OzGemini.com

Thought some of you guys might be interested in my race car build. I brought the car as a log booked hill clmib car about a year ago. It came with an Isuzu G180w twin cam with an Isuzu 4 speed. The car was missing a lot of parts, so a "small" build began.

One yaer later and the car is now being built to IPRA regulations. At the monet I have a 2lt Toyota 3sge (with a Holden Apollo block) bolted up to a Supra W55 gearbox. Unfortunately the car is an early model TX with a ridiculously narrow transmission tunnel. Hours of panel beating went into it to get the gearbox to fit, no cutting allowed.

I removed the Piazza front brakes and am now in the process of fitting RX7 4pot calipers with BLuebird rotors, all bolted up to the Piazza hubs.

THe car didn't have any rear brakes, so I've fitted up some Commodore calipers and rotors.

I've modified the front sub-frame and now have approximately 7degrees of camber at a ride height of 100mm. THe rear has had the standard pan-hard mounts removed and I've made new mounts with roll center adjustment. At the moment the RC is way too low, so more work is required. Originally the car had a rough watts link fitted. I'm sticking with the standard diff at the moment, just going to lock the axles, but will eventually invest some time into making something a bit better.

Race Fabraications have just finished my roll cage for me and have done a fantastic job. It'll be one of hte stiffest Gemini's getting around.

The car when i first picked it up.


The 3sge going in with the W55 gearbox.




The RX7 calipers mock mounted with the bluebird rotors.

Could have gone bigger on the rotors, but the things were getting damn heavy as it was.


Machining the rear rotors.


Rear rotors and calipers fitted.




Pedals mounted.



Front suspension all done and cambered up.





Making the rear pan-hard bar and mounts.



Scaffolding all finished, Fabraications did a great job.







Still lots of work to do, but I've been pretty lucky that the car was straight and fairly rust free. It was originally log booked way back in 1995, so its been a track car for a good portion of its life.

Looks good mate. How much more power do you think you'll get out of the 3s compared to the g180w? I know 3s heads flow 250hp or something silly stock.

this is a early 3sge not the gen 5 Beams 3sge (Altezza, Caldina gt) (just incase people get confused), should still make decent power though

looks good mate


Cheers

Yeah beems look totally different. I thought f1sh had his early 3s head in his coupe flowed at 250hp without any port work though? Might be getting mixed up with the beems though.

yeah i remember fish had a gen 3 i think in his car can't remember head flow figures.....i'm interested in seeing the engine mounts for this one

Looking good.

Why did you not stick with the twincam isuzu engine?

Thanks for the feed back on the car.

The 3sge head is a Gen2 head. I went for the Toyota over the Isuzu because the twin cam Isuzu's appear to be a lot harder to get parts for. The Toyota engine is pretty common and go fast bit are easy to find.

I've got a Adaptronic ECM for it already and am looking around for a set of individual throttles for it. I got a get of early GSXR throttles, but accidentally got the wrong year, only 40mm diameter, the following year had 45mm throats.

I've also heard of the Toyota head being able to produce 250hp power numbers on the stock head as well, but engine work is still a while off.

Haven't got the mounts finished yet, currently i've hard mounted it, but will be making proper mounts eventually with bushings.

Is the g180w even legal for IPRA anyway? Was never sold in an Australian delivered Holden and technically the block is a g180s block which was never in an australian delivered Holden either.

I'm running a g180w in my coupe but I know where you're coming from with parts availability.

Good luck with it - looking forward to seeing some more updates on this coupe

if i develop my engine we will b able to compare how the old school W compares powerwise

Ive got the same pedal box in my gemini but ive got it further to the left, so the clutch pedal is on the other side of the column, ive had to notch some of pedal box and dint a little of the column, but it feels comfortable for me.

So is it the 5sfe or 3sfe block?

I wanted the brake close to the accelerator pedal, plus the clutch and brake aren't to far from their original position. It feels alright when sitting in the car. Pushing the seat all the way over to the tunnel hasn't helped though.

The block is a 3sfe, it has to be for IPRA regs.

AWESOME!!!

pm me if you still have the G180W motor bud

nope i already asked