I should be done with the wiring tonight or tomorrow, I have worked late yesterday and done quite a bit of work. If I can get my parts next week, it look like we might drop the engine the first week of nov. The car is actually ready to get the engine & tranny, but at the last minute I decided to order some ES bushing for the engine mount, but I didn't had time to work on it. The original engine mount are still in good shape, but I think it's definitely something that have to be done. Now for the most I have measured both the ES bushing and the Engine mount that came on my 2k1 AE SE 20th ann, and it look like it might just fit without any modification, I just need to find a way to get the old rubber out without damaging the paint, otherwise I'll have to sandblast them & paint them again, this would be a show stopper at this point. If can get those ES bushing in without damaging the paint, than I will only need few hours to drop the engine. Otherwise I wont have the time to paint those sucker before 2-3 weeks, I'm starting some home renovation this coming week-end, ( doing a dream bathroom in the basement ) wich is going to take a couple of weeks to complete.

 

I think the only way to get these out short of a press with a proper jig is a vice and an air hammer/chisel.. You can prolly do it without scratches if you are very carefull!

 

I was thinking of using a zip gun, I'm going to try it tonight and see if that work.

Thank you.

AA

 

I have a LC1 wide band and I thought of installing the o2 sensor after the main cat, do you think this the best place to put it ?

 

No. The O2 sensor must be before the cat for accurate measurements.

 

Ok so I need to weld a bung just before the main cat.

Thanks a bunch.

AA

 

Just spoke with Brian Catts and the left muffler will be on it's way later this week. I'm getting closer & closer to the drop day > It's possible that we do the engine & tranny install this coming saturday or sunday, do you guys thinks it would be cool to do a live webcast ? If there is enough interest I might make it happend.

Cheers

AA

 

Do one of those sped up videos(like 8 hours+ in minutes)

 

I have a complete Final Cut Pro system at the office, let me see what kind of camera I could shoot with.

How is your project car ?

 

LOL...I wish I could come up for this and help...I wanna be on a webcam LOL

I don't have the proper paperwork to do it...

 

Hey Dave, we couldn't drop the engine over the week-end, we tried to take care of the engine mount, but nothing worked. I first tried to remove the old marshmallow engine mount with the zip gun but it didn't work, the bushing need to be pressed out. My friend is bringing them over to his shop and will push them out with a press later this week. I have still a few things to take car in the engine bay but I'd say 90% of the engine bay stuff has been completed. I'll keep you posted.

Cheers

AA

 

nice project

 

Yesterday I stayed late on the garage, working the wiring in the engine bay, still another 2-3 evening and this will be done, it's going to be very clean no more dirty/greasy wire or connector everything has been cleaned thoroughly. I will post some fresh pics tonight.

Cheers

AA

 

cant wait AA!!

 

Sorry for not posting the pics, I came back out late from work yesterday and didn't had time so I'll take some tonight.

 

Finally having some break through. Too bad my project is my DD haha. Turbo issues, I believe, will be fixed by friday. I plan to be around 8psi this weekend if all goes well.

 

I'm glad that your project is coming along. I'm shooting for spring 2010, I have been working for about 3 year on the car now so it's time to put all the effort for the last stretch.

My biggest concern for now is to finish the connection of the black box underneath the rear of the car, I dont have a clear pics of the entire system, like taking while the car is jack up. I hope some one can help me with that, I have a schematic but that is purely chinese for me.

If no one can help me with this, I'll have to figure out something with my cousin, like bringing his 2000 max in a garage, jack it up and take some global pics and close up shot from there.

 

I'm willing to pay a reasonable price for anyone who can take care of my motor mount, I want to have the old rubber pressed out and the ES bushing pressed in, there might be some custom fitting required, like welding a spacer in between the ES bushing and the motor mount. I will ship the engine mount with the ES bushing. I have been really busy with my business, the home renovation etc. I have decided to have some of the remaining work to be done by professional.

Please PM me with any service offer, I'm willing to pay upfront for anyone who has the credibility and skill to do it.

Thanks a bunch.

AA

 

For the one who remember the hella horn, they use to be red and black, but after few winter they where all crap, so I decided to sandblast it and see what I can do with it.

After few coats of paint & clear coat, took the contour with the bolts & nuts to the chrome shop, here is the result:

 

This morning I drop the engine mount to a local shop that will take out the old bushing and press in ES urethane engine mount bushing, it should be done within a couple of days. This is the only missing link for me to install the engine & AT. The Alternator and starter should be ready to pick up at the chrome shop this saturday. Much of the engine bay wiring is done, the remaining will be completed when the engine will be in.

I have torqued all the suspension and drive train bolts, need to fill the rack & pinion with grease and tie wrap the new booth. I also have found a 2k1 ECU with a harness that I will ship to Kyle asap, he's going to fabricate a EU P & P cable.

More news soon...

I'm looking for a brand new set of HID headlamps, does anyone know what's the best place to get it ?

 

your looking to do the 2k2-2k3 Headlamps?

I suggest Ebay or classifieds

 

My actual 2k2 HID doesn't look that bad, I painted the interior bezel wich look very nice but the clear lens have few scratch & dent and would look a little on the cheap side, I mean just replacing the clear lens would be perfect, but they can be purchase separately, therefore I want to buy a new set, do the angel eyes & Audi strip.

I will have soon a set of 2k2 for sale for like 300$ for the set.

 

Well Then I would just find some new ones to use.

For the Audi LED strip, I bought some for my Grand Prix from here:
http://www.superbrightleds.com/cgi-b...-flexible.html

I bought the SNFLS ones and have them installed inside the headlight.

 

AA! Whats the deal, any updates with the project you care to share?! or have you been laying low


^ i can vouch for Drunkie, those led strips looked great... even in the heat of day!

 

I'm still waiting on couple of things like the engine mount, they where all painted and clear coated but then I decided to order the ES motor mount bushing to see if they would fit on and to my surprise they fit the 2k1 Auto engine mount, I have dropped them at a local shop so they can press out the old marshmallow rubber and press in the ES,
when I'll get those back I have to sandblast them again and redo the paint & clear coats.

I will pick up the rear wheel hub this coming saturday from the chrome shop, I wanted to have the rear wheel hub show chromed, for doing so the shop had to pulled the bearing from the hub, during this process one of the bearing has been destroyed so I had to purchase another brand new wheel hub just to get the bearing since the rear bearing cant be purchased separately, this has been a real PITA but the result will be awesome.


The alternator and starter are getting assembled & will be also back from the chrome shop next week.

Cattman should expedite my left muffler shortly if not done already ( they custom fabricate me a muffler for the left side ). Once I have the muffler we will be able to fabricate the rest of the exhaust line, I'm thinking of going 3" from the headers, using a 3" high flow cat and a 3" resonator and then split onto 2 x 2.5" to the dual cattman muffler set-up.

I also have to finish the black box hose connection, I'm half way done. I should be able to jack-up my cousins 2k max during the Christmas holiday and take some global pics as it will help me to finalized the hose connection.

The engine & tranny have been ready for like 2 months but because of the engine mount not being ready the installation has been delayed since. The shop that is taking care of the engine mount is very busy but I should get those in time for the holidays break, my goal is to put the engine & tranny during that period.

The engine bay wiring is almost complete, I just need to clean few more plug and everything will be A1.

The battery relocation kit is not installed but it's one of the thing I'll do shortly. I had also found a local shop that was supposed to cut me some diamond plate so I can make a nice finish on the rear underneath of the car, but it's been 6-7 week that I gave the order and every time I call to see when I'll get the plate, there is always a new excuse for not being ready.

I'm currently shopping for an hybrid welder ( tig welding, arc welding and a plasma cutter ) I found a good one for a 1000$ US so I think I'll get one for january, in the meantime I will order some diamond plate aluminum so I'll fabricate those cover myself. To be honest many of the supplier I'm dealing with just doesn't deliver me not being a priority customer, this is creating delays over delays.

The list goes on and on, but I'm confident that many of these issues will be cleared in jan-feb 2010, the car has to be ready for the paint job by the end of feb, I think it will take the entire month of march to prep the max for the paint job. I figured that I should try to fire up the engine in early april, so that should give me 2 months to take care of all the unpredictable, like bad sensor, wiring the EU and tune etc.

There is another bunch of stuff I'm forgetting but that will reach me sooner or later.

These are the head's up for now.

Cheers

AA

 

Awesome AA,

Cant wait at all!! Making me jealous!!

 

Got the rear wheel hub yesterday, they made a very nice job. I'm going to assemble the rear brake put the rotors back. The shop owner confirmed that I'll have the starter, alternator and the throttle body's bolts, nuts and bracket ready by next week. I just realised that I forgot to shave the tips of the alternator before sending it to the chrome shop, because of the extended coolant adapter the alt cannot bolt-on, but I'm going to fabricate a bracket and leave it that way.

 

Nice, glad things are continuously moving

 

Hey guys, I have a front & rear JDUB bumper for sale at an incredible price, no catch or anything I'm asking 350$ for both, you hear me well. Pick-up only.

See the link: http://forums.maxima.org/5th-generat...-kit-sale.html

 

damn AA, thats an unbelievable deal! Man do i wish u were a little closer! J-Dub front + FMIC = Beautiful!!

 

It is actually not that far, I believe it's less than 300 miles ~ 416KM, probably a 4-5 hours driving. It is taking space in my basement and I already started the renovation.

I still like the kit but I have changed my mind as for the look of the car. I actually want to keep a sleeper look since my car wont be street legal. We dont see much modified maxima over here and at 48 a more classic look wont attract the popo attention.

Cheers

AA

 

I got a call from the shop, the ES bushing doesn't fit the AE's mount, I guess I knew that already but oh well... I'm going to pick them up tomorrow and go to another shop where they are going to cut the proper size metal sleeve so we can press the ES bushing in. I tough i could get away with it, but it seem that I'm not going to have anything easy on that build. That mean that I might not be able to drop the engine & tranny during the holiday, unless Mike can work this out tomorrow or wednesday. Let see what will happend tomorrow.

 

I'm about to buy a used Vortech V2 S trim blower ( I will upgrade it to T trim ), I just want to confirm if the blower have to be CCW, I remember Matty's has answered that question on multiple occasion but unfortunately I dont remember and I need an answer asap please. Thanks again, as usual you guys rock.

 

Finally drop the engine mount to a local shop, the mount will be ready the first week of January.

Basically they will cut a round tubing that is 1/8 smaller than the ES bushing weld that inside the engine mount, once done I will bring the mount to the chrome shop and have those black chromed. That will obviously delay the engine/AT install by another 2-3 weeks, but I'm leaving for Jamaica on Jan 9th so hopefully when I'm back everything should be ready.

 

Yes, counterclockwise orientation...straight discharge.

On a side note, don't waste your time and money on the T-trim. Look at the new Si trim....hint...hint

 

Do you know if the S Trim can be upgraded to the SI trim ? I might be able to get S trim for 700$ I'm waiting for the answer, if that doesn't work I'll just get a brand new SI trim.

Thanks for the answer.

I'd like to wish you all a Merry Christmas & Happy new year.

AA

 

Got a call from the chrome shop today, the alternator & starter are ready, I didn't had a chance to pick them up today, but I will sometime this week. Now if the dam engine mount could be done this week I could ship them rush to the chrome shop before I leave for vacation, next saturday. Hopefully the week after the vacation they might be ready.

 

Just got an e-mail from Brian Catts from Cattman saying my left muffler is being ship out. I'm glad thing are falling into place so hopefully I'll have the engine mount ready when I'm back. I just got my new PC laptop ( MSI CX700 with a 17" screen ) so I'm currently installing the softwares I need for the EU but also other softwares that I will use for data logging and others as well.

 

Hey guys, just got back from vacation tonight, as they say a picture worth thousand words.

 

Very nice

What's next to be installed on the car?