R50/53 Diamond in the Rough: Electra
Diamond in the Rough: Electra
Hey everybody!
This is my new project which I have named Electra. She is an 09/2002 build BRG/B R53 with 201,579 miles currently. I purchased her off eBay with insurance money from my totalled Buell Firebolt. Before coming into my hands she sat in a field in Massachusetts for about a year. Before that she hit a deer which took out the drivers side mirror, dented the hood, removed the front arch trim, and damaged the drivers A-piller trim.
So far the things i've found wrong with the car are: toasted starter, frozen alternator, seized and stripped lug bolts on one wheel, snapped lug bolts on another, cut brake line, leaking PS fluid, worn tie-rods, worn end-links, lots of dirt, torn seat, rusted passenger door, rusted taillight housings, busted passenger speaker, broken header right before pre-cat as well as other small things.
I plan on getting her back into good mechanical working condition before working on the rust, exterior damage, and interior damage. So far I've replaced the tie-rod ends, end-links, ordered SS brake lines, installing lug stud conversion kit, oil change, PS fluid flush, brake/clutch fluid flush, removed A/C, new serpentine belt, and new battery.
My plans for the car include reduction pulley, GP intercooler, Cravenspeed intake, obx header, IE catback, all poly bushings, some form of 17 or 16 inch lightweight wheels, maybe bigger front brakes, but definitely EBC redstuff pads and slotted rotors. I also plan on eventually doing BVH cat-cam, nice coils, eventually cage, some form of racing bucket seats, harnesses, OMP steering wheel, Competition Clutch flywheel and clutch, as well as many other things I'm forgetting or just don't feel like typing out.
I have some pictures of the car in it's current state after a little bit of cleanup and work. I just reinstalled the subframe and am waiting on some funds to keep going, but progress might be slow since I am only able to work 6.6 hours a week at my current job. I'm looking for another one to get some more cash to fund this, but who knows how long that will be.
This is my new project which I have named Electra. She is an 09/2002 build BRG/B R53 with 201,579 miles currently. I purchased her off eBay with insurance money from my totalled Buell Firebolt. Before coming into my hands she sat in a field in Massachusetts for about a year. Before that she hit a deer which took out the drivers side mirror, dented the hood, removed the front arch trim, and damaged the drivers A-piller trim.
So far the things i've found wrong with the car are: toasted starter, frozen alternator, seized and stripped lug bolts on one wheel, snapped lug bolts on another, cut brake line, leaking PS fluid, worn tie-rods, worn end-links, lots of dirt, torn seat, rusted passenger door, rusted taillight housings, busted passenger speaker, broken header right before pre-cat as well as other small things.
I plan on getting her back into good mechanical working condition before working on the rust, exterior damage, and interior damage. So far I've replaced the tie-rod ends, end-links, ordered SS brake lines, installing lug stud conversion kit, oil change, PS fluid flush, brake/clutch fluid flush, removed A/C, new serpentine belt, and new battery.
My plans for the car include reduction pulley, GP intercooler, Cravenspeed intake, obx header, IE catback, all poly bushings, some form of 17 or 16 inch lightweight wheels, maybe bigger front brakes, but definitely EBC redstuff pads and slotted rotors. I also plan on eventually doing BVH cat-cam, nice coils, eventually cage, some form of racing bucket seats, harnesses, OMP steering wheel, Competition Clutch flywheel and clutch, as well as many other things I'm forgetting or just don't feel like typing out.
I have some pictures of the car in it's current state after a little bit of cleanup and work. I just reinstalled the subframe and am waiting on some funds to keep going, but progress might be slow since I am only able to work 6.6 hours a week at my current job. I'm looking for another one to get some more cash to fund this, but who knows how long that will be.
5th Gear
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 909
Likes: 3
From: New York, NY
I'm hoping you got Electra for a non princely sum ....because the man hours alone on that would cost more than buying a new mini...then again it's going to be a really fun project I am sure.
Subscribed as well...
Subscribed as well...
1st Gear
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 16
Likes: 0
From: Baton Rouge
Damn that reminds me of a Celica GTS i bought couple of years back, had to fix a lot of stuff but ended up selling it soon..... It never ran the way I imagined it to :(.
Good Luck.
Good Luck.
Trending Topics
No, this will be my daily driver. I've been daily driving motorcycles so this shouldn't be too hard on me. I'm more worried about my friends complaining of the lack of rear seats and no A/C, but that's what I have a panoramic roof and windows that go up and down for.
Since Electra will be waiting on a starter for a little while and I have her torn down pretty far already, I figured I would yank the supercharger and see what's what. I found a couple of things worth noting in my adventure into the Eaton M45. The first thing I noted was that there was no oil in the waterpump end (not a big surprise), but the gears weren't too badly torn up, especially when you consider the second thing I noted. This is the original supercharger. That's right, since this supercharger was manufactured by Eaton on the 30th of July, 2002 it has covered 201,579 what I would assume to be unserviced miles. Since it looks to be in decent condition and I don't have enough money to pony-up and buy a refurb or new one I'm going to get new gaskets, glob some oil in and throw it back on.
Here are some pictures because I know that's what makes or breaks a build thread.
Here are some pictures because I know that's what makes or breaks a build thread.
