project 180sx

[alanjuggler]

cheers Pete - good to see you around - I'll drop you a line when it's mobile and pop up to yours

it's never going to be up to the level of yours - but don't want it to be really since it'd take forever and I'd be scared of using it (that said, all the advice you gave me when I first did it has definitely worked - it's not in bad shape considering it's been stood).

the main problem that's going to be left is the crap paintwork. I don't know why but the paintwork on the 180 seems to be far more fragile than my old 200. the roof paint has/is cracking/crazing like a champ. I don't think I've got the patience for painting so that's probably something I'll leave to a bodyshop I know

[alanjuggler]

more updates.

engine running on a fuel pump suspended in a nescafe coffee jar as the fuel tank is currently having 2 part epoxy removed from it as it's failed and a bunch of powdery rust has formed beneath it

exhaust is hung temporarily due to some sandblasting being required on the rear brackets but ... it runs.

sort of.

2.5K rpm rev limit? lovely, MAF failure limp home mode. eurgh.

Made more complicated by the fact I'm using a 300ZX widget (the selin dual maf translator) to run two Z32 MAFs, on the Z32 ECU and they were both in the corner were the impact was. I think I've managed to find a few spares.

Priced up replacing it with a pair of the new blade type MAFs but wasn't sure they'd run with the dual maf widget so then priced up a haltech or link that'd run them.. wouldn't have much change from two grand so decided to stick with Nistune and the current frankenstein setup relying on spare Z32s for now.

hopefully next update will be something a little more complete and a video of it running, he says, confidently. It might still have a nescafe jar in the engine bay though

[alanjuggler]

Bonjour everyone!

Progress. Fuel tank has been reconditioned. Again. I've fallen out of love with 2 pack epoxy mastic and / or Bilt Hamber electrox. epoxy mastic failed but in a poor quality way where it allows rust to continue under the coating - electrox.. the zinc content may be the bees knees but the adherence is bloody awful on the aerosols, maybe spraying it with a gun is better. I'd use it for interior box sections as I'm welding stuff back together but not for anything that needs an actual bond.

I've started using jenolite's bright zinc galv / rust primer - then followed with whatever after that. has worked well on the test pieces I've left out over winter.

new windscreen.. fitted by a professional .. had two bloody big gaps either side where the ruddy sealant hadn't bonded. quality job I paid for North West Windscreens - clowns.

Engine is now running fine, had to fix some bits on the loom, figured out you can't pull too hard a vacuum on the RB25DET crankcase with a one way valve on the pipe to the air intake as it seems to pulls the oil out of the VCT gear and causes unpleasant noises. new battery.

Interior is pretty much all back in but needs a clean.

Todo list -

rust repair on the driver side wing at the bottom section & paint white.
paint the front bumper white
fix arch liners
make some new lower wing stays
new front reg plate
strip the rust off the brakes
tax/test

[sx rider]

Shame to hear about electrox not working well, how did you know rust was forming underneath?

[alanjuggler]

only once I dropped it for doing other work, annoyingly :|

it had some failure of the mastic coat and then the electrox hadn't adhered - it had been prepped as well. I think some of the problem might be the aerosol but I'm not going to start cleaning guns out and using the compressor

[alanjuggler]

quick update.

Todo list -

rust repair on the driver side wing at the bottom section & paint white. (done)
paint the front bumper white (done)
fix arch liners (not done)
make some new lower wing stays (done)
new front reg plate (done)
strip the rust off the brakes (not done)
tax/test (not done)

It was going swimmingly until the last time I ran the engine and I got a half engine speed 'dunk dunk dunk' - a screwdriver to the CAS and the vibration could be felt on the handle. Had to take the timing belt off. again. drop the coolant.. again. was a collapsed lifter. ended up using some of my other 80 or so lifter spares and rebuilding them this time (<3 CA18DET compatibility with the RB)



I had to order some patrol Y60 indicators since they match the S13 (from Latvia!) - and yes, I'm using 200SX wings on a 180SX - don't shout at me

[Kris C]

It’s been a while
How’s this coming along, I’ve yet to fully catch up on this as I’ve been away for….
A while, let’s say a while

[alanjuggler]

Kris! welcome back!

180 is now back in pieces again. the recent rain revealed SIX litres of water in the carpet.

turns out my badly installed windscreen was even more badly installed than I thought (North West Windscreens, thanks guys, won't be using them again) and it was leaking at the upper roof join, back through the roof lining.

It's all drying out now but a pain in the bum I didn't expect.

[Kris C]

Ouch, that sounds painful. How long had it been like that? Have they suitably dug deep into the paint whilst removing the old windscreen as well? That’s always an unseen slow burn.

I’m delighted you still have this. Dedication

[alanjuggler]

It's been like this over winter, got the windscreen late last year. they dug into the paint but it looks like the sealant has just failed to 'grab' to the screen itself in a couple of places as they dropped it down, so once the channel fills up if the rain gets heavy enough, it pours over. I've ponied up the £200 for the OEM windscreen rubber trim instead of the crap universal ones, which will hopefully stop any issues as well.

I've had it now, what, 14 years? first 200 in 2004, this was purchased in 2009, total number of miles put on it, about 5 - though that's not really the point of it.

if not for your help during your Nissan stint, I might still have it but it'd have a CA in it

I hope it's all going well for you as well

[Kris C]

In some ways, it could have been worse. 4 years down the line and a little water has destroyed part of the bulkhead before it’s noticed.
I’m glad to have helped in some way. It’s been a while since I was at Nissan, or been in the world of car modification. I just about fell over when I looked at some prices of parts now. OE parts that is! Obviously they are old cars now, so parts will have long since went from the shelves in Nissan.

I’m good, in Carlisle now and I have acquired another S13 shell to hopefully build the one I intended to build over a decade ago.
First I have to convince my wife the a garage has to be built before we refurb the rest of the house.
You know, priorities…

[alanjuggler]

an update - a house move (I now have my own garage the car is going into) and some life stuff has happened..

I now have insurance.

MOT then tax to follow.

[p.nicholas]

That is great to hear