Novs R32 Gtr Ground Up Restoration / Build Project

[V8E4TR]

Hi everyone, here is my restoration project.

The story so far is a little over a year ago in 2012 I bought myself a lemon, that lemon now sits in my garage in a thousand pieces.

This buyer I got it from was not honest enough to tell me the cars history and I besides not knowing all the things to look for was also blinded by desire to buy it especially as it came very cheap.

By the naked eye the car looked very good, straight body with only a tiny bit of rust bubbling the paint at the bottom rear quarter...the word you should note was ""tiny"".

So being a stock looking engine bay, it did run rough as it had 550 densos intalled but a standard comp runing them, so idle was a bit all over the place. I was impressed with the handling and the speed, so I bought it...my first lemon ever.

So I get it home and show to all my mates take everyone for a spin and what not, was not too long before I start playing with the incabin adjustable boost controller ((knob type so old school)) so from 10psi it was runing I bumped it to 14 then to 20-21 at which the car felt crazy.

I never been thrown into my seat so much and to think that this was only pushing 300-320rwkw I couldn't stop thinking what would it be like with 450+???

At that point I've had the car runing for 3 days and as me and my mate were meassuring its capabilities on his iphone that is when one of the ceramic wheels gave up and wedged into the cat.

I get the car home without any power and knew straight away that the turbo was done but was surprised it lasted so little as the ceramic turbos on my supra lasted for almost 6 months on 20psi before they too exploded.

Well this is where we get to the good part, as I started to strip out the turbos I had to jack up the car to get under to undo the exhaust. I get my jack and start pumping, the jack is coming up but the car is staying on the floor, I sneaked a peek under and saw that the floor pan was just getting crushed, but this is the jacking point?? why is it collapsing?? Now I relocate the jack to the other side and the same thing happens, I try to open the door, and it was stuck shut!! WTF was going on? Now I place the jack under the front subframe and raise the car from there. Get under there and realise that the half roll cage that is in the car infact was a full cage, but a bolt on and the place where it was bolted was never rust proffed after the front section was removed, maybe even while it was in there?

Well the plan was I was going to sand the body and respray the car so I thought little rust will not hurt, man was I wrong I had no idea the job that this thing was going to become, over the next few days I will upload pictures of my progress so far and decriptions of why, where, when and how it was done. There is still plenty work left on it so this car will be restored in real time updated here.

Since the body repairs and restorations started I have purchused the following upgrades.

- bosch intank 023 pump

- sard 1000cc injectors

- HKS GT2530 turbo set

- HKS GT2540 turbo set and one spare turbo, so 3 in total

- N1 Spec R33 twin turbo kit (came on an rb26 engine I bought Bonus)

- 125mm front mount intercooler

- Z32 AFM x2

- HKS cam gears

- Greddy 100mm intake manifold

- Apexi power fc x2 one is a Pro version

- Splitfire coilpacks

- Full set of R33 gtr brembo brakes, also Xdrilled and slotted rotors front and rear

- Cusco one front and two rear strut braces

- 2 x blitz BOV

- Cusco front caster rods

- Adjustable front upper camber arm and same for the rear

This is what she looked like in february this year

I will have this updated as things progress

[Chris Rogers]

so are you going to do something like this?

if your rust is that bad then this is where you are heading.

this is crushed sills, rust and old age in general.

[Ants]

Hi everyone, here is my restoration project.

The story so far is a little over a year ago in 2012 I bought myself a lemon, that lemon now sits in my garage in a thousand pieces.

This buyer I got it from was not honest enough to tell me the cars history and I besides not knowing all the things to look for was also blinded by desire to buy it especially as it came very cheap.

By the naked eye the car looked very good, straight body with only a tiny bit of rust bubbling the paint at the bottom rear quarter...the word you should note was ""tiny"".

So being a stock looking engine bay, it did run rough as it had 550 densos intalled but a standard comp runing them, so idle was a bit all over the place. I was impressed with the handling and the speed, so I bought it...my first lemon ever.

So I get it home and show to all my mates take everyone for a spin and what not, was not too long before I start playing with the incabin adjustable boost controller ((knob type so old school)) so from 10psi it was runing I bumped it to 14 then to 20-21 at which the car felt crazy.

I never been thrown into my seat so much and to think that this was only pushing 300-320rwkw I couldn't stop thinking what would it be like with 450+???

At that point I've had the car runing for 3 days and as me and my mate were meassuring its capabilities on his iphone that is when one of the ceramic wheels gave up and wedged into the cat.

I get the car home without any power and knew straight away that the turbo was done but was surprised it lasted so little as the ceramic turbos on my supra lasted for almost 6 months on 20psi before they too exploded.

Well this is where we get to the good part, as I started to strip out the turbos I had to jack up the car to get under to undo the exhaust. I get my jack and start pumping, the jack is coming up but the car is staying on the floor, I sneaked a peek under and saw that the floor pan was just getting crushed, but this is the jacking point?? why is it collapsing?? Now I relocate the jack to the other side and the same thing happens, I try to open the door, and it was stuck shut!! WTF was going on? Now I place the jack under the front subframe and raise the car from there. Get under there and realise that the half roll cage that is in the car infact was a full cage, but a bolt on and the place where it was bolted was never rust proffed after the front section was removed, maybe even while it was in there?

Well the plan was I was going to sand the body and respray the car so I thought little rust will not hurt, man was I wrong I had no idea the job that this thing was going to become, over the next few days I will upload pictures of my progress so far and decriptions of why, where, when and how it was done. There is still plenty work left on it so this car will be restored in real time updated here.

Since the body repairs and restorations started I have purchused the following upgrades.

- bosch intank 023 pump

- sard 1000cc injectors

- HKS GT2530 turbo set

- HKS GT2540 turbo set and one spare turbo, so 3 in total

- N1 Spec R33 twin turbo kit (came on an rb26 engine I bought Bonus)

- 125mm front mount intercooler

- Z32 AFM x2

- HKS cam gears

- Greddy 100mm intake manifold

- Apexi power fc x2 one is a Pro version

- Splitfire coilpacks

- Full set of R33 gtr brembo brakes, also Xdrilled and slotted rotors front and rear

- Cusco one front and two rear strut braces

- 2 x blitz BOV

- Cusco front caster rods

- Adjustable front upper camber arm and same for the rear

IMG_1891 send.jpgIMG_1891 send.jpg

This is what she looked like in february this year

I will have this updated as things progress

Just finished reading the above and I have to say it was not that all that easy to absorb.

Just as a small tip, try spacing out your sentences a little (please don't take it the wrong way it just helps to understand what you are saying)

I'm a little confused.....why so many turbos? and which do you intend to put on the car? 2530s are excellent turbos BTW.

Apexi PFC x 2???? never heard of pro version PFC or do you mean D-Jetro version?

Anyways, will be keen to see restoration pics.

[Notorius]

could be an interesting thread, subscribed.

[V8E4TR]

I went nuts buying turbos the 2540s came cheap and i will go with them since im chasing over 400kw.

I think that i will sell the 2530s very soon

The PRO version of the power FC is the one that offers ignition cut instead of fuel as well as built in launch control, so you can sit at the lights spool up 20psi and then drop the clutch...together with your first gear lol i'll only use that once i have a gearbox that can take it. Neither is d-jetro since i want to keep the stock under bonnet look as much as possible.

And to answer the first post my rust issues were big but did not require that much cutting, if it did i would have bought another shell but they all have some rust so i just opted to repair mine, only very small sections were cut out and replaced with stainless sheet, i will go more detail soon with pictures of whats been done, appart from repair chassie strengthening was done in very simple way avoiding having to add steel tube or angle as i am trying to keep weight to a minimum.

[levinboy]

2530s will make 400+kw and are far better then the 2540s

[Ants]

2530s will make 400+kw and are far better then the 2540s

My thoughts exactly.

[Chris Rogers]

Yep I went over board with mine. Same issues as you though slightly different and more expensive approach.

[adis]

Maybe stick with 2530s Nov. dont make the same mistakes people might have made.

When will you upload the pictures?

[V8E4TR]

Well here are some pictures when I first bought it.

[V8E4TR]

Here is the reason why im going with 2540 over 2530, the image should say it all.

2530 flows 320 ps - two can make up to 630hp

2540 flows 370 ps - two can make up to 730hp

These are all flywheel values so deduct 18 - 20% for rear wheel power

Bigger wheel more flow more lag more power end of of story.

[gtr jet]

It might pay to do a little research before you set your mind on things.

What do you intend to use the car for? Street I take it?

[V8E4TR]

Its not going to stay an rb26 for too long, im building an rb30 block on the side just havent made up my mind of making it a 3.4 or 3.2L it's a stroke vs bore thing.

The stock rb26 will have the N1 turbos on it just to get the car registred and keep it going till this motor is ready, 2540s will be perfect to push more power while keeping the stock look.

It's ok I changed oil on a car once Im an expert now.

[gtr jet]

Haha that's fair enough then. 2540's would be bloody responsive on a strocker and should make decent power and torque.

[Ryno]

I like the look of the lip attached to your front bar... Any idea of the brand?