I'm going 1JZ

Russell

Club Member
been a while since last update.

Having established it runs pretty well, we then established that the water pump leaks so I have a brand new one from Toyota to go in.
We then decided that it would be a good idea to clean up the subframe a bit and fit some polybushes at the front. I was planning on ignoring it until we do the suspension but as usual, we got carried away and striped most of it down.
Glad we did as after the years of underseal was washed off, it all looked a bit gross!
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Subframe and lower control arms sand blasted and powder coated. 48B991A5-180E-4776-8830-B7833D74C7DF.jpeg

Cleaned up the steering rack which is nearly done. It has some wear in the centre position which results in a tiny bit of play. Not major and I never noticed when it was on the road but doesn’t look like there is a lot we can do about that.
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Russell

Club Member
As the whole thing was stripped down we had some more of a poke around and found a couple more skabby bits that we have cut out and sorted.
This is the worst bit, nearside front corner of the floor.
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Spent a couple of days cutting, scraping and swearing. Then a couple more days welding and now the front end is as solid as it’s going to get short of fully stripping the shell and that’s not happening!
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Nearly ready to start bolting stuff back on and getting it back on the ground again.
Will look the same as it did in July but we have actually done quite a bit of work to it!
 

Ian

Club Member
Nice work. If its solid then just leaving it is a good idea. I've got first hand experience of how much it can cost to strip it to a shell and fix it so its perfect. Many times I think it may have been smart to make it solid and not worry about everything looking perfect in the places that can't be seen.
 

Russell

Club Member
Bit of primer on these bits today. Couple of coats of paint, new bushes and will be ok.

Will continue to give the rear end a good ignoring to!
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Russell

Club Member
Getting there with the subframe parts now. Nearly all painted and new bushes in.

Will be nice to get it bolted back on and not have to worry about it for a while.

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Russell

Club Member
These subframe washer things were ruined. Looked like they had been left loose and nearly worn through so we made a new pair.
Side by side - old and new type pic:
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Russell

Club Member
Subframe back together, rack refreshed with fresh grease, new boots, poly bushes and a lick of paint.

Just need to pick up some new bolts and can put it back in the car.
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Russell

Club Member
Struts will be replaced in the next phase with something better so for now their restoration is limited to a hot jetwash to get the crud off and will see what we can do with them when they have dried in a few days.

Likely a bit of underseal and a good ignoring to!AC4CC9FD-42A8-4A8F-B1C2-B22A8CE78061.jpeg
 

Russell

Club Member
Couldn’t completely ignore the struts even though they won’t be back on for long.
Attacked with a wire wheel and gave them a coat of paint.
Took the tin guards off as they were disintegrating quite considerably.
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Bolted that lot back on, polybushes making it all feel lovely and solid compared to the ruined old rubber ones that certainly did not feel even remotely solid!

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The eagle eyed among you may notice that there is a washer the wrong side on the radius arms or whatever they are called. We sorted it but didn’t take after pics.

We then realised we had forgotten the ARB. Clearly missed it because we had stored it at the bottom of the ocean.
Didn’t get a before photo but here it is on the tidy workbench after some considerable wire wheel action. Will give that a lock of paint and bolt it in with new hardware.

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Russell

Club Member
Coat of paint on the ARB. For old left over aircraft paint it’s a really nice colour!
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Cleaning up the hubs showed a slightly worrying previous job.
At some point it looks like someone had some trouble getting the hub off or on so resorted to battering it resulting in a far from flat face meaning that the whole time I have owned it, one of the wheels hasn’t been on properly!

Glad this was spotted before we drive it properly.
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Russell

Club Member
Another thing we had to take apart after putting it back together.
After running it for a while the water pump decided to bleed everywhere.
So off with a load of bits we had already fitted and in with a brand new water pump.
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I also 3D printed a proper bracket for the dump valve that was held in with cable ties.
That bit looking a bit neater. F7995DD8-25B7-408A-BD43-0887FBAD5DFE.jpeg7836CB20-9DC5-46B1-8C52-5EBA18183382.jpeg
 

johnymd

Club Member
Great progress (really must get on with my blue car). Quick question about gearboxes. What are you using and how did you get the gearbox mount to work?
 

Russell

Club Member
Great progress (really must get on with my blue car). Quick question about gearboxes. What are you using and how did you get the gearbox mount to work?
Cheers John, been a long time coming and will definitely be rolling it out into the world in the spring!

The Soarer was converted to manual and done with a W58 box so slightly different to yours. We set the position of the engine in the bay by where the gearstick fit well.
The gearbox mount is fabricated out of half of the Z mount, half of the Soarer mount and a bit of metal in between for belts and braces. All welded together into something that looks pretty good and is easily taken in and out when needed.

I think the pictures in here are as it currently is apart form some more permanant paint.
 
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