Project: Natasha

[bignate]

Well after owning my GTR since May of 07 I think it’s about time I started a build thread. My GTR started out as a nice clean stock GTR with a few minor mods.





Starting point


HKS hipermax 2 coilovers (love these)
Kakimoto tuned ECU (no rev limit or speed cut, unknown mapping)
4” HKS super dragger exhaust
Turbo timer
Tein tension rods
Braided stainless rad hoses

Now for the first little while I owned the car, I told myself I would be keeping it stock. After all it seemed really fast then, and I was still getting used to it. Then I discovered Racing…


The goal


To build the ultimate time attack/circuit racing GTR while not spending more than is necessary to do so. This means using my head instead of my wallet. The emphasis on this project will be to “engineer” the car rather than just throw a bunch of high-end parts together and call it a racecar. Performance wise, the main concern will be handling and response as this will give the best results for my application. This car will not be street legal or well mannered. For the time being, the car will stay in a super street kind of trim, but eventually will venture into unlimited territory.


To start off, I left the engine pretty much stock and tried to focus on handling and reliability. I felt by being slightly underpowered it would improve my driving by forcing me to carry momentum through corners and find the right lines. It was also a lot easier to be aggressive.


Specs as of 08 and up until the last few weeks

In addition to starting point

3” test pipe
14psi on stock turbos
advanced ignition timing
HKS shroom intakes
13” 8 piston Ksport BBK w/ Hawk blue Race pads
KVR rear slotted rotors w/ Hawk HPS+
Braided stainless brake lines all around w/ wilwood 570 fluid
Gramlight 57 Optimise 17x9.5+12 in time attack colours
Toyo R888 255/40R17
Removed rear seats
4 point harness’
Splitfire coil packs
Ported stock manifolds
ACT 6 puck race clutch w/ extreme pressure plate
RG lightweight flywheel
Earls braided lines and fittings for turbos
Koyo rad





Now this setup did me quite well, but after running a lot of it for most of 08 it gave me an idea of where I wanted to go with the car. The first order of business was to get some adjustable suspension links and get a good race setup dialed in. Next I needed to address my high oil temps cutting my time on the track short. Also that pesky Hicas had to go, especially since both of my rear hicas ball joints were shot. A/C also gets the boot. The battery also needs to move to the trunk, an easy way to shift ~40lbs from the front of an already front heavy car.

So I bought:

AMS adjustable RUCAS
AMS adjustable FUCAS
AMS solid subframe bushings
No name oil cooler/relocation kit
B&M 11”X 11” Oil cooler
Small PS cooler (you’ll see why later)
Catch can
Apexi BOV
Bings Z32 toe arms

Currently on the agenda:

Install solid subframe bushings
Have solid diff mounts made and install
Custom hicas lock (will explain this later on)
Install BOV
Install catch can
Relocate battery
Align (new snap on alignment machine at work yeeee!)
Roll fenders (rubbed bad at Mosport on Moss corner)


So this is more or less where I am at right now. I’m kind of half way through the last group of things I mentioned, Just waiting on some parts and some fab work. Once I get some pics up of the progress you guys will get a better idea of whats going on and where I’m at. When I get a chance I will make a post about my plans/parts for the engine build but that part of this project wont be commencing for awhile. My next post should be chock full of pics and updates.

I would love to hear any comments, criticism, ideas that you guys may have. Stay tuned as this will be an ongoing build.

[caliber676]

love the car. But can you change the name of the build? Natasha is my sisters name... weird reminder hahahha

[SkyLizzle]

Good on ya Nate, Loving your direction and hands on approch cant wait to see more!

[bignate]

love the car. But can you change the name of the build? Natasha is my sisters name... weird reminder hahahha

haha no sorry, I've named her that since the week I bought her. For your sake I wont explain why I picked that name.

[GTR-Dad]

Good vision of the target! A must for guiding progress.

The only thing that jumps out at me is the combination of increasing boost and advancing timing. If you've advanced timing with measurement of torque increase and onset of knock, you're probably OK, but if not, you may be relying on your knock sensors and ECU to pull timing to avoid engine destruction.

There's nothing wrong with using sensors and electronics to protect your engine, but a good tune does not rely on these items to keep you safe in normal operating conditions. Rather, you should tune for normal and use the knock maps / fuel trim etc to protect your engine during fault conditions such as bad gas, abnormal cylinder temperatures...

Tuning to the 'edge' carries with it increased risk of having the car schedule your next rebuild. Tuning 'safe' puts more control with you.

Dan

[bignate]

Good vision of the target! A must for guiding progress.

The only thing that jumps out at me is the combination of increasing boost and advancing timing. If you've advanced timing with measurement of torque increase and onset of knock, you're probably OK, but if not, you may be relying on your knock sensors and ECU to pull timing to avoid engine destruction.

There's nothing wrong with using sensors and electronics to protect your engine, but a good tune does not rely on these items to keep you safe in normal operating conditions. Rather, you should tune for normal and use the knock maps / fuel trim etc to protect your engine during fault conditions such as bad gas, abnormal cylinder temperatures...

Tuning to the 'edge' carries with it increased risk of having the car schedule your next rebuild. Tuning 'safe' puts more control with you.

Dan

I agree 100%. I have actually retarded the timing back to stock for the time being. Still running 14psi though.

[GTR-Dad]

I agree 100%. I have actually retarded the timing back to stock for the time being. Still running 14psi though.

d

[bignate]

So just did a couple small things today.



Installed my modded PS pump



Front uppers



lots of extra room now



bye bye AC rad, perfect spot for a big ass oil cooler



Hmmm something is missing...



I found a lot of oil in all my intake piping, so I got a little spooked thinking my turbo seals had gone again. I stripped the turbos down and thankfully they appear to be ok. I think I was just getting a lot of oil from the PCV and valve covers, but I'm going to have to keep my eye on it. Going to a catch can system now so it will tell me for sure if its the turbos again.

[NismoS-tune]

That could just be the crank case breather oiling your intake.

Byebye AC is good for you but for me, my wife would make me sell the car if it had no AC.

[bignate]

That could just be the crank case breather oiling your intake.

Byebye AC is good for you but for me, my wife would make me sell the car if it had no AC.

hehe the AC leaked anyways. Im 90% sure the oil is coming from the pcv but it seemed like too much for that. However, I did run the car very hard at Mosport, so who knows. Now that I have the catch can in it isolates it so it will be easy to tell for sure.