Uk Ka24de S12

I wanted to go back out Road/Night Rallying again. Cars need to be NA and 2 wheel drive. So I decided to remove all the turbo engine and tuning bits (I had a bit of a play with it just for fun) out of my car to fund the rally car build, thats all the budget I currently have (I will sneak a bit in each payday though, but don't tell my soon to be wife as I'm supposed to be saving for the Wedding this May!). Most of my budget has already been spent on polybushes to replace to worn out stock ones, and a coil over conversion kit for the front struts.

Basic plan for the car is:-

1. Fit the KA
2. Jack the suspension up and polybush.
3. Fabricate a roll cage, sump guard and do some chassis reinforcement
4. Relocate the fuel tank
5. Rally prep, seat belts spot lights etc
6. Go and have some fun! Big Rally is December 2010 I hope to have it on the road and out rallying before then!

I'd seen a KA24DE for sale (rare as hell over here!) and knew thats was the engine for me. After an 11 hour round trip I had my KA24DE!


I'd just finished repairing the rust on the chassis so took it for one last blast before getting it in the garage.


I stripped the CA18ET out and cut the front slam panel to gain better access to the engine bay as the garage I'm working in does not have a lot of head room for craning engines in and out!


Plan is to fit the KA get it all connected and running, then take it out finish of the chassis rally prep and spray the shell.


I'm currently in the process of fabricating the gearbox mount and prop centre bearing bracket.

One problem I do have is the exhaust, the engine came with an aftermarket S13 240SX tubular manifold which doesn't fit well at all, what have you guys used? I want my exhaust as high and out of the way as possible to stop it getting damaged and ripped off etc.

How on earth did you get a KA over there in the UK? What did it come out of?

ArroHow on earth did you get a KA over there in the UK? What did it come out of?

Yeah this seems to be what most guys run into when they do the ka swaps into their s12's, especially when they are running aftermarket headers. I just beat my floor in a little bit with a hammer for the clearance for my stock ka downpipe but then again I just needed a little so it was fine. If your going to need a lot of clearance I would imagine finding a stock ka exhaust manifold and downpipe would be the easiest solution without having to get drastic. And really the headers are only probably going to get you 5-10 more hp at the most by themselves without more mods to take advantage of them like ecu tuning, etc. Either way I wish you good luck and there are a lot of documented ka swaps in the garage section (mine included) to help you out if you need more info. And yeah pretty crazy you got a hold of a ka24 in the UK. I think in retrospect it is kinda like one of the guys here in the US getting a hold of the fj20 haha.

I should be going to see the chap who orginally found this engine at the scrap yard as he has another, it might have a stock manifold. He also has a Austrailian Maddat manifold for fitting a KA into a datsun 510 so that might be a better fit, it's certainly worth a try.
If not I think I'm going to shorten the primaries and cut and box the floor pan so the lowest thing on the car is the chassis rails.

If anyone on here rallies and S12 I'd love to have a chat with you!

Heres what kind of abuse it's going to get once finished. This is one of my previous Rally cars, top points for knowing what it is, don't think you got them over in the US!

Nice!  I think this is going to be a fun build to watch for sure.

its a Lada isn't it?  Don't know which model though.

Clownyits a Lada isn't it?  Don't know which model though.

so, that picture gives me wood....

I cant wait until I get a bit of extra cash to start getting it moving along again.  ATM its only got the rear springs and shocks on.  During the summer, I'm going to get some ramps or jackstands and weld skid plates in for the underbody.

Xanoso, that picture gives me wood....

I cant wait until I get a bit of extra cash to start getting it moving along again.  ATM its only got the rear springs and shocks on.  During the summer, I'm going to get some ramps or jackstands and weld skid plates in for the underbody.

Just a quick update:-

Gearbox supported.
 )

I think it can go a little higher yet but I want to have some suspension drop available.

Damn, your car is going to be super unique over there.

Can't wait for updates.

don't forget to anti-seize the coilovers real good!

Mini up date:-

Got a S13 200sx throttle cable in and fitted, may require fine tuning when the engine is running.

Decided to see which rad would fit, tried a S13 200sx one . . .

Time for an update!

New Hybrid S12/S13 front suspension sorted.
)

Lowered the boot floor so it sat a little lower in the car (not quite finished).

[a href=\"http://s268.photobucket.com/albums/jj33/lmrdave/S12%20-%20KA24DE%20-%20Rally%20Project/?action=view&current=DSC00044.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"]



I've cleaned the tank up and zinc painted it. Once the floor is finished the tank will be secured in and a firewall built over it, which will also be strong enough to support and fix one if not two spare wheels to. Work on going.

Exhaust.

Manifold/header is a US after market 240SX one, bit wobberly so braced it to the first section of exhaust. Exhaust cost £15 to make as a friend gave me an MR2 stainless exhaust system to chop up, then any other boxes and pipe I had knocking about.

Front exhaust/manifold brace.



Back box, decided to mount it somewhere where it was going to take a bettering or get ripped off so popped it just behind the diff, hung off new boot floor.

Oooooh shiney!


The finished back box, heat temp painted as it's a mix of stainless and mild steel and mig welded. Hopefully it will last a little longer and not look so pikie as unpainted it will rust and FAST.



I was going to have side exits coming out of the rear quarters but tail pipes sit nicely out of the way.

More pics when it's back on, but next job is getting the rear sub frame off and suspension sorted.

We also have to fix a stage rally cars cage to update it to the current regulations so putting the cage fab off untill after that (going to use the stage car as practice for mine!)

SO sorry for the long delay on my reply to your question, I never saw the question before!

I used 300zx rear springs and shocks, which gives a good deal of rear suspension travel compared to stock.  I still wish I had a BIT more, but it works for what I'll be using it for.

XanoSO sorry for the long delay on my reply to your question, I never saw the question before!

I used 300zx rear springs and shocks, which gives a good deal of rear suspension travel compared to stock.  I still wish I had a BIT more, but it works for what I'll be using it for.

Wow that is a lot of cutting and welding on the floorboard for the exhaust lol. A tad more extreme than my approach of just beating the floorboard in a little with a hammer .

RedneckWow that is a lot of cutting and welding on the floorboard for the exhaust lol. A tad more extreme than my approach of just beating the floorboard in a little with a hammer .

LMRDAVECutting takes seconds with plasma.

Shaping metal and welding is therapy for us.

Beating the hell out the car iis what we'l do once it's finished!    

LMRDAVENo probs not got on to the rear end just yet, do 300ZX springs stiffen it up any? I don't want to go too stiff  

I'll have a nose about and see if I can find some on the cheap and try out.

Xanoa real tiny bit.  Its soft enough where I can push down on each corner with my own weight, but i'm not sure of the official rating of the springs.  It feels like stock S12 stiffness, like what i'd imagine factory regular springs feel like, just with a bit more tallness to it.

Just like you post a picture here from photobucket with [img] codes, there is a link to post the video under the video thumbnail... when you post that code here, it puts up a picture of the vid that is clickable and will take us to the vid.

Y'know I quite fancy cutting out the radiator support and making it bolt-in/out. Is that what you did Dave ? Oh and green eyesis at the KA. I'd really like something like that lol

This is coming along well, who said racing was an expensive sport (when you can fab everything yourself   )

Do you plan on stitch-welding the chassis or just letting it be?

I'll give it a go then.  

[a href=\"http://s268.photobucket.com/albums/jj33/lmrdave/S12%20-%20KA24DE%20-%20Rally%20Project/?action=view¤t=FirstFire.flv\" target=\"_blank\"]

CIH:- I have another KA24DE . . . but I'd be a fool to let that one go, just incase!

Once everything is working and wiring is proberly sorted (the I've finished the back end) then the engine is coming out for chassis reinforcement on the front end (gussets and stitch welding the turrets), the inner sill are seam welded front to back as I repaired them just before starting the engine swap.
Once the cage is in I'll try and tie that in to the A and B pillars and maybe the tunnel that that will do.

Even at this entry level and fabing everything it's not that cheap for me, need to sell some more things to keep it going (getting married ain't cheap either - 3 weeks to go   )

CamInHeadY'know I quite fancy cutting out the radiator support and making it bolt-in/out. Is that what you did Dave ? Oh and green eyesis at the KA. I'd really like something like that lol

No updates for a while!

Got married.

Had surgery.

Cracked on, but not finished yet!

Finished shell reinforcement and homemade cage (not done the door bars yet).

Motors been in and out and is running ok.

Suspension is just about sorted, not as tall I was was expecting but should be ok.

Loads of pics of my photo bucket album.

Been entered in it's first Rally on the 4th and 5th of december, the roughest of the year.







Getting close now!

knobby fuckin' tires FTW Thumbs Up!

i have a feeling im completely off but are they ventus r201s?

i was looking into your thread yesterday and must thank you alot for showing me an important detail!

i cut my bumper support today too :-)-->block my tiny weak ass radiator

thanks

Deezus on 05:43:57 AM / 16-Oct-10i have a feeling im completely off but are they ventus r201s?

Tyres are made by MRF. Don't know what they will be like, but they came up cheap and thats what this project was supposed to be about, although it's costing me a fortune at the moment!

Trying to repair the wings at the moment as they were super rotten, going to take a huge amount of effort to make them look good, and I'm not good on making things look nice!

Small up date, firewall and spare wheel studs finished off. Will finally seal it once it's on the road and I'm sure the fuel pump is ok and not in need of modding.



Sorted my milky centre panel out, 1200 grit (wet) then laquered over = sorted



Wanted to get it on the road for my birthday, but having to work in Sweeden for a week so no garage time next week  glarestraight

Bit worried about the S13 track rods I'm using people keep telling me they bend too easily, so looking at S14 ones or tein's if I come into some money or gamble I will get a bonus this Christmas!

i cant wait to see this thing go

your "sorting out" job on the tails came out pretty damn well, actually.

Deezus on 09:56:17 PM / 19-Oct-10i cant wait to see this thing go

thats exactly my situation lol

The weekend front spray job - don't like doing it in two halves but it helped the build along.



Paint finish = ok for a rally car!  embarrassed2