Good to know. It will save me a step in resizing. Thanks bratling!

 

I have procrastinated long enough. Truth be told - I hate wiring. I think it ranks right up there with installing fiberglass insulation naked. I was going to take pictures of the process, but I didn't and to be honest, it went off without a hitch. Once I had that bit of self-torture done, I moved to the next ring of hell and installed the harness on the engine. It went okay. I flipped it this way and then flopped it that way and finally realized the way I flipped it originally was correct. There are a few wires I am unsure of, but I think one goes to the throttle body and the other two go to the steering fan and hydraulic pump. We shall see. Enough with the words, on with the pictures.

All wired up with a nice cover over the wires for 5 imaginary horsepower. I still have to make final adjustment and then shrink the heat shrink ties to make it look clean.

Front of engine all plugged in.

Rear done as well. I even remembered to plug in the reverse switch.

I also knocked off a number of boring items from my checklist. I think it is ready to go back to where it belongs, but I have to check as I think there are just a few more brackets I want to hang for the vacuum lines to make access easier and maybe the two heat shields too. But then it can go back in maybe tomorrow.

 

Thanks for not posing the wiring photos -- don't want to see you naked.

 

Regarding the engine paint, Jonny's point is well-taken but I'm intrigued. What's the process? Is it necessary to apply a primer? How many top coats? I both want to know and don't want to know the answers to these questions.

 

I'm a firm believer in primer. Even if the paint says you can apply directly to bare metal - I prime. I don't want to do a job twice due to paint flaking off. More specifically, I always use self-etching primer on any bare metal surface. If it is a cast part and bumpy, I don't put on any additional primer. If it is a smooth part I will apply a few coats of high fill primer, sanding between coats, to make things as smooth as possible. Then I apply two coats of base as a minimum, I will do three if I remember to do a light dusting coat for the first coat, but usually I'm too impatient and my first coat is a normal coat. Then I follow up with 2-3 coats of clear. It really depends on the part and where it is. The more obvious the location, the better paint job I do. Of course before paint you want to degrease, sand/scuff, and then wipe the part down one last time before painting with your choice of solvent. I use acetone, but other use different products.

I did a few brackets this morning and they got one coat each. Mainly because they are in locations that probably won't be touched in years. I'll work on the bracket that the overflow tank and the hydraulic reservoir shortly and that will get 3 coats of base and 3 gloss coats. My reasoning is it is front and center in the engine bay. I want that area to be what draws the eye. That will make more sense when I get the engine back in.


Wear a mask. You've only got one set of lungs! Mkay?

Parts prepped and self etching primer has been applied.

After two coats of base color.

Three coats of clear. They look splotchy, but that is due to reflections. Now to let these parts dry and reinstall them.

 

Just finished reading through this thread. Loved it. You have a very entertaining writing style and I love the "accidently superglued the clippers to my hand and cant put them down" approach to bringing this car back from the dead. I did the same thing with our Mustang (I'd do the same with the Mini if it wasn't my dd). I also painted all the aluminum bits except the alternator, I disassembled the original and painted it black. It looked amazing...and lasted about a week lol. I left the replacement alone and its already getting crusty looking :-/

Keep up the good work and keep taking lots of pictures!

 

Thanks, JerBear.

I'm working on the subframe now. I've got a bit of a chicken/egg conundrum right now. I was going to install the engine and then the subframe, but then I thought I'd do the subframe first as it would be easier. So I think I've decided subframe first. That means a delay for engine installation. I've got the subframe halfway there with primer and I'm waiting on that to dry to do the other side. I'd shoot the whole thing, but I only do that outside and it is too windy with chances of showers. The subframe paint is crazy durable, but I did find a few spots that the paint is chipping and I used a wire wheel to remove all the loose paint and then treated the rust before priming. My angle grinder with a knotted wheel would only lightly scratch the good surface. I'm assuming it is a powder coating. I was able to rough it up with a red Scotchbrite pad, so at least it is keyed for paint.

I'll update with pics this weekend.

 

Well, the subframe is painted and can dry overnight. I might install it in the morning if it feels dry enough. I was thinking I'd clean all the weld splatter off, but decided I have limits to the levels of detailing for mostly obscured parts. It was supposed to be the same color as the rear subframe, but it looks a little darker. Hopefully the mechanic that does the state inspection doesn't notice. Here it is with two coats of clear applied.

 

Subframe is installed. That was easy enough. If only all jobs were as straightforward. Speaking of which, control arms aren't. I have to take off the inner ball joints and rear bushing. Yeah, I'm not too excited about that. I had no intention of replacing either, but once the subframe was out I could see they were bad. I've got the new ones, but now I just have to work up to taking the old stuff off. I'll get it done today. I think... maybe. I also need to clean up the steering rack and get that installed. The lines from the reservoir had leaked for who knows how long and made a nice mess of things. I'll get out the degreaser and scrub it all clean. Then I can reinstall it. Question... do you all think I can install the rear control arm bushing onto the car and then press fit the arm when it is ready? I feel I've done that on my BMW. If I can do that I can reinstall the rear bushing and antisway bar in the interim. Just let me know your thoughts.


Subframe installed and looking good. Keen eyes might also note the bracketry I had painted a few posts ago installed and the coolant tank as well. Hrm, might be a color theme going on here.

 

My guess is the state inspector will take one look at the undercarriage, lower the car back to the ground, and walk away with his/her head hanging in defeat as they will know they've been beaten and will find no worn or broken parts to fail the car for 😂

And you should paint that ugly motor mount since its easy, visible, and will stand out against the rest of the perfection going on here... kind of like that little tuft of hair that you notice after the sheers have been put away and you turn the animal loose back out into the yard.

 

I want to do the mount, but.... someone before me stripped the head of the lower bolt and I haven't wanted to cut the head off as I am unsure if I can then remove the remaining stud from the top. If I can, I'd do it, but I just don't know. So while it is broke, I'm afraid to fix it.

It's funny as I was thinking about the state inspection this morning and wondering what they'd try and get me on. On my Xterra they failed me because a fog light was out. I asked how that mattered since most cars don't even have them. He said if it was OE installed light it had to work. Needless to say they won't be getting my business again. They also busted off a stud when reinstalling the back wheel and told me that was also a fail and needed to be replaced. I've always gone there, but they got a new inspector who is is going to lose them business.

 

Oh those places are the worst! I went to a place I don't usually go 2 years ago because my inspector had the flu, they failed my truck because, and I kid you not, the turn signal wasn't orange enough. Swear to God they actually failed it because the turn signal wasn't orange enough. I laughed out loud in his face, thought he was messing with me. Didn't go back there lol.

And I think I still have that mount in my shop. I gotta go look. But I just swapped mine and I save all scrap metal for my buddy so if I have it I can get pictures so you can see how it go's together

 

I believe it is a long bolt with no taper and if that is the case I can do what I need by going all French Revolution and remove its head. I can't imagine that I can't do it, but sometimes strange things are done. I do know it threads into the base of the mount, but no other knowledge on fitment.

I've only been failed in the past for bad wipers and once they were going to fail me for reverse lights, but I showed them how to jam the shifter to get it to light up. They passed me, but said to adjust the switch.

 

I forgot mine has a mostly rubber mount. It was fluid filled though. It must not have come with any hardware as there is none in my scrap pile. So I don't have a spare bolt to give/show you. Here's the mount though

 

If you have a wire welder and a large nut, you could weld the nut to the stripped bolt head and remove it that way. I had to do that with my old drain plug as the po had chewed the entire bolt head of with vise grips.

 

I thought about it, but I worry about the electronics on these cars. On an old car, I'd do it in a heartbeat. Just remove the battery cables and let the slag fly.

On a positive note, the second coat of clear has been laid on the control arms and it is nice and smooth. This time of year is great, no bugs to land in fresh paint.

 

The bolt on mine was also rounded off. I rooted around the box for a cheap 12 point socket that almost fit and beat it on with a hammer. Wish I could tell you the socket size. Worked like a charm.

 

I tried that too and it just spun. I used to have a socket specifically for rounded bolt heads and I can't find it. It had a series of carbide teeth that would dig deeper into the bolt head as you loosened it. It always worked. I feel like someone decided to walk with it after seeing me use it. My tools all have specific drawers, so I don't usually lose tools beyond 10mm shallow sockets on occasion.

 

Well, I'm done for the day. The engine is ready to go in. The pile of parts to install is diminishing quickly. However, I'm tired and want to sit down for a few hours before I clean the house. Oh yeah, note to anyone else, you can't in any universe install the control arms with the rear bushings already installed in the car. The amount of force to get those mounted in those bushings is quite a bit.


Subframe and antisway bar installed. I had to lower the subframe to get them in.

Steering rack and pump installed. I had to lower the subframe again to put that in place. The point being, leave the subframe down until you get all the parts attached.

 

Looks dam good! Love the black and gold

 

The mission for today - install the engine and transmission. I had a friend assist and I have to admit that I couldn't have done it on my own. I still have to bolt and torque all the fasteners and then ensure all the wires are connected, but we are almost done with this phase. Most of the yaks have been properly shaved, so maybe I'll stay on track, but I promise nothing.

This step shouldn't be too hard. Just insert tab A into slot B. If only IKEA made their instructions this fool-proof. I taped the freshly painted frame to protect it from my zealous installation techniques.

Finally home and snug in its home.

I had to see what it will look like with the intercooler installed and yes, I am liking what I am seeing.

Once that was in place I sat in the drivers seat and made engine noises while I pondered the next part. Remember I said I don't like electrical work. Well, I'm an IT guy by trade and I will admit that I am nervous about the software changes I have to make. It will get done, but... umm... yeah. I've never done it before. So there's that. It might take me awhile to do, but in the interim I will continue to reassemble and prep myself for the software part. Time to go start reading up on things.

Have a good one and happy motoring.

 

came back to this thread to re-read some of it, and got curious about the black oxide process you mentioned. I did a quick search and found this tutorial on YouTube:


is this basically what you did? Is there a US supplier of the chemicals you can recommend?

 

Bratling, I generally buy plating and metal finishing products from Caswell. (I've done nickel and zinc plating from them as well with great results.) They are a good supplier and I can't complain about their products in the least. Here is a link for their black oxide kits. I bought the smallest one and have only mixed one pint of liquid and that will probably last me for a long time before I need to make more. I think I need to buy the activator as well. It says for hardened steel bolts that it will help get them darker. In my original practice batch I used standard box store grade 5 bolts, so very soft.

My reason for doing this test was that I want to do something with my Xterra to really make it very corrosion resistant. My plan it is is black oxide finished fasteners, Cerakote my parts, and raptor line the underbody. I don't mud my truck, but I do like going off road in the mountains and will ford smaller streams.

 

Love the build! Great attention to detail! So i think it was you that was using the aluminum spray paint for the supercharger and intake?

 

Yes, I always paint bare aluminum parts. I don't like the white corrosion of untreated aluminum or how oil stains the cast pieces. I use VHT Cast Aluminum engine paint. Primarily because every parts store has it and it is chemical resistant and very durable.

Your GP is going to look awesome once you fix it up. I'd love to find one, but they aren't the easiest cars to find, nor are they usually affordable.