Matt's 350Z Build Journal

Discussion in 'Member Journals & Project Build Stories' started by slowwrx, Feb 20, 2010.

  1. slowwrx

    Supporting Member

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    So I sold the Lexus tonight...and I bought a 350Z Track Package Shell and a SR20DET

    The plan for the immediate future is to swap in the SR20DET bone stock and just get it running as cheaply as possible.

    The plan for the gradual build up over the next few months are as follows.

    400-450hp
    Non Staggered Wheel Setup with 275s on all 4 corners (street class legal)
    Carbotech Brake Pads
    Nice Stereo (gps, bluetooth, nav, sub etc)
    Nice Coilovers Probably KWs but maybe JRZs

    Nothing Crazy just something a little different to play with.

    The 350Z Chassis is great and very well balanced, The SR and 5 Speed Tranny lose somewhere around 150lbs over the VQ setup.

    Ill post the whole build when its done. Its on the lift at BG right now, Brandon and I made the motor mounts in about 4 hours, it was fairly easy, there is tons of room in the engine bay and the motor is still as far back as a VQ motor is. Justin will start wiring it next week, hes going to try and use the factory DBW so Ill be able to keep traction control and all that good stuff.

    This swap has never been attempted on this level, there are three known racecars that have been built but thats a little different that making everything work like factory.

    You want pictures....you got pictures

    [​IMG]
    Empty Engine Bay

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    Out with the old

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    In with the New

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    New SR20DET for size reference

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    New Engine in its final location

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    Sweet the hood closes

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    The beginnings of the tranny mount

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    More tranny mount

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    This is how far forward the motor had to go to get the weight distribution right

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    Meziere Water Pump Block off plate

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    350Z electronic throttle body, Ill be using this on the SR the stock 350z ecu will control it

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    Tomei Oil filter housing adapter, allows you to run a remote oil cooler and filter

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    Installed with Oil Pressure sender

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    Remote Oil Filter housing, uses Ford HP1 oil filters which hold almost a quart by themselves

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    Lines

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    Oil Cooler was going here until I decided to V-Mount the intercooler and radiator(more on that later)

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    Mega Gangster SR20 Bolt on Power Steering reservoir (BG stocks these)

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    more

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    Another shot with the oil filter on

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    Remote Water Pump was going here....now its not

    Continued in post 14
     
    #1 slowwrx, Feb 20, 2010
    Last edited: Apr 11, 2010
  2. ballistic

    ballistic Member

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    pics

    ...or I'll just come see it this weekend
     
  3. slowwrx

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    Won't be here till tuesday
     
  4. ballistic

    ballistic Member

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    ahh well damn
     
  5. calmnothing

    calmnothing Shlimp Flied Lice
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    Interesting...
     
  6. BKiller

    BKiller Active Member

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    Another project is just what you needed! LOL
     
  7. Alex

    Alex Community Founder
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    The thing I cannot stand about the 350 or the 370 is how not-symmetrical it is inside.
     
  8. Jake

    Jake Active Member

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    Hmm, always considered a 350 when ive been looking at cars. Keep this updated...
     
  9. slowwrx

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  10. Doug@DBW Motorsports

    Doug@DBW Motorsports Active Member

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    Please finish this one..... k thx
     
  11. slowwrx

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    I'm not even working on this one. Its going to get the engine dropped in and a friend is doing the wiring. He has already done the wiring on a RB26 350z so he knows exactly what needs to be done.

    He says everything will work like factory

    Edit....this turned out to be a lie, Brandon did the motor mounts and Justin did the wiring but I've done almost everything else
     
    #11 slowwrx, Feb 20, 2010
    Last edited: Apr 11, 2010
  12. b reel

    b reel Active Member

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    We'll see if this runs before the Ranger
     
  13. slowwrx

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    Itll be running in two weeks or someone is in a lot of trouble
     
  14. gotsol

    gotsol Active Member

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    sounds like a nice build and a lot of fun
     
  15. slowwrx

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    Updating first post now
     
  16. slowwrx

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    [​IMG]
    Remote Water Pump was going here....now its not

    [​IMG]
    High Pressure Power Steering lines, didn't take anymore pictures but these are not
    covered in Black Heat Sleeve

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    Justin going wild with the 350z and SR20DET wiring harness

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    The Start of the remote shifter

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    This will all make sense shortly

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
    Base for the shifter bolts into the factory location

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    The link bar between the shifter on the tranny and the remote shifter
    [​IMG]
    Driveshaft from our friends at American Driveshaft They had to order some of the parts but its all serviceable unlike most driveshafts

    [​IMG]
    More pictures of the oil cooler lines and if you will notice in the top right there is a temp sensor for the 350z so the gauge in the car works and one for the SR ECU so the ecu retains all of its coolant temp functions

    [​IMG]
    Shifter base painted so it won't rust...wrinkle red sti style

    [​IMG]
    AN fittings on the water inlets and outlets
     
    #16 slowwrx, Apr 11, 2010
    Last edited: Apr 11, 2010
  17. slowwrx

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    [​IMG]
    The start of V-Mounting the intercooler and radiator, the original plan was to use this cheap intercooler but I didn't like the way it looked or fit so I ordered a Precision Core and decided to fabricate my own end tanks

    [​IMG]
    Still lots of room behind the radiator without doing any real cutting to the chassis

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    Finished SR harness about to be integrated into the 350z harness

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    Oh my......Big Thanks to Mark and Eric at Mazwerks for this awesome manifold, these guys to great work and build outstanding products for the SR20DET

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    Look at the freaking collector on this thing....its a work of art
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    [​IMG]CNC machined flanges
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    The V-Mount with the plates mounted to the radiator, again, the intercooler is just laying there for reference
    [​IMG]This all fits behind the stock grill so while it may look racecar esque it fits very nicely. A local AC shop is going to build me an and condensor to fit on the radiator

    Thats all the photos I downloaded for now Ill post some more next week.
    At this point I'm waiting on a gasket kit, Head studs, and main studs to come in. I'm also haven't made up my mind on a turbo yet
     
  18. Cool_____

    Cool_____ Banned

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    This is looking very nice Matt. MazWerks are good guys. I like how they built a supporting brace to help distribute the weight that pipe will see. Are all the tubing braced or just that one since it'll be the one the turbo is mostly pushing on?

    Oh and true innovation at it's best! ;)
     
  19. slowwrx

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    Just that one tube since the wastegate hangs off of it. The tubing is all thickwall cast stainless all of it was purge welded and looks perfect. Its truly one of the nicest I have ever seen in person. Its way nicer than my Full-Race manifold was and equally as nice as the Shearer manifold that was on Dans EVO. Should have the wastegate in a few days its the new Tial MV-R which is small like the Vband 38mm and it has two water cooling ports for road race applications
     
  20. slowwrx

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    Oh and I'm really enjoying all the fabrication I'm getting to do on this project. Its almost easier to make some of this stuff than it is to buy it.
     
  21. integroid

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    That intercooler looks very familiar.
     
  22. nicad

    nicad Yes I am a troll

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    i would like to do some of this

    i need to get the stuff for my new syncrowave
     
  23. slowwrx

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    Yeah I only need to buy a few tools....Band Saw, Brake, Shear, Cold Saw, Tig, Mig, English Wheel....etc...
     
  24. Sparta

    Sparta Active Member

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    looks good
     
  25. Cool_____

    Cool_____ Banned

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    So how much longer before it's running and done? What mod to the engine itself? Isn't the SR20DEt only good to 350ish unless you do rocker arms and such to the heads (my SR knowledge is very limited)?
     
  26. slowwrx

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    They are good to about 300 without a head gasket, so its getting a head gasket, head studs, mainstuds, rocker arm stoppers, valves springs and retainers and a set of GSC S1 cams.

    Very similar setup to my last SR and it made 440whp with a gt30r at 18lbs...

    Thats really all I'm looking for
     
  27. Tray@Forged

    Tray@Forged Member

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    Cool build Matt. Got me thinking crazy things with my built SR20. lol
     
  28. slowwrx

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    Yeah, I really like the SR as a engine platform, its easy to work on and parts are pretty cheap. I thought you had a S13 you were putting yours in?
     
  29. Tray@Forged

    Tray@Forged Member

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    I do. Its been a forever type build. Child on the way. Toys go away... :(
     
  30. Cool_____

    Cool_____ Banned

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    Nah......I'm in the same boat and I went to something more expensive....LOL

    Oh and congrats!
     
  31. J_P

    J_P I like pudding pops
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    Awesome!
     
  32. xerxesXXVII

    xerxesXXVII Member

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    sweet build. makes me anxious to finish my sr build.
     
  33. slowwrx

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    Ill try and post some more pictures this week.

    Installed a few more things this week
    Head Gasket
    Head Studs
    Main Studs

    Painted the Engine
    Shaved the Valve Cover

    Reinstalled the motor

    Ill be finishing the intercooler and buttoning up the car tomorrow, hopefully Ill be able to crank it mid week next week.
     
  34. b reel

    b reel Active Member

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    Look forward to seeing this done. By the way, all that's left is wire up the starter and plug the ECU in for the Ranger. Finish a few other minor loose ends and she should be ready to fire too. Dan have a car-cus I can crawl over for some cool pics?
     
  35. slowwrx

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    yeah theres a 240 we are about to cut up
     
  36. b reel

    b reel Active Member

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    Sweet! I can't wait to get this thing done, we'll have to strap it down on the dyno just for pics as well. That might draw some entertaining comments to say the least.

    How long before your up and running? What are the dimensions on that cheap core you have?
     
  37. slowwrx

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    I should be done with mine next week
     
  38. integroid

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    That cheap core was my old core
     
  39. mmtasty

    mmtasty Active Member

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    So, are you going to actually finish this project or get it 75% done and move on to something else???
     
  40. integroid

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    I say 90% done and then go to something else:)
     
  41. slowwrx

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    Everyone is out of the shop this week for Formula D so I haven't gotten much done. Ill be back on it next week should be done soon. Its 90% DONE now
     
  42. 07Ltd#767

    07Ltd#767 The Neighborhood Drunk

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    It's actually probably farther than that...the only thing it needs is a turbo and tune. I've stopped by to see it at least once a week and there's little fabrication left to do.

    And he'll have to finish this one, or his wife is going to castrate him...
     
  43. Jake

    Jake Active Member

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    Rumor is him and all his closest friends *cough* drew*cough*
     
  44. Cool_____

    Cool_____ Banned

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    Can't wait to see this get finished but don't expect an update for the next week.......someone got banned.
     
  45. Matt

    Matt Think before you post
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    I wouldn't hold your breath.
     
  46. sharif@forged

    sharif@forged Member

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    It will be interesting to see if this one gets finished....looks like a neat project.
     
  47. techlord

    techlord Active Member

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    where is the interior mod to hold your fat ass? LOL J/K

    I have seen the beast in person and there is some nice work going into it and I for one cant wait to see and ride in it.
     
  48. 07Ltd#767

    07Ltd#767 The Neighborhood Drunk

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    hell i can't wait to drive it...I miss a high HP RWD car
     
  49. Cool_____

    Cool_____ Banned

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    It will get finished and it'll have the turbo he ordered on it too.
     
  50. b reel

    b reel Active Member

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    I doubt Matt will be ripping himself off on this build either.
     

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