Spare Engine Rebuild Update

Please refer to a previous blog entry on my purchase of a spare RB26DETT head and block, if you do not already know the story behind the rebuild.

Due to the limited availability of aftermarket RB26 parts locally, my tuner thought it best that I purchase items that we had reserved at several Sunway shops. 

His fear was that, since these reservations weren't firmly tied down with deposits, the vendors would have no qualms in selling the parts to walk-in customers. And so today we went out and visited the usual haunts of motorheads in and around Sunway. 

So while the block was being re-sleeved at the machine shop, we went to ST Wangan. We were there for the following items:

Jun Oil Collar 

ARP Bolts and Studs

Our next stop was Samurai Racing for the Greddy Oil Sump.

It will take sometime to rebore the block and port the head, so stay tuned till then.

What a typical Ulu Yam drive is like

I'm sure people sometimes wonder what actually happens during a Ulu Yam run.

Normally it begins with a bunch of folks conversing via an online forum (refer to the above for an example) before eventually deciding to hold a drive. This then leads to a a brainstorming session where a drive destination, a meet up point and a date is agreed upon. The next step is the hardest because it involves waiting for the actual day to arrive. On the very last night before the event, those who are committed, set their alarms and jump into bed early.... although, this is not always the case. You see, Ulu Yam drives tend to take place on Sunday mornings and since theres always something to do on a Saturday night (football, movies, dinners, clubbing etc) .... well.... you get the idea.

And so in the wee hours of Sunday morning, a bunch of grown men (some of whom drag their poor wives or girlfriends along) crawl out of bed and prepare for the long morning ahead. This involves a quick shower, maybe some breakfast on the go, a brief inspection of their car and a short drive in pitch darkness. Most go easy on their cars, letting the engine warm up for the arduous journey ahead. Others rush to half-way spots in order to meet up with other participants and convoy to the flag off point. As you pull up to the agreed meeting place, this is what you're likely to see...

  

 

While their girlfriends or wives stay put in the car (who can blame them), the men would congregate and start chit chatting about the day ahead. The still morning air begins to ooze with male bravado and testosterone as modifications stories are swapped and a debate ensues on whose car should lead the drive up to Gohtong Jaya. When nearly everyone has arrived and the men have had enough carbon monoxide in their lungs, the organisers will indicate that its time to hit the road.

One enters into a deep, almost trance like state between the period of leaving the Batu Caves Petronas and reaching the intersection of Jalan Manggis / Jalan Sungai Tua. The reason being that the route is filled with nasty potholes and unsuspecting speed bumps, forcing oneself to concentrate like Luke Skywalker and weave in and around such obstacles. Once that section of road has been surmounted, the real fun begins right at the moment you pass the reservoir lake ...

Before you know it, you've reached Ulu Yam town proper. More often than not, you can't help but feel guilty for disturbing the peace and tranquility of small town life. The convoy slowly snakes it way past built up residential and commerical areas, dodging the villagers and their motorcycles. This feeling of guilt quickly passes as you hit a series of tight uphill corners in second leg of the route...

This picture is courtesy of Woay Chee Lim

The air starts to get colder and your ears begin to pop as you make the ascend to Genting Highlands. Sometimes the weather stays crisp and sunny but at other times, it gets nasty and wet. In this recent run up to Awana Skyway mamak, the latter came true (unfortunately).

Despite the dismal weather and having to run in the rain, such discomforts are quickly forgotten as one revels in the camaraderie of like minded fellows and the ample food thats available inside.

As you tuck in into a hot roti telur sardin, you can't help but feel that it was all worth it - worth it in the sense that you woke up bloody early on a Sunday morning and sacrificed a few hours of hard earned sleep. The conversation around the table is pleasant and interesting, normally involving cars and the like. Slowly as the morning wears on and people start to take their leave, you finish off that lukewarm milo and make preparations to head back down the mountain. Sometimes its in a small convoy of friends, at other times its just by yourself, which is fine. Whats important is the drive and how much you enjoyed doing it.

Shinichiro Sakurai (1929 - 2011) : Father of the Nissan Skyline passes away

I was saddened to hear of the passing of Dr. Shinichiro Sakurai.

One of the disciples of this great man, Kozo Watanabe, was the Chief Designer of the R33 GT-R project. More importantly, Dr. Shinichiro was the inspiration behind the RB26DETT, as it was his idea to install a straight six engine into an elongated chassis, thus giving birth to the GTR legend that we know and love today.

Here is a great tribute by Japanese Nostalgic Car on the late Dr. Shinichiro, who will greatly be missed:

Shinichiro Sakurai, Father of the Skyline, 1929-2011

Posted on January 23, 2011 by Ben

On January 17, 2011 in the quiet Tokyo suburb of Setagaya, Shinichiro Sakurai, the father of the Nissan Skyline, passed away due to heart failure at the age of 81. Every major newspaper and reporting agency in Japan ran a story about the man’s life. Otherwise gruff auto enthusiasts wept openly. This outpouring of emotion and respect for a simple engineer is proof that Sakurai’s creation not only had an immense impact on the motoring community, but the average Japanese citizen too.




A graduate of Yokohama National University, he went to work for Prince Motor Company in 1952 where he helped develop the Skyline. Sakurai is called “Father of the Skyline” for dropping a straight six into an elongated body, thus transforming a standard sedan into the GT race machine that we associate with the name today, one of the most lasting legacies in auto-dom.



After the tumultuous Prince and Nissan merger in 1966, Sakruai stayed on to develop the Skyline, a name revered enough that he was given carte blanche from the bosses at Nissan. Sakruai worked on the Skyline for 32 years, developing the legendary hakosuka, culture-defining kenmeri, patriotic Japan, all the way to the seventh generation R31.



In 1985 Sakurai became head of Autech Engineering, Nissan’s in-house tuning arm. Sakurai was also the honorary director of the Skyline Museum and was inducted in to the Japan Automobile Hall of Fame in 2005. In addition to the Skyline, Sakurai worked on the C31 Laurel and a number of purpose-built race machines such as the Prince R380 and R381, and later on, the Nissan R382 and R383.



It’s hard to imagine an engineer’s passing eliciting such a powerful response from the public, but that’s just how much the Skyline is part of Japan’s national identity. It came into being during an era when Japan was still finding its footing in the age of modernization. Sakurai’s Skyline became a symbol of a nation’s technological prowess and love for the open road. It’s been in continuous production for over half a century, and its enduring spirit has allowed word of its legend to spread the world over, transcending borders where the car wasn’t even available. Rest in peace, Sakurai-san.

It's Amazing What You Can Find In Half Cut Yards These Days

A Nissan R33 Skyline GTR Rear Half Cut (I purchased this by the way)

A Fiat Turbo 20V Coupe Rear Half Cut

 A Volkswagen Jetta Rear Half Cut

 An Alfa Romeo 155 Rear Half Cut

A Peugeot 206 CC Cabriolet Rear Half Cut

A BMW E46 Coupe Rear Half Cut (not sure what model but it's rear bumper might have housed quad exhaust tips ala M3)

 The E46 Rear Half Cut Had Aragosta Suspension Rear Shocks!