# new guy



## 2Fass240us (Aug 2, 2004)

I just wanted to say hi and let you guys know a little something about my car:

I bought a 93 SE FB off a local guy in September of last year, and have been working on it since then to prepare it for Solo 2, SE-R Cup, and possibly some Solo 1. It came with an overheated engine (not inside the bay), and had a straight body with very few visual defects.

I have ripped the interior out, including a bunch of unnecessary wiring, taken a bunch of crap off the car like ABS, Supuh HICASS, etc. and I'm currently in the process of rebuilding a motor that looked like it needed it.

Please feel free to check out my "Project_240" webpage as listed in my signature, and let me know what you guys think.

If you frequent the 240 "Basic" and "Advanced" sections of FA, you will recognize my forum ID. I figured I would branch out a little by joining another forum. I honestly think I'm hooked on forums though...is there a 12-Step program I could look into?  

-Andy


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## OPIUM (Aug 18, 2002)

I too share the addiction for multiple forums. This place being the worst place to get away from for me as you can tell by my post count. But its nice to see a n00b come in that actually likes to get their hands dirty. So to this I give you a big WELCOME.. and look forward to reading your updates. BTW, favorite part of your project for me is the hatch stick modification that you did here 

again ..Welcome!


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## jeong (Jul 22, 2004)

2Fass240us said:


> I just wanted to say hi and let you guys know a little something about my car:
> 
> I bought a 93 SE FB off a local guy in September of last year, and have been working on it since then to prepare it for Solo 2, SE-R Cup, and possibly some Solo 1. It came with an overheated engine (not inside the bay), and had a straight body with very few visual defects.
> 
> ...


hey don't you post over sr20forum.com too??


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## calebxmartyr (Apr 9, 2004)

good luck with all the work!


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## 2Fass240us (Aug 2, 2004)

OPIUM said:


> But its nice to see a n00b come in that actually likes to get their hands dirty. So to this I give you a big WELCOME.. and look forward to reading your updates. BTW, favorite part of your project for me is the hatch stick modification that you did here


I love to get my hands dirty...or my nitrile gloves, whichever you choose. My career is non-automotive, so it's nice to get away every other weekend to wrench on the car. Track-prepping it has been an absolute blast too. Ripping all kinds of chit out is very therapeutic, actually.

I update my site about every other week, and I'm currently working on getting my updates caught up with the work that I do on the weekends. Thanks for the interest BTW. I will post something on the board whenever I get around to making more updates.

As for the JDM hatch-props: you use what's cheap, right?  We found those sticks in the parking lot at P1 Auto when we were gutting the car. The lifters seem to hold now though, and I'm not 100% sure why. We removed the rear wiper assembly which is about 3 pounds, and that may have something to do with it.



jeong said:


> hey don't you post over sr20forum.com too??


Yes, I do. There, FreshAlloy, CarolinaNissans, and my own forums. I will probably sign up on a few more forums to both get the word out on my project, and expand my research base in case I need to find something. As for getting more exposure for my project, I have found that while most of what I'm doing is old-hat for the tuning community, some things like ABS removal, HICAS removal, and my subframe work haven't been covered in the level of detail that I think necessary. Meaning that if someone else wanted to remove every HICAS component on the car (versus getting the Tomei eliminator kit, for instance), then there may not be a suitable "how-to" on the internet anywhere.


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## Kelso (Apr 29, 2003)

so your experimenting with your own car on different stuff like that? you gonna make some good write ups for us all? :thumbup:


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## 2Fass240us (Aug 2, 2004)

Kelso said:


> so your experimenting with your own car on different stuff like that? you gonna make some good write ups for us all? :thumbup:


I suppose you could call it "experimenting," but it's been a mostly-informed experiment thus far. I have used the FSM, forum research, and general common sense as the basis for most of my work.

And yes I plan to do extensive write-ups on some of the lesser-covered topics. Meaning if I have done something that not very many other people have done, I plan to make an "Idiot's Guide" to help everyone else. I do not plan to cover topics that are either extremely mundane (ie, interior panel removal) or those that've been "DIY'ed" to death. *Do you have anything you're interested in seeing?*

I should note that the current format I'm using is an introduction, followed by a day-to-day log of activities. Each article includes colorful commentary and lots of great images. Funny thing is that the Canon A70 my wife and I got as a wedding present has spent 98% of its in-use time on car pictures! 

So czech out my articles and let me know what you think. I will post a synopsis sometime this week, with a few pictures from each "stage."

-Andy


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## Joel (Jun 11, 2003)

id like to see a diff centre swap or a sard/nismo injector install (detailed)


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## OPIUM (Aug 18, 2002)

Joel said:


> id like to see a diff centre swap



I may be doing a write up for that for a cusco 2way if it all works out proper.


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## SliDeWaYs (Apr 28, 2004)

hey you used asand blaster on your engine bay, im having trouble gettin my sand blaster to feed sand, it spits it then just air then sand then air its not like feeding. i suck. any advice. i gota get it clean before my rb25 clip gets here


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## Kelso (Apr 29, 2003)

at the moment, no i have nothing i need to see. good to know theres a new member who can contribute a lot though! opium covered the RHD swap pretty good and thats the only thing i think i would need info on in the future


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## 2Fast2Furious (Jun 27, 2004)

Really nice site Andy! A lot of good pictures and detailed information that even professional tuners could use. Welcome to the forum, it's good to have someone like you here that can actually contribute instead of posting worthless crap. Good luck in finishing the project and be sure to keep us all updated! :thumbup:


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## Joel (Jun 11, 2003)

Hell what about a whole rear subframe swap?


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## 2Fass240us (Aug 2, 2004)

For starters, thank you for the kind words. Although I started my forum stint (on another board) by not searching, I quickly corrected my erroneous ways and 99% of the time only post if I've done the research first (Scott caught me on FA for that 1%!  ) Now I try to bring knowledge to the masses, and hope that I am successful at this endeavor. :cheers: 



Joel said:


> Hell what about a whole rear subframe swap?


Hehe...yes eventually. I have plenty of pictures right now, but no write-up to accompany them. Upon painting and reinstallation, I plan to begin work on the write-up in a step-by-step guide with pretty pictures. :thumbup:

As for the question about a diff write-up, I don't plan to change for another year or so considering I haven't even played with the VLSD yet!

Here are the topics I plan to do write-ups on:
1) subframe work, including aluminum bushing installation
2) ABS removal (and switch to non-ABS components)
3) HICAS removal
4) wiring clean-up (since I don't need a lot of it b/c it's a track kaa)
5) sound deadening removal w/dry ice
6) engine bay sandblasting, priming, and painting
7) SR engine rebuild (this'll be a *long* one probably)
8) pop-up headlight gutting (still under consideration)

There are a few other things I'm thinking about, but I don't wanna ruin the surprise!


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## 2Fass240us (Aug 2, 2004)

SliDeWaYs said:


> hey you used asand blaster on your engine bay, im having trouble gettin my sand blaster to feed sand, it spits it then just air then sand then air its not like feeding. i suck. any advice. i gota get it clean before my rb25 clip gets here


Well for starters I have not yet done this work, but plan to within the next month or so. And I am by no means a sandblaster mechanic, outside of the limited troubleshooting I have done on both units I have worked with. But I do have a few questions:

1) Are you sure that your air supply is free of liquid, oil, etc.?
2) What pressure is your air supply?
3) Have you tried cleaning the filter basket?
4) Have you checked the unit, hose, etc. for pluggage?
5) Is your sand supply clean?


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## Kelso (Apr 29, 2003)

i did some sandblasting a while back...make sure theres no tiny rocks or pebbles in the sand your using. make sure the hose isnt halfway in sand, half in air. if its got nothing suck up, how can it work? just check the whole snadblasting system. the sand, the blaster, the air supply, the hoses...


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## Neji (Jun 6, 2004)

i would like to see a suspension setup that consists of different spring rates to find the best for different racing applications and other suspension parts that might help, ie; roll cage, power brace, seem welding... something along those lines.

i mainly want to read opinions from people who drive the cars, not people trying to sell a product.


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## 2Fass240us (Aug 2, 2004)

Neji said:


> i would like to see a suspension setup that consists of different spring rates to find the best for different racing applications and other suspension parts that might help, ie; roll cage, power brace, seem welding... something along those lines.


Good luck with that. Not many people have the ends to compare suspension setups against one another, especially not quantitatively. Meaning that slalom, skidpad, acceleration, roadcourse, etc. data is not taken across mutiple setups. If I were able to seam weld, add the cage I want, etc., and get all the different companies to loan me setups, I would be more than willing to do a comparison!  



Neji said:


> i mainly want to read opinions from people who drive the cars, not people trying to sell a product.


I assume by this comment you're referring to wanting suspension input outside of what the brochures tell you? I have seen a few comparisons on FA and some other boards, the main one being the Tein HE's versus the JIC FLT-A2's.


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## Neji (Jun 6, 2004)

2Fass240us said:


> I assume by this comment you're referring to wanting suspension input outside of what the brochures tell you? I have seen a few comparisons on FA and some other boards, the main one being the Tein HE's versus the JIC FLT-A2's.


Those are the two suspensions i've been looking at, and i didn't mean to test out ALL the different brands, maybe try one brand that you're interested in and try to set it up for your needs... i don't know, just a thought.


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## 2Fass240us (Aug 2, 2004)

Neji said:


> Those are the two suspensions i've been looking at, and i didn't mean to test out ALL the different brands, maybe try one brand that you're interested in and try to set it up for your needs... i don't know, just a thought.


Gotcha. Well, I plan to compare the current AGX / Tein S-Tech setup to (insert high-end coilover setup name here) someday...
Not like it'd be much of a comparison, mind you.


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## Neji (Jun 6, 2004)

2Fass240us said:


> Gotcha. Well, I plan to compare the current AGX / Tein S-Tech setup to (insert high-end coilover setup name here) someday...
> Not like it'd be much of a comparison, mind you.



i wouldn't really know, i've never been in a sports car period with any brand of coilover. But i've been in a rx-7 with s-tech springs, and it was nice. So thats why i'm curious as to how a good coilover would feel/drive like.


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## 2Fass240us (Aug 2, 2004)

Neji said:


> So thats why i'm curious as to how a good coilover would feel/drive like.


Well, I used to own a 92 Civic hatch (woot), and I had Ground Control Advance Design coilovers on it. You wouldn't believe the difference those things made for the otherwise un-stiff Civic. They elevated it to near-racekaa status! Of course, the coilovers cost me as much as they car itself!  

This is why whenever I hear about people knocking GC AD's, I always bitch-smack them because they don't know what they're talking about.


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## 2Fass240us (Aug 2, 2004)

The website co-owner finally published some new (sorta) content last night, and I wanted to let ya’ll know it was up:
Part 9 (Day 13)
Part 10 (Day 14)

You can also check out the Project Index for earlier articles.

Russ came down from Greensboro on Friday (11/5) to help with the wiring, and all the extraneous stuff was cut out. He left things such that they can be finished up easily after the engine is installed. The blower motor is setup so all I have to do is wire a rocker switch into the positive wire and run another to a ground. This’ll let me just hit a rocker switch to turn the fan on full-blast for defrost on the track. :thumbup 

The underhood harness and the requisite fuse panels were relocated to underneath the dash after the useless stuff was cut out, including one of the fuse panels. The bay looks much cleaner now, and will look even better after some unnecessary brackets are cut out. I have thought about re-blasting the bay to remove the seam sealer since it has no structural value, because the bracket and battery tray cutting will screw up the ghetto-fab paint joerb I have anyways. Plus, it’ll give me an excuse to do a better joerb painting the engine bay, then clearcoat it.

The shortblock should be back by this Saturday, complete with CP Pistons, ARP rod, main, and head bolts, and GTi-R rod and main bearings. Once it’s back, we’ll start putting it back together, and hopefully get it assembled and installed by mid-January. If I had any vacation time left, it’d get in a lot sooner, but these things just take time for my busy ass.


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## 2Fass240us (Aug 2, 2004)

I published a S13 Weight Savings Guide w/pictures last night on my website. It'll likely undergo some cosmetic changes, but the content will remain intact. Actually, I will add to it along the way as I am able to weigh more items.

Lemme know what you guys think.

-Andy


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## 2Fass240us (Aug 2, 2004)

Be patient with me while I try to get updated...

Sandblasted subframe:









SPL Pro Aluminum bushings in the freezer overnight:









Heating the subframe after unsuccessfully trying to hammer the bishes in:









Trying the vice method since heating took too long:








After talking to Estevan(NOSTALGIC HERO) on FA, I realized that using large washers, studs, and nuts with an impact and a wrench would have been easier...

All 8 pieces (4 sets) in the subframe:








Note the discoloration from heating.

After blasting the subframe again, I painted it with some black epoxy spray paint:








Pretty, huh?


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## 2Fass240us (Aug 2, 2004)

Rob lifting the subframe up while I hammer it in place:








It was difficult to get on, especially at the front studs. The decreased tolerance of the aluminum pieces was probably the culprit here, as the OEM one came off easily.

Rob and I installing the diff:








Note the mad-tyte orange "Viscous LSD" sticker...bling blang!

Halfshafts, hubs/spindles, and powdercoated suspension pieces added:









KYB AGX's with Tein S-Techs:









Removing the ASCD:


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## 2Fass240us (Aug 2, 2004)

Before component removal:

















After component removal and taping everything up:

















Nasty azz crossmember and steering rack:








Note the torn boot.

After sandblasting and primer:

















After 4 light coats:

















Nick's version of "Wash Me":


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## C1awHamm3r (Apr 13, 2005)

I've seen that project before just surfing the net. Can't believe your engine was that dirty I also just bought a 93 240sx se. And it's nowhere close to that dirty.


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## 2Fass240us (Aug 2, 2004)

C1awHamm3r said:


> I've seen that project before just surfing the net. Can't believe your engine was that dirty I also just bought a 93 240sx se. And it's nowhere close to that dirty.


Engine or engine bay? Cause both were dirty as hell...


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## 2Fass240us (Aug 2, 2004)

Removing the FLCA ball joints:









Pop-up headlights after removal and disassembly:









Removing the wrist pin retaining clips from the OEM piston/rod assemblies:









CP blinginess, y0:









CP pistons installed on stock rods:


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## 2Fass240us (Aug 2, 2004)

Russ' wiring job in progress:









The "finished" wiring, to be completed after the engine is dropped in:









Engine bay pictures after wiring was gutted:


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## 2Fass240us (Aug 2, 2004)

KA brackets, not needed for my SR swap:

























First stages of battery tray removal:

















Center radiator support and hood latch removal:


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## 2Fass240us (Aug 2, 2004)

Reassembled shortblock, delivered by Robin of Barnett Performance & Development:

















The head, ready to be sent off with Robin:


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## 2Fass240us (Aug 2, 2004)

About to cut the piece of chit battery tray out:









Some strategic cuts to break it up into manageable chunks. Drilled out where I thought all the spot-welds were:









Taking the first piece out:









All of the pieces after being removed:









Cutting out the rusted section:









After the section is cut out:


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## 2Fass240us (Aug 2, 2004)

After all the stuff was taken out, and before removing the sound deadening:

















The Evil Humping Penguin of Sri Lanka...sure he _looks_ friendly:









After half of it was crushed up and sperad in the passenger floorboard:









After hitting it with a mallet and breaking some of it out:









"After" pictures. We only had time for the floorboards:


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## 2Fass240us (Aug 2, 2004)

More piktarz!

Removing (most of) the rest of the sound deadening:









After removal. Notice the stuff on the wheel wells:









Stripping the excess seam sealer, grinding, and sanding:









Installing the steering rack with ES 300ZX bushings:









Pressing the old FLCA bushings out:









After beadblasting the FLCA's:









Two coats of appliance epoxy paint, with the Whiteline bushings mocked up:









New bushing outer sleeves pressed in. The 2-piece metal cylinder was used to keep the two walls of the FLCA from bending inward during installation:









Whiteline bushings installed:









The MOOG FLCA balljoint pieces. Notice the "Made in Japan": :thumbsup









MOOG's installed:









After primer, enamel, and clearcoat were sprayed on:

















Duct tape removed from brake master, steering shaft, clutch master, and other stuff:


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## 2Fass240us (Aug 2, 2004)

Beadblasted and clearcoated coolant parts, compressor inlet, and compressor outlet:









Removing front spindle ABS sensors:









After steering rack and FLCA's were installed:









Front spindle in place:









Front struts & springs installed:









The car on the ground (*finally!*):









The steering rack hooked up to the shaft:


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## 2Fass240us (Aug 2, 2004)

No comments? So you guys are just so awestruck that you're speachless?


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## BoostedSE (Jun 26, 2005)

Well let me start by saying it looks good, and it looks like you have a lot of time into it. Why did you go with springs/struts instead of coilovers and how come you didnt upgrade the tie rods while you were there too? Just curious, and once again impressive work.


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## 2Fass240us (Aug 2, 2004)

BoostedSE said:


> Why did you go with springs/struts instead of coilovers and how come you didnt upgrade the tie rods while you were there too? Just curious, and once again impressive work.


Because they were less expensive, and lots of people have had great success with them. I wanted to not only save money, but improve my driving skills before moving on to a stiffer, more expensive setup. Personally I think that I would see the most benefit from a high-end coilover setup after I cage the chassis.

I didn't touch the tie rods because there was nothing wrong with them.


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## bridrive55 (Aug 26, 2004)

Makes most sense to replace the crappy OEM tie rods, the ends of which love to break, when you have the suspension disassembled. That's what I think he means. The tie rods develop minor stress imperfections which are amplified over heavy wear. This is what causes the breakage. A new, strong, unworn tie rod will respond much better to stress. I guess it's just one step in future headache aversion, I guess. Whatever floats your boat though. I'm not trying to be officious.
Looks like you have a great garage though. Nice torch, sandblasting, atomizing paint tools, the works. I detect incongruity though... Your level of tools reflects an opulence that your "I wanted to do it cheap" attitude and economical choice of turbo don't reflect. Are you using your personal garage?

I'm just curious. I put more money into the setup, and less into the tools. I need to cover 8-11 years of University fees.


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## bridrive55 (Aug 26, 2004)

2Fass240us said:


> I honestly think I'm hooked on forums though...is there a 12-Step program I could look into?
> 
> -Andy


You'll have to laboriously prepare a walk-through write-up on one.  Good job with everything bro.


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## 2Fass240us (Aug 2, 2004)

bridrive55 said:


> Makes most sense to replace the crappy OEM tie rods, the ends of which love to break, when you have the suspension disassembled. That's what I think he means. The tie rods develop minor stress imperfections which are amplified over heavy wear. This is what causes the breakage. A new, strong, unworn tie rod will respond much better to stress. I guess it's just one step in future headache aversion, I guess. Whatever floats your boat though. I'm not trying to be officious.


Well I would have liked to have done it, but most of my $$ is tied up in rebuilding the engine. I don't think the car saw any really hard miles in its life, and I'm taking a risk on not replacing them. That being said, its first running year or so will be spent autocrossing, with some upgrades here and there. This will be a Stage 1 Testing Ground if you will, where any issues are worked out. I plan to have this and a bunch of other small things complete during this time before starting HPDE's.



bridrive55 said:


> Looks like you have a great garage though. Nice torch, sandblasting, atomizing paint tools, the works. I detect incongruity though... Your level of tools reflects an opulence that your "I wanted to do it cheap" attitude and economical choice of turbo don't reflect. Are you using your personal garage?
> 
> I'm just curious. I put more money into the setup, and less into the tools. I need to cover 8-11 years of University fees.


I don't have any atomizing paint tools. If you are referring to the powdercoating, it was done in an industrial environment by a friend. If you are referring to all other painting, it came from a can. 

As for the tools, I think you have made an assumption here, mainly that they're mine, and used this assumption to color your impression of my project choices. Ninety-five percent of the tools I've used outside of the normal ratchets, wrenches, etc. are my father's. He owns a non-automotive shop and happens to have all of these things. Combine this with a few thousand square feet of empty space to play with (his shop isn't full), and you have an ideal setting for building a car. :thumbup: Hope this clears things up for you.



bridrive55 said:


> You'll have to laboriously prepare a walk-through write-up on one.  Good job with everything bro.


On a 12-step program? Ha. Working on the car is my psychotherapy.


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## 2Fass240us (Aug 2, 2004)

Most of the smaller gaskets in the Phase2 "complete gasket set":









Shortblock assembled:









The head after rework:









The rear cover after a new rear main seal was installed:









The upper (aluminum) oil pan ready to go on, with Gray RTV:









The upper oil pan being installed:









The timing chain and guides installed:









Water pump, baffle plate, and front cover installed:









If you'll notice, I put the upper oil pan on before the front cover, which was a mistake. IIRC, the front cover has two dowels that fit into the upper oil pan. I ended up having to pull the oil pan off, re-applying the RTV Gray, and putting it back on after the front cover was on. *So take a lesson from me: put the front cover on first!*


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## 2Fass240us (Aug 2, 2004)

Installing hydraulic lifters, shims, and rocker arms:









Cams installed:









Cam retainers, oil tubes, RAS's, and cam gears installed:









CAS installed. Notice how the dot lines up per the FSM:









Installing the timing chain tensioner:









GReddy oil pan parts:









GReddy oil pan with Red RTV, waiting to go on:









Dirty oil block:









Cleaned oil block and oil pan installed:









Sanding the powdercoating off the valvecover letters:


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## 2Fass240us (Aug 2, 2004)

The exhaust manifold was blasted when it came off the engine, and sat around awhile. This is it before re-blasting:









After beadblasting it again:









First coat of POR-15 Black Velvet hi-temp paint, wet:









First coat of POR-15 Black Velvet hi-temp paint, almost dry:









The turbo that came with the clip, and the one that Russ sold me:









The ABS brake booster, after removal and sanding:









Two coats of black epoxy appliance paint (from Lowe's) on the booster, installed with the BMC:


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## bridrive55 (Aug 26, 2004)

2Fass240us said:


> As for the tools, I think you have made an assumption here, mainly that they're mine, and used this assumption to color your impression of my project choices. Ninety-five percent of the tools I've used outside of the normal ratchets, wrenches, etc. are my father's. He owns a non-automotive shop and happens to have all of these things.


Sounds like a great setting to work in! Beats doing a KA to KA swap in the snow, I can tell you from experience.


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## 2Fass240us (Aug 2, 2004)

bridrive55 said:


> Sounds like a great setting to work in! Beats doing a KA to KA swap in the snow, I can tell you from experience.


Sounds like it. He also has overhead cranes, a forkift (great for moving a clip around), a parts sink, and tons of other great stuff. He recently acquired an air-powered nibbler and an electric one, which should make body work and sunroof frame removal a snap! I might actually do the latter this weekend, and plan to take plenty of pictures.

-Andy


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## zellx2004 (Sep 30, 2004)

bridrive55 said:


> Sounds like a great setting to work in! Beats doing a KA to KA swap in the snow, I can tell you from experience.


Why do I have a strong feeling that I know what you mean? Imagine removing a 2nd eclipse engine without removing the tranny or transfer case. It's Magic!


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## 2Fass240us (Aug 2, 2004)

Exhaust manifold with one coat, after baking:









Another view of the valvetrain:









Thermostat housing in place:









Water outlet installed:









Water inlet and engine mount bracket installed:









Oil tube and engine mount bracket installed:









Blingtastic valve cover:









Powdercoated alternator bracket installed:









Alternator and tension adjusting bracket:









Water pump pulley. Notice the threads where the studs go:









Pulley and 2-of-4 nuts installed:









Good frontal view:









Alternator pulley installed:









Coolant plenum, with the temp sensors:









Coolant plenum coming apart. Notice the rust:

















Coolant plenum parts after beadblasting and two coats of clear:


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## 2Fass240us (Aug 2, 2004)

Turbo after cleaning and polishing the compressor with the wirewheel:









Applying the first coat of POR-15 Black Velvet to the turbine:









Turbo and turbine outlet ready to go in the oven:









Painting the second coat on the turbine outlet:









Old turbo, before the lines came off:









Me capturing the fact that a 19mm socket is needed to remove the banjo bolts:









Bearing Center Section oil outlet gasket and tubing:









Oil and coolant lines on the turbo, then the turbo sitting on the manifold:









Measuring the oil outlet to choose some hose:








The oil outlet, the respective block inlet, catch can inlet and outlet, and valvecover tee are all the same size.


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## 2Fass240us (Aug 2, 2004)

Installing the braided stainless line to relocate the GReddy Warning oil pressure sender:








I was impressed how complete the kit was. It even includes teflon tape and a trick annodized 2-piece bracket to remote mount the sender, as vibration tends to prematurely kill it.

The stock catch can after beadblasting:









The GReddy gauge:








BTW, 1 kg/cm^2 = 14.225 psi

The left and right radiator supports after beadblasting and painting:


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## zellx2004 (Sep 30, 2004)

It's so clean! I'm glad to see people taking their time and building an engine "right" Great work so far!


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## 2Fass240us (Aug 2, 2004)

zellx2004 said:


> It's so clean! I'm glad to see people taking their time and building an engine "right" Great work so far!


Thanks man. I only hope she cranks!


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## 2Fass240us (Aug 2, 2004)

Added some new articles to the site:
June 4 & 5 
June 18 & 19

Enjoy!

-Andy


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## 2Fass240us (Aug 2, 2004)

The coolant plenum reattached after new hoses and wormgear clamps were used:









Exhaust manifold on with new gaskets and O2 sensor installed. Notice the turbo oil outlet hose with heat shielding:









5/8" I.D. reinforced Aeroquip hose for the stock catch can. I used this for the catch can to engine connection, and turbo oil return: 









TB, new gasket, and wirebrushed allen bolts waiting to be installed:









Bottom view, showing the intake manifold supports:









Another intake side view, after everything was connected. The hose to the left of the leftmost support connects to the TB:









Front:









Rear. I used the e-hoist to pick it up off the stand so I could remove the pilot bushing. The puller and bushing are at the bottom of the picture:


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## Loki (Jan 12, 2004)

so far its awsome!


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## 2Fass240us (Aug 2, 2004)

Some pictures from two weekends ago...

TODA flywheel on and torqued to 100 ft-lbs. (per EM-57):









Exedy clutch:

















Transmission, after front cover removal and cleaning: 









Front cover, stock clutch pivot being removed: 









Front cover, reinstalled with new oil seal and gasket:


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## 2Fass240us (Aug 2, 2004)

One of Jordan’s “artsy” shots:









Rob installing the coilpacks:









After overtightening one of the coilpack screws and snapping it in half, Rob attempted to remove it:








This ended up taking quite a bit of the day, as easy-outs and most other removal methods were unsuccessful. One of the biggest issues is that Rob was using an air-powered drill that spun somewhere in the neighborhood of 20,000rpm! We believe the drill bit wasn’t cutting well since they aren’t generally designed to operate at those speeds, and was creating heat through friction and hardening the metal against removal attempts (basic Mechanics of Materials concept – “work hardening”). We had the most success by changing to a battery-powered drill, making new holes, and again utilizing the easy-outs.

Peeking up at the knock sensor:









Old TO bearing (assumed OEM) on top versus the one that came with the Exedy clutch kit:









Pressing the bearing onto the carrier using a piece of pipe and vice (Method #1):









The piece of pipe I machined to fit the inside lip of the new bearing, to press it on with an arbor press (Method #2 = better):









The Nismo clutch pivot in place & greased; carrier / TO bearing greased and installed:









Demonstration of how the clutch fork and carrier/bearing fit together with springs:









JGY(boo) urethane mount installed on powdercoated transmission crossmember:








I noted a couple of things here:
1) The bevel in the lower right part of the mount isn’t of sufficient size to accommodate crossmember curvature in the same area, and
2) The kit should have included bolts, fasteners, and locking washers to connect the mount to the crossmember. Not surprisingly, it doesn’t, and I had to obtain them from Lowe’s. While not overly expensive or difficult to locate, it would have been nice for OEM-quality or higher hardware to come with the kit, saving both time and money. I chose the highest available grade allen bolts, nuts, and lock washers, and torqued to FSM specs (even though this might not be entirely appropriate for a urethane mount). 

Me demonstrating how the mount/crossmember attach to the transmission:








Note the orientation of the crossmember “high” and “low” sides compared to the transmission orientation. I noticed that the FSM-specified torque was difficult to achieve here since the mount is malleable and deformed before the torque spec was reached. I had to back the wrench down somewhat, and ended up using the lower torque value in the FSM. It might not have been a bad idea to include installation instructions with torque specs, but exclusion is here again not surprising.


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## 2Fass240us (Aug 2, 2004)

Me reinstalling the flywheel and clutch after putting the “transmission plate” on. We got as far as installing the transmission before realizing that I had left it off (d-oh!):









Transmission plate in place and transmission waiting to be installed:








Note the reddish dowel completely pushed into the dowel hole on the bellhousing (in line with the fill plug). We had the transmission almost installed before we noticed that a dowel in the block was interfering with the aforementioned one. 

Me installing the transmission with Chad(biggie) guiding the tail:








(I’m sure he enjoyed ace in the face  )

Transmission installed after all the bolts had found homes:








I noticed here that the picture in the FSM and requisite numbering system are oriented such that it’s looking at the engine side of the transmission. It would have made much more sense to have it oriented like you were looking at the engine from the transmission tail.

A nice view of the engine and transmission assembled:








Rob is installing a KA dust boot over the clutch fork/slave cylinder interface and Robin is playing with the shifter.

Car elevated and awaiting engine:









Me installing bolts to hold the steering collar to the rack input shaft:








The threads on the collar were either stripped themselves, or had metal pieces in them that prevented me from tightening them to spec. Instead of finding a used collar and risking a similar issue all over again, I simply bought some hardware from Lowe’s and used a lockwasher and nut on the other end of the bolt to keep from relying on the collar threads to hold the load.

Engine monkey, Japanese-style:








I was actually trying to prevent testicular removal via the radiator support while stepping out of the engine compartment, as the car was elevated. Damn, my head looks huge.

Rob and I rigging the overhead crane and straps to lift the engine into her new home:









Rob and my younger brother maneuvering the engine in place with me lying underneath the car trying to push the transmission tail:








In retrospect we had difficulty for two reasons:
1) It’s hard as hell to move the transmission tail around considering the weight one has to handle. I’m stickdiesel, but damn! I went this past Saturday (almost 2 weeks after initially attempting engine installation) and bought a HarborFreight jack, and
2) It’s much easier to put the mounts on the engine and lower onto the crossmember instead of putting them on the crossmember and lowering the engine onto the mounts, unbeknownst to us at the time.

The engine almost in place:









If you haven’t gathered as much from the above text, we were unable to get the engine installed, and will be attempting to do so again armed with more knowledge and tools than previously available. Wish me luck!


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## 2Fass240us (Aug 2, 2004)

Harbor Freight jack I purchased (bling!):









Rob, Chad(biggie), and I starting to install the engine:









Chad and Rob finagling the engine in from the top while I manipulate the transmission end with the jack:









Engine almost in place. This was the trickier part as the firewall-to-engine clearance gets small:









Engine in place, with chokers still attached:









She’s finally found her home!









Jordan pretending to drive under grueling conditions. Sad thing is, “pretending” is all he’ll ever achieve: :grin









SPL braided line in place, with the hardline bent to eliminate the clutch loop. Looks funky, and hopefully won’t leak:









“WTF? Step off, bish! *I'm* the AZN powerplant!!!”









Radiator in place with brackets. Look at all the room for a future G-mount:









Clutch fan hub and fanblade in place:









Me licking the fanblade “soft-pr0n-style” to prove that it’s indeed clean enough to eat off of:









Shroud, upper radiator hose, and some of the stock piping in place:

















Frontal view:









Side view. Much less rally-esque, but nonetheless still higher than a dirty Phishhead. Hopefully it’ll settle more with the other pieces added, and after some driving:








If not, I could always “cut da springzzzzzz, y0!”

Busted grease boot and “replacement” axle. Note the condition of the rubber on the replacement:








Blech.

After trying to install the axle with little luck:








In the end, it seems like there’s a clearance issue. I removed the old (with busted boot, above) axle and tried to install the other/replacement one, but it wouldn’t seat completely when I tried to push the splined end into the hub. Even hitting it with an impact didn’t solve the issue. Before you comment, I cleaned up the male and female splines, and the threads before attempting installation. I should also note that I had considerable difficulty getting the nut onto the threads, even with the axle off the car.

I removed the replacement and tried to slide both it and the old one into a spare rear hub, and both seated completely. The only thing I know to do at this point is try the replacement axle in the other hub I have (to test for side-dependency) or loosen the hub to facilitate complete seating by virtue of having more room to play. I don’t have a high confidence level for the latter, though.

If I determine that the axles are side-dependent, it’ll end up that I have two usable ones (read: no ripped boots) for one side of the car. This means I’ll have to either have the older one(s) rebuilt, or buy new ones.

Thoughts?


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## drifterXL (Sep 21, 2005)

looking good man! really like what i see. goodluck with rest of your project :cheers:


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## 2Fass240us (Aug 2, 2004)

On jack stands and ready for axle installation:









Axles installed:









Torquing axle nuts with 36mm impact socket:








Please don't try this without either someone to help, or someone standing on the brakes. I almost killed myself trying to do it, gave up on the driver's side one and hit both with an impact.

Axle nut cover and cotter pin in place, and brake bracket and caliper installed:









Sweet undercar view:









E-brake line ziptied to the passenger side hardline, since it wanted to touch the axle: :thumbdwn:









Hot piping installed:








I beadblasted and recoated the metal pipes since they were a chitty, scraped blue color earlier. I also cleaned the rubber with soap and water and used new wormgear clamps.

Air filter / MAF / charge piping before cleanup:








Notice the chitty stock-style clamp -> REPLACED!

Charge piping after cleaning:








The rubber hose piece you see covered in electrical tape is (as best I can tell) a rubber sleeve over the tubing to protect it from exhaust manifold heat. After cleaning the tubing the sleeve, the friction between both rubber pieces prevented me from sliding the sleeve on. I split it to get it on, and secured it with tape. If the tape doesn't withstand the heat, I will replace the hose and use heat shield sleeving similar to what was used on the turbo oil return line.

Air filter / MAF / charge piping installed:
















I need to fabricate a bracket to secure the MAF, as it's currently mobile. Since I have access to a significant amount of angle iron, I might fab something up, drill holes, test fit, then blast and paint. I figure I'll use one of the existing holes, and plan to take measurements in case someone else wants one.

I'm going to try to make it to the shop later tonight to hook up the fuel hose and filter. I'll probably use the old vacuum tubing to get a rough idea of how much I need, then I'll place an order for some new silicone tubing. *Anyone know a good place to get 6mm and 8mm in black?* All I can seem to find is red and blue.


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## nnoriega (Dec 18, 2003)

Damn, that is so beautifull, good very luck man!!! keep up the relly good work!!!


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## trmn8r (Apr 16, 2005)

nnoriega said:


> Damn, that is so beautifull, good very luck man!!! keep up the relly good work!!!


i had the maf loose too. all i did was j rig it with my old ecu harnes from the ka motor but as clean as your swap is lookin i dunno if your gonna want to go that way.


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## trmn8r (Apr 16, 2005)

where did you get the oil pressure sensor relocation kit?


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## 2Fass240us (Aug 2, 2004)

nnoriega said:


> Damn, that is so beautifull, good very luck man!!! keep up the relly good work!!!


Thanks. I will keep you guys updated. It generally only takes me 3-4 days between doing the work and getting forum content posted.



trmn8r said:


> i had the maf loose too. all i did was j rig it with my old ecu harnes from the ka motor but as clean as your swap is lookin i dunno if your gonna want to go that way.


Ha. Clean is the theme here, and I'll probably stick with the aforementioned angle iron bracket.



trmn8r said:


> where did you get the oil pressure sensor relocation kit?


It's all part of the GReddy Warning gauge I purchased. It costs more than other gauges, especially basic ones like AutoPower, but is well worth it IMO. I actually picked this series of gauge for the following reasons in this order:
1) Warning feature. Not only does it have a LED light come on, but it also has an audible warning. Additionally, and this is the best part, you are able to output a warning signal. I plan on using this feature to trigger large bulbs on a "warning panel" that's easily seen when looking straight ahead. Any lights coming on here would cause me to look for the appropriate gauge and immediately take action.
2) Electrical. Each gauge comes with a sending unit, relay box, and gauge. This keeps everything dangerous (hot oil) out of the cabin while also allowing the warning feature through the included hardware.
3) 60mm. Easy to read.
4) Completeness of kit. I didn't realize this at time of purchase, but the kits include damn near everything you need to hook it up. The oil pressure gauge even came with a trick black-annodized aluminum bracket to mount the sender to the firewall. You want to keep senders off the engine since vibration tends to significantly lessen it's lifespan.

I will post a picture of the oil gauge kit sometime this evening, and plan to take and post a picture of the boost gauge kit sometime early next week.


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## 2Fass240us (Aug 2, 2004)

Here are some pictures of the GReddy oil pressure gauge kit:


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## trmn8r (Apr 16, 2005)

2Fass240us said:


> Here are some pictures of the GReddy oil pressure gauge kit:


I like how you whent with the white 60mm gauges. but does that stainless steel braided line come with the kit?


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## 2Fass240us (Aug 2, 2004)

trmn8r said:


> does that stainless steel braided line come with the kit?


Yes, and a 1/8" BSPT to 1/8" NPT adapter. They are not in the picture because they were already on the motor at the time.


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## trmn8r (Apr 16, 2005)

2Fass240us said:


> Yes, and a 1/8" BSPT to 1/8" NPT adapter. They are not in the picture because they were already on the motor at the time.


oh, ok , i definately need one of those. beacause about 4 months ago i blew my turbo oil line. and lucky me i smelled it on time. dont want that to happen again.


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## 2Fass240us (Aug 2, 2004)

Some more gauge stuff...

Stainless steel line and 1/8" BSPT to 1/8" NPT adapter:

















GReddy Warning 60mm boost pressure gauge kit:









The gauge:








(my wife left this laying around, and I thought this was funny)

Diagram of the power wiring for the Data Link Unit:


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## 2Fass240us (Aug 2, 2004)

Heating the Aeroquip hose to get it over the hose barbs:









All fuel hoses in place (after some difficulty):









Cut a piece of old fuel hose in place and electrical taped it to keep the stainless line from vibrating its way through various parts in the engine bay:

















Vacuum tee after the TB:








Inline headed toward the BOV and perpedicular headed toward the boost sensor.

Interesting shot of the fuel and vacuum lines:








Although Jordan didn't realize it at teh time, he did a great job of showing how I secured the vacuum line to the intake manifold support bracket.

Boost and oil pressure senders:








Another good example of securing lines. The black piece between the brake lines is another rubber sleeve as detailed above.

Fixing one of the heater core actuation arms in place:








This is to secure the internal doors in place to make sure air is directed in the "defrost" direction.

A/C plenum, with a good view of the evaporator core:









A/C plenum, with the evap core removed, but before holes were taped off:


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## 2Fass240us (Aug 2, 2004)

Some glamour shots of the car:









































The blower case and motor in place. I think I have the tube thing right. *Is this some sort of bypass?*









Engine shots using my patented "every possible angle" technique:


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## 2Fass240us (Aug 2, 2004)

The grommet I used to pull the oil and boost pressure wiring through the firewall (hereafter referred to as the "sensor grommet"):









Where I obtained the grommet:









Splitting the grommet to pull the sensor connectors through:









The grommet I bought for the heater hoses:

















A good view of the heater plenum, sensor wiring, and the alternator/starter grommet:








In case you're wondering, the "alternator/starter grommet" hole used to be the dump tube for the A/C plenum, and is where Russ'll pull the alternator and starter wiring from the engine bay to the cabin. This is the same type of grommet used above for the sensor wiring.

I did some additional weight reduction on the heater plenum by removing the auxiliary ducts. I also fixed the hot/cold air door more securely than was done previously, and removed the hot/cold air linkage. I can post pictures of this if there's interest.

The progression of plenums and dash bar installation:

























Good view of the finished sensor wiring & harness and heater hoses installed:








You can almost make out the alternator/starter grommet, below and right of the sensor grommet, near where the brake hardlines 90 over.


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## OPIUM (Aug 18, 2002)

beautiful!! To anyone that has torn apart an S chassis like this it is no fun to put back together. Good luck with the future. Looks like you got things handled for sure. clean!


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## 2Fass240us (Aug 2, 2004)

OPIUM said:


> beautiful!! To anyone that has torn apart an S chassis like this it is no fun to put back together. Good luck with the future. Looks like you got things handled for sure. clean!


Thanks. It is indeed less fun to put it back together than it is to take it apart, but there's a certain sense of satisfaction knowing it's that much closer to functionality. 

Thanks again. I am going to finish up the wiring with some help this weekend.


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## OPIUM (Aug 18, 2002)

trust me man.. I can totally relate


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## 2Fass240us (Aug 2, 2004)

Fuel filter bracket, painted:








Installed:









GReddy radiator cap:









SMIC, begging to be mounted:









SMIC brackets after beadblasting:








Too bad I still can't figure out how to mount the whole thing to the chassis. :tears

Alternator /starter /etc. sub-harness, before stripping:








After:









All the SR harness(es) wires that were removed:









New wire routing underneath intake manifold to keep things clean:









How tidy!

















Interior cleanup in progress:


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## rogoman (Dec 16, 2004)

A great series of pictures. Maybe you should write a book called "SR Swap 101".

Good luck on your project!


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## Joel (Jun 11, 2003)

That SMIC is begging to be thrown out!
If you want a side mount get an ARC one or S15 one!


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## 2Fass240us (Aug 2, 2004)

rogoman said:


> A great series of pictures. Maybe you should write a book called "SR Swap 101".
> 
> Good luck on your project!


Thanks. After seeing the amount of time I've put into the car, pictures, and website, my wife mentioned the same thing. I'm afraid the book wouldn't sell too well unless I included a set of GT-R badges though. 




Joel said:


> That SMIC is begging to be thrown out!
> If you want a side mount get an ARC one or S15 one!


I don't _want_ a sidemount necessarily, but am more using it until I can afford to go V-mount.


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## Joel (Jun 11, 2003)

oh ok, wasnt sure if you were going for a stealth look or not


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## 2Fass240us (Aug 2, 2004)

Joel said:


> oh ok, wasnt sure if you were going for a stealth look or not


No need. The car will be track/auto-x only.


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## Joel (Jun 11, 2003)

looks awesome - LOVE your loom rewiring, so clean and ordered


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## 2Fass240us (Aug 2, 2004)

Joel said:


> looks awesome - LOVE your loom rewiring, so clean and ordered


Thanks Joel. Wait till you see the "finished" pictures.

-Andy


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## 2Fass240us (Aug 2, 2004)

*NEW PIKTARZ!!!*

Russ’s wiring job:









Test-fitting the dash:








I did this to determine boost and oil pressure gauge mounting location, in addition to determining which brackets I needed to keep.

Removing those I didn’t:

































The GReddy control units mounted and about to be connected to the sending units:









Using some 8mm silicone vacuum tubing to make the connection:








*I’m not sure if silicone will work here, as it’s incompatible with gasoline and oil. Any thoughts?*

Running the wiring from the control units to the gauges:









Another one of Jordan’s artsy shots, this time with a lensbaby:


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## 2Fass240us (Aug 2, 2004)

Much needed loot from a Lowe's gift certificate from Mom and Pops:









Farking around with some leftover 4mm silicone tubing and the SMIC:









Removing some excess from the dash:
















This was primarily to make installation and removal easier, as this portion interferes with the steering column. Since I'm not using the bezel, it isn't need anyways. Weight savings wasn't a primary driver as the removed plastic probably weighs less than Lindsey Lohan after a good purge.

GReddy Warning gauge mounts installed:

















Cutting the hole for the gauge wiring:
















I used a routing bit in an airtool to accomplish this. It came out much cleaner than the other one where I tried to drill pilot holes with a drill bit.

FPR 4mm vacuum line:









Boost Pressure sender line under intake mani:








Also a good shot of the majority of vacuum tubing.

SMIC BOV 4mm vacuum line off the bottom TB nipple:









Brake booster check valve:








Since I was missing the OE hose from the valve to the intake manifold, I decided to use silicone. Looks blingy, and'll outlast the rubber.

Good engine bay shot:








You can see most of the brake booster vacuum line on the firewall.

Installing defrost ducting:

























All that remains of the 2 original underhood fuse boxes:


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## 2Fass240us (Aug 2, 2004)

Two taps on the GReddy oil pan:








The right/larger one is for the stock SR oil pan drain plug, while the left one (1/8" BSPT I think, although I haven't tested this theory) is for a future oil temperature sender. The pan comes with a countersunk plug, which isn't shown in the picture.

Redoing the SMIC BOV vacuum line the right way:
































After originally doing the work, I did some research in the FSM/FA/Intarweb/original clip pictures and figured out that the bottom TB nipple is for the charcoal canister.

Fluids to be added:








The 30W oil is simply for the break-in period. I will switch to another for fulltime usage.

About to remove the stock fuel pump assembly:









Inside the tank after the pump assembly was removed:








Notice the black stuff in the bottom. Upon further inspection, it appears to be rubber that has dripped off the the original pump assembly, maybe from the rubber piece that holds the pump itself into the metal bracket at the bottom. I've thought about removing the tank before, and decided after this that it'd be a wise move to drop the tank for cleaning. After the amount of work I've put into the car thus far, it'd be foolish to skip this simply to get the car started a couple of weeks earlier.

Old fuel pump assembly:








New pump parts:








New pump installed, sans wire soldering:









Latest engine bay shot:








I've replaced the line from the valvecover to the fuel rail with the stock piece since I was able to locate it. Otherwise, I would've looked for an alternative instead of permanently leaving the silicone piece there as there are chemical compatibility issues with oil and gasoline.

Elevating the car to drop the gas tank next time:









Plastic guard piece for the gas tank:








I assume this is to protect the tank from impacts and grime.


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## 2Fass240us (Aug 2, 2004)

Gas tank before removal:









Tube connections:








The longest one needs to be removed before dropping the tank.

The same from below after the tank was dropped:









The nasty tank:









The rubber gunk that dripped from the stock fuel pump assembly:









Washing the tank out:








I ran some parts cleaning fluid in it after dumping the gas out, and ran water through it until the cleaning fluid was purged.

A little sound deadening removal ala heat gun and putty knife:

















Brake booster vacuum line:








If you recall, I ran silicone the first time, but changed it after some folks suggested it might collapse.


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## 2Fass240us (Aug 2, 2004)

New fuel return and supply hose for the tank, next to the old:









Tank waiting to go back in:









Tank in:









New o-ring, hoses, and clamps in place:









Pump installed:








I seem to be missing one of the fasteners. I might go ahead and replace all of them at some point.

Cover installed:









Pattern marked:








After removing the glass, interior pieces, and brackets, I drilled holes up through the roof to get an idea where the sunroof frame was. Then I ground it down where the bit poked up through so i wouldn't cut myself when working with it. Next I marked a pattern with a Sharpie and tape measure.

Almost out:









Out!








I cleaned it up with a grinder and buffing wheel to get rid of the edges and loose metal.

The carcass:








I haven't had a chance to weigh it yet, but my guess is between 5 and 10 pounds.

Removing the spare tire bracket:
















I used the same cutting wheel / grinder / buffing wheel combo to get this one out. I decided to do this now since there was no gas in the car, and therefore no chance for Andy to go boom-boom. 

Stock radiator hose versus the Samco:








I didn't get a chance to install them yet as the 316SS t-bolt clamps I ordered were too large. :tears

Rear wiring harness in, before cleanup:









Rear wiring harness out:









Harness after cleanup:








I'm almost done with it here, as I have to connect it to the 3 chassis wires, attach the ground, and finish wrapping everything. I'll post some pix when finished.


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## bridrive55 (Aug 26, 2004)

Looking through the engine bay pics I realize how similar the SR wiring harness and intake manifold/throttle body design is to KA. Looks like the same throttle body, quite similar manifold, and almost identical wiring harness designs. Your wiring trials and tribulations remind me exactly of all that I went through when I was still attempting to hybridize an OBD-II setup in an S13. Good luck with the wiring, and great posts. Keep them coming!


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## 2Fass240us (Aug 2, 2004)

bridrive55 said:


> Your wiring trials and tribulations remind me exactly of all that I went through when I was still attempting to hybridize an OBD-II setup in an S13.


"Trials and tribulations" may be an overstatement. It was a lot of work, but we never ran into any issues to speak of. Having a friend who's done this before was the single biggest factor contributing to my success. Hopefully everything'll work when we try to fire it up! 



bridrive55 said:


> Good luck with the wiring, and great posts. Keep them coming!


Thanks, will do.

-Andy


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## 2Fass240us (Aug 2, 2004)

Taking off the fender to fit and fabricate brackets for the SMIC:








Also be a good opportunity to block off the big hole where the wiring harness used to run. You can actually see the back of a fuse panel there, and I don't think I want dirt and other trash all over the back.

I gave some though to how ugly my interior was this past weekend, and decided to experiment with a little cleanup. The priority is still to get the car running, but I couldn't help myself.

Before sound deadening removal:









Removing brackets:

















After grinding and buffing:









White primer:









This was a test to see how things looked, and doesn't necessarily represent how the rest of the interior will look. The Krylon gloss enamel I used in the engine bay (still have quite a few more cans left) is a bit brighter than the Nissan "Super White." As mentioned in Steve Rockwood's NPM article, white might also show dirt/wear too much. So I haven't settled on an interior color yet, and am open to suggestion.

My plan is to do something like the above for the time being until I get the cage in next off-season. The white primer looks a little meh, but I'm not sure I want to go through the effort of painting the whole shabang with primer->enamel->clear.

-Andy


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## 2Fass240us (Aug 2, 2004)

Reinstalling the gas filler cover with new plastic "rivets":

















AGX's turned around the "right" way:








After a note from an enthusiast in the United Kingdom on SR20Forum, I realized I had them turned around the wrong way. The layout of the lower perch confirms this, as it's chamfered such that it meshes with the post coming off the spindle. Having the adjustment dial on the inside makes it so I can adjust the damping without having to take the wheel off. :thumbup: 

An interior shot before Jordan started on the wiring:









Some sound deadening and sealant removal:

























SMIC side shot:








It's hanging by the hoses only in this picture while I figure out a way to hardmount it.

Using a modified bracket:








This bracket came off of Bryson's S14 and had to be modified to fit. Turns out it places the IC too close to the wheel. Back to the drawing board!

Jordan actually working: 








He's using the heatgun on some heatshrink tubing, while connecting the rear harness.

The (mostly) finished product:








I may have to remove the adhesive-backed ziptie pieces to clean up some more sound deadening and sealant, then add them back after a lil paint.

Fuel pump wiring and covers finished up:


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## surfer240sx (Dec 15, 2005)

heres one for u how did u get the rear seatbelts off the top where they connect to the pillar?


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## 2Fass240us (Aug 2, 2004)

surfer240sx said:


> heres one for u how did u get the rear seatbelts off the top where they connect to the pillar?


I need to look back at some pictures (if I have them), but I think it was simply a bolt. Maybe I don't understand your question though.


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## surfer240sx (Dec 15, 2005)

it is but it wont come out on either did u cut it off or un bolt it cuz mine are the most stubborn things ever i massive set of channel locks didnt even do the trick


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## 2Fass240us (Aug 2, 2004)

surfer240sx said:


> it is but it wont come out on either did u cut it off or un bolt it cuz mine are the most stubborn things ever i massive set of channel locks didnt even do the trick


Have you tried PB Blaster or AeroKroil (penetrating lubricants)?

All mine took was a ratchet and some manliness. :thumbup:


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## Loki (Jan 12, 2004)

2Fass240us said:


> Have you tried PB Blaster or AeroKroil (penetrating lubricants)?
> 
> All mine took was a ratchet and some *manliness.* :thumbup:



LOL!!!!!!!!!!


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## 2Fass240us (Aug 2, 2004)

My two babies:









New fuel pump screws in place:








After posting the previous picture where I only have 5, I received some advice from a guy on FA that this will leak. $12-ish later for 6 screws crazy and a short bit of effort later, and I'm good to go.

Samco upper radiator hose in place with SS t-bolt clamps:









Samco lower radiator hose in place:
















Notice the tight fit with the stock radiator. The tension rod brace and stock radiator construction made this slightly difficult to install. This would obviously not been as much of a concern had it been a wormgear clamp instead of a t-bolt one.

Shot of the stock turbo extension:








I was going to install the DP, but realized I didn't have the gasket.

Russell SS braided brake lines:
















I only got around to the rear this time, and will do the front next time. I had trouble with the clips that hold the flexible line into the bracket, as they didn't want to stay even after using a hammer and punch. *Any advice on these?" Do I need to replace them with new units?* I seemed to have more luck when I squeezed the two "prongs" together before reinstallation.

Removing piping and MAF to cut SMIC hole larger:

















Bleeding the clutch:








As I feared when I bent the hardline to eliminate the damper box, I damaged it the point where it leaked when I tried to bleed the system. This time I'll use a tubing bender off the car rather than two combination wrenches while it's on the car. :balls:

Some more sound deadening removal:
















After trying unsuccessfully to bleed the clutch and install the DP, and not having planned well enough to finish the gauge wiring, I decided to focus the remaining effort on the deadening. Luckily my younger cousin Trey was in town and was able to help with this while I cursed at the brake clips. :thumbup:

Next steps:
1) Plan out and finish the guage wiring, including the warning panel
2) Add coolant / water / Water Wetter mixture
3) Install pads, front lines, and bleed brakes
4) Install driveshaft, MT-90, and shifter
5) Mount SMIC using custom bracket
6) Some other chit I'm currently forgetting


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## 2Fass240us (Aug 2, 2004)

"Old" brake line, "new" one, and tubing bender:








If you’ll recall, I bent the old one with a couple of combination wrenches while laying underneath the car and it ended up leaking. I got another one from a friend and purchased a tubing bender from Advance Auto Parts for $6.

Clutch line bracket:








A friend pointed this out as a weight savings opportunity when he was doing my wiring, and I decided to go ahead and do it before everything came together.

Line bent, bracket chopped, and bolt heads wire-brushed:









SMIC chassis bracket:








Courtesy of DriftItLow on 240sxForums.

Stock fusebox bracket:








Also courtesy of a friend. I wanted this bracket to better secure the coolant reservoir.

Cutting off the one little piece I need:








After this, I beadblasted this piece and the SMIC bracket, then sprayed two coats of the gloss black epoxy appliance paint that you’ve seen earlier in the thread.

New hardware and pads:









Stripping the SMIC down for cleaning and testing:








After one of my friends took it upon himself to beadblast the SMIC, I decided I wanted to forego any (even slight) chance of getting glass beads in the engine. Add this to the fact that I’d like to have it both pressure/flow tested and cleaned, and it only makes sense to go ahead and do it.


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## 2Fass240us (Aug 2, 2004)

I've been shafted by Ted Teten:









Spicer joints with grease fittings:









Shot of the clearance:









Cool "down the shaft" shot:









DP bolted up with gasket:








Has anyone found this gasket locally? As in not through Phase2, Enjuku, etc.? I looked a half a dozen places for one including muffler shops and NAPA, and no one had anything.

Making my own exhaust hanger bracket out of 1/4" flat stock:
























I would have preferred thinner material or aluminum, but this was the widest thing my dad had laying around. In case you're curious, I was unable to use OE parts because my trans mount is essentially a block of urethane without a suitable way to latch onto. A friend recommended I drill through the trans crossmember, but I wasn't comfortable with that. I suppose it wouldn't have seriously affected the structural integrity, but I'd prefer to put time into a bracket instead of altering crossmember.

OE front brake line compared to the Russell one:









Line installed:








In retropsect, installing it starting at the caliper might have been easier.

New clips and old:









New clips installed:









Completely assembled:









Overflow reservoir bracket:


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## 2Fass240us (Aug 2, 2004)

Hole where main wiring harness used to run:









Good shot of the SMIC bracket, and after blocking the hole off:
















I used sheet aluminum my dad had laying around, and cut the shape. I used:








to seal between the aluminum and chassis, and riveted it in place. I probably didn’t need to use 8 rivets, but the somewhat irregular surface made it necessary to do so.

Whiteline bar endlinks attached:








From installing one on a friend’s S14, I thought it might be easier to install this way.

Finished installation:









Good shot of the TC rods installed and Whiteline endlinks:


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## 2Fass240us (Aug 2, 2004)

Rear swaybar mounted:









Three intercoolers:








From left to right: original blasted one, one that wouldn’t hold 10psi, and good one.

Cutting my own gaskets since the ones I had were crap:









Intercooler reassembled and mounted:









The duct that came with the third intercooler:








It was sufficiently nasty with grime and road debris on the inside. The above picture is after cleaning and applying two layers of weather stripping foam. I tried it first with one layer and realized that two would be necessary to create a good seal between the duct and intercooler face.

The duct installed:

















The intake tube from the third intercooler setup:








I needed the right tube and metal male/male insert to recirc. I also used the left tube since I messed up the “insulation” sleeve on the original one.

New GReddy Airinx filter installed with mounting bracket:








I have a screw plugging the hole in the intake tube now, but will plug it with something else later.

Making a throttle cable bracket:

















A *mostly* complete engine bay:









Cool view from the front:









Fender back on, using the stainless hardware:









View of the SMIC after fender installation:


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## 2Fass240us (Aug 2, 2004)

Brake bracket with new hardware:









Stainless line installed:








The line is installed at a weird angle to get it to run between the two tabs. Do I have this right? I suppose it'll be a little less funky-looking when the suspension compresses.

SMIC through the duct:









Bumper support in place:
















I thought about painting it, but at this point I really just need to finish the car. :thumbup: 

Bumper foam in place:









Bumper cover (mostly) installed:
























All of the fasteners aren't in place yet, but will be once everything's lined up.

Cool view of the SMIC through the bumper opening:









Finally starting to look like a car:


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## 2Fass240us (Aug 2, 2004)

All front end body parts reinstalled:









Finally found and installed brake boots:









Pouring water wetter into distilled water:








I plan to run this instead of the traditional coolant/water mixture as it cools more efficiently and won't leave any slippery surfaces if the coolant system takes a crap.

Holes cut for hood pins:









The carnage inflicted on the underside:









Peekabo:









Hood pins installed:









I was given the APC "Sparco-style" hood pins and am (not surprisingly) dissatisfied with the quality. I was also unable to accomplish a quality installation based on the aforementioned and my inexperience with them. After talking to some other racers and giving it plenty of thought, I decided on the AeroCatch mechanisms. Stay tuned for more on this...

Door gutting:









































New clutch slave cylinder:









Keeping the flush bottle from falling over:








I tried this since I'ev had the bottle to get knocked over before, spilling brake fluid all over the floor. Also, it would soak up any dripping fluid since the stuff in the pan is Oil-Dry. The only difficulty is that I had a hard time seeing the level in the bottle, and looking for bubbles, but this was easily solved.

Hatch installed:


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## 2Fass240us (Aug 2, 2004)

Constant 12V and ignition-switchable power sources for GReddy Warning gauges:









Pre-wire for warning bulbs:









Finally found/made a grommet for the speed sensor harness:









Dash reinstalled and GReddy gauges finally mounted:


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## 2Fass240us (Aug 2, 2004)

After removing the power window mechanism:









Manual window versus power window mechanisms:









Bottom back of the manual window mechanism:








In case you’ve never looked at the difference between the manual and power windows before, it appears that even the door chassis itself is different. The mounting studs for the manual mechanism are different than those of the power one. Fortunately for me, the manual window mechanism had holes for the studs as they are located in my door. I had to put the studs through the existing holes and attach a fastener on the back. This picture shows the power window stud locations where the threaded pieces tack-welded to the frame. Above and to the right of the leftmost one is where I added a fastener. If you look above the other threaded piece, you’ll see the other hole I was going to use to secure the mechanism to the door. Unfortunately, there’s a cable in the way, so I had to settle for 3 out of 4 fasteners.

Manual window mechanism installed:








If you look at this picture, you’ll notice a spot where the window handle could have gone. When I originally started gutting the door, I thought I was going to somehow affix the window in the up position. After a lot of poking around and thinking, I finally came to the conclusion that using the manual window mechanisms was the best route until I could remove the glass when I cage the car.

Current method of securing the crank mechanism:








If I thought I’d spend more time rolling the windows up and down, I would have found a way to secure it better. But the only time I’ll need to operate them is before and after a race, or when the car has to be stored outside. So for now, this is good enough for me.

Piece of 24” x 48”, 0.063" thick Alloy 5086 Aluminum:








Ordered from McMaster Carr and cut locally for free. I have a 8” x 24” strip leftover that I plan to use elsewhere (a radiator block-off plate, maybe?).

Getting an initial idea of how it fits on the car:








It looks like I’ll have to fillet the corners more than I thought based on the roof curvature.


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## 2Fass240us (Aug 2, 2004)

Talking to myself is fun. :fluffy:


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## Dustin (Dec 14, 2003)

you're not alone, i've been watching this over at 240sxforums too. i'm the other guy from FIRST.. you might remember me.


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## surfer240sx (Dec 15, 2005)

looks awsome! how much have u spent on the whole thing so far?


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## 2Fass240us (Aug 2, 2004)

Dustin said:


> you're not alone, i've been watching this over at 240sxforums too.


Based on the views, I knew people were reading. It's just odd that no one's said anything since March.



Dustin said:


> i'm the other guy from FIRST.. you might remember me.


Refresh my memory via PM if that's cool.



surfer240sx said:


> looks awsome! how much have u spent on the whole thing so far?


Thanks. It's North of $13k, I'm sure, but my accounting isn't quite up-to-date.

-Andy


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## surfer240sx (Dec 15, 2005)

what kind of power do u expect to get out of her?


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## Dustin (Dec 14, 2003)

surfer240sx said:


> what kind of power do u expect to get out of her?


he said he doesn't expect to be pushing much more than stock power.


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## 2Fass240us (Aug 2, 2004)

Dustin said:


> he said he doesn't expect to be pushing much more than stock power.


Werd. It should act as a stock motor for the most part, with the exception of having an 86.5mm bore versus the stock 86.0mm. :thumbup:


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## 2Fass240us (Aug 2, 2004)

Shaping the 40" x 24" piece:








The circular plate is being used to fillet the corners.

After cutting with a cutoff wheel, cleaning the rough edges, and using a deburring wheel:









Holes drilled and surface roughed-up for silicone adhesion:









Roof also roughed-up:









Riveted in place, after some effort:









This was more trouble than I thought it'd be, as the piece had to bend a little more than I thought, and the silicone dried much faster than expected. I also had an issue with the roof separating from the aluminum, and not riveting together like I wanted: 








This is one of two places that gave me trouble after everything else was in place. The other place is the passenger side front corner, but I think I can use a large c-clamp to get the aluminum and roof to sit flush before riveting.

Enjoy!

-Andy


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## 2Fass240us (Aug 2, 2004)

Passenger door before:









After some stripping and swapping out the window mechanism:








The manual handle mechanism didn't seem to stretch to where it looked like it should have been, even with some repositioning.

Driver’s door, finished with gutting:









Cleaning up the floor a little:









Driver’s seat installed:









Driver’s door and passenger seat installed:









Looks like a dropped baby:









Another view of the roof skin:








It turns out this was the only place leaking (see 482.jpg below).

After a wash:

















I also did this to see where the water was leaking, and discovered a few:
























The windows don’t bother me as much because there isn’t a lot to be done I think, and I will fix the sunroof one next time I go in.

AeroCatch hood pins I purchased:









Installed:









Good picture of it lining up:








I installed the latches using the chitty APC hood pins since I planned on putting the new ones in the same place. This allowed me to handle one thing at a time, and likely increased my chances of getting it to line up properly. The new pins will be a little lower than the existing ones, and will have rubber stops to snug the hood in place once latched. If you are curious for more installation details, I'll start a thread.

Enjoy!
-Andy


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