bigdv519

iTrader: (3)

Again, great job iceblue. Keep the updates up.

idsigloo

Check out www.perfectlyround.com under the tuner wheels section, they have some nice designs as well as some basic 5 spoke that still look good.

iceblue

thx guys. Thanks for the link idsigloo!

Houstonderk

iTrader: (3)

You could go with a pink. hehe.

iceblue

Stop , She is still trying to paint the car pink.

iceblue

idsigloo - checked them out. They only had 3pc rims in 18in looking for 17 only as well tuner style wheels ony come up to 8.5in wide and I am looking for 11in wide so only 3pc rims are aplicable.

NOPR

theres only two things that discouraged me from doing a RHD swap with my front clip. the first one was moving all the electric ****, i didnt wanna/know how to deal with it. also, after seeing ALL the **** on the right side of the engine bay on the clip, i realized what a pain it would be to work on it. intake, turbo/exhaust, brake booster/cylinder, clutch cylinder, and the steering all on one side, while the other side is wide open. I have soooo much respect for what you've done though. I dont think many people can fathom how much **** is required in this conversion, good luck with it!

MARTIN

hey, havent been on the forums in a while, but congrats on the progress. Cant wait to see what this **** is gunna look like.. BTW whats your aim..

iceblue

Nice to see you again MARTIN, missed you. AIM - iceblue4evrsx

Houstonderk

iTrader: (3)

here

matts86fc3s

dangit man you got my rims!!! lol, bought em off ebay too didnt ya... yeah... i know. look bad *** tho dont they?

iceblue

^ yes yes yes but they must now go.

Unfortunetly they will not hold 450 to 500rwhp on any day. So something much biger will take its place.

MARTIN

I have you in my bl but your never there

iceblue

im not at my comp but its been on for ohhh a wekk :-) it shows me on now. PM me yours

theagavejazz

iTrader: (4)

This probably sounds dumb, but what is that clear box that you're hooking up al those wires to.

iceblue

A gold block exchanger. Found at any stereo shop. It is 0 to 14GA steeper. Has 2 0ga wire conducts and 4 2ga wire conducts. It is the key to my system. A central grounding point. This must be very good for an effective grounding system.

igetsideways

http://www.kodiakracingwheels.com/ if you are looking for something high quality with what ever width you want and whatever offest you want......if i had the money these are the only rims i'd buy. i mean ggeezzz you can get 15"x15" what other rim company sell **** like that.

RRTEC

iTrader: (13)

Wow, great detail on the engine bay. now that is some dedication.

iceblue

Sorry about the delay I have been sitting on these pics for like 3 weeks now. I just hate doing long posts in here because it takes hours on dial up to upload them all and organize them for a post.

Here is a finalization of the metal work; the engine bay has been completed. Basically the RHD conversion is done all holes have been welded up for a smooth engine bay and rust treatment measures have been taken. I will discus each thing in more detail during the walk through.

I know a few people have wanted to do RHD now and that’s cool and all. Here are the pics I took along the way for you. I have to stress again for a disclaimer if you do not know what is being done in the pics do not try the conversion my way. Don’t fear to much I will explain it some on the pics for those that have a grasp at what’s going on.


Here Is a couple lonely pic of the engine bay being welded up.

iceblue

Holy crap it was about 20deg’s outside today and it had to have been just as cold in the shop.


Here are a few of the tools that were used and bits. Shown here is an air drill with a UNI bit or stepping bit used to drill out spot welds.


Here is an air hammer with a chisel pry bit. Also several metal cutting and edging bits were used.


Small air drill with a 1/8th drill bit to pilot the spot welds. Next to it is the large drill with the UNI bit.


Ok this is the windshield wiper motor mount cut from the JDM clip. The item was cut from the JDM clip instead of moving it from the USDM firewall for a few reasons. One is that it was easier to fill in the factory holes then welding a big piece of metal and measuring the spot on the new side “less welding and less grinding less impacting the structure”. Two if you look at the upper ridge of the firewall it is not flat it tapers up and indents in spots on both chassis. Now if you cut the JDM one out and lay it over on the USDM car it will fit exactly into place, just move it around until the piece sits flush on the car. Take measurements from the 2 mount holes to a spot and they should be the same on both cars. Great now just trace them out and drill them but I couldn’t find my hole saws so I marked it and cut a section out of the car and fitted the section from the JDM car into place then welded it up.




As shown before the firewall was designed out of 3 sections sandwiched together and spot-welded. This requires a specific disassembly.


First the spots were piloted


Now the items were stepped out with the UNI bit. The plies were then separated until only the top firewall piece was left. This is the upper part of the firewall and of the sandwiching the inner structure of the car is the middle ply.

iceblue

Here is the steering column mount removal measurements and mounting. The item on the JDM car was drilled and UNI stepped out, the process was repeated on the USDM car.

Here it is removed on the USDM car.



The new spot of where it will go on the USDM car. Note a bracket was removed here and will be reversed latter on to the other side.


We took measurements on the JDM car then marked them as shown here on the USDM car.


A self-taping screw was used to hold the column mount in place, as it was measured once more, as it must be right. The column was 1.3mm off on the final check the tolerance is 3mm so we are within spec .


The column was then spot welded in.

iceblue

Now we are onto moving the brackets from the JDM car over to the USDM car. Take a note that each bracket was numbered on the firewall and on the bracket. Brackets that were directional specific were marked with an arrow pointing what way they go.

Here is a over view photo.


A closer overview photo, please take note that some of the adhesive sound deadener must be chiseled off to gain access to the brackets.


The brackets on the side must go over as well.


And the other side too.


Here they are removed take note of the numbering.


Now we took measurements from each spot on the JDM car then matched them on the USDM car for each bracket, that’s why you need the numbers, as well to identify what one goes where. Here I am welding them into place.


Here on the other side


And the other side welded on.


And finished.

iceblue

Alright we are winding down now that the conversion is done. Now there was some rust removal to be done and the welds still have to be grinded down. There was a good bit of surface rust sports so I brushed the car with rust neutralizer. This was ok because everything had to be gone over with the angel grinder anyways.

There was some hidden rust in the wheel well. The rest set in here from brake fluid dripping over the years. Some rust in the lower frame rail brace to core support and front apron. The rail brace was cutout grinded rust treated the angel grinded and welded back up. The strut tower and apron in the fender well are made up with a 3-ply system with the apron being in the middle. As the icing putty wears over the years it allows foreign object to get in between them.

The following pics show the welds and grinding them down.








Now we move onto the rust of the strut tower.

In this case the strut tower was rusting and the apron. I grinded and cut through each piece and it was savable but I did not want any hidden rust because it was bad. Upon removal of the section I noticed some surface rust on the frame rail a little farther back so I cut out down to here and grinded it all out and sealed the metal up. This is why you don’t let rust get away.


On the rear cover piece from rocker panel to apron to frame rail I notice some icing gone and some surface rust spots in there I did not think it was bad. So for precautions I picked some sections about a inch in and grinded till I got to the apron and notice it was brown so I picked a few more sports up and down and back and notice it was there as well. This meant I needed to find how far back it went. So I did then and concluded that the piece needed to come out.


So each spot weld was grinded out and then I took the panel off.


Here is a look at the panel.




Well… well…. Well…. looky what we have found hidden behind door number 2.

Yikes that is bad this must be cutout and the metal redone!

Here is a look at all the metal work from rust removal here!


And here is the finished engine bay ready for bondo and primer.

vipers

iTrader: (8)

damn iceblue..... this is very detailed and much apriciated......... should be a tiny bit easier for me due to me completely gutting all air conditioning parts from under the dash, so i dont have to swap all the brackets........ but when i do this swap, i will do it this ay, as it seems the safest and smartest way....

iceblue

good luck