Grassroots Motorsports: The Hardcore Sports Car Magazine

This weekend, we removed the transmission from our SE-R to install our "new" clutch and NISMO clutch-type LSD. The removal of the transmission was pretty straightforward, and took about two hours. Well, two hours except for that last bolt in the rear engine mount that we couldn’t see. Took us another half an hour to find that little bugger. With the transmission on the ground, we degreased and pressure-washed it so that it was nice and clean for its trip to BSI Racing for the diff install.

Today, our friendly UPS man delivered coilovers, anti-rollbars and a lower control arm brace from Progress Group. It’s excellent timing, as we already have the front struts half way off already.

The utility trench that has graced the lawn of our office has finally been filled. The utility company that dug said trench even resodded the area.

GRM regular Carl Heideman is currently working on a 1916 Cadillac, and he says the car is so advanced for its time that he sees where the brand got its reputation. (It even carries its own on-board air compressor.) Photos of the car can be seen on his Web site: Eclectic Motorworks.

Keep an eye on our message board for a current list of entrants for our Kumho Tires $2005 Challenge Presented by CRC Industries.

Per spent yesterday testing undisclosed parts with an undisclosed race team at an undisclosed track. Details to follow.

A winner has been chosen for our Rolex 24 At Daytona ticket giveaway. A reader from St. Petersburg, Fla., will receive the two free tickets. Congratulations. For those of you who didn’t win, you can still purchase tickets through the track: Daytona International Speedway.

Here’s the clutch we’re putting in the SE-R, a stock replacement Luk set.

The NISMO LSD is priced competitively at $700. It’s a clutch-type unit.

To install the LSD, we needed to order about $200 worth of bearings and seals from Mossy Nissan.

Last night we went around the car and replaced a lot of bulbs, as quite a few were blown out. All of the side marker bulbs were blown, but luckily, they’re pretty inexpensive 194-style lights. We also replaced both H3 bulbs in the fog lights. The fog lenses are cracked, which is a common problem for these cars. We’re going to cover and further protect them with some Lamin-X film.

Monday, our SE-R goes into the shop for the NISMO limited slip differential install and clutch replacement. Even though our suspension is still stock and we’ve yet to seriously campaign this car, the slipping clutch needs to get fixed, and replacing the differential at this time is the most time and cost effective way to go. The labor to replace the clutch is about five hours, while the LSD install is just another four.

story by David Wallens

Maybe it was the high-g cornering, the tight, wheel-to-wheel action, or-most likely-the fact that we were all in really bad shape, but after six straight hours of go-kart racing we were BEAT. Capital B-EAT. Now, that’s not to say that the whole experience wasn’t a truckload of fun, but it was just a bit more physically demanding than we had first anticipated.
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We reinstalled the side markers, windshield squirters, antenna and the rest of the trim doodads on our SE-R this weekend. The Team Dynamics Pro Race 1 wheels look pretty darn good in the anthracite finish against the gloss black SE-R. Now we need to do something about the ride height!

story by carl heideman

When it comes to the electrical system on a car, a lot of people shake their heads in despair. Even experienced mechanics can shy away from electrical work for fear of the unknown. While some components do use computers and advanced circuitry, solving most electrical problems just isn’t rocket science.
Using simple tools and some common sense, it’s possible to diagnose and solve nearly all electrical problems quickly and easily. Among these tools are a test light, a volt meter and a good understanding of electrical basics and common problems. However, when you go out to tackle an electrical problem, remember that the generalizations in this article may not apply to your car-you’ll be wise to consult a service manual for its specific electrical information.
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