?
Just want to get the basics in so it runs, no dash cluster or gauges etc

[SFort]

It's been a while so a bit of an update. Not a lot done recently, but the car has made a move to my place for a while, so I've started chipping away at it again. Did a drift day in my daily S14 and I'm mustard to get out there in the S12.

The plan is to get the bare necesities sorted and have it running for a Haunted Hills track day in mid April, then sort out the body, more painting etc after that. So far the rad is in, hoses moded, cooler mounted and pipe ordered. Cooler and intake pipes will be done this week, fingers crossed. Exhaust needs a decat pipe to join up the cat back, and rear springs and shocks.... hmm thats a lot! Anyway, pics.

S13 dash does fit after some trimming. Given that this will have a cage, I could take heaps off, but it looks possible for a streeter. Not sure how well it would work with door trims in place, as I've screwed it so the door closes on it.


Playing around with wider/vented guards. With wider wheels and bolt on rear flares or modded 180sx overfenders I reckon this would be cool. I'm going to come back to this later, once it's running. (This was why I was asking about Supermade front bars in the shoutbox)


As it sits right now. Skirts will come off for now.


Sorry for the lack of progress, it should speed up now.

Edited by SFort, 22 January 2013 - 10:06 AM.

[TDM Racing]

I like the front fender idea. Kinda old school too Starting to look really tidy mate!