noice! why not use the engine that came with it, though? it would be original and have all the goodies. you can always just replace the exterior stuff if you want to put it back to stock/restored look, no? 

Edited April 7, 20168 yr by Careless

@Careless Thanks...The original engine has a stock bore of 83mm and the E31 head has 42mm/33mm intake/exhaust diameter.  I am using the L28 which has a stock bore of 86mm which I will be over boring to 87mm.  The N42 head has a 44mm/35mm intake/exhaust diameter.  I will rebuild the original L24 and keep it boxed and stored in case I ever want to go back to a completely original engine. 

Got a few things in the mail yesterday.

A crankshaft from a L24.

At least I think it is from a L24.  

The plate in the doorjam is legible but completely unusable.  So I decided to replace it.

The plate in the engine compartment is missing all together.

Plan on getting the rest of the teardown completed this week.

What is your plan for numbering the plates? Dies or engraving? Font?

I want to match the numbers as close to the original as I can. I was thinking something close to this:

Send them to Mike McGinnis at Banzai Motorworks and he'll stamp em for you.....just like the original.

Guy...Thanks will do.

WOW has it been 11 days since I last posted.  Well I am sorry for the lack of posting.  I had to put the car on the back burner for a few days.  Danita (my wife) had to fly home to take care of her grandmother and her mom after her moms surgery.  Mom is doing better and the wife is still up North.

I have done a few things to the car and I got a few parts in so here you go:

My buddy came into town and we got the engine out was not as hard as I thought it was going to be.  This was my first engine pull and felt it went smoothly.

We also got the dash out, that was a different story.  I can honestly say that it was not that fun and I am fearing putting it back in.

Taking the exhaust out was fun, I got to play with my cutting tool.  After about 20 minutes it dropped right out.

Now for some of the bad I found.  This car tells a story once allot of stuff is out of the way.  It had to have been in a front end collision of some kind because there is evidence of a hatchet job repair.  I am glad really because the after pictures are going to show what level of detail this restoration went through.

Passenger side under the battery tray.

A closer look at the separation of the frame rail.  I am really glad I did not drive this car while waiting to start the restoration.

I think i could have done a better braze job than this.  this is the inner wheel well at the front on the passenger side.

Not as bad as the passenger side but there are still some issues that need to be addressed.

Looks like a new frame rail was added but they didn't take the alignment bolts out after the non existent weld job.  Correct me if I'm wrong but they should have put the screws in welded the seem taken the screws out and spot welded the holes?.?.?  Well thats what I think I would have done.

Driver side frame rail has been crunched and needs replacement.

The weld brok on the front end replacement that holds the radiator.

But there is good news.  I knew this all needed to get replaced so I place an order for new frame rails, floor pans and the rails that go directly under the floor pans.

Guess what order came in???

I also ordered Chrome Front and Rear Bumpers from MSA as well as all attaching hardware.

I also bought Front and Rear Strut Bars from CUSCO.  I am going to get the rear strut bar painted at the bodyshop to match the safari gold of the car.  I think it will look good.

I also bought something else but it hasn't come in yet.  I will give you a hint.  I have been looking for it for 3 years since i bought the car and it just became available on Yahoo Auctions in Japan.  See if you can guess what it is.

 

Clay

Racing tachometer with ignitor for 1,000,000 Yen ????

hahaha Nope but good guess LOL.  I will give you a hint it was made by the same company that made my future wheels (RS Watanabe).

It is going to be fun to watch your progress. I was noticing an earlier photo of your E31 head on your original engine: specifically the casting mark and its proximity to the head gasket. I would bet your E31 head has never been cut / milled - a sort of rare thing, at least in my experience. If I am right, and it comes off the block straight, it should be a great head for a nice stock rebuild / refresh.

@jonathanrussell thanks for watching.  I think you may be right about this E31 Head.  I am going to refresh the L24 engine and box it up for storage.  I do not ever plan on selling this car but if I fall on hard times and am forced to sell it I would like to have the original L24 with the E31 Head and the SU Carbs and so forth.  Stay tuned for a hopefully cool build thread.  I don't know what everyone had rather see.  More pics or more text about what I plan on doing.

 

Clay