Cool Car Projects (non-BMW)

[auaq]

Any cool non-BMW car projects you guys have got going on? I know Leo has worked on his classic Impala and now he's got that big foot 4x4 that he's trying to fix it.

For the past two years or so I've been hanging out, helping and working on my friend's 1986 Toyota AE86 Corolla coupe that was bought as a rolling chassis back in August of 2013. He found it on Craigslist.

It had no engine, no transmission, was missing a lot of stuff in the front end, it had no front shocks and previous owner simply stacked a block of wood in place to maintain the ride height, the whole rear end suspension were just loose and we had tighten it up all of the mounting hardware. Some of them weren't OEM. One bolt was an ARP bolt used for the pan-rod in the rear. We got the engine from the same owner and installed it in the car. It was missing the front sway bar. However, we've managed to find a lot these missing parts and have already been installed. We have two live axles. One is empty while the other is a LSD. We're going to swap out the current live solid axle out for the LSD unit. We put another bumper on it, installed headlights and spliced in the wires for the headlight motors that open and retract the headlights, 1980's style!

Changed a lot of gaskets. New timing belt and tensioner, can't remember if we installed a new water pump or not but we had to change the gasket on both sides. One goes to the main block side and one on the actual timing cover. Changed intake manifold gaskets, new ICV gasket, throttle body gasket, spark plugs and wires and distributor, cap and rotor, valve cover gaskets, basically a whole bunch of engine refresh/rebuild.

Put a new clutch and a used but in good shape flywheel. Mounted a T50 5 speed transmission. Installed the driveshaft. Had to rebuild one the brake calipers since one or two of them were seized. Originally the car came equipped with drum brakes in the rear but the previous owner swapped them out for a disc brakes conversion out of an 80's Celica/Supra.

We had to install two new master cylinders since the first one wasn't the right one and we were still having some braking issues. Installed new brake booster assembly too.

The interior dash was pulled apart to clean it up and apply a new seal/foam for the HVAC unit. We discarded the whole a/c unit and the lines.

We also ditched the power steering pump and the lines too. We installed a manual rack & pinion assembly which they say has a quicker steering ratio than the power steering rack & pinion, but boy is it hard to the turn the steering wheel at low speeds. Sometimes I wonder if that was a good idea.

He's got two more 4AGE engines laying around in his garage. One engine has been disassembled completely and we're not sure what do want to do with it. Maybe build a high revving motor, maybe a 8.5k - 9k rpm motor. And the other one which seems to be in a really decent shape and painted silver too. It's got oil squirters too for the piston cooling and we've been going thinking either do a supercharge build or most likely go for a turbo setup. Even the cylinder head received a three angle valve job and the head looks clean.

This car really needs a proper paint job. The body and the chassis has got rust spots at numerous places, so we need to fix that someday. We really haven't decided on the paint yet but I've been thinking red lately.

There's probably more to tell but it has certainly taken us about two years to get it from not running to actually running and driving out on the road. The car is registered too. There's still long ways to go and every now and then we sometimes think whether we should focus on those old technology 4AGE motors or not. Since my friend works at a Nissan dealership he got an ultra low miles (probably >500 mi) 6 speed 370Z transmission. We've always thought of either going for a 1/2jz swap, or a 3SGT-E (turbo motor) swap, or a F20 (Honda S2K) swap, or even a nice VQ35 (Nissan V6) swap, and even a 1UZ (Lexus LS400 V8) swap. We just don't know yet. Nowadays we're hardly spending any time on this car. Our goal is to turn this into drift car just like from the famous manga/anime 'Initial D'.

Here are some of the pictures and videos.

My buddy Brian and his AE86.
https://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1280x721q90/633/JcvPjT.jpg

No driver seat yet but this is how we roll!
https://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1280x721q90/903/S0gA6V.jpg

https://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1280x721q90/910/vZCTgI.jpg

https://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1280x721q90/905/ybmGhC.jpg

https://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1280x721q90/903/dPgNgQ.jpg

https://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1280x721q90/633/95kLzF.jpg

Power wash on the completely disassembled block. And, yeah, that's his cool mod-ed 1989 Lincoln Towncar with leather interior, digital dash, police interceptor rear end with disc brake conversion and LSD, plus rear sway bar. The stock 302 has also received some engine work. GT40 heads and Explorer bigger intake manifold, the block has been decked and slightly bored over with forged pistons, so it's now slightly bigger than 302, bigger cam, injectors, MAP tuned but plans to do a MAF tune later on. Love that car.
https://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1280x721q90/911/6fiKlS.jpg

https://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1280x721q90/633/2eVQdq.jpg

https://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1280x721q90/908/Gh5pOU.jpg


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGFF2uf7w2Y


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2mC0JeDZCQ


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khCJ2pYjqog


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2XoStx-IKI


That's about it.

What are you working on? :)

[auaq]

Hmm ... so everybody is really into BMWs, eh? Not even a mustang or a camaro, or a Porsche, nothing .... eh!

[keeslinger31]

Lots of projects but i'm not making much progress.
Working on a twin turbo in the camaro.

http://i67.tinypic.com/2drggo0.jpg

92 rs swapped an lt1 and t56 into it when I was 17

Plan is forged rods and pistons stock crank, cc the heads a little bigger for less compression.
Two t4 flanged turbos, ls1 pcm conversion as well as the efi connection 24x conversion to get rid of the opti and go coil packs.

Don't really have a power goal, But I know the t56 will need beefed up and the 10 bolt has to go.
It's going to be one of those long-term projects...

It's not everyones favorite but I love my thirdgen

http://i67.tinypic.com/eulea1.jpg

[JimLev]

keeslinger, looks like a nice project.

[Mach540]

(pssst......... Keeslinger,, your engine is upside down.............. and backwards..........)

[dannyzabolotny]

My only real "project" at the moment is my 1998 540i that I bought for less than the price of a DIY clutch job. It's a mess for now but it's completely salvageable. My daily driver 2003 540i/6 isn't really a project anymore, since everything works and runs reliably. I might be picking up a Mercedes W220 S500 at some point in the near future though, but I guess that's close enough to a BMW that it's not really a non-BMW project... or is it? :P

[auaq]

Bro, I really love that body style. I like those Irocz in black. Cool project you've got going on there. I bet that thing will definitely make well over 1100hp. Not sure why I picked up that number but I feel that's what it going to be in the end.

[bE34ST]

My only real "project" at the moment is my 1998 540i that I bought for less than the price of a DIY clutch job. It's a mess for now but it's completely salvageable. My daily driver 2003 540i/6 isn't really a project anymore, since everything works and runs reliably. I might be picking up a Mercedes W220 S500 at some point in the near future though, but I guess that's close enough to a BMW that it's not really a non-BMW project... or is it? :P

Danny, I think you'll find out that the Merc will be another beast of a project entirely depending son what it is you plan to do with it.

I've always liked those 3rd Gen Camaro's .I just can't get over how ugly their interiors are. I dig the GTO as well.

[dannyzabolotny]

Danny, I think you'll find out that the Merc will be another beast of a project entirely depending son what it is you plan to do with it.

I've always liked those 3rd Gen Camaro's .I just can't get over how ugly their interiors are. I dig the GTO as well.

With the Merc I intend to just daily drive it. Not doing any real mods to it, the most I would do is maybe change the wheels (a lot of them come with ugly wheels) and maybe a muffler swap for a deeper exhaust note. And maybe I'd swap in some facelift (2003+) headlights in, but that's really it. Whereas I can think of dozens and dozens of things I'd like to change with my 03 M-Sport.

[keeslinger31]

Yup it looks like it has boat headers doesn't it?

The turbos will be the determining factor power wise as its staying stock stroke.

I would be happy with 700

[auaq]

Must be a typo ..... I think you meant to say 1700hp.

[Leonator134]

Sweet Corolla project!

Digging the Camaro too despite being far from my favorite gen.

Yes, still working away on the Impala. It's running and driving great right now with the Stage III 700R4. 4 bolt 350 is coming along very well too. Bottom end is almost done, pistons ready to go in. After that just need to order the top end gaskets, intake and carb. Have very worked over Vortec heads to go on.

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https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xlp1/v/t34.0-12/12399206_10208605886804001_1969587350_n.jpg?oh=729 f4c5b78daba13837db63eba86d1a0&oe=567224E5

[JimLev]

Some side pipes would look got on the Impala too.

[jmphotoworks]

Figured I'd post up my non-BMW project.

It's a 1990 Nissan R31 Skyline. The R31 was built in sedan form in Australia and was the only model in the R31 range powered by the RB30E motor, a single cam 3 litre straight-six motor.

I'll keep this short and sweet; any questions feel free to ask!

I bought it off a friend of mine after the car was written off from flood damage...

http://i1293.photobucket.com/albums/b594/jmphotoworks/419628_10151249282000471_737366146_n_zps4399ad01.j pg
Spent 4 years completely rebuilding the car which included purchasing two other parts cars, a replacement motor, the interior being stripped, cleaned and checked thoroughly, engine bay respray + sourcing a whole lot of JDM HR31 goodies for the car (autospoiler, headlights etc.)

http://i1293.photobucket.com/albums/b594/jmphotoworks/903BB437-0F76-4652-9ADE-202E1408111D-261-0000001368A5D73D_zpsd7d33fa7.jpg

http://i1293.photobucket.com/albums/b594/jmphotoworks/398417_10151161855545471_648588364_n_zpsb4316a4c.j pg

http://i1293.photobucket.com/albums/b594/jmphotoworks/null_zps13ce992d.jpg

Finally got her registered in January 2015 and have been driving it every weekend since. On the cards for 2016 is turbo conversion, coilovers, new brakes and wheels and all that jazz :)

http://i1293.photobucket.com/albums/b594/jmphotoworks/kkk_zps57b80184.jpg

[auaq]

Yes!!! Love me some old Skylines. Love what you've got there.

[Leonator134]

Idk why none of my pictures have been loading..
https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xlp1/v/t34.0-12/12399206_10208605886804001_1969587350_n.jpg?oh=cc8 53871b5abecac2f59d15139725171&oe=56761965

I went and looked at this yesterday..
. https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xtf1/v/t34.0-12/1615121_10208625853063145_1538673720_n.jpg?oh=1d25 52752b5a78b8bf250db611f7cc46&oe=56766344

[Mach540]

You got a thing for four doors??

[philly98540]

Leo. Is that Nova a 71 or 72? My friend had the exact car when I was teen. Those must be getting rare. Whats your plans for it?

[auaq]

Never knew there was a four door.

[Leonator134]

You got a thing for four doors??

Yes.

[Leonator134]

Leo. Is that Nova a 71 or 72? My friend had the exact car when I was teen. Those must be getting rare. Whats your plans for it?

71. Plan was to get it and rat rod it. However body is waaaay too far gone which is disappointing as it looked much better in pictures.

Has a 283 with headers, exhaust, intake and carb. Not to mention a 4spd manual. Drive train is good but everything else around it is garbage unfortunately. Had staggered steelies which were cool.

$1,000...

[auaq]

I would like to get a 68 Road Runner someday in black and with a big Hemi in it.
For a truck, a 1979 Ford F150.

:D

[extra]

I'd love to get my hands on a c2 coupe or a 70 fastback mustang and make em handle (if it had to be non-BMW) but the project car at the top of my list right now would a a 2002 with fender flares, fat tires and bbs', 3.1l stroked m20 with itbs. That'd be insane.


oh wait above the 2002 i'd do an old 911 and do what singer does to them except on a more reasonable budget.

[auaq]

Hmm .... I'd love to get a 993 911 Turbo. :drool:

[S61Dan]

I have been finishing the full restoration of a 1956 Cadillac Fleetwood Sixty Special. Already put in a complete wire harness and a million other things. I started a thread over in the e34 hangout.
http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii296/vwbug881/20150628_145322_zpsmb6f9poh.jpg

http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii296/vwbug881/Mobile%20Uploads/20151208_151101_zpspcgzjgha.jpg



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDy1H79yAJY

[auaq]

Nice and a beautiful looking Cadillac you have.

[S61Dan]

Nice and a beautiful looking Cadillac you have.

Not mine. I am working on it for someone on the side. 254hrs invested so far haha

[auaq]

Ah, I see.

[toybreaker]

1970 mustang coupe, california car originally, I have the black plates, 52000 documented original miles
Owned it since 2007 drivien it maybe 20 miles total so far.....
done a lot to it...
Body and piant, (2003 Arizona Beige)
Interior, (factory foam on high backed Mach 1 buckets in 69 vermillion vinyl)
Engine, 88 mustang shortblock bored and stroked to 347, world products windsor heads B303 cam crower 1.6 stainless rockers, vintage cal custom finned valve covers with fabricated (by me) 3/4 spacer, perfromer RPM intake, Davis DUI ignition, and a worked over 750 Vacuum secondary holley carb.
Trans is a rebuilt C4 (For now 5 speed swap in the works)
rear end is a 3.00:1 8 inch rear (3.55 4WD LSD disc brake explorer rear waiting for install)
Front disc brake swap (took Crown vic cop rotors (salvage yard $12 for both), Speedway circle track caliper brakets, made the spacers, steel braided lines, various brake fittings and single piston calipers (salvage yard $12, rebuild kits $16). Cost me less than $200)
Still need to install the complete wiring harness I bought 4 years ago, Install the Vintage Air A/C system I got for cheap
and start driving it.

At work so I can't get to my photobucket. will edit this after I get home and link to the before, in progress, and the finished (sort of) photo

http://s4.photobucket.com/user/Toybreaker/library/#/user/Toybreaker/library/70%20mustang?sort=2&page=1&_suid=145125131523009292518192274602

[Leonator134]

Making some progress on the sbc build for the Impala
. https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpf1/v/l/t34.0-12/12443026_10208748901619282_1668970964_n.jpg?oh=551 c186f646e3713ad66ac78cef750ba&oe=56892C70

https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xaf1/v/t34.0-12/12476006_10208748901219272_89675086_n.jpg?oh=da4b5 9f0e51a15f0647a09f49056d9c3&oe=568A4AAA


https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xaf1/v/t34.0-12/12483902_10208748900739260_1197442062_n.jpg?oh=dc4 1a0c252b09db58785f6527e3445c1&oe=568950D0


They look red, but it's true chevy orange.
https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xlt1/v/t34.0-12/12483773_10208748900299249_215761676_n.jpg?oh=1354 fe1e6493af429e2bf4fc57286169&oe=56892142

[auaq]

Interesting 5 bolt main head on these old blocks.

[Leonator134]

Interesting 5 bolt main head on these old blocks.

Vortec 906

[FastJohn]

Here's one I found in a barn several years ago, not running, and picked up for $1500.

559195

1985 M-B 190 16v. This particular one is gray market, and the importer thoughtfully kept and reinstalled most of the Euro gear. French headlights, vin number trace showed it was originally sold in Monaco. Yes, it has the dogleg 5 speed manual transmission.

Wasn't running at all due to failed fuel pump. Didn't run well after that was replaced, due to the fuel distributor being clogged up with old fuel residue. With those items fixed, it happily zings to the 7k redline. Very agile, doesn't have the 'lead sled' feel of most older M-B's.

Was a bit forlorn and dusty when I found it, but it cleaned up nicely. 90k miles, and no rust showing on the body. Have since replaced the somewhat dilapidated front Recaros with nicer ones from a 16v that was being parted out.

Don't drive this one much, I expect it will be worth a pretty penny some day, though not today.

[auaq]

That's a steal!

[bmdubya1198]

Here's one I found in a barn several years ago, not running, and picked up for $1500.

559195

1985 M-B 190 16v. This particular one is gray market, and the importer thoughtfully kept and reinstalled most of the Euro gear. French headlights, vin number trace showed it was originally sold in Monaco. Yes, it has the dogleg 5 speed manual transmission.

Wasn't running at all due to failed fuel pump. Didn't run well after that was replaced, due to the fuel distributor being clogged up with old fuel residue. With those items fixed, it happily zings to the 7k redline. Very agile, doesn't have the 'lead sled' feel of most older M-B's.

Was a bit forlorn and dusty when I found it, but it cleaned up nicely. 90k miles, and no rust showing on the body. Have since replaced the somewhat dilapidated front Recaros with nicer ones from a 16v that was being parted out.

Don't drive this one much, I expect it will be worth a pretty penny some day, though not today.

Nice! My cousin's girlfriend just bought a 190e 2.6. This one's nice!

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I have my $300 Volvo...
Picture from CL ad on the left and 7 days after I bought it on the right
559506

After I finally fixed the transmission, 4 months to the day! I swapped in an XC grille and fog lights. Waiting on bulbs for those now because the eBay LEDs I bought didn't fit behind the reflector.
559507

I still have quite a bit of work to do (windshield, paint, bumper, battery drain issue, oil change, etc), but she is driveable now. Still have to register it, though. She's a '98 V70 GLT (little turbo).

I'm enjoying Volvo ownership, to say the least! And you gotta love the sound of a 5 cylinder!

[Leonator134]

http://i1361.photobucket.com/albums/r677/leonator1345/12874565_10209403271178112_652268318_o_zpsmgdtf0vu .jpg (http://s1361.photobucket.com/user/leonator1345/media/12874565_10209403271178112_652268318_o_zpsmgdtf0vu .jpg.html)

[bmdubya1198]

Sweet! '64 is definitely my favorite year of the Impala.

[Tutti57]

I wish I had a stable for all the cars I'd like to get a hold of but I'm sure the village would contest a permit application...

The two car garage will have to do for now.

[SRTTroy]

My toy. 2007 rock crystal red SRT Cherokee. I've had this for quite a few years and since it was bone stock. Procharged 6.1 on 9psi, full exhaust, 80 pound injectors, 3 core intercooler, red race valve, Walboro 400 fuel pump, Diablo tuned, paramount conquerer transmission, 3400 stall converter, 36 way adjustable coil overs, 3 piece niche circuit wheels,315/35/20 nitto invo tires, and plenty of more. Best time on atreet tired and pump gas with the stock trans was 11.2@121. Should top that this year with the new trans and other goodies.

[Joelzy]

I have a '69 bug that i'm swapping a water-cooled subaru EJ18 into. progress is slow but i have almost everything i need now aside from help with wiring.

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1639/26385291456_f42eabf785.jpg
(https://flic.kr/p/GczvUd)Screen Shot 2016-04-13 at 12.40.03 PM (https://flic.kr/p/GczvUd) by Joel Ritch (https://www.flickr.com/photos/joelzyvw/), on Flickr
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7273/13589624345_0065d2c5af.jpg
(https://flic.kr/p/mGSnS2)photo copy (https://flic.kr/p/mGSnS2) by Joel Ritch (https://www.flickr.com/photos/joelzyvw/), on Flickr
https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1447/25808458573_33aeda525f.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/FjB6zF)
Screen Shot 2016-04-13 at 12.38.23 PM (https://flic.kr/p/FjB6zF) by Joel Ritch (https://www.flickr.com/photos/joelzyvw/), on Flickr

[RVAE34]

Love the 190!!!

That bug looks slick too!

[auaq]

Whoa! That bug is killing it!

[Mach540]

Yes! Welding with shorts and a t-shirt. Hard-core!

[512boxer]

A cool project I did last year. The car arrived engineless and in need of a lot of TLC. I ended up putting a fuel injected testarossa engine in it but decided to stick with the carb'd setup the car would've had originally had in 79. I fabbed up some metal manifold models first then handed the machining over to a local shop to make the finished product (two versions, stock height and taller for another project) and I returned the car to its original colour.

[Mcdiver]

http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/l588/mdcdiver/7FD88EB6-2CE1-48A1-935F-085AADCBE219.jpg (http://s1125.photobucket.com/user/mdcdiver/media/7FD88EB6-2CE1-48A1-935F-085AADCBE219.jpg.html)

http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/l588/mdcdiver/53B1744E-447C-4E21-AB55-1BAD964646CA.jpg (http://s1125.photobucket.com/user/mdcdiver/media/53B1744E-447C-4E21-AB55-1BAD964646CA.jpg.html)

http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/l588/mdcdiver/BBDB8D76-6F68-4A83-963C-2D45CBA006A8.jpg (http://s1125.photobucket.com/user/mdcdiver/media/BBDB8D76-6F68-4A83-963C-2D45CBA006A8.jpg.html)

http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/l588/mdcdiver/08B0857B-F6C3-4B71-BA25-C7921852F03B.jpg (http://s1125.photobucket.com/user/mdcdiver/media/08B0857B-F6C3-4B71-BA25-C7921852F03B.jpg.html)

Project that I completed several years ago then started on again. Another new engine on the way. The first was 400hp on the wheels, new one should be close to 500

[auaq]

A cool project I did last year. The car arrived engineless and in need of a lot of TLC. I ended up putting a fuel injected testarossa engine in it but decided to stick with the carb'd setup the car would've had originally had in 79. I fabbed up some metal manifold models first then handed the machining over to a local shop to make the finished product (two versions, stock height and taller for another project) and I returned the car to its original colour.

This is amazing. Got any link to your build thread? Would love to read more about it.

[512boxer]

This is amazing. Got any link to your build thread? Would love to read more about it.

Thanks! You'll need to join to see pics but thats free to do.

http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/boxers-tr-m/429042-testarossa-powered-boxer.html

[auaq]

Thanks!

[jp5Touring]

https://scontent-ord1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/t31.0-8/13227439_10154900653294922_855990218189693519_o.jp g

My Son's 05 EVO 700-750 whp.

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https://scontent-ord1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/12985522_1184879178201034_2054598305702686299_n.jp g?oh=92e0ecbf942405d35807d28c3d7a38c4&oe=57E51233

Something else their working on V8 240SX