The SSE (Super Sport Estate) Project

[510wizard]

Thats IRS is simply awesome Monty, You're an artist!

Thanks, I started working on the mustache bar bolts, will post some info on them when I do a little bit more.

[510wizard]

Next up mustache bar bolts, here is a picture of the stock 510 IRS bolts;



These are way too long for what I need and their won't be a way to insert them when the upper sub frame is installed. So I will make some. Started looking thru the scrap pile and found a set of wagon leaf spring shackles, the prefect size at 16MM in diameter and at the right length. Cut of the part I need.



Made some washers out of 12GA cold rolled steel;


.
On their way, next bore a hole to 16 mm and clean up the end of the scrap bolt and here we are at this point shown in mockup;



Welded the bolt to the large washer, surfaced the bottom side of the washer in the lathe so that they are true 90 degrees to the bolt shaft and bead blasted the tops. The completed mustache bar bolts;



Decided to make some reinforcements for this area. This area has to be very strong because the complete IRS less the upper "A" arms and shocks, hang from these two mustache bar bolts. Here is the reinforcement bracket with a drain hole cut in so the water that could collect in this area can drain out, might put a additional hole in the bottom bracket in the back corner as a drain too;



The completed parts shown in mockup;



Next up welding the newly completed parts in.

[q-tip]

wow a vise with no mill marks in it! and excellent work yet again

[Byron510]

wow a vise with no mill marks in it!...

...as it should be

And craftsmanship shown as usual. I was noticing the perfect bevel or champher on the edge of the parts - and the cleanliness of your work -it's great to see - even the water drain detail.
Byron

[510wizard]

Thanks guys, I seem to chamfer/bevel every piece, just anal I guess. Hate getting cut/nicked on sharp edges. On the vise, one of my newer purchases in the last couple of years, wanted a vise that I could lay on its side if necessary. Also the back jaw has the slot for the adjustable work stops for repetitive work. I would do bodily harm to myself if I hit the vise with a cutter!

[thisismatt]

Beautiful craftsmanship! Will you weld the top of the mustache bar bolt washer to keep it from spinning?

[q-tip]

i wish that the people i worked with cared that much, our equipment looks like cavemen have been machining parts, or chewing on it

[510wizard]

Beautiful craftsmanship! Will you weld the top of the mustache bar bolt washer to keep it from spinning?

Thanks. Sure will, but I need to finish the welding on the brackets first. After the bolts are installed it will be a bitch to work around when welding.

[510wizard]

Need some input from you guys. Do you think that I should just paint the upper assembly or have it yellow zinc plated before it is welded into the wagon chassis? I know that what ever I do that I will have to paint over the welds to the wagon chassis areas. I was thinking that there would be better corrosion protection from plating. If I painted I could seam seal the areas in the inside of the mustache bar brackets and the area around the mustache washers themselves. What do you guys think or any other ideas?

[goichi1]

You can't make that entire assembly bolt in? Just curious.

[510wizard]

You can't make that entire assembly bolt in? Just curious.

The reason that I was thinking of welding in the upper "H" frame assembly, is that I am going to have to cut out the stock bump stop plate and the frame area underneath it up to the cargo floor , so that I can get enough suspension travel for the upper "A" arm. By welding in the "H" frame, I would be using it to reinforce the cut out portion. Also remember that the upper frame also has the upper coil-over shock mount and supports the entire weight of the rear of the wagon. Do you think that making it bolt in, would be as good from a reinforcement and strength stand point?

[q-tip]

it would be as strong but not necessarily as rigid, there is a slim chance that it could move at the bolts. making it bolt in would make removal late easier if need be.

[goichi1]

I see your point now, if you cut out the existing framework back there you will need to do something, either weld it in or build a new floor frame that will allow you to bolt it in. I was just thinking that it would be much easier to remove it later, or if it needs some adjustments/tweaking after you get it in and road test it.

[510wizard]

Got the upper sub frame welded;



Have been in discussions with a QA1 shock dealer about using some circle track coil overs (82 series) because of the limited room around the CV axles and the upper "A" arm, they use the smaller 1 7/8" spring instead of the normal 2.5" spring. Using the 2.5" spring would not have a lot of clearance to the previosly mentioned parts and would allow me to lean the coil overs more for increased travel at the wheel. The circle track shocks valving can be adjusted internally with a readily purchased kit and are rebuildable. Probably start with a 300lb spring and adjust from there.

[510wizard]

I also scored a 2002 Maxima 6sp manual ECU for a reasonable price after being on the hunt for over 2+ years. The Maxima guys that do VQ35DE swaps into earlier Maxima's, make this ECU hard to fine for a reasonable price. They like to use this ECU because it will control the cams of the VQ35DE and doesn't have a CAN buss like the 350Z and G35 ECU's. (A note that the 2002 Maxima auto ECU's have a CAN buss, the 6sp don't). The one disadvantage is that you can't easily(flash) tune this ECU compared to the 350Z, G35 ECU's. Techosquare use to be able to flash these but they aren't in the ECU business any more. To me this down side is not a big deal breaker. 280-300hp(stock) should be plenty in this car.

The first thing to do is strip out the unneeded stuff from the various harnesses, the BCM,ABS,TCM are removed and the associated wiring from the G35 wiring harnesses;



I am leaving the NATS, OBDII, electronic throttle and also the IPDM which has the relay's for the headlights , etc. This is the boxes of what I have removed at this point. It is amazing to me how much this stuff weights.