With the rear in good shape it was time to focus on the front end, next job was the leaking power steering rack.
It was in pretty sad shape but I figured I'd give a rebuild a try first.
Had to bend up a custom tool to pull one of the seals out from the inside of the rack without scratching up the surface, ended up working perfectly.
Freshly rebuilt, new boots, new grease, new poly bushings, and new paint and we're back in business, should be no more leaks
Also fixed the mangled/cracked tension rod brackets, and went ahead and made my own Nismo style brace.
Scored a deal on some SPL tension rods.
(and don't worry, those short bolts were only to roll the car around)
Next it was time to do something about the ancient TEIN HR that came on the car (that I imported over 10 years ago).
We weren't going to run them on the car, but I knew someone else could use them so off to TEIN USA they went for a rebuild.
Turns out they needed more than just a simple rebuild, both fronts needed new shafts and a few other internals, quite a shock.
Once TEIN was finished with that I had them sent back along with a new set of FLEX Z.
I cleaned up the old HR with a fresh coat of paint and new hardware, and now freshly rebuilt, good as new and off to their new home.
Then picked up a GKtech roll center correction kit, and installed the whole lot with some new MOOG outer tie rods, new lower control arms (still needed the steering stops removed), and TEIN inner tie rods
Scored a pair of new GKtech traction rods!
Stumbled onto this set of Autostrada Modena from another S13 down south.
Maybe one day I'll get around to rebuilding them with new wide barrels.
Finally got wheels on, so first time back on the ground in months!
Threw on the fenders and this rep Nismo bumper instead of the pig nose.
That +30mm from the GKtech kit meant I'd have to break out the fender roller in the front for sure, I wanted an all steel original body so the fenders would need some work.
With the bucket seats there was no way I was using the annoying auto belts, I had a pair of Willans LDT6 cam locks, this meant we needed something to attach them to.
Planning a full interior street car I didn't want a full cage to bump my head on, even with the now lowered and more centered seating position, so we fabricated a beefy roll bar, maybe something I can add the front half to in the future, but definitely something removable/bolt-in in the meantime.
Wanting bolt in, the whole roll bar has to come out the front, so adjustments had to be made to the speaker shelf and upper spring perch orientation.
The green strut bar tube is a solid piece of carbon fiber that I've been dragging around for years, turned out to be a perfect fit for the 1.75" cage tubing.
So I cut out the middle steel, left a 2" stub to bond, prepped and epoxied the whole thing together. Saves a few pounds in a low stress area and looks the business once I sanded all the MIL spec OD coating off.
