Over the next few months I stripped the car and started to do modifications that I thought was the right thing to do, hmmm still fixing some of them now!!!!
At the end of 96 I was doing my year 12 exams, so as an incentive to do
well my dad organized to get the cage put in. For 2 weeks my dad slaved
his butt off at Vin Whiteheads place putting the cage in. I must say it
is a sensational cage as I have tested it twice, and the car still
lives with out to much body stressing.Through out the year I had been building up an engine for the car as my year 12 Automotive class project. What a wiz bang engine it was
, flat top pistons a cylinder head that had the ports molestered by
some one(Me) that had no idea on what they were doing, and that was
about it. The first start up for the engine gave a few problems and
frustrating hold ups for a very excited young dude wanting to try out
his equipment. One example was one of the ports I had molestered had a
pin hole though to the water jacket which filled the 3rd cylinder with
water. Well the fix was some metal putty!!! Sounds bad but it lasted
for many years. The running in period was far from perfect. A local sprint race around the DECA track in Shepparton was the first event for the car and engine. I asked the director if I could do a few run in laps before the start, which he was happy for. I think I did about 6 or 8 laps that would equal about 10kms for the run in (SO NOT GOOD!!
) All went well and after changing the timing on the cam it went even better. 
Over the next few years I did the usual mods like disc rear end, 240k front struts, 45mm webers, and any stickers I could find to slap on it.
My first event in NSW was the 1999 Jerrawangler. Started the event with me pulling my hair out trying to get a log book for the car. I was only told 2 days before the event that I required one. I should have waited, as on the 4th stage I caught dust as the road went right and we went straight on and punched 3 trees, knocking 2 out of the ground. A lengthy repair followed with the left front replaced.
]In 2001 I competed in the Ulladulla Forrest Rally and came 16th O/R. This was the best result with the dodgy School built engine. The next year I bit the bullet and purchased an engine off Bob Bridge. Wow what an improvement, the car now excellerated up the road and held power slides, YEAHARR!!!
Well all of this new power went to my head, or I just wasn’t ready for the extra speed, and we ran wide on a left down hill and end for ended it, almost destroying my pride and joy. A few days later the Navy sent me to sea, so the datto stayed mangled up in the shed for the next few months.
The car has had plenty of changes made to it, some good some bad. The good ones had been fitting the locked diff(No more tank slapping), S13 front end, Billi’s in the front and rear, Bobs engine, and just recently the Albins 3sp convo into my 5sp.
For me it has been the best learning experience making a chunka “C” into the fastest thing that I can. It is a real honor when people come up and say I love that car of yours.
Best results to date, 2nd fastest on Wester Distributor (Ulladulla 06) and 1st 2WD for the event, and 2nd fastest on last stage at 06 Giro.
As the car stands,
Drive train:
2000cc Bob bridge engine
45mm Webers
Extractors
Oil Cooler
Puck clutch
Close ratio (Albins) CA18 Turbo Box
Welded 5:1 diff
Suspension:
S13 front end with Bilstienes and commo tubes and Eibac springs
Plated rear with bilstienes
Wheels: 14'' 200b SX or what ever is good to go.
Barkes:
Pedal box
Front, S13 CA18 Turbo with DS2500 pads
Rear, U13 Pintara discs and calipers with standard pads
Interior:
OBX seats
Boss leather steering wheel
Normal rally related items that require regular replacement
