Natalie Suby Conversion

I'm turning Japanese. I think I'm turning Japanese. I really think so. (New short block fresh from Japan).

Tom Blankinship posted:

I'm turning Japanese. I think I'm turning Japanese. I really think so. (New short block fresh from Japan).

For those of you not familiar with the 80's tune.  http://youtu.be/mgekmOqCFTU

Let's see it unwrapped Tom.  They used  play the **** out of the Turning Japanese song at Northern IL University  in Dekalb.   For the record I was not a student; just used to party there:-) 

I think that's all the progress for this week. Next week, maybe I'll have a completed engine to show.  BTW, the song is about self pleasure (look up the phrase on urban dictionary), but the band publicly denies it.

Why only a short block? 

Carey takes the donor car heads and sends them to the machine shop and refurbishes the rest of the old bits. The short blocks he gets new from Japan. Better than running a 10-year old engine block that has lost compression.
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Tom, keep the updates coming...been thinking about going water-cooled. Perhaps next year.

Beck's approach is solid.  By using crated short blocks, and rebuilding an engine that can use simple wiring harness, they avoid some of the challenges around security (ie ignition disabler) and other technologies that are hard to deal with.

What's the ballpark figure to go to a 2.5?    $10-15K, when all done?  All I could do is write a check, I couldn't reduce costs by doing some of the work my self. Never going to happen.  

That's top secret ;-). I sold my engine and other bits to soften the blow. Still working to sell the trans and oil cooler.

> On Feb 28, 2016, at 11:21 AM, SpeedsterOwners.com <**************> wrote:
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Tom it sounds like renovations... first destruction and rebuild, always more money than build new.... 

Yes, maybe, but I love Natalie and have put too much time, money, & energy into her to even think about another build.
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At this point Natalie IS your next build.

Your right... I was just thinking without a budget for one minute

that new drivetrain should make her even sweeter. Ray

Engine build progress.  No more push rods

More

Nice!  Makes me feel good about what I'm getting.

Really pretty Tom. You will love the new modern reliability and power!

Suby, man! I recognize that oil pan. 

That's going to be really nice, Tom!  

Imagine your only routine maintenance for the next few years being only fluid changes

I am looking forward to hearing about all the smiles per mile.  It is an incredible power plant for these cars.  A lot of giddy up and go power.  Fantastic!

I cannot wait for mine to begin. Looks great Tom. 

Tom, I'm just realizing that you are missing a component.   

 

 

You may not have noticed Marty, but I don't need a hair dryer ;-)
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LOL

Engine is done except for plug wires (I'm being particular.  I want black plug wires and they only stock blue.  Black plug wires arrive next week.  Now waiting on trans delivery.  3/25 might be tight considering weather & testing.

Updates came early this week....Thursday around 9PM!  Carey is one busy and dedicated builder!  

1) Engine is in

2) Yet another development project of mine for poor Carey.  First signal mirror is complete and, according to Carey, works great.

3) Pat Downs says that I'm the first person that he knows of who has broken one of his camber compensators.  What does that say about my driving?

Tom, did you put an LED flasher  behind the mirrors?  where is the switch going to be?

It's just tied into the turn signal. The electronics are self-contained.
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I hate to stay off-topic on this thread, but keep me informed with pictures etc. on the signal mirrors.  thanks, craig

Craig,  here is link to where I got them http://store.ijdmtoy.com/Seque...-Lights-p/35-332.htm 

Signal mirror in operation 

Too cool.  Call me non-mechanical, but I had no idea lights would show through mirrors.

The silver backing has to be scraped off over each LED
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Thanks Tom.  That's a step in the process that is good to know. 

Tom Blankinship posted:

The silver backing has to be scraped off over each LED
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So the mirror became that much smaller, Tom ?

Yep. Passenger side was useless anyway

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I'd love to have my GT mirrors done like that, very nice!

 

I think the blinker lights are real cool Tom.  Looking forward to seeing the whole thing done. 

I know the aero mirrors are not the best but, I find the mirror on the passenger side is useful only if I adjust the mirror to complement or fuse the field of vision with the center and right mirror to eliminate blind spots.   

Car and Driver had a blip on this procedure. If you have never tried it out it is worth a try. It does take a bit of getting use to but it saved me many times when some guy was riding my blind spot. 

Ray

http://www.caranddriver.com/fe...to-avoid-blind-spots