My Restoration

[`nigno]

Picked up a bonnet off of Deren not long ago for my beast... what can I say... guy is a fanatic. Walks out in his GTR Hat and Nismo Shirt, provides me with a straight colour matched bonnet to my own car in great condition complete with nismo sticker.

Opens his garage to reveal GTR bits n pieces everywhere, mid polish, stripped down engine... car was off at the body shop at that time but you could tell he was doing something special.

I cant wait to see this thing finished mate its gonna be so awesome keep up the good work

[Godzilla32]

Hey mate! You obviously got my msn msg Cheers for the support.

I just dropped out the rear sub frame earlier. Ready to strip it down and perhaps replace some bushes. I've only had a quick glance at them. What is everyones thoughts on replacment nolathane buses? We use them at work but they dont seem to last as long as OEM rubber ones. I had planned to replace at least the craddle bushes with them but now i've seen them and they arent too bad looking im not sure what to do...

[Godzilla32]

Quick update. I've been working my way thru cleaning up/inspecting/painting the rear subframe components. All bushes look in good order, though i will probably replace sway bar D-rubbers and sway bar link pin rubbers. As for the actual subframe/craddle bushes, what should i do? Just add either pineapples or solid rings of some sort? Like i said the craddle bushes look ok and i dont want to go replacing something thats not in need of replacement... What to do..

[sigsputnik]

so that's what the ETS hydraulic unit looks like!

soz, can't help you with the bushes I'm afraid!

[Godzilla32]

Hey mate, Yeah it looks a hell of a lot cleaner now though...Prolly just post a pic of what it all looks like when the subframe is ready to go back in all shiney, new and complete.

I made a decision to hold off on most of the bushes. I will use pineapples and replace sway bar d-rubbers and link pin bushes.

Everything is coming up real nice, most with a new coat of appropriate paint. While its out i will also give the underbody a new coat of stone guard. Fuel tank has to come out for a quick clean down too. Then its up to the front for a similar job

Deren

[R32Abuser]

Mate im inspired by this.

What i wouldnt do to perform a rebuild like this...it will be amazing when its done.

Gd luck with the build, im sure like everyone here, il be watching.

Cheers David

[jaik]

You should zinc coat all your bolts and go as paranoid as Brendan from sillbeer.com hahaha - his shit is whak

JK

[Godzilla32]

You should zinc coat all your bolts and go as paranoid as Brendan from sillbeer.com hahaha - his shit is whak

JK

Im also pretty 'paranoid' as you put it, but you gotta draw a line and work out whats worth spending the extra money on. Still id hardly say 'his shit is whak', i think he is doing an awesome job. It takes a lot of commitment to go thru with such a large scale project. I think far too many import owners are only interested in making their cars faster. For me its about owning a legendary sports car that was probably one of the biggest advances in automotive technology at the time. So thats why i want to have a perfect example to show off. I think people forget how great the car is already and add things to them that arent even necessary. Nissan like other manufacturers go to massive expense to perfect these cars and in some cases guys go adding/changing things that actually make them worse. However don't get me wrong, I love to modify my cars, but i choose to do it carefully and i wont change something for an aftermarket equvilent in hope that its the part thats even causing the problem in the first place. I think thats just stupid and a waste of money.

OK i got carried away there but thats my feelings toward the subject.

Deren

[Bass Junky]

I don't think he meant Whak as in bad, I think he meant more that it's sooo out there and over the top that it's crazy cool.

I reckon Silbeer and yourself are both doing awesome things.

It's the sort of thing I one day want to do to a Volkswagen Karmann Ghia..

[Godzilla32]

Lol yeh i kinda flew off the handle on that last post. My apologies. Yeah that would be awesome mate.

[AzzurrA]

this is absolutely awesome!

i've always wanted to do this, but more with an older car like an old Torana or similar...

but i'm talking replacing every single bolt, and reconditioning every single part.... not that you're going to be far off that!

congrats mate, and keep up the good work! i might have to drop by at one stage and have a look for myself!

[dead32]

the owner of the panel shop at my old work, did what you are doing to a hq limited edition monaro one of 400 or someshit, he made a cradle so he could spin the car 180 degrees(on its roof) so he could spray the undercarriage in the booth mirror finish top and bottom, every bolt either painted or replaced

[Godzilla32]

Yeah thats insane! A little crazier than me though Im toning down some minor aspects of the restoration but its still a very full on rebuild! Feel free to drop by Azzura, my number is already posted in the thread i think so give me a call sumtime.

The read end is getting close to reassembly. Im powering thru all the bits after work each night so i estimate another week. Just got to still finish painting the subframe itself, diff inspection cover, lower control arms and hubs. I took the inspection cover into work today to sand blast.

Deren

[OKBANANA]

Any more pics of your progress, car is looking amazing.

[TokyoTaxi]

Well yeah thats the problem ive come accross. i want to be able to use this car but its hard to bring yourself to even drive the thing after so much time and money have been poured into it. I do plan at least to go to the drags with my new engine in etc, but was planning to go for a few laps during (hopefully) quiet time on a circuit.. Just have to be clear of other cars especially if they are behind me!

Nice work Deren !! It's good to see someone doing a "sensible" resto, leaving the car looking awesome but still allowing it to be driven from time to time.

I once helped a mate do a 100% complete restoration on a Torana XU1, and when we were done, it was so perfect that it was only good as a show pony / trailer queen and when it did finally see the road, it was amazing just how quick all that hard work was undone. But, really, what good is having a car if you can't drive it, right ?

Keep up the good work I only wish I still had that level of enthusiasm

[AzzurrA]

yes, but with an XU1, it is an appreciating asset.... i.e. if you restore one and keep it wrapped in cotton wool, it'll be worth an absolute fortune in 10 years time...

just look at XY GTHO Phase III Falcons.... $400k (yes, $400,000) for an original one

[sigsputnik]

hey deren, if you get five mins, would you be able to take a pic of the way your horns connect up, i.e. which wires lead to the horn units? my gtr has no horns and i need to figure out how to replace them...

[Godzilla32]

I can and will do that for you but there is not a single thing attached anywhere on my car at the moment. So horns will be a little way off yet. I plan to setup twin air horns like i've had on all my cars. No tune just a sweet ferrari sounding horn. Prolly paint em black so there not obvious, reckon i'll just mount em in the stock spot. Much nicer than crappy stock electric ones I have a set of perfectly good stock horns here if they are any use to you. The car was and is immaculate so like everything the horns are in perfect nick..Clean too.

I can prolly work out the wires for you and tell you their colors etc if you like?

BTW: in a few days i will have my rear end suspension all reassembled and ready to go back into the car so i'll get fotos then. Looks awesome having the satin black links/subframe, the bright red nolathane bushes, and the silver detailing on the diff inspection cover, sway bar link pins, etc

Even got the original orange LSD sticker back on the cover

Edited December 6, 2006 by Godzilla32

[dezz]

I need to recconect a horn on my car after I removed them fitting my front mount...I've always wanted the ferrari sound air horn...so if you could PM me some details on em, that'd be fantastic

[GTRgeoff]

So there was Deren new to Brissy and not really knowing anyone, and now he has a fan club following the restoration. Didn't take long.......you're a hit mate.

I remember a long while back he was so conscientious that he removed the TBs and cleaned them out, including the mucky sealant around the butterflys . Kind of mucked the idle a bit hey mate?

Anyway I saw this car pre rebuild and it was one of the most outstanding stock examples I had seen, but a bit soft in the suspension so that Deren had a bit of a moment when i went through a series of corners at 80 that I normally do in Purple at around 120. Pity the stock shockers can't be rebuilt. Not even sure new ones can be had.

After seeing the attention to detail of his early work I knew he had a passion for the spanners and he's turning out to be a pretty good mechanic by the looks.

Call you later champ.