Dave's R32 - Road to Recovery

Hey everyone,

I roll through this projects section everyday, and have decided to post my own.

Background Check:

Hey from Australia. I got into drifting in high-school with a mate who owned a 32. Finished school and worked for a year, saved heaps of coin and set out looking for a jap car to do up and get me into some motor sport, mainly drifting. Finally found the car i wanted, being half assembled half missing i picked it up for a steal.

The day i got the car:

Unfortunate that i dont have pictures for this part, so you'll just have to read this dribble. Work up early one morning borrowed the neighbours ute and hired a trailer, took the 3hour journey interstate up the mountains to pickup my 32. Loaded everything up, more then i expected...

- 32 roller
- rb20 / box complete 73,xxx
- spare bottom end / head
- spare this spare that

the gear just kept coming, so after loaded up the ute was well over its towing capacity but we made it home ok.

As soon as i got it home set out and started stripping off anything left bolted on, leaving me with a bare shell, with my dukes of hazard styles i kicked out the front windscreen (was damaged and cheap to replace) Got dads assistance and we removed the rear windscreen (undamaged) we then set out on the quarters, unfortunately one of the pop-ed right before my eyes.

Enough of the dribble, on with the specs. Purchased car in Jan 08, so while i was slowly building (im a sparky, not mechanic and have never done anything on cars minus the odd service) I managed to source many parts off wrecks for next to no $$$. And purchased a nice arraignment of Chinese (copy parts) and jap items for the build.

Oh yes and before i continue, im doing all the work myself, only thing i wont be doing is the tailshaft.

Engine

Rebuilt Rb25det from a 96 33 gtst (didn't touch internals)
Stock Turb with hks copy dump / flex front pipe
Repainted pretty much the entire motor, wanted to do driftworks orange but ended up doing a ford blue.
Oil catch tank
Apex-i Pod
Moddified Cross over pipe (no bov, EPIC FLUTTERS )
Alloy Rad, from a 3 3 modified mounts to make it fit
Highflow Cat
Kakimoto cat back exhaust
Aluminium sump guard
Walbro Fuel Pump

Transmission

rb25 box from 96 33 gtst
Exedy Button 5 Puk Clutch
Heavy Duty lightened flywheel
shimmed Diff
modified tailshaft

Inside

Sparco Sprint V bucket
R34 Passenger Seat
Cusco Bolt in Cage (in orange of course)
Autogauge Stepper / Electronic Boost/Water Temp/Oil Temp/Oil Pressure
Random Gear Knob
Custom Door Skins (its a secret, will reveal later)
Dish Drift Wheel
Dual Handbrake setup (stock moved over to the left, hydro on the right in factory position)
Apex-i EL2 gauge control unit
Stripped rear quarter

Suspension and Chassis

Stitch welded (not pretty, horrible gassless job)
Foam Filled rails etc.
ISC Coilovers
ISC Adjustables, everything appart from LCA FR / RE
R33 front LCA (wider track / more lock)
Lock Spacers
Hicas locking kit
Whiteline Adjustable front and rear swaybars
Solid Steering Spacers
New Polly Bushes all round
Stainless braided brake lines
R33 front brakes with slotted rotors w. Master
Aftermarket Rear rotors
Rebuild and Reconditioned subframes etc all round.
Subframe Pineapples


Wheels

CST Hyper Zero 17x9.5 + 15 All round 225/45

Exterior

Gtr front bar for gtst
Stock front guards, rolled to fit rims
Rear Guards, rolled for fit rims
Stock Rearbar
Type M skirts / rear pods
Shaved bootlid
Gtr bonnet
No Grill (looks better IMO)
Complete bare metal respray, inc underneath the car
Painted in generic black

Probably missed allot so here is some pics of the goodies...

Rims: OMFG i love these...



Front Bar:



Group Action:



Exhaust:



Clutch:



And the mess i get yelled at for frequently (the whole room is filled):

 

so i started out doing some painting and recon-dish of parts, i don't have lots of pics, but here are the ones i have.




But that shits boring so i started the motor:







And within a week or two:







All new studs / gasket



Clutch / Box on



Turb:







Almost done:





And as it sits awaiting chassis:



ENGINE DONE

 

Okay on too some more things...

Calipers / Brakes etc...



and a accumulation of drifting accessories...



Now onto the boring shit... Chassis work

Interior was stripped back to bare metal, welded and temp primed





And then i started toying with a hydro











swapped mounts and fabricated another:



Now to address the front end... RUSTY

The entire front tubs were fucked both sides... So out they come !!!

BEFORE:



AFTER:



Then i started work on replacing the tubs (note i have never done anything like this before).

Passenger side was the hardest...











Then the drivers side, mock fitted the cooler and cut a hole







I also had drammas with the parcel tray so out with it too. The Entire thing was replaced, from top to bottom back to front.

AFTER:



That is pretty much all the repairs that i documented, body work it really hard especially replacing panels without proper tools.

 

I then mocked up the rollcage. Zip ties FTW !!!

Im only gonna run this a halfcage as this will be streeted. But installed as full.











Then built a rotisserie so i could completely do over underneath:

 

Sandblasted and prepped the entire underside, this took a very long time.





Etch primer sprayed:





Then Finishing primer:



Close up of bolt on mounts:



Wanted to see what my black was gonna be like, more paint the better... more protection



Finished seem sealing / Underbody sealing / protection.



Difference in the finish:



Im quite happy how things turned out. Ive never sprayed a car before but have had lots of practice with HVLP guns.

 

Started blasting the engine bay:



Then the door jams, there in finishing primer.





Very nice and clean:



After etching the engine bay @ Nite



Then where i am atm:





Lots of sanding, will aim to finish the engine bay this weekend.

Ive done allot more then Ive photodoc'd. A shame that i didn't get snaps from the very start of allot more.

There is allot of work for 1 person, i only get time after work or on the weekend.

Till next time take care and happy drifting !!!

 

thnx mate, coming into summer now so perfect weather for natural paint baking. lol no heat lamps required. im gona build a booth in the garage when i get onto the exterior. feel like flying to aus get your sand on?

 

yeah, mates think im crazy, but wanted a rust free 32 that would last the distance.

haven't seen many in Australia.

 

Did some more work today. Unfortunate i had to get some supplies.

Started sandblasting the boot while i was watching the weather before i shot another layer of primer finisher in the engine bay and started sanding it up to 600 wet. Tomorrow ill finish it up to 1000 wet seem seal and shoot the first layer of black.

After spending some time with the missus lol i had my first go at fiberglass. Thought i did alright for a first go, quite enjoyed myself.

Fixed the crack in the front bar MR. Courier did. This is why you dont stack things ontop of front bars. dumb ass.



And after some bondo, and my cat trying to sneak into the shot.



Then started on the side skirts. One side was allot less damaged then the other.



Will finish that tomorrow also.

As for the previous owner, tried to repair the front end. WTF was he doing???



There is enough fibreglass in that lump to make a boat from.

So i was left with two pieces of skirt to join, first i heated them and moulded them straight again. Then pieced them together.



And then in there was a small crack in the corner.



If they dont turn out how i want ill buy some new ones. Im really just practicing with glass and bondo.

Thats it for today, hopefully have some good shots for ya tmoz.

taR

 

lunch update.

Before i start, ill post a pic of the weather to make you guys jealous of course.



But on with the updates, finished glassing the skirt together.



few little bits to go



Then i fnished sanding from where i took of yesterday. And sprayed the first layer of black.





will sand that again, and seem seal and then spray another shot, hopefully it becomes for shiny. i think ive done alright for my first spray job.

taR