nice work! I recognize the hood scoop Hope to see the progress of this build!

 

updates?

 

Actually, I've been on hold waiting for money to flow. I just cancelled my Harley account a couple weeks ago, and got the refund. With that I ordered my new FD v-mount radiator, intercooler piping and couplers, and fuel and brake hardlines.

Everything should be here the first week of Oct. Once they're here, I'll get everything put back together. If the weather stays dry, I might get a lap in, with primer livery.

Paint will definitely have to wait until spring, as it is getting too cold here. Unless we get a sudden 70F heat wave like last year.

 

did you build your turbo manifold or did you buy it? If you bought it that way from who?

 

This one I bought off the classified on here. It's a one off. Once I get my TIG welder in the spring I'm going to start putting together some tubular S4 manifolds, cause some guys just can't do the big crazy upgrades, but want a nice piece to help their performance a bit or get rid of the twin scroll actuator.

 

oh i gotcha, ya if you get those going I would be really interested in getting one. And your project if incredible, keep up the good work, been following this build for awhile!

 

status?

 

Yeah, I haven't been able to do much in the last couple months.

I have some parts, but not all the ones I need to put it back together. And since I'm into the season where I can't drive it, I don't have much motivation. I'm getting ready to move to a new house, plus I'm taking three college classes, all while still working 50 hours a week...time is at a premium as well. It'll be ready for when the 'Ring opens back up in the spring, but progress will be kinda slow for now.

Also, I'm making all of the body parts for Higgi's FD drift car for next season. I have the molds for bumpers, side skirts, fenders, hood, hatch, and doors...I need to make 3 sets of all of them. So that keeps me busy to.

Top all that off with needing to keep my wife and three boys happy and, well, you get the idea.

 

as i am reading your reply, i can just hear the superman theme song blasting away LOL

am definitely looking forward to the out come of your project... best wishes, and hope everything can fall into place nicely for you

 

Definatly an inspiring build, hope time and cashflow allow me to start on mine after the first of the year. subscribed and waiting the next update!!!!!!

 

Well, this last year got a bit nuts. After my wife gave birth to my third son, then starting school again (Bachelors in Technical Management with Project Management Specialization), and moving into a new house...the project's progress suffered. As it sits now, it is a rolling chassis in the garage with the motor sitting in front of it. My goal is to finish it up around April, as that is when the 'Ring should be good and open.

There's lots to do between now and then. I'll be in the states TDY for a month, but I'll be collecting parts and tools that I don't have in Germany. Once I get back at the beginning of March, the heat will be on. Fuel lines, brake lines, molding the rest of the body parts, and paint. That's the majority of what's needed to put her back on the road. Sure there's little stuff along the way, but let's see if I can get 'er done.

 

So, time for a little update. Nothing too special, but making baby steps. I have new rear calipers (never could get the old one's e-brake to work right), and a new 929 master cyl. Waiting on the stainless fuel line to arrive (this week), then it'll be time to get the lines bent and installed.

Once those are done, the fuel tank can go back in. Trying to source the last few parts for the hybrid turbo, then that will be done and the motor can go back in. Then I can finish the v-mount and tube "front end".

Hoping the weather continues to warm so I can get hopping on the fiberglass again. After that, it's just final paint and she's on the road. Think that's too much to do in 45 days? Nah, LOL.

 

Got the fuel lines finished and half of the brake lines formed. During the week I'll be trying to hunt down the brake fittings I bought and try to get the lines flared. I'll also bench bleed the master cylinder and get everything hooked up and bled.

By the weekend I'd like to have everything ready for the engine to go back in.

 

So, little bit of an update. I sold my daily and picked up a new one that will fit more of my family in it. Unfortunately the new daily needs work, so it's been soaking up my time. Fortunately, though, I came into some more funds that will allow me to finish getting all the parts I need for the car...including one I had anticipated having to wait on, the friction discs for the OS Giken twin plate.

Depending on the state of the daily this weekend, I may get to hacking the front of the FC apart to prep for the partial tube front end.

 

So made a bit of a plan change over the last week.

With the new funds I ordered a Haltech Platinum Sport 1000 with long flying lead and a couple of new sensors, and the proper connectors for all of the factory stuff I'm keeping. Got everything from Chris Ludwig at lmd-efi.com . He was very helpful and laid out all my options before finalizing the order. This helped make sure I didn't forget something that might set me back later.

Also, I snagged a FD UIM a while back. I just got a FD TB ordered and I'll be ordering the UIM adapter kit from Rising RPM. This will give me more room to work with injectors and such.

The weather here in Germany has gotten nice, finally. It's no longer freezing temps, so I'm able to spend more time in the garage. Luckily this means I should be real close to having everything ready for the Haltech install by the time it gets here. Pics soon, I promise.

 

Goodness you are putting in some work!! Looking good tho.

 

Lol, this project is the very definition of mission creep. But in a good way. I can't wait to see the finished project. Hopefully I'll have made some progress by then.

 

Looks like the turbo made it to G-Pop Shop today, hoping to get it back next week some time.

The Haltech should be here next week as well. Gotta finish the brake lines this weekend and install the new rear calipers and get that whole mess bled.

Fiberglass work is going to quickly become the last item on the to do list.

 

So all the necessary bits to install the FD UIM are on the way. Hoping to have the Haltech before the weekend so I can start prepping it for install. The guys at G-pop said they'd have the turbo finished and shipped back on the 29th. This will kinda press me for time to finish by the first event I'm attending on 10-12 May. We'll see if I can pull it off. I'm feeling pretty good, though.

I also got a new wideband on order...it's significantly more accurate and versatile than the Innovate LC-1 I had. This next week is going to be a fun filled week of watching the mailbox.

 

I've been laid up, sick in bed, for the last couple days. I received my Rising RPM UIM adapter, new intake gaskets from Mazdatrix and have a greddy style throttle body elbow on the way. I can't wait to see it all put together in the car. I also got my metric flare tool, which was necessary since it turns out the one I had is standard. If I'm feeling up to it, tomorrow I'll get my brake lines flared and installed. I'll also start removing the "radiator support" and prepping for the semi-tube front end. I'm hoping to make some significant progress this weekend.

 

Looking forward to picking up my turbo from the post office today. Not much is going to happen this weekend, though...attending an event with my car club.

 

So, I got the turbo back from G-Pop and it looks fantastic.

I'm working night shift for an exercise this week and next, so I only get a couple hours a day to work on the car.

Over the last couple days I've been working on the brake lines some more. I finished the rear lines and got the 929 master cylinder bench bled. I got a vacuum pump bleeder tool when I was in the states and I love it.

I figured out I'm going to have to lower the subframe a little, to feed the fuel and brake lines through. So, tomorrow I'll do that, replace the rear calipers, and get everything hooked up. Depending on if I have to work, I may get the gas tank mounted up and try to knock out the front brake lines.

I know I keep saying it, but the motor is very close to going in.

 

Made some progress the last couple days:





Fuel lines and rear brake lines are installed. Chopped a portion of the radiator support to prep for the semi-tube front end.

Tonight I'll install the turbo, UIM, and fuel system. ****'s gettin' real.

I did get set back a little by apparently ordering the wrong right rear caliper, but it's on order and should be here hopefully next week.

 

You get more of a feel of how much room was opened up, once the motor is in place:




Now that all of that is in place, I can start working out the ducted v-mount setup. I'm planning a one piece assembly that is a framework that the coolers attach to, the ducting is built in to, that simply bolts into the front of the car. That way I can just drop the fluids and a few bolts and have it back to the state it's in now. Then engine removal and install will be uber-quick.

Here's a before and after pic of the UIM mock-up:




There's so much more room. Now I can swap out injectors or work on the fuel system whenever I want, without pulling the UIM. Putting more space between the intake tract and the heat of the motor can't be a bad thing either.

And for a final parting pic. Here's a pic of the finished wastegate port job:

 

Today I fabricated a new front crossmember, to replace the giant round one that the oil cooler mounts to. I positioned it as far forward as possible and used a smaller diameter pipe, but with a much thicker wall. I mounted up the plastic undertray, so while I'm mocking up the "cooling pak" I can determine how low I can mount the radiator.

Tomorrow I'll be working on the frame for the cooling pak, shortening the oil filler neck, and modifying some parts of the UIM and TB.