What's new

Red S15 Spec R Project

Joined
4 May 2016
Messages
24
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Location
Isle of Wight, UK
Country
So after many years of Japanese car ownership I’ve finally saved up enough for an S15!
After many months searching I finally found one I really liked with a massive spec list! After viewing the car a deal was made and a couple weeks later I collected the car with my friend Jamie.

IMG_0252 by Josh Jennings, on Flickr

I was extremely happy with it however after driving it home something didn’t feel quite right with the suspension and it needed to be raised as the roads on the Isle of Wight are shocking. During adjusting the suspension all the pre loads on each corner were different and the camber adjustment on the front left was completely loose and the right side wasn’t done up that tight either! With the suspension sorted it was now looking like this!

IMG_0265 by Josh Jennings, on Flickr

I’m not a fan of stretched tyres so while the suspension was being adjusted my friend and I worked out the tyre size and spacing that would allow them to fit correctly. I noticed the rear wheel studs had been cut in order to fit 20mm spacers so I decided to order ARP extended wheel studs to allow correct fitment of the wheels.

IMG_0327 by Josh Jennings, on Flickr

The 235 front tyres and 255 rear tyres were ordered as well.

IMG_0398 by Josh Jennings, on Flickr

So what turned from wet sanding the headlights turned into this… haha! All the headlight wiring was shortened and re-routed.

IMG_0604 by Josh Jennings, on Flickr

The intercooler piping was removed and checked over and given a quick polish. Also worked out what silicone hoses were needed, I’m not a fan of the red ones and some were pretty bodged together so a whole set of black samco ones have been ordered. When putting it back together I made sure to tighten the hose clamps down properly as they certainly weren’t done up much when I was pulling it apart!

IMG_0847 by Josh Jennings, on Flickr

The wet sanded headlights look a lot better!

As sad as it sounds I had collected a few stickers to put on so they were put on… haha!

IMG_0673 by Josh Jennings, on Flickr

I then set about fitting the extended studs on all 4 corners. When fitting these I also got the Hardrace rear camber and toe arms fitted.

IMG_0859 by Josh Jennings, on Flickr

IMG_0860 by Josh Jennings, on Flickr

The tyres were then put onto the wheels. Safe to say I’m a lot happier with the spacing and look of the wheels now!

IMG_0865 by Josh Jennings, on Flickr

I then took the 15 to the Goodwood Super Car Breakfast meet. Found Seen Through Glass’s car so thought it would be rude not to get a photo together with it haha!

IMG_0897 by Josh Jennings, on Flickr

When I was driving back to the Isle from the meet I noticed a slight exhaust leak. After driving for a couple of more short journeys to see the misses it soon turned into a major exhaust leak from the mani to the turbo!

I set about stripping it down. When undoing the bolts to the mani etc. I found that all of them weren’t done up nearly tight enough! My friend came round to help me pull the mani and turbo out while I was undoing the final bolts underneath, he pulled the mani expecting the turbo to come with it… just the manifold came away! The nuts had worked themselves loose and weren’t even present anymore!

With it all out I was left with this!

IMG_0980 by Josh Jennings, on Flickr

I decided to give the turbo a good looking over and clean up while it was off, would be rude not to haha!


IMG_1012 by Josh Jennings, on Flickr

The previous owner had included a tubular manifold that had cracked. I went round to my good friend Joes and he welded up making sure to beef all the welds up significantly. We also added some bracing from each flange to try and help prevent cracking again. Hopefully this will sort the problem, if not I will just go back to the standard mani. I gave it a quick clean up, not perfect but so much better than it was!

IMG_1029 by Josh Jennings, on Flickr

I’ve got a stainless turbo elbow on order and the downpipe has been taken off the car ready for a clean-up and heat wrapping.

Today my Splitfire coil packs have turned up so they’ll be fitted this eve!

IMG_1044 by Josh Jennings, on Flickr

I’ve got all my servicing fluids on the way as well as booking it in for a 4 wheel alignment in a couple of weeks. Hoping by the time all this is done it should feel like a different car!

Still plenty more work to do, but who likes spare time anyway!
 
Joined
4 May 2016
Messages
24
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Location
Isle of Wight, UK
Country
So last week I had a week off work and may have got a bit carried away with doing some jobs on the S15 haha!

Untitled by Josh Jennings, on Flickr

Untitled by Josh Jennings, on Flickr

Untitled by Josh Jennings, on Flickr

So with the coilovers off, body kit off and exhaust off the chassis was then prepared for protection. All the arches were wire brushed back to bare metal, any rust treated, zinc primer applied and then a nice thick layer of stone chip applied. I then got a bit more carried away and decided to do a wire tuck on the passenger side for now. I will do one on the other side but I want to drive it again soon haha!

Untitled by Josh Jennings, on Flickr

Untitled by Josh Jennings, on Flickr

This was the dirt that came out the bottom of the front fenders, it had just been sitting there! It won’t ever be like that again haha!

Untitled by Josh Jennings, on Flickr

The same was carried out behind the rear bumper.

Untitled by Josh Jennings, on Flickr

I then painted the brakes black, I hate red calipers with a passion! I will sand the Nissan back to bare metal once the paint has hardened enough. You can also see the coilover covers I fitted to keep them in mint condition.

Untitled by Josh Jennings, on Flickr

I then fitted my exhaust to keep moral up haha! Much happier with this, still yet to find out how it will sound! It needs modifying to sit further out once the bumper and rear lip is on, this will happen in time.

Untitled by Josh Jennings, on Flickr

While the front suspension was off I noticed that the outer tie rods looked a bit worse for wear along with the bump steer tie rods. So another package from Hardrace was delivered haha!

Untitled by Josh Jennings, on Flickr

I got sent a picture of my replacement cam cover after being sprayed the other day. So pleased with this compared to the horrible one that’s on there. Think it will transform the engine bay.

Untitled by Josh Jennings, on Flickr

I also re-assembled the turbo setup, I might have over engineered a few bits, but I don’t want the gasket leaking again haha!

Untitled by Josh Jennings, on Flickr

Untitled by Josh Jennings, on Flickr

So now I am just waiting on my black Samco hoses (should be here this week) and it will all be put back together then off for a 4 wheel alignment!
 
Joined
4 May 2016
Messages
24
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Location
Isle of Wight, UK
Country
It’s all back together now, I couldn’t wait for these blaady black silicone hoses any longer so the red ones went back on for now! The engine feels so much stronger now, don’t know if it’s the manifold, the Splitfire coil packs, or just the fact it’s all tight now ahaha! But it feels smoother, pulls better and there is definitely more power up top now!

Still need to get the alignment done but it’s all booked in for next Friday.

Got the cam cover fitted last night, looks so much better, can’t wait to sack these red hoses off!

Untitled by Josh Jennings, on Flickr

The manifold is going nice colours now as well haha!

Untitled by Josh Jennings, on Flickr
 
Joined
4 May 2016
Messages
24
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Location
Isle of Wight, UK
Country
Thanks for the picture! Didn't know I had been spotted haha!

Glad I've sorted the bumper fitment now, when I look at that now it really bugs me haha!

My black hoses have finally arrived after 6 weeks! I'll get the intercooler ones on this eve and do the radiator ones at the weekend. I'll do all the fluid this weekend as well!
 
Joined
4 May 2016
Messages
24
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Location
Isle of Wight, UK
Country
Finally got my alignment done, drives so much nicer! It’s got just under 3 degrees negative on the front and 1 and a half degrees on the rear. It still spins the rear wheels up even with 255s haha!

Made up a bracket to hold my air filter in place… Not that interesting but I was pretty happy with it haha!

Untitled by Josh Jennings, on Flickr

After winning a passenger seat rail off eBay the other day, I moved the driver’s Bride to the passenger side and put my Zeta bucket in the driver’s side with a Driftworks rail. Love the driving position even more now!

Untitled by Josh Jennings, on Flickr

Untitled by Josh Jennings, on Flickr

After changing the diff fluid I lowered the rear slightly more, much happier with the ride height now. Only couple of jobs left now are a transmission fluid change and a coolant flush and change!

Untitled by Josh Jennings, on Flickr
 
Joined
4 May 2016
Messages
24
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Location
Isle of Wight, UK
Country
Been a while since I’ve updated this, progress has been a bit slow where I’ve been out of the UK working so much but here it is!

Decided to go for some more power after the old turbo shagged itself!

Untitled by Josh Jennings, on Flickr

It’s a Garrett GTX 2867.64 turbo, much newer technology so should spoil quicker and give more power! Teamed that with an APW manifold and a new air filter & MAF set up.

Untitled by Josh Jennings, on Flickr

Untitled by Josh Jennings, on Flickr

While it was all out I continued wire tucking, there are now no more un-needed wires in the engine bay and any ones left have been routed and hidden.

Untitled by Josh Jennings, on Flickr

Me and my good friend Joe decided to then make a new exhaust, the shotgun one was far too loud, the Kakimoto sat far too low and was too quiet for my liking. The parts were purchased.

Untitled by Josh Jennings, on Flickr

Decided to get a sports cat as well, this should hopefully help me pass an MOT, pretty sure for the past 2 years it has been in the country it’s had dodgy MOTs which isn’t good!

Untitled by Josh Jennings, on Flickr

Was a horrible day, but we needed to crack on and get it done as it is booked in for mapping on the 22[SUP]nd[/SUP] of this month!

Untitled by Josh Jennings, on Flickr

Sports cat done.

Untitled by Josh Jennings, on Flickr

De-cat done.

Untitled by Josh Jennings, on Flickr

As some of you may know I like having a droooop on my exhaust, we cut the rolled tip off and tacked the 90 degree bend we had cut on.

Untitled by Josh Jennings, on Flickr

Lovely welding by Joe.

Untitled by Josh Jennings, on Flickr

New downpipe section with a flexi was made, I will heat wrap it again this weekend.

Untitled by Josh Jennings, on Flickr

Here’s how the droop sat… I personally love it, but I doubt anyone else will haha!

Untitled by Josh Jennings, on Flickr

That completed day one.

Untitled by Josh Jennings, on Flickr

Day 2 continued, as you can see it is all tucked up under the chassis rail.

Untitled by Josh Jennings, on Flickr

Just needs final welding now and heat wrap applying before mapping next week. Can’t wait to get it back now!
 

Daveizz

Joined
28 April 2012
Messages
306
Reaction score
5
Points
18
Location
Netherlands
Country
Always has been a nice car, you should consider yourself being the lucky owner....it is immaculat!!!!!
 
Joined
4 May 2016
Messages
24
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Location
Isle of Wight, UK
Country
Always has been a nice car, you should consider yourself being the lucky owner....it is immaculat!!!!!
Well it's been a long road getting it nice again really! Nearly there though, can't wait to drive it properly again!


So here is the final product, to say I'm happy is an understatement. Just the right level of loud now haha! Tucks up nice and close now and gives me loads of room to go lower!



Untitled by Josh Jennings, on Flickr



Untitled by Josh Jennings, on Flickr
 
Joined
4 May 2016
Messages
24
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Location
Isle of Wight, UK
Country
I'm looking forward to see how the GTX and the new exhaust responds on the dyno next week!

Not sure what power it's going to produce, only time will tell!
 
Joined
4 May 2016
Messages
24
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Location
Isle of Wight, UK
Country
So this weekend I did a few tidy up jobs, just waiting on a catch can to turn up now.

Untitled by Josh Jennings, on Flickr

Put heat wrap back onto my downpipe.

Untitled by Josh Jennings, on Flickr

Polished all the greasy finger prints off the exhaust and put some sealant on to keep it nice.

Untitled by Josh Jennings, on Flickr

Untitled by Josh Jennings, on Flickr

As I have great faith in my car I fitted a fire extinguisher ahaha! After seeing a car set alight at a show this year I’ve been contemplating getting one, I don’t actually mind how it looks really haha!

Untitled by Josh Jennings, on Flickr
 
Last edited:

Cess

Staff member
Moderator
Instagram Staff
Joined
10 February 2013
Messages
375
Reaction score
4
Points
18
Location
Northern Ireland
Country
That's clean. The underside and engine bay are pretty mint looking.
 
Top