The Steelies (actually 'outlaws' from Geelong) are staying on the car.... would not part with them (they will match in nicely with the rollbar)

as for the S13 dash it just so happens that i am in the process of fitting at the moment - I should have some pics soon but I have the whole dash out and apart and have spot welded a couple of metal tabs on the bottom to screw in to and the top mount is through the dash metal (pics will explain). I had to make up a new face plate to hide the top corners so I got some aluminium and traced out and cut out the gauges. It should look ok when painted matt black.

Just spent the whole long weekend (ok half of it) in the shed and what have I achieved?
Ran and connected the brake lines (90%),
cut out the face plate for the cluster
welded in some tabs to hold the bottom of the cluster into the dash - I don't have it sitting flush on the top yet
worked out some more wiring on the A/T ECU - never ending wiring
got confused about the wiring on the fuel tank - I hate it when they change colours between plugs
failed to run the fuel lines
painted on some more seam sealer and sprayed some more auto flex to make things a bit more uniform underneath
Typical weekend – 2 steps forward one step back
Here’s some pics

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just found this on the bluebird site for anyone upgrading their tank to an R31

.... maybe worth putting in the wiki?

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Doing some great work there. Keep it up.

I know what you mean about 2 steps forward one back. I'm currently opposite where I'm going 2 back one forward!

Keen to see more photos on your tank fitment as I want to do this to allow for a 4 link setup. Got any more?

Cheers.

Sorry no other pics of the tank fitment but if we can set up a time you're welcome to come have a look.

Another weekend and another few steps in both ways. I got on to some more Silvia bits (engine Bay loom, main body loom, auto fluid lines, kickdown switch, centre console, auto A/T ecu - yes another one, exhaust from the manifold to, and past, the catalytic converter, and... indicator / wiper controls). A good afternoon of 'hunter-gathering'.

Of course this means that the last 2 weeks of trying to make up my own looms is all a 'learning experience' (code phrase for wasted time). Figured that it was going to be easier to chop out what I don't need rather than make up what I do need. I know that if I was doing a manual conversion then this would be simple - but who needs simplicity ?

So I have removed the 1200 loom and will attempt to use the Silvia wiring ... there's a LOT of wiring here!

Also, thanks to Andrew (CADET1200) for confirming the R31 fuel tank wiring "On the R31 pump there are 5 wires in a blue connector,2 black which can be common-ed and earthed to body. A white/purple which is the power wire from fuel pump relay,a yellow wire which is the fuel gauge and a yellow/green which is the low fuel light. Ignore the wire which is in a plastic sheath as it is a shield for the cable the R31 requires for it's fuel pump drive."

Me three agree with forward backward steps! Glad to hear it's not just me that's being smighted by the almighty smighter! Keep going, use the force!

Pics of the tank fitment for Shoota

But before I get to that I had a good Saturday ... went to the wreckers and bought the fuel lines out of a Bluebird, unbent them, rebent them (several times) and secured them under the ute .... that's it! a whole day to run 3 fuel lines. Now I have to work out how to fit up the charcoal canister.... oh, and fitted up the tank.

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Thanks for that! Looks good. Something I'll have to do so I can do a four link conversion.
Are you relocating the filler point or just running a long hose down to it?
Thanks again for the photos, it's looking good!

To answer your question Shoota...you can use the existing filler point and hose and then just have some pipe (e.g. exhaust pipe) bent to meet up with the R31 inlet hose. The only issue is that the R31 inlet is smaller. To get around this I had an exhaust shop pump out the connection pipe at one end so it fitted tighter into the old 1200 hose.

Hope that makes sense....of course you could also route to a new filler point, but that just makes more work for you!

Four weeks closer to my 6 month deadline for engineering (it's only a deadline in that I lose my initial fee.... but $200 is precious)

Anyway,
S13 wiring is pretty much squashed up
ECU's are mounted under dash
motor/gbox has been up and down more times than .... you know what
gear box selector rod rebent and shortened
i am using the EXA radiator and running the hose diagonally across the motor to the bottom tank (unless someone can tell me a reason not to). The EXA outlet does go the other way across the CA18
Lot's more of those fiddly things done ... the ones that you spend the whole day in the shed doing but don't have much to show for it

here's a pic of the dash ... again... I got my wife to cut a template to help blend the silvia cluster into the 1200 dash and i bought some chrome rings to go around the instruments (chrome plated plastic actually from eBay)

gotta work out how to finish it off nicely ... currently thinking clear perspex in the indent over the cluster itself and black perspex to hold it all in with a cutout just for he cluster (oh ... the brown dash pad? .. it's my cracked spare)

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