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My new ugly betty, '84 Maxima, not diesel.


HRH

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Started on the rest of the floor pan asphalt coating removal today.  The driver's side particularly.

 

floorpanagain1_zps33b5e3f8.jpg

 

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Mohammed and Fizel came by to try and figure out the issue with Fizel's SRT4.  Narrowed it down to ECU or spark plug possibly.  Thinking ECU, consistent #3 misfire, everything checked out, compression was even 150 across the board.  Mohammed suggested because the exhaust runs under the driver's side might be the reason the asphalt coating came off harder.  Think he's probably right there.

 

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Masses of wiring everywhere.

 

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Snow!!!  Unfortunately it will probably be rain tomorrow. :(

 

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20 pounds of asphalt coating.  Probably a few more, some spots are a real pain to get.

 

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Alright, I have the seat rail adapters in.  Vacuumed all the old asphalt bits out of the floorpan, that took a while, as did scraping.

 

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Next was test fitting the seat.  It has longitudinal rails that will go across the latitudinal adapters to the original longitudinal seat brackets.  That was convoluted!  The 1.5" square tubing is a bit heavy, but I got it for a case of beer from one of my accounts, and beggers can't be choosers!  Plus it will be mounted solidly.  The two pieces weigh 2.5 pounds each!  Oh well.  I'll feel safer.

 

As for the fitment, I'm wearing the insulated overalls, which is about the thickness of the padding insert that goes in the seat.  It's a smidge higher than I want, but I have a finger's width from the roof with the helmet and hand and foot placement is good, so it should work!

 

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I was going to weld the seats in tonight, but it's getting late.  Think I'll do it tomorrow and start fresh.  Having some tea and cookies noaw.   :)  And yes, the stereo is coming out.  Just haven't removed it yet.  Probably should cover that or remove it before I weld the seat rails.

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Lol, hell yeah!  I was just reading Grassroots Motorsports magazine, there's some braille battery that's lithium ion with 947 amps or something that weighs 6.5 pounds.  Would definitely like that, but it's probably a lot of dough.  I have a pretty large battery in there now, that would be a quick way to shed 50 pounds off the nose.  I'll have to find something under $200 though.  I'm not spending over that on a damn battery.  I thought about not running one, but then if I spin and stall it I wouldn't be able to re-start.  On the other hand, that doesn't happen much.  Hmm.  I'd have to check the rules.  Either way, a light battery would be a better idea.  I should get rid of the windshield and back glass for lexan too, but I paid for a new windshield, it's staying in there.  And the back window has all the cool stickers, plus it's more weight off the back of the car, which isn't where weight needs to come off now.

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You should pick up an Odyssey PC680, or PC925, the 925 is truly overkill for your needs, the 680 would work perfect for you. I have had one for 3 eyars and it NEVER fails. I a person that has an Odyssey that is 7 years old and functions perfectly, starts his car every time. And I know yet another person with a turbo 7M Supra that never has a single issue with them.

 

The best part is that they only cost $115

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Odyssey-PC680-Battery-Replaces-51814-51913-2y-warr-/170884593956?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item27c983f924&vxp=mtr

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Just did some checking, my current battery weighs 37.9 pounds.  A standard lead-acid for a Miata weighs 20.5 pounds, which of course I can get through work reasonably cheap.  However, I'd like to save even more weight.  The PC680 is probably a better battery due to it's construction than the Miata lead-acid, but it's also only 5 pounds lighter.

 

Here's what I'm thinking:

 

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/brl-b106?seid=srese1&gclid=CM2l0Lij_cICFVCVfgodY4AArw

 

That one is only 210 cca, but if I put the gear reduction 280zx starter I have on her, it shouldn't need much more.  And it's only 6.5 pounds.  For 50 more than the PC680, that's a lot less weight for only half again as much.  That would save the weight of a Datsun flywheel off the nose!

 

Here we are, a slightly beefier version, weighs 11 pounds, still not bad.

 

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/brl-b14115/overview/

 

The one survey guy says it will walk his Jeep with it engaged in gear.  If it can turn a 4.0 liter Jeep engine, it can turn a 2.4 liter Nissan engine!

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What if I attach a crank handle to the front? :D  Yeah, I'll probably either do the Miata battery since I can get it cheap, or one of the lithium ions.  It'll depend on what the car weighs after I finish the rest of the weight reduction.  Still need to remove the cruise control unit and associated bracketry.  Since I don't have a trailer yet, I've stopped short at the dash and windshield wipers and headlights.  It IS street legal still.  I may need to make it non street legal and just hook up a tow bar or get on the move for finding a cheap trailer.  We'll see.  Once I get it a little closer I'll drive it over to Joe's and weigh it.

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FINALLY got the seat installed!  Ran out of welding wire on the last weld.  Had to go get some more to finish up.  The new wire works quite a bit better, rather interesting.  My welds still don't look that nice, but they did penetrate well.  I'm pretty sure the seat won't come loose from the rails.  I should have used a bit thinner wall tube though.  I also should have taken the blowtorch to the weld area prior to welding.  Adjusted the wire speed to compensate, not that happy about it, but I know it's not going anywhere.  Would rather it looked nice though.

 

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Haha, no not ice racing Mike.  Autocross!  I'll pay money for a battery for less weight, but for a pad for the seat that's just an uncomfortable aluminum piece, well crap, I'll make a pad out of carpet remnants for 80 bucks! ;)  Shocks are indeed stock, but new last season.  Springs are Eibachs.  They weren't quite as hard as I would have liked, but they will be now that I'm taking weight off.

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Well until now, the spring rate wasn't all that high.  The Eibach kit from the z store is "sporty" I'd say, but it's not hard by any means.  My 510 rode much harder.  But yes, the stock shocks do just fine, even for autocross duty.  There is some slight wheel hop when launching, but it's minimal and most of the time I'm not burning out.  However, all this feeling was from the car at stock weight.  I'm not quite sure what's in store when I lop off half a coil to get the ride height correct.  That will stiffen the spring, just hope I have enough adjustment with all the weight I'm taking off.  Otherwise I'll have to do coilovers and I'd prefer to keep the stock struts.  Anything to not spend more money.  This is budget autocross preparation at it's finest.  Plus, anything that is close to stock is better off if I end up racing her in chump car at some point.

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I've had to drive a rental 2014 Altima all week.  It's not the worst car in the world, but it most certainly is an appliance.  I don't like front wheel drive and I don't like new cars.  Especially appliance new cars.  The body shop got my truck finished today so I worked out they leave it outside for me, and I dropped off the rental car at Enterprise, got the BMX out of the back, and biked down 2 miles to the body shop.  Rather hard actually on hard-crust snow and ice, but didn't biff it.  Got Gracie II back, SOOOO HAPPPPYYYYY!!!!!  I really did miss the truck like crazy.  Yes, the rental car had more power and better mileage, but fuck that stupid appliance.  I like my hardbody!  No, actually, I LOAVE my hardbody!  :D  Soo happy soo happy, off to eat dinner!

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Okay, just got done cutting the rear springs.  Worked like a charm, she sits where she's supposed to now.  The only problem is I have about 2.5" of free space in between the spring and the perch now.  Think I'm going to find a 3" puck lift (hopefully) and use that as the in-between.  Luckily the Day Motorsports catalog just came, hoping they'll have spacers in 3.5" size.  The front is 6" or actual 6.25"  Kinda weird.  Haven't messed with those yet.  Lots of pictures, but I'm heading over to mom and dad's.  I'll upload those when I get back.

 

Not quite sure my idea is going to work with the pucks.  Think I may have to alter the top hat and or have Joe make a custom spacer with a channel in it so the spring locates.  Not quite sure yet.  Combination of something is bound to work.

 

Okay, so I'm wrestling with spacers working or not working.  It seems if I put the spring back to original height by adding a spacer for the coils I cut off, then I'm increasing the ride height again.  But if I lower the mounting point of the top hat, aren't I doing the same thing?  Or is it because it's total length?  Been going back and forth on this.  If I had an adjustable perch it would simply move up, oh wait, but you know what, it still wouldn't matter because the strut is too long for the spring now.  Okay, going to think on this some more.  I'm thinking securing the spring to the top and bottom perches and then putting a limiting strap on the control arm is probably the best way to go.  Or if I had the regular spring and an adjustable perch, but then we're back to buying coilovers.

 

EDIT again:  Okay, now I see it.  Anything added in between the top and bottom mounts will raise the ride height.  Any top mount moved down or bottom mount moved up will lower ride height.  So the last idea was correct.  Seems so simple when you have coilovers, just couldn't wrap my head around the idea for some reason.

 

The problem is the strut is too long for the spring, so any attempts to shore that up will end up increasing ride height.

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