EJ20G RX Leone Rally Car Build

[ToyRX]

Update:

Got my Front struts back, 40mm Bilsteins with rally valving and 300 in/lb progressive springs - looking smick



These are the custom strut top camber plates with a spherical bearing so no rubber mounted bearing.



These are the rear Billy's which I need to get new springs for, I need a higher rated and progressive (not linier) spring. Note the upsidedown top mount bracket.



This is the hydro handbrake cylinder and lines, I am using the original handbrake with the clevis and rod flipped to make it push not pull.



Also I have thrown in a few photos of other bits for interests sake.

Grp A front exhaust pipe - 3"



The modded gearbow xmember



The Plate steel rear diff guard

[ToyRX]

This is a photo of the under bonnet showing what has been cut out or added for those that are interested



A current shot of the engine bay, starting to look better now with the loom, brake lines, clutch line, cables, exhaust, xmember etc all in place.



Also I have started putting door seals/trim etc back in so it is starting to look like a car again!



So thats it for now

[Point]

lookin' good!
I've had a couple of cars I've done club events in, but never done a proper build from the ground up like this. I've always wanted to do it properly like this.

[AndrewT]

The modded gearbow xmember

Hey mate could you do me a favour....do you know what the distance between the left and right sets of mounting holes are on the rear part of the crossmember?

Here is my other thread asking a general question about mine...
showthread.php?t=8936

[ToyRX]

348 pixals.......

sorry, not off hand, I will measure tonight for you if you like but they are obviously the same as the mounting holes on the tunnel? Cant you get at yours? Easiest thing is to use the standard lightweight plate that attaches to the 4 bolts as a template.

[AndrewT]

Yeah thats my plan, I might even use the actual light weight plate as a crossmember but with some strengthening.
I'm just interested in this because that distance is completely different in my other L series (later model 1990 touring wagon) - much wider.

[ToyRX]

distance centre to centre is 11inchs - 278mm

[discopotato03]

Hi ToyRX , those louvered bonet vents look interesting , are they Sierra Cosworth type ?

Those rear struts , I'm interested to know if those Billies have a part number on them .

Also would it be possible to have some closer pics from different angles of the top rear body mounts . Yours look like a fabricated upside down type mount and this would be an advantage travel wise because they would allow the bump stop to reach higher .

Cheers and thanks , A .

[Suby Wan Kenobi]

Its coming together nicely

[ToyRX]

Hi ToyRX , those louvered bonet vents look interesting , are they Sierra Cosworth type ?

Those rear struts , I'm interested to know if those Billies have a part number on them .

Also would it be possible to have some closer pics from different angles of the top rear body mounts . Yours look like a fabricated upside down type mount and this would be an advantage travel wise because they would allow the bump stop to reach higher .

Cheers and thanks , A .

A,

- The bonnet vents are early WRX
- I will take a look at the rear billie's but unless it is stamped on I dont hold much hope out for a part number - will look over the weekend 4 ya.
- The top mounts are standard (well bent slightly in a vice!) RX ones simply turned upsidedown with the advantage of (as you say) extended travel.
You may need to drill a hole in the top of the wheel arch to accomodate the nuts on the top of the shock insert as part of the mod.

[discopotato03]

Thanks , may get you to measure the rear dampers but talk later . 1500m express freighter awaits .

A .

[ToyRX]

Adrian,

Would you believe there was a number stamped on the shock leg!!
I have no idea if it will gleen you any real info but here it is anyhow - good luck and let me know what it is/where it comes from!

0470690H00-1

Cheers - Shaun

[discopotato03]

Hi Shaun , I'll get that part number to my suspension people today though I suspect that is a non production part number - especially as the bottom mount looks like a spherical joint .

Is there any chance of you removing the spring from one and measuring the extended total length ie from the bottom eye to the very top of the shaft ?
Other useful measurements to have would be the length of the damper body from the eye to the top of the yellow section and the overall compressed length when the shaft is fully retracted .

If its not convenient no worries .

Have a good one , cheers and thanks Adrian .

[ToyRX]

Ok Adrian,

Damper body is 50mm diam, and 270mm long from top to centre of the spherical bearing.
Shaft extended length is 245mm, the last 95mm being threaded.
So total extended length from top of shaft to centre of bearing is 515mm
Compressed, the shaft is 135mm long (95mm of thread) so total length is 405mm.
Therefore travel is 110mm.

Hope this helps - Shaun

[brumbyrunner]

They sound the same as mine. I still have them around here somewhere. They came off my RX which was an ex-factory car. One of the chrome shafts snapped off at the top mount down at Finke and punched some holes in the top of the mudguard.
Might even have two sets.

[discopotato03]

Hi ToyRX , mentor had the part number checked out through the local Bilstein competition parts nut and its valid but of course no longer available .
If anyone has a buggered one of these it would be interesting to pull it down and check what damper valving they used , also if the spring rate used is known that would be good too .
Gee has a list somewhere of the homologated mods and body strengthening allowed when they built the rally cars - suspension/computer/turbo etc . Must talk to him later today .

ToyRX we were thinking along the lines of a rear damper that was ~ 500 at full extension and 350+ retracted so something up to 150 full travel . This one being a tarmac warrior possibly won't need as much clearance/height as a rally car though much of mine will depend on wheel clearance and optimum geometry from basically factory body suspension location points .
I have REX MY00 16x7's with 205/50's on them , I really didn't want 7" wide rims but at $250 with rubber they were too cheap to pass up .

Thanks for the strut dimensions and I'll pass them on to my suspension wizards .

Cheers A .

[discopotato03]

Actually one more ToyRX or Brumbyrunner , what is the shaft diameter ?
I do remember that a few years back Bilstein decided to stop rebuilding 12mm shaft types though I'd reckon yours would be at least a 14 given that they are a coil over spring design like standard L rears .

Cheers A .

[ToyRX]

Actually one more ToyRX or Brumbyrunner , what is the shaft diameter ?
I do remember that a few years back Bilstein decided to stop rebuilding 12mm shaft types though I'd reckon yours would be at least a 14 given that they are a coil over spring design like standard L rears .

Cheers A .

12mm - I thought it was 14mm!! but no....

[brumbyrunner]

Mine are 12mm also.

[discopotato03]

I think we are going with the _____ Koni mainly because they are shorter overall and have less retracted length . Also they are easily rebuildable and can have their bump and rebound valving altered to suit .

To give them a fighting chance I expect I'll have to look at the reversed top body mount and possibly even welding on the 2WD trailing arm's lower strut mount . For us the issue will be having enough bump travel without the dampers bottoming out - droop travel is not as important as it would be on a higher rally car . Generally spring length shouldn't be an issue with adjustable lower platforms - particularly as the factory wagon rears are 196 in/lb and the first try was going to be 200 . Close enough and cheap .

Cheers A .