My first and my last

[chrisman287]

Finished putting the oil return kit. Ended up cutting a few inches off the hose so that it wouldn’t get kinked up. Really didn’t need the third clamp in the middle but put it as there was a tiny kink there at the bend.

 

[chrisman287]

I got everything pretty much buttoned up. Got the TPS squared away and flipped around the intake piping.

It’s a tight squeeze between the intercooler pipe, exhaust and filter relocation lines. Waiting on a few more stainless ties so I can finish the wastegate dump and throw it on.

 

[chrisman287]

When I got the car the passenger exterior door handle was completely missing and about a month ago the driver side stopped working. I was able to find a OEM pair in the classifieds that were already my color. They really weren’t all that hard to swap in.

Also got a key and lock set from Miller’s Imports since my key only worked in the ignition. Still have to swap the hatch one.

 

[Justin DuBois]

I'll give you the same advice Mike W from RRE gave me on the topic of door handles.
"Buy a 6 pack of them" (referring to the made in China new parts you can have online)

The age of the plastic is going to make these more brittle than new, and they didn't last long new.

I didn't buy a six pack, but I have gone through 2 sets. The body shop painted what is on the car now. I suppose you could vinyl wrap it to whatever you want. I've seen some epoxy strengthening ideas attempted - That would be time well spent.

 

[chrisman287]

The age of the plastic is going to make these more brittle than new, and they didn't last long new. I suppose you could vinyl wrap it to whatever you want. I've seen some epoxy strengthening ideas attempted - That would be time well spent.

That’s funny I did think about epoxying the open portions of the arms to kind of reinforce them but it was supposed to rain so I just threw them in Maybe I’ll pull them one of these days and do that.

I do have a spare set of aftermarkets if ever needed but I liked the idea of having a factory set installed. The paint on the car is meh so didn’t want to go through the trouble of having some painted.

 

[chrisman287]

Knocked out a bunch of minor things that were bothering me with the car.

First thing was the passenger side mirror. It was super faded and rough looking to I swapped it with a spare I had from the parts car. Figured it would be a good time to install the interior mirror covers also. In addition to that I put the upper trim that was missing along with both front speakers. Swapped in some better condition door cards and cleaned all the vents and door panels/switches. Luckily I pulled as many of the red door panel clips off the parts car because I was missing a bunch. Lastly I swapped the latch/gas door opener.

 

[chrisman287]

Decided to brighten up the bay by changing the valve cover (mine had two stripped bolt holes), getting a clear upper timing cover (cheap eBay that needed trimming to fit) and some NOS red Accel wires to replace the yellow ones that stuck out like a boner in sweatpants.

 

[Justin DuBois]

NOS red Accel wires to replace the yellow ones that stuck out like a boner in sweatpants.

The NGK's are blue - wish those came in black.

 

[chrisman287]

The NGK's are blue - wish those came in black.

Accel sells blue ones also.

The yellow would match your valve cover at least

 

[Justin DuBois]

Accel sells blue ones also.

The yellow would match your valve cover at least

Yellow is one of those colors... Must be limited.

 

[chrisman287]

Got some speaker baffles off eBay and threw them on. Still have to figure out what to do about the vapor shields since they’re missing.

 

[Justin DuBois]

Got some speaker baffles off eBay and threw them on. Still have to figure out what to do about the vapor shields since they’re missing.

View attachment 672448

Thick plastic sheeting and a decent caulking gun worth of silicone weather seal, and you should be good.

 

[chrisman287]

Test fit some 18” Altima SE-R wheels on the car. They’re forged and I got them dirt cheap. I do like how they look but the tires are too big (225/45) and I would have to get the center bore opened up a little. Undecided on whether I’m going to keep them or not.

 

[chrisman287]

When I went to change the valve cover I noticed two or three of the bolts wouldn’t thread back in since they were stripped so I went with studs instead. Put in some new BPR7ES NGKs as well.

 

[chrisman287]

Got another set of Nissan wheels for cheap. Not quite in love with them so they probably won’t be on the car long.

 

[Justin DuBois]

As a mental exercise, try to imagine these wheels with various center caps: Mitsu, OZ, Merc, Ferrari.

Did your opinion of the wheel change?

 

[chrisman287]

As a mental exercise, try to imagine these wheels with various center caps: Mitsu, OZ, Merc, Ferrari.

Did your opinion of the wheel change?

Unfortunately, no.

I feel a color change could help (gunmetal maybe) but to go through the effort and still not love them would be annoying.

Deep down inside, I really want Acura TL type-s wheels.

 

[Justin DuBois]

Unfortunately, no.

I feel a color change could help (gunmetal maybe) but to go through the effort and still not love them would be annoying.

Deep down inside, I really want Acura TL type-s wheels.

With your paint color, I’d suggest a bronz, or even gold TE37

 

[chrisman287]

Welp, I’ve settled on some wheels I never thought I’d own. Usually I’m a brand whore for jdm goodness when going aftermarket (my Maxima has SSR SP3 and before that Enkei RPF1 Type RC, Advan RS, SSR Koenig) but picked these up for what I thought was a decent price. They’re somewhat light at least and I like the fitment.

17x9 +35 Avid AV-20 with 245/40 Continental DWS06. Paid $700. Fronts are spaced 3mm and rear is spaced 5mm. Spacers were installed with the Nissan wheels but may be removed at another time.

Is it normal for the passenger side rear to sit out more than the driver side?

 

[chrisman287]

I test fit some 18x8.5 +33 5zigen GN+ with 245/40 Riken Raptor that were sitting in my yard from a previous car.

The 2GA upper arms made these a tight fit along with the other 18s I had tried.

 

[Justin DuBois]

Welp, I’ve settled on some wheels I never thought I’d own. Usually I’m a brand whore for jdm goodness when going aftermarket (my Maxima has SSR SP3 and before that Enkei RPF1 Type RC, Advan RS, SSR Koenig) but picked these up for what I thought was a decent price. They’re somewhat light at least and I like the fitment.

17x9 +32 Avid AV-20 with 245/40 Continental DWS06. Paid $700. Fronts are spaced 3mm and rear is spaced 5mm. Spacers were installed with the Nissan wheels but may be removed at another time.

Is it normal for the passenger side rear to sit out more than the driver side?

View attachment 676042

View attachment 676043

No - wheels should fit the same side to side. That is something to get checked.

 

[chrisman287]

While cleaning up some old boxes of car parts I stumbled upon these old Kicker CS65 (I think) speakers I had bought years ago. I depinned the factory connectors and installed them with some new screws.

I’ll be trying to finish the interior while my shortblock is at the machine shop.

 

[chrisman287]

Waterfall is back together finally. Car didn’t have a radio when I bought it so installed an old school pioneer single din, put a different center console since old one had holes drilled with toggle switches and a water temp gauge where cigarette lighter goes, and went to swap the shifter but one I bought from Miller Imports was junk. Used the rubber base bushing from it instead of my aluminum ones and the OEM shift knob.

 

[chrisman287]

Been a while since I’ve logged on here.. between this weather and my dad getting into a wreck I haven’t had time to do anything on the car unfortunately.

Last thing I did was attempt to swap out the oil pressure and water temp gauges I had around the cluster for Bosch units that better match the factory gauge cluster but wasn’t able to complete it so no pictures.

I’ve just been buying parts here and there in preparation to swap out the short block. Here’s what I have:

-Rebuilt 6 bolt short block (ARP main studs, Kiggly girdle, Clevite bearings, new rings, align honed)
-AJUSA engine gasket kit
-ACL oil pump
-Stock crank pulley
-Another power steering pump (one bolt broke off in mine)
-New 90 amp alternator
-5 qt Valvoline conventional 10w30
-Wix oil filter
-2 gal Peak blue coolant
-3 qt Amsoil 75w90
-Another intake manifold (one bolt stripped out)
-90 turbo throttle body
-Throttle body elbow (mines black and rusty)
-New non cruise controls throttle body cable
-Kiggly HLA
-3G lifters
-Low psi ofh spring
-Authentic HKS bov
-Larger compressor housing (4” inlet 2.5” outlet)
-New compressor housing bolts and clamps
-New exhaust housing bolts
-Battery tray for trunk

 

[chrisman287]

Been sitting on these aluminum handles for a while. Finally took apart my spare set to clean and assemble them. Looks like I got the proper lock set from Miller Imports finally so gonna throw that on the car too.