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E's '95 S14 Build - The true "forever" build
This build thread has been a long time coming. I’m not a scholar by any means, but I’m going to try and lay this 5 year story out the best that I can. I want to give you a little glimpse into my life just so you understand what it took to get here. There won’t be any TL; DR or Cliff’s Notes for this build, I rarely talk about myself and I want people to get to know a little bit about me.
The Past Builds: I’ll just be frankly honest; throughout my entire life I had zero interest in cars whatsoever. To me, they were always just a means of transportation. Well, I ended up joining the United States Air Force at the age of 17. I turned 18 in February 2003 and I left Northern California for basic training in August 2003. After finishing that, I was stationed in Biloxi, Mississippi for 35 weeks to complete my technical education. My first assignment ended up being at Misawa AB in Japan. At this time I still had no interest in cars and really didn’t know anything about Asian culture. In August 2004 I ended up buying a Honda Vigor (Acura Legend) as my first DD in Japan. It wasn’t anything special and it got me around. https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5822/...1bf9b7e9_b.jpg One year later the Vigor was due for its Shaken inspection. Well it didn’t pass and instead of paying the outrageous amount that they wanted to fix it, I decided to junk it and pick up a new car. I STILL wasn’t fascinated by cars and what the automotive world had to offer. My two requirements were: 1.)It’s good in the snow 2.)It’s manual (I didn’t know how to drive stick and figured just jumping into it would be the best way to learn) That’s when I came upon a 1993 Subaru WRX. This was the vehicle that first introduced me to automotive modifications. I LOVED the ridiculous farty sound of the exhaust and wanted to get some wheels for it ASAP. https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5639/...728045de_b.jpg One deployment and too much money later we had the WRX in its final form. https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5817/...17a6c4c9_b.jpg Fast forward about a year and a half later and I was just tired of the WRX. It had done everything I had needed it to up to this point, but my friends were starting to get into drifting. We had gone out to the track as a group several times and time attack was cool, but thanks to a few rainy days I found out that the WRX was A LOT more fun when sliding. https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5633/...397e34b8_b.jpg It didn’t take me too long to realize that I needed a car that was RWD; I had caught the drift bug. One of my good friends, who goes through cars like toilet paper, ended up selling me his 180SX in September 2007. https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5714/...307cfda5_b.jpg I immediately fell in love with the car. The exterior styling of the hatch just makes you feel like a 90’s boss while driving it, it’s just so fuckin’ aggressive. It didn’t take long before we headed out to the track. I blew my front bumper up on the first track day with this car after hitting a stack of tires….go figure. Shortly after the bumper incident the damn pop-up lights stopped working. I was forced to leave them in the up position at all times and that really pissed me off for some reason. I was still a noob and had no idea how to fix it, so I decided that I was going to do a Sil80 conversion. Looking back, I probably should have left it with pop-ups, got a new bumper, and had the lights fixed; but what’s been done is done. The 180 got A LOT of bolt-on mods during my ownership but it was never tuned or had any major work done to it. It was a great entry level car for drifting and I honestly wish I could get the car back. Here a couple snaps of the 180’s final form as well. https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5718/...09485980_b.jpg https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5743/...de5cb6f1_b.jpg After a couple of years with the hatch I had to sever our relationship. I had received orders and would no longer be residing in Japan. I wasn’t due to leave Japan until June 2010, but I wanted to put the car up for sale fairly early to maximize my return investment. I ended up selling the car and moving on to a Suzuki Wagon R. Unfortunately, I can’t find any pics of the R. It was at this point that I decided to start collecting all of the things that I wanted before I had to leave the country. I ended up bringing back a bunch of shit to use on my next build. I basically brought back an entire S14 minus the shell because I knew that most of the parts were interchangeable between the S13 and S14 and I honestly didn’t know what types of chassis’ would be available in the US; I had been in Japan for 6 years. |
The Present Build:
So here we are. It’s June 2010 and it’s time to leave the beloved country that I had grown so used to loving. Some traveling and a 14 hour flight later, the family and I landed in the states. It was my wife’s first time in the US of A and my daughter…well she was only 8 months old, it didn’t really affect her all that much. Among finding a home for my family to live in, transportation was also very high on the list of things that needed to be acquired. I started browsing Craigslist looking for a good family car…Somehow I ended up on the Vegas Drift forums and one thing led to another and the first car I purchased was NOT a family car. It was a 1995 240SX SE with a factory 5 speed. The original owner ended up lowering the price a pretty decent amount if I let him keep the wheels and suspension, so I took that deal knowing that I had a ton of shit inbound on a boat. Here it is with the suspension removed and at my house. The previous owner let me borrow the battles until my stuff arrived. https://farm1.staticflickr.com/578/2...4ef6f52b_b.jpg https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5689/...1ae6f788_b.jpg https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5637/...fba55ffb_b.jpg https://farm1.staticflickr.com/674/2...80258b8b_b.jpg Clearly the car had been in a front end accident, there was no hiding that. The hood and passenger door both had huge bends and paint damage. The entire passenger side fender had been replaced but not painted. https://farm1.staticflickr.com/754/2...5ebb3c94_b.jpg https://farm1.staticflickr.com/704/2...5316a547_b.jpg https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5807/...eea2e48f_b.jpg I got to work on finding a replacement hood and door. At the same time I also solicited Kognition to make me one of their S14 carbon sunroof delete panels even though it was out of production. They actually made the panel and I was so excited to install it. Unfortunately, the panel was too small to cover over my sunroof. This confused the shit out of me, I had no idea why it wouldn’t fit. I eventually found out that the sunroof on my car was aftermarket….my car was an original slick-top SE that someone had chosen to install a sunroof in. Fucking sad face man, seriously. To recoup my losses I sold the delete panel to my friend and he installed it on his S13 coupe. I just accepted that the only way I was going to get rid of the sunroof was to get a whole new/different slick-top roof panel and the interior braces that help support the panel. This is A LOT easier said than done so I decided to just keep the sunroof unless I found a new roof later down the road. https://farm1.staticflickr.com/693/2...25a4c0ae_b.jpg So September 2010 rolls around and my household goods shipment arrives. Most of my free time is spent getting the house squared away and into a livable condition. I wasn’t able to work on the car until October but that didn’t stop me from sourcing more parts. When I bought the car, it had a terrible whining noise that I was told was due to the fact that it had solid subframe bushings. I sourced a spare subframe and a set of Energy Suspension bushings. October rolls around so I installed the bushings and slapped the subframe into the car. The damn noise was still there. I was pissed off having done all of that work myself, just for it to not solve the problem, so I said fuck it and left the new setup in there. I sold the other subframe with the solid bushings and moved on. https://farm1.staticflickr.com/583/2...d46cb91f_b.jpg https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5756/...486f7948_b.jpg I decided that this would also be a great time to clean up the HKS Hi-Power exhaust that I had brought back with me and get that thrown on the car. I had also acquired a wingless trunk before leaving Japan and I felt that this was a good time to throw it on. This piece is very special to me because it is wingless and it has no 3rd brake light. For some reason that 3rd brake light makes me so salty. Threw on the wingless trunk and sold the old trunk with the SE wing. https://farm1.staticflickr.com/683/2...7f209d27_b.jpg https://farm1.staticflickr.com/634/2...97c5ed1a_b.jpg https://farm1.staticflickr.com/705/2...a38b2b88_b.jpg Wheels on deck. Six Work XD-9’s (in the boxes) and the Meister S1’s on the side. https://farm1.staticflickr.com/776/2...48239a37_b.jpg One thing that I didn’t bring with me was suspension. I ended up picking up some brand new D-Max D1 Spec coilovers from Forrest and Get Nuts Lab back when he was sponsored by them. So fucking fresh and I love the colors. I had these on the 180 back in Japan and loved the way that they felt; it was an obvious choice for me. https://farm1.staticflickr.com/618/2...75fb57ef_b.jpg Wheels and more low achieved. It’s actually starting to look decent…but not really. https://farm1.staticflickr.com/685/2...562ae7dc_b.jpg |
My Change of Heart:
Well, shortly after the wheels and suspension were installed…things went downhill. For some reason I decided that I didn’t want to drive the old S-Chassis anymore. I felt like I wanted a newer looking car with newer features. After a bit of thinking I decided that I wanted to get a 350z. The 240 was my DD so I had to keep that until I was ready to get the new car. I sold everything 240 related that I brought back from Japan to put down a sizable down payment. We’re talking an entire S14 SR setup from engine to diff, clutch, S15 seats, body kit, lights, Z brakes, and the list goes on. I basically sold an entire S14 not including the shell…what a mistake. I had been living a fairly kush life during my stay in Japan. The amount of benefits that I was receiving allowed me to life a lifestyle that I had not yet realized would not translate over to life in the states. Long story short, I couldn’t afford the payments on the Z with all of the other costs that were now coming out of pocket. So here I am now, stuck with a 240 and no 350Z anywhere over the horizon. I was so distraught at this point that I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. FML right…? So May 2011 finally rolls around and I decided that I was just going to keep the 240 and build it into a decent little skid car. I had no idea which direction I wanted to go with the build; I figured I’d just make it up as I went along. Back on the Grind: First order of business was to get the damn thing painted. I just wanted it to be one color so I could drive it and not feel like an asshole. I went to 1 day paint, picked out a color that I liked, and got the car painted. I don’t know why more 240 owners don’t do this. The whole job was just over $500 and it makes your car look decent enough to drive. https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5753/...3b376d9a_b.jpg https://farm1.staticflickr.com/617/2...24208d17_b.jpg Early September arrives and I decided that I was going to keep the car stock body and try to build it using a Navan kit with a kouki rear bumper setup. Navan wasn’t cheap at all so something had to give. I decided to sell the Meisters. I was convinced that the XD-9’s would be my final wheels for the build. https://farm1.staticflickr.com/748/2...ebb00c6d_b.jpg Here they are on my homie Luigi’s kouki S14. https://farm1.staticflickr.com/674/2...87d48d5b_z.jpg Well, by the end of the month I found a set of wheels online that I was really looking at. They would require me to go wide body, but I just couldn’t decide if I wanted to do that or not. I ended up showing the wheels to one of my co-workers. He gave me the old, “you won’t do it, you’re not down.” Less than 30 minutes later I pulled the trigger and sent a payment to VR Wheels. Front – 18x10 +0 Rear – 18x12 -7 https://farm1.staticflickr.com/721/2...6768becd_b.jpg |
The Crash:
A couple of months passed by and the winter holidays approached. A few days before Thanksgiving I started losing sleep at a rapid rate; this eventually evolved into full blown insomnia. Coupled with the sleeplessness my entire body started to shake and there was nothing I could do about it. I had never felt this way before, I wasn’t sure what I should do. I felt frantic all of the time and I started to become nervous about everything. I started to have uncontrollable thoughts of bad things happening to me and my family. I was so afraid that I was going to lose my job or maybe even die. After several days of being coached over the phone by my mom and a couple of trips to the hospital, I decided to fly my mom out to Vegas to stay with us to see if she could help me in any way. A day or two after her arrival the symptoms had reached a point where I wasn’t even sure if I could deal with them or not. Suicide was NEVER an option, so I just laid around wondering what to do. I felt lost and disconnected from everything and everyone I knew. I felt like a bad husband, a bad father, and a bad friend; something had to be done. Realizing that I wasn’t just going to get better on my own, I sought out the mental health clinic on base. After talking with a psychiatrist, I self-admitted myself into Spring Mountain Treatment Facility. If you can avoid it, I would highly recommend never admitting yourself into a mental health ward. This was probably one of the worst experiences of my life. A big portion of that was most likely due to the way that I felt, but I still feel like it wasn’t a helpful environment. I’m not going to go into the details of my visit, just know that it was bad enough to make me want to feel better just to avoid ever being in that place in the future. I spent nearly a month in Spring Mountain. I wasn’t even close to being better, but my 1st Sergeant pulled me; I didn’t want to be there anymore. I got out just in time for Christmas and to see my family. My dad and brothers were able to drive down from NorCal to visit and my mom was still at the house helping my wife and daughter. It was so nice spending the holidays with family. I even got to go skidding for free on Christmas day thanks to U-Drift. I was already back out and having fun, but I still had such a long way to go. https://farm1.staticflickr.com/612/2...c257f38b_c.jpg https://farm1.staticflickr.com/752/2...9e0328f3_c.jpg Well the holidays ended and my family had to go back home. As any person that has severe anxiety would, I started to worry and have panic attacks. I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to recover without my family close, but they had to leave and live their own lives. It was hard but I managed to pick myself up and get my shit together and get back to work. I had no idea what the future had in store for me, but you can’t just give up that easily. At this point in time my car was the last thing on my mind. I spent nearly a year seeing different doctors and struggling through each day. Every day I was making progression, which was the most I could ask for at that time. In August 2012 we decided to get a dog. Her name is Bella. She was found in a box in an abandoned home with her two brothers. A good pet can be one of the best forms of mental health https://farm1.staticflickr.com/637/2...86dc9d80_z.jpg October 2012 rolled around and we celebrated my daughter’s 3rd birthday. It’s the days like this that make you feel good about life. https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5809/...8be53d94_c.jpg In November my wife wanted to take my daughter and go visit her family for a few months back in Japan. We arranged for the flight and they were off. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do by myself, but I was hoping not to lose it again mentally and just have fun. I ended up spending some time with my family back home in Cali for the holidays and it was great. It gave me a new desire to start working on the car again when I went back home. So I headed back home and got to work. |
The Zenki’s Change of Heart:
I can’t honestly remember why I was burning these bushings (I think I was selling the subframe with bushings removed) but it was rad and it belongs here. https://farm1.staticflickr.com/756/2...66dccb0e_z.jpg Something that really needed to be addressed on this car was the brakes. They were just shit to be honest. Since I had sold my original set of Z brakes, I bought another set and got to work. I decided that I wanted to take off the lettering so I took a dremel tool to the calipers until it was nice and smooth across the front. https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5623/...b8636496_z.jpg Next order of business was to get some color on the calipers. I also picked up some decals to throw on the Z brakes. They turned out just how I wanted them, perfect! Also, took this opportunity to put some GKtech handbrake levers on the stock rear brakes to help them lock up a little better. https://farm1.staticflickr.com/576/2...1286922b_z.jpg https://farm1.staticflickr.com/638/2...34ed4783_z.jpg The brake booster had seen better days so I decided to strip it and repaint it with some engine paint. I think it turned out pretty good. https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5770/...1e8ca78b_c.jpg https://farm1.staticflickr.com/755/2...9021be9a_c.jpg https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5683/...071f2626_c.jpg I made the decision that ABS wasn’t for me, so I got to work removing that crap. I wanted to do this the right way so I bought brand new non-ABS factory hard lines and got a 1” BMC with three ports. I went with the 1” since I was keeping the rear brakes stock. https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5679/...f0f5fc86_c.jpg https://farm1.staticflickr.com/588/2...67cbab18_c.jpg https://farm1.staticflickr.com/620/2...8c472933_c.jpg https://farm1.staticflickr.com/624/2...4d2ca6f2_c.jpg Bench bleeding the “new” master cylinder. Super ghetto setup, but it worked perfectly. https://farm1.staticflickr.com/579/2...169d53d6_c.jpg It was time to think about getting back out on the track. I knew I wasn’t going to do it with a KA and I really wasn’t feeling the SR. It was close to my birthday so I got myself a present. https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5638/...70c879eb_c.jpg The twin turbos were the first thing that needed to go, as well as the intake manifold. https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5662/...c6a3e5ec_c.jpg https://farm1.staticflickr.com/757/2...ff3d2b60_c.jpg https://farm1.staticflickr.com/736/2...b46e3028_c.jpg https://farm1.staticflickr.com/724/2...af852d1b_c.jpg One thing that really bothered me when I got the intake manifold was the factory oil cooler. It was so damn bulky and annoying. I decided that I wanted to get rid of it since I was going to run an aftermarket oil cooler anyway. I bought a threaded union pipe, proceeded to remove the factory oil cooler, and installed the Greddy oil cooler adapter. This adapter has a built in thermostat and I just happened to have it sitting in my garage, so win-win for me. I had originally bought the adapter for the S14 SR that I had, then I found out that it would also fit the KA so I kept it after I sold the SR. Well, I then found out that it also fits the 1JZ motor, so I finally ended up using it, HAHA. https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5801/...6c780f45_c.jpg https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5823/...e05af88b_c.jpg The motor seemed to be in overall great condition. The sloppiness in the shifter was crazy. Upon further inspection I found that the old rubber bushings on the tripod had given out. https://farm1.staticflickr.com/643/2...9b3f2059_c.jpg The guys at SerialNine are all about that Toyota life so I contacted them to CNC me a set of bushings for the tripod shifter. They explained that they weren’t making them anymore but they agreed to make me a set. I knocked out all of the old bushings and pressed the new ones in. Great fit and obviously super solid. https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5722/...ea4918a2_c.jpg https://farm1.staticflickr.com/617/2...4b93d9d9_c.jpg https://farm1.staticflickr.com/677/2...aabf7dd1_c.jpg It was time to start buying parts for the motor, so I went on a purchasing spree on Driftmotion. https://farm1.staticflickr.com/593/2...44f1c66c_c.jpg https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5774/...b7d2f0f8_c.jpg Went with an OS Giken twin plate clutch with the pull-to-push conversion. I have used OS products in the past and have always been impressed with the quality. https://farm1.staticflickr.com/763/2...73111aff_c.jpg Also picked up a 57 trim turbo kit from Driftmotion. https://farm1.staticflickr.com/639/2...afbdecf6_c.jpg I was very reserved about putting the motor in before I could get the car registered as a classic rod, so I figured I would do some work on the car itself. I hit up SPL Parts and purchased all of the replacement arms for my car. I also purchased a GKtech subframe bracing kit and had my friend weld it up. He added a couple of additional braces as well and then I took it to get powder coated. https://farm1.staticflickr.com/590/2...1cae61c4_c.jpg https://farm1.staticflickr.com/592/2...dae9a248_c.jpg https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5788/...62239246_c.jpg https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5738/...61000887_c.jpg Everything assembled on the subframe https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5710/...8127b530_c.jpg I ended up getting bored and decided to put some of the smaller parts on the motor. I got the Greddy timing belt, timing belt tensioner, water pump, crank pulley, front main seal, cam seals, and aluminum pulley set installed. I also took a little time to paint the serpentine belt tensioner with the same paint that I used on the brake booster and to get the surface rust off of the cam gears as well. https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5719/...2d390ed1_c.jpg https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5777/...830d900f_c.jpg |
Life Changes:
Shortly after getting into the JZ build, the fate of my career path was revealed to me. I was going to be medically retired from the military after only 10 years of service. My anxiety combined with the medications I was taking made me “non-deployable.” I had 90 days of leave saved up, so even though I wouldn’t be getting separated until late September 2013 I would stop working in July. Once again my car was going to have to take a backseat to life. At this point, though, I knew that I was going to see this build through to the end. I see a lot of people that have to abandon their builds due to family/personal troubles and I didn’t want that to happen to me. The 240 was my DD so it didn’t make sense to get rid of it; I just needed to wait. Between not working and looking for jobs I decided to do hoodrat stuff. By that I mean I spent most of my time helping my homie build up his car to get it track ready. My family still hadn’t returned from Japan, they had ended up extending their stay to a total of 10 months so that my wife could work and my daughter could attend school. I couldn’t do anything else with my car so I took pictures instead. https://farm1.staticflickr.com/668/2...7a4fe135_c.jpg https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5768/...195e2cc9_z.jpg I spent the majority of my terminal leave playing Final Fantasy XIV and looking for work. By the time September rolled around I still had no job. My wife and daughter returned from Japan in October, it was so nice to see them again. It wasn’t until the end of December that I secured a job at the Veteran’s Affairs hospital in Las Vegas as a Biomedical Electronics Technician. I was so happy that I had finally secured another means of supporting my family. Three months without my regular wages really put a hurt on my bank account; I wasn’t going to be able to spend anything on the car until I could rebuild my funds. |
The Continuation:
Fast forward to June 2014 (yes, it took that long to bounce back from an unexpected career change). Naturally, I was bored by this point. I was still a bit uncomfortable spending money but I wanted to get something done, so I ended up fitting my turbo kit. The holes for the studs DID NOT line up like they were supposed to…I had to bore out several of the holes to get the manifold to actually go on the motor. Starting to look good though. https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5720/...cde5fbc5_z.jpg The Megan Type II exhaust that was on the car wasn’t going to be used on the JZ setup so “mini me” helped me take it off so that we could sell it. I couldn’t bring myself to cut it up. It may be a Megan product (which I don’t really get down with) but the exhaust is really a quality piece for the price. https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5697/...cb537e4d_z.jpg July 2014 came around and one of my friends came to my house to help me complete a major transformation on the car. http://i.imgur.com/aa7EjUO.gif I forgot to take pics when I got the kit and the fenders, so sorry! I wanted a clean look so I decided to go with the Chargespeed 50mm rear fenders and Origin 20mm front fenders. I had my friend/fabricator chop the rear fenders and build me a bash bar for the front bumper that would work with the zenki blinkers. https://farm1.staticflickr.com/604/2...87e0e670_z.jpg https://farm1.staticflickr.com/586/2...0ccae49b_z.jpg Ended up fitting the rear bumper, as well, and closed up the gap between the tires and fenders. https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5811/...a7cd150d_z.jpg Like every good boy does, I went and got an alignment so I wouldn’t burn through my new tires at a ridiculous rate. https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5804/...41e46925_z.jpg Now that the new wheels were on, it was time to part with the old ones. We had a good run girls, you will be missed. https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5745/...52307264_c.jpg If you couldn’t tell by now, I LOVE me some Work Wheels. Somewhere along this build me and my good friend picked up a sponsorship from Wiring Specialties if we agreed to help them get the word out about their company and build quality cars to represent their product. Obviously this required no thought on our part and we took the deal. In January 2015 Wiring Specialties delivered on their promise and sent me one of their first completed 1JZ Pro harnesses. This thing is so nice I can’t even describe it. Thank you so much to Yury and the whole team at WS, the level of support that they have given us so far has been so good. I couldn’t have asked for a better group of people to be teamed up with. https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5690/...d5ea5d73_z.jpg Several days after receiving the wiring harness I picked up a new DD. Obviously a truck is the worst DD you could ever have, but the convenience of having a vehicle that you can load up the bed or use to tow other vehicles far outweighs the gas mileage issues. https://farm1.staticflickr.com/779/2...69a32cd0_z.jpg Now that I had a truck it was time to get some things done with this build. It was the end of January 2015 and I found a buyer for the KA24. I bought an engine hoist and pulled the motor by myself in two days after work. It really wasn’t all that bad by myself; I have pulled so many SR’s I can’t even remember the count. https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5801/...1ec3e4e0_z.jpg https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5707/...615865af_z.jpg With the KA motor out of the car and sold it was time to get some more fabrication work done. I loaded the whip onto the trailer and took it down to my friend’s shop. https://farm1.staticflickr.com/772/2...68a3b33c_c.jpg https://farm1.staticflickr.com/708/2...cd31a7f1_c.jpg While the car was at the shop, I spent more money on more parts. I ended up purchasing a set of front and rear drop knuckles from GKtech. I really wanted a low car but I’m not too fond of my suspension geometry being all messed up from being too low. I’m hoping this purchase will prevent any future issues from arising and I hope my car will handle amazingly once they are installed. https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5644/...98a6d82f_z.jpg https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5783/...a82499f5_z.jpg Took the intake manifold and fuel rail runners in to get powder coated. It turned out really well IMO. The color is called Slate Gray Metallic https://farm1.staticflickr.com/735/2...0d5102fd_c.jpg https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5719/...68c8aa5c_c.jpg Found a guy on eBay that was 3D printing gauge panels to replace the S14 radio surround. He was only making them for 52mm gauges but I contacted him to see if he could make me a panel to fit my 60mm Defi’s and he did. SCORE!!! https://farm1.staticflickr.com/658/2...29420256_c.jpg I also picked up a clear cam cover because I thought it was neat. Not sure if I will use it or not. Maybe swap back and forth between this and the stock one??? https://farm1.staticflickr.com/693/2...5a4528ef_c.jpg I was still waiting on a backordered Beech Performance Power Steering reservoir from Driftmotion (from a second parts order that I had placed) so I contacted them. They said they had no ETA on when Beech was going to be producing more reservoirs so they sent me one of their in house DM brand reservoirs that hadn’t even been released yet. So much nicer than the Beech unit IMO. https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5822/...8c214ec3_c.jpg It is now May 2015 and my fabricator said that he was ready for me to bring the motor down. I picked a hell of a nice day to go. I loaded everything up and took it down to his shop to drop it off. https://farm1.staticflickr.com/589/2...d1b32493_z.jpg https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5701/...64b04cff_c.jpg This was my first time getting to see any of the fab work and I was really impressed, as I usually am with Jesse’s work. Here are some shots of the tubs in progress. https://farm1.staticflickr.com/571/2...b38c17fc_c.jpg https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5813/...2b87e183_c.jpg https://farm1.staticflickr.com/574/2...5ae5a9ed_c.jpg Among other things, I had him stitch weld the engine bay, build a rear bash bar with a jack point, and chop off the ends of the frame rails and box them in to make clearance for the intercooler. https://farm1.staticflickr.com/713/2...60c71500_c.jpg https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5790/...53f22750_c.jpg We dropped in the motor and I left everything with Jesse to finish up what we could at this point. With the Freed Engineering mount kit and Cusco solid motor mounts the engine sat perfectly. There was more than enough room in the transmission tunnel for me to drop the motor in and not have to bang anything with a hammer. https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5620/...b52ee485_c.jpg https://farm1.staticflickr.com/664/2...43ab971d_c.jpg The next time I checked in with him the removable core support was completed, the throttle body had been chopped, the water neck was also modified. Here is an in progress shot that I took when I went back to Jesse’s shop. Everything on the core support is removable to make taking the engine out much easier than it normally would be. The throttle body had the traction control removed and the water neck was modified to work with the KA Koyo radiator that I already had. https://farm1.staticflickr.com/625/2...16f66b64_z.jpg A few days later I got to pick up the car and get it back to the garage. I wasn’t ready to install the engine harness, but I wanted to take a picture of the first time the harness and motor have actually met…. https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5829/...446975f8_z.jpg After several months of me dealing with anxiety and work I finally felt good enough again to work on the car. The summer in Vegas doesn’t really motivate anyone to work on their car, to be honest, and my anxiety seems to get far worse if I start feeling hot. So here we are in September 2015. I had flip flopped with the idea of converting my car to a kouki several times but I instead pulled the plug on some EDM zenki glass lights out of Spain (thanks Razmus). Looks a million times better than my old faded USDM plastic lamps. https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5630/...0fd2137b_z.jpg Face down, ass up. We had to lift the back of the car in order to unbolt the transmission mount and lower it a bit while we cut the shifter opening a little better to accommodate the tripod shifter. https://farm1.staticflickr.com/574/2...7938332a_z.jpg The interior in the car is still out so it was time to get to work on finishing up the wire tuck that one of my friends had done for me. I bought some fuse blocks and started to get to work. I’m no master of wiring, but the little amount of crap that my boy Ross had left for me was simple enough that I could clean it up. https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5697/...2fe663ef_c.jpg You can see what’s left of the original fuse box on the floor board. https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5622/...0db9e88d_z.jpg I want to cut out the rest of the slack so I straightened everything out as much as I could and got to labeling. https://farm1.staticflickr.com/685/2...7396ce23_z.jpg The zipties are temporary, but this is what me and my homie Eric came up with. It’s not fancy but I think it will get the job done. I’m checking into some things though and this may not be my final setup. https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5829/...e36745f1_z.jpg I cleaned up the SuperSpark coilpacks that I bought and then realized that I need to go buy some new screws before I throw them on the motor. https://farm1.staticflickr.com/719/2...c5929e57_z.jpg I got some time to fit the side skirts as well and I have to say that the fit is pretty good right from Origin, but there are some areas that need to be trimmed so I won’t be leaving these on for now. https://farm1.staticflickr.com/651/2...8aeb0248_c.jpg Fra-gee-lay….must be Italian. https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5751/...3a8526f0_z.jpg Nope it’s just something from Japan. I was going to put a big ass wing on this car, but about a month ago everyone and their mom started doing that so I figured I would go OEM. I really want to build a car that embodies the Japanese street style that I saw when I was over there, so OEM really is the best choice in the end. https://farm1.staticflickr.com/626/2...4626726a_z.jpg https://farm1.staticflickr.com/740/2...727ea616_z.jpg The end of the month came and the Street Driven Tour passed through the city. I contacted Odi from Feal Suspension to see if he could build me a custom set of coilovers and bring them to the Street Driven Tour to save me money on shipping. He built them, brought them, and they are REALLY nice. It’s a Feal 441 drift setup with 14kg Swift springs in front and 6kg Swift springs in the rear. When they build coilovers for you they valve them according to the spring rates that you asked for in your build. This was the main reason I went with their suspension; I can’t wait to drive on these things. https://farm1.staticflickr.com/674/2...8c1f3c71_z.jpg https://farm1.staticflickr.com/578/2...de5f8c87_z.jpg That’s all I have right now, so here is a picture of my turbo sunbathing. Excuse the extremely ugly ass lamp…I’m not even sure why we still have that. https://farm1.staticflickr.com/575/2...e38b2845_c.jpg TO BE CONTINUED…. |
Badass keep up the good work
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Oh man Misawa haha, stroll through memory lane.
I went to Misawa highschool from 04-07 so I probably saw your car around allot. That time Hachinohe's car scene was so fun. My father owned the 1962 Impala that was parked in the auto hobby shop. Very good read man, I am looking forward to seeing more! |
LOL, that's crazy, what a small world. I wish i could go back man, I loved that place.
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good stuff! looking forward to see more
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I'm interested in seeing more on that removable core support. Looked amazing. I love seeing clean fab work. Makes me jealous of all those guys who can do things I have not yet had the pleasure to try.
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Awesome story & build so far! I'm jealous of you being stationed in Misawa. My buddy from the Marines got stationed in the ports of Japan. I got stuck stateside!
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Hey man. Much respect for battling your anxiety. I can't say that I understand but I know it isn't easy. The hardest enemy to fight is one that has outposts in your mind. I'm sure your family is proud of you. And you are building a car that looks super tough at the same time. Resepect!
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That was a good read, like the story and the build. I remember looking at pics of your sil-eighty years back and really wanted xd9's, keep it up
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I'll be getting some more pics of that next time I remove the motor. I have only tried welding once, so I had to leave this project up to my friend. I want to learn to weld eventually but haven't had the time to do so. Quote:
I never had any intentions of going to Japan, I knew nothing about the country or culture. Everything on my "dream" sheet was for Europe. Thankfully the military didn't give me what I wanted (they usually never do) and sent me to Japan. I will never regret my time spent there, though, and I hope to go back and live there some day. Quote:
Thanks fam, I appreciate it. It has been a really tough battle, but life goes on. There are plenty of people with conditions far worse than mine, so I suppose I don't have much room to complain. I'm hoping the car turns out the way that I have it in my head. If it does I think it will be a pretty decent machine. I plan to keep the car as long as I can. I hope to be that guy in 20 years that a magazine is doing an article on because I'm the only idiot in the country that still has a 240 parked in his garage, LOL. Unless it gets wrecked on the track, which it shouldn't, I PLAN to own this car for a long time. |
awesome Build thread!!! seriously.
Overall the anxiety issues are definitely don't help with the heat! Come to Chicago dude. You will get all 4 seasons ( in a week sometimes lol ) But awesome car dude. |
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Thanks for the offer, but all of my family is on the West Coast. Plus, I think Chiraq might elevate my anxiety from what I've heard, LOL. It's probably not that bad though. I do want to go out there some day to meet up with the Risky Devil and Junkhouse crews, they've always had classy looking cars that I can appreciate. |
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Bruh, I can't even take myself... But if i find a way I'll give it a shot!
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk |
Hope to see you in one of the VD events!
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You'll see me out there for sure. I'm hoping to get the car finished soon so i can put a proper break-in on this clutch. I won't be hitting the track until the clutch is broken in, i'd be heart broken if i nuked this clutch prematurely. My bank account wouldn't be able to handle the news.
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Good read, keep yourself planted by your Wife and child, hobby and family...They will keep you focused on the important aspects of living. Good luck with the mind battles. Looking forward to the rest of the build!!!
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about how much $$$ do you think you have tied up into the 1jz swap currently? if you don't mind sharing?
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Thanks man I appreciate it. Quote:
Honestly man, too much. I stopped counting when the figures no longer seemed reasonable. |
Headlamp bulb on the truck went out, so I ripped out this shitty PnP HID kit that came with the truck and threw in some Sylvania bulbs.
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/706/2...8146ea4b_b.jpg What are all of your thoughts on AN fitting colors? I want to do my power steering system in black braided hose and nickel plated fittings. The oil cooler already has steel braided hose and blue/red fittings. I was thinking about doing the valve cover and intake hoses with black braided hose and blue/red fittings. Do you think it would look weird having a combination of two different colored fittings? Here is how I planned my P/S system (will be using 90 degree fittings on reservoir): https://farm1.staticflickr.com/761/2...e59616b5_b.jpg |
Respect man, great build as well.
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awesome awesome build brother. props on you fighting anxiety; whilst ive never dealt with it (thankfully) I've always said your mind is your best friend and worst enemy.
Great work with the car! excited to see this thing finished! |
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good read... thanks a lot
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Sorry for the lack of updates. This happened on the 19th and I've been pretty busy ever since: https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5702/...dbe4a874_o.jpg Also, I doubt anyone remembers, but I was asking about comfortable seats in the YAJ thread that I could pick up to replace my Sonic Motors replicas. Well.....I ended up finding these unused seats with several years of FIA certification still left for a good price. I originally had wanted the Evo 2's but I couldn't pass up a local deal to get a pair of new seats. These are the Evo 2 US model seats. They honestly fit me really well so I think I'm to be happy with the purchase overall. https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5788/...dc69f220_o.jpg |
I dunno why the pics are sideways. My work network and Flickr are not cooperating.
EDIT: Fixed it |
GK Tech Super Lock LCA's arrived the other day. Finding some time to install all of these parts that are piling up would be wonderful...
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/705/2...0f3384e9_o.jpg |
First and foremost, good job hanging in there and being there for your family.
Also, wicked build pimp. Keep up the good work. |
Hey bro, it's awesome learning about you more online then you talk about in person. Your car is going to be sick bro. I could never make a build thread like this you're just too on top of everything. Lol I never take pictures. But I hope we can drift together soon and have a great time out there. And damn I never knew your 180 was so clean brah.. but hope we can chill more soon Erik. Take care bro. If you need anything just ask... remember we're family don't forget that.
#teamverzus #teamerick -Eric Lee |
Bro, this build is legit. I'm in love with the s14, I miss mine alot and plan on getting an s13 hatch soon. I respect everything you've had to go through, I understand where your coming from as I get anxiety alot too. Hope all is well.
Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk |
Thanks guys, I appreciate the love. I'm hoping to have some updates here soon. Family life has been hectic with the new baby around, so finding time to do any work on the car has been difficult. Hasn't stopped me from buying parts though!
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:bowdown::bowdown::bowdown::bowdown:
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Slow progress is better than no progress right.....?
So I picked this up: https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5825/...402b5339_c.jpg To replace this bullshit: https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5766/...faca5800_c.jpg Roof panel appears to be in mint condition as well as the two braces underneath. Eventually she will be getting turned back into the glorious slick top SE that she was from the factory. I just don't understand why people install aftermarket sunroofs. SMH :nono: |
fuck all sunroofs
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:bowrofl: agreed |
Good work as usual.
But...... But...... I like my stock sun roof.... |
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Hey man! Admiring your build. Mind if I ask what diameter dimple die your guy used for the core support?
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Thanks bro! He said they are 1 inch. |
Awesome build man. 👍
Sent from my SM-G900P using Tapatalk |
Awesome build, you gave me some ideas to implement on my zenki build! Looking forward to updates
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Nice build. Great story along the way !
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Really enjoy this buid! Keep it up
sub'd |
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Everything looks awesome man. It definitely gives me some motivation. I need to get my ass in gear. |
nice build, even better story, gave me the chills. looking forward to more.
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At least they've always been Work wheels, right....? :2f2f: Quote:
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Ok, well time still isn't on my side with the baby around but I decided it was time to get some things done.
Had to get it on jack stands so I figured I'd get a glamour shot. :coolugh: https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1686/...4ffd92c2_c.jpg I started by ripping out basically everything on the front passenger's side. https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1717/...75a11162_c.jpg Then I got the LCA/tension rods assembled and ready to be put on the car. The bump stops aren't on correctly, I just put them on really quick to avoid losing any pieces. https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1692/...f1878755_c.jpg Once i got those bolted up I was able to start putting the rest of the pieces to the puzzle in place. The GKTech and Feal bits go real nice together! I can't wait to drive with this setup. https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1576/...c52a71f0_c.jpg Unfortunately when I went to do the other side I found this waiting for me in the box. No biggie, already contacted Feal and will be sending it back for inspection. https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1521/...e3f2647a_c.jpg In lieu of suspension work I decided to gather my thoughts and turn my attention towards another task. I spent the rest of that day gathering a few needed materials for the next project. I got started on the final design of the fuse panel at work. https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1472/...e96b998d_c.jpg About halfway through design. https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1511/...c649d6b8_c.jpg My daughter wanted to help me mock some things up, so I let her jump in there. https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1679/...f2b8c37e_c.jpg Basically what it's going to look like minus the wiring. I think it turned out pretty decent. https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1514/...05bcd37a_c.jpg Until next time! |
Great build. Very motivational.
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Awesome build and more importantly great story. With a child and baby in the picture I can easily relate to the anxiety issues with a 2 y old myself. From the time they are born you basically put your life on hold and have no time to think, breathe and or shit.. Literally. That alone takes a huge toll. Your not alone homie. Keep up the good work
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Thanks again for the kind words guys. Hoping to squeeze some time in this weekend to get a few more things done.
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Well here we are again and as much as i didn't want to, it was time to tackle this wiring for the 50 millionth time.
https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1690/...796b1b60_c.jpg https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1518/...e4a25f37_c.jpg Excuse the super crude looking wires and labeling. I'm only using the stock harness to map things out so that I can get everything cut and wired to the correct length prior to building the actual harness that I will be using. https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1453/...f4702da6_c.jpg Since I was in a wiring moment, I took time to break out my Wiring Specialties engine harness and start routing it. This thing is nothing short of greatness. I love new things and seeing brand new wires, braided loom, and brand new connectors really appeases my OCD. :) I have a few different ideas for how I want to actually run this, but for now I need it "installed" so that I can mock up the installation of the ECU. https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1658/...1d2d4b0a_c.jpg Going into this I wasn't really sure what I wanted to do as far as mounting the ECU. I hadn't really come across many good solutions, so in the interest of keeping the install clean and somewhat accessible, I decided to mount it using the factory ECU bracket. Thankfully I had one on hand. First step was to find a reliable way of mounting the ECU to the bracket. Didn't really want to try and fabricate anything since I'm pretty bad at metal work, so I picked up the old industrial strength velcro. This stuff is serious business, it's like $100+ per box. Thankfully I have a hook-up and was able to get a few strips. https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1590/...73827512_c.jpg Stuck some strips on the bracket and and put the two together. Holds well and I have no doubts that it will securely hold it in place for a long time. Probably going to put some velcro straps around it just for extra security though. https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1535/...9f91d532_c.jpg https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1675/...67223796_c.jpg And here it is in it's final mounting position. Turned out well and was very easy. I had originally wanted to run the USB and serial cables to some bulkheads somewhere in the car for easy access, but in the interest of cleanliness I opted to just leave it this way and remove the kick panel whenever access is needed. If the connections were used more frequently I'd consider the bulkheads. https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1696/...416ca2a2_c.jpg Until next time! |
That's a great idea for the ECU install.
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First time polishing metal with a serious motive. The left side is already wire wheeled, but the end product on the right looks WAY better than they both did when I started.
https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1623/...c24a7810_c.jpg Finished assembling the fuel rail. Got the SARD 650cc injectors installed as well as some AN fittings for the fuel lines. The fuel rail was powder coated slate gray metallic by Snail Motorsports here in Vegas. Those polished brackets are looking pretty good on there too. :) https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1687/...27ccccea_c.jpg Better shot of the powder coat. Not too flashy, but oh so nice. https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1555/...0b1e666c_c.jpg |
Almost forgot, but I need a little insight.
Is this dumb? I found this transmission cooler on Summit and I wanted to use it for my power steering cooler. Is it stupid to mount a solid object like this in front of the radiator? I really like this spot and it seems like the cooler was basically meant to go there from the start. Do you think this cooler would be efficient? It's dual-pass, aluminum, and ultra-finned for her pleasure. The cooler is 12 inches long for reference. Would I be better off with the traditional style cooler that allows air to pass through? I'm no physics expert, but I'm pretty sure the air will flow right around this and into the radiator. https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1461/...022bb1fc_c.jpg |
The fins on the cooler act as a heat sink and airflow is not how it necessarily sheds heat. It sheds it based of area (more fins, more surface area to shed heat).
I would NOT put a solid object in front of the radiator.......The 240 already has enough problems getting flow to and then through the radiator without proper ducting, and this will just exaggerate the problem. |
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These were my thoughts as well. Maybe I should return it and buy a different type... :faint: |
Or relocate it. That cooler is meant to be mounted in a way that the air flows along the cooler, not across it.
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Good to know. The damn thing is 12 inches long so I'm not sure where i would put it so that the air would pass over it parallel to the length of the cooler. I'll see if i can find a spot to put it down by the bash bar or something. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk |
Well a little research brought me to this: http://www.summitracing.com/parts/der-13309/overview/
So I'm thinking I'm going to return the cooler I have and get that. Either that or the other option would be to get this and mount it in nearly the same spot as the one pictured. http://www.summitracing.com/parts/der-13223/overview/ None of my previous cars had power steering coolers but I want to make sure I have something adequate enough for those hot summer days out here. Do you think the additional passes of the first cooler would make for better cooling than the two much lengthier passes on the second cooler? |
its all about total length. either of those will do more than enough though. just pick the one that fits your mounting place better.
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My apologies for the lack of updates, I have been dealing with some serious anxiety issues lately. In and out of both the hospital and work but still trying to get some things done here and there when I can.
Anyway...on to the updates Decided that if I was going to remove ABS, I'd get rid of the rings on the hubs too. Don't half ass anything, right? :coolugh: https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1553/...61121794_c.jpg Temporarily laid the coil packs to rest after polishing the brackets a little bit. https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1708/...5a4d5479_c.jpg Per suggestion I returned the other cooling unit and bought this Derale P/S cooler with -6AN fittings already incorporated. Gonna have my buddy weld up some brackets for this next time the car is at his shop. I decided to complete the lines for the whole P/S system as well. They turned out pretty good IMO. https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1638/...75bdd655_c.jpg https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1700/...64aa379b_c.jpg I had a chance to begin installing the rear knuckles as well. They are going to require a bit of adjustment on the arms to get everything squared up for initial install. Gonna work on that part later when I have some more time. https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1597/...90531e38_c.jpg |
Man am I jealous of the coilovers and rear knuckles!
Question, why are you sticking with the stock front knuckles? |
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Oh, that update was on the last page. I just needed the hubs for now. The voice inside my head is telling me to buy new ones though...cuz they'd be cleaner... :picardfp: |
Oh, derp. I just saw the stock knuckle there and assumed you were using it. My B.
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No worries.
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I know how much that ps reservoir costs. This build is the real deal.
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HAHAHA, thanks man. I actually ended up with that by accident. I had originally ordered the Beech P/S reservoir. It was on back order so DriftMotion said they would ship it out when they received it. Months later I remembered that I still hadn't received it, so I contacted DM and told them what was going on. They said that they couldn't get any type of ETA from Beech, so they wanted to know if I would accept a new product that they were developing instead for the price I paid for the Beech reservoir. The decision wasn't hard. |
Small update, home and work life have been busy. I've accomplished a few things, but I'm not quite ready for any new pics just yet.
I did get the manifold ceramic coated in high temp silver and threw the wastegate on there. http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/2016...c8d6bb33ed.jpg Sent from my iPhone |
Haven't had much time to get anything done, so I decided to trim the last bit off excess crap off of the throttle body. Slowly but surely I will get this car finished.
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/2016...736eb1f6ad.jpg I also did a little work on smoothing out the inside of the throttle body where the two pieces were welded together. http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/2016...bdf382cc38.jpg I stripped one of the studs on the intake manifold side of the head due to the increased thickness of the thermal gaskets. It was clear that I needed to make my own so I swooped by Lowes and picked up some M8x1.25 threaded rod and some slightly longer bolts to replace the factory ones. http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/2016...567a1106f6.jpg I threw the two thermal gaskets on there so that you can see how much thickness is actually added. Had I known any better, I would have had the upper intake manifold welded to the lower runners to eliminate that second gasket. That shit is too difficult to source on it's own and I didn't want to run two thermal gaskets. I had my factory gasket but it was in absolutely terrible shape. http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/2016...3789185d54.jpg Put in some work today to get the engine back to a point that it hasn't been in for a long time. Valve covers were powder coated but there are still several components that need to be cleaned up. I was getting sick of parts sitting all around the garage and couldn't wait any longer to put this thing back together. I still have so much left to do, but I feel accomplished today. I managed to get the Wiring Specialties pro series harness installed as well. Now that the harness is in place, I can go back to the interior and finish up some things in there. The harness tucked in really nicely and it was a dream working with new connectors. Usually all of my connectors are stuck or broken. If anyone needs anything from Wiring Specialties, you can use discount code ERIKDRIFT at checkout for 10% off your entire order. http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/2016...de4b1bc2aa.jpg Sent from my iPhone |
Subbing for more lamp pics from page 1!
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http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/2016...d23005e538.jpg - Lamp was moved to an alternate location - Shade was KIA - Wife added ugly light bulb - I still hate this lamp Once we are done using it for late night baby feedings I think I'm going to take the lamp out to the desert and try to launch it into the air with my airbag. [emoji23] |
Just looked through the whole thread man - very nice build! Diggin the fuse panel you did it came out pretty clean
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Thanks Mike! It's been a lot of work so far. I'm still hoping to have it running this summer and completed well before the end of the year. Wife is still taking night classes, so I'm constantly strapped for time to complete projects. I still need to clean up the fuse panel and re-wire everything but I'm definitely pleased with the end result. Sent from my iPhone |
Great read! Not sure how I am just now seeing this but I am glad I stopped in. Best of luck with all of the anxiety issues- I went through something similar with my mother a few years back and it takes a toll, let alone being the one with the actual anxiety.
I know how it is trying to get things done with two little ones at home as well- it can be tough! Props to you for being a good dad and still trying to hang in this silly hobby of ours. |
E's '95 S14 Build - The true "forever" build
Thanks a lot man! I love your car BTW. It really makes me want to build a clean stock bodied "Type-X" hatch exclusively for street use. Sadly I don't have the time or the money to take on a second project.
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I'll be around as long as the community will accept my crazy antics! I saw a video (think it was on IG) of you ripping with your girls in the back seat. It really made me chuckle because I have been longing so bad to do the same. Sent from my iPhone |
I have that same exact power steering cooler you have, except mine is mounted under the radiator support. I will say that before I put in the cooler my fluid was practically boiling. The installation of the cooler has dramatically lowered my fluid temps.
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Thanks for the input! That takes one concern off of the list.
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I haven't been lurking around the build threads, usually DIW thread only lol,
but finally stumbled upon your build and read it fully. during work lol I have to say, being originally from Japan and a father to a daughter, much respect to you sir, and hope you recover fully from your battles Seems like your time in Japan was not wasted since you brought back awesome family, and congrats on the new one as well |
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Yeah, definitely no time wasted. The 6 years I spent in Japan were the best years of my life so far. Haven't had too much fun after returning to the states, but I'm hoping that 2016 will be the year that I get things going. I've got big plans for me and my friends, so I'm hoping things all fall into place soon. I'm so jealous seeing events like Final Bout and not being able to participate. As badly as I want seat time, though, my OCD won't allow me to cut corners on the car just for the sake of getting it done. Quote:
My main worry is that by the time I'm able to afford it, there won't be any clean hatchbacks left. I don't need to buy the cleanest car, but their are so many ruined chassis' out there that are just beyond repair or are not worth building. |
Not much of an update, but I bought all new hubs just because it's one of those things that I felt like replacing.
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/2016...ad1a90adbf.jpg Also bought some PBM bling for me and my homie. http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/2016...1b028b9fce.jpg I have decided to join Paisa Drift as well. I copped this mustang hood so that I don't feel weird when I run over any innocent bystanders... [emoji16] http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/2016...159b3ea6f3.jpg Sent from my iPhone |
Hey few questions for ya,
you plan on making that hood fit? Whatd you use to make such a nice polish for the rails? did you clean up headlights too? and are you considering a bashbar for all the roadkill? |
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