March 17, 2025, 07:08:44 PM

Author Topic: 1989 GTUS 4 rotor build....NOT! Hello Darkside..  (Read 15624 times)

Offline shainiac

Re: 1989 GTUS 4 rotor build....NOT! Hello Darkside..
« Reply #75 on: June 19, 2024, 08:48:20 AM »
I couldn't find a great photo at the moment, but I moved the heater core lines more to the passenger side of the engine bay. Behind the dash, I cut the brass 90s off the stock heater core and extended the lines in rubber to the passenger-side. I believe I used 90* 10AN bulkhead fittings. While I was in there, I added an expansion tank up high behind the shock tower, which tees into the low-pressure heater core line. This makes filling and bleeding coolant much easier.

For the flange at the back of the firewall, I believe I cut mine at the left and right of the engine and hammered it flat. I'm not sure if I'd do something more elegant now, but I didn't want to pull the engine/trans and it doesn't look hideous 7 years later. I do have a lot of wiring covering it up, though.



'88 TII -  Rods/Pistons LS3, Twin G30-770s, MaxxECU Pro/PDM
BMW DCT Swap, Ronin 8.8" IRS

Offline digitalsolo

Re: 1989 GTUS 4 rotor build....NOT! Hello Darkside..
« Reply #76 on: June 19, 2024, 09:00:54 AM »
Good progress!

I've always relocated heater hoses on these cars, to the point I honestly forgot that's where they came out stock.  :D
Blake MF'ing McBride
1988 Mazda RX7 - Turbo LS1/T56/ProEFI/8.8/Not Slow...   sold.
1965 Mustang Coupe - TT Coyote, TR6060, modern brakes/suspension...
2007 Aston Martin V8 Vantage - Gen V LT4/TR6060, upper/lower pullies, headers, tune.
2021 Tesla Model 3 Performance - Stock...ish.

Offline Christopher W.

Re: 1989 GTUS 4 rotor build....NOT! Hello Darkside..
« Reply #77 on: June 19, 2024, 10:12:31 AM »
shainiac thanks for that photo and info.  So many pictures are dead links now around here it helps to see what's going on in there.

digitalsolo one thing I wish I had done was the DCT transmission but too late now.  I am trying not to dream myself into more projects at this point..

So far the LS3 and the Magnum transmission are in.  Logan has installed the Ronin 8.8 Grande hubs with Performance MRP rear caliper bracket and 294MM FD Stoptech rotors.  We have the Ronin Mandeville front brakes going on too.  I am not going to get the calipers rebuilt for now.  I am trying to keep the project moving forward with as little detours or distractions as possible.  He has the rebuilt 8.8 w/TR-2 diff ready to be mounted in the chassis.  He has to get the Ford inner and outer on to the new axles and then new driveshaft and the rear of the car will be done.  Progress is slow but at least there is progress now. 



Offline Christopher W.

Re: 1989 GTUS 4 rotor build....NOT! Hello Darkside..
« Reply #78 on: June 19, 2024, 08:57:53 PM »
I had a speedometer question but I figured out what I needed to know. No need to let an ignorant question linger here.

Carry on...   :cheers:
« Last Edit: June 19, 2024, 10:31:27 PM by Christopher W. »

Offline Christopher W.

Re: 1989 GTUS 4 rotor build....NOT! Hello Darkside..
« Reply #79 on: June 21, 2024, 05:47:51 PM »
I decided to go with Dakota Digital HDX-2018 dash display with a Maco Motorsports FC3S cluster cut out, non recessed.  The HDX-2018 has a CNC aluminum surround.  I don't really like the aluminum look and worry about sunlight flashing my eyes.  I will see what it looks like in person but I will probably powder coat the surround hot rod black.  It also as you can see in the picture reflects the screen onto the surround.  I am not sure until I see it installed what that's all about.  I won't powder coat until I live with the aluminum surround for some time.  As you see blinkers, check engine light and more is on the dash.

I will use the BIM-01-2  - ODB II/ Can Interface Module to connect. 

https://www.dakotadigital.com/index.cfm/page/ptype=product/product_id=1074/mode=prod/prd1074.htm














« Last Edit: July 02, 2024, 06:42:42 PM by Christopher W. »

Offline Christopher W.

Re: 1989 GTUS 4 rotor build....NOT! Hello Darkside..
« Reply #80 on: July 02, 2024, 07:42:30 PM »
I drove to Defined Autoworks last weekend in Ohio from Arkansas to see my car for the first time in 14 years.  I actually saw if when I took the engine last year but it was so far into a storage situation I really couldn't see it. It is sort of a 14 year old time capsule look into my past in an odd sort of way.  So much has changed in that 14 years on all levels here in clown world 2024. 

I texted a good friend of mine today a picture of the car and told him, “The devil in the red dress is back to collect my soul.  I imagine she will come knocking at my door mid August.”   

Logan had hosed it off and wiped it down with microfiber when I arrived and it looks as good as I had hoped.  The paint was expensive and it looks 99.5% perfect. I still haven't found the .5% flaw but I am sure it's there. 

The hood closing issue I thought we had was eliminated when the plastic heat shield on the intake runners was removed.

The car has been stored in non-climate controlled inside storage on concrete for 14 years.  Ohio is not super hot that much and the cooler and cold weather has preserved the paint and interior well.  The key is the static state it has been in I think.  The paint, bodywork, Forgeline wheels, Toyo R888, Recaro Pole Position Fiberglass velour seats all have zero miles.

I have the Recaro's mounted on stock FC3s sliders with Recaro brackets.  I was 46 years old when I decided to rip out the entire strangler seat belt system.  It has no seatbelt system other than an inertia based race harness system I installed. At least you can open the glove box when strapped in.  I was still lifting weights back then.  I can't now because I need a shoulder replacement.  But the seats were tight back then but they felt good.   When I sat down in them yesterday it was immediate obvious I am not going to deal with this at 60 for a daily driver.  I am going to sell them at some point when the car gets back to me.  I actually sold my GTUs seats to a buddy of mine and was told that he never installed them.  I hope he stored them well as I know I can get them back.  I really want Recaro GT seats but at 4k a set that isn't going to happen at this point. 

I need to find a complete non powered S5 seatbelt setup, piece by piece or as a complete package.  I know there is a company on Ebay that sells them but I am don't know about the quality.  They are called Collector Auto Supply.  At least they are made in the USA...if that actually means anything anymore. 

I did the expanding foam back then in all the frame rails I could access.  I remember pulling the retractors from the side frame rail and thinking it's going to be a bitch to remove that foam if I ever want to revert back.

I also brought some of my old/new parts back.  I have a set of used T2 axles I bought 14 plus years ago.  I don't remember how many miles but I know I searched for the best set I could find back then.  I have a set of Ronin FC axles as well.  I have the Ronin Grande axle kit now, so the T2 and Ronin axles will be for sale as a package.  It was suggest that I offer them here as a full set of T2 and Ronin FC axles for 900.00.  I will post an ad soon. Ronin will sell a set of boots to someone if the boots can't be found.  Logan has them but at the moment he can't put his hands on them. 

The car doesn't have the modified Shine Auto chin spoiler on for now.  I had the brake ducts filled in as the were only for show and I get air to the brakes with other ducts. I also have the original smaller lip that I might actually like better. 

The engine and transmission are mounted and the Grande hubs and Performance MPR caliper brackets with FD StopTech rotors are installed in the rear and that really all that's done so far. 





« Last Edit: July 03, 2024, 12:51:16 PM by Christopher W. »

Offline Christopher W.

Re: 1989 GTUS 4 rotor build....NOT! Hello Darkside..
« Reply #81 on: July 02, 2024, 07:47:14 PM »
I got the model wrong on the Recaros in the previous post.  I have changed it.  They are Pole Position Fiberglass velour, not Profi.  The passenger seat has probably been sat in once or twice.  The driver not much more.  They will be up for sale in the next two to three months.  Maybe I will just sell one and store one for a track day.  That actually sound best now that I think about it.   

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/rec-07098uu1101



« Last Edit: July 03, 2024, 01:35:46 PM by Christopher W. »