Paolo's AE92 20V Hatch

[offzide93]

Hey TOCAU !

The name is Paolo, and i'm new to TOCAU (I went on your Sept EOMM rockin' SX stockies)

This is the latest picture of my AE92 Hatch:

Car was passed down to me from my older brother, and I learnt how to drive in it. It started off with a 4A-FE, C52 gearbox with lightened flywheel and Exedy HD clutch and lowered all round on King Lows w/ white Lenso Drive-X7s in 17x7 +40. At that point, it looked like this:

After a while, I added a Whiteline 20mm adj. rear swaybar, did a rear drum to disc brake conversion, upgraded the audio(uprated the rear 6x9s and the front 4" speakers, and added a sub in an enclosed box), added an SX front strut brace and changed the wheels to Lenso GF7 17x7 +40. By then, it looked like this:

After a while, I purchased an AE101 Levin GT Apex Half-cut to prepare for a 4A-GE 20v Silvertop conversion as the old 4A-FE was getting tired with 200K KM on the clock.

I was lucky to pick this particular Half-cut up as it had a rare TOM'S CF plenum with TOM'S Trumpets inside them :D

[offzide93]

We stripped the motor back, rebuilt the whole motor and serviced the head (specs are written up below). I also attempted to polish the cam covers which turned out half decent, but not that good.

[offzide93]

After that, we began stripping down the engine bay and rippin' out the ol' 4A-FE, to mount in the 20V. Seemed to fit like a glove, besides the driver side engine mount needing shaving down to clear the cam covers.

Finally complete :D

AE101 washer bottle and power steering setup:

Car looked like this at this point:

[offzide93]

After a few months, I got sick of the 17s, and opted to go for something smaller preferably weighing less. I then sold the Lenso GF7s and bought SX stockies to roll around on. It was noticeably slightly quicker, but had like no grip (was horrible to drive in the rain :L). I bought AE092's blackened headlights soon after and modified a Honda Accord front lip to fit.

At this point:

After rocking the SX stockies for a while, I purchased the new set of wheels i've been after. They're Axis OG San Mesh in 15x8 +25 w/ 195/50/15 rubber.

Here are pictures, and the latest ones up to today. :)

Needs a little bit more neg. camber on the front

..aaand here's a hectic excel creeping in the photo :L

Edited October 9, 2011 by offzide93

[offzide93]

Specs:

Performance:

- 4A-GE Silvertop 20V S2

- TOM'S Carbon Fibre plenum with TOM'S trumpets

- Rebuilt with full gasket kit

- New piston rings

- TRD 0.8mm Headgasket

- All bottom end bearings replaced with King items including thrustwashers

- Full rebuilt and serviced head

- C56 gearbox

- APEX'i Power Intake Panel Filter

- 2.25" Catback Exhaust

- 20mm Adjustable Rear Swaybar

- SX Front Strut Bar

Interior:

- AE101 Levin steering wheel

- nothing else worth noting

Exterior:

- PB standard colour

- Optional Electric Sunroof

- Colour code grille, side mirrors and windscreen wipers

- SX spoiler moulded onto tailgate

- Lowered on King Lows-front and King Superlows-rear (yes I know, but I wish I had coilovers)

- Axis OG San Mesh - 15x8 +25 4x100 w/ 195/50/15 Firenza ST08

- Honda Accord mid-90s model front lip

Edited October 9, 2011 by offzide93

[jeffy]

lookin very nice and clean mann :] !

[ben yip]

how long did you take to buy, clean and swap the engine?

wow

[offzide93]

lookin very nice and clean mann :] !

Thanks man :)

how long did you take to buy, clean and swap the engine?

wow

Umm, I think it was all completed over a period of about 3 months but it was mainly on and off work. I had to wait till my TAFE holidays to finish most of it.

nice job bro ~ i wish to have your ability to do the engine work!

Haha thanks, but most of it was my older bro who has experience with this. I was just learning as I go :)

[dorifto]

Nothing BUT love! Reminds me alot of my Corolla SX :(

[cruzer]

Hell yeah Paolo Looks so bawss :D So much work into it congrats :D

[curry__muncha]

Those OG wheels are boss!

The only few things i would change are: spray the wipers & grill to black and change to slimline number plates. But rest of the car is sick! (thats a mint paintjob!)

[offzide93]

Little and only update in the past few months (besides oil changes):

Rear camber bolts.

Installed and dialled in some neg. camber. Will get it properly aligned later.

[woot woot]

Great work on te conversion. The TOMS parts must have looked like gold when you found them. The OG wheel really match the look of the car really well. Looks great

[offzide93]

Had a go at polishing the dish of the OGs. Not the best as i was doing it by hand, but definitely an improvement from before. Didn't take any before pics, but it has a slightly more mirror-like finish than at first.

Pictures:

[4ABHGE]

You wanna swap wheels? :P lol

Is it just me or do the wheels look lighter than before?

Nevertheless, they look great man and so does the car!

[trentmeyer23]

Really nice work, good to see you cracking the engine open and getting some hands on experience too.

[Blind Kid Seeks]

hey man... did you keep the Aircon Setup in your car??

I've just done the same conversion... ditched my Old 16v 4AGE for the 20v.

Only have the AC wiring to do... have you got any hints for me?

[offzide93]

hey man... did you keep the Aircon Setup in your car??

I've just done the same conversion... ditched my Old 16v 4AGE for the 20v.

Only have the AC wiring to do... have you got any hints for me?

Hey man, good to see another 20v going into another aussie rolla ! :)

Umm, I didn't do the wiring on my car (gave it to someone else to wire it up), so i'm not sure, sorry man. My A/C is in there, but i just need piping to go OVER the extractors, and to the A/C compressor, as my current 4A-FE ones foul on the extractors. I may just get piping fabbed up, or I may have to switch over to 4A-GE 16V A/C lines (if they line up). Actually on that topic, if i may ask, is your car an AE92 ? If you're using the 20v A/C, do your standard A/C lines line up to the compressor ?

Actually, over on the Twincam forums, I'm sure Matt on there has posted up wiring diagrams and a walkthrough (sort'a thing) of wiring up a 20v, so that may be of some good help. :)

You wanna swap wheels? lol

Is it just me or do the wheels look lighter than before?

Nevertheless, they look great man and so does the car!

Haha, sorry for the late reply (I don't frequent TOCAU much) !

Haha, if my car had often track duties, I'd swap the wheels, but I don't track it as being a student, I can't afford :(

It's possible that the more polished look can make it look lighter too!