Ace-Garageguy Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 Bill, I took your advice and disassembled the entire firewall back to square 1. The milliput is gone and I will be mounting the firewall closer to the inner fenders IAW the picture you provided. I still will have a considerable gap from the back of the engine to the firewall but that is mostly a compromise of several issues. The leading one being the sub-frame assembly that holds the LCA's that mount to the steering knuckles. To properly place the engine, the oil pan is in direct conflict with the sub-frame assembly and to move it, I would have to redesign the entire front suspension. I also have a feeling that the engine isn't quite the size it needs to be either. The R32 donor is an old kit and I suspect that even Tamiya's excellent engineering may have made the engine a wee bit too short. In fact, it looks more like the SR20 motor than the RB26 in the engine bay but this is a minor issue I can live with. I'm sure you'll be happier with the end result you'll have from reworking the firewall as you describe. I've done rather a lot of 1:1 engine swaps, and it's entirely permissible to modify a subframe, crossmember or oil-pan...or all of them...to get an engine to fit a chassis it wasn't intended for. Just bear in mind where the strength needs to be replaced in the structure (after it's been cut away for clearance) and where the oil pickup would be in the pan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferrari87 Posted February 28, 2015 Author Share Posted February 28, 2015 I'm sure you'll be happier with the end result you'll have from reworking the firewall as you describe. I've done rather a lot of 1:1 engine swaps, and it's entirely permissible to modify a subframe, crossmember or oil-pan...or all of them...to get an engine to fit a chassis it wasn't intended for. Just bear in mind where the strength needs to be replaced in the structure (after it's been cut away for clearance) and where the oil pickup would be in the pan. That's the major issue, I would have to basically create an entire new suspension for the car. I am going to lend a little more research into swapping an RB into an S15 but from what I rememeber, its a popular swap due to it being relatively easy. I've already modded the oil pan to fit over the rack and pinion steering rod in the current set up. More homework shall be done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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