Sooo while I was changing out my exhaust I came to see there was a crack that had developed on my rear subframe. So instead of just having it welded, I decided to completely replace it and do rear energy suspension polyurethane bushings while the subframe was out.
This was a much more troubling task than I ever thought it would be.
I soon came to find out that s13 and s14 rear subframes have different steps to follow and they also vary depending on what type of bushings you’re installing. I began to follow instructions online according to someone installing solid bushings on an S14, I looked for more threads but that was the most detailed one I could find.
I ended up cutting out one of the outer rings on the rear side of the subframe that I shouldn’t have.
Didn’t even realize what I had done and proceeded to install the subframe bushings as well as the arms and differential.
A couple of friends came over and we began to install the subframe back on to the car only to find out that once the 4 bolts were torqued down and I dropped the jack off the differential the entire subframe started to droop. I was seriously annoyed with the whole thing I didn’t even want to look at the saggy subframe anymore so I put it back on the ground and called it a night.
It took me about two weeks to find another rear s14 subframe in good condition locally. The worst part about it all was that I paid $40 for the first subframe and $100 for the second one. -___-
So the second time around, I cut out the the old bushing correctly and was able to do it a lot faster with the help of my friends pneumatic tools. Seriously so much easier to do with air hammers than with a sawzall, a flat head and a rubber mallet.
In the middle of all this subframe commotion I went to dallas with some friends to hang out and watch them drive their cars at mineral wells.
My friend dug up some cool GT style mirrors in his garage that he gave me for free, since he didn’t own an s14 anymore!
Got the Subframe installed and threw on my new mirrors.
what an amazing feeling it was to be driving the car again after 2+ months
Finally had some time to install the Circuit Sports Zenki headlight clear covers.
what an amazing and simple modification.
I had sold the kouki skirts a while ago and had been wanting to find some navan sides so I could go full navan.
Looked all over to try and find some oem skirts here in the states for a reasonable price. But I found some on YAJ for a solid price that I couldn’t pass up.
I hit up everyone’s favorite parts importer Mr. Streeter and he helped me get squared away!
Navan Sides skirts showed up
Also bought a Bride Type LF seat rail. (Best seat rail in my opinion)
This was one of my favorite stages of the car, so much time and money and hard work and it finally looked like a proper street car.
me and some friends had been planning a trip to Houston in december to go check out HIN... which quickly switched to Japanese Nostalgic Car Meet, (which was a better idea to begin with)
drove all through the night with these idiots
[IMG]https://78.media.tumblr.com/3d45a35f4b9f54d0a1c9dea870551616/tumblr_p3etd7Sqpg1wlzl8fo5_1280.jpg/IMG]
MANDATORY Buc-ees stop.
Got some Pho once we were back in San Antonio.
it was an excellent trip to end the year on a good note.