Some Random S14 Thing.

[Tommy Kaira RL]

Starting to look cool. I want to see pics of the finished dash if you don't mind sir. Can't wait to see it at All Japan Day all finished.

[scandyflick]

Slowly getting there. Dash is going back together this week.

Unfortunately however... It won't be at AJD. Too much left to do, and not enough time or money to do it. So it's back in the garage for a couple weeks.

[scandyflick]

So I spent way too f**king long looking for some gauge mounts. Specifically, these mounts;

Tried Car Toys, Autobarn Mile End, JIS, and a couple other joint, all with no results. Annoyed, and driving down North East road, I thought 'f**k it, there's another Autobarn here, I'll see what they got', It was just as disappointing as all the other stops. But the dude had a quick look around for me and came up with something that would do the job nicely.

While it ain't the 90's anymore (unfortunately), this is still pretty orrite;

Best 50 bucks I've ever spent. Last one they had, and likely ever will have in stock. Score!

[scandyflick]

Now taking offers on the Regamasters. Kinda feel like a change.

[scandyflick]

So I'm a bit of a strange person. I'm not sure if it's the industry I work in, and the bizarre hours I work that go with it that have made me this way, or if I always was.

An example of this follows;

So it's a Saturday night, a little after midnight, and you're bored. So what do you do? I'd assume you're already out with the intention of finishing the night with less of a face than Seal, and if you're not, well, that's typically a pretty solid plan.

Not me though, I decided I'd drop my gearbox to do my clutch.

Thoughts;

1. This is a bigger pain in the ass than I imagined. Doing it on the floor of your garage, by your onesies at 2am is pretty shit.

2. It's worse if you have a shitty Chinese short shifter than refuses to f**king release from the box.

3. Universal joints are the most amazing thing ever.

4. Gearboxes are heavy. Try to keep your crotch anywhere but under one.

5. Beer is almost as good as uni joints.

6. If you're thinking about doing the same next time you're bored. Don't. Pay someone else.

Seriously though, China short shifter is the bane of my existence. When it was in the car, it rattled and clunked like a Lada Niva, and when trying to remove the box, it's sole purpose was to make you want to neck yourself. The lower half simply refused to come free of the box.

After much swearing, many beers, and more violence than I typically like to apply to a car, I finally managed to release the box from the death grips of the shifter.

I then failed to keep track of the position of my body under the car, and my crotch had a minor disagreement with the gearbox.

I'm now fairly certain I will never be able to have children...

Anyway;

Now it's about time I got some sleep. New clutch and engine mounts going in this afternoon, then it's time for the fun fun fun task of putting the box back in.

... I think I need more beer.

[scandyflick]

I've dropped gearboxes, replaced clutches, and all that shit before, hell, I've even recently dropped the rear sub frame out of my car on my garage floor. Awkward job if there ever was one.

Hell, I've even done the engine mounts on this car before, but then, as with most major shit, I've had the benefit of a hoist, and qualified mechanics nearby.

But doing SR engine mounts, on the ground, is by far the single most shit irritating thing I have ever done. Passenger side is relatively straight forward, plenty of room to work with, even with the meat hammers I call hands, made even easier with a top mount turbo. Drivers side... well... that's a little different. On a hoist it's problematic, but manageable. Maybe a 30 minute job. Today it took me more than 90 minutes with my old mate helping. Such an awkward job. I'd rather do a set of turbos on a GTR...

Anyway, we won eventually. New mounts are basically just cylinders of uhm... something, It's pretty solid, with a length of high tensile threaded rod through the middle. Pretty stout, should do the trick.

It's in there somewhere, I promise.

My garage is a picture of oganised chaos, as usual;

And while I may lack a hoist/pit (massive sads, bloke down the road has a pit, mad jelly), I guess I make do;

Box is ready to go back in... Tomorrow... Or Wednesday;

And the clutch is in;

And seeing as I had it out, some pics of the very cool 1 piece dump/front/"cat";

I dig it.

Getting f**king close to finished now.

[scandyflick]

Got the box back in, got everything hooked up and gave the key a crank...

IT F**KING RUNS!!

Had a bit of trouble turning it over at first, thought it was the battery, cleaned a bunch of shit and it (more or less) started right up.

Idle is a bit rough and high, but that's probably the 550/pulp base map scaling up to 850/E85 more than anything.

Bleed the clutch and brakes, bleed the coolant, refit the front end, and it's ready to go to Willall.

[Tai1or Made]

Enjoyed reading this, provided the lulz.

Skids?

[scandyflick]

Skids were had.

Made 261 on a mainline. Cams sound a lot angrier than 262's. And I think I've got an air leak. Boost drops from 17 to 15psi. I'll get that sorted and then go back on the dyno. Should be able to pick up a few more kw.

[scandyflick]

Got tired of waiting for an email.

Took a photo of a piece of paper.

Stayin' classy.