R32 Skyline 1UZFE track/drift build Hi, Some of you may remember this amazing R32 build by Bryn; http://www.driftworks.com/forum/drift-car-projects-builds/10564-taff-tune-r324.html It was never completed unfortunately, and around the end of 2010 was sold as a shell. Apparently kicked around for a few years in various lockups, until initial_j sold it about a year ago; http://www.driftworks.com/forum/dri...75-caged-tubbed-r32-shell-1jz-conversion.html This was just after I joined the Driftworks forum. I've had an MGB project on the go for years but wasn't really going anywhere. Ever since seeing the 980bhp 'one-eyed jap' R32 feature in Max Power in the mid-90s, I'd wanted an R32. I saw this, and had to have it. The shell has had so much work, and pretty much ready to go. So a deal was struck, and a short time later the shell was tucked up under covers in my back yard, where it has been ever since. Over the last year I have been buying parts for it with the aim of getting it rolling so I could get it in the garage. Bought a complete S14 rear subframe from Floyd with full Driftworks arms, they needed new paint so rather than blast and powder coat, I stripped them myself and gave them 2 coats of acid etch, 3 coats of gloss black and will be laquering them soon. Only pics I have; I didn't want to start a build thread with just a bare shell, until a lot of the parts had been bought, and also an engine sourced. I'm a V8 man, so the logical choice was either a 1UZFE 4.0 or BMW 4.4 - well today I took delivery of a very tidy LS400, 122k miles. Seems a shame to break it but meh. Going to take me a while to strip it down, want to use the wiring loom as well if possible. Will be keeping the auto gearbox for the moment so I can get it running, and save for a manual conversion, probably a BMW 5 speed getrag. Parts that I currently have so far; S14 rear subframe, DW solid offset bushes DW rear camber, toe, traction rods, adjustable lower arms (need refurb) S13 modified front subframe, S13 steering rack with Superpro bushes, S13 steering column New DW front tension rods, new adjustable lower arms CUSCO Rear Anti Roll Bar with new links & poly bushes 5 stud hubs F&R S14 uprights with new rear Superpro bushes Z32 rear brakes (reconditioned), hand brake and S14 cables/lever complete S13 Tein coilovers with Tein adjustable camber plates R33 VLSD 4:1 rear diff and driveshafts GTR aluminium bonnet GTR style vented carbon front wings GTR style +30mm rear overfenders GTR rear bumper GTR style front fibreglass bumper (not arrived as yet) Carbon/kevlar deep bucket seat & rails (Status Ring GT I think) Momo drift steering wheel Sparco 60mm spacer Mountney collapsable steering boss DW TRS 4 point harness Wilwood 0.7 & 0.75 brake master cylinders with brake bias Custom twin chamber aluminium brake reservoir Aluminium header tank, braided lines Jaz plastic breather tank with AN lines & valve cover fittings 20l aluminium foam-filled fuel cell with sender 1 litre fuel swirl pot Sytec lift pump, Sytec main pump, billet Sytec filter Aeromotive FPR AN6 fittings throughout Think that's about it for now! Spent a wedge since xmas and the LS400 has cleaned me out for the time being, but watch this space!! Hope you approve!
Alright mate! Gotta make a dolly for the shell first. Can't take the V8 out even in my large garage, the lexus is fookin huge!
I know mate, I read your build thread from start to finish before I bought the shell. It was what convinced me to buy it. I'll try and do it justice!
Contacted you the other week about it mate, on my shopping list! Been busy sorting the garage out to get the shell in so I can start work on it properly. Started stripping the lexus interior, thought I had cocked something up with the electrics as it wouldn't start, but turned out to be a flat battery and corroded +ve terminal so sorted that and a quick charge later and it rumbled back into life. This weekend I built a dolly for the skyline so once I've swapped them over I can start on getting the V8 out (I hve a decent garage but the LS400 is a barge and I don't quite have enough room to manouvre the crane about). Finished restoring the rear alignment arms, two coats of acid etch and two/three coats of gloss black. Just need to laquer them; Did a bit of stripping on the front end while the weather was nice this weekend. The paint is good for the most part, but once I got down to bare metal there was lots of minute rust bits underneath, and in the seams. Not quite sure how this has happened as it supposedly had a coat of zinc primer, can only assume it wasn't sand blasted before spraying? Anyway, back to bare metal, some metal rust treatment and some red oxide will sort that. There was quite a lot of filler around the tubs to smooth it all out, so that had to come off because 1). I don't want extra filler on it, and 2). wanted to show the welding off. Few pics; Nearside tub, all smoothed Offside tub after a bit of stripping and oxide Top of offside arch shows the minor rusting Sanded back as much as possible then some Krust. Forgot to take pics of after I'd sanded it back and sprayed some oxide Oh, and my wheels/tyres came today. Rota GTR-D in 18" x 10" ET12 all round. Tyres 265/35/18 rear Pirelli P-Zero and 225/40/18 Continentals on the front. Should look pretty mean! Almost got enough to get it rolling now. Front and rear subs will be off for blasting and 2-pack gloss black when I get hold of some tension brackets for the front.
Aye, N/A for starters, 250bhp ish is well enough to have some fun with. Can't afford to tune it at the moment anyway with this build! Plan is to get it up and running, MOT'd, have a bit of fun and go from there.
I was thinking about this swap in my 32, I'm wondering do I still have to convert Mcpherson, swap out the front subframe, steering rack and steering column from an s13?
Not necessarily. The front subframes are almost identical in the engine bay, I'm using an LS400 engine which is front sump and should clear both. Depends on what you want to do. I went with McPherson as that was how Taff had it, and most of the parts were easier to source. Still after some front tension rod brackets if anyone can help ....? Spent the last 4 days in the garage stripping, most of the outside of the shell is now done and in red oxide. Next job, underneath!
Oh OK thanx. Won't be using it for anything major just daily driver, maybe just maybe supercharge it, but that would be way down the line
Been over a month since an update ..... Got the shell up on my rollover jig with a few modifications to the mounts, so I could start on the underside of the car. Few patches of rust on the chassis rails from where it had been sat on a dolly for a while. Drivers side footwell has some rust underneath the pedal box mount and front seat rail, wasn't sure how bad it was at first; Close ups Top side
So started to strip it down with a combination of paint stripper, flap & wire wheels etc. After the paint came off it looked like this; Gave all the corners and seams some Kurust treatment. More work with the wire wheel to get it spanky Done well over half of it now There are a few bits that need replacing/patching with the welder. The leading corner of the drivers footwell right by the rollcage mount needs to be cut out and replaced, the front bar on the drivers seat rail has a bit of rot where it was welded to the floor, it could be patched but I'm going to redo it properly. The offside rear arch needs some minor work, and a 3-5mm strip needs filling in on the nearside rear arch where the tub meets the chassis rail, plus a number of minor pin holes and such which aren't too bad. And I'm going to replace about 1/3 of the gearbox tunnel due to a number of minor holes and where a big panel was welded in for the hydro (not where I want it). So, I went out and bought another R32 shell for peanuts which I will sort in the next week or two, which included front & rear screens, boot, another set of GTR arches plus whatever bolts and gubbins I can salvage cheers!