'Caraddict' Jon's 1967 spl

[RCMike]

So someone has been asking Jon for a build thread for his 67 SPL.. Since I have most of the photos, I got the nod to write the start of it..

Jon started with a nice little 67, ready to clean up.. It was a cute yellow color, and was just looking for some freshening..lol




Interior was a little rough, but ready to clean up.


After Jon did some work, it became his 67 driver, red, with a beautifully detailed engine bay and interior.






A little over 2 years ago, this car came to Kevin Desirello's place for a transmission swap. Jon wanted a 5 speed, to make it an easier car to tour in.

At some point, this car caught 'While-we-are-there-itis'... lol

As I recall the order of progression, it went from R-16/5 speed, to S-14 SR20DE/5 speed, to S-14 SR20DET/5 speed. Then, Jon decided to go with the S-15 SR20DET with the 6 speed, and so Kevin told Jon that the tunnel would need some massaging. Once Kevin made it clear the body was going to be off the frame, and the interior would be out to adjust the tunnel, Jon decided he would really rather have this car silver. While we are there, lol. Then, just before the body was to go to paint and body, Jon decided he wanted to do the VVL head, so luckily, Kevin was able to make the firewall mod before the body went out.

This chronology might need adjusting, but that is what I remember from spending hours in Kevin's garage as this car and others were worked on.

Anyway, the build starts next..

[RCMike]

So we start with the body back from the body shop, and the frame back from powder coat, both with the necessary mods made. I checked back through my old phone, but can't find the frame and body mod before paint/powder photos.

Firewall mod for clearance for the VVL hardware, brake lines, and turbo outlet.


Turbo heat shielding in place.


Body coming on to the modified frame for the first time, you can see the 4" square for exhaust, and the 6 speed trans mount.

Bottom of the x frame..

Exhaust cutout..


In this the intake plumbing holes are visible both in front and behind the radiator supports, also the front crossmember mod is seen..

Front crossmember..

Alternator and oil filter mods..


Bolted down and in the sun!


Jon's S-15 motor arrived for disassembly. ready for some cleanup and modification. At this point, it will be disassembled, tanked, modified, decked, and then assembled.


Next, exhaust fab, etc..

[RCMike]

So it's always fun to fit turbo plumbing under a roadster hood, but over the steering shaft.

This tiny little manifold fits the turbo and waste gate right where they need to sit.. I am pretty sure this was the final draft..


Parts where they fit.. Turbosmart waste gate and Garrett GTX turbo..


Jon's motor pre-assembly for fitment..


Does it all fit? yes..



Somewhere along this line, it was decided that this car needed trim. Ron Dickson produced a set and Kevin made the holes..


Next, the car goes to get exhaust built..

[RCMike]

So we loaded it up on the trailer, and brought it to Brandon at Dynamic Metalwerx for the exhaust and intake fab.

We had to drop it off at night, because this was the week Brandon got hired at SpaceX, and his shop hours went to evening and weekends..



Future intake plumbing..lol



So we came back a few days later, and this is what we found. Brandon was able to use the work he did on my car as a template, and so Jon got 3" mandrel bent stainless all the way back, including the axle hop between the extra torque arm and the shock.


Downtube, O2 sensor bung, and flexpipe..


Flexpipe back..


Tailpipe..


Intake passenger side in wheel well..


Turbo and down tube/wastegate plumbing..


Taking it back to Kevin's for more work..




This is right about the time my engine blew up. Because both mine and Jon's heads and blocks had been modified at the same time, with the same mods, Kevin decided he needed to be sure he understood what went wrong with mine before we put fuel to Jon's. We were pretty sure we knew, but Kevin wanted to be sure. So mine got torn down, next to Jon's, and everything was compared and contrasted. When my parts went back out for secondary machining, for crank straightening, for assembly balancing, etc. Jon's went at the same time.

Anyway, on to the next.. Intake assembly..

[RCMike]

So the intake was an off the shelf unit from Xsessive manufacturing. The problem was that this head was built for FWD cars, so the manifold was way too tall since it was designed for Primera. Kevin cut it, took a pie section out, and had it welded back so the whole thing would fit comfortably under the hood..

Modified runners..


Still bolt up and flange square? yes!


So at this point, I took the intake manifold back to Brandon, for assembly and welding. All 3 pieces are now one, after it was made air tight and welded..

One more look at the down pipe and exhaust..



Next: final parts start to arrive..

[RCMike]

So final assembly parts began to come in. All the air plumbing was sent out for polish..

Downtube..


Block back for assembly after final cleanups..


Full air plumbing set, including compressor housing..


Assembly underway..


Built..


So ready.. so sexy..


Next: the car starts going together..

[RCMike]

So it took 4 of us to drop the motor in.. could have done it with 2, but with everything as clean and polished, etc..

Engine going in with mock up valve cover..


Heater hoses installed, Head oil and water supply installed..


Intake, VVL controls installed, final valve cover dropped on top..


Exhaust side assembly beginning..


Turbo in..


From below..


From above..




Engine drop in day done..


Next, the wait for the radiator, and other general assembly..

[RCMike]

So the list is down to one page..

Engine is almost completely together..


The brakes are on the car..


The oversize driveshaft is in..


The wiring harness from Wiring Specialties was in..



And then, the radiator arrived from Ron Davis..


So the whole engine bay could be finished, including all intake plumbing..




Next: the mechanical is done, but this is Jon's car.. needs gauges, lol

[Akpilot]

Absolutely Gorgeous!!! Now need to clean up my drool.

Mike or Jon, What is the turbo heat shield made out of? In the snowmobile industry they have a fiberglass reflective mat they line the plastic body with to protect it from the exhaust pipes I have used in the past, but I like the look or your shield better.

Akpilot

[RCMike]

So Jon finished the dash, and it was ready to install.

Off came the windshield..


Old dash out.. New dash going in..


Mirror..


Windshield going back on..


Ready for all the hook-ups and the computer..


So one of the changes needed for an SR powered roadster is the electronic gauges, because there is no provision for cable drive off the motor or trans.. In the previous 'stock' gauges I have seen converted, this usually results in an LCD odometer.. Jon blew this one out, with an electronically driven analog odometer..


And Jon built the gauges with LED lighting.. So it is full color change.. Although I was surprised to see how few colors I took pictures of..



But I did take a video of them changing..
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Next.. Does it all work?

[RCMike]

Ak, it is a woven carbon mat.. Kevin sourced it. Beautiful stuff. It is flexible with a sticky back, so you lay it out, cut to shape, then put it on..

[RCMike]

So does it all work?

First start was done, and it would start but did not want to respond to idle tuning, and sounded terrible..
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Took a few, but Kevin and Chris (the tuner) determined it was a bad VVL solenoid. Chris was trying to turn it off with the computer and it would not react. The motor was running on VVL from idle. So for anyone who wondered what the SR on big cams at idle sounded like, well, there it is.. With no vacuum, it really didn't want to run..

Kevin located a new VVL solenoid, and the next night, fired it again.. Chris was happy, so we decided to do basic drivability tuning.. Want to put some miles on it before it goes to tuning, so it needs basic tune for that. Kevin decided I should drive it for the first short run. Chris set the map super rich so the computer could start to clean itself up safely, Kevin checked all the lights, and...

Some language in this video..lol
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More tuning needs to be done. But it works.

After the first run, the exhaust started to take on color..


I can only imagine these are going to turn many colors..

So Kevin decided to present the car to Jon at the Pacifico Show by Historic J at the Santa Monica Pier. These photos were posted elsewhere, but might as well be connected to the car here.








This was fun to watch and pretend to help.

[Datsun.David]

More amazing attention to detail. The analog odometer is the ultimate stealth detail...

[andyroo]

That is spectacular.

[spriso]

Very cool-- love the speedometer!

Michael