Eric Hsu recently returned from the land Down Under, competing at Australia’s WTAC as engine manager for Sierra Sierra’s EVO. He’s enthusiastic (see photo), well . . . not really, but . . . he’s ready to answer your questions and picking his favorite tech questions for each installment of Question IT over the next few months.
Got a good one? Send it to questionit@importtuner.com
Chassis Stiffening
My BNR32 GT-R just turned 20 this year. I have been accumulating parts over the last few years and am ready to begin a major build. The car is about to be stripped to the bare chassis, and I’m starting with new quarter-panels and all-new paint. Because of the age of the car, would it be beneficial to have the chassis fully stitch welded? It will primarily be a road car, but definitely see track usage as well. I didn’t want to take the path of putting a rollcage in the car (again, because it’s a road car) but I wanted to maintain or even restore the rigidity to the chassis, some of which I’m sure has been lost over its 20 years of life. I won’t waste your time telling you I’m “on a budget” and need “an easy fix” because that isn’t my issue. I’ve spoken to a reputable fabricator, one who I know has performed similar work on GT-Rs. I just want to know if this is a reasonable option, or if this is something that can be achieved with a quality set of under-chassis bracing.
-Justin Attanasio
Branchville, NJ
For a street car where chassis stiffness is not of paramount importance, a huge improvement in stiffness can be achieved by just using subframe connectors, strut tower braces, and inner fender braces. You could even take it a step further and use expanding stiffening foams that can be poured into your framerails, doorsill beams, and A-, B-, and C-pillars. Filling these areas with foam can be a messy and time-consuming job, but can also increase chassis stiffness to near rollcage levels when used in conjunction with braces and connectors. While foam is messy, it’s still probably an easier and less time-consuming task than stitch welding. Remember since welding generates extreme hot spots, wiring harnesses, carpets, sound deadening, and interior panels all need to be removed. Then, the paint and sealant needs to be scraped and sanded away before welding. After welding, the surfaces have to be painted to prevent corrosion. Overall, stitch welding is a major task better suited to a full effort race car build when a chassis is stripped to the bone. Stitch welding a chassis really just improves the strength of the seams where sheetmetal is joined. It does not really stiffen the sheetmetal itself, but the chassis will inadvertently get stiffer because the sheetmetal joints are reinforced. Foam injection, on the other hand, does stiffen the sheetmetal sections that it fills. The foam that I have experience with is called Handifoam II-22. You must pay careful attention to the instructions and spend some time sealing up holes, but filling these voids of your chassis with foam can make it much stiffer. I’ve used the foam on a BNR32 build myself, and I can tell you that it works extremely well when done correctly.
Electric 350Z?
I’m going against the grain here, but I’m thinking of swapping out my VQ35DE for something with a little less power and a lot more torque. I’ve envisioned a true Nissan EV for a long time now; plus, I don’t commute very far so range won’t be an issue. Not to mention, I’m pretty sure I’d be the owner of the only all-electric 350Z on the East Coast. That’s got to count for something right? Once I have the swap done I want to sell my engine and other useless ICE (in-car entertainment) parts to further develop the Z. What route should I take to do this? Should I go with forums or are there actual parts centers that would be willing to buy back slightly used parts.
-Henry
via importuner.com
Just buy a Nissan Leaf. Why spend a lot of money and end up with a crappier car? Nissan spent plenty of dime developing the Leaf, and it is a pretty damn good car. It is highly unlikely that you will be able to even come close to duplicating their results. Or you could buy a Leaf, tear the drivetrain, charging, and electrical system out of it, and transplant it into your 350Z . . . but oh what? That costs too much money? If you expect OEM-type reliability then that’s what you’ll need to spend because you’re not going to be able to do it any cheaper yourself. Believe me, save yourself a lot of heartache and money.