Javal's Mechanical Spirit Guide / 18RG XT130 Hate Machine

[Javal]

Flush n stuff. I was taking all the measurements checking rear suspension travel for the engineer and couldn't help but bolt the wheels back on and see how far in the travel before they kiss the guards. The answer is a really long way.

[drift kid]

Looks like you've found a new ride height

[Javal]

Uh, so, i'm almost ready to go. I've been making a big long list of little jobs to finish up before I attempt to get through regency, as well as tackling the bigger issues that the engineer wanted me to knock over before he comes back and does a final inspection.

I was ALMOST ready to submit my documentation to the engineer for my rear suspension when I realized that i'd made some errors in my calculations (forgot to carry the 1) and that instead of of my rear suspension being 2mm over the minimum travel, i was 2.6mm under. I swore a lot while working out how to fix it, but I've ordered some 15mm coil spring spacers that should be here on Wednesday. The front suspension documentation has already been submitted months ago, while seats and wheels are all ready to submit once the rear end is done. If all goes to plan he'll be out on the weekend and he can start putting his report together.

Anyway.

Fixed a minor wiring oversight (when re-doing headlamps forgot to accommodate for the 'hi beam' light on the dash).
Fitted passenger and boot door locks
Fitted RHF door link rod guide
Modified the RT132 A and B pillar trims to suit the XT130 - not a perfect fit but at least they're the right colour. Lots of plastic welding and araldite involved.
Fitted up and plumbed in the Charcoal can and all the evaporative emissions gear.
Ran new clear hose for the washer jet
Adjusted the clutch up a little bit
Replaced the sprung contact for the horn, now the horns work. They're rattly so I might replace them.
Fitted the boot seal
Connected the door switches
Fitted the licence plate harness.

Still to do before roadworthy:
Seatbelts
Lower B pillars
Kick panels
Sill plates
Pick up grille from painter
Pick up grille badge from electroplater
Window archline trims on
Glue in the bailey channels
Put P clips in to hold up the speedo cable and coolant overflow hose
Get the exhaust rear hoop section adjusted to clear the diff

And that's about it really. So close. Looking to take it through regency either monday 5th or the following monday 12th. Depends on how I go with making my great escape from work.

[Javal]

So I'm left waiting on parts and people to get back to work tomorrow, so here's an update that's not a real update.

Let's go back to page 1. I bought an 18RGU in 2009. It's been 'in storage' since then (i.e. I pulled it down and put it in dads shed).



I sold the carbies off it because I was going to build it into an angry N/A 18R-G with 92mm pistons, 10.5:1 compression, 272's or 286 cams, Injection bodies and octopus pipes. I was also definitely going to have my car on the road again 2 1/2 years ago and I was totally going to have that crazy motor in by now. Sure buddy, whatever you reckon.

I didn't store it too well. I just kinda put the parts in plastic tubs (half oily which has been my saving grace) and plonked the block on the ground with a piece of cardboard between it and the concrete with the crank and head standing next to it. Now that I'm not going to be building any engines at AJPS for a while I brought my engine stand home (rather, slide86's engine stand he lent me like.....6 years ago? Huw I still owe you one) and decided to stow it properly. I have every intention of sending the bottom end off to the machine shop this year to start making progress on an 18R-GTE but considering how well my plans go, I cleaned it all down, greased all the bores and friction surfaces, sat the crank in the block and nipped the caps up, bolted the head down with a few bolts, cams in finger tight and the cam cover resting in place. Wrapped it up in a few bits of plastic so I know it'll be OK when I come back for it.



But yeah, it's all wrapped up in plastic now and hopefully I can start squirrelling away dollars to build a strong bottom end soon after I relocate.

[Javal]

Oh hay.

So we're edging ever closer. I put the bastard on a permit for 3 days - mechanical repairs, you see - and put about 200km on it. In this time, I did a wheel alignment, which I will have to do again as it's currently +/- 0deg toe, +0.9deg caster, -1.7deg camber. Apparently I need to be running some toe in. 1mm seems to be the go. I also went to see the engineer, where we jumped a lot of hurdles and found a few more that we have to get over so Regency Park don't stooge us.

Engineering -

So, we're almost there. He's writing the report up now, there's still a bit more back-and-forthing with measurements and information but the deed is pretty much done. The front suspension was easy, a wheel alignment and some larger washers on the camber top adjustment bolts were all that he wanted to see after last visit. The rear was also straightforward, only needing a pair of 15mm coil spring spacers to keep the springs captive and meet minimum suspension travel requirements. So the suspension itself has got a tick of approval.

I need to get some more detailed pictures of what was done to the MA61 seats to make them fit (rear mount tags swapped over from XT130 seats) which is very easily done as a small oversight occurred when changing the seat mount tabs over - the RH outer tab wasn't swapped, so my drivers seat sits low at the RHR corner and my spine hates me. That's getting fixed on Tuesday so that'll be a great opportunity to take some clearer pictures.

The biggest hurdle we are yet to cross is one I initially expected to be a challenge. Both the engineer and I kind of forgot about it for a while and had a collective 'oh fuck, what are we going to do about that?' moment on Saturday. That 'oh fuck' moment is the hugely over spec track measurement. I'm 60mm or so over track IIRC.

So the best way we can show the guys at Vehicle Inspections that my car is capable of handling the track increase and associated increased load on the front hubs + stub axles as well as the rear axles and diff housing is to show that these parts were used in vehicles that were heavier (higher GVM).

The front is easy - the stub axles, hubs and wheel bearings are shared with MX3x, MX6x and MX7x Cressida. Boom, done.

The rear is less easy. RT132 Corona is one of the heaviest cars fitted with a T-series, almost every other car is lighter. RT132 weighs in at 1150kg, my sedan is meant to be about 1070kg. Managed to get a snap of a build plate for an Aus delivered MA45 Supra. 1280kg and zenki T series. Boom, done - (hopefully).

So that's all those bases covered. We're almost there.


Now for the actual driving of it -

First thing I did was take it to a servo and give it a rinse off (with the low pressure rinse lol) to get rid of all the dust. Yours truly.



Took it to work, used the wheel aligner to improve on my 'eyecrometer' wheel alignment.

After day 2 of driving back and forth on permit, it didn't want to start when I went to put it in the garage. Cue panic, plenty of testing and 'diagnostic aids / ales'.
Turned out the plug on the alternator wasn't fully seated and had wriggled its way loose. No charge light because there's nowhere for the charge light to ground if the alternator plug isn't connected. Easy fix though.



And here were are at the engineers house. Not the best of photos. I still want to wind the front up a little bit for good luck, but apparently suspension travel is for girls, having your rims in the guards in the done thing and practicality is a dying art. 5mm won't hurt it.





My impressions so far -

It doesn't hate bumps - I think the combination of the 'not overly stiff suspension' (5.5kg front and 3.5kg rear) along with some decent sidewall on the tyres has worked quite well. You feel the bumps for sure, but it's never crashy, no bone jarring bangs like some 8kg/6kg xE7x's.

It dispatches gears quite quickly for a car with a 3.9:1 diff. Pleasantly surprising.

It handles very flat and neutral. I haven't taken it for a proper drive yet, but it's definitely been given a few little squirts and it just leans and sticks.

I'm granny shifting not double clutching like I should. With light flywheel, the engine has often dropped more revs than I anticipate after blipping the throttle. It loves being shifted quickly but i'm in the habit of not racing the shifts in my current car which has a tight but slightly dopey shift. I think my mechanical sympathy is holding me back also. A few more days behind the wheel should sort that out.

Speaking of that light flywheel, it's an awesome upgrade (for an 18R) - they're about 11kg standard and the 5.5kg one is a dream to use. It's not so light it's jumpy on middling throttle, but it revs up nice and quickly and how well it engine brakes is something i'm going to have to get used to.

Also I have enough braking power to stop the rotation of the earth.

Oh, and fuel economy is surprisingly good. Put a full tank of BP 98 in it and after 150km's it's still got over 3/4 tank. I haven't been babying it either.

Overall it's going really well. Still having a non-urgent clutch problems but i've pretty much resigned myself to the fact i'm going to have to pull the box out and shim out the pivot ball a few mm so I can get some more travel. The clutch take-up is only just off the floor and i've maxed out the adjustment on the master and had a longer pushrod made up for the slave. It's been bled dozens of times and has a brand new genuine throwout bearing carrier, clutch fork and pivot ball. Sigh.

There's still a few trim bits to do and i'm waiting on the grille, but yeah. Almost done.

[billett86]

Looks good man super clean definitely come a long way since I saw it last

[Javal]

Little bit more tinkering.

Measured and submitted eyebrow heights to the engineer. Wound the front up 8mm. Cool story. With 3/4 tank of fuel the right rear sits 10mm lower than the left because the fuel tank puts most of it's weight over the RHR, so there's really nothing that can be done about that.

Also tweaked the alternator swingarm so adjustment is easier, got rid of the fan belt squeal that was plaguing it above 5500rpm.

Car is going to the fab shop tomorrow to get the exhaust tweaked to clear the diff a bit better and get a few little things tweaked.

Cool story.

[slide86]

Three things

1) Do you still have my engine stand?

2) Reppin Loby beers

3) Fucking good job, you should finish my car.

[Javal]

1) Yes,
2) Double hop IPA. Top 3 favourite beers.

3) YOU need to finish. What's left to do man?

[Javal]

Well, here's my little Corona army.



I thought i'd take a photo of them all together because the silver hatch is going to scrap in a fortnight or so, the white hatch will be sold and only the sedan is going to stay with me once it gets rego. Expressions of interest in the white hatch are welcomed.