S13 Sprint/Time Attack Style Build

[No Crust Racing]

On 8/5/2022 at 11:20 AM, robbo_rb180 said:

yeah that looks pretty good, current kit is complete so just run with it.

Its hard buying/sharing a car with people, I was almost going to get in on a production car but wasn't really going to work out when came time to sell my share.
And then theres the issue if someone bins it......

The current skirts are banged up and a bit big/ugly for my tastes, the rear bumper has this gnarly warp in it and the front bar is factory CA lol 

We each own our own cars, we are just a group of mates (15+yrs) who help each other and share the passion. 

 

[No Crust Racing]

GKtech power brace bits are here but before I get in to that I have another project. 

A mate, for my recent milestone birthday, was nice enough to pick me up an old 5mm steel top work bench and some extra bits to clean it up and turn it into a little fabbing workbench - now that I'm doing a bit more welding etc. 

Will snap some pics when I'm in the shed next, but needs an edge on the back, bit of a cleanup and a few small mods to work in my space. Will be great to have a proper steel workbench as my other benches are wood and where I've been doing the fab stuff is just the tops of some steel shelves so the tops are very thin/flimsy. 

R33 boi test fitted my wheels to determine clearances, +0 might be too aggressive as he was hoping to not need flares/modify original guards as the car is very clean and straight - who can tell me what 18x10s fit under stock guards and leave space for decent size brakes and slicks? +10 offset and some camber "might" get us there....

[No Crust Racing]

Didn't get far on the power brace last night, cleaned up the castor brackets and reinforcement plates and tacked in after working out where the rod wants to sit. 

Need a second set of hands or some of those screw up hoist pads used in exhaust work to tack the rod in place - will rejig the setup and have another go.

Considered doing it on the bench, but the angles cut on the rod are not perfect vs the angle of the castor brackets (very very close) and the brackets themselves have taken a few hits and would not sit flat on a bench anyway so will tack the rod in place on the car then remove the lot as 1 piece to finish those welds and put the gusseted plates into the brackets themselves. 

Bonus pick of the "new" fabbing workbench - needs a tidy up and some mods before it goes in to service. I've got some flat steel to put a big edge on the back of it and some SHS to go in under the top itself for extra support I'll likely cut one section out at the bottom so I can slide stuff under it. 

[Duncan]

On 10/08/2022 at 9:09 AM, ActionDan said:

...Need a second set of hands or some of those screw up hoist pads used in exhaust work to tack the rod in place....

They are pretty much mandatory for hoist lyfe.....many jobs need to be supported temporarily while working

[No Crust Racing]

So no hoist stand yet (wasn't paying $207 a piece locally..) but cable ties did the job nicely.

Got the brace tacked in, poorly as the welder was having conniptions for some reason, then dropped the castor arms and sway bar so I could remove the whole assembly as one and start welding it up in the bench. Got a few nice beads on the plate to bracket connection but everytime I went at the cross brace rod to plate connection there was an issue so what I have there is a bunch of ugly half started welds that I'll need to clean up and maybe redo. Can't tell if it was the angle of the gun, filler touching tip/shroud etc, or kink in the wire/hose but it came good after I'd messed those up and allowed me to get those nicer beads on the plate you see there. 

Just a lack of skill will be the most likely cause but I'm used to having to clean up my shitty work after. 

Castor plates have taken a beating over the years too so there'll be some work to straighten those before the gusseted plates can go in underneath. 

I continue my tradition of giving the forum extra pics/more detail because forums are the best. 

[robbo_rb180]

nice work, wish that brace kit was available when i did my castor boxes.
Should happy with what you done so far, welding is definitely something that takes a lot of time to get right.

[No Crust Racing]

On 8/12/2022 at 12:42 PM, robbo_rb180 said:

nice work, wish that brace kit was available when i did my castor boxes.
Should happy with what you done so far, welding is definitely something that takes a lot of time to get right.

Much obliged, but you haven't seen the welds on the plate to cross brace lol 

But yes, experience and patience, both of which I still lack a lot of

It's a good kit I think, will come out being better than a Nismo option IF my welds are good enough on that cross brace. 



 

Edited August 12, 2022 by ActionDan

[No Crust Racing]

Managed to finish welding the cross brace and plates (and spent some time cleaning up some of the uglier welds...) then started prepping for the gusseted reinforcements but boy has that castor arm bracket been smashed into some ripple strips lol it's taking a bit of work to get it to a point where the plate will fit on it neatly enough. 

You can see it's got a bit of a crease through it, and this was after I'd been working on it. In good news, I know the brace/plates are good because the amount of force I've been putting on the whole assembly as I try and straighten it is decent. 

I'll try heating it a little next time, it's just an awkward spot to get to with the rolled lip edge, which I need to preserve as it's the mounting surface. 

Progress is progress. 

Edited August 15, 2022 by ActionDan

[No Crust Racing]

Front brake job moved up the list, pray for me when the time comes... 

This was much harder to get than I anticipated. 

[robbo_rb180]

Just take your time and have lubricant on hand. 
I am sure a member did a write a while ago now.......

[No Crust Racing]

Might go have a look, i do have cutting fluid here. It's more about getting it square. I don't have the best laser eye leveler. 

[robbo_rb180]

On 8/15/2022 at 11:34 AM, ActionDan said:

Managed to finish welding the cross brace and plates (and spent some time cleaning up some of the uglier welds...) then started prepping for the gusseted reinforcements but boy has that castor arm bracket been smashed into some ripple strips lol it's taking a bit of work to get it to a point where the plate will fit on it neatly enough. 

You can see it's got a bit of a crease through it, and this was after I'd been working on it. In good news, I know the brace/plates are good because the amount of force I've been putting on the whole assembly as I try and straighten it is decent. 

I'll try heating it a little next time, it's just an awkward spot to get to with the rolled lip edge, which I need to preserve as it's the mounting surface. 

Progress is progress. 

thats a good castor bracket, a vice and a few pairs of vice grips with a hammer is what i generally use to straighten the bent parts. The plate adds so much strength to them part remember it will bend the next weakest part its bolted to.

[robbo_rb180]

On 8/16/2022 at 11:33 AM, ActionDan said:

Might go have a look, i do have cutting fluid here. It's more about getting it square. I don't have the best laser eye leveler. 

Be easy if you have a drill press to set it up in, Jonny @Dose Pipe Sutututudid his on car pretty sure
https://www.facebook.com/traklifeofficial/photos/a.604327549596378/1296382767057516/?_rdr

[No Crust Racing]

On 8/16/2022 at 11:38 AM, robbo_rb180 said:

Be easy if you have a drill press to set it up in, Jonny @Dose Pipe Sutututudid his on car pretty sure
https://www.facebook.com/traklifeofficial/photos/a.604327549596378/1296382767057516/?_rdr

OMG I am so dumb, I do have a drill press... but that means removing the hub... probs worth it. 

OK need to focus on meeting lol 

 

[Dose Pipe Sutututu]

On 16/08/2022 at 11:38 AM, robbo_rb180 said:

Be easy if you have a drill press to set it up in, Jonny @Dose Pipe Sutututudid his on car pretty sure
https://www.facebook.com/traklifeofficial/photos/a.604327549596378/1296382767057516/?_rdr

yep lol....

I think also because the hole already exists there's much lower propensity for it to go on an angle

[No Crust Racing]

Not a heap of time last night and one of those sessions where you spend an hour but the outcome seems like a few mins work.

Finished straightening up the castor brackets, ensured castor arms still go in and smoothed off and cleaned up the mounting surface ready for brackets to be welded in. 

Spent the rest of the time roughing up/cleaning up paint/grime/rust but couldn't find the metho to prep so didn't get to throw some paint on the inside before the bracket gets welded in and I have no access. 
 

Edited August 16, 2022 by ActionDan

[Duncan]

On 16/08/2022 at 11:40 AM, Dose Pipe Sutututu said:

yep lol....

I think also because the hole already exists there's much lower propensity for it to go on an angle

Exactly right, it will want to self centre. Just do it, no big deal

[No Crust Racing]

On 8/17/2022 at 8:42 PM, Duncan said:

Exactly right, it will want to self centre. Just do it, no big deal

Hold up...

 

Did Duncan just tell me, in his own way, to send it?!

[admS15]

On 16/08/2022 at 9:28 AM, ActionDan said:

Front brake job moved up the list, pray for me when the time comes... 

This was much harder to get than I anticipated. 

Pro tip from the now retired machinist at work. Use a bit of Emery paper on between the tip of the drill bit and hole, drill slow and smooth. Emery paper will help so it doesn't grab while it's cutting. I followed his advice and had no issues, took around 30-40 mins all up. Last hole took a bit longer as the bit was getting a bit blunt.

[No Crust Racing]

As in rough up the surface with it?