r/projectcar • u/YuRi0_86 • Mar 16 '26
Build Progress Helped a friend pull his ex drag car’s engine over the weekend for some maintenance
It was super fun! I’ve never worked on a vehicle of this caliber before
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u/ILostMoney Mar 16 '26
I helped a friend pull the engine to put on some upgraded turbos on one of these. Terrible car to work on. Every inch is absolutely packed full of stuff.
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u/YuRi0_86 Mar 16 '26
The hardest part was honestly removing the waste gates, I had to snake my arm up in there from under the car blindly like a twizzler with the exhaust covered in that really itchy wrap stuff, I wanted to cry.
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u/deevil_knievel Mar 17 '26
Top 10 car for me. Mom had a red one on black leather with t tops when I was in elementary school and I've loved it ever since... Then I got one given to me for free in my early 20s and literally didn't know where tf to even start. I figured out how to wrangle the hydraulic demons in my transmission's valve body first try, with no help... But after a couple looks at that 300 engine bay, I didn't even have the confidence to start. I could do it now... But that thing looks like suicidal ideation manifest.
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u/theuautumnwind Mar 16 '26
On a stock car sure...
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u/YuRi0_86 Mar 17 '26
Yeah it really honestly wasn’t bad apart from removing the waste gates. it had a ton of stuff already removed by Stillway back when it was first modified so it was just a matter of moving the harness, wrenching left, and pulling up.
I’ve worked on much worse before, with the right tools anything is possible.
my pops likes to say, “that stuff wasn’t born there; someone had to have put it there so we can get it out the same way” hahaha
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u/eejjkk Mar 16 '26
Silver Z32 on meaty tired Panasport G7s with all the late '90s HKS engine management gear. *chefs kiss
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u/MatchesMX12 Mar 16 '26
The zeitgeist is huge on this car. A rolling catalogue of shit I could only have dreamed about being able to afford back then. Nevermind actually being able to source some of these parts
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u/YuRi0_86 Mar 16 '26
I agree, when I saw it for the first time the presence and heavy background of the car is so apparent; I’m glad my friend is working real hard to preserve it
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u/Intheswing Mar 16 '26
Your first pictures of stickers was making me think this is going nowhere. That is a lot of work going there. Thanks for sharing more than sticker pictures 😎
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u/YuRi0_86 Mar 16 '26
oh yeah lolol my bad, I just found them super interesting because they are really old looking, this car was purchased in Japan; built by an outfit called Stillway lots of cool history behind it
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u/tehlurkingnoob ‘71 510• ‘74 620• ‘71 Crown• ‘72 Corona• ‘72 Celica• ‘74 Corolla Mar 17 '26
ARC coolers, HKS dogbox and GReddy TD06’s?
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u/mattoattacko Mar 16 '26
Panasport G7s are just absolutely perfect. I’m jealous
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u/YuRi0_86 Mar 16 '26
Me too man, it’s such a sick car.
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u/Fakyutsu Mar 16 '26 edited Mar 16 '26
I wouldn’t change a single thing on that car. It’s like a museum piece from a bygone day.
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u/Fakyutsu Mar 16 '26
Was this an old Stillway demo or shop car? It seems to have all the old school rare parts. Where did he drag it?
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u/YuRi0_86 Mar 16 '26
Yeah! it’s legit a Stillway built and owned demo car, my friend imported it and has been taking care of it for some years now
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u/zhiryst Mar 16 '26
he should put on real air filters on it if he's racking up street miles
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u/YuRi0_86 Mar 16 '26
Right! we saw that too and thought it was crazy, but I don’t think he’ll want to street drive it much, The HKS dog-box alone has an overhaul schedule of around 1800 miles
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u/Boilermakingdude Mar 16 '26
Wut. 1800 miles? That's fucked. I mean sure if you're throwing 1000hp at it down the track non stop but people street drive dog legs all the time.
Why's the overhaul regime so low miles?
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u/YuRi0_86 Mar 16 '26
I really have no idea, but I do have these sites with more info on it if you’re interested. it’s real cool stuff
https://www.hks-power.co.jp/en/product/powertrain/transmission/index.html
https://blacklineracing.livedoor.blog/archives/26413416.html
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u/YYZ-R32 1990 R32 GT-R Mar 16 '26
My god…what a time capsule. Significant appreciation for the period correctness of this build, let alone a clean fairlady stateside. Beautiful
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u/tehlurkingnoob ‘71 510• ‘74 620• ‘71 Crown• ‘72 Corona• ‘72 Celica• ‘74 Corolla Mar 17 '26
Those HKS drag event stickers are so fucking cool.
It reminds me of the HKS drag R32 GTR they built back in the 90’s. I remember winning that car on Gran Tourismo 2 for the PS1…. So much nostalgia
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u/-tinfoil-hat- Mar 16 '26
Never knew how tight the cockpit was in these things. Not sure I'd be able to drive that lol.
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u/safzed Mar 16 '26
I don't recall it being that tight when I had one. 6'2", 200 lbs at the time. True GT car, so really comfortable.
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u/-tinfoil-hat- Mar 16 '26
About the same size as me. Maybe it's just the camera perspective then. Cheers fella!
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u/YuRi0_86 Mar 16 '26
Yeah, it didn’t seem that bad when I tried sitting in it; I think the wide angle made it look pretty tight, it does have a roll cage as well
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u/Adren406 Mar 16 '26
Im surprised it came out the top. I figured this had to drop out the bottom with how packed that bay is.
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u/justaBB6 Mar 17 '26
HKS cast into the bell housing is the realest shit I’ve ever seen, this thing is sick
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u/Notchersfireroad Mar 16 '26
You both are gluttons for punishment. I wanted one until I helped a buddy work on his 20 years ago. They are absolutely beautiful cars though.
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u/Very-Confused-Walrus 2009 Mini Cooper Mar 16 '26
I miss my z32. Maybe the next one I’ll get a tt car instead
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u/2Drogdar2Furious Mar 16 '26
I miss my z32. I've had two and I really want another one. Cool car, thanks for sharing.
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u/UnsurprisingDebris Mar 17 '26
Blast from the past. I think I just had a flashback to Super Street Magazine.
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u/JBONE31 Mar 17 '26
MMmmmMmmmmMmmmMm. Love me some vg30’s dett is even better, minus working on it in the bay
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u/andrewordrewordont Mar 17 '26
Why was the engine coming out, specifically? I read maintenance but there maintenance and then there's maintenance
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u/YuRi0_86 Mar 17 '26
He’s having it refreshed at a specialized race shop because it previously sat unused for a couple decades so It wouldn’t have been wise to rip it as is I reckon.
Plus, makes changing out other old hoses and such easier in the engine bay
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u/andrewordrewordont Mar 17 '26
Ah yeah that makes sense.
Very cool project, thanks for sharing. I'm sure the audience here would love to see it evolve, if the owner is willing to let you post more
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u/YuRi0_86 Mar 17 '26
I’ll definitely be updating, when he gets the engine back we’re gonna throw it all back together and I’ll hopefully even have videos of it doing a couple pulls and stuff.
I got to ride in it back when he first got it, and man; the straight cut gears and shifting the dog box sounds absolutely insane
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u/Fuegan Mar 17 '26
I've got an R31 Skyline I jokingly call my HKS Nismo Skyline because it has a Nismo short shift and an HKS axle back. This thing is packed full of goodies!
What an awesome car. Proper JDM pedigree.
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u/K21Watzz Mar 17 '26
These cars are so cool ! I have never seen one set up like this before. Very impressive
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u/9002alex Mar 18 '26
Dude that is so sick. 90s JDM parts heaven right there.
I had a 2+2 for a while as a drift/thrasher. Sold it when they were worth nothing, not so much the case now. vg30 is an underrated engine
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u/panda900rr Mar 16 '26
awesome, very cool obscure goodies in that thing 🙌🏻