Another shit job ticked off the list this weekend. All of the old holes for the fenders welded up Passenger side before {} And then all holes welded {} And the drivers side all done and put some etch primer on just for the mean time {} Next on the list is to hunt for a parts car and cut the passenger door shut out to replace my bent to fuck one.
Well the hardest bit to do on this build has been found. Another door shut Saturday I ventured to stu at rotor torque who had some cuts hidden away in his unit. Took a lot of persuading but he cut out what I needed {} {} Luckily this didn’t ruin the gtr quarter to much. Was a shame to cut it but needs must!! Got back to the workshop and made a start that evening. Started by figuring out how much I needed. {} Then trim done the cut to what I actually needed. {} Then it was time to attack the shell. Drilling out the spot welded and cutting out what was bent. {} {} Then placed the new panel in a gave it a quick tack into place. {} Next weekend the plan is to get this fully welded in and then finish up cleaning the underside ready for new seam sealer and underseal/stoneguard. This weekend I also managed to pick up a mint pair of N1 headlights for spares and picking up another pair next weekend. No pics as yet but I think most people how they look. Motivation is back in full swing again
So this weekend saw me finishing up the welding on the door shut and the horrible task of finishing off the wire wheeling of the bottom. Takes to long to do this. Wish I had it blasted but saved me money I had already done most of the shell so only had the rear half to finish of. Set up some light and got cracking {} Then spun it the other way to clean off the rest of the gunk and gave it a coat of etch in the places it needed it. {} {} Also started resealing all of the seams just to stop the dreaded rust coming back!! Also picked up the other pair of N1’s this weekend. Up to 3 sets now so should have plenty of spare for the future. {} Next weekend I’ll finish up the seam sealer and get the bottom of the car all painted up ready to get it back on the floor!!! Excited as fuck.
This weekend I finished up all the seam sealing and got the bottom of the car painted in stone chip. Can’t wait to get this thing back on the floor shortly {} {} {} {} Now just need to go shopping at strongflex for all new bushes. Then find some new ball joints and get things bolted back up. Well once everything is powder coated.
So not the best start to this weekend. Got to the unit to look at how the paint turned out and it looked like this... {} {} {} My thought is it had some sort of reaction. This massively annoyed me. So I ended up collecting all my arms and front subframe and dropped them off to the powdercoaters so I felt like I had something to look forward to. Had to reinforce a set of front lower arms before taking the lm so got them done. {} Made some plates to weld in. {} And then the finished product. {} These should hopefully be back by the weekend then start bolting stuff back on. Another job this weekend was to drop a gearbox off to a friend for some cash. However he ended up showing me something he had and we ended up doing a swap. Bit more poshness for the build.... {} {} A nice os giken twin plate to go with the os giken box I have I then had attempt number 3 of painting the bottom of the car. This time in shutz. This seems to have done the trick. No cracking as of yet. {} {} So hopefully next weekend the car comes off the spit and start getting things bolted on. Then mr Callum peate, a fellow 32 owner, is going to be popping down to collect the spit at some point so he can get his build moving along a bit easier. His build is here https://www.driftworks.com/forum/threads/the-r32-chronicles.255193/ Thought I may as well offer it to him as it makes things a lot easier
So, the first task this weekend was get the car off the spit ready for Callum to collect it. So lowered it onto some tyres. {} Then had a call to let me know all of my parts were all powder coated and ready for collection. {} And like a kid at Christmas I had to open all of them. {} Asked for the brightest silver they had and they didn’t disappoint at all. {} Then started fitting up the rear subframe. Started by fitting the solid bushes I got off eBay. {} This is a “how to” on how you fuck your freshly powder coated rear subframe {} Luckily the damage occurred on the top so not to bothered. Fitted up the freshly painted diff. {} Then spent the next hour or so trying to fit the rear frame on my own. Which wasn’t easy but it’s in. {} Next weekend will involve fitting the engine and start making intercooler brackets and new pipe work. Was going to put it in earlier but the cold got to me. So just pushed it near it for now. {} Ignore the fact the engine is on the piss. Rb’s are heavy and may have bent my stand
Not a lot happened this weekend. Callum came and picked up the spit and my strong flex bushes turned up {} Front and rear lower arms and steering rack. Everything else is solid mounted. With not a lot much else to do I put the engine in the hole and cut out some holes for the intercooler pipework. {} Then very shortly noticed how close my front tubs were to the Q45. Not bad for guess work months ago. {} Engines now pulled back out and time to prep the bay for paint. Hopefully get it painted next weekend then things can go in and stay in with any luck. The end is in sight
So this weekend consisted of sorting the mess of a workshop and start bolting some stuff back on. Started with attacking the shit powdercoat that comes on japspeed arms and painting them with what I had in the shelf. So black they went. {} {} Much better than rusty and blue after only a year of use. Whilst waiting for them to dry properly I started bolting up the rear end. {} Really glad I went with silver. Looks amazing against the black. Quickly bolted on a pair of rear geos I had laying around just to stop the arms hitting each other and didn’t want to put the rusty stock ones anywhere near the car. {} {} These hopefully won’t be on long. Decided to call it a night there and went to sleep. Woke up Sunday to a bit of snow, however just down the road there was lorries stuck so I wasn’t going anywhere fast. Decided to start prepping the engine bay. {} Only photo I took as it was pretty cold before purchasing a heater that day. Few hours later it was done. Then had a visit from mr lappage with some more spares. Can never have enough. {} Another pair of doors and a stock bonnet that is destined for the bin, unless someone wants a free stock r32 bonnet? Just come get it. Then a boring Monday night searching eBay I found a nice little bargain. Fresh plates for my os giken clutch. Couldn’t not buy them. However Christmas is cancelled this year due to this build. {} Also ordered up a new exhaust manifold that should be here this week. Cheeky steam pipe top mount without the normal price tag. Next week I will actually start getting paint on the car and getting the front end bolted back up
So finally got the bay all done this weekend. Quick sand down/grind up and mask up a few bits. {} Then got a mate to get some primer on it. {} {} Left that to dry then Sunday night was flatten and paint the actual colour {} {} We only really done the strut tops and the tubs as you won’t see the rest. The rest just got a bit of scotch over it Then it was time to get the colour down. {} {} Not a colour some like but should work well with the colour the car will eventually be going. Left the car to dry over night then started Bolting the powder coated parts back on. {} And threw on all the front arms and knuckles. {} {} Just a recap - gk tech knuckles, crapspeed tension arms, Meister coilovers. Then all the other factory parts came off a fresh import 32 that was broken for parts. So clean they could be new. New manifold turned up and I couldn’t run a Chinese turbo...... a friend offered me a precision 6266 and I couldn’t say no. Here’s how the new set up sits. {} Also ordered up a turbosmart 45mm gate and got the Vband welded onto the manifold by a friend who offered to tig it on for me. {} {} Next few days will be getting the clutch and gearbox attached. Tidying up the engine loom and getting it back in the hole. Then fuel and brake lines
Fair play, I look at everything I’ve done and think umm should re do that better. But that’s never going to be a good idea. I’ve done sills and floor on 32 and now look at it and thing that’s rubbish. But it’s not, at the time I thought it was sweet, it’s only that I’ve got better. Seamsealed and painted still going to be as strong as if I done it again. Good to see some sweet progress. Need to get back on mine but lots of other work in the way.
So with the engine bay painted and the new wastegate flange welded in place, got everything bolted on and got it on the crane ready to get it in the hole with some friends. {} Wasn’t going to attempt putting this whole lump in by myself with fresh paint. So the next day I had 3 mates turn up and helped me get it in the new home. {} {} Pretty snug fit but a little bit of wiggling got it in. Then started attacking the wiring. Wasn’t fun but it’s one more job of the list. {} Cut out what wasn’t needed and then wrapped it back up and tucked it up out of the way. {} Then came Christmas Day. Had a day off from the car and ended up going out that night in this {} Got given the keys for 5 mins and was a good bit of motivation to get my arse moving. Made a new front panel from left over U channel. {} Got the fuse box mounted back up. {} Painted the fuel tank {} And got it fitted once it dried {} Got the rad mounted in {} Then got the rear end all painted up so looks good when the bumper falls off {} Then to give myself some more motivation I started bolting some panels back on. {} {} Then my time off work is over so covered her up until I can find more motivation and time. {} Also awaiting more parts to arrive so I can get the car running. Hopefully this month
Done a feels menial bits this weekend once I got back from autosport. Got the cooler mocked up on the front. {} Oil filter relocation in rough location. {} And got the braided clutch line in and bled up. {} Still awaiting an adaptor for the turbo fees but hopefully will get it running soon enough