Thanks
Rather not list the total bill as but It's more than a new Prius depending on options. :) This will be a HELL of a car for the total price.
Still need to test this runner in the car but it should fit without any problem.
My idea for cylinder 3
Cylinder 1 would then tuck under #7 runner. Will find out tomorrow afternoon.
Dropped the wheels off to get mounted up... Snapped a pic of the tires as they were sitting out.
These shows up to be donors for the flares
Fitment of the two runners
Third runner in progress....still need to test on the car.
Had to make some changes to the headers and also move the engine mount a little bit to give me more room.
From here....
to here
More header work....this fits but I did have to slide the drivers side engine mount out to get it in.
I'll take more pictures from the bottom later today...it was late when I came in last night. THey might ave to get tweeked a little bit more but headers are just about done!
Those headers are art. Great job.
Forgot to post a picture of the tires mounted up.
Header clearance from below
Might run tree house style FCABs to give more room here but they do clear the stock bushings too.
Collector
I would go for the Treehouse or AKG rod end type just to increase the air gap - but they also eliminate vague toe change at the limit so are probably more desirable anyway.
My E30/S52 headers were tight like that and cooked the rubber factory eyeball when I tested it the first time out. I never planned to race it that way anyway... but I thought it would be cool for a test day or two but, not so much.
Could/should probably build a little heat shield for it too...
After welding my first complete exhaust and struggling a bit... I can really appreciate the skill that it takes to measure/cut/tack/weld those together and end up with something worthy of showing off. Nice work!
This is the first time that I have read one of your build threads. I have always been a huge fan on the LS swap. I have to ask - where on Earth do you work where customers request awesome projects like this? I think I work at the wrong shop.....
anjaloveshervw wrote: After welding my first complete exhaust and struggling a bit... I can really appreciate the skill that it takes to measure/cut/tack/weld those together and end up with something worthy of showing off. Nice work! This is the first time that I have read one of your build threads. I have always been a huge fan on the LS swap. I have to ask - where on Earth do you work where customers request awesome projects like this? I think I work at the wrong shop.....
thanks!
By day I am actually a K-12 music teacher. I do these builds...after school, nights, weekends, summer in my home garage. Sometimes I ask why I don't do this all the time and that may happen eventually....
Most of my builds have been word of mouth.
Worked on the suspension some...needed a break from headers.
Rear suspension/diff/sway bar/etc is all installed
Some of the front together as well
jakeb wrote: thanks! By day I am actually a K-12 music teacher. I do these builds...after school, nights, weekends, summer in my home garage. Sometimes I ask why I don't do this all the time and that may happen eventually.... Most of my builds have been word of mouth.
Oh that is interesting. Sounds familiar, too. I used to be a therapist until I asked that question one too many times, and now I am in tech school :) I look forward to watching your progress.
It's looking really good Jakeb - coming along nicely. The headers go in from the bottom I presume?
I am consistently blown away at the quality of your work. Great job. Doing it full time would be a big step and might make it less fun but that's your call!
At the risk of the thread drifting further, there are a lot of things to consider when moving a hobby to a self-supporting/paying hobby and maybe to a full time job.
Liability for your product is always a big issue. Few of us would stand a chance against a litigator who was blaming us for something going wrong.
Doing this outside of your own garage will invoke the full attention of the parasites that feed off of small business. If you figure 33 cents/dollar go to the government in some way-shape- or- form, you wont be far off. Then you need to feed the landlord and the insurance company.
Note that by this point, you yourself will be answering the phone, looking for customers, and doing the work required to collect the guvmint's 33%, so you are going to have to hire a person. This attracts more government attention.
At this point, you realize that what you are charging for garage work won't cover basic overhead and need to triple the cost to customer. Now it is harder to get customers.
Not saying don't do it, just be aware.
You have the liability issue if you perform the work/design regardless of the business structure. In fact, many times the potential liability issue is WORSE for the 'just doin' it on the side' guys because they usually don't have a business structure or an umbrella liability policy that protects their personal assets from the grip of the customer who's making the claim. Or worse - the customer's estate's attorney who is making the claim....
Not to threadjack even further, but at this year's BMTA meet we had someone from the insurance industry discuss liability coverage for those who make their own parts. Short answer, yes, it is available.
In reply to David S. Wallens:
Is that too crunchy for an article in CM or something? A thread summarizing what you found out?
As this thread points out, I think the dream of thinking about cars all the time without interruptions for a non-car day job has appeal to a lot of enthusiasts. It's clear there are many reasons not to do that, but it's clear that for some people in some situations, it can be a wonderful thing.
EDIT: Apologies for adding to the threadjack's momentum...
MichaelYount wrote: It's looking really good Jakeb - coming along nicely. The headers go in from the bottom I presume?
The passenger side goes in from the bottom. The drivers side can go in from the top or probably bottom as well but you do have to slide the engine mount forward....there was no way getting around that...
Understand -- actually, there are many aftermarket headers for other cars that require a motor mount to be moved, engine lifted or a steering column to be moved to get the headers in and out. So your careful work here makes these custom headers no worse than many off the shelf units that folks buy for their Camaro or Mustang. But yours will be MUCH better quality. Nice.
The rear brakes use e46 M3 rotors...while the e36 m3 rear parking brake shoes WILL work if you wind them really far out they are not ideal. So Eric at Rallyroad.net suggests using e46 m3 shoes. They do have to me modified slightly.
Here they are before...as you can the lower spring will hit the shoe.
And then a little trimming
The adjuster had to be opened up just a little bit to fit the e46 shoe...
Left is before...right is after
All mounted up....brake bracket is on as well.
Rotor on...lug bolts on just to hold the rotor on with no wheel. Studs are on the way.
Started on the fender flares...
Start with an e46 sedan after market fender.
Cut the flare out
Stock e36...
With the e46 flare
difference between the two
About where it will be...the e46 bit needs to be trimmed down some more.
Fitment up front
It will have to blend in here somewhere.
Some wheel on shots...the FCAB isn't on so I had to hold the wheel a bit.
Right now with a 15mm spacer the tire is just touching the coil over adjuster. Either have to run a spacer that is just a little thicker or move the spring perch up or down a bit. I would rather go with a little thicker spacer and have full control over the preload on the spring. I will space with some washers first just to see what will be needed.
This guy wanted to help a little
Just put coilovers on the front of my toy and had the same issue -- had to use a 5mm spacer to get the tire to clear the threaded perch.
I am already running a 15mm spacer...might have to go to a 20mm to get everything to clear. First step I will try spacing it out another 5mm with washers and see where I "sit"
I am constantly amazed at the conversions you do.
Great work!
Chris
Looking forward to seeing how it looks when those flares are done.
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