Oregon 818S build maybe the first?

[waruaki]

Since I heard from Stewarts this morning that my 818S is now In Phoenix and should be here next weekend I think it’s a fine time to join the build threads and contribute. I’m doing a father and son build with my dad. He’s 70, I’m 43. We have each owned, restored and raced Lotus Europa’s although at different times. More recently he owned and raced an Acura NSX and a while back I spent a year building a Monster Miata (See YouTube link) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCRLMTwDfXE I also have some build picture in the album associated with my profile.

For our 818S build we started with a 2002 WRX sedan as our donor with around 87K miles with driver’s side front corner damage. After we dissembled the car, clean and painted our parts and performed a timing set replacement on the motor (timing belt, tensioner, idler and water pump). We removed our intake manifold, replaced all the cracked vacuum lines we plan to retain. During the disassembly I re-built the main engine harness and removed all four TGV connecters as well as the power steering pressure connecter. We then performed a TGV delete ourselves and mounted the manifold back on with phenolic spacers to help with heat soak. As our 2002 had a catalytic converter in the uppipe we removed it and fabricated our own. We cut off the existing flanges then bored them out on the lathe and welded in a mandrel bent piece of 1.75” ID exhaust pipe and had it coated. We also replaced the font wheel bearings and pressed in new seals.

Currently we are working on the electrical harnesses and have finished removing the ABS and air bag systems from the headlight harness. We have finished deleting unneeded wires and connectors from the primary fuel pump harness and just started on the rear wiring harness and trunk cord.

I would like to give a big thanks for all the great information provided so far. It’s made the start to our build so much easier already.

Brett

[waruaki]

Here are three diagrams I put together after I disassembled the intake manifold and turbo inlet to help me remember down the road what connected to where. Excuse my terminology if its not perfect on the diagrams. I also included a picture of the first clump removed from the headlight harness containing the ABS module connector and some of the air bag leads. I think we have four or five times this much removed from the harnesses now and still have a way to go!

[waruaki]

Only one day late and just three parts unaccounted for out of 10 boxes, very happy!

[Mechie3]

Very nice. I'm partial to blue myself.

[Xusia]

Oh man! I'm going with a blue theme as well. There will some differences, but our color schemes will be more similar than different.

[Bob_n_Cincy]

I'm going Blue on my Chassis, it's at Powder coaters right now. This colorIMG00111-20101213-0913.jpg

[Xusia]

Now THAT's nice!

[VD2021]

Shiney!.....

[waruaki]

That powder coated chassis is nothing but cool!

[svanlare]

pretty awesome!

[Frank818]

That cerulean blue is quite eye attracting! I like that!

Cerulean blue.... cerulean blue... where did I hear that before... oh!!!!!! God... The X-Files... got it, Pusher, 17th episode of 3rd season. Call me stupid.

[Mechie3]

My garage is painted cerulean blue.

All of the solenoid purge stuff can be deleted. It hooks up to the charcoal canister and solenoids which aren't reused.

[waruaki]

Agreed it's a choice. I have deleted the dump valve and the OEM charcoal canister assembly at the rear of the car and will replace it with a mid 90s Miata canister (much smaller and less connections) so the gas tank can vent out. Allowing the Miata canister to connect to the purge solenoid shouldn't affect performance. For those builders that don't want to vent out gas fumes and want to use some type of (charcoal) vapor canister the Miata unit would be another option as they can be had inexpensively. I purchased the one pictured for $15.00

[Xusia]

Do you mind disclosing where you got that? I like it and I need something.

[waruaki]

I purchased it off eBay but you could find the canister at most import wrecking yards. I know there is a decent Pick A Part in Eugene. Get the mounting bracket off the car too if you can. Mazda used that style canister on the 90-97 Miata's

[RM1SepEx]

There is a thread on the forum of people building their own... I may do that, just use an aluminum canister and fill it with activated charcoal

[Xusia]

Not sure I could build something that nice for $15.

[metalmaker12]

I'm going Blue on my Chassis, it's at Powder coaters right now. This colorIMG00111-20101213-0913.jpg

Nice!!

[metalmaker12]

Since I heard from Stewarts this morning that my 818S is now In Phoenix and should be here next weekend I think it’s a fine time to join the build threads and contribute. I’m doing a father and son build with my dad. He’s 70, I’m 43. We have each owned, restored and raced Lotus Europa’s although at different times. More recently he owned and raced an Acura NSX and a while back I spent a year building a Monster Miata (See YouTube link) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCRLMTwDfXE I also have some build picture in the album associated with my profile.

For our 818S build we started with a 2002 WRX sedan as our donor with around 87K miles with driver’s side front corner damage. After we dissembled the car, clean and painted our parts and performed a timing set replacement on the motor (timing belt, tensioner, idler and water pump). We removed our intake manifold, replaced all the cracked vacuum lines we plan to retain. During the disassembly I re-built the main engine harness and removed all four TGV connecters as well as the power steering pressure connecter. We then performed a TGV delete ourselves and mounted the manifold back on with phenolic spacers to help with heat soak. As our 2002 had a catalytic converter in the uppipe we removed it and fabricated our own. We cut off the existing flanges then bored them out on the lathe and welded in a mandrel bent piece of 1.75” ID exhaust pipe and had it coated. We also replaced the font wheel bearings and pressed in new seals.

Currently we are working on the electrical harnesses and have finished removing the ABS and air bag systems from the headlight harness. We have finished deleting unneeded wires and connectors from the primary fuel pump harness and just started on the rear wiring harness and trunk cord.

I would like to give a big thanks for all the great information provided so far. It’s made the start to our build so much easier already.

Brett

Very nice man

[waruaki]

Just received the call from the Stewart's driver, looking like a Friday delivery for our 818S!

[Xusia]

Awesome! Mine is scheduled for pick up tomorrow.

[Frank818]

Awesome! Mine is scheduled for pick up tomorrow.

What? I thought you had it already! But it's true I don't see your build thread. I have opened mine 1 year ahead of time, so open yours! You won't have time tomorrow anyway.

[Xusia]

I don't want to hijack his thread, so I'll be brief. If you have any questions, please PM me.

Bottom line is I'm not ready to start a build thread. Nothing secretive here, I just don't have the time to put into it. New job is getting in the way (of that and lost of other things). I haven't even had time to finish stripping my donor (no biggie, I made space so I can have both in the garage). I have some time off planned in December, so maybe I'll be able to make some headway then.

[waruaki]

In an effort (like most builders) we are trying to pick up horse power where ever we can and the exhaust system is one of the easiest ways on the WRX. Unfortunately I couldn’t find many options to get away from the OEM WRX flanged downpipe (see picture) other than buy a new or used aftermarket downpipe that had a bellmouth already. The problem is you end up cutting a pretty good chuck of the exhaust pipe away just to get the bellmouth and unless you get a deal on a used cast downpipe their expensive $250.00 plus. My donor had the stock exhaust so I wasn’t lucky like some who have had COBB or Invidia exhaust systems on the car already so my solution was to buy just the downpipe elbow.
Kamak Dynamics AKA Kinugawa turbo sells the elbow pictured below. Its cast stainless steel so no welds to crack and is very smooth on the inside.
ID is 2.835 and OD is 3.050

[JeromeS13]

I went with the same one, but for my JDM twin scroll VF37.

[waruaki]

Its a nice piece, I was impressed with the quality.

[waruaki]

Our kit arrived this afternoon see post #3. Now the fun part begins.

[longislandwrx]

Hope the quality that part is better than their turbos. How is the fitment? all the bolts line up without fighting you?

[bil1024]

Congrats!!!!

[Mechie3]

Hope the quality that part is better than their turbos. How is the fitment? all the bolts line up without fighting you?

My FFR adapter fights me. I need to drill it out if I were going to use it.

[waruaki]

Congrats!!!!

Thank you

[waruaki]

Hope the quality that part is better than their turbos. How is the fitment? all the bolts line up without fighting you?

The holes on the flange line up with the bolts, no problems there. The only issue I had was they sent the wrong elbow the first time but after a phone call they were quick to send out the correct part.

[FFRSpec72]

My daughter goes to school in Salem, We live in Kirkland WA, I'm building a 818R for her track car, getting ready for delivery. Should be fun, going to try a non donor build.

[waruaki]

My daughter goes to school in Salem, We live in Kirkland WA, I'm building a 818R for her track car, getting ready for delivery. Should be fun, going to try a non donor build.

Willamette University? Hopefully she can participate in your build.

[waruaki]

Making progress drilling holes and securing with clecos. The firewall is ready for disassembly and will scuff sand with 220 grit, wipe down with presol and paint black.

[rcotner]

Hello, I am building a '33 hotrod just a few miles away in Wilsonville. If you are entertaining visitors I would love to see your car in progress. Since you are experienced I would love to pick your brain. I am a total newbie.

[RM1SepEx]

My FFR adapter fights me. I need to drill it out if I were going to use it.

I had to drill mine out too. For me it is a short term Item. I want to baseline the output using it and go for bellmouth later, document HP gain

[waruaki]

Hello, I am building a '33 hotrod just a few miles away in Wilsonville. If you are entertaining visitors I would love to see your car in progress. Since you are experienced I would love to pick your brain. I am a total newbie.

I don't know about experience, maybe in machining and fabrication. This is the first factory five kit. PM me your contact information and your welcome to come down some weekend.

[waruaki]

Made good progress today, most of the front firewall panels are in and riveted. Still waiting for the paint to dry on a couple as it's been cold here, should be able to get them in Friday. Front suspension is assembled and torqued down. Waiting on the back ordered spring hats, spring seats and threaded sleeves for the Koni's though. Fitted the rack and pinion but was shipped the wrong size sleeves for the passenger side .320" instead of the .865" the manual calls for. I spoke with Factory Five and they were quick to see the fault and shipped out the correct spacers the same day!

A big shout out to Wayne for taking a few minutes on the phone today to answer a build question when I was tired and had spent to many hours under the florescent lights.
Thanks Wayne!

[Frank818]

Ok so you convinced me, I'm gonna powder coat/spray paint all my parts as well! Looks too damn good!