Project Darkline Underway

[Darker]

Hi All, and welcome to my first thread

Story so far: Had my R33 GTS now for about 18 months, and she is finally paid off. Its time for some fun.

Im not aiming at at top range show/sports car here, or Id be driving a GTR, but I would like the full potential of my car to shine when my right foot goes dancing.

All ive done so far is throw on some ROH 17x8" Blades and some nice 225/235 shoes.

So far the shopping list is:

Coby extractors as from the group buy, cept Im paying full price from partsco, cos I had no money then ~ $370 shipped

hi flow cat ~ $310

2.5" custom exhaust & muffler from quickfit, ~ $300

whiteline front swaybar ~ $190

king springs f&r ~ $600 fitted

K&N panel filter - $? still debating the CAI vs panel on this

SAFC-II - ~ $630 - unless anyone can recomend a good ECU for under $1k

Also a stereo, headlight upgrades, and tinting (all asthetic)

So my questions are, what am I missing (dont say turbo) ? Or what should I bother / not bother doing. From what Ive read/heard/seen anything over this doesnt seem to be a great $$/power gain, so Im asking you all.

Thanks on your thoughts!

[NA_R33]

this is just about everything ive done except for the kings springs as mine was already slightly lowerd when i bought it and the sway bar, though i am disapointed and my car still isnt that quick, also 600 bucks for springs fitted is way to much, u shouldnt pay more then around 400 supplied and fited. just ask if u want more info on my car.

[Darker]

$600 was the cheapest I could find the springs over here, to buy them myself I think i was still looking at around $350.

Also included fitting of the sway bar, might even include the cost, Ill have to check.

I know Im not going to end up with a beast of a car, the maths just doesnt allow it.

Im still toying with putting in a nitros system, but considering i spend 350 out of 450km a week in peak hour, there's hardly a point. If there wasnt so much crud involved in selling my car and buying another I'd do that, but Id be back where I started, just with a turbo and maybe some mods and maybe a thrashed car

So what is it that you aren't impressed with, topend or overall speed or quickness?

[Nismodified]

POD with CAI and custom made airbox, with metal intake piping.

instead of going for the springs, maybe considered matched springs/shocks combination, front and rear struts, front and rear sways, brake calliper upgrade, audio upgrade.

[Darker]

Audio is all cool, carried over from my last car, and knocked up a box for the sub in the boot so it didnt take up much space.

Im still not sure I need all the extra suspension options for how I drive, and also for $$ spent. I have driven a couple of highly modded skylines with added suspension and didnt really feel too different. Deffinately not $2k difference.

Whats involved in matching springs/shocks? im guessing something like the whiteline sports pack?

[NA_R33]

my car definately goes alot better with the mods, they made a huge difference its just not hugely quick, my best pass at willobank first time out was a 15.8 with no subs or spare tyre in the boot. My car has been slightly lowered with standard shocks and handles great, though if i was to do nething to the suspension it would be sway bars but not much else. i also looked at nos but my dad had a fit with it voiding insurance and all so that was out of the question, im currently researching putting a VH45DE bent 8 in my car which by the time its in the car will have about 250kw at the crank which shouldn't cost more then around 5g's including drivetrain, but no brake upgrade.

[Darker]

Ahhh, see hugely quick isnt what im looking for. Im trying not to let that bug bite me, or else im not going to stop until i end up with a GTR and two morgtages.

I knew this car was never going to be that, Im just wanting to get a good balance of speed and expence.

My Car only cost $14k, so wheels and mods im still under $19k once this is done. Next car maybe

[NA_R33]

Wells as long as thats all ur after ull have a great, yes i want my car to be faster and yes i am gonna do something about it in the way of a new engine but please dont get me wrong im not complaining, i still have a ball in my car, it goes awesome for what it is, and drifts quite nicely too i might add, and this is with about 100kg extra of stereo gear, basically they are all the bolt on mods u can do to the engine without getting into porting and cams and the like and the gains versus dollars for those mods arent worth it in the end.

[Darker]

Good to hear!

Anything not worth doing in the list you think?

[slip]

depending on how you drive, the turbo brakes may be on the list.

[NA_R33]

Yeah as slip said, i really toasted my brakes good on the weekend, at morgan park raceway, i got my rotors so hot they changed colour, boiled the fluid and had heat cracks in the front pads, though if i wasnt worried about the stud pattern i would look at maybe slotted and cross-drilled rotors. But the brakes are fine for the ocasional mountain fang as such.

[Darker]

Im not a heavy braker, and havent had any problems stopping. I've only managed to lock up once, and that was when i first had the car.

Im not changing the wheels, they're less than a year old

So its either new rotors - where and how much?

or Master cylinder upgrade?

If at all. I might see how much power i have to stop before making those changes.

[Safra]

NA_R33,

What were your reasons for choosing the VH45DE

I have been considering this option myself for some time (once i get the keys back from the missus, that is)

rod

[NA_R33]

VH45DE, something different, heaps of tuning potential, cheaper than a turbo set up in the short term, my whole family owns V8's and its hard to fit in haha, oh and the torque the TORQUE!! it would be the best drift setup i reckon. and great for track as well with no lag from big turbo's.

[Greg]

VH45DE hey john!? awesome what happened to the RB30DET idea? skyline with a v8 will definitely be unique. as you say all the torque should make for a good drifter, but what about the extra weight up front? might understeer a fair bit... anyway good luck with the conversion

cheers

greg

[NA_R33]

its 50kg heavier which isnt much at all, i have more than that in stereo in the boot so i figure it equals out in a very rough dodgy kinda way.

[Darker]

What are you planning to do about an ECU?

[nismoman18]

wat is the VH45DE from mate ? like wat manufacurer

[Greg]

50kg is shit all...this v8 must be have an alloy block? i guess the rb25 with cast iron block would weigh a fair bit.

Darker, sorry to hijack your thread. in reply to your first post, that all sounds great, let us know how you go. the only thing is about that cat - get it from BATMBL on these forums (see his thread in the for sale section). get a 3" cat from him and put that in. he gets them cost price of something, so they work out a lot cheaper. i payed $250 for a hiflow 2.5" cat and i could have got a hi-flow 3" from him for $180.

[Darker]

Hey no worries, as long as im not being hijacked by people complaining about something, its all good.

Will PM BATMBL then, and see what he has avail. Cheers Greg