240sx coupe track car build

[s13drob]

no $...
+ 2 much inspiration...
________________________
= me

im blocking zilvia now!

[Sonic Motor]

v-mount is teh bestest.
Gives you a great excuse to have a vented hood hahah

[KiLLaS13]

lovin the radiator and intercooler!!!

[s13 drifta]

This is a dope ass build, keep up the work.

[g-via]

Originally Posted by noname7198

Just wondering...

Since you did all the fab work yourselves, how do you determine the angle to mount the v-mount? I would assume there is an optimum angle for maximum efficiency? Or is more of case of see-what-fits ?

great build, you make me jealous

[sillydrift]

nice build man! coming out nice, subscribed

[a_ahmed]

You are awesome is true.

This is the best 240 build thread to date imho Very cool stuff bro all pix saved haha

[proledoriat]

It's very nice so far! I'm assuming your going to be working on some air ducting for the v-mount though.

[turboh224g]

Before I set up the v mount I looked at everything I could find. Since it is primarily pro cars that are running this I did not find a whole lot of info mostly pics. I am sure others have done this and I would love to hear from them. The way I did things was definately make it fit. We bought the rad to fit between the frame rails and we had the evo intercooler. I mounted the intercooler, after having all the body panels mounted, and then the radiator. I wanted there to be some space between the two at the top and I knew I wanted the bottom of the radiator to pretty much line up with the opening in the bumper. I think things should work out pretty well. Thanks,
JKP

[afro88]

Make sure when you do the ducting ensure that it allows pretty much all the outside air to cross over the entire v-mount setup (from mouth to end). I've heard so many stories of people doing v-mount with bad ducting, in the end it cools worse than a conventional setup.

[JRas]

build is awesome, keep it up

[Phlip]

I merged some posts to clean this thread up, with the thread starter's approval, of course...
noname7198, please do me the favor of letting me know when you have updates via PM so I can merge them to keep things clean, I will subsidize as many as I can into one post.
EVERYONE ELSE; PLEASE stop quoting multiple pictures if your question is about one. This build is one of the few that come in the style that I like to see, in that there are regular updates and things to be properly questioned. I WOULD thank you all to relegate the questions being asked to private messages when possible though. I am +repping the OP for this thread for all that it is worth.

[240sxJoker]

well you have done a GREAT job on the build. keep up the good work.

[noname7198]

We got a lot done this weekend. Here's a few more pics of the progress.
First a couple more interior pics:




Radiator modified for V-mount and AN fittings, V-mount mounting and duct work:














I'm not sure why there are fingers in there, this actually seals at the top:



And a big hole in the hood:



Old, crappy tie rods:


Shiney new tie rods:

There should be a pic of them installed coming soon.

Steering rack bushings:




Rusty 180sx brakes and new 5 lug:

With tension rods installed:

and cause I'm cool:


nice and clean:


Block coming together:


The block and trans are in the car. We still need a s13 head gasket.


My first attempt at a fiberglass dash. It needs a lot of work, but should be pretty sweet when it's all done. It weighs about a pound right now, I'm hoping to keep it under 5.



We also installed the new windshield. I'll post a pic when Jason uploads it to photobucket.

[didderson]

wow man nice update. I'm really impressed with your fiberglassing skills. Makes me want to hone in on mine.
Only thing I was sad about is u painted the pretty aluminum block black . I just love Aluminum so thats just me.
Good work.

[Signum Temporis]

cant wait to see how that dash turns out... keep up the good work

[PoorMans180SX]

I would fill that gap in between the IC and rad. It would force more air through both. Are you planning on running fans on the IC?

Again, it looks good.

[whowutwut]

How well do the v-mount set ups work? They are def cool to see..

I was over at Signal Auto in LA about 2 years back and was talking to the guys at the shop. (They were one of the earlier people running this v-mount configuration) The guy said they had all sorts of cooling problems when drifting/racing because the angle of the fins did not allow for as much air flow o pass through as the conventional set up. .. any thoughts on that?

[JohnJohn86]

Sweet! I wish I can build my car like that.

[turboh224g]

For those of you following this thread you will remember my friend Brad from earlier posts. He works at a shop called Fabspeed. I took the radiator to him for the modifications because I have a dc only tig. While at his shop the newest employee Kenny McNeil was there providing advise on welding aluminum, this was Brads first time. Kenny designed the twin turbo system for the Ferrari F40, built the AWE silver bullet car, has worked on grand am cup cars, F1 cars, dirt track cars, and probably many other things I am forgetting. Most recently he built 2 drift cars, wouldn't tell me whose. He was familar with the v mount setup and gave me some advice on how to do it right. Quality rad and ic are important. Ducting is extremely important. Hood duct should vent back slightly to draw air through the intercooler and out the hood. Fans are advised at least on the radiator. There is no reason the v mount should not be more efficient if properly done. The one thing to consider with any cooling system is air flow is critical. Amature drifters tend to travel at lower speeds decreasing air flow, so a v mount might seem less efficient when you are starting out. OOps, I guess we should have waited until Jamie is better before trying this. Oh well it is almost done now. Thanks,
JKP

[onehundredoctane]

I think this is a valid question, I think I'm the first to ask this in the thread, didn't see it in earlier post. But what heat range welder was used for the stitch welding? The welder I have is a gets the metal a bit too hot and usually burns thru the metal, just wondering what heat range was used, if I'm not mistaken mine is a 900° and it's still too hot.

[turboh224g]

I am not sure what you mean by heat range? I have never heard a welder refered to that way. I have been using a miller 135 for most of the work. I am sure you can get all the specs from miller. Hope that helps,
JKP

[ZenkiCam]

Originally Posted by didderson

wow man nice update. I'm really impressed with your fiberglassing skills. Makes me want to hone in on mine.
Only thing I was sad about is u painted the pretty aluminum block black . I just love Aluminum so thats just me.
Good work.

yea and you painted your tranny urban camo!

haha jk.

Nice work no name best build thread on zilvia.

[onehundredoctane]

Originally Posted by turboh224g

I am not sure what you mean by heat range? I have never heard a welder refered to that way. I have been using a miller 135 for most of the work. I am sure you can get all the specs from miller. Hope that helps,
JKP

I'm probbly wrong, but I think 135 refers to a certian heat range, the welder I have continues to burn through the metal and that is even on the best parts of the car that aren't rusted away.

[shadow_s13]

I really like your build up!!! Keep up the good work.

[tuner03]

damn, nice build, and nice thread, just a couple questions, by chance do you still have the dimensions for your cage, where did you get the gusset plates, and can you get more detailed pics of the rear firewall, im getting started on my coupe, and like the firewall idea. good luck with the build, and keep us all posted!!!

[turboh224g]

I do not have the dimensions for the cage. I found a local roll cage shop and took them cardboard templates and they bent the main hoop and a pillar bars from there. They left them long so I could cut them to fit. If by gussets you are refering to the plates that attach the a and b pillars to the cage I made those myself. I have the dimple dies and a press. The firewall was the same as the cage I made a cardboard template that got me close and then it was a lot of in and out of the car to take a little off hear and there. I made the firewall one piece and then had to make two small patch pieces at the top sides where the stock sheet metal does not go all the way around. Hope this helps,
JKP

[noname7198]

test fitting the new dash:




fiberglass passenger door pannel:




3" turbo back exhaust.







Intake:




Trunk pins and latches:



fuel cell, lines, pump and filter:



Painted radiator support:




And she's back on the ground:

[bardabe]

So far so good.

[SR2Zero]

Amazing... This thread has it all... V-mount, fiberglassing, stitch welding... definetely the best build thread I've ever read. Loving it man!