Markdett's r32 GTR restoration and full engine rebuild.

[markdett]

Hello there people. So i thought it was about time to get a build thread started to show the progression of my R32 GTR, From "rotting on the front lawn" to a fully built/restored R32 GTR.

Ok so heres my story.....

Bought the car when i was still a first year apprentice. Was actually looking for an r32 gtst, when this came up for a fairly cheap price. The reason for it being cheap the body work wasn't all to shabby. The roof's clear was starting to go dull, and it had a bit of rust around the rear window near the drivers side 1/4 glass. So i wieghed my options, cause the thing was pretty damn cheap and decided to buy it and get all the body work soughted out later down the line (little did i know about how hard it was saving with a loan and still stuck on apprentice wages).

The car was driven most weekends for a few years (as i still hadnt got my liscence). When it wasn't being driven it use to sit on my front lawn, soaking up some of australia's finest rays. The paint of course got worse. The dull patches started to lift and spread from the roof, to the bonnet, to the boot and down the 1/4 panels. All the clear coat was now flaking off.

To top things off i was driving it one day and the thing started to missfire, did a compression test, and hey presto number 2 cylinder had about 26 psi in it. This happened when i was about a 3rd year apprentice. There was no way in the world I would have been able to save for a paint job, and an engine rebuild on the wages i was on, especially having my loan repayments coming out every month. So the poor thing sat on my lawn and rotted even further

So now i have fully payed the car of, and am also a fully qualified nissan technician, So i thought it was about time to get the ball rolling.

I pulled the engine out myself last year around november/december. Was a pretty easy task considering some of patrol mine sight vehicles we have to pull engines out of). Fully stripped the motor down and found that number 2 piston had cracked a ringland (pretty much melted). So there was the cause of my engine failure. Did alot of research about engine modifactions and decided to go with this parts list...

TOMEI OIL PUMP
TOMEI BLOCK RESTRICTOR
TOMEI SUMP BAFFLE
TOMEI CONRODS
TOMEI PISTONS 86.5mm
NISMO BEARINGS
TOMEI VAVLE GUIDES
TOMEI TYPE A VALVE SPRINGS
TOMEI TYPE B PONCAMS
HKS CAM GEARS
HKS TIMING BELT
N1 WATER PUMP
APEXI POWER FC D-JETRO
TOMEI EXPREME MANIFOLDS
GARRETT GT2860 -5''S
TOMEI DUMP PIPES
NISMO PLENUM
HKS FUEL RAIL
HKS 700CC INJECTORS
TOMEI INTANK FUEL PUMP
GENUINE HEATER/COOLANT HOSES
ARP HEAD STUDS
ARP MAIN STUDS
ATI 1000HP CRANK DAMPNER
HEAD PORT AND POLISH (attempting myself)
TORQUE PLATE BORED/HONED
FULLY BALANCED AND BLUEPRINTED
CRANK GRUB SCREWED AND POLISHED (long snout crank)

Now i know theres probably alot of stuff ive missed out, but ill post as i go on. The engine is also currently at the machinsts, and is then going to be assembled by yoda himself, Anthony Scali at Xspeed perth (bottom end only)

As for the exterior of the car,

FULL RESPRAY AND RUST CUT OUT (think i might go black with the new PPG BMW/Lamborghini approved satin clear).
WORK XD9 18X10 +18
GENUINE NISMO FRONT BAR
CARBON FIBRE INTERCOOLER DUCTS
JUN CARBON FIBRE FRONT LIP
TRUST REAR PODS
CARBON N1 BOOT AND BONNET LIPS
SIDE SKIRTS N1, REAR SPATS CARBON FIBRE
BRAND NEW OEM FRONT AND REAR WINDSCREEN MOULDINGS/SEALS
BRAND NEW DOOR AND WINDOW SEALS
CARBON FIBRE WIND DEFLECTORS
KEEP THE OEM REAR WING

So for now thats my basic list of things i will be doing to the car. All engine work (apart from the machine/assembly of the bottom end) will be done myself). Here are some photos to keep you entertained too..


HKS cam gears, cambelt and greddy clear cover

HKS cambelt

TOMEI block restrictors

N1 water pump

TOMEI conrods

TOMEI pistons

TOMEI pistons bottom

LONG NOSED CRANK

XD9's

CARBON N1 rear side skirt spats

[markdett]

Have also started the head port whilst the engine is away. Purchased a delux head porting kit off ebay, with a cheap $30 long nosed die grinder.

INLET:
Knife edge the splitter
Remove all casting marks
Clean up bowl areas
80 grit and manifold match

EXHAUST:
Removed bump
Mirror polished

COMBUSTION CHAMBER:
Keeping the quench pads
Mirror polish combustion chambers

Here are some photos

balancer tube

Knife edged inlet splitter

Inlet and balancer tube matched/80grit'd

Combustion chambers, mirror polished

Combustion chamber closeup (look at those det marks)

Exhaust ports mirror polished, and bumps removed

and again

[markdett]

UPDATE:

So more pictures for your viewing pleasures


one of my storage rooms haha

billet radiator support brackets from power house racing

was quite shocked to find this joined on the back of the crankshaft as the clutch felt like an OEM one. Its on OS GIKEN twin plate

damaged number 2 pistons with melted ringlands

and again

head porting kit

red VHT wrinkle paint anyone

brand new genuine N1 front bar

tomei sump baffle

sump oil return holes enlarged

tomei metal gaskets for inlet side

then engine bay

purchased an engine bay dress up kit with stainless allen key bolts and purple dome washers

the interior

[Nexsys]

Subscribed

[markdett]

UPDATE : HICAS

So when i still had the car at work i pulled out all the hicas assosiated parts (solenoids, lines rack etc) and locked the rear up with a bar.
Today i did the pump mod and it went a little like this!

The rear section of the pump controls the hicas system.

Once the rear cover is off, its going to look a little someting like this. What you need to do is use a small magnet and remove all the vanes out of the rear side of the pump (look like rectangular piece's of metal)

Vanes removed. This will stop the rear part of the pump making pressure.
The vanes themselves

All i need to do now is find a bolt to blank or the rear part of the pump. Pro bolt australia here i come!

A very have crate. Most of the hicas parts (excluding lines)

With all the lines out the way, im thinking of running my battery wires in the spots they went in hmm

[markdett]

UPDATE.

Its been a while so i thought id share some pictures of some parts that have arrived.



OEM speedo cable. Might as well do it while its out!



Some Endless-R and Kidsheart interior items (gear shift boot not pictured)



Tomei oil pump $$$



And again



-5's



Brand new OEM water/oil/breather hoses



PowerFC djetro EL edition.



Decided to freshen up my calliper. Painted them in 3M calliper paint… Goodshit



Polished CAS



Other worn out parts that im giving the polish treatment



Finished engine covers with purple bolts and 34r vspec2 NUR engine badge.

Also just ordered a new clutch last night as my one was pretty ****** on closer inspection. Needs to get balanced with the crankshaft so going to be needed ASAP. All the port work on the heads finished, just waiting till next pay to buy new guides springs ETC. Once they arrive the head will be sent off to (probably) head torque to get the valve seats cut, guides replaced faced and a general inspection.

over and out!

[markdett]

UPDATE.

So theres been a few set backs in regards to getting my engine back from the machinist. The clutch i sent them was apparently rooted (flywheel dished) and they also wanted my balancer (even though its an ATI) to get balanced. They said the ATI was needed not to get balanced itself, but to be on the end of the crankshaft when it was getting balanced with the clutch assembly bolted on. Which does make some logical sense. So i had to fork out a lot of $$$ to get a new clutch/balancer ordered, which intern set me back on getting the head sent off to be machined. Anyways order all parts and received the last of them today.



OS Giken TS2CD with new flywheel bolts.

ATI crank dampener with new balancer bolt, sprocket and plates.


Also car is going in for paint at the end of September. Weighed up my options and I don't think satin would be ideal for a daily driven car, too much maintenance involved with keeping that paint looking 100%. Was thinking of going midnight purple 1 but still have yet to confirm. Would like to see what everyone elses thoughts are on the colour.

Over and Out!

[markdett]

Few small updates....

Tomei Phospur bronze valve guides, and tomei 260/260 9.15mm cams have arrived.



Might go a set of valve springs just for the extra re-assurance. Still undecided what to get. The Brian Crower springs with titanium retainers look like a gooer. Haven't really heard much feed back about them, so if anyone has any info would be good to get some discussions going about them.

Have put down an order for front 34r seats, hopefully get them with the red stitching. The black ones (rather then grey) would be ultimate but i highly doubt they will find any over in Japan.

Have been told the short motor will be finished in the next couple of weeks. By then hopefully ill get the head sent out and be back to me so i can start the assembly.

As for the paint, car should also be going in there soon. Just waiting on them to finish up a car thats in there ATM to free up some space. Have decided on midnight purple for the colour. Might see what 2 looks like on a guard and then decided which number to go with.

Apart from the valve springs, the next thing i need to start getting together is the fuel system. Might commit to some ID1000cc's (incase i wanna run a different fuel mix later down the line), HKS rail and braided teflon lines. Have also looked into the new Powertune direct drop in 1000hp fuel pump system incase i wanna run an ethanol mix. The kit consists of 2 Walbro pumps, all wiring -6 fittings and constructed of billet aluminium. All of which drops straight into the tank. I think the Tomei/Nismo drop in will do me for now. (I just wanna get this show back on the road).

Over and Out!

[markdett]

UPDATE:

Got a package in the mail the other day. Received a drift works solid billet steering shaft bush, and HEL ADR approved brake lines.

FItted the the bush today. Here are some photos:

HEL ADR approved brakelines.

Drift works billet steering shaft bush

New bush VS Old bush.

New bush installed.

[markdett]

Big update!!!!!

Finally got the car into the panel shop last week. There hammering it out to say the least. Removed the back window and was confronted with quite a bit of rust. Most of it surface but a good chunk of it has rusted through. Also found the rear beaver panel was quite crusty after removing the RHR tail lamp. Looks as though the tail lamp was removed and wasn't sealed accordingly and has leaked water into the spare wheel well making it crustycrusty to. By the looks of the rust around the rear window the seal around that wasn't to great either.

Have removed the majority of the interior whilst at the panel shop as they guy treating/cutting the rust wants to once over EVERYTHING. Ended up paint stripping the bonnet and blocking the side skirts, front bar, rear bar and original wing. All of which were primed last week.


Today was quite an eventful day. We started blocking the doors, boot lid and front 1/4's as there is not much more we can do until the rust has been repaired. Also got the front bar, rear bar and the side skirts painted. Ended up picking up the head today from head torque. I couldn't suggest these guys more. excellent job they have carried out now. Jerry recommended using his custom valve guides, spoke with my tuner (who also uses Head torque) and requested i use them too. So i now have a set of Tomei valve guides up for sale. If anyones interested just inbox me.

Here are some pics!


Rust around the rear window cleaned, and the rust that has rusted through cut. The black paint stuff is a rust treatment.

Rust now plated/welded.

The beaver panel. The bare metal section is a whole new plate.

And again.

Most of the interior stripped to be inspected for any other rust.

This is where the rust in the bootwell was now cut waiting to be plated.

Doors starting to be blocked.

Boot lid blocked, waiting to be primered.

Painted products.

Rear bar.

Front bar.

The finished head. Ended up getting a 3 angle valve grind too.

Exhaust ports with custom guides.

Inlet ports and custom guides.

Tomei cams.


In other news, Next week will be my last week working at Total Nissan. Have been offered a job at a fairly well known performance workshop which im gonna take. Gonna be an awesome new learning experience for me which im stoked about!

[markdett]

Update:

Body work has now all finished. Can now say my car is completely rust free. Guy even went to the trouble of fixing all my jacking points/sills.

Primed all ready for the good old rub-out.

[markdett]

UPDATE:

Recieved a few items this week.......

Was reading through the owners manual of these and seems these gauges have the same functions as the defi types.


OMP corsica (non $50 ebay special). 350mm suede with 95mm dish


Heading off to the panel shop tommorow to give the boys a hand.

[markdett]

So i stopped by my old place of work today before heading to the panel shop to pick up a few items.

OEM front lip

OEM intercooler grille

OEM wheather sheilds

Got a bit done at the panel shop today


Prepped ready for primer then paint.

TA DAH

[markdett]

Ill let the pictures do the talking........

[markdett]

Got the parts back from the machinist the other week.


Going to remove the "fill" in the crank and clean it even more thoroughly then grub screw.

Metal taken off from balancing.

STD mains, no spun bearings here!

Torque plated to 86.5mm

Nismo bearings.