New Side Business Venture - Car Graphics

UPDATE (27-SEP-2004): Cutter has finally been shipped, should get it some time next week.



Well, as of today, I've decided to get into a little side of the car industry where I can apply my design skills too. I'm buying a 2nd hand vinyl cutter so that I can create and sell graphics for cars - mostly shopping list type stuff, but the occasional custom work. Here are some pictures of the model I'll be getting, a Roland CAMM-1 CM-24:

- Picture 1
- Picture 2
- Picture 3
- Picture 4

This is a full industry grade cutter with a taking stock up to 610mm wide and around up to 29 metres long. Will give an update once it arrives on the plans for her. Needless to say I'll be working some minor magic on my own car, but nothing to garish (I don't get into that).

Cheers
Brendan

Engine Bay Clean

This Saturday gone was spent cleaning up the engine bay ready for it to be painted. As goes with most things, the better the preparation the better the finished product. Basically used Spray & White All Purpose Cleaner to get the grime and crap off, then did a final wipe over with some prepsol (Grease & Wax Remover) to make sure it was clean. Had to use an old toothbrush in bits to get built up dust and grease out of the weld creases and corners. All up it came up fantastic.

Pics of the engine bay at the end of the session:
- Front (Before)
- Top
- Driver's Side Bay (Before)
- Passenger Side Bay (Before)

Not sure what's next, just a matter of waiting for the panel guy to become free.

Cheers
Brendan

Sigma (East Bear Sports) Reclining Seats

Well I've just popped down to C-Red to check out their new shipment of East Bear goods that landed yesterday. In the shipment were three sets of their new Reclining Seats which debuted at this years Tokyo Auto Salon. I've been waiting to check these out for a while and I wasn't disappointed. They're just beautiful, and as such have put an order in for some Black ones for the Silvia. This means I'm selling...opps sold my GT-R seats to Woodie.

If you're interested in checking them out, run on down to C-Red before they all go. As of now, 2 sets have already gone and only 1 set remains. Prices will be around $900/seat + rail mark.

Cheers
Brendan

Test Fitting QF's on S13 180SX (5-stud)

As it happens, when I went into C-Red on Saturday, Joel has his 180SX in there for a service. Now Joel has a 5-stud conversion, and I've been needing to test out QF's on a 5-stud S13 with standard rear cradle (Pig V2.0 has GT-R rear end). So between work being done on his 180, I ripped the wheels out and slapped them onto the back. I'm glad I did as there is definitely a requirement for as wide a guard as possible which I think will be the 50mm guard from Wise Sports. As you can see from the photos, it's pretty evident that they'll be required - understandable really when you consider the +12 offset that these 18x10 rims have : )

Pics of the engine bay at the end of the session:
- From front
- Side Rear
- Ruler Measurement
- Straight On
- From the Rear

Cheers
Brendan

Engine Bay Stripped

Finally got back into the workshop on Saturday to strip the engine bay of all lines, master cylinder, booster etc etc. Main pain was finding all those little black plugs they spot around the engine bay - always wonder what they were actually meant for. While I was at it, I took the exhaust off as it was just hanging there anyway. The front guards have been removed also, as they'll be replaced by some nice wide body action from Wise Sports.

Pics of the engine bay at the end of the session:
- Top
- Driver's Side Bay
- Passenger Side Bay
- Front Left
- Front Right
- My Daughter was there to help me
- She loves the camera
- Beer O'Clock
- Marc doing what he loves

Well it's pretty much ready now for the paint/panel work to be done, and have worked out from a fitting session of the QF's that I'll be needing the 50mm widebody guards at the rear. See seperate post for details and photos.

Cheers
Brendan

GT-R turbos rebuilt and sold!

Well, I had the turbos off the GT-R rebuilt through Per4manz Turbochargers a couple of weeks ago, and they've now been sold to a chap in Queensland I think (07 area code). This is the last item that can be sold from the GT-R after selling the gearbox last week (that guy got a bargain).

So, haven't been able to do much in the way of the Silvia being Fathers Day last weekend and all, and this weekend I have Charli to look after so finding it hard to get down to the workshop. Have asked Jeff to get the boys to start looking at the engine. Forged internals will be coming, and will be getting the bottom cryo treated as I did with the GT-R engine. Also looking at getting the pistons ceramically coated too.

Decisions to make will be how far I go with the head also, with the engine I have it has already been ported and polished, but whether or not I get Step 1 or Step 2 cams will determine if I need to replace valve springs as well.

Feel free to make comments on my blog - feedback on what you think I could do is always welcome.

Cheers
Brendan