Progress on RB26 swap in Altezza / IS200
Some pics of the latest update of the progress with the RB swap.
Altezza GTR
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Passenger seat in
Initially the Altezza was only going to have the drivers seat, however after though suggested it would be good to scare my mates, and girlfriend by taking them out in the Tezza.
Bought a welder over the weekend from our trusty friends at Machine Mart, and set about fabricating the subframe for the seat out of thick steel.
Bit of a "deep end" approach as thick steel isn't the easiest to use, but gives me a new sense of appreciation for welding, it's not as simple as it looks!
Final result seat is in, and it definitely isn't going anywhere!
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Tomei RB26 Sump Baffle kit
Quick update over the weekend, with the HKS 264 cams fitted to the Altezza GTR engine last weekend it was time to progress onto a more important issue.
In the last five years of owning the Skyline GTR two engines were lost due to oiling issues. It's the achilles heel of the legendary RB26 engine. The first engine blew due to oil pump failure, the second due to the oil pickup running dry.
Replacing the stock oil pump with a HKS oil pump which retails over £1k may seem excessive for a 400bhp engine build, but considering an engine costs far more it's well worth it.
With the ultra low stance of the Altezza GTR thanks to the MeisterR Coilovers means lateral G forces are likely to increase and the standard RB baffle is really not up to the job of keeping the oil in the sump. Luckily Tomei have a relatively inexpensive off the shelf kit that requires a little drilling to fit.
A tip for anyone doing the conversion, the last hole that needs drilling by the transfer box, we had to weld two drill bits together, seems crude but it was a bit of fabrication or trying to source a very long 5mm drill bit.
Next mods is the drivetrain with an Exedy Carbon triple plate clutch scheduled to arrive from Japan before reinstalling the engine complete back into the Altezza body.
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It also aids slightly with aerodynamics as the fans when on are extremely powerful creating a vacuum under the car.
The shrouding is made up from marine based plywood at a slight angle.
To aid circulation of water I purchased an Electric Water Pump / Fan controller
The fuel system has been relocated and behind the radiator system.
Yesterday 2 x 5m of 1" ID (25mm) ally tubing arrived. This will transport the water from the engine bay to the boot and visa-versa.
This is a mockup of the vent to allow hot air to escape into the wake of the car.
Altezza Mods: Boot mounted radiator
With any track day car, heat is a big engine killer. With a large Intercooler, oil cooler and power steering oil cooler, space was tight in the engine bay, with barely enough room to run even slim line fans. As a result the decision was made to move the radiator to the boot, with two fans sucking air from underneath the car through the radiator and up through a vent in the boot.It also aids slightly with aerodynamics as the fans when on are extremely powerful creating a vacuum under the car.
The shrouding is made up from marine based plywood at a slight angle.
To aid circulation of water I purchased an Electric Water Pump / Fan controller
The fuel system has been relocated and behind the radiator system.
Yesterday 2 x 5m of 1" ID (25mm) ally tubing arrived. This will transport the water from the engine bay to the boot and visa-versa.
This is a mockup of the vent to allow hot air to escape into the wake of the car.
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TeamGTR Altezza GTR vs Lexus IS300
Just to show you the difference between our Time Attack Altezza, and a stock(ish) IS300.
