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SR20VET S15 omg

Max

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About time for a build thread

I got the car off Lynny up in Doncaster in November 2010 when I was 20.
I never thought I would be that bothered by having a sun roof but I love it.

In tuning and modifying I’m now going by the principle ‘do it once, do it properly’ approach. Why waste time and money a second time.

Car when it was imported in 2009 by Torque GT, starting UK life with Lynny for a year and a bit.

(picture of standard white S15 that doesnt want to upload, probably my fauly)


It had very few things needing doing to it when I got it. Some paint was peeling on the roof but that is really about it. All that wasn’t standard was a 5Zigen cat-back, Blitz filter and Splitfires, and a horrible rear bumper that didn’t last long. Managed to transport a new front and rear bumper in the car, with a passenger, with the bumpers poking ou tof the sunroof and boot at the same time. Only have to drive about 300 miles that day. Wished I took a photo!

First mod was to fit RLTC to keep me out of trouble as it is a daily. Good bit of kit that, probably not doing my rwd skills many favours though.

Engine bay started as this, with a leaky front crank seal

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Much better now
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5Zigen exhaust had rusted through so I swapped it for a Blitz Nur Spec RX, wrapped Apex downpipe, and wrapped SIS?? Elbow and manifold (whoever they are made by they are cracking quality as Fasthands can attest to, comparable to his Tomei J Braided oil and water lines while I’m at it too. That seems to be my big excuse for buying more things.
To complete the exhaust system I have a sports-cat waiting to go in when I get a wideband + boss welded in.

Induction wise, the ARC type box looks great and I have a GReddy intercooler to fit once I get some custom piping sorted for it as it is going in upside down. At that point I will try and knock up a cold air intake out of fibreglass once the old boost piping is out of the way, plus fit the HKS adjustable actuator I also have waiting for a boost increase.

When the chance came to pick up a pair of Sparco Milano 2’s plus harnesses for £100 I snapped them up, got Bride rails from Nungun at fitted it all. After getting hacked off by the harnesses I changed my mind and have now had my front seatbelts re-furbished in blue, and removed the rears.
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As you might see here, front brakes swapped with refurbed R32 GTR Non V-Spec (296mm) and rears from an R34 GTT (297mm) with an R33 GTST BMC. Braided lines all round. Very good net result, much better than re-furbing rears (been there twice and didn’t go well for me)
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I got some carbon wing mirror covers from EP Racing they were flogging off. At the same time I wrapped the rest of the mirror cover and root black to hide all white.
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With Japfest looming and my holiday cancelled I found myself with alot of time. While browsing Nengun I found Yokohama Super Advans... and now I have a full re-furbed pearl white set. They are 17 8j et35 front, 3mm spacers to clear calipers and 18 9j et42 rear. I think 17’s + 18’s makes a nice subtle touch.
 
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Max

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IMG_4922.jpgIMG_4921.jpgIMG_4919.jpg

And I thought I was going for a stealth approach...

New lights there too, SONAR LED ones with chrome indicator bulbs. They make such a good difference, and that combined with chrome ones in the front indicators gets rid of all scrambled egg appearance.

Decided to spruce up the interior some more. While I was in there I changed all the speakers, just have to get a decent UK double DIN Radio rather than keeping the Jap one.
IMG_4891.jpg



The main effort recently has been rust. Nothing too bad but prevention is better than cure!!! Sorted the front end and sills, rear end of the car to go. Using kurust, wire brushes, primer then wax oyl. It is all in the prep.

Next up in Sept, fit sports-cat + AEM wideband. Blast + powder coat replacement arms and subframe and get new energysuspension bushes in, I have their entire range of bushes waiting. At the same time fit the HKS Hipermax Performers that are on their way from Japan and have it all sorted locally. And ‘while I’m at it’ get a Depo 4-in-1 Oil temp, press, boost and volts gauge in too. Maybe HKS Adjustable Actuator at the same time too.
IMG_4917.jpg

Once that is done I’ll have all the supporting mods in for upping the engine power, just have to get the 740’s and Vipec ECU to go with poncams and Greddy IC.
Brakes will be able to handle it, plus the suspension and bush setup will be perfect for fast-road.

Even further future: When I have a house, and most importantly with a garage, I want to do a whole works re-furb/rebuild, with seam welding. Once it goes back together I’ll probably keeping it white but getting spats and an aero bumper. Would seriously consider a BGW and a two tone Black/white vinyl job.
 
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S15AK

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Looking good, massive difference from where it started from. Bargain on the seats for sure they do look the part. I love them ARC filters as well, did you pick that up from new?
 

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Awesome progress mate, I was looking for your car ages ago when I saw you near exeter! Nice to have a thread to check out! Wheels look ace, id thought about white on white with the advans a while back and it looks as cool as i thought it would. :)
 

Max

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Thanks mate. I'm hoping I'm keeping it clean and it's not going downhill.
I was V lucky with the seats, but a bit annoyed that they weigh more than stock! Just subtle(ish) looks changes for now, and pretty low key mods in general. Try and keep the money pit in check that way!

The box filter came off Fasthands who got himself a very nice Gruppe M? carbon one from Japan to go with so many other JDM parts!
Once my intercooler pipework is sorted I'll be able to sort out a cold air feed for the filter too :) and with the ECU/740s/poncams hopefully round out at 320ish HP and about as efficient as possible.
Have just got myself an Exedy Hyper clutch + flywheel kit incase my plans change :p
 

Max

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They are just a bugger to keep clean now as I'm sure you understand.
Could have got a black finish behind the spokes but nevermind.
Terrified of kerbs now but who on here isn't!
 
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Love what you have done with it dude. Its all coming together nicely!!
If your not planning on getting a bigger turbo surely you only need 555's?? Or are you getting 740's because you already know what's going to happen lol
 

Max

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That is pretty much why! Keeping the options open just incase :p and if turbo did change then everything else is already in place for the sake of £20 or £30 extra :)
Still waiting for the HKS Coilys btw, so wont be doing the subframe change for 2 or 3 more weeks, then it can wing it's way to you.
 
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Yeah no worries buddy I'm in no rush.
I think we all know what's gonna happen! If it's there may as well use it to its full potential ha ha
 

Max

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Quick update, Depo Gauges

I got a replacement Boost Gauge and also a 4 in 1 Oil pressure, oil temperature, water temp, and volts.
I plumped for the white background one to match the car :) and wasnt so keen on the smoked lens.

Quality looks really good, even though one came from ebay. Fortunately no additional cost at the borders either. I got a sandwich plate from prolex-uk's amazon shop but had a bit of a mare with oil leakage.

Pulled out the vent and took a dremel(esque) tool to it to keep the silver surround.
IMG_5710.jpgIMG_5709.jpgIMG_5711.jpg

Re-assembled the vent and blocked up the rear just to make sure I keep pressure in the A/C system and not to heat/cool the gauge.

Fitted the press, temp one in the right hand dash vent and the boost where it belongs. You can get a 4 in 1 boost but I think it would be distracting.
IMG_5716.jpgIMG_5715.jpg

You can choose blue or white back lighting by wiring it into the acc and parking light wires. For me blue when the lights are off, white when they are on, again, less distracting at night. Clever stuff to the un-initiated like me.

Wires to all the sensors get pushed through the main hole through the firewall infront of the fusebox in the driver's footwell. I'd recommend using some decent threadlock glue for all the plugs and sensors on the sandwich plate, one of mine was determined to leak.

I'm now a bit more ready for some more boost.
 

Max

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£109 + £6 postage, no customs.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/110936297356?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649
Comes with all sensors, but not the sandwich plate or the housing for the rad temp sensor.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B006RT1EEO/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Depo-Racing...XRH2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1347482548&sr=8-1

If you can i'd get a smaller sandwich plate if possible as our filter is really on the smaller side so not so much contact area for both faces, and use sealant on the threads. Have stopped the leak on mine though, just not quite exactly what I'd have liked.
 

Max

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Xmas came early today
IMG_5718.jpgIMG_5717.jpg
To go with all this that has been building up. Just need it blasted and coated before bushing
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And got this for when mine goes bang. Exedy Hyper Single
IMG_5722.jpg
 

Max

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This weekend update
If your car sounds like a tractor and you arent making boost, this is what you need:
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Nice copper gaskets from conceptua, all studs and nuts from DB Power. Got new turbo inlet and outlet gaskets too. Why not afterall, the turbo will be out anyway.

Also, new actuator as I think mine is stuffed and contributing to the boost issue.

Because my current cat is stuffed from months of overfueling because of the boost leak, so will be fitting the sports cat, with a (not pictured) wideband boss, ready for when I get an Innovate wideband in a few months.

With the flexi that is going in the downpipe, or thoughts invited here, cut the bottom of the elbow and the top of the downpipe and have it welded between, eliminating a gasket, and giving me the room to shorten the downpipe to stop anthing scraping??
 

Max

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Taking the plunge, car comes off the road after next weekend for the winter. I have a very special work area to say the least, just half an aircraft hangar and a brilliant motor club to help out.

When it is on the road (in time for japfest of course) it will be all refreshed underneath and in the engine bay and with a certain va va VVL to boot.

Fortunately I have friends who know what they are doing, I just have the ideas and the donkey hours.

Alot of people may question the choice to go to all the effort of VVL for a daily but as I see it, I'll have heaps of low down torque to get me going off the line and power right up to a much higher red-line (even though the std turbo will be out of puff I think). More useable power over a wider powerband, better economy, and scope for a real track machine in the future once it isn't a daily.

Look forward to some interesting developments in the not too distant future...
 
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Max's Street S15

I can see where this is going. This will never be a daily again lol look forward to seeing progress not this dude!
 

Max

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Time to elaborate on the build. Have spent the last few months researching what I need vs what I want for a VVL build. As the aim is to build a super daily as Mr Nissan could have/ should have made.

Here is the SR16VE head cleaned up.
IMAG0095.jpg
It will be sent off next month to be properly skimmed + rebuilt. I had the inlet runners and a VE oil pump supplied with it fortunately as they are pretty difficult to get hold of, especially the runners.
IMAG0094.jpg

Here are the latest bits to arrive from JDM land. Should have a firm but comfortable ride. These will go with the HKS Hipermax Performers, Whiteline ARB's, and Energy Suspension everything else. The car will remain on standard arms but all newly powdercoated along with powdercoated subframe and knuckles. I'll lower as far as we can get away with on standard adjustment settings.
SAM_0044.jpg

Here is the garage where the work will take place. I'd like to call it my garage but it is actually RAF Shawbury motor club. Best forces motor club by a long way. Air tools, welding gear, 2 + 4 post ramps, the list goes on and on.
SAM_0021.jpg

Waiting for delivery of this lot from G-spec in the states:
Xcessive Plenum with IACV fitting
Pulley Spacer
SR16/20VE Gasket kit
Cometic Headgasket 1.5mm
Supertech Valve seals
Mazworx Solenoid Relocation Kit + lines
Mazworx Water neck kit
Mazworx RWD Oil pickup
Crank angle sensor from a Maxima (needs modding)
More EnergySuspension Poly grease
Piston ring set
ARP headstuds

Final bits I will need are:
AEM EMS-4 ECU
740cc Injectors
more pipework to fit my Greddy FMIC

Work that I will have to get done elsewhere should be the rebuild of the head, and skimming the block.
I'll have all the gear and parts and a friend with the knowledge to rebuild the rest but the VVL system is worth taking to an expert.
I'll have to sort out the bastardisation of the old Maxima CAS, to make it work like an SR20VE 20v CAS (couldn't find the 20v one and maxima was ALOT cheaper)
Coilpacks wise I will be swapping to Honda CBR 1000 coils and selling on the S15 splitfires
The AEM EMS-4 standalone seems ideal and usually comes with its own loom. I am rubbish with auto electrics though! Was getting seriously pissed off just wiring in my Innovate Wideband.

Moving on to transmission I have Craig's old spare 6 speed with very few miles. Thinking about cryogenically treating gears and having the circlip mod done. Perhaps garage-d will take my current gearbox as part exchange for the work :) Finally got an Exedy Hyper Single clutch to go in too, will probably want a braided line for that too.

While everything is out I'll blast and re-seal the underneath and should end up with a pretty Ninja car :D Just sticking with the standard turbo for now but the VE head should give me a good deal more torque and power throughout the increased rev-range.

**addition**
VE exhaust ports have a different stud layout so for now will modify my japspeed manifold and see how that goes. Not going to smash up my dream Tomei manifold that i do not own yet.

Last thing I have to decide on now is to get BC uprated springs and retainers. I know it is a good idea but this month I am maxxed!
 

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Max's Street S15

Your a bad man!!! Making me want to do this to mine now ha ha ha ha!!
Awesome workspace you have there dude! Looking forward to seeing this all up and running!! Should be epic
 
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