Inspiration: Paid Forward

[Swift]

Now I am very good with time management and most if not all the work now is done by me. I still got it don't i?

At this point Tyler needed me to check over the famous "Mr. Kieth" coupe of days past. So I forgo getting a car hoist since I don't have the time nor room to set it up. I don't regret it as his car needed the RIGHT work and it helped me bring to market an aftermarket radiator. He brings it in March and I need it till around July because of all the extra stuff it needed, like me sourcing custom rotors for the "wilwood" kit.

In this time I am ordering in the suspension and other various parts anyways..
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[Swift]

At this point I need to think timeline. I need to do something in safest manner yet...still want to do it once. So I buy an entire JDM 3.5 with a transmission I don't even need just so I can have an engine block with low enough mileage to reuse the bearings if I needed too. (I needed too!)



I tear that down in a day pretty much and bring the heads to the machine shop for Supertech valves, the comp springs, and +1mm Type 2 conversion.


At this point my Type 2 camshafts are still at a grinder for custom CNC cores later. I know I wont get them back in time... so I will install the RL cams for the time being.
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[Swift]

I start spending money on things I shouldn't. Buying doubles of things just to get done in time. Like a used steering rack for one line I don't have and can't make unless I have the fitting. I build the two other lines, buy a high pressure line which has to be modified to fit on our pump , and reinstall the line in the middle in pic below because I don't have enough time to CNC custom fittings for people yet. These lines rust out btw.



Get a non rusting fuel filler to replace this one and install it

[Swift]

Pistons show up at some point finally, but don't realize the pins are sent out .0015" oversize on purpose. This bites me in the ass later. Don't worry, I save the JDM block for later build and have one of the blocks bored .020" over for these pistons to bring my compression ratio to around 11:1. Why do I also save the JDM block for later...cuz I needed to do some welding. Yes, everything keeps going wrong..




Also pick up my valve covers and rebuilt type 2 calipers from powdercoat

[Swift]

modifying auto RL diff for 5spd...ended up shaving to much off somehow despite me taking measurements..but it works.

[Swift]

So Tyler picks his car up some point which really sucked because we essentially believe it has a bad torque converter and we can't find one and I don't have time.
* I later start a business deal with a rebuilder and now have rebuilds on hand for people.
** I travel down to him and his garage to drop transmission and put in converter. We have things go wrong last minute, like not having enough of the special Honda fluid.

He is so nice though and helps me out by lending me a Stromung B pipe and a set of koni reds/eibachs to get my car on the road. This helps out substantially with timeline!

I order more parts from RockAuto and Acura. Front mounts(ordered type 2 by mistake cuz I went under wrong year for something else). Other parts aren't coming on time like intake gaskets. I luckily years ago had gotten some OEM valve cover gaskets and grommets which helped me out.

I order bucket seats to only realize they are backordered EVERYWHERE because the shipping container hasn't arrived from Italy yet. So i have to track down another set of seats and scramble. I finally remember that I always had my eye on another seat anyways and can get it in a WIDE version. I order those. However, now I need another set of seat rail sliders for those because they are a different brand. And I already waterjetted out on seat plate. Oh well. At least I get the stuff in on time.

I order carpet.
I go to have windows tinted and shit hits the fan cuz car is too dirty. So I need to remove the two rear windows and bring to him later.

I have to swap drivers side door one day because when I welded in panel and was grinding from way back in 2009 it messed up glass.

I have to swap over trim on driverside and re-glue tabs.

This whole time I am diagnosing electrical faults from the original crash. Re-soldering. Mounting JDM headlights. Mounting side JDM turn signals and hoping I don't cut in wrong spot.

I get all the powersteering lines finally done.

Put ABS unit back in with custom compression hose from the one unit to the other because OEM rotted out and can't get anymore.
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[Swift]

I am in the middle of doing suspension and have to scramble to custom modify a countersink to proper angle to then modify the from LSA mounts I bought off ebay to mount lower control arms. I tried to see if some WRX ones would work and they would not.

Here is the Addco bar ready to go in

[Swift]

I mount the brakes up on super old NOS RL brake rotors but slotted and with internal curved vanes for cooling. I put on new rear slotted rotors and use Hawk Blue pads all the way around. All the pins/sliders etc are all new. Front hoses are new as well. New Master cylinder too. All new fluid obviously.


In the mean time I find out Spec Clutches can't get our pressure plate house stamped anymore so I have my clutch rebuilt locally into a stage 2+ clutch. I get new throwout bearing as well. I also rebuild my slave cylinder using the prelude kit.

[Swift]

I order up an aluminum flywheel...probably wont come in time and "borrow" Tyler's....

[Swift]

Now at this point I stop taking pictures. I don't have freaking time. It is now September. I am now working every Friday-Sunday non stop. I have a bum right shoulder too now. I order in OBX headers because I figure this will save time because I don't have to rely on exhaust shop...another mistake in a way.

My big push is for Labor Day weekend. I get the block that Friday before holiday. Shop is supposed to file rings...I don't believe they do at all based on packaging. I go over about balacing rotating assembly etc previously and kinda bring it up again. I look over and his balancer is covered in dust. He is a young guy with no real machining experience before he started taking over the shop. Nice enough but lacking in knowledge. Because of this and because I built a motor similar and know the 3.5 has a balance belt I think it can be okay.


I go to start assembling over holiday and shit is going wrong. I realize I need to bore out small end bushings. I grab a brake piston hone and carefully do each one. Takes hours. Still am not happy but it should work. I then realize the top rings need to be gapped bigger. I have no ring filer. It is a holiday weekend. I do a trick to get it done. It should hold together.



Since my intake manifold gaskets aren't in nor is my timing belt tensioner I need to reuse the JDM ones. I have to find bolts here and there to use. I am wasting so much time and powering through it. I accidently mount 3.5intake manifold without swapping 3.2 coolant crossover pipe. Shit, now I have to rewire for the sensors. But I can pull manifold because it will ruin the special gasket seal on the intake manifolds and one part didn't look so good. I have to spend hour cleaning valve covers because the sand blasting grit is still in areas. Need to still clean oil pan etc before I mount. I need to reuse the crank shaft bearings BUT for the JDM crank....in this other 3.5 block. That worked out in my favor luckily and I had some spare new bearings...but typically all the wrong size anyways. I put in cleaned and flowed 3.2 injectors using 3.5 rail like in the past. New fuel filter too. Only to realize ALL my 3.5 fuel line to filters are all cut at the junk yards. So now I need to order AN fittings and hose and overnight them.