R33 Update

So I’ve been driving the R33 almost everyday for the past few weeks now. Even though I joke the R32 is essentially an AWD S13, the R33 is very unique compared to a S-Chassis. There’s definitely something that drives the car apart and essentially feels like the different driving experience between E46 M3 and base E46. Regardless, the car has exceeded my expectation and I don’t see myself selling it compared to my previous cars. Hopefully in the coming month, I'll be able to move my Motec M130 over, get a tune, fix my alignment with my new arms before digging deeper into other things like cleaning up the aesthetics of the engine bay and fixing all the small shit.

We also installed Ohlins this past Wednesday in the parking lot which was relatively uneventful for how dumb that sounded. I was hoping there would be more of a story but literally we pulled the table out and swapped out the Aragosta for Ohlins. The Aragosta aren’t bad but I feel they need a rebuild and don’t dampen as well as it would have if it was new. Quite a few people asked me why I went with Ohlins this time instead of my usual JRZ and it has to do with money and model. I always put JRZ RS One and Ohlins DFV on the same level even though they are slightly different in their intended purpose. JRZ RS One is always a more track oriented coilover while DFV is more street oriented. With that being said, the R33 will be mainly a street car so I wanted something more comfortable for daily driving. Second, whoever did the pricing for the Ohlins messed up. Usually, with other manufacturers, R33/34 kits (same suspension btw) are $300-$500 more compared to the R32 counterpart. Even Ohlins Japan has the R33/34 listed for $230 more. When I went on T14 to look at the price, I was surprised to see the R33/34 kits going for $500 less than R32 models. This meant it was a no brainer to go with the DFV compared to JRZ RS One.

Old worn out Aragosta

Ken and Andrew

Look at that ride height!

The day after the install, I met up Son at Zero and had him lower my suspension and redo the alignment. I noticed a few things that will probably need addressing soon. First, the CV boot for the front right axle is torn with very little grease in it. Second, the rear upright bushings are shot and will probably need replacing. I'll probably buy a second hand subframe to push in all the bushings and address everything at once.

Post alignment and ride height

Yesterday, while driving to Zero Auto Factory to meet Ken, I noticed that I was having some issues with the 4th gear. Regardless whether I downshift into it or upshift into it, it would have a slight grind. If I shift slowly or double clutch, it doesn’t grind. This leads me to believe that either the synchros are going or the transmission fluid needs service. I’m probably going to be cheap and try to bandaid it with some Redline Heavy Shockproof. Also replaced the side markers and replaced the old LED lights for a cleaner look!

There's a few things I have on order and I should probably write this down before I forget.

Nismo Front Lip

Nismo Front Bumper

Nismo Sideskirts

Nismo Rear LCA

Nismo Rear Traction Arms

Nismo Steering Rack Bushings

Nismo Engine Mount and Trans Mount

SPL Rear Camber

SPL Front Tension 

SPL Front Tie Rod

GKTech Upper Camber with Aurora Bearings

Leask Spec Combo Reservoir

Recaro RSG Alcantara

Recaro Seat Rails

Injector Dynamics 1050x

Things I should probably order soon:

SPL Subframe Bushings

Upright bushings

Nismo Shifter

Dash Trim

Maybe new exhaust