Sleepers Stagea project feature now up

A good read. Well done.

Just one thing: O S Giken not Gilken!

Oh and Motorsports is typo'd as well. Rebuild has a letter missing. Both on page two.
 
The spec is already out of date! What is it with these RB modders? :lol: Can't they leave anyting alone;)

I'll update the spec and pics when I get the new details from sleeper!
 
A few more mods .............well havnt touched the car for 3 weeks :sad2:

Its now got a different front - finally got hold of the nismo grille to go with the body kit .

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and a larger bore rear box I could only get a 5 inch :bigsmile:
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Rewired the F con - The 4wd now working properly .

Changed the air/fuel map a bit as the high boost is down slightly now at 1.5 bar . Power is just over 500bhp with 440 ft lbs of torque .

That is at the hubs

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Max Tourque now come in at around 4500 rpm and does not really tail off till over 6000 rpm
Inerior is slightly different now but will post some pics once I ve taken them.
 
Wow! I like the front grill. Can you email me over a good pic of it and I'll try and update the article for you. (Or shall I just wait another 2 weeks and do Part 3:lol:)
 
Abbey sorted the 4WD out and dynod the car .

The new forged engine build , install and mapping were done by tweenierob at TR Racing

I have done the rest Suspension , brakes etc
 
Well a year on and a few things to write about.
Ive hardly touched the car !!!! driven it a lot though.
I have finished the interior off its now all black and added a few cosmetic bits but thats all.

I took the car to the pod but had a real problem with the gearchange - the 32 box doesnt like quick gear changes at just under 9000rpm if fact it doesnt like them at all now .
Next week it gets a very late GTR box which is much stronger and has better syncros and finally a factory LSD.
This will mean I can finally get the F con mapped with a full launch control - should be interesting

Nearly forgot the car had a 6 page feature in jap performance magazine November 2010 so I now have a proffessional CD of pics..................

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drivingfront.jpg


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dash.jpg


setas.jpg


and my favourite
engine09.jpg
 
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A christmas update
Finally found a low mileag late GTR gearbox - the last few came with double syncros

Fitted :D but not tested :sad2: as the OS Gilken twin plate clutch doesnt do gentle starts so taking it out in the snow is a tad dodgy.
 
I would't like to be driving it in the snow. I hope you're keeping well and I look forward to seeing the car on the show circuit next year.

Thanks for the update, I bet you were really lucky to get that gearbox. How long have you been looking then?
 
500bhp atw in snow is a bit silly but I do have a lightly modded auto stagea which Im driving in the snow.

Standard equipment on the top model is snow mode plus an extra button that electronically controlls the diffs for maximum traction , thats on top of AWD .

Its so good that you find yourself going to fast to stop quickly even with full ABS.

Wayne the boxes are not so much hard to find as hard to get at a reasonable cost.
 
Another update

Finally got to test the gearbox. I can now change gear at over 8000rpm without missing gear.
Seems no sooner one thing is fixed something else happens
Recwently I had the ignition ampflifier start missing at around 5000rpm during a dyno day organised by Jap performance magazine. This is a known problem on RBs and may be because of the heat .
Normally the amp is bolted to the rocker cover so can get very hot on high boost.
So I ended up with a new amp and it seemed worth solving the problem,
There are quite a few brackets to raise it off the engine but their are silly money for what they are (top secret never made anything cheap. ) so I though I could do better - well maybe not better but at least as good only much cheaper
Anyway I have raised it by changing the bolts for studs and just bolted it higher up approx the studs roughly 60mm off the cover ,
Cost a whole £ 7 which is probably a tenth of the cost of the top secret part.
Only mod needed was tyat I needed to lenghthen the coilpack loom so bought a new one and just lenghtned the wires.
Hopefully should now be 100% and will be doing some timed 30-130 runs at Marham airfield base in March .

Might even get to find the top speed ( if I dont botttle out)
 
Another update ( well I cant be expected to leave it alone for more than 3 or 4 months)

Have finally got round to taking a pic of the raised ignition amp
IMG_0792.jpg


I made up a proper cold box for the induction

The nismo front has low level ducts for this very purpose so I made some ducting out of grp from the vent directly to the cold box so all the ait goes to it. I have never like the look of boxes closed in at the top so I made the box out of carbon with shaped the sides and Stagea door seals on the top so they seal onto the bonnett carpet when it shuts. Took a while to get it right but I like it.
I used gold reflective tape to reflect the heat of the engine which gets very hot when running full boost.

IMG_1029.jpg


IMG_1026.jpg


Also have fitted a tyriple plate exedt carbon clutch which should end al lprobelmes of slipping etc . Hope it works as good as it looks cos its one pretty clutch
IMG_1089-1.jpg

IMG_1090.jpg

Having driven the car with this clutch I am seriously impressed . It has a very light pedal yet has no trouble with full power launches and is even almost easy to drive through town as a standard clutch .

Finally fitted a set of toyo 888s . I wasnt sure what difference they would make but the grip is definately now at a different level even in damp conditions.

Ive also bought some Nismo adjustable s tune suspension which will go on . This is probably the best suspension available except the likes of nitron coilovers ( circa £2700) It is only available for the autech version so next job is to change the rear hubs for GTR ones as the suspension will then fit. ( the mounting is different )
 
jesus, 500HP???? what an beast.
i really love that mod you made ate the filter case.
really good thought. and if you allow me. have you thought paint the exaust and admission pipes with ceramic ink and put heater tape? to avoid the heat penetration in the admission pipes. with that enormous amount of HP you really have and hot engine in high RPMS.
i like the work you have made. very good
how much cost that clutch friend?
 
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The cool box which has a gold heat relective outside already sheilds the exhaust completely so I dont need to sheild it from the induction.
Besides the engine runs pretty cool for an RB26 and although when you lift the bonnett it is really hot off track the electronic guages never go above 90 degrees - oil or water
The triple carbon clutch was less than 1000 miles old and came out of a 800hp skyline having a sequential gilken box fitted . This meant it had to have a gilken clutch so I was lucky as the tuner knew I wanted one . Including fitting circa £1250 a lot of cash but an awful lot of clutch.


oh and its actually about 580bhp 500 is at the hubs :lol:
 
nice specs you have, and good parts under the hood....
i know friend that cool box have reflective tape, but the eat from the engine and exaust pipes can warm the induction pipes anyway.
its not to mucch but.
don't take it wrong. it«s just an little idea friend.
tel me something. that rb26 came from factory? or its an swap engine that you made?
i'm asking because i don't know that car model. here in portugal we don't have it.

best regards
 
Some very nice work there sleeper, such a pity that the clutch is hidden, it certainly is a meaty looking monster ;)
 
Yes my RB26 doesnt run hot (as in oil temp) but the casings get very hot and ignition amps breaking down can be a problem as they earth to the head

The mod cost under £1 and took me 30 minutes to do including recutting the hole for the wiring loom.
 
apologies for the very late answer as only saw the question when I logged in today to give an update.
Nearly forgot - cancelled due to weather

Anyway we went for our annual MOT yesterday . Passed apart from a split inner front driveshat boot . All now done .

Going to do some performance events this year so it is going for a remap at a higher boost and to properly set up the launch control . Im also getting the ecu properly for flat out top speed run .

Also Ive got a spare rear stagea subframe so will be making up a complete new back end. It looks like GTR hubs will fit so I should be able to use the nismo S tune suspension. I will then probably get the arches rolled so I can widen the front track to match the rear

Already booked the hotel for friday and saturday for the marham 30-130 and the top speed run ,
 
Things just dont go according to plan

Mods done for the top speed run happening at Marham air base this weekend.

As the runway is 60 yards wide and over a mile and a half long the car will end up going pretty quickly so I took the car in to RK tuning to have an electronic accusump fitted and have the top end map checked.
While taking the the rad off it was found to have a split that was just starting to leak . Basically cause by not enough clearance between the rad and the front front cross member so the rad was chaffing against the chassis . Only a bit but over time it had caused a small split each side although only one side was weeping. its not aproblem because the rad had to come out to fit the accusump .
The rad only needs welding up the splits and grinding away the offending metal on the chassis . The mounts themselves are fine.

Trouble is sending the rad away will mean the stagea wont be ready for Marham. Still it could have been worse.
Ive also fitted some areocatches to the bonnett. it took an age to line everything up but its done now . I went for balck catches as carbon looks too chav ( for me ).
When it was done I ended up painting the bonnett and catches so they blend in better.
Pics to follow.
 
That is such a shame but it was good you spotted it so early on. These things have habit of causing a lot more damage if not spotted or ignored.
 
I went for black catches as carbon looks too chav ( for me ).


You cut me deep sleeper, you cut me real deep! :sad2::sad2::lol:

So glad you found the radiator leak before the blast up the runway sleeper! If you had not been the kind of guy you are and not had the old girl thoroughly checked out first before attempting the run - well I shudder to think what might have happened to your baby! A lesson to us all I think :blink:
 
You cut me deep sleeper, you cut me real deep:sad2::sad2::lol:!]
Ours are two completely different projects with different themes so the details will never be the same . What suits yours wont neccessarily suit mine Im fine with any amount of carbon under the bonnet or inside the car on mine - on yours Id be fine with carbon anywhere :bigsmile:.


So glad you found the radiator leak before the blast up the runway sleeper! If you had not been the kind of guy you are and not had the old girl thoroughly checked out first before attempting the run - well I shudder to think what might have happened to your baby! A lesson to us all I think :blink:
Going fast is expensive going very fast is very expensive

A few sums
The runway is 1.7 miles long and the road that leads onto it before allows you to easily reach 60mph by the start on the runway
On the flat out run the Stagea will reach comfortably reach 110mph after 1/4 mile so allowing the same to reach 150 and the same to stop that is over a mile flat out on full boost in top gear.

The way I see it I cant afford to build the engine again (to the same spec)so the checks ensure I have the car alive for the rest of the year.
Actually the check up the absolute minimum I think anyone should consider unless its a new GTR or the like .

Plus it is then checked and ready for the pod and/or any track days later I might do this year.


That is of course apart from the planned new back end :toung:
 
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Just realised that I had not uprated this thread for nearly a year , clearly I am slipping

Started the rear end changes this week - ( well the 32GTR is finished and I have to do something )

The complete subframe is being taken off and I am changing all the arms and bushes in one go.

This includes new whiteline subframe bushes ( not just the collars) and diff bushes .

I am fitting 32GTR lower arms ( wishbones ) and replacing the caston iron stagea hubs with 33GTR one . These are alloy and weigh a fraction of the stagea ones.

All the arms are now adjustable and have been polybushed .

Fitting the alloy hubs allows me to fit Nismo S tune adjustable suspension to match the front.

Pics to follow as soon as I get them off my I pad

Also fiting a genuine solid nismo quickshift kit
 
Mean machine there mate, joy to read, she's looking great, would love you to take me for a spin in that any time.
 

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