R31 Rebuild/resto

[pkiss01]

This is my first post still learning so please be kind lol i’m looking at doing a bit of a rebuild/restoration to my 1988 r31 skyline 4 door executive. I’m handy with cars and plan on doing all the work i can myself. i plan on buying a spare engine trans and diff to rebuild so that i can take a bit more time doing the work myself i have a few unknowns as to what i’m about to undertake such as what i should replace while i’m doing the work (steering pump and rack alternator etc.) ill break it up and list the jobs to make it easier. i should mention that this is my daily drive not a track monster so i’m just cleaning it up make as if not more reliable than when she rolled out the line with a tiny bit more go.

Engine- i plan on replacing the standard cam with a slightly more sportier one combined with adjustable cam gear i will get the head checked and possible a slight port will be putting in new valves,springs retainers. ill be replacing the head gasket obviously, the block is where my quires lie as to what i should replace and what i should just clean up and not worry about i’m looking at new rings,main bearings and con rod bearings but don’t know what to do about the con rods and crank shaft.

Transmission- the car is an automatic and as i don’t really have much experience with automatics i was thinking about having it rebuilt buy a professional but i was wondering if there was anything that i could do to make it stronger or more reliable? (the current one has a jump from 1st-2nd that drives me nuts!)

Differential- the current diff is a single but i was looking to fit a limited slip differential but again have slim experience with them so a professional shim and rebuild is what i had in mind.

Steering, Suspension, Brakes and Rigidity- this is the part that i think i may need the most help with. the steering doesn’t seem to have an issues at the present time but i don’t know if that while i’m pulling everything out is it worth doing the system or just worry about it when it becomes a problem? as for the suspension i replaced the rear shocks when i first brought the car to get it through the rwc and have front shocks sitting there but ran out of time to put them in so front shock are first on the list was thinking of maybe getting either new springs standard height or new springs that are stiffer as the rigidity of the car is a major problem at the moment the car is rolling round like a pig. to combat this i was looking at a 3 point adjustable sway bar at the front and a non adjustable sway bar at the rear(aftermarket) with all new bushes also looking at a strut bar. as for brakes i’m undecided on whether to go with standard brake rotors or dimpled and slotted rotors due to the fact that the car is a daily drive.

ill also be respraying the car while i’m at it was just wondering if anyone can spot anything i’m forgetting or should do or even just a general opinion on how i should go about this build up would greatly appreciate the input. thanks Pat.

[StevenCJR31]

is the car going okay? motor smokey or not? if not just leave it be. . if the trans is okay then leave that be to as depending wether its a S2 or S3 (4n71b or re4o1a) you are looking at tween $2000 ~$3000 for a STANDARD rebuild, as too what you need for the block then that depends how worn it is, a mild cam will give ahandfull of KWs

[pkiss01]

The engine i know isn’t running right according to the previous owner who had it dyno’d and it made more power on gas which should’t be possible with the current gas system (not injected with factory tuning) it is getting tired though almost at 300,000k!. the trans is ok for now but is on the way out with that 1st-2nd kick at the moment my driving is keeping it from getting any worse for the moment. 2-3k seems a bit pricy to me was thinking maybe around 1k might have to look into doing it myself for that price or getting a friend to do it.

[StevenCJR31]

carefull attempting the trans rebuild yourself. . its a job best left to experts. 2k is a realistic figure for a rebuild (i paid $2200 for my 4n71b rebuild) and i removed/reinstalled the trans myself

[Ben C34]

It looks like a nice car, just drive it and enjoy it as it is. You will find out very quickly a rebuild well cost way too much for the benefit.

[StevenCJR31]

It looks like a nice car, just drive it and enjoy it as it is. You will find out very quickly a rebuild well cost way too much for the benefit.

^^ youve got it ! good parts are hard to find for these cars now and new parts are becoming unavailable from nissan- the main reason i moved on from 31s

[pkiss01]

StevenCJR31- i might have to start saving then and i think the car is a s3 but have to check further.

superben-thanks it is making quite the first car. The main reason i’m looking at the rebuild is up until recently i just drove it around melbourne while undertaking my cert 3 in engineering-light metal fabrication but got put off about a month ago and was thinking of switching to full time trade school and then moving up to Wadonga( northern victoria) to undertake a cert 3 and 4 in motor sport. Which would mean the car would be doing a lot more country drives and fixing it on the side of the road isn’t something i fancy myself doing.

[StevenCJR31]

it certainly has the S3 front panels and tail lights but its easy to fit the S3 bits onto a S2 or S1, nissan made the S2s for less than a year before they started building the S3, if yours is the S3 then you have the more expensive trans to rebuild but the same trans was used on the R32/R33 and is similar to the auto in my S1 r34 which gives you the option of using low K secondhand trans (i picked up a RB25 DE trans for under $250)

i dont mean to sound mean but whatever your budget is then look at doubling it~ if not more

[pkiss01]

well there isn’t a budget at the moment (i know its stupid) just a end goal i just look at the end product but if they used the same or similar trans on r32’s and 3’s if its a direct bolt on i guess if i found a low k’s one and did a major service on it would be good enough for a daily drive. although I was talking to a trans specialist today and i may be in luck the bloke wanted some jigs/stand things fabricated up so might walk out of it with cost price or a least a cheap rebuild.