I originally bought this as a daily driver because I wanted something rwd to learn to drift with. After looking for about a month I came across a pretty good deal on one. It was 4hrs away and the seller said the engine had some bad oil leaks and it wouldnt make the trip. I ended up having to get a car dolly to bring the car home.
I got it for $2500, its a 97 with 160k on it. I went through the engine and replaced the oil pan gasket which was the main cause of the leaks. After a few new parts and gaskets, it was running great. I have put over 10k miles on it so far without any issues.
Here it is when I purchased it
![](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8019/7553382448_12bbab0a34.jpg)
318ti by Dominant Engineering, on Flickr
After driving the car for a month or two, I started collecting parts. I also had planned on swapping a different motor into the car, but I wanted to get the chassis all sorted out first.
I bought some cheap Raceland coilovers and fabricated some custom upper camber plates for them. I also have radial bearings mounted in the upper spring seats, similar to the Vorshlag camber plates.
![](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8024/7246918534_9aa99b1a55.jpg)
IMG_0135 by Dominant Engineering, on Flickr
![](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7218/7246923556_09e8925bfa.jpg)
IMG_0125 by Dominant Engineering, on Flickr
I also purchased a used Rotora brake kit from a Pontiac Solstice and redrilled the hats to fit the car. I also made custom caliper brackets front and rear. They are 13" front with 4 piston calipers and 11" rear with 2 piston calipers. I also took the calipers apart and powdercoated them.
![](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7241/7246920910_df2944e4b8.jpg)
IMG_0129 by Dominant Engineering, on Flickr
![](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7105/7246922228_b719e84309.jpg)
IMG_0128 by Dominant Engineering, on Flickr
I made some swaybar endlinks out of male and female heim joints while I was doing the suspension as well:
![](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8012/7246925270_ed3f8c091f.jpg)
IMG_0122 by Dominant Engineering, on Flickr
Also if you are wondering, I redrilled the stock hubs to 5x114.3 and pressed in ARP wheel studs to run a more common wheel bolt pattern.
I did a ton of work to the rear suspension after finding out that you couldnt adjust camber or toe in at all. I really needed to have a good amount of adjustment to run the wheel setup I had in mind. Here is my solution:
![](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7078/7246928858_32355020ef.jpg)
IMG_0107 by Dominant Engineering, on Flickr
![](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7215/7246930012_950676a6a2.jpg)
IMG_0106 by Dominant Engineering, on Flickr
![](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8154/7246931924_6dccecf53f.jpg)
IMG_0099 by Dominant Engineering, on Flickr
![](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7082/7246943056_07e386f4c1.jpg)
IMG_0112 by Dominant Engineering, on Flickr
![](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7244/7246944022_c59a380870.jpg)
IMG_0111 by Dominant Engineering, on Flickr
Reinforced swaybar mounting:
![](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7102/7246926416_730647a073.jpg)
IMG_0109 by Dominant Engineering, on Flickr
Solid subframe bushings welded in:
![](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7079/7246917290_636fa9d268.jpg)
IMG_0110 by Dominant Engineering, on Flickr
End result:
![](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8430/7553383780_37ef38ffd2.jpg)
IMG_2766 by Dominant Engineering, on Flickr
![](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8434/7553384078_fa566993b6.jpg)
IMG_2764 by Dominant Engineering, on Flickr
![](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7108/7553385238_b961f9bb04.jpg)
IMG_2740 by Dominant Engineering, on Flickr
![](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7260/7553384968_85aa999e5a.jpg)
IMG_2743 by Dominant Engineering, on Flickr
![](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7137/7553384364_61dd8d1a56.jpg)
IMG_2749 by Dominant Engineering, on Flickr
![](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8158/7553383500_bab58aeb46.jpg)
IMG_2769 by Dominant Engineering, on Flickr
![](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8434/7553382382_42cfb14509.jpg)
IMG_2774 by Dominant Engineering, on Flickr
![](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7103/7347039736_9020c2888d.jpg)
IMG_0746 by Dominant Engineering, on Flickr
![](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8013/7347040384_82af0e5993.jpg)
IMG_0738 by Dominant Engineering, on Flickr
![](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8005/7161827419_98a49f6c84.jpg)
IMG_0733 by Dominant Engineering, on Flickr
Wheel specs are 17x9 +10 17x10.5 +13 with 215/45 and 235/40. Im running -3 front and -3.5 rear camber.
Also here are some pics of my first time on track with the car:
![](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8013/7553416466_c2c4008d29.jpg)
IMG_2669 by Dominant Engineering, on Flickr
![](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8004/7553413864_ef8c070d62.jpg)
IMG_2655 by Dominant Engineering, on Flickr
![](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8017/7553408888_d8046c2c40.jpg)
IMG_2620 by Dominant Engineering, on Flickr
![](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7276/7553418752_9fc9cae583.jpg)
IMG_2671 by Dominant Engineering, on Flickr
My engine is 100% stock. The car is fun but extremely underpowered, im planning on swapping in an LS7 motor with a T56 trans in the near future. Let me know what everyone thinks!
Here are more pics of the build so far: http://www.flickr.com/photos/4638213...th/7553418752/
I got it for $2500, its a 97 with 160k on it. I went through the engine and replaced the oil pan gasket which was the main cause of the leaks. After a few new parts and gaskets, it was running great. I have put over 10k miles on it so far without any issues.
Here it is when I purchased it
![](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8019/7553382448_12bbab0a34.jpg)
318ti by Dominant Engineering, on Flickr
After driving the car for a month or two, I started collecting parts. I also had planned on swapping a different motor into the car, but I wanted to get the chassis all sorted out first.
I bought some cheap Raceland coilovers and fabricated some custom upper camber plates for them. I also have radial bearings mounted in the upper spring seats, similar to the Vorshlag camber plates.
![](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8024/7246918534_9aa99b1a55.jpg)
IMG_0135 by Dominant Engineering, on Flickr
![](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7218/7246923556_09e8925bfa.jpg)
IMG_0125 by Dominant Engineering, on Flickr
I also purchased a used Rotora brake kit from a Pontiac Solstice and redrilled the hats to fit the car. I also made custom caliper brackets front and rear. They are 13" front with 4 piston calipers and 11" rear with 2 piston calipers. I also took the calipers apart and powdercoated them.
![](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7241/7246920910_df2944e4b8.jpg)
IMG_0129 by Dominant Engineering, on Flickr
![](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7105/7246922228_b719e84309.jpg)
IMG_0128 by Dominant Engineering, on Flickr
I made some swaybar endlinks out of male and female heim joints while I was doing the suspension as well:
![](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8012/7246925270_ed3f8c091f.jpg)
IMG_0122 by Dominant Engineering, on Flickr
Also if you are wondering, I redrilled the stock hubs to 5x114.3 and pressed in ARP wheel studs to run a more common wheel bolt pattern.
I did a ton of work to the rear suspension after finding out that you couldnt adjust camber or toe in at all. I really needed to have a good amount of adjustment to run the wheel setup I had in mind. Here is my solution:
![](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7078/7246928858_32355020ef.jpg)
IMG_0107 by Dominant Engineering, on Flickr
![](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7215/7246930012_950676a6a2.jpg)
IMG_0106 by Dominant Engineering, on Flickr
![](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8154/7246931924_6dccecf53f.jpg)
IMG_0099 by Dominant Engineering, on Flickr
![](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7082/7246943056_07e386f4c1.jpg)
IMG_0112 by Dominant Engineering, on Flickr
![](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7244/7246944022_c59a380870.jpg)
IMG_0111 by Dominant Engineering, on Flickr
Reinforced swaybar mounting:
![](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7102/7246926416_730647a073.jpg)
IMG_0109 by Dominant Engineering, on Flickr
Solid subframe bushings welded in:
![](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7079/7246917290_636fa9d268.jpg)
IMG_0110 by Dominant Engineering, on Flickr
End result:
![](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8430/7553383780_37ef38ffd2.jpg)
IMG_2766 by Dominant Engineering, on Flickr
![](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8434/7553384078_fa566993b6.jpg)
IMG_2764 by Dominant Engineering, on Flickr
![](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7108/7553385238_b961f9bb04.jpg)
IMG_2740 by Dominant Engineering, on Flickr
![](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7260/7553384968_85aa999e5a.jpg)
IMG_2743 by Dominant Engineering, on Flickr
![](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7137/7553384364_61dd8d1a56.jpg)
IMG_2749 by Dominant Engineering, on Flickr
![](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8158/7553383500_bab58aeb46.jpg)
IMG_2769 by Dominant Engineering, on Flickr
![](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8434/7553382382_42cfb14509.jpg)
IMG_2774 by Dominant Engineering, on Flickr
![](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7103/7347039736_9020c2888d.jpg)
IMG_0746 by Dominant Engineering, on Flickr
![](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8013/7347040384_82af0e5993.jpg)
IMG_0738 by Dominant Engineering, on Flickr
![](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8005/7161827419_98a49f6c84.jpg)
IMG_0733 by Dominant Engineering, on Flickr
Wheel specs are 17x9 +10 17x10.5 +13 with 215/45 and 235/40. Im running -3 front and -3.5 rear camber.
Also here are some pics of my first time on track with the car:
![](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8013/7553416466_c2c4008d29.jpg)
IMG_2669 by Dominant Engineering, on Flickr
![](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8004/7553413864_ef8c070d62.jpg)
IMG_2655 by Dominant Engineering, on Flickr
![](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8017/7553408888_d8046c2c40.jpg)
IMG_2620 by Dominant Engineering, on Flickr
![](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7276/7553418752_9fc9cae583.jpg)
IMG_2671 by Dominant Engineering, on Flickr
My engine is 100% stock. The car is fun but extremely underpowered, im planning on swapping in an LS7 motor with a T56 trans in the near future. Let me know what everyone thinks!
Here are more pics of the build so far: http://www.flickr.com/photos/4638213...th/7553418752/
Comment