When I final posted concerning the Lada, I’d simply picked it up from having Subaru BRZ/Toyota 86 entrance and rear subframes grafted into its crumbling physique.
When the automobile got here again to me in May, the clock began ticking. I had till mid-September to get the engine and transmission mounted within the automobile, clear up some critical rust holes and determine one million different little particulars so the blokes at TRF may make ultimate choices about how and the place the cage can be put in.
My first little process was eradicating the oil pan on the K24, eradicating the inventory oil pump and making room for the brand new KPower Industries oil pan I’d ordered. Once I did that, I may mount the KPower engine mounts, bolt the transmission to the engine and begin to determine whether or not the 2 of them would slot in the Lada.
Eyeballing it, I used to be fairly positive there’d be some chopping concerned, and as soon as I’d wrestled the engine into the engine bay, that was confirmed. I used to be type of hoping that will be the case as I would like the motor way back to doable whereas retaining the flexibility to sit down within the automobile. Anyway, out got here the marker and its solely good friend, the cutoff wheel.
The outcome, pictured under is a brand new, recessed firewall. Because the motor goes to be out and in of the automobile lots, I made a decision to offer myself a pleasant massive area behind it. This will make entry to plumbing and electrical connections simpler, and when coupled with an outsized transmission tunnel, will make pulling the motor for repairs and upgrades a relative breeze.
![Image for article titled Update: I'm Still Burning Money](https://i0.wp.com/i.kinja-img.com/image/upload/c_fit,q_60,w_645/61c7f4809e71f8ccc861f7502e63b09c.jpg?w=788&ssl=1)
with the engine sitting on the mounts, it was very clear that the Lada’s transmission tunnel must go. Again, this was wonderful as an even bigger tunnel will give me higher entry to the transmission and make pulling all the pieces slightly simpler. I needed to complete welding the brand new tunnel in earlier than sending it off for the cage, however I ran out of argon at 11 p.m. on the Sunday earlier than my scheduled appointment. Rookie mistake, however I obtained shut sufficient the place the TRF guys may visualize the form and dimensions of the tunnel.
I dropped the automobile off and instantly began getting updates from Ryan Thompson, who’s the Thompson in Thompson Racing Fabrication. Docol metal value me slightly extra, nevertheless it’s lighter, in order that’s what I went with. Near the tip of the cage construct, I went out and sat within the automobile to determine the place the seat mounts wanted to be.
![Image for article titled Update: I'm Still Burning Money](https://i0.wp.com/i.kinja-img.com/image/upload/c_fit,q_60,w_645/fe70fb8d612a25ed247c934c109c2886.jpg?w=788&ssl=1)
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![Image for article titled Update: I'm Still Burning Money](https://i0.wp.com/i.kinja-img.com/image/upload/c_fit,q_60,w_645/4baae58f94661752e5b30ea3fdd01e24.jpg?w=788&ssl=1)
![Image for article titled Update: I'm Still Burning Money](https://i0.wp.com/i.kinja-img.com/image/upload/c_fit,q_60,w_645/1a95fed3f978d78050f5a006a1b6cf3d.jpg?w=788&ssl=1)
The cage is now put in and the automobile is at residence with me for the foreseeable future. I mounted the seat, and it seems to be like I’ll be sitting with my shoulders simply behind the B pillar. Initially, I’d deliberate on going with out energy steering for the reason that automobile is so gentle and I don’t plan to be doing something like endurance racing in it. But, I’ve a powered BRZ steering column in my store, in addition to all of the elements to hook it up. So for now, energy steering is profitable due to an enormous “already paid for it, it’s sitting right here” benefit. Plus I can use a inventory wheel, which saves one other couple hundred bucks in a construct that’s changing into fairly spendy.
The subsequent steps are getting the steering setup mounted, becoming some type of pedal field and getting the engine and seat again out of the automobile. Then I would like to complete the transmission tunnel and firewall and determine easy methods to relocate the shifter. Then I can end portray the cage/inside Detroit Diesel Alpine Green, which is shut sufficient to the automobile’s unique coloration. Then I can get the motor aside and able to run, then have a dialog with Haltech, then gas, then…
![Image for article titled Update: I'm Still Burning Money](https://i0.wp.com/i.kinja-img.com/image/upload/c_fit,q_60,w_645/9f4b64f9274a288893f975a795132d69.jpg?w=788&ssl=1)
![Image for article titled Update: I'm Still Burning Money](https://i0.wp.com/i.kinja-img.com/image/upload/c_fit,q_60,w_645/ae6faef04c23e94cdfd3aa370c48e07e.jpg?w=788&ssl=1)
![Image for article titled Update: I'm Still Burning Money](https://i0.wp.com/i.kinja-img.com/image/upload/c_fit,q_60,w_645/ebc0d8b741d11ec8368609df99e3e8a0.jpg?w=788&ssl=1)
![Image for article titled Update: I'm Still Burning Money](https://i0.wp.com/i.kinja-img.com/image/upload/c_fit,q_60,w_645/64e5b5ec3ecfed643dc0cfa5e4d20114.jpg?w=788&ssl=1)
Source: jalopnik.com