S14 VQ35DE drifting on a budget

[Guilty1s]

Picked up a 96 S14 SE that was locally used and abused. She had gotten around Knoxville quite a bit and short cuts where definitely taken. The last owner blew the head gasket and had the coolant sitting in the oil/block a little to long. Pulling it home the 2 miles with the rice AR seats and the steering wheel held in with wood screws was not fun.


I did a full rebuild top to bottom on the stock KA.


The rebuild went without flaw. This was my first time digging deep into a Nissan. Instead the only other motors I have done are 4g63s and boy has that left a sour taste in my mouth.


So.... test drive number one, before I even get off my block, the cut springs (From PO) fell off the perch of my blown struts and before I made it back home I had some Fortune Auto 500 Series Coilovers on order.


Tires were also too big from running Anniversary Z33 wheels, so I ended up trading for some 17" FN01RCs, but not before it chewed through my body harness.

Got some Kouki interior to place all the crap that was missing and I had myself a pretty looking daily driver.


Got the coilovers on and figured out that I need some adjustment. I had incredible amounts of toe and it did not want to stay sideways.

Picked up some circuit sports, RUCAs, Rear traction, and rear toes arm and all new ES bushings to fit in them. Got new subframe bushings and diff bushings along with a welded diff and put it all together.




Got it aligned. Ignore the front, I had still needed a bit of work to do up there. Best tie rods.



Had my first drift event and it was a freaking blast. Car did great. I did better then I expected.







Funny story. On my way the night before the event, I was on my way down to finish setting up course, I lost all clutch pedal. I definitely knew it was TOB related by the sound. So 9pm, 8 hours before I have to be at site for the drift event, me and a buddy had tore down my car, diagnosed that my TOB sleeve broke of my trans, tracked down a trans on craigslist and had it installed be 3am... it was a miracle story if you ask me.

2nd event wasn't too fun. Car just didn't want to turn and I was unhappy with the power on our short course. I still hadn't fixed my front end alignment.

3rd event sucked, clutch desinigrated 20 minutes in.

[Guilty1s]

So by now I want more power. The plan was to finish off 2012 with the KA and then start a VQ swap for the winter. Lets just say it is winter time now and it is long done.

So. It started with finding a motor on CL. It was said to have oil consumption issues (common on the VQ). So figured I would just keep up on the oil and if it was bad enough I will replace the rings. Plus, worst comes to worse, I only had in it what I would have paid for a harness itself. Within the same week I also found a CD009 trans for trade for a set of wheels I did use anymore.

Now when I got this motor, half a moron took it apart. It was missing a lot of the shit. Parts of the VDC cover, random bolts.. all in one box. Blah blah blah. It wasn't fun putting together but I was able to get all my missing parts and some of the accessories, starter, alternator, maf, TB, gas pedal from the guys up at forged performance. One of the techs was doing a LS2 into his Z.

So I get everything together and was enough to finally do a compression test just encase.
That wasn't pretty.
it was like 120, 20, 30, 10, 20, 60. Pulled the motor apart. 4 had cracked ringlands and one had the ringlands smeared up and down the piston. Wasn't too excited.
Briefly thought of doing a high-compression build, but didn't want to deal with expensive cams and major tuning.

I got lucky and found a short block in Atlanta. I was told it had around 12,000 miles on it. And if it didn't have slight lubrication on it, I would be convinced it came straight out of the factory 0 miles. Cleanest engine I have ever worked on. I got a good deal on it. It was exactly what I needed, and nothing more. Block with assemble rotating assembly and assembled heads. All the good stuff.

I swapped all the sensors and accessories over to the new motor and she was ready to go.


Z1 Flywheel


Z1 6 puck ceramic


Z1 Pressure plate



They meet for the first time. Kinda scarry how much higher the motor sits then the front of the car. Had me concerned.


Z1 Velcoity Stack INtake



Shifter adapter and shortened linkage.



Upgraded Clutch fork. Top is cast iron, bottom is stamped steel. Should be able to handle some clutch kicking.


Nissan was nice enough to make the accelerator pedal a bolt on affair.

Hard to see, but tigged up an extension for easier heal toe shifting.


First time sitting in with the intake off over the firewall

A little BFH time and it fits now.


Walbro Upgrade

Got a local show to build me a driveshaft after spending days trying to find a slipyoke to fit.

[Guilty1s]

Wiring was in all honesty the hardest part of the whole thing. I spent about 4 weeks many many hours a day just reading 240 FSMs and 350z FSMs and comparing the two. There was a bit of info out there already but some of it was incomplete and some just completely wrong.

I was nice enough to do my own write up.
This was my first time doing anything like this. Solder everything. I payed of pretty well. Aside from one 12v source to sensors, everything was right. It started on the first try. Wasn't ready for it as It was just for shits and giggle. Also super loud.

Since then. Put the power steering on it. Oem SOHC S13 line straight bolt up FTMFW.
Wired the alternator. Drove the beast a few miles to put a straight exhaust on and done a few pulls just to feel the lightweight power. Neighbors hate it, I love it though. It starts up super loud. Idles and cruses real quiet, second you put your foot into it, deafening. Don't care... driftcar only.

I sit now with the powertrain complete but have decided to be patient and finish the chassis and suspension before I let it loose again.

[Guilty1s]

My current/future plans

Started my research and found PBM knuckles. Thought that was awesome. Then found DWs. And was mind blown. Then I came across GKTech and found their plans for knuckles and was damn determined. Everything you could ever want is right there. One package. Perfect everything>

In the front
-roll center correction
-Bump steer correction
-324mm brake adapter with Z32 calipers
-Awesome angle
-lightweight

Put my preorder the day they came out. Delivery is expected around x-mas and I have never been more excited about a single part for my car

The rears will follow, but never soon enough.
-roll center correction
-adjustable toe arm
-Dual z32 caliper bracket with what I think may have a larger rotor
-Light weight
Hopefully I can run till I get the rears together

My angle will consist of still to install
GKTech front caster rods
GKTech extreme Knuckles
GKTech offset tie rod spacers
New Moog tie rods ends
20mm extend FLCA
Don't know what tie rod ill be using
All new bushings to install


Got an ASD 16" reservoir hydro handbrake to go with the dual Z32 calipers.
Powder Coated.




Ran with -3AN PTFE lines.



Calipers




Have a buddy that is going to hook me up with a FD legal 6 point cage. Inspired by the way Matt Power's cage is build.
Just put in my order for the 1.5x.120 DOM steel. Apparently this isn't that common and hard to find around here.

He is also going to be tubing/tubing my front end. It needs work.

Plan on running RPF1s just like the rest of my cars. My favorite wheel of course.
17x9+22 with my 20mm extend FLCAs. I don't think the 9.5 +18 will fit comfortably
17x9.5 or 10 +18 for the rear.

[first_choice]

nice stuff

[andrew600]

there are a couple different models of intake you can score to not hit the firewall. looks good so far!

[fliprayzin240sx]

So you got a write up for the wiring but you didnt share? Boo to you sir...BOOO...

[Guilty1s]

Originally Posted by fliprayzin240sx

So you got a write up for the wiring but you didnt share? Boo to you sir...BOOO...

I made the write up and I did share !
http://zilvia.net/f/showthread.php?t=481752

[Guilty1s]

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Tacked in cage being dropped through the floor. It's coming slowly.

[Guilty1s]

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Hard to tell in the shitty pic, but it has super tight fitment. I could run a bead down the side instead of a gusset if I want.

[Guilty1s]

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Wheels and rotors came in today.
Just waiting on front knuckles to be finished and shipped to me to wrap up stuff in the front.

Also because the rear knuckles are so far out from being done, I went ahead and picked up george's dual caliper bracket to run in the mean time.

[brndck]

legit shit man! coming along nicely!
there was a supercharged vq at all star bash last fall and when that thing roared by you, it damn near turned your head inside out with how loud it was.

[Guilty1s]

Lots of parts coming in lately. Hoping to be rolling real soon but still waiting on my knuckles.

[Guilty1s]

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[Extreme Dimensions]

NICE! keep it going.

[first_choice]

Must be a lot of fun to drive

[Guilty1s]

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Finally got a 1" Nissan BMC

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You like my big wang?

More parts here tomorrow!!!

[Guilty1s]

Along at last I am kouki now. My zenki stuff was pretty trashed anyways. Ended up buying everything new from Nissan minus the actual bumper cover. It was worth it too. Fitment is spot on compared to all the other tweaked used zenki parts I have had.

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The unfortunate need of good spacers.
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Still awaiting my package from gktech with knuckles, brake lines, tie rod spacers, and caster rods before I can even roll it away to get the interior/cage painted. Now missing the 3rd and probably 4th event I had planned with this car.

[Guilty1s]

STILL WAITING ON GKTECK PARTS....


In the mean time...

Not sure what my wheel clearance is going to be like with stock fenders, but had an extra set of LCA around so I figured I extend an inch like I planned. I it is too far out, I always have another set.
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Was waiting for parts so I could drive my car to someone to get the base plates made, but since I have nothing but time, I figured ill knock then out. Prob came out better then anyone else would have made. Bench grinder and a circular saw. Fits amazingly
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[Guilty1s]

Also got new crimped hydro lines made instead of DIY AN fittings, the old ones had adapters from inverted flare to -3AN and put it too close to my coilovers. I was able to save just enough room by having an metric IF fitting straight to the -3an hose.
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[Guilty1s]

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Since the drift car wasn't ready, had to take the Z out to the last event. Ran the s14s rear RPF1s with 245s and since it rained, barely lost any of my new tread.

[Guilty1s]

And the event before that...

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[Guilty1s]

Making some dimple died gussets

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And 25mm extended LCA
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[Guilty1s]

Sweet baby Jesus... It has arrived ImageUploadedByTapatalk1370975584.997068.jpg

Time to start making progress.

[scotto]

Congrats, I know how frustrating it is to wait on parts and miss out on everything you wanted to do. So why are you posting and not working?

[Guilty1s]

Damn I know. It was kinda worth the wait. I missed a lot of seat time this year, but I got a lot of my car done that I didn't plan on doing yet, roll cage and kouki swap, but it also prevented me from doing a lot of stuff since it has been on jack stands for months.
Ultimately it is exactly what I want. Wish I could change the title cause I wouldn't call it much of a budget cause I am buying/building exactly how I want it.

The next line of action is get it rollable, paint it, put my windshield back in, and tune the suspension setup... Eat tires.

Oh... I'm stuck at work instead of in the garage .. It's killing me. Unfortunatly I also dedicAted my next few Saturdays to assembling a sick SR for a friend. But hey.. Need someone to tandem with.

[Guilty1s]

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Sneak peak... Or just the only pic I have so far.

Everything is falling into place nicely. No major snags at all concidering how many different directions everything is coming in from. My eyeballed alignment and expected fitment and camber is spot on from my estimated expectation. Very happy with the quality of all the GKtech pieces.
the angle is just sweet. I'm expecting an awesome contact patch at full lock.

[Jissan]

Super jealous of the GKTech knuckles!

Keep it up!

[Guilty1s]

Been super unmotivated lately


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New wheel helped lift me up. Grip Royal isn't getting me anything painted any time soon so I went with Avenue Performance... No regrets

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Can't roll anywhere, need a little more pull.

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Wrapping up some interior pieces and got the gauges and switches setup in place with the suede wrapped dash. I really am happy with the asd hydro mounting place.

[Guilty1s]

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Got the car out of the garage for the first time in a long while. It was a huge hit at the local meet.

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Cops liked it so much they almost impounded it.