Building a car
Posted: Fri Dec 15, 2006 12:34 pm
Getting a fairly good pay rise in the new year.
Decided to do abit of a side project.
Yep, another EJ20(turbo) conversion.
Basing it on the 1986 RX Sedan I've had sitting here.
I plan to make this a total wank-fest show car. Lowered streeter.
It's simply crying out for a turbo EJ conversion...
Fuel system - bung a VL turbo pump in and it's done.
Wiring - splice in like 8 wires to the EA82 EFI harness and it's done.
Here's a rough plan;
1 - Restore the body.
I ripped the driveline out after work yesterday and started to prep the engine bay for respray. The rest of the body has a fair share of minor dints and scrapes and some slight surface rust here and there. The chassis has a small area of rust holes around the radius rod mount on the passenger side but it hasn't taken hold yet so should be an easy fix to cut/weld that up.
It's currently white and I intend on keeping it that way but I will spray it in 100% pure white so it's as bright as possible.
Rear spoiler needs replacing - I might see if Clark rubber can somehow make a copy - its only made of black rubber but its all old and perished.
I'm hoping to keep the standard RX interior (love it or hate it) - its abit grubby but hopefully should scrub up okay. Drivers seat needs some stiching repairs done.
Roof lining needs replacing.
2 - Purchase a complete written off smashed WRX. I should be able to pick one of these up very cheap from the auctions. If I can get an STI for a good enough price I will.
3 - Basically rebuild the WRX into the RX's body. These days there are ways to use almost all the parts and get them to work in an L series.
Engine - will drop directly onto the RX's turbo crossmember
Gearbox - I will copy the custom modded crossmember currently used in my wagon to get this to fit. I'll need to get a shortened tailshaft made up.
Rear LSD diff - the wrx rear diff will bolt straight in now that OS has come up with a way of putting L series male stubs into them.
Clutch hydraulics - Can get the whole WRX system to fit.
Brakes (front and rear) - using the Bratgebah Crossbread conversion kit these will bolt on including the brake master cylinder. (yes this means the standard RX rear discs will be up for grabs hehe).
Mag wheels - After the Crossbread kit these will bolt straight on.
Front struts and springs - After the Crossbread kit these will bolt straight on.
Seats - the WRX front seats can be used with minor rails mods.
The RX is lacking power steering and aircon but these will easily be ganked from another unsuspecting L series from somewhere.
I figure getting a whole WRX is going to be more cost effective than a frontcut because of all the extras that you get which can be used.
Once the bodywork is done I'm expecting a pretty quick build time for two main reasons.
1 - I've already done one conversion and learnt all the in's and out's and I've got that car (the wagon) to refer to.
2 - I'm actually getting a complete car to work off - unlike the wagon where I sourced all the enginebay components separately. Took ages!
So for now I'm going to be working on the bodywork here and there (thats fairly easy and not too expensive).
At the end I should be left with a car thats relatively good on fuel, looks great, is reliable (no mods that really push anything beyond it's manufacturer intended limits - cept mabey rear CV's), and is blisteringly fast!
Decided to do abit of a side project.
Yep, another EJ20(turbo) conversion.
Basing it on the 1986 RX Sedan I've had sitting here.
I plan to make this a total wank-fest show car. Lowered streeter.
It's simply crying out for a turbo EJ conversion...
Fuel system - bung a VL turbo pump in and it's done.
Wiring - splice in like 8 wires to the EA82 EFI harness and it's done.
Here's a rough plan;
1 - Restore the body.
I ripped the driveline out after work yesterday and started to prep the engine bay for respray. The rest of the body has a fair share of minor dints and scrapes and some slight surface rust here and there. The chassis has a small area of rust holes around the radius rod mount on the passenger side but it hasn't taken hold yet so should be an easy fix to cut/weld that up.
It's currently white and I intend on keeping it that way but I will spray it in 100% pure white so it's as bright as possible.
Rear spoiler needs replacing - I might see if Clark rubber can somehow make a copy - its only made of black rubber but its all old and perished.
I'm hoping to keep the standard RX interior (love it or hate it) - its abit grubby but hopefully should scrub up okay. Drivers seat needs some stiching repairs done.
Roof lining needs replacing.
2 - Purchase a complete written off smashed WRX. I should be able to pick one of these up very cheap from the auctions. If I can get an STI for a good enough price I will.
3 - Basically rebuild the WRX into the RX's body. These days there are ways to use almost all the parts and get them to work in an L series.
Engine - will drop directly onto the RX's turbo crossmember
Gearbox - I will copy the custom modded crossmember currently used in my wagon to get this to fit. I'll need to get a shortened tailshaft made up.
Rear LSD diff - the wrx rear diff will bolt straight in now that OS has come up with a way of putting L series male stubs into them.
Clutch hydraulics - Can get the whole WRX system to fit.
Brakes (front and rear) - using the Bratgebah Crossbread conversion kit these will bolt on including the brake master cylinder. (yes this means the standard RX rear discs will be up for grabs hehe).
Mag wheels - After the Crossbread kit these will bolt straight on.
Front struts and springs - After the Crossbread kit these will bolt straight on.
Seats - the WRX front seats can be used with minor rails mods.
The RX is lacking power steering and aircon but these will easily be ganked from another unsuspecting L series from somewhere.
I figure getting a whole WRX is going to be more cost effective than a frontcut because of all the extras that you get which can be used.
Once the bodywork is done I'm expecting a pretty quick build time for two main reasons.
1 - I've already done one conversion and learnt all the in's and out's and I've got that car (the wagon) to refer to.
2 - I'm actually getting a complete car to work off - unlike the wagon where I sourced all the enginebay components separately. Took ages!
So for now I'm going to be working on the bodywork here and there (thats fairly easy and not too expensive).
At the end I should be left with a car thats relatively good on fuel, looks great, is reliable (no mods that really push anything beyond it's manufacturer intended limits - cept mabey rear CV's), and is blisteringly fast!