Project Kazumi Part 3

(Those fender mirrors have got to be replaced! It's on the list!)

Over the course of the week after I've dropped off Kazumi at Sushi Factory, I've gotten some updates from Jeiven. He was able to get his hands on some rear springs and coilover sleeves to replace the front suspension, this should bring the car back to a normal, driveable and uncontrollable bounce free state which is a huge relief and not to mention makes it safer to drive. I was also informed that the suspension bushings were shot so they needed to be replaced along with the tie rods. One front shock absorber has been found (It's really quite difficult to find them according to Jeiven.) and its partner is being chased in order to replace the worn out ones that were previously in place. Today (May 10), I decided to pay Kazumi a visit, see how everything was going and to take a look at the new parts. After snapping a few photos of the parts for documentation, Jeiven and I proceeded to have a long conversation spanning various topics, but there was one topic that we touched on that led me to redo certain parts of my modification plan that I mentioned in Part 1. We talked about the engine, I told him that I planned to put a 1UZ-FE engine in it and he immediately said "No, that's too much. If you go that route, everything we've just done will go to waste." and he was right. We touched on the weight of the engine, the power it generated and everything that was needed to support that weight and power, this would skyrocket my costs by a huge huge margin. So we talked about options like a 4A-GE Blacktop (20-valve), that seems a pretty sweet option. I also had thoughts about the 4A-GZE and 4E-FTE floating in my head but the Blacktop seems to be the best option. It changes up a lot of what I've laid out in Part 1 but hey, nothing is set in stone when it comes to these things but the general direction has been established which is important for any build. I'm currently in the process of reworking my Restoration and Modification Plan based on the feedback and inputs I've received today, it's really good to be able to get insights from others who share the same passion, it keeps you learning and grounded. I've also been working on some mock up designs for a custom gauge cluster and a custom gated shift boot. Stay tuned for further updates!

(Front Coilover Sleeves)

(Shock Absorber number 1)

(Old springs [Front], new springs [Behind])

(Gated Shift Boot designs)

(Gauge Cluster design.)