MONZTER

Since the frame rails were dented up pretty good from wrong floor jack positioning, I decided to replace them and this would also give me the opportunity to really get the original metal floors flat, and the metal shrunk and tight. They were surprisingly clean inside. This is the floor pan after removing the spot welds and frame rails. After some wire wheel work, and metal prep acid wash with Scotch-Brite, I worked and shrunk the metal with a shrinking rod and them smoothed it with a shrinking disk. Nice and flat getting it to what original would have looked like, leaving all spot welds and original deformations in place. I then lightly blasted the overlap areas and applied Weld-Thru paint. I then fitted the new frame rails, they took a bunch of work to get the correct shape and to match the original contour of the floor pans. I then copied all the original spot weld locations and drilled 3/16 hole to plug weld. I used several Cleco clamps to hold it in place and tight up against the floor pans. Next I used my MIG and plug welded them in place Finally I will grind smooth the plug welds More after the weekend

Thanks for the replies and comments. Time is always an issue, however Im at the age now where my daughter is 26 years old and working full time. Been married 30 years so the wife is obviously understanding of my hobbies. Hopefully continuing to make progress regularily. Hoping more people come back to the forum and participate in the community. Here is a picture of me and my daughter when she was probably 2ish years old, same car Im working on now. I need to get her back in the shop for a new photo - Time flies

I miss the old days of humble build threads, great comments and passion for building. All the FB and You Tube stuff seems like "hey look at how special I am, I can weld metal... ect" then people just talking shit how they suck and how much better they are. Just self-promotion for one’s self over passion for our cars and community. I think the Me/I generation is the problem mixed with ADD for anything longer than a sentence and complex thought. To ask for help is to say you dont know everything and today that is death. So yes I am an old guy now so look at me just like I used to look at my parents when I was young HA. Ill keep posting here, at least it is one thread that follows my project for anyone interested. I appreciate the comments, critisim, and help.

Been spending alot of time getting the chassis on the NA car cleaned up and ready for paint. Its a super clean almost a no rust car, so I want to strip it completly bare, metal prep it, straighten the floor pans which are really clean just slightly dented from wrong jack points. I started out by stripping everthing off and making digitized and CAD files of all the tar flooring. You can still buy it from Nissan. I have a laser cuttter so I will use it to cut all the replacements. It is an original paint car, so it was hard going in on it. Next I put it on my rotissary I built for the Turbo car and got to work on stripping all the factory undercoating. Using a heat gun, scraper and some mineral spirits did the trick but it took a long time. All super clean original metal under the car This is what it looked like under the front fenders BEFORE cleaning, so super happy and even under the cowl all original paint

Looks nice, Im guessing 260hp at 6500 to 7000k Do you plan on dyno testing it? Seems like it will be a super fun street car. Realy clean but not so over the top that you cant drive it everyday and enjoy it. Looking forward to more.

Been a while since I posted any updates. Been moving along. For the Turbo car I decided to build my own wheels. Ill CNC machine the center sections myself and have the lips and barrels spun for me. I really like the old SSR RS8 wheels but finding them in the correct bolt pattern, offset, and caliper clearance is impossible. I fould a set close, from Japan and had them shipped over. Since this car uses Z31 hubs and such, the spacing is out much more than a standard Z so I need a bit more positive offset. I dissasembled the wheels and scanned the center section into my computer and reverse engineered the shape. Next I re-assembled them and had the 245-45-16 tires Im going to use mounted. I test fitted them to the car, and close, but not good enough. This is the fist time this chassis has been rolling on its own wheels in 27 years. Its been on a cart or a lift. Felt good to see some progress now that the suspension, brakes, and cross-memeber are finally complete Scanned this complete assembly and put it in CAD. Now I have the exact shape of the tire on the rim. Cool cross section of it. Finally I scanned the side of the car, put it into CAD. Now I can adjust my wheel center offset for caliper clearance, and adjust it to work with new Lips and Barrels I will order for the proper offset and fit to the car. Having it in CAD alowed me to look at it from every angle and check all clearances, for calipers, springs wheels lip, ect. Even compressing the suspension to make sure I have fender clearance at full travel Final wheel spec is: Rear - 5 lug = 245-45-16 on 8.5" width rim- 27mm positive offset, 2.25" outer lip on the rim Front - 5 lug = 245-45-16 on 8.5" width rim - 31mm positive offset 1.75" outer lip on the rim Next I need to find some time to program the CNC and start cutting chips. But I got distracted on the NA car, so that update is next.

Yes, still working on then, just have not posted anything. Bought some expensive components that take time to recover from. A blank PAMS head, that I then designed and has DelWest make me titanium intake valves, Inconel mnemonic stainless steel exhaust valves, also MoldStar 90 seats and guides. Had it assembled, and ports cleaned up for some nice flow numbers. Also purchased a Nismo 6 Speed Trans that was also strengthened and modified by HPI in Japan. I take some progress pics soon.

More pis of it finished up The bottom plate was beat up a bit and bent from floor jacks. So I took off the old one by drilling out the spot welds. I then drew up the shape and had a new one laser cut. The center plate that is welded to this plate, I re-made it as well, but out of 304 stainless steel. This way I can leave it a brushed stainless finish after powder coating and it is a good place to use a floor jack. I then spot welded on the larger plate in the original locations I then tigged the seam between the spot welds Then tigged on the center stainless plate Then blasted the entire cross member and powder coated it in a super black semi gloss powder coat. Powder coated the motor mounts as well I always first do a primer powder coat that is sandable I sand most off this off to fill the small blemeshes Then final coat Finally the brushed stainless plate for the floor jack Next up is getting a new transmission, then finishing the exhaust

I finished up the front crossmember and motor mounts Started with a stock crossmember with the need for new engine mounting since I moved the engine in the chassis back about 1 inch. I extended and boxed in the existing upright Some grinding and blasting to clean it up 3 D printed mockup of a machined bracket I made to accept the moustache bar busings. I designed these years ago and have been in the NA car for 15 years. Worked well I machined this weld in bracket out of a solid chunk of steel because I wanted the details for the bolt holes and you could not do that with bent sheet metal. Stupid but fun. More soon

Thanks, I enjoy keeping up with your projects as well, nice work you are doing on the intakes. I machined this plenum years ago. Made from 2 halves and welded together. Hoping to one day run it.

No, scanner, I want one but not yet. Just did all the suspension and reverse engineering old school with calipers just measuring. It's all pretty simple stuff

Here are some more pics Started with a backing plate from a Z32 Here is the CAD model where I got it all worked out for the proper spacing / fit, ect. Machined the parts from this CAD This is the first fit check. You can see how the rear hub bearing was modified for a 5 bolt Z31 turbo stub axle bearings and CV flange Just some final pics

Hey Derek, you know my neighbor John at HyTech. Fun stuff. Someday a LY head if we could find the time?

Ill Put some more pics of the diff mount/cradle and the trans mount. Yes, doing all my machining on a 3 axis using SolidCam. I buy the Aloding coating and the acid prep/wash from Aircraft Spruce. Its easy to do everything just has to be spotless clean and degreased. I designed and made this diff cradle so many years ago I had to dig up pics. Dont think anybody had something available back then This pic dates back to 2001, thats how long this project has been going. All the turned parts are done on a manual lathe and I did not have CNC back then so its all done on a manual mill as will. All 4130 steel, pretty light actually. Just a hobby so no hurry I guess Front diff mount is two OEM mounts cut in half and weled together, I integrated the solid mount into it as 1 pc. Here are some CAD pics of the mount. I actually have moved the engine back about 1 inch so I needed to make a new trans mount. Wanted something to go with the new design front motor mounts Ill show soon when I finish up the cross member. The bushings are from the outboard rear control arm urethane kit. I Its steel and aluminum contruction. I still need to put a finish on it. But I wont probably use it now as I am going to replace this S15 Trans with a Nismo 6 speed. So Ill have to modify the design and make some new parts. Front crossmember and Front suspension coming soon

Duals, oops just a typo, duel exhaust pipes like original, thanks