New World Datsuns...

Exhaust work continues! For now...

Here is the exhaust tunnel piece tacked in. Its actually full welded in now. Holy crap I had such a hard time welding to the floor pan. Essentially I just turned the heat way up and tacked it all together. Some spots looked good, some spots looked like boogers. Meh it will hold, seam sealer and paint will cover it.




Here is a piece of (shitty 409 stainless) 2.5" pipe in the new cutout. You can see the distance from the driveshaft and the tunnel, it has the same clearance upwards in the car. Oh and it is really above the frame of the car.




So I got a little bit lucky. The Turbo elbow ends... well randomly. I didnt cut it at all. I slipped my V-band on it and it was in a really easy to access spot, so ok.


This is one side of the V-band flange on the turbo elbow, it had a mild press fit, which was nice for mocking things up.




So looking down at the back of the turbo, you can barely see the V-band here.




This is only a little further down, here you can see the clearance to the firewall. The clamp is kinda close, but the pipe itself isnt too bad.





Now from under the car, Pretty much the same thing as before.




Here is looking up at the car, you can see the clearances. Whats gonna be annoying is that the Transmission fill is on this side. Im thinking I may do a second V-band at the back to allow super fast removal.




And this is looking forward. Here you can see the height relative to the "frame" and that it is pointed straight back to the tranny mount.




So Ill have to leave the exhaust there for now. Well most of that will get welded. I am going to use a flex piece so exhaust relief, but the one I got (shown awhile ago) isn't 304 stainless. Its 409 center, and aluminized steel cups. So I have a 100% 304 stainless one coming sometime. Gotta figure out where exactly I am putting that. Then I am going to run a pipe straight back, and leave it there for awhile. I dont NEED a complete exhaust to run the car.

And that brings me to my next point. The car has to be out of the garage before July 1st. My mom is selling the house. Sooo, time to make it run! Short cuts will be made. Ill have to revisit some things. But Ill try an make it easy for myself.

Ugh. Sorry to hear about the time crunch. Future housing plans?

A house for sure. Not sure exactly. But I need a garage, and no HOA.

So basically, you may see a lot of action here shortly, followed by not so much in June, and probably non existent July/August... as I will still live here, but more or less live out of my car to keep everything slim until the house sells.

Draynor and I do have a project in mind so that may keep me busy. (Hint, it involves 510 wagons, and we plan to sell kits).

Flex piece came in yesterday. This one is from Verocious Motorsport. Just randomly threw it on the end of the piping.







So I took everything to work to get as much as I could tacked together. And ended up with something like this (I will add a heat shield for the tranny mount):












And hear is the lowest point on the exhaust, the flex piece because of its much larger diameter is sticking down maybe a 1/4"






And the pipe extends all the way to the back seat. Here you can see that its above the frame rails:





I think this will all get full welded Monday/Tuesday. I got some other stuff in. Finishing up the rear axle is needed. As well as brakes... And I would like the oil pan done...

Looking good!!!

At first it looked like a single pipe going in and a dual pipe coming out if the flex piece, but it is an optical allusion because of the lines on the pipe.
I don't have the patients to make anything so nice.

Its really not easy to take pictures under here. Its dark, and there isnt that much room. And I am using my phones night photo settings so that everything comes out well lit.


I really dont want to do things twice, so I am trying to make it the best i can.

I take my time making the pipe coming off the turbocharger to the hole just beside the torsion bar, then I lose interest and use flex pipe to get me to the exhaust shop.
I had to cut my floor board right next to the tunnel on my 520 ute as I had to pipe the exhaust above all the cross members as the truck is so low, but it was only a small section about 12" long.

In my quest to make the car actually a legit rolling chassis again. Lets start with the axle!

Pulled out the axle shafts. I then had fun removing the bearings. I actually read in the FSM that the retaining collar is pressed on at 4-5 tons. The first one came off fairly easily. The second one didnt want to come off until it met Mr MAPP gas.





Then I had remembered that I had some S13 rear brake dust shields. So I needed to get that to fit... With the bearing retainers I made some time ago...




But then I realized that the dust shields may cause too much axial slop for the axle. Which it did... Damnit. So now I am taking the bearing retainers back to work to shave them down a bit. I need to fix this issue before I press the new bearings on.

Fixed the bearing retainers! Not too bad to do. Already test fit, Its gonna work! I need to pick up the appropriate bolts for this though. Will do that tomorrow since ACE Hardware is closed, and Home Depot/Lowes barely have metric hardware.

Well I had to order the bolts online. Grabbed JIS bolts so they would have a smaller head. I then found out one of the 2 axle seals I ordered were wrong. So I did one side for now. Glad to report that the rotor does not rub the dust shield either.

Other than the soft brake line to the axle, and figuring out to do a floor mount ebrake, the rear axle is pretty much done.

I suppose a update might be in order. Not a whole lot has happened...


I got the car on the ground! Decided it would look nicer in the garage if it wasnt on jack stands.



MMM that is a nice height.



And yes, there is some significant Camber... No its not staying, but Im not fixing it right now.



Finally bought the steering double U-Joint. Bought a Borgeson, because I have only heard great things, and to me, steering=safety. Already test fit and I do think it will fit. The 3/4DD side fits on the MR2 intermediate shaft snugly. The other side is 3/4" smooth. The 510 shaft is 1/2". So I will need to make a spacer and have it all welded together. Also grabbed a QA1 M14 rod end to make a shaft support. Will be making the adapter after work tomorrow.




Oh and talking about steering. With the weight of the car on its tires, I can turn the front wheels with the steering wheel with 1 hand... car not moving, but it is on smooth concrete and that camber...




I love looking at this engine in this bay.

I do too. Especially now that I can see the whole picture

So something to show... Had this done shortly after the above posting. Used some 8620 steel which is decently strong after heat treating (welding?). Whatever the U-joint is made of is some sort of real nice material according to my welder.

I had also messed up the shaft a bit when I was removing the old U-joint. Had the welder fill some material on so I could make a spot for my bearing to sit. Its a real light press fit for the bearing.

Other than that I cant figure out a nice looking bracket for the steering support brace, so I am in the process of the ghetto rigging it to make the steering work/test it out. Pictures of that later.

So I took off the turbo so I had access to the steering components. WTF. The U-joint at the rack is hitting the bolt for the engine to transmission. I am 100% sure I checked and double checked that I did not foul that.

Well that is no fun. Um I need to move something. I think I am going to move the bolt... Its only just rubbing.

Boo.

No pressure. It's not like you're on a deadline to vacate or anything.

I am not there to say for sure, but could you shave/cut the block down right there around an eighth or slightly more to clearance the head of that bolt?
It looks like it was shaved/milled in that spot at the factory, what is a little more.

That is what I am thinking. First step is to make sure I am using a JIS bolt to use the smallest head size. Then sand down the block. I think I have a 50grit belt for my finger sander...

I would cut it with a cutting disc, but that is how I do things, sanding thick metal takes too much time, I don't have the patience, that is the same issue I have with auto paint prep, no patience.
I just reread what you wrote, belt finger sander???
I just searched that, maybe that will work, never seen one before.

Well messed around with the steering some. Made a bracket to hold the stabilizing bearing. Just tacked together, heavily. So I can test the steering. A LOT less bind. I noticed the whole mount for the rack shifts side to side when I turn the wheel... I do have 2 of the bolts out. Need to attach those and see how well it holds then. Turning left and the U-Joint just barely clears the bolt on the block, turning right it hits. Again I will check that after I bolt the rack on better. (I am also planning on lots more strengthening of the rack mount).

Any ways, Pictures. They were awkward to take...


A not good photo that shows the intermediate shaft, and the lower U-joint.



Here is an Ok photo, which shows the basic routing of the steering... That coolant line is just in the way... also that brake line, I ought to just cut it.

Also, I promise, the linkage is as straight as possible.



And here is a shot of the bracket for the stabilizing bearing. I will add 1 more piece to to make it a bit stronger. But it will hold for just moving the car. Do remember, the whole front end needs to be blown apart and full welded.

I look at this issue and believe this is a rack and pinion, can you just roll/shim/remount the rack away from the block, it would not take much, your only talking about a eighth inch twist at the height of the joint hitting which is hardly anything at the actual rack mount.