My Hr31 Buildup

[Anfanee]

Ahh how id love a 2 door 31. Love your car James, it is a real beast. Nice time as well!

[Sir Lord Van Von Vader'ham]

Event rap up

Well, what a massive weekend. I had an awesome time and it was great to catch up with those of you who made it to my pit.

As you know, it was my first go at time attack and Eastern Creek, and so i was more hoping to just not put myself in to a wall on the first lap success!

Thursday
Rocked up on Thursday arvo to unload the car and gear to see just about everyone else already setup. So once that was done just went for a walk through the pit to see the other cars close up. Some really awesome machinery. Was good to meet steve (top bloke)with the BC 32gtr, that thing is an animal (which won open), meet up again with john who took 4^th in clubsprint in his R33 gtst, David in the DMD 31 and Brian in the Just car R34 GTR.

Unfortunately my missus got stuck in the traffic jam (for 5 hours) on the highway when they had to close it off due the fires and had to stay in Goulbourn over night, so no video of fridays first and second session. Hope everyone in the area is ok too.

Friday
Friday brought a few issues, all of them turbo related. first in session 1 with a cooler pipe blowing off. This was because of the cooler sitting in a slightly different spot and putting too much stress on one joiner. The cooler pipe to the inlet now has a inch gap instead of 10mm. Easily sorted

Session 2
I only got 1 proper lap before i noticed some smoke out the back on turn 6 so I brought it back to the pits, where the fire marshals were waiting for me.....Pulled over and it started smoking up out the bonnet more, popped the it up and the turbo was on fire! But only a little J we were able to wait for it to go out Rolled on to the pits and on further investigation found the oil return had disconnected itself getting oil all over the rails, manifold etc. Luckily the spiltter caught most of it, could have been a lot worse.



Session 3
The only session i had the gopro going. I’ll link the vid when its finished uploading.
I started gaining a little more confidence and was pretty happy with how the car was going, still a bit loose in the rear and was too stiffly sprung, but the front end had a stack of grip and was pretty sure footed going through the high speed corners. I was able to put down a PB of 1:46.2810. Half way through the session i lost all boost. Thinking cooler pipe again i pulled back in to pit lane where the scrutineers instructed me to the weigh bridge. All good. Back to the garage , and a quick look in the engine bay didn’t show anything i pulled off the beanie to find the rear housing of the turbo glowing red hot. Day ender.


Eventually we worked out the turbo got a vapour lock in the coolant line, super heating itself with the aid of the beanie and bending the shaft so the blades jammed in to the rear housing. Super huge thank you to everyone who passed on my call out for another turbo and those who went looking In the end a decision was reached to buy a new GTX3582 ‘Supercore’ from the GCG display which comes as a front housing and core which you fit to your own rear housing. I did this as i wouldn’t have to worry about 2nd hand jobbie and travel to find it and the exhaust will line up 100%

Saturday
The morning was spent fitting the new turbo and running around to make it work (needed a new oil drain, old perished), bleeding the coolant checking everything and was ready to head out just as my 2nd session got red flagged. Bugger.
Only a 4 hour wait to see if it was going to work. Lol
During this time backed the car out so people could look at my box and one of my mates took it apon himself to find as many promo girls for photos as his could. Watch this space for awkward pic’s of me with them.

Session 3 was the last and only drive for the day. I was a little nervous but ready for some laps. One final check and i headed out in to pit land and waited in line behind the DMD 31. We got released and after a lap of “feeling” the car all was good. I caught up to the David and was having a great time keeping with him until i remembered it was probably hurting both our times, so i backed off to get some space. As i did that lap got red flagged so i pulled in to have the guys check over the engine bay while we waited.

ST1LO got a sweet drive by
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10153387157635230&notif_t=mention

The session was resumed and i went back out, the new turbo is a lot smoother and pulled a bit harder even though its the same size. Unfortunately, the tyres had given the best they had to give and with the track temp sitting just over 50deg i didn’t have the grip to go any better. I did however set a 1:46.4 with the back end sliding on almost every corner and a McMassive (well it felt big) tank slapper coming out Turn 18 on to the straight . I think there is a 1:44 in it as it is.

So thats it. Hopefully I’ll be able to go next year but with the car better sorted out.
I wasn’t able to get any pictures myself but my mates had some good cameras and when they send me some pics i’ll post them up here

I just wanted to thank SAU and the members for all the support given to get me to WTAC, It really helped in a big way. Big thank you to Duncan too . Sorry if i missed out anyone

[stevena]

Car looked fantastic James, gotta be happy with a new pb, much more to come out of your car dude. Hope to see it out again shortly.

[Dale FZ1]

Good write up and well done. You've done it, as opposed to "gunna doo".

[Sir Lord Van Von Vader'ham]

Thanks guys, definitely need to get more seat time there. i think a 1.44 is easy in its current config.

[France]

The car looked awesome following the DMD 31 in that final session

[Sir Lord Van Von Vader'ham]

thanks man. was a bit silly on my part, i had to back off to put a bit of space between us so we could do some decent times.

not that it work for me haha

[Bullet32]

Moar photos!

[Leroy Peterson]

damn it looks good.

sure it sounds good too. need moar vids

[szymonsta]

hi mate i was at WTAC this year, awesome event! i was watching on turn 18 with a group of mates and saw the tankslapper you mentioned haha. very brave/skillfull to keep it under control! im a big R31 fan so was great to see your car at the event. well done and hope you had a blast! ive got a few piccies you might like..

[Sir Lord Van Von Vader'ham]

Hi man,

yeah, it was a bit of a hairy moment one second looking down the straight next the wall! Thank you, im looking forward to going again next year but with the suspension sorted out and fdr as well. I was topping out at 230km before id even reached the start/finish...

Great pictures too!

[Sinista32]

awesome James - good to see

[Sir Lord Van Von Vader'ham]

I have bought Fatz’ rear end as I like a nice ride…




It is basically a R33 Subframe (better geometry) with R32 GTR diff, hubs, shafts etc. Hopefully the end of broken axles and a big improvement in rear traction. Included wasa set of custom struts to suit, KKR camber and traction arms.

quick degrease as the diff cover was black lol




It was actually a bit of a hardish decision for me, as now the only HR31 part of the car is now the body and front subframe. Is it still a 31?!


So anyways, I bought some bit too. Alloy diff mounts, KKR HICAS eliminator kit, calliper rebuild kit, EBC yellows and RDA rotors, some brake ducting to attach to the splitter and a Nizmo diff clutch kit. Im told the GTR diff is mech from factory and responds well to it. For $250, it worth the try






Im going to try fit up the frame this weekend (lots on) and after that’s done off to a diff shop for a new tailshaft (cbf making another) and driveshaft freshen ups.

Im also going to order a pair of Rota RKRs in 17x9.5 -20. Reasoning behind this is that I’ll be able to use my other set of tyres and not have to buy a whole new set of tyres/rims. The new rear is meant to be about 20mm wider so the RKR should fit just the same but without the spacers im currently using. I’ll new to chuck on some wheels to measure up first of course.


Then testing time…

[Sir Lord Van Von Vader'ham]

i ended up ordering 5 stud front hubs from gkteck and buying a set of these, in 17x9.5 +12. i'll need to use a 15mm hubcentric space up front.




rear is all together now, soon as the wheels are on its off to get the shaft and diff done, than a wheel alignment and then fun time.

rebuilt the caliper, new rotors, studs etc... better shocks too

[Sir Lord Van Von Vader'ham]

New shaft made up to suit a 25 box to 26 diff and diff has been rebuilt with the nismo kit.








New shoes






Spent some time getting the hight level all around and have also made up a new oil return from the turbo as the emergency one I did at wtac... well pics worth 1000 words...





New aeroflow stuffs

Just waiting for the new front hubs from gktech then its a wheel alignment and off to the track!

[Sir Lord Van Von Vader'ham]

also, these rocked up just now. not long to go.

[toppertee]

Really enjoyed the read, Top works! Well done!

[stevena]

Looks like your getting serious this year... Keep it up buddy

[Sir Lord Van Von Vader'ham]

thanks guys.

yes and no steve. kinda just happened + pete's a good salesman.

Did you have any luck with finding your car or who was responsible? was the shitist news ive seen in a while..

[stevena]

thanks guys.yes and no steve. kinda just happened + pete's a good salesman.Did you have any luck with finding your car or who was responsible? was the shitist news ive seen in a while..

Unfortunately no, had leads but the led to nothing so far. I'll be back in the game soon but not to that extreme. Let me know when your ready to sell