Simps' Garage

[The Simps]

Not sure if this is allowed, but decided to put all my projects in one thread and update as I go along!

First of all the S Body. Bought this last xmas in this form after searching for 6mths for a minty condition black with beige leather combo...




Stage 1 spec in fantastic condition bar a few dents n niggles that you would expect from a 12 year old motor! Within no time I removed the baileys BOV and ran pidgeon which improved it no end! Next was an Apex intercooler, that made quite a difference in itself. Wheels were then changed for 18" grids and I had the Apex sensible system custom fettled to snug the body and a flexi put in the down pipe. Evo 7 front brembos (need painting!) & one of dans big disc kits for the rear. Car now sits like so...




I had Archenemy Phil do a roll on fronts & flare on rears during the week and the car was tucked up today for the winter. Over the next few months the plan is subframe swap for a freshly powder coated one with all adjustable arms and stiffer bushes. While off the underside will be sealed to keep it fresh like it is. The front wing wiring then needs tucking up before the coilovers get fitted then its alignment and spacers!

While thats all happening it will also benefit from a blow over and any dents sorted and I can finally get round to the fitting of the Nismo 555s, apex AVCR I acquired a few months back then get Jez to stage 2 it.

Meanwhile I will be driving round in the newly purchased daily which is gonna be hard not to mod in itself!...




Immediate plans are black kidneys, new front boots and maybe CSL boot lid. Already has Eibachs fitted so that job is done.


Then if I get time over winter I want to get cracking on the other long term project which is converting a vauxhall nova to rwd using s14 running gear. Car is currently all prepped ready for a donor basically. The front and rear subframes need offering into position then they can be mounted up to the cage and go on from there. The idea for the car is a fun track toy that I can say I've had the pleasure of building myself, even if it does take 10 yrs! (4yrs so far) So heres a few pics of that...












I do also have a 2001 Vectra sri 150 estate but thats now being broken and has been replaced with the M3, but a few pics anyways cos I thought it was a nice car...






I hope you enjoy reading future updates...

[200jim]

nice collection of cars

[The Simps]

Cheers!

[Jonny Mac]

nova will be interesting keep the updates coming mate!

[The Simps]

Just gotta stop spending on the M and focus on the others! lol I've just purchased a csl boot lid - had to be done!

[The Simps]

Detailing Jem came over on saturday and gave the M3 a darn good seeing to. The paint was already in pretty good shiny condition but now its pukka - well pleased!








The 200sx is now tucked up in the garage ready for a fiddling! Got a few parts to go on over the xmas period for both looks & performance

[calicagesracing]

That nova will be cool as!

Pity most drift series' don't allow fwd converted cars
It'd be cool to see the variation that'd bring out

Good luck with the projects

Nelly

[Quail]

Nice cars!

[The Simps]

That nova will be cool as!

Pity most drift series' don't allow fwd converted cars
It'd be cool to see the variation that'd bring out

Good luck with the projects

Nelly

Can't say I'm massively into drifting anyway. Its being built to be track orientated of which it should be an interesting weapon! I just need to stop playing with the other 2 cars and get cracking with it

[The Simps]

Nice cars!

Thanks!

[The Simps]

So made a start stripping the front of the 200 at the weekend! Lets hope like the Nova I don't get carried away and it doesn't see the road for 4yrs and counting...

Plans are to fit:
- GT28RS
- 555s
- Apexi AVC-R
- Uprated Roll Bars
- Full Rear Bushed Arm Kit
- Geomasters
- DB Big rear brake kit (will repaint frt & rear callipers too)

I have all the parts except the Geomasters. I will be dropping the whole rear subframe to underseal the back end and the subframe will be re-bushed & powder coated. The car may benefit from a full blow over too.






Was pleased to see the inner arches were really clean, bottom of wings not rusty either. Gonna treat, seal & spray then took up the loom.

[The Simps]

To update this.

The s14a came out the garage friday, went straight through the MOT and was taxed so now rolling. Got most the jobs done I wanted of the colder months which included:-

- Fully bushed and p.coated rear subframe
- Full front & rear bushed adjustable arm kit
- Front & Rear roll centre correcting ball joints
- Thicker roll-bars front & rear
- DB bigger rear brake kit
- ECU loom tucked
- GT28RS fitted
- HSD Coilovers
- New tyres

So not quite everything I had planned but most of the stuff. Now got all the handling and braking how I want and from what i've driven so far I'm really happy! The combination of the set up is firm but not harsh but not bouncy either. It corners nice and flat and the car sits at nice lows with no rubbing. Its booked in to have the exhaust fettled and tucked as thats the only bit that is touching the floor on bumps right now and after that I should be able to get to anywhere I usually go except maybe multi stories.

Next up is power. Its still on the stage 1 map. I plan to get the car off to HDev next month for the 555s & Z32 AFM to go on with a custom map. With the GT28RS it should see somewhere around the 300bhp I would think and be reliable. Should be enough for my needs at this stage. Anyways, a few pics...






The M3 is running sweet and I keep pushing it harder and harder into the twisties every week. Such an amazing capable car!

The nova project is about to get back underway now the workshop is clear. Just need to tidy & organise then full steam ahead. Got myself a nice 90k donor too. Not gonna hack the shell tho and instead store it as it is very solid & straight and re-use it down the line maybe.

[mmarques]

That my mates old 200, that first pick is at my bro in laws work. Did you buy it from oxfordshire?
Good stuff!

[The Simps]

Yep. Day after boxing day 2010. Had plate a11gtu then. The chap hadnt had it long.

[The Simps]

So to update this thread a little!

The 200sx although much loved got sold to another member on here at xmas. I was using the M3 as a daily and 200 as a toy and I soon realised the M3 was better all round than the 200, although different, so why not make that the toy and swap 200 for a big daily cruiser! So thats what I did. 1st of feb i bought this A8 4.2 quattro sport, lowered it and updated the wheels...






Its a cracking car to drive, plenty of torque and the air suspension its so comfy even running the large wheels.

So thats the daily. The M3 hasn't changed, just maintained and enjoyed!

The nova has seen some progress and is coming along! Finally got the srdet out of the donor vehicle and checked for fitment...







I was happy it could work so cracked on...

Been spending a lot of time recently getting the car all levelled out. The 2 bars at the feet of the cage will be my reference point so these were levelled into the car and then using some axle stands welded where I needed them and also to the bar, the car then levelled on the slightly sloping floor. The bottom of those bars is the floor level too.

I collected two 3 metre lengths of 2"x3" box which is the next phase yesterday, which were then drilled for the front subframe and tie bar brackets. Laying them on top of my horizontal bars I can check my levelling

Front and back side to side...







and front to back each side along the box...





I'm pretty chuffed with that.

So with the subframe now bolted up I needed to get some kind of reference point of the turrets in relation to the subframe. So off to the donor to make a jig....




And all into place...






The main box hasn't been properly levelled or aligned yet, I was just "getting an idea" today. It needs to move back around 2-3" and shift to the p/s slightly. I will be lowering it back down to rest on the bars while I weld in pieces at each end to make the box section into a solid square, even all the way along to the subframe width. I can then position this where I want in the car width & height wise and importantly level & square. This will again by using welded axle stands.

Hopefully more updates soon.

[The Simps]

A little more done today. Dropped the box rails onto my horizontal tubes, evenly spaced each end until square then welded up with brace bars each before then evening out left to right. Uprights were then tacked in place so as the box rails are jack up they remain true. So thats what we did, checking measurements on the way. Need to get the engine back in place now and decide exactly where I want to place the engine. Then of course level the rails on the sloping floor like I did the shell.

[calicagesracing]

Excellent!! You might have a problem shutting the bonnet though

Just out of interest, why did you fit the box section with the 2" section on the vertical?
I would have thought more support for up and down movement would be preferable?

[The Simps]

Excellent!! You might have a problem shutting the bonnet though

Just out of interest, why did you fit the box section with the 2" section on the vertical?
I would have thought more support for up and down movement would be preferable?

Thanks for replying!

Yeah the bonnet could be interesting yet but its function over form and if I have to have bulges for turrets its not the end of the world. Saw it on a track E36 once and looked pretty cool! But thats a last resort. I envisage the subframe sitting another inch lower yet. With geomasters and coilovers I'm hoping to lower the turret tops to below the bonnet line.

Re the box, do you mean why go 2x3 when I could of gone maybe 3x3 or 3x4 vertically? Or even flip 180deg what I have. If so then its all yet to be space framed and thats where a lot of the strength will be added. I needed it 3" wide really to do what I want.

[calicagesracing]

Function over form I totally agree with
The geomasters should allow you to to go a lot lower with the strut top height.

Yea, I would have envisioned the box turned 90degrees to have 3" up down and 2" across. (much the same as standard sx)
That said, you're using heavier wall thickness material and spaceframing so it shouldn't be any problem, It just struck me as odd to see it that way

[The Simps]

I don't know why but I just always envisaged it this way round and never even thought to have it upright! lol Thing is with doing this is there are so many different ways to do it. I know a lad putting a Lexus V8 into his nova and he's left all the nova chassis rails & turrets in place and will be reusing those. Some people have said why not just chop and shorten the 200 floorplan and sit the nova on top. I listen to all input as I've never done this before (thats why I wanted to do it!) and have changed plans several times on the way! So appreciate your feedback. With the spaceframing done correctly, as you say strength shouldn't be a problem.

Re the turrets, the way I figured it (and hope its right! lol) is that geomasters give a 50mm drop but thats retaining all original geometry. But it then means thats 50mm I can drop the coilovers by and more if needed, by lowering the turret tops. Only issue I may have is by doing that I will obviously induce negative camber. If I can drop it enough I can tuck the turret tops under the wing a touch to give me a bit more room to dial it back out beyond what the top mounts will do. Make sense? Feasable to you?