So, I've been contemplating making a build thread for the longest time and my friends have been telling me to do one. After much procrastination I finally have the time to make one. It's been many years in the making to get up to this point right here and by no means is it finished, but I am in the gravy of the build at the moment so I figured it's a good time to post. Here it is.
I have to note the photos collected were taken by myself and friends over the years so the quality of photos, especially in the beginning of the journey are pretty terrible.
It all started back in 09, when I purchased the car off some guy who purchased it from the original owner, an old lady. The car was in great condition and had really low mileage for its age.
Initially, I did what most people do when they purchase a super old used car they intend to keep for awhile and I went through and redid all the engine seals from front to back and top to bottom. I even threw on a new clutch and a lightweight flywheel.
I added some coilovers, did the five-lug conversion, and bought some Enkei RPF1's.
Over the years the car went through some stages and neglect. As I was going through college, I didn't have much time to give to it.
Fast forward to more recently. Early 2017, this is how the car sat. The mods done up to this point are as follows:
Modifications:
DMAX 180SX F/R overfenders
HKS Sport Exhaust
KAAZ Super-Q 2-way LSD
Kouki 180SX taillights
Megan Street Coilovers
MAX subframe collars
MAX toe arms
MAX RUCAs
MAX extended inner tie rods
MAX rack-to-ITR forward offsetter
MAX Super Angle Knuckles
Mishimoto Aluminum Radiator
Mishimoto Radiator E-Fans
OEM Nissan Silvia S13 sideskirts
OEM Nissan S13 long fin differential cover
Phase 2 Motortrend Tension Rods
Phase 2 Motortrend Coolant Overflow tank
Sparco race seat
Techno Toy Tuning extended FLCAs
TEIN tie rod ends
Volk TE37’s staggered 17/18
Now onto the good stuff. Finally, I decided it was time to paint this thing. I really wasn't a fan of the burgundy/maroon, whatever you want to call it. Also, a couple years back I got a good deal on a Vertex Ridge kit from Jeren at DSPORT and it had been sitting around this whole time. I have been wanting to put that thing on for so long.
Stripped the car down with the help of my friends and wife. Then I sent it off to the paint shop and voila' as they say it!
I debated for a long, hard while about what color to paint it and needless to say, went with the Toyota Super White you see here. My buddy JP at JVAutobody painted it.
Also, around the same time I bought the kit, I purchased an engine from the legendary Forrest Wang
I know what you're thinking, but no it was not a JZ or an SR. It was a normal ol' KA24DE.
Long story short, in the beginning I just wanted to swap this thing into my car, but then I saw that Tomei was creating new turbo parts for none other than the KA24DE
Pretty rad I thought! #nerdoutmoment. So, I picked up a Tomei exhaust manifold for the soon to be KA24DET. That's really when my car build went to the next level. I had the motor cleaned up and built by the legendary Shingo at Bluemoon. This guy's work is amazing.
The head has Tomei cams, valvetrain, and headgasket. I even had the valve cover painted blue in homage of Tomei. Internally, it has Pauter rods, CP Pistons and the rods and oil pump gears were WPC treated.
I opted for VQ exhaust manifold studs with the e-torx ends in place of the regular ones and I bought a Tomei ARMS M7960 turbo kit. Here's a mockup of it on the engine.
more to follow...