Bender Build

Discussion in 'Member's Garage' started by Anti, Sep 17, 2011.

  1. Anti

    Anti 14.7 x 14.7 = 44.1

    good day gents, it's about time I got this thread going!

    Me:
    Martin, see me here. 20, student working weekends

    Model:
    - 1989 J-Spec twin turbo manual 2+2

    Price:
    - Swapped for my NA to the value of 7k

    Build:
    - Epic daily, something to get me to uni in style
    - for the love of zeds
    - might slide it around and see how I like drifting, but not keen
    - sell in a few years to fund four door r32-4 drift build (only if I can't keep both)
    - do it right this time, garage it 'til it's done

    Mileage:
    - 180,000

    Colour:
    - black

    Bodykit:
    - stock j-spec w/ brazilian

    Engine Type:
    - 3.0 litre V6 twin turbo VG30DETT

    soundtrack to this thread:
    - Videotapez by AmpLive

    Arrival modifications:
    - cheap-o manual boost controller, fitted so Ryan could yank off the OEM boost solenoids while the engine was out
    - Sony head unit
    - 1 piece steel drive shaft
    - 35% window tint all 'round
    - Straight-through 2.5" catback, no mufflers, resonators or h/x-pipe. loud as ****, will be for sale shortly
    - Most of the tweed interior dyed black (sick!)
    - Polyurethane bushings in the front
    - Cheap boost gauge
    - Cheap steering wheel
    - Brand new F1 racing stage 3 heavy duty 6 puck button clutch and lightweight flywheel
    - Fully serviced motor
    - Engine shows evidence of reassembly
    - Gearbox shows evidence of reassembly
    , both unsure though :(

    Bad parts on arrival:
    - paint is absolutely shagged, sporting 7 different blacks
    - unregistered
    - bad oil leak from rear main area (now fixed but we caused a gearbox leak)
    - bad weatherstrips, leaking targas =(
    - standard tt front bar has cracked lip, not that I give a shit as I've already hoiked it
    - pointless little things like a missing cargo blind, rooted driver's seat bolster, etc. car is in great shape with most busted up things replaced.

    Date of purchase:
    - july 5th 2011

    stuff to come:
    - everything, complete restomod

    - few exterior mods, keeping it mostly stock with NA front bar
    - slamming the f*ck out of it on my VMR's and teins
    - bolt ons and tune 'til she sings at 330 bhp, VEILSIDE EVOLUTION
    - buckets seats, dyed interior
    - full respray in factory gun metal grey with factory black roof & maybe mirrors
    - sound system, immobiliser
    - lots of misc things like 2k spec tails, din installed ECU talk, pillar gauges etc
    - OEM cruise control retrofit, OEM EL panel, more OEM bits because nissan had it right
    - maybe high-flows, see how we go with the stock ones on there

    Budget:
    - 15-20k probably
    - paid for entirely by me working and selling parts

    this is the build for my second zed, affectionately named bender as the final step of the project will be a gunmetal grey respray.

    some of you may remember member Markwell (probably not). he's a noob who bought this car off a mature owner who daily'd it on 10 pounds. he jacked it up from the radiator support (woo), put in a sub and boost controller then blew it the **** up while street racing. he payed 7k for it, and forcefully passed it on to QLD member Ryzan for $1400. Ryan bought it because it was straight and he wanted to drop a new motor into it.

    I haven't got much pics of it in my garage, but this is how it all started.

    [​IMG]

    yes, it looks like balls, but it's straight with a lot of work done and will be getting painted anway.

    this is exactly what I wanted in a tt. good motor and drive train, shit everything else (to keep it cheap) so I can fit all my own stuff, get it repainted and drive it.

    LOTS more pics and info to come like the engine work and what we've already done, but for now I'll just leave you with some inspiration of mine :)

    [​IMG]

    (man he's going to wank over me posting this one, but ****ed if I don't love it)

    [​IMG]

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    [​IMG]


    -A
     
    Last edited by a moderator: May 21, 2015
  2. murci

    murci Member

    Nice work Anti. Will be a long and arduous process no doubt. Is it a coincidence that my zed is pretty much exactly what you want? ;) 2+2 gunmetal grey tt @ 300+BHP with a stillen lip to come then coilsovers/rims and mega stance. Maybe you have a good sense of what is great...like me !:br:

    Hopefully when we are both done we can catchup for a trans-state cruise (zedfest?) and have alittle fun...

    Enjoy!
    Matt.
     
  3. ryzan

    ryzan Moderator Staff Member

    2 things,

    1st. I paid $1500 for the car thankyouverymuch :p

    2nd. Driving this thing was by far the scariest and most fun road trip I'd ever done. It drives absolutely brilliantly (save for stop start traffic) and apart from a dirty fuel issue 100km away from home it was perfect. Put a grin on my face from ear to ear even though it's only running stock boost.

    ...nice name by the way :rofl:
     
  4. murci

    murci Member

    Love it how the first 3 posts are us haha. We need more msn 3 way chats yooo.

    on topic. The feeling of driving an old (relative to other cars) zed with solid mechanics is the most fun thing. My fuel pumps are super loud and other little things you can hear, just adds to the experience :)

    Are you ever coming up north Anti? and when are you coming South Ryan?

    Matt :)
     
  5. Mclovin

    Mclovin Well-Known Member

    2+2 TT with a stillen lip & lowered eh? where did you get that from? :p:p ;)
     
  6. mr zed x

    mr zed x chassis scrubbin..

    my bunky is inspiration, woo.
    good pic though, I was mega pissed I just got defected :p

    so 3 gunmetal Aussie zeds, dumped and slammed in 3 different states! I like it.
    good luck anti! if you need any help don't hesitate to ask :)
     
  7. gmbrezzo

    gmbrezzo Moderator

    I like your style.
    Gunmetal grey has always been a favourite of mine.
    Good name too. Bender. Like it.
    Look forward to the postings.
    Bet you are looking forward to getting out of the student scene and some real money comming in to spend on that baby of yours.
    Good luck with it and hope its smooth sailing with the build.

    Black at the moment eh? just missing the airbrushed flames :)
     
  8. trinzed

    trinzed New Member

    Hey Anti got more pics of the dan vicente zed
     
  9. Anti

    Anti 14.7 x 14.7 = 44.1

    Pretty close matt, but I'd be hoping to make a lot more than 300 bhp with afermarket turbos! :p

    Still a killer find you got there. That wing's pretty nifty, but I hate the wheels it came with...

    +1 for a meet fellas, but there's already one planned... Zed fest! The goal was to finish this car by then, but I doubt I'll get it done in time.
    2K SPEC TAIL LIGHTS WOULD HELP lol cheers rodney
    If I had some real money I'd prob'ly be building an r32 and drifting it! haha. still love this zed.
    man if it's the same zed as the picture above it (think it is, just different wheels) then yeah, I've got heaps. chuck a PM my way.
     
  10. Anti

    Anti 14.7 x 14.7 = 44.1

    Okay... it's go time bitches!

    Today I'll be posting up all the work Ryan did, both Ryan and I did, and what I've done up to where the car is now! prepare to be drowned in pictures, lol.

    Here's my Zed when it was with it's last owner, Mark. total dropkick. got him on facebook, loves posting up if anyone's got drugs...

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    jacking it from the rad support... after this the bonnet, when closed, looked the same as a regular zed with the bonnet popped...

    [​IMG]

    red vinyl interior... woohoo!
     
    Last edited by a moderator: May 21, 2015
  11. Anti

    Anti 14.7 x 14.7 = 44.1

    Then he blew it up, and sold it (delivered on a trailer!) to Ryan for fifteen hundred bucks. pretty good price. Here's the thread:

    http://www.aus300zx.com/forum/showthread.php?t=304819

    I'm not sure exactly what he'd done to the motor, but I know the heads, cylinders and turbos were all clogged with water (not hydrolock) and it was absolutely FUBAR.

    She sat in Ryan's front yard for a few months as so...

    [​IMG]

    Before he got to the engine work, he pulled out the aftermarket interior! thank christ. Also yanked out a crappy turbo timer, boost gauge and shift light. Had to replace some trim where the gauge was bolted in. Real bodge job. He put in a regular tweed interior from a Zed he was wrecking at the time. While it was out, I made this thread so he tried dying it! and it worked!

    Comparison photo:

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    He gave it a good clean out too. 22 years of multiple owners, and QLD dust...

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    The seats are a little bit more firm now that they're dyed but to be honest, I think it's an improvement. They feel awesome. Not uncomfortable or scratchy in the slightest, if anything it restored so many years of fat people crushing them. He didn't do the lower part of the rear seat, so I'll be ordering some to do that. The only reason I won't be keeping the front seats is because I want buckets!
     
    Last edited by a moderator: May 21, 2015
  12. Anti

    Anti 14.7 x 14.7 = 44.1

    It was about this time that Matt (member Murci) picked up a black '89 2+2 auto TT with a blown 'box, and parted it out.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    Ryan went on a hella long (8 hours return or something) trip and bought the motor. Not sure what the price was, but it was pretty reasonable IIRC.

    When Matt got it, he could still drive it around with the shagged 'box and reckons it pulls like a champ. The car was owned by a mature guy I think, and hadn't been thrashed. 179,000 on the clock (imported though). Here's a video of how it ran before it was pulled, before all the work Ryan did to it. Starts at exhaust, moves to engine just past 30 seconds in.

    [yt]CrYeUob3aaY[/yt]

    It was around this time that floods hit Queensland. Unfortunately this meant Ryan couldn't jet down and get the engine himself, so he called upon Aus300ZX to help him out.

    http://www.aus300zx.com/forum/showthread.php?t=307093

    Reyoh, Murci, Baz, zToy and a friend of Murci's were clocked on for about 8 hours to get it all done. Full post here!
     
    Last edited by a moderator: May 21, 2015
  13. Anti

    Anti 14.7 x 14.7 = 44.1

    Pulling the old engine

    So now that Ryan had the new motor, he had to get the old one out... So he pushed it into the garage and got to work!

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    (that's the new engine on the right on a stand, with newly painted cam covers!)

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    And of course... the man himself!

    [​IMG]

    It was somewhere throughout this that Ryan discovered the evidence of the box being pulled apart (aftermarket sealant where it'd been but back together) and a one piece steel driveshaft! Sick! Forgot to mention in in the OP, the guy that owned this TT before the dropkick Markwell (mature guy) said he replaced the diff with brand new in '09. There is no other evidence of this however.
     
  14. Anti

    Anti 14.7 x 14.7 = 44.1

    Prepping the motor

    So then the car sat for a while and the new engine was prepped for and readied to be fitted. Here's the work Ryan did, with some things I bought and posted up to him to do as well.

    - Plenum pull and 100k service

    - New camshaft seals
    - New timing belt
    - New water pump
    - Two new front water hoses
    - New camshaft sprocket
    - Two new idler pulleys
    - New timing belt tensioner
    - New VVT springs and o-rings
    - New rocker cover gaskets + goo
    - New under-plenum coolant hoses
    - New turbo water hoses
    - New "bastard hose"
    - New TT PCV hoses and valves
    - New thermostat
    - New rear gearbox seal
    - New manual shifter bushings
    - New O2 sensors (supplied by me)
    - New coolant temperature sensor and connector (supplied by me)
    - New injector connectors

    - EGR deleted
    - Safety boost solenoids deleted
    - AIV disconnected, still present at this time
    - Full air conditioning delete, heater still present (requested by me)

    - Series 2 PTU hardwired in
    - Detonation sensor bypass hardwired in
    - Clutch master cylinder and slave rebuilt
    - Idle air control unit cleaned out
    - TPS checked and okay
    - Many worm clamps replaced with better ring clamps

    - OEM injectors professionally sonic cleaned and air flow tested, cost a pretty penny!

    - Consult checked and code 55 approved!

    - Engine and gearbox oil changed, differential oil okay

    Got receipts from CZP order too!

    During this process Ryan's dad was in town (my town!) and I met up with him to give him a chance to once-over my NA, which he approved with "it doesn't have a V8 in it, but it goes!". While he was here, I passed on a plenum I'd been hand sanding for about 30 hours (in front of the computer watching movies and Nip/Tuck lol). I'm not a fan of chrome in the slightest, so my goal was to polish it to "brushed" status. Like so:

    [​IMG]

    That's obviously not a Z32 plenum, but you get the idea. Unfortunately I didn't quite finish mine before I passed it on to be fitted, but it's sanded back all over and really pops when you open the hood so I'm happy!

    Here's the motor just before it went in.

    Before, out with the old.

    [​IMG]

    After, in with the new!

    [​IMG]

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    lookin' fly!

    While this was going on I saved for a new heavy duty clutch, 'cause it sure as hell made sense to change it at the time! The last was an Exedy of some sort that wasn't kaputt, but it wouldn't have lasted too long with the power I was planning to make. Wasn't a bad bit of kit though.

    I ordered an F1 Racing Stage 3 heavy duty clutch and flywheel for around the $300 mark with the dollars at the time. Another $200 to get it from the states to Ryan! :eek:

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    Although these guys are eBay based in the states, many members here have used their products to great success and recommend them. They have a huge range for lots of cars. One member here (dunno who) actually visited their warehouse in the good ol' US of A and was blown away by the scale of production. Turns out they just keep costs down by selling online.
     
  15. gmbrezzo

    gmbrezzo Moderator

    Very nice so far.
    Any info on the engine lifting jig, as I have an engine pull planed in the next few weeks.
    Measurments or links to thread on how to make one please.
     
  16. Anti

    Anti 14.7 x 14.7 = 44.1

    Installing the engine

    Few things on the motor:

    Compression is great. I've got the exact figures somewhere, but they were 146-156 on all 6. Killer.

    It's out of an '89 TT auto with 179,000 kays on it. Unfortunately this means it has auto spec camshafts and turbos. Poop. So long as I can get 247 rwkw at round 14-15 PSI (safely), I'm happy. If they can do that it's good I've got 'em over manual ones as they lag less.

    There were these mysterious heat tags on the motor... one on the coolant hard pipe, the other on the back of the block.

    [​IMG]

    They say "warranty void if removed". I know some importers fit these to their engines when they bring them in for a 3 month warranty, but since one was on the back of the block (can't get to it) the engine must've been pulled. Hopefully this means it's been rebuilt, who knows. A man can dream.

    Then... in it went!

    [​IMG]

    Motor went in well, but had an issue where only three cylinders were firing. It was hard to pinpoint as on idle, the engine is so balanced it wasn't noticeable believe it or not. When the car was off, everything checked out fine. Turned out the vibration of it running was knocking off a bank of injector connectors. All fixed now!

    Here's a video Ryan took of the engine running not long after installation. The "injector thingies" was the bank not firing, lol.

    [yt]X9trWQ-7KoY[/yt]

    That's how it sounds at the moment, straight-through exhaust with only cats. No mufflers or resonators.
     
  17. ryzan

    ryzan Moderator Staff Member

    @ gmbrezzo this is what I used to do the pull Linky

    Wouldn't reccomend it unless you are pust pulling the engine on its own though. Trying to get the engine and the box out together was a nightmare. Fortunately I find it easier to do the engine and gearbox separately so I love it (girly arms makes it easy to get to all the bellhousing bolts).



    @anti That video was with the car running on all 6 cylinders, with no exhaust. Not much of a difference in loudness is there :p

    I believe there is more of a chance that the motor has been rebuilt or at least had the heads off at some point in its life (though the heat tag should have been on the head then?) as it was very clean and tidy in and outside. That said though there is no real way to tell I guess.
     
  18. Anti

    Anti 14.7 x 14.7 = 44.1

    Bodywork

    Now that the car was rolling (and rolling quickly) it was time to get the bodywork sorted before it went to me. Shoddy paint was part of the agreement so that's fine, but the car needed a dent on the driver's side door and rear quarter fixed as well as a dent in the passenger side skirt and the brazilian holes welded up. Didn't have a third brake light yet either unfortunately.

    Before that, Ryan found a bodge-spec way to straighten out the bent rad support. Before he did, the bonnet sat about two CM too high when closed and looked like total arse. Visable here:

    [​IMG]

    He braced the bottom of the car then used a bottle jack to push against the rad support while pulling it down with chains. It worked!

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

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    Now it's flush. Good as new!

    Then it was loaded onto a trailer (still unregistered) and mum's Falcon got it to the shop!

    [​IMG]

    $300 later, she came back looking like this:

    [​IMG]

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    He rattlecan'd over the primer for a mild aesthetic improvement. Good move IMO. Also, yes, it literally was this dirty when he delivered it to me. And that's before the highway driving...
     
  19. Anti

    Anti 14.7 x 14.7 = 44.1

    Maiden voyage!

    All ready to go. Ryan picked up an unregistered vehicle permit, and after having driven the car less than 20 kays since the engine being installed he headed off on the 1,409 trip south to me in Sydney. Confident or stupid? I'd say both.

    The permit only allowed him to drive it within the preset dates and on the most direct route. Despite having a boost gauge on the dash and a P-plate where the rear number plate should have been he didn't encounter any trouble. Not from the popo at least.

    100 KM into the drive cylinder 5 dropped dead. Stuck on the side of the highway there was little he could do, so he soldiered on. About 20 minutes later it kicked back in, and there wasn't a single problem since. Our bet is the shitty fuel in the car while it was sitting for a fair few months.

    That first picture of the car in the OP is from the trip down, and here're a few more:

    [​IMG]

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  20. gmbrezzo

    gmbrezzo Moderator

    Thanks for that Ryzan
     

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