R33 Gtst Track Car Build

[FLN75S]

Thought i would post up some pics and progress of my latest build as i enjoy looking over everyone's on here and getting ideas from them as well.

Over the years my Dad and I have built plenty of cars however they have always been for rallying. This time we are doing something different. Being a lover of Skylines since I purchased my first 33 many years ago I had always wanted to have one as a track car. The time finally came up when my Dad wanted to start getting into some track days again. After using my S13 a few times which really isn't set up well for the tar we decided to look around for a dedicated track car.

Luckily for us an old friend of ours had purchased a 33 over 10 years ago from Japan had it complied and then unfortunately had someone side swipe it just 6 months later. The car was written off but he kept it as it had only sustained panel damage and he thought that he would turn it into a track car or repair it one day. Luckily for us he just never got around to it. In fact he had got as far as repairing the panel damage and that's it.

The car then proceeded to sit in a garage for 9 years without being touched. We talked to him first when we decided we really wanted to get a car for the circuit and by now he had realized he just was never going to do anything with it and let us take it away for a small fee.

This is what it looked like when we got it.

It was then time to get started on it. Our goal of this build really was a cheap track car nothing too fancy just a car we could grab a few times a year and go have some fun.

We started then with trying to get it to run to see just how much work the car really needed. It had been well looked after before it was stuck in the shed so we were hopeful it wouldn't be too bad.

First things first was fuel and unfortunately the filler/breather assy had been removed from the tank so we new it wasn't going to be pretty in there. Sure enough the fuel had gone very stale and the whole inside of the tank was a mess. We pulled the tank out (bitch of a job) and proceeded to clean it out.

We replaced all the lines and fitted a GTR fuel pump we got cheap (thanks SSS) so we could continue with getting it to run.

I dropped the oil/water and at the same time i removed the standard exhaust system (turbo back).

From owning a couple of Skylines over the years and having numerous friends with them i was lucky that i new i had some parts i could get my hands on for nothing which included a complete exhaust system.

With that fitted we grabbed a battery and turned the key. I couldn't believe it when it fired up first go and sat there running perfectly.

The build could really get started now.

I started the fun job of removing most of the interior including the lovely rat shit everywhere.....

Next step was a half cage mainly to add some safety to the car plus make a seat mount as well.

Once that was complete we got the paint done so it was all 1 colour again.

At the same time i got my old 17inch 34 GTT rims and painted them black ready to for some tyres. A friend of mine owns Tyres Plus Windsor so he hooked me up with some Khumo ESCTA semi slick tyres he had lying around.

We also got the car wheel aligned and confirmed everything was straight underneath the car. Hicas was also removed at this time.

Next upgrade was fitting a Oil cooler and remote mounting the oil filter.

With all that done it was time to test the car out at the track just to give us an idea of how it all went pretty much in standard form before we spend any money on the car.

Before hitting the track i also serviced the calipers and fitted some spare A1RM pads i had from the Silvia.

I only got the 1 session in the car as i had a wedding to attend but Dad put it through its paces and it ended up with about an hour of track time at SMSP last week and it performed perfectly.

Best time i could manage on my 5 laps was a 2:05:10, not really sure how that compares but id never driven there and was having fun trying to keep up with a 370Z that was there.

Things noted was some slight brake shudder coming from the front brakes under very heavy braking and the fact it handled well like a boat as they say haha.

Next step now is it will be getting some MCA reds an R34 Intercooler i have lying around and a catch can. Next event is Wafefield park at the end of May to see how it feels with those upgrades.

I'm also looking to change out the front bar and fit some side skirts and better rear wing. No power mods for the moment i really want to get back into driving and concentrate on making the most of the corners not just letting her rip down the straights to make up time.

[FLN75S]

Forgot to mention i also removed the A/C from the car when we did the Oil cooler plus changed out the plugs to copper ones gapped at 0.8.

Timing belt and water pump has now also been replaced with new OEM parts.

[Dale FZ1]

Bit of a change from the gravel car - hopefully a few people contemplating a basic club car will look at your progress.

The MCA Reds will do good service - I find them quite an impressive bit of gear.

Not so sure on the half cage concept or design. Would prefer to see front legs running down the A pillar plus a diagonal over your head and between the B pillars.

Regardless it should provide plenty of fun

[FLN75S]

Cheers, yea just a basic build that will hopefully provide plenty of fun over the years. Plenty of options to change out stuff later on and i appreciate advice/opinions on the build too as it gives me something else to consider.

Cage is definitely basic, nothing compared to what i would normally make up. I agree on the Diagonal bar and i will be adding that to it later on. This was really just a quick make up to get some basic safety and mounts for the harness belts. Being a joint build with my Dad he was not really keen to put a cage in it yet as he just wants to plod around in it but i felt it needed at least a basic cage to start.

MCA's will be great and am looking forward to getting them fitted up. Running the Golds with Canisters in the Silvia and can not speak highly enough about their support and quality of the gear.

I learnt my lesson on chasing power first so am keen to make this car handle and stop first before considering more power.

[FLN75S]

Did a little bit more work to the car on the weekend.

Started to remove bits that aren't required anymore to save weight.

Also changed the intercooler out for the 34 GTT one i had, included fitting of the ducting as the original one was missing.

Made up a bracket for the catch can and mounted, just need to get some hose.

Thats it for the moment.

[HarrisRacing]

keep it up! looks like a fun project so far. I love build threads!

[FLN75S]

Exciting day today, got an email last night saying suspension had been shipped from Josh and it arrived today. Looks awesome and can not wait to get it in.

Thanks MCA

[FLN75S]

Had my first full day in the car yesterday down at Wakefield Park. Was good to finally get some laps in the car and be able to try some different lines etc.

The car went well with only mods being the MCA reds the R34 inter cooler and i wired the standard boost solenoid to stay at 7psi.

Car went well all day with only some knocking coming from the front end which i think is the caster rod bushes. Played around with Tyre pressures a bit and then just drove it the best i could on the day. Being that i had not done an event in some years i was in a slower group and did have some issues with traffic throughout the day. Managed to string together a 1:12:90 by the end of the day.

Diff was open wheeling a fair amount so ill be looking to get the 2 way into it asap.

Overall i had a great day will get some in car up soon.

[djr81]

Don't put a 2 way in it. I mean not being able to turn on trailing throttle isn't much fun. There are better (quicker) options.

[FLN75S]

Ok noted, will do some more research on what to do. Got to remind myself this isn't a rally car i suppose

[FLN75S]

[FLN75S]

[djr81]

Ok noted, will do some more research on what to do. Got to remind myself this isn't a rally car i suppose

It isn't and if you want to see how rubbish not having a differential is watch a V8 Supercar mid corner - their apex speeds are awful on corners like turn 1 at Wanneroo a hairpin of reasonable radius. They brake very deep into the corner and are on the gas early but wobble horribly in the middle of the corner.

I found the difference in balance huge just by changing the oil out in my Nismo 1.5 way. Chucked some friction modifier in it to shut it up and suddenly the car turned - to the extent I am now looking for more rear grip for better balance and am unsure how much trail braking the thing will take once the balance is restored.

I guess to backtrack a little what I said about the 2 way it is probably worth teasing out the different characteristic between the ramp angles and preload in the diff. A 1.5 way Nismo diff has sod all ramp angle on the over run.

[FLN75S]

Ordered some new front caster rods this week, hopefully that will fix the knocking noise i had at Wakefield as they looked worn and everything else looked ok. Will give me some adjustment as well so i can wind in some more caster.

Some more pics

[Dale FZ1]

Worn OEM radius rod bushes generally aren't hard to identify when buggered. Leaky silicone fluid from the guts is usually spread around the place.

Going with spherical ends?

Threaded adjustment is a good thing.

If you've got knocking noises it never hurts to run over all the fasteners with a spanner. I traced a front end noise once to some slightly loose upper link bolts. I now use a longer breaker bar to tension those ones.

[FLN75S]

Not leaking, but look close to it. When i go to fit them ill be double checking everything. I also found some wear in the driver side ball joint so that wouldn't be helping either. Will be replacing anything that looks worn whilst i am at it. New ones are spherical and do have the threaded adjustment.

[FLN75S]

Had another day out in the 33 at an ARDC practice day. Was running the original GP circuit. Best time I managed on the day was a 1:54.91 and it definitely has some more in it. The day was really busy and i struggled with traffic all day although it was a bit of fun overtaking some really quick cars.

Car performed well all day and the only difference from Wakefield is I fitted a boost gauge to see what boost it was actually running which turns out to be around 10psi consistently and this time was using 16 inch semi slicks.

The car was hitting speed cut halfway down the main straight which was mighty annoying and to be honest I had totally forgot that Skylines had one. Scared the shit out of me the first time it did it (thought it had just blown up haha)

Bit of Incar, the white EVO 6 in front of me a lot of the time has 260AWKW just for reference.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9M0cPpc1n0

[bcozican]

how'd you go with the MCA's?

did you get to drive the car on track with others in first for comparison ?

[FLN75S]

The MCA's are awesome, totally transformed the way it drives on the track.

I did 1 20 minute session at EC when we first got the car running and it still had the standard suspension in it. Best time I could get out of it then was a 2:05. Although it didn't help that I had never driven the car before or driven that circuit. But the fact it is already 11 seconds a lap quicker and I was overtaking the cars that overtook me last time I was there shows a real progression in the car and me getting my head around driving on the tar again.

Not to mention it really is good fun to drive now because you can attack as hard as the tyres will allow. Turn 1 is being hit without brakes I just lift at the 100metre mark turn it in and straight back on the throttle till I lift at the 200metre marker and then on the brakes hard at the 100metre marker for the 2nd corner.

With some decent width tyres it would easily be another second or so a lap quicker.

Then there is not actually using the second hand pads from my rally car so I could be even more consistent under brakes.

Its the next thing on my To do list now, will be getting some DBA slotted rotors and new pads all round. Plus removal of the speed cut. In the mean time I think I will start putting some money aside for a computer.

At the moment though it is doing exactly what we wanted from it, a budget track car to go have some fun with and as a bonus it is surprising a few people just how well it goes. Numerous times last Friday I was asked how much power it has and oh it must be super light then when I mentioned it was very stock (which it isn't - I still have lots of weight I can take out of it)

[Dale FZ1]

Sounding like it's coming together for you.

Have a look at Winmax pads, an easy way to get very competent performance from stock brakes.

What spring rates did you get?