s30 buildup (lots of pics) - Tuner-Junction

drummingpariah · #1 (**permalink**) July 9th, 2009, 02:13 PM

And so, it begins.

1972 Datsun 240z, delivered to my door, $500:

l28et (2.8l turbocharged inline 6 motor),stock l24 (2.4l twin carburetted inline 6) pulled, $500

4spd transmission that came with the car (before and after a mild cleanup), included with car:

60mm wastegate, 38mm bov, thunderbird intercooler, $75:

Precision .55ar t3/t4 hybrid, $100 plus a pair of SBC fuelie heads:

Boost/vac gauge mounted in old clock console section, $14:

Hidaway ignition (shhh, don't tell nobody), $3 in bolts:

s130 radiator and ls1 electric fan (still have to make a shroud and fan mount for it), included with motor:

Front air dam ($100, shipped):

Replacement headlight buckets and headlights, $28:

All new wheel studs, $40 (no pics as of right now)

205/60-14 HTR 200's $160:

Electrical relays, $13:

Cheap, abused Summit racing seats with old 4point harnesses on Craigslist, $60:

This weekend, the l28et goes in. Strong possibility that more parts will be here by then as well.

drummingpariah · #2 (**permalink**) July 10th, 2009, 01:08 PM

Last night, I decided it was a good idea to rebuild the wastegate and blow-off valve I received off eBay after hearing some horror stories about their construction quality. Other than a somewhat flakey-looking BOV gasket (which is an easy replacement in the future), they both looked solid and went back together nicely:
Wastegate construction:

BOV construction:

Calicab · #3 (**permalink**) July 12th, 2009, 07:22 PM

i like it sir and you have my blessing

drummingpariah · #4 (**permalink**) July 15th, 2009, 01:30 AM

I'm glad you approve. I got some more work done...

Engine's in, waiting for some wiring, intercooler, ductwork, and a turbocharger to be received.

I relocated my ignition to a nice under-dash area where my keys won't dangle and slap me in the legs:

I did some light fab work and made a switch panel:
(test fit final location)

(drilling holes for switches: fan, fuel pump, undecided)

I also finished fabricating a small block-off plate for the old power steering pump, which I won't be using. I just finished painting it (flat black, go figure!), and need to pick up some RTV sealant to make a gasket for it.

My new brake lines came in:

I tossed in a new steering wheel for $40 as well:

I cleaned up one of the four-speeds, but it looks like I won't be using it after all. I'm going to pick up a 5spd off a fellow Ratsun trucker who's going with an sr20, I should be able to make it up there this weekend! That means the 4speed is up for grabs.

drummingpariah · #5 (**permalink**) July 15th, 2009, 01:54 PM

I got lucky last night, and scheduled a DMV appointment for this morning at 9:30am. I was also lucky enough to get some time out of work to go down there. I showed up with a license plate and bill of sale on a car that hadn't been registered in 15 years, and crossed my fingers as I walked in the door.

20 minutes later, I had temp plates and legal permission to drive my car. I'm somewhat stunned. No title, nothing crazy. All I have to do is drive it to the DMV at some point in the next few months and let them verify the VINs (which are legitimate!). Not too shabby, a big two thumbs up for the sweet little lady behind the counter at the DMV.

drummingpariah · #6 (**permalink**) July 28th, 2009, 04:01 PM

Well, the turbo I had been waiting on still hasn't arrived. I've been tearing apart the 280zx donor car in my car-time, and have been sick for the past week, so I don't have a very worthwhile update. I did slap a new air dam on the front though, and have started making the template for the engine bay belly pan.

It looks like I'm going to make a 3-piece pan similar to the 2-piece zr8ed made here:
ZR8ED Two Piece Belly pan project - HybridZ
It might end up being a 2-piece, for simplicity of manufacturing. Hopefully, it'll be act as a support for the air dam as well, but I may add a bracket to attach it to the grille mount bracket. Primary concerns are making sure I can attach/detach it from under the car, cutting an access hole for the oil pan bolt, and making sure I have complete clearance for the wheels. Ideally, I'd like to integrate a brake venting system to pull air from under the car, but I'm not sure my physics skills are quite up to that task.

I believe I'm going to keep the front bumper and straighten it a bit using c-clamps and 2x6's. The air dam looks pretty sweet if I do say so myself, I just need to drill some holes to mount the directionals under the bumper.

I finally have my compressor up and working now, and plan to make FULL use of it throughout the next week or so. I have a die grinder hooked up and ready to go to replace the piece of crap tool called a roto-zip that the Home Depot 'tool guy' talked me into buying. If you ever intend to do ANYTHING with ANY metal, a roto-zip is a terrible idea. Don't buy one. Even if you can't get a compressor and air tools, get an angle grinder instead.

Currently awaiting delivery:
5speed tranny (unknown gearing)
t3/t4 hybrid turbo
another t3/t4 hybrid turbo (just in case... they sell pretty well if I don't need the spare)
intake mani w/ a 60mm throttle body (hopefully the throttle linkage works nicely
20lb media blaster
manual bearing-style boost controller
8 450cc DSM injectors (I have yet to see if I can make a way to fit them in, but I doubt it'll be any worse than the stock configuration)

Once the 280zx donor is out of the garage, I'll be able to get my s30 up on jackstands and get it running, complete with brakes and everything. Woohoo!

drummingpariah · #7 (**permalink**) July 31st, 2009, 11:09 AM

The broad strokes of my fuel rail are finished, except for the channels to be cut for the injectors, since I don't have their exact dimensions. I'm pretty sure they're supposed to be 11mm, but I want to be pretty darn sure before I send out the design. I'm pretty sure I'll have to get one of my intake manifolds drilled out a bit as well, so I think I'll just head to the machine shop in person with a flash drive with a .dwf on it and the manifold.

I got a couple more parts in last night, things are looking pretty darn good at this point. More pics:

I'm a little overstocked on transmissions right now.

The exhaust flange from the stock turbo doesn't fit the turbonetics turbo. Shame. There may be one in the box, I'll check tonight.

Here's the stock flange that doesn't look usable:

It'd be really nice to have the option to stay internally wastegated, for simplicity and space, but I might just have to do some welding and adapt this wastegate somewhere. I need a spacer from the exhaust manifold anyway, since the compressor side of the turbonetics turbo is too big. It actually hits the exhaust manifold, no matter which way I clock it.

No, this isn't an optical illusion. It really is that big.

I need to decide where to mount this boost controller. I'm thinking I'll put it in the center console, in the switch panel. That way I'll have 3 switches: Fuel, Spark, Fan, then the boost control knob. Thoughts?

Finally, it's decided. The l28et is going in this thing. I sold the roundtop SU's and the intake manifold from the l24, and I'm trying to find someone to take the e31 head off my hands along with the block (and some transmissions, perhaps). The plan for tomorrow is to hack up the firewall a bit and get the transmission bolted to the engine.

drummingpariah · #8 (**permalink**) August 1st, 2009, 03:32 PM

From here on out, major updates will be posted here:
s30 | Driven Daily

njn63 · #9 (**permalink**) August 8th, 2009, 02:57 PM

So jelous of the seamingly endless supply of non rusted out cars in CA. I can't find 15 year old cars in that condition.

drummingpariah · #10 (**permalink**) August 8th, 2009, 11:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by njn63

So jelous of the seamingly endless supply of non rusted out cars in CA. I can't find 15 year old cars in that condition.

You're joking, right?

Floor and rusted through frame rail:

floor and door rust

Front end rust

Dogleg

njn63 · #11 (**permalink**) August 9th, 2009, 09:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drummingpariah

You're joking, right?

Yikes, nevermind. It looked a lot better in the pictures in the first post.

In fairness though, I'll post a picture of the Miata I just bought in a week or so.

drummingpariah · #12 (**permalink**) May 25th, 2010, 07:53 PM

It's up for sale, by the way. Got the rust repaired, replaced the suspension and brakes, added seats, spare doors, and a new l28et engine with a 5speed transmission added. $2k for anyone who'll pick it up (I moved out of Crazy California) in Vallejo, CA. Bring a trailer.

jadkar · #13 (**permalink**) May 28th, 2010, 07:43 AM

Hey, I love the car. Not saying I can pickup a new project right now but man seeing that car brings back some old school memories!! I would love to build one of those. Can you find some rust free examples of those cars anymore or is every one that you buy basically in need of restoration?

drummingpariah · #14 (**permalink**) May 28th, 2010, 11:31 AM

There are definitely good examples out there, but getting one in like-new condition will cost around $10k or so. Arizona seems to be the hot-spot for nice, rust-free s30's. There's one right up the street from me that I could probably get for free, but I'm not even sure it's worth the amount of work it needs, and I don't have a garage right now.