Dry Sump Pan Day

So this has to start somewhere, the whole placement issue.

I call it a issue, because I get no fun from this task of retrofits. 

Actually, allow me to clarify, I like the job itself, I love the technical aspect of setting a engine up when you have artistic freedom, I just dont find this kind of work amusing anymore when youre in a 'chair. 

Engine in, measure and mark-up, engine out, modify, replace and engine back in again a dozen times or more if you want the pan, the engine and gearbox mounts perfect.

So to set the height, we need a pan. To finish the pan, we need the engine mounted. To mount the engine, the gearbox and bellhousing needs to fit the transmission tunnel.

What it does not.

Starting off I opted to go 316 stainless steel for the engine pan. Why, not aluminium?. Well stainless only won out because of the specific notching for the steering rack and engine cross-member, its cleaner, thinner and if I get a rock caught between it and the power steering rack, it wont wear a hole in it, and if it did I can weld stainless at a countryside roadhouse if need be. Welding aluminium is a bit more of a pain. Saying that, its not uncommon to find a stainless pan on a high end no budget Nascar motor.

So basic design is like you see on circle track stuff, but in a smaller simpler scale. Pan is rather shallow and runs a gutter along the scavenge (backside) side.





Ill run 3-points of scavenge on the pan, so ill happily sacrifice the gutter where it hangs too low.





Few test fits, markup and notch out.







Got it nice and low in the bay, and pretty hard up to the cross-member.

And in-case you're wondering, yes that is a S13 cross-member.




The inner view reveals how low it can sit. This time I won against that steering rack, however the next time we meet will be headers time, and I just know that will get ugly.

Real ugly.

Damn that time ...

Id say where does the time go, but I know the answer to that.

Last year I went to Europe for a few months, to see some Drift Allstars and enjoy the sight. Plus i was really burnt out and needed that time away to get some motivation and enjoyment back into it.

I have all of these pics and vids yet to upload, and of course ill add something here. So for the lacking content, im sorry, but i do promise its going to be a lot busier now.

Ok, related content - After deciding with Glenn (AKA Lumpy) we need to abandon the Chev bell housing to the TB48, and go with a Nissan unit, then adapt the Tremec at the main case was great to hear, because I was thinking it and had hoped to hear a similar thought.

The biggest sole issue I have with using the Chev bell housing, is that the starter motor is going to be a logistical nightmare to mount, as the starter location is on a web of the block for the bolt pattern. No go.

So it came to finding a aluminum Nissan Patrol bellhousing to suit. After 4 days and many many calls across many wreckers here and over east, I managed to find one - yes. So now onto mounting the gearbox to the engine, so I can then mount the engine in the chassis and laser-line it all up for engine mounts.

More soon !

The TB48 Test Fit

This evening was a huge win for the test fit, as this was really the only part I was till this point dreading. 

This afternoon Wayne came past, and gave me a hand to test fit the engine, and after a few more cuts to the firewall the engine was ready for its first test fit, and with all the voices of "Its too large" and "You wont get it into the firewall, it will be so heavy over the front axle" swirling around in my head, I couldn't wait to even remove the lower pan on the wet sump, but wanted to give it a go. 

Once we had worked it into the firewall, it became apparent, I had made the right choice, and that this would be a on track project, no turning back now. I measured up the distance from the block to the shifter and simulated its position to what im shooting for via driving position with my fabrication hammer, and its all coming together too well. I say too well, as there always has to be some snag.

The laser line in the left pic is the front of the strut tower, and in the right pic, is the firewall line across the block to show how far its gone back.    

The actual reality of putting a TB48 into a R32, and still doing a V-Mount setup, was too much to stop me smiling all night long !

www.ivansafranek.com

Plasma Makes The Job Easier !

This afternoon was a quick in and out job to give me access into the engine bay, and to also prepare it to be tube framed from the front of the struts, so off came the front end. 

I just wanted it off for now, and decide where I want it cut back to later on, so for now out came the plasma cutter.

After 10 mins or so of cutting, this is what were left with. A considerable amount more will be cut off, this was just a trim to get the whole front radiator support off.

Easy access to clean up whats left, and start cutting that firewall.

This evening a buddy of mine, Ramon, stopped past, and gave me a awesome little Tremec 6sp '8 Ball' shifter knob.

I was looking at these, and thought about buying one actually, as its a nice "all business" type of deal.

So here's to you mate, lets hope it brings some results !


www.ivansafranek.com

Engine & Gearbox Acquired

The Nissan power plant and Tremec gearbox are now on the ticked part of the list. 

 

Work on the Skyline has been very slow, thanks to a number of factors and this summers heat. I have however been on a constant lookout for a engine, a task harder than it seems. 

 

 

The TB engine is very pricey, and rare to find, however they do popup. With that said im a patient buyer, its rare that I jump into a purchase without many a thought.

Finally one came up locally, and as a result it now resides on the engine stand, ready to start ploughing its way through the Skylines firewall and into a position much better suited to the cars balance.


The one thing that needs to be said is that its not a engine, its a power plant. When i think of the word plant in a industrial sense, I think of huge piping, cooling towers, generators, people being told by the safety crew "Anything here can kill you" ... and this is just that. The motor is only 95mm longer and 40mm taller than a RB26DETT but it looks like a main sail on a yacht when on the engine stand. Perhaps its the perception, that the CA18DET was on that engine stand till then.

To make it somewhat realistic to work on I cut the vertical beam on the engine stand down by 220mm, notched it and welded back the top pivot tube and added a few gussets for some strength. So now were at the point of clean and prep, as it starts to make its way into the firewall.

 
The final gearbox selection came to the legendary Tremec T-56 Magnum, a box that managed to tick more boxes than anything else. I had a number of other big name brands on thought, but some didnt have a strong aftermarket, some were too pricey, wrong ratios, weaker gearsets, not enough gears, incorrect shifter location and so on.




Well fact is that I think this will be a incredible box, and best part is that its brand new, not something that was already behind a 2JZ-GTE with a T-88 strapped to it for a number of seasons. A few modifications and we shall see if it was the correct choice, of what im confident.

Keep up to date at www.ivansafranek.com !