Project 613, VQS13

[calicagesracing]

Here's my new project
The plan is make it as light and strong as possible without spending a fortune, fit the vq, get it running and have fun.

I'm not going into as much trouble as with my previous build because I dont want to be as nervous of damaging it and with na I reckon it should be as reliable as heck making around 280 or so bhp(depending on how many ponys have escaped so far)

I said new but I have this car since 2004, first used as a daily by my wife and progressively getting more and more focused on track work over the years



This was the td where the ca bit the dust I fitted it with an rb20





Time attacked it for a while, fitted another rb20, repainted it again



Preferred the grey, And blew up the rb20 again!

So it's now in the shed to get it's next engine and paint job lol. I'm just getting started with the car but I'm hopeing to have it ready for round one of prodrift 2013

Fingers crossed, Neil

[calicagesracing]

I got her a new parking space for the next few months



It's looking a little sorry for itself as I swapped a number of bits out of it for the new engine and box. A good deal I think





More bits gone from the interior





And I got it elevated

[calicagesracing]

Next job was to pull out the rb. Getting quite good at this



And a big empty hole needing some quad cam love (cos twin cams are for LOSERS!!)



I then got busy removing the multitude of wiring looms, some bits of ca loom, rb loom and bits I'd added to make the mishmash work

[Clint]

I forgot how good this car used to look when it was grey

Looking forward to seeing this project progressing Nelly.

What do you expect will be the trickiest parts? Loom etc?

[steff777]

Looks like this is gona be a monster when it's done!! and I've got to agree it looked lovely in the grey! plus what bumper is it?? (Grey pic) looks really nice!

[calicagesracing]

I forgot how good this car used to look when it was grey

Looking forward to seeing this project progressing Nelly.

What do you expect will be the trickiest parts? Loom etc?

Looks like this is gona be a monster when it's done!! and I've got to agree it looked lovely in the grey! plus what bumper is it?? (Grey pic) looks really nice!

Cheers, yea the grey was the job. I was sorry I changed it to the red & black after but it should be nice again. We have a plan

Trickiest part will be the wiring I'd say but I have the mad scot to give me a hand when I get stuck it's going on aem management so hopefully that'll work out well

The bumper is chargespeed but be aware they hang very low! I went through a few lol. It'll be getting a new one because I really don't like the red one

[calicagesracing]

Here's the motor. It came from a crashed 350, 2004 model iirc







I have already removed all the extra bracketing, air con and other crap I don't need. I've also welded shut all the water connections to heaters, oil cooler, throttle body etc.

Last night I started making the engine mounts where I'll be utilising the time honoured tradition of hockey pucks


And the interior now looks like this



So more 'orrible sound deadening to remove, then I'll start making the feet for the cage

[warby]

Subscribed & watching with interest as I have a spare s13 I want to do something with

[steff777]

The bumper is chargespeed but be aware they hang very low! I went through a few lol. It'll be getting a new one because I really don't like the red one[/QUOTE]

Cheers bud! tis a nice bumper! tho I was kinda wishing you said you still had it and I could buy it off you!! Lol good luck with the build m8.

[calicagesracing]

I have a couple of them there. Not exactly in mint condition though

[steff777]

Lol! that wouldn't of bothered me bud, bodywork ain't a problem for me just wanted something to have a play around with as cheap as poss! Haha! Such a Shame your so far away!

[docwra]

One of my ideal world engine swaps, are you using the VQ box as well?

[Cheesebert]

Can't wait to see this develop, should be a good one

[calicagesracing]

Lol! that wouldn't of bothered me bud, bodywork ain't a problem for me just wanted something to have a play around with as cheap as poss! Haha! Such a Shame your so far away!

It's a bit far for sending bits of broken fibreglass alright!

One of my ideal world engine swaps, are you using the VQ box as well?

Yep, the is vq box is there as well
What I'm trying to do is recreate (and significantly improve upon) my old e36 325i. I loved the power delivery of the na engine and the reliability was fantastic. Literally rag it all day without ever lifting the bonnet

That and the fact that Mark practically gave me the engine made my mind up

My only slight worry is if it'll have enough power for faster tracks? I have a ridiculous 4.9 final drive for it which may or may not help plus I'm after an os giken twin plate to get shot of the heavy dual mass set up.
With a few breathing mods hopefully I'll be pulling big smokey third gear drifts

Can't wait to see this develop, should be a good one

Cheers man looking forward to it myself

[docwra]

My only slight worry is if it'll have enough power for faster tracks? I have a ridiculous 4.9 final drive for it which may or may not help plus I'm after an os giken twin plate to get shot of the heavy dual mass set up.
With a few breathing mods hopefully I'll be pulling big smokey third gear drifts

I can pull big smokey 3rd gear drifts in a standard 350Z running 285 RE050A's on a standard LSD, I dont think you would have much trouble

[calicagesracing]

I can pull big smokey 3rd gear drifts in a standard 350Z running 285 RE050A's on a standard LSD, I dont think you would have much trouble

Excellent I've never even driven a 350z so I'm new to this engine.

Is there anything you can suggest that will be worthwhile doing while the engine is out?
ie: any known weak point that could be addressed or cheap mods that make a difference?

I have seen that a plenum spacer is not just a noise mod (as you put it yourself) and is something I will purchase.

[calicagesracing]

I just thought as its a thread for my 200sx i'd share a few pics going back over the years

Not a great pic this. The sxoc went to the North to do some drag racing. While there I decided it would be rude not to take part in the racing.
It was my first race so I didnt set the word alight but i did have a lot of fun. Also you can see the suspension set up was crap lol.


One more for now, it wasnt always plain sailing (i'm the guy kneeling down)

[Rallye]

Will make for an interesting project, lot of potential!

[docwra]

Things to do on an 04 engine - definitely the plenum spacer, depending on management then you might want to look at some kind of throttle controller as its pretty lazy as standard, Jez @ Horsham can do an uprev ECU flash which makes things better .......... and thats about it. Definitely make a custom exhaust though, they sound absolutely epic unsilenced - headers are generally considered not to be worth it unless the engine is out as they are a minimal gain, but in your case

Over and above that you are looking at big money, forced induction or individual throttle bodies and even withoutt he management (Im guessing you will have soemthing already)you are probs looking at £4K minimum.

Other things to consider is grounding it properly, the aftermarket grounding kits are popular which suggests there might be an issue, the flywheel is huge but I reckon adds to the character of the engine ............ oh, and I woudnt bother asking the 350Z OC anything, the majority of them arent mechanically minded in anyway and a few of them are proper, proper tards.

[calicagesracing]

Good info there doc, cheers

Plenum spacer is on the cards as is custom exhaust. Throttle body is probably going to be cable operated with the aem management.

Tbh I've had it up to me bollix with stainless manifolds so if standard is pretty good anyway, then that's whats going on. I've even gone back to a cast manifold on my sr22 (see link in sig below)

I've already been looking at jenvey itb,s but for the money I'd turbo it first. I reckon 3.5l would do a good job of spinning a dirty great hx40
(note to self: k.i.s.s.)

Also, thanks for the heads up with the 350z oc