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Nissan in Alpine

bashby

bashby

Donation Time
Have made some progress with installing a Nissan CA18DET and 5-speed into my Series 5 the transmission tunnel and most of the major fabrication is done (motor mounts, transmission mount etc)! Once the fabrication is done (all of the body welding is FINALLY) on to finishing removal of the undercoat and then on to paint removal (about .015" thick). The PO had installed a C4 transmission and the tunnel was in bad shape the passenger-side was like the driver side...
 
skywords

skywords

Donation Time
Wher are you located? I have a rotissairy sitting idle. It's all set up just bolt the car on.
 
bashby

bashby

Donation Time
additional progress

I have made some additional progress on my Series 5 Alpine project, I have posted some photos on www.webshots.com under albums, S5 alpine in entertainment (yes entertainment...) It is coming along slowly but, progress is progress.
 
64beam

64beam

Donation Time
sunbeamowner said:
How come you didn't go with the turbo engine ?
Click to expand...

Hi,

I think you will find that the CA18DET is the turbo version. Signified by the 'T' in the engine number. I was looking at buying the Alpine you have pictured. It wasn't the greatest installation, but I heard that it went very well.

Regards, Robin.
 
MikeH

MikeH

Diamond Level Sponsor
bashby said:
I have made some additional progress on my Series 5 Alpine project, I have posted some photos on www.webshots.com under albums, S5 alpine in entertainment (yes entertainment...) It is coming along slowly but, progress is progress.
Click to expand...


I must be brain dead this morning, but I'm having trouble finding the album.:eek:
 
N

norville

Donation Time
click on link , on the left hand side click on "entertainment" go to top of page and search "S5 alpine"

bob
 
B

Bill Blue

Platinum Level Sponsor
Couple of questions.

How big is the exhaust going to be? The guys around here bitch at putting a 2" pipe in. Yours looks like 3". Also, it looks like the turbo air outlet is close to and pointing right at the frame. Does it look that bad in real life?

Bill
 
bashby

bashby

Donation Time
The CA18DET is a turbocharged motor. The exhaust is 2.5" through the frame rail then is going to 2-2.25". The intercooler mounts behind the front valance. The output of the turbo is actually tilted up, the 2.5" pipe goes out the upper inner fender on the left and back to the intake through the right upper inner fender. The car as I said had a tired Ford 2.6 V6 (non-Jose)that went through 1-qt every 200 miles mated to a C4 transmission and it was not a snappy performer; differential was a Ford 8" with 3.31's but had not been correctly cut (they centered the pumpkin not the yoke so it rubbed on any kind of right-hander); it has a Ford 8" differential with 4.11's and an LSD, 2.5" driveshaft 32" long . The paint was not put down right and is too thick (0.015"+) to apply anything over it and the PO did not sand out or fix the dings/dents and misc additional holes.. The CA18DET should deliver 250hp/240lb-ft and as I live at 5500'asl the turbo makes it an excellent choice for here. The gauges are from Autometer, the heated sport seats are 1990 Mazda Miata, the steering wheel is from Moto-Lita. The wiring harness from Advance Auto Wire. The brakes are by Procraft/Wilwood. The wheels are 15" Minilites. The saddle tanks have been removed and a custom 16 gallon is where the spare was. I should also add that I did not have to cut anything to fit the CA18DET and that the cowl braces remain intact; while the Nissan 5-speed is longer (the shifter is where the ashtray was) as far as I can determine (as my tunnel was severely modified due to the C4) the only place the tunnel would have needed to be changed is back by the ashtray area it needed to be ~1" wider. I know now that in the UK and AU that they used a Toyota transmission behind this motor in this car (I did not know that this conversion had been previously completed) as the Toyota transmission is shorter ( there "is a guy in Australia" that makes the bell housing conversion). If we drove on the right (or wrong) side of the road I would not have had to fabricate the custom exhaust manifold.
 
bashby

bashby

Donation Time
Have the exhaust sysem completed

I (finally) have the exhaust system completed. The system is 304 Stainless Steel, 2.5" through the frame rail then it goes to 2-2.25" and out in back of the rear tires. The mufflers are by Magnaflow. It was tight especially in the frame rail; I have 6-V-Band clamps in able to remove the entire system without cutting and they seal much better and are smaller than the typical flanges (thus they can fit through the frame rail). As you all know there is not much room but, turbo's like to breathe and I like the symmetry of duals. I am going to have the exhaust manifold and down-pipe Swain coated to keep the heat "in" which besides helping with engine compartment temperatures keeps the gases hot and therefore moving faster.
Seeing what $%^& mess I have to deal with for the fuel and brake lines...
 
bashby

bashby

Donation Time
Have the Compressor Inlet and discharge pipes done

The 2" compressor inlet pipe (from the K&N air filter to the turbo inlet) and 1-1/2" compressor discharge pipe (from the turbo to the intercooler) are complete. Tight clearance to the radiator but otherwise alright. The turbo outlet is actually "kicked up" and is not pointed at the frame rail. The K&N filter is in the "hole" where the left horn originally was (to the left and in front of the radiator in cooler "clean" air). I am having the pipes Swain coated (to keep heat out). I will have to modify the inlet pipe for the BOV which will be done prior to Swain coating. On to fuel system and brake lines; then to the intercooler mounts and piping (I should have bought stock in Stainless...).
 
B

Bill Blue

Platinum Level Sponsor
Man that tubing looks tight. Your Gordian Knot looks good. Wish I could do that kind of stuff. Not only is my welding ability not good, I just can't seem to visualize how to route the tubing.

Ain't it fun how we tend to build ourselves into a corner? Personally, I solve that problem by making changes. One change necessitates another. Sure can be time consuming. When the job is complete, I either have two or three versions of every part I put on the car or the parts on the car has been modified two or more times.

Keep at it.

Bill
 
bashby

bashby

Donation Time
Bill, thanks for the encouragement and suggestions. I am not anywhere near that good of a welder but, I know people that are. The concepts are mine, I had some help with some of the execution. The exhaust fits tight but no rubbing or interference issues (yet?). Stainless steel lines are tough but as with the exhaust I only have to make them once. I removed the photos as I was at maximum space allocation, they (and many more) are on WebShots.
 
bashby

bashby

Donation Time
CA18DET in Alpine

I have made some progress... the intercooler (once it is running and then torn apart for body work I might have another intercooler made, this one was re-done 3-times and it still needs improvement) is mounted and all of the intake and radiator piping in done. The front valance was a bit beat and filler'd so I removed part of it and fab'd another. The roll bar is also finished, figured ~3x WHP so it might be a good idea. 1.75" 0.120" wall mild steel, mandrel bent. The bar is a bolt-in-place, stronger that it needs to be but I would rather have that than the other...have mounts for the Schroth 4-point harnesses (which are DOT legal) now on to continuing the fuel and brake lines, R&R the transmission seals & front-rear bearings and getting the engine to machining. Photos are on WebShots
http://community.webshots.com/user/s5alpine?vhost=community
 
B

Bill Blue

Platinum Level Sponsor
"the intercooler (once it is running and then torn apart for body worjk I might have another intercooler made, this one was re-done 3-times and it still needs improvement)

My kind of guy!

Bill
 
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