Project Riceball, Chapter 4- Throw Me a Shovel (Down Here)

"aquila121" (aquila121)
09/05/2015 at 16:12 • Filed to: PROJECTRICEBALL

Friends, it’s been a long year since the last update of Project Riceball, rife with setbacks and excuses. And unfortunately, there will likely be many more to come, but have I cut my losses and given up on this car? Nope.

Let me describe my start of the autocross season this past spring: The Purple Car sat in my garage all winter, with me eagerly awaiting another outing at the karting track with the Miata-philes, and managed to not kill its battery completely thanks to a trickle-charger (win #1). Once the snow subsided, I ran the rusted pile over to a shop to have the lone amalgamation of new parts installed—I now own a car with a hydraulic e-brake. Techno Toy Tuning sells a drool-inducing bracket to install a dual-caliper setup on the rear brakes using Nissan S13 calipers, and I jumped at the offering.

(via Technotoytuning.com)

Now I have a monstrous lever begging to be pulled in every empty parking lot that I’ll ever see when in this car. However, I’m a firm believer that one should undertake such things at an appropriate venue, so I’ve been resisting the urge. Let me say, though, it’s truly like those classic cartoons with an angel and devil arguing from each of your shoulders.

Anyways, once I had the car back, I signed up for the first autocross in my area, took the car out, and had another experience tossing it around the track very similar to !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! —I even saw the ‘55 Bel Air (I think that’s what it was) that a number of you fellow Oppos loved. I’ll include the paddock photos at the bottom, and the gentleman driving said classic was incredibly nice to chat with about his car. I had a blast, nothing broke, life was good. Following this first event, I saw that an organization was hosting an open drift day at a small oval/infield track about an hour away. I figured this would be a perfect way to try to get my feet wet and learn from some others in the art of trying to drift this piece of crap.

With that in mind, I took a look at the tech requirements, and immediately knew more work was in order: I’d need an electrical kill-switch in reach of corner-workers (and within my reach as a driver when harnessed in), a more secure battery box, and I wanted to make sure that the car didn’t die to, at, or returning from the track, as I can’t afford a 60-mile towing bill anytime soon. With this in mind, I set my goal on an event in August to give any gremlins and hurdles ample time to show themselves, then be beaten into submission. Also, I wanted to give my regular tuner guy a break from this Japanese-translation of Stephen King’s “Christine” (I kid, it’s not evil—just expensive), so I took Project Riceball up to a larger shop that would give me results with some more polished edges. I speak no ill of my other friend and his work, but you don’t skimp on tech/safety requirements.

I talked with the larger shop about my project, and they showed enthusiasm only possible because they hadn’t seen what they’d be working to rectify. I figured it’d be about a month worth of work, and they’d need three because of their backlog of customers. So, I packed everything up, belted in, and started the drive to drop off the car. From minute one, I saw new problems; first, the dash was lifeless aside from the speedometer. Crap. Second, the car seemed down on power. Not good. Third, I forget if the tail-lights worked, but the turn signals definately gave up. These are serious electrical signs, and likely not the full extent of whatever problems had arisen. The wiring’s about as old as I am, so should I be surprised? Please allow me some images below to convey my thought process.

The car somehow managed to get to its destination, and I imagine the scene was similar to watching an asthmatic crawl across the finish line of a marathon and collapse. By the time I walked in the shop, one of the techs mentioned how some guy just drove in with a helmet on (I’m going to have cause to mention wearing it all the time until I die), and I get to respond, “That was me,” (say it with me:) “because rollcage.”

We take a look at the car, and as I’m describing the new-found issues I perceived on the trip, I decide something. I could throw money at trying to remedy the crap wiring and whatever other systems are dying on this car, add the couple of items needed to pass tech inspection at the drift event, and still be left with a gutless car that can hardly get sideways under its own power; or I could ignore the additional cost, advice of others to start with something underpowered, and general sense that everyone else is born with. Yeah, I chose option #2, and told the guys to rip out the engine, transmission, and most of the electrical system. I want to start over with stuff that works.

Upon voicing that decision, we start talking over engine swap options—please note, anything that follows is my purely unfounded opinion or what I’ve gleaned from others, the recap of discussion is not meant to rustle jimmies. Also, I fully accept the possibility that one of you readers will be thoroughly disappointed that I didn’t chose x engine swap over y . Oh well. Given that a 20 valve, 4AGE silver- or blacktop engine swap has been done countless times and is loved by purists, I considered it for a moment. However, the T50 transmission that it would mate with is still considered fairly fragile—even if I sourced another that is less awful, and at the (comparatively) lower horsepower and torque levels, I’d probably need to do some clutch-kicking, which would put tons of strain on it and break things. Also, the things are all used and rare, so cost and parts availability is also not great. I could try to go with a super-JDM transmission solution and find an adapter for an FC RX-7 turbo transmission, but even though that should be much stronger, the cost adds up quickly, and still not loads of added horsepower.

(via Hachiroku.com.au) I believe Taka Aono used the FC3S transmission with his Formula Atlantic-built 4AGE 20v when he drove for Falken Tire.

Next, the eyes of one of the techs lit up when he heard that I had a hachi (his words)—he said to me, “Dude, we gotta put a V8 in that.” Honestly, I’d thought about a 1UZ-FE from the Lexus LS400, and I loved the idea. A couple of months before I bought this car, I talked my way into riding along in an AE86 with that very swap at a drift day, and I loved most everything about that experience. Later on, I sat shotgun and talked with an S13 owner that had that engine under the hood. They both loved the engine, they’re somewhat inexpensive, and again, the swap’s been done before. The torque curve on those things is nothing to sneeze at, they’re wonderfully under-stressed, and the car would sound fantastic. But the usual transmission employed is the W58 from non-turbo Supras and the like, which is getting stupidly expensive because everyone wants one for whatever Toyota swap they’re doing. Add in the cost of the adapter and such, and I’m hesitant. Finally, I think about the amount of torque that would be going through the rear-end’s diff, ring gear, and axles, which would need to be beefed up, as well. If I could find a rear of a 1979-82 Celica-Supra, I’d have them swap that 7.5 inch piece (over the 6.5 inch stock 5-link unit) in after transferring the AE86 hubs, but they’re all but impossible to find. Since I’m restricted to live-axle options, something from the family of Ford rear-ends would be great (plentiful, cheap, strong), but it’d be fairly heavy, as well as incompatible with the hubs that hold my shiny, awesome dual-caliper e-brake stuff. Crap, anything with a V8 is out.

Well, the weight of those previous options would ruin the balance of the car, so the forum-jockeys tell me. How about a VQ from a 350Z? Nah, then I should’ve bought a Nissan. Cramming the Z’s transmission in my car would require a ton of tunnel modifications, and that sounds horrifying. Also, that would still have lots of torque and a fair amount of weight. Maybe a CA18DET or SR20DET? Nah, would’ve been better to start with an S-chassis, yet again. And those engines have potential turbo problems, as well as their own issues due to being older and used. What’s a longitudinally mounted four cylinder with aluminum construction and good reliability? And it’d help if people have done the swap before into an AE86 chassis… oh .

Some of you likely know where I’m going with this. I start talking with them about an S2000 drivetrain, and someone mentions a built K24 from an older TSX that they have for sale, and how I could buy that. I say, “Since the TSX is front-wheel-drive, I figure there wouldn’t be any transmission option that would work with it.” Wrong, apparently—there’s an adapter for using an AP1 or AP2 S2000 transmission with the K24 block, since it shares many traits with the F20C/F22C engines. But this one would be higher compression, a bit more torque, lots of goodies. I’m intrigued, so I go do a bit of research, and quickly find out about John Russakoff and his JSP Fabrication work. Okay, it’s been done. I’m not about to go all crazy and throw a turbo on it, too, but sweet. What about my reservations with the stock live-axle holding up to the added horsepower? Well, the engine will be estimated to put out about 200 ft-lbs, tops, and Weir Performance has a couple of nice options for axles, differential, or a replacement spool unit to cope with the upgraded engine I’ve signed away my life to purchase.

Within a few weeks, life smacked me in the face for my hubris. I was laid off at my job because we had a declining volume of work. This put the brakes on me sinking tons of money into Project Riceball, as I’m now looking for a comparable position of employment. But rest assured, once that’s straightened out, I’ll get on the needed AP2 transmission, engine management, digital dash, mounts, and all the other necessary items to get this project running again. And if what others have said about similar swaps is true, this car should be completely, wonderfully transformed. And I’ll be happy to share it when that happens.

Here’s the photos I took of some of the other autocrossers at the event this past spring. Enjoy.

This turbo-V6 Mustang did very well on such a tight course.

Here’s that Chevy you all adored from last fall. The owner talked to me about how he got a crate engine that retailed for like $9-10,000 for super-cheap since it was bumped by a forklift and one of the bolt holes for the carb (or head, maybe?) was damaged. He then threw an aftermarket piece on there that didn’t even use the damaged bolt hole, and started some crazy drag-strip build. I forget what all he told me about it, but there was a ton of work involved, and not just to the engine. He takes it to cruises, road trips, autocross, drag passes, whatever. He just loves to drive the damn thing. While I don’t remember the displacement or his best E.T., I do remember that he said right around 500/500 for horsepower and torque numbers... or was it 600? Sorry, I’ve failed you.

I heard a rumor that this guy’s Miata is the same one he’s used to great success in our region’s Rallycross events.

This car is a communal project for several of the most Miata-faithful. They call it “21 Flavors,” and it’s usually fighting for the FTD once the drivers get used to it. They had another set of massive Hoosier slicks, too.

When I asked why the Miata’s gauge cluster was upside-down, one of the guys was totally half-serious in his answer: Aerodynamics.

And lastly, a drifter trailered his car in and did some runs. He didn’t really slide at all, and his car sounded louder and more awful than mine at the time—both to my surprise.

Anything not taken with my cell phone in the paddock or my garage was taken from GIS results—you know the drill.

DISCUSSION (1)

ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable) > aquila121
09/05/2015 at 19:04

I’m stoked to see the final results of all this. Here’s hoping life turns around and you can find income again.

Well at least more than you’re making standing on the corner every evening...