My new ugly betty, '84 Maxima, not diesel.

[captaingamez]

Damn these things are light. Nobody believes me when I tell them it weighs the same as a 240sx, lol.

[HRH]

Haha, light?  Fuck me that's heavy!!  :D  My Datsun guru did a 280z that weighed in about the same weight at the start.  They got it down to 2200 pounds.  Not sure I want to gut mine quite as much, but I may eventually.

[HRH]

Ok, so here's the continuing story.  Got the intake/exhaust gasket done (PIA) and went to the heater core.  To do this, you have to uncork the AC system, which sucks.  So the car now has no ac, but it also means I get to get rid of that heavy ac compressor on the front end and the corresponding lines.

 

The heater box proved too annoying to get out, so instead, I removed the AC evaporator and stuck the heater core in it's place and relocated the lines.  This required some hogging out of the AC suitcase, and the installation of a '94 Chevy Astro Van heater core.  I have pictures, need to upload.  This particular heater core also has issues with air trapping for some stupid reason.  To burb, have the engine running and disconnect the lower heater hose.  It will vent the air easily and all will be right.  Also, the heater core is in front of the air flap for cold/hot, so your cold/hot should be left on cold to get the most heat out of the system.  It's not perfect, but it's enough heat for an autocross car.  The fan blower blows directly on the heater core which means it cools it down more than where the original location was, about a foot away with the ac evaporator in the way too.  So essentially it blows the heat off a bit more whereas the stock location would allow more heat soak and less airflow, thus the heater is a bit warmer.

 

Or you could do it right and dig out the heater suitcase, but I can't even get a heater core for it and this was much easier. ;)

 

At the moment I'm uploading more autocross videos.  First place in my class today, hooray for rain!!

[captaingamez]

Heater core from a 97 nissan pickup is identical to original fitment.

 

It is not hard at all to pull the dash and get to that heater box, then you would have selectability between the two (blowing hot or not). I am also almost sure that when serviced properly you do not need to disconnect the AC to do this, but I am not %100 on that.

 

If it has to do with ANYTHING in the interior, just ask me, or look in my thread.

[HRH]

You know, it's funny, I came to the same conclusion when I dug into it.  Even brought a hardbody heater core home.  However, when I opened the box, mine looked quite a bit different.  The other problem I run into is anytime I try to take loose ANY plastic on the Maxima, it snaps.  Just brittle as can be.  Were it nicer, I would have probably bothered to remove the dash and do it right.  As it was, the heater core relocation and fabrication took about 2 hours, compared to the time to remove the original.  Seeing as I'm using this as a race car, it's not that big a deal.  And considering I need to remove 164 pounds off the front end to reach 50/50 weight distribution, 40 pounds from the AC system is a good start. :)  Plus I don't live in PHX.  We only usually get two annoying weeks of hot temps up here.

 

That said, here are the pics if you don't care about the heater or dash much:

 

 

 

 

[HRH]

Plus, you'll notice heater core replacement after this is about 20 minutes, instead of x hours. :D

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[HRH]

And here is the autocross video, enjoy!

 

[HRH]

Here is a run down of the competitors:

 

[ggzilla]

Wow that's light. Lighter than a mustang ii. Camrys weigh 3300. Where can I get a 910 Maxima?

 

Imagine what it would do with a L28 installed!

[HRH]

Yep, but then I would be in a different class.  However, I may go turbo, and at that point, a different class comes anyway.  We'll see.  For the moment, we're doing weight reduction.  Always better than more hp.

 

And light?  Seriously?  You guys are smoking crack.  My D21 former race truck weighs 2620 pounds!  And it has a steel box frame!  I'm just lucky the inline 2.4 l motor has more upper end than the Z24.

[ggzilla]

Very light for a mid size car. Name one that's lighter if you can.

 

Its bigger than a mini pickup. And quieter.

[HRH]

Mine's not quieter. ;)  I suppose if you count it as midsize.  Either way, it's going to drop some weight.  "Weight absorbs fun like aluminum absorbs heat."  - Peter Egan

[LenRobertson]

Matt - It sounds like you had a good day autocrossing, even if the weather was crappy. I'd hoped to make it out there, but was kind of wiped out this weekend. Didn't even get to the local car show Saturday. Thanks for posting the vids. There seems to be a real shortage of classics there. I think I saw a Z-car and an MGB (or was it a Midget?) in the vids.

 

Did you get the new sway bars mounted? Maybe it says somewhere in this thread, but I didn't see it. What width wheels and tire size are you running? As far as weight saving, there is an easy way to save a bunch - it is called a 510!  :lol:  Sorry, I just had to get in a little dig. I am curious what a really stripped out Maxima does weigh.

 

Len

[HRH]

Haha, yeah, I know.  But the 510 doesn't have the track width without box flares and a whole bunch more work.  New sway bars aren't here yet, Jegs is stupid.  Supposedly they ship tomorrow.  That's been updated twice now.  They sent an email saying the factory is on back order which is bullshit because I talked to a guy at the factory and he said they had plenty in stock.  As long as they ship tomorrow I'll be happy.  There aren't too many classics racing.  The MGB was slow and sickly.  Didn't sound like a healthy motor, apparently some older fellow.  Kind of felt bad for the poor car.  Looks nice, but a rental Kia would have kicked it's ass.

 

I posted weights above, but last weight was 2748.  Scratch that to 2708 currently since I just removed the rest of the AC system.  And I'm betting the electric antenna I haven't removed yet might be 8 pounds.  She's getting lighter!  The only downside to that is I don't have adjustable coilovers since I went with the Eibach pro kit that just happens to fit.  Bailey had a good idea for that though, just cut a little off the bottom.  Which is what I will probably do to get the ride height back to correct if I take off too much weight.  That will stiffen the springs a little too, which would be fine.  They work well, but are definitely on the comfort side, hence the large sway bars coming.

 

Anyway, here are the AC removal pictures.  About 42 pounds worth of shit.  AC compressor was about 22 pounds by itself.  The condenser was really heavy too.  You're supposed to remove the radiator to get the condenser out.  I didn't want to.  Out came the blue wrench and I very carefully managed to kill the mounting straps on all four corners without overheating the radiator.  Did dick up the core support a little, but meh, who cares.  Just a flesh wound.  Ran it until it reached temperature to make sure I didn't have any leaks, seems good to go, I'll check it in the morning.  The wetness on the radiator is from dumping water down to cool the torched off mounts before they made a problem on the radiator.

 

 

 

 

[Guest Rick-rat]

When is the next autocross in Spokane?

[HRH]

May 24th-25th

[Guest Rick-rat]

Thanks, was hoping there was one on the 10th.

[HRH]

No problem.  You might check in your area, there are probably a few autocross clubs on the west side.

[HRH]

Stopped by Home Depot today and got a heat vent.  Bent the louvers a little closer to the plate, then drilled and riveted it to the underside of the hood.  $7, cheap and functional.  This will be a test to see if I can return the AFM to it's original intended position for better mileage, while still not having hot-start issues.

 

 

[captaingamez]

Nice updates, you can send me that compressor if its any good...........lol.

 

I Really wish I could find one of these to put a cage in and race on the track, There getting expensive now. But still possible to find cheap if you know where to work.

 

 

I would put a VK in it, just for fun.

[HRH]

If it wasn't such a bitch to ship, I'd send it to you.  22 pounds would be a lot of freight though.  The compressor is good, I didn't throw it out, it's getting squirreled away in the garage.  There's one for sale for $500 in Kennewick right now.  Great body, motor not so good.  Really want to go pick it up but promised myself I wouldn't drag home another car.

[LenRobertson]

"Really want to go pick it up but promised myself I wouldn't drag home another car." And that is exactly what I'm thinking about the Tri-Cities Maxima. Don't need more to work on. Must concentrate on the 510. I wish somebody would buy that Maxima and get it off CL. Probably could get it for less than $500. NO, NO! If it was free I still don't need it!

 

Len

[captaingamez]

Did someone say $500 Maxima?

How bad is it though, rust wise.

 

 

you can remove the timer control under the passenger seat for another 1/4 lb saving   lol.......

 

 

 

Edit: if your antenna works, it weighs way more than a pound, and you should also send it to me, because racecar :rofl: .

 

No seriously though, thats insanely rare and please do not fuck that antenna up. If it works, if it doesnt, meh.

[HRH]

I was already broken when I got it.  Hence the replacement.  Annoyingly enough, my new antenna is connected but I still don't have shit for reception.  Booo.  Oh well.  That Maxima is not rusty at all, it's just it's in Pasco/Kennewick/Richland, WA, and you're down there. :)  Not really worth dragging a 500 Maxima home.  And with your arid climate you should have plenty of them down there that aren't rusty.

 

Are you coming to Canby?  I can bring extra crap with me.  You might be able to make the antenna work.  The motor is probably decent, you'd have to figure out a new mast that telescoped with the right attachment.

[captaingamez]

HAHA on the antenna, thats how they all are mine was EXACTLY like that, lolol. But the previous owner LUCKILY kept the original antenna which was missing the mast, so I was able to get it working propperly with the right antenna mast.

 

 

You would think we would have them down here in good condition, and while that may be one good way to put it,.... we dont have them down here at all. The ones that we do have are in good rust free condition. I have seen exactly two other Maximas in the valley, ever, both owned by MisterFreezy, hahahaha. I know one guy on Desert Datsuns has one, it sat on CL for like 4 months before he picked it up, but I have never seen it.

They are very hard to find anymore, at least where I am at and where I am from (PA)