Nissan s15 ronin build
 

Hello everyone,

Basically I have been documenting a build thread on JDMST over the past several months for my S15. Progress has been slow...but one day, I will get there. I will copy it to here until it is up to date.

Update #1 - 12-09-12 01:53 AM

Picked up a stock standard example after looking for several months. It is 100% straight, all original panels and all original paint. There are lots of accident damaged S15's out there unfortunately so it usually takes a while to find a nice one (if you know what you're looking for).

http://i.imgur.com/H8Rvfd3.jpg

And the infamous Initial D episode...

http://imcdb.org/images/245/281.jpg

My main focus is response and handling. The tuning concept for the car is "Bakemono" - which basically means monster or ghost - and sort of like an evil spirit. The build will predominately utilise Japanese parts.

So in other words, the car is being built for a purpose, that is, it will be a sleeper. There will be little focus placed on aesthetics. The car will be left looking relatively stock on the outside so I don't draw attention (attention can be good, but it can also be bad and come from the wrong people).

I've got a stack of parts waiting to be installed, but here is the most recent arrival.

http://i.imgur.com/ox4lFR2.jpg

I have some more stuff in transit from Japan at the moment and some other current inventories.

Will update the thread every so often once things begin progressing.

Update #2: 12-09-12 11:53 AM

Had my first proper look at my recent package and the quality is phenomenal.

Especially impressed with the HKS Hipermax III Coilovers, definately worth the money. Unfortunately, I believe they have been discontinued now.

Front set.

http://i.imgur.com/5FRovII.jpg

Rear set.

http://i.imgur.com/YEM9fpI.jpg

HKS Tool Kit (came with the coilovers). I like how they threw in some zipties haha.

http://i.imgur.com/njsZkCH.jpg

Rear upper camber arms are the pillow type. For the Rear Toe Adjustor Rods and Tension Rods, I elected to go with the rubber bush type as this car will be predominately street-driven. The rubber bush ends will be quieter and won't wear out as fast, and they have slight play in them due to the flex of the rubber (which is actually ideal for the street).

Rear Toe Adjustor Rods

http://i.imgur.com/ebRMyV2.jpg

Tension Rods (aka Front Castor Rods).

http://i.imgur.com/YmqHnl9.jpg

Rear Upper Camber Arms

http://i.imgur.com/bMN1hvH.jpg

Always down to watch an S15 build! Looks like your off to a good start with some sick parts.

Update #3 - 17-09-12 09:00 PM

This arrived today

http://i.imgur.com/Cm6M9l8.jpg

Update #4 - 18-09-12 07:59 PM

Here are the contents of the package...

Top Secret Shift Knob

http://i.imgur.com/ZtzLEQQ.jpg

HKS Hi-Power Silent Exhaust

http://i.imgur.com/qAfeENM.jpg

S15 build? Sign me up.

Subscribed

LOL, Hay Benji

I'm loving the part selection so far. I have HKS Hipermax II's and definitely been thinking about getting the III's.

Quality stuff here.

Very good start with those parts.

I've seen your build over on JDMST, glad to see that you've made your way over here.

Co-signed!

Gotta love a quality build. Especially when its a very clean s15

Backtrack to July 2012 and I'd attended a trackday at Wakefield Park Racetrack in Goulborn. At this point I was on my Green P's licence, which means it's illegal to drive a turbocharged car on the street (you lose your licence and get hit with a $2000+ if you get caught). So I got my Dad to drive the car to the racetrack, and I had an absolute blast....it was my first time driving the car and my first time on the racetrack. I ended the day with metal on metal brakes. To make matters worse on the way back home passing through Sydney we got caught in peak hour traffic lol.

Here is a video of one of my laps at Wakefield...the car is 100% stock here and no modifications have been installed.



Around October 2012, my Tomei N2 Oil Pan arrived from Japan. Little did I know that down the track this would cause me a bit of a problem...

http://i.imgur.com/RYrwB0m.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/ozoHQAn.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/KXpiEfS.jpg

So anyway, by the 27th October, 2012... I'd obtained my Full Licence meaning it is now legal for me to drive the car on the street.

To get the car on the road, I went with RDA Slotted/Dimpled Rotors and EBC Greenstuff brake pads. I remember at this point I was practicing my heel and toe downshift technique quite a bit. It was very challenging initially given I am fairly tall (6"3'), so I had to modify my technique to minimise contact with the steering wheel and also work out the most ideal foot position etc. As of now my heel/toe downshift technique has gotten quite good, but even now the technique hasn't been mastered.

The upgrades were a big improvement over what was previously on the car, and stopping power increased quite noticeably..

http://i.imgur.com/mIuxtr2.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/DAA6PHo.jpg

By April 2013, a mate had helped me install the Tomei N2 Oil Pan...

http://i.imgur.com/4ihjbyL.jpg

After some spirited driving a few days after the install, I noticed I had an oil weep which was coming from the Tomei oil pan....there was a noticeable amount on the bottom of the pan and below the flange.

I showed my mate who helped install it, and then a mechanic, and at this point it was thought to be problems with the welding had caused this. The installation of the pan was NOT thought to be the cause.

Tomei was contacted and a bulkload of pictures provided with an explanation of the problem, and they said that they'd like me to send the pan back so they can test it to confirm if its a manufacturing defect. They mentioned they are willing to replace it if it is a defect, but shipping costs to Japan and back to Australia are my responsibility.

Here are some pictures of the oil pan from where the problem was thought to be coming from...

http://i.imgur.com/OOOxgGB.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/2MXUiBK.jpg

Front of the oil pan where there is also oil residue.

http://i.imgur.com/Gs8pYl7.jpg

Cleaned the big patch of oil at the bottom of the pan, and then this is after half an hours worth of fairly normal driving...

http://i.imgur.com/4hW0Cpp.jpg

rich...informore

Ugh that's no good. I just placed an order for a Tomei pan...

Sucks about the oil pan, sucks even more that you have to pay shipping. They should reimburse your shipping

I was thinking about getting a Tomei Pan also, keep us updated with how this goes, I have other Tomei stuff and no problems yet and always loved the quality

I love S15's, the end of the year they become legal here so I will be placing an order for my Spec R. for now I will be subscribing to your thread and living vicariously through you :)

Lol, I wish. More like blowing every cent of my earnings on my car =P.

There's been a few complaints arising about the Tomei N2 oil pans lately. Quite strange considering Tomei are supposed to have a reputation for quality.

Anyway, the old MSRP for the n2 oil pan used to be $790, however, about 3 years ago the MSRP was reduced to $390 I believe. Quite a significant price drop..

Here is a bit of food for thought, some Japanese companies have started outsourcing production for some of their items to China. I guess it's a sign of the times.

It's because I bought my oil pan directly from Japan (to save myself some money). So shipping is my responsibility seeing as there are local Tomei dealers in Australia whom I could have bought the oil pan off, make sense?

Lol yeah awesome, the S15 is a great car. The styling of the car is timeless - will always look like a classic, yet modern sports car.

Who did you guys order through? Contact them. Granted, my issue was with a cheap Duracon shift knob, but when I got it it looked like it had etch marks all around it so I contacted FRSport, who contacted Tomei, and they took care of all of. Sent me a shipping label to send the old one back and sent a new one pretty quick.

Yeah Hoffman, your shipping costs would of been taken care of as you bought your item through a local dealer.

I bought my oil pan direct from Japan through Jesse Streeter, so as far as Tomei is concerned, Jesse is basically the customer. Anyway, Jesse has been nothing but helpful in the whole process and his customer service has been excellent.

April 2013.

The coilovers and alignment arms were installed (with MUCHHH thanks to my mate).....all bushes were reset as necessary to allow for the new coilovers and ride height. The factory bolts were actually veryyy hard to get off....(but keep in mind this is a 100% stock car that I've started with). It took roughly 10 hours.

Front coilovers installed (including Ikeya formula front castor and cusco tension bar).
http://i.imgur.com/rTo75Uu.jpg

Noticed a smidge of surface rust on the rear camber arm near the weld where a touch of paint was missing....wire brush + primer/black paint = problem fixed.. notasinglefkwasgiven.

http://i.imgur.com/lAwJqvR.jpg

Progress..

http://i.imgur.com/TsdpwMU.jpg

Rear coilovers installed, including Ikeya Formula rear camber arms (pillow-type) and Ikeya Formula rear toe arms (bush-type).

http://i.imgur.com/fJsGiGD.jpg

After a few adjustments and some trial and error, the ride height was sorted. Very happy with how its sitting, and at this height the control arms are almost bang-on parallel with the ground.

http://i.imgur.com/qSSLUrM.jpg

Loved that episode of Initial D, so im subb'ed

no offense, did you even lower it ? it looks like factory ride height int he last pic ?

I'm not saying to slam it like I did to mine but maybe lower it 1.5" to take the wheel gap out of the front and rear. this will improve the look, still give you lots of suspension travel and ease of going anywhere. and maybe help satisfy your unhapiness of how it sits ?

All the awesome parts were totally cool and then the pic of the car with all the parts just resulted in me doing this. :squint:

Yeah, I had heard that they had moved a few things off shore... I'm interested (and now invested) in the outcome of this. Here's hoping that they take care of you.

I think you must have misread my post, I said I was happy with how it's sitting haha.

It takes a while for the springs to settle in then it drops a little bit extra....here is a picture of the car from 2 weeks after the install. I might lower it just a touch more from where it's at.

http://i.imgur.com/7Cr6RSQ.jpg


Lol. I understand your disappointment, but the purpose of the car is for it to be a sleeper. I don't exactly want people to look and instantly know that I'm running an aftermarket suspension set-up.

I'm trying to keep my modifications fairly low-key to do my best to avoid the wrong sort of attention. The police over here really don't like modified cars, so I think it's best I keep things stealth. Over here, you can get hit with a defect notice for having adjustable coilovers. To clear the defect, you would have to pay the fine, reinstall the stock struts and take it for an inspection to get cleared.

I have a couple more posts yet to come which details the tests we ran on the pan locally before I sent it off to Japan. Will update the thread soon.

Australia, the only place worse than California to own a modified car. :cops: