Dirty S30

Guest Post: Protecting Yourself from Dangerous Materials in Classic Cars

2011-11-29T10:35:00.007-05:00

A couple of weeks ago I was contacted by Brian Turner regarding the harmful materials that exist in classic cars and getting the word out that there are real dangers to look out for when handling them.

The following article was written by Brian for the benefit of the classic car community. Please take a few moments to read this and check out the infographics as I feel that this information is something that everyone should know.

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Protecting Yourself from Dangerous Materials in Classic Cars

When rebuilding classic cars, in addition to the problems of sourcing out of production parts, and wrestling with corroded bolts, mechanics need to be aware of materials that could be hazardous to their health. Asbestos was used indiscriminately throughout the American auto industry's heydays from the 1940's into the 1990's. Today we know that this man-made, fibrous compound is carcinogenic. But in the 50's, 60's and 70's, asbestos was praised, and widely used in brake pads and clutch plates. The fibrous, lightweight and durable material is highly heat resistant, cheap and lightweight. Its mild abrasive characteristics made it the perfect material to embed in other fibrous materials to extend the lifetime of these disposable parts.

From Z

When working on classic cars and changing out the brakes or clutch mechanisms, mechanics and car enthusiasts should protect themselves from this material. In its undisturbed form, asbestos doesn't post a threat. However, if the dust which is produced by brake and clutch pad normal use becomes airborne and inhaled, the fibers can metastasize into the lethal lung cancer Mesothelioma.

Many adverse effects associated with asbestos exposure have been well documented. Studies of exposed workers, and family contacts of works, even those living in close proximity to asbestos mines have all demonstrated a higher risk to Mesothelioma. Therefore, when working on these parts, owners should take industry-approved precautions to protect themselves.

From Z

When working with brakes or clutch plates, wear full, disposable coveralls, and protect exposed skin on your hands and neck. Workers should wear OSHA approved respirators at all times, and make sure they have the proper cartridge to protect from airborne fibers. When disassembling the mechanisms, they should wipe the assembly down a damp cloth before they start, and then wipe down each part as it's removed from the vehicle. Parts manufactured with asbestos should be disposed of properly in a closed container, labeled as a biohazard. After the affected parts are removed, spray the assembly and parts down with an appropriate degreaser or cleaning agent, and then once again wipe the parts down with a damp cloth. Allow them to dry before using.

Once the job is complete, dispose of the paper coveralls, and immediately wash any clothing, gloves, hats or safety gear you were wearing. Your goal is to eliminate the possibility that you, or anyone you contact during the process breathe in any asbestos fibers. Although the following products do not produce as much asbestos dust, you should take similar precautions when removing old head and engine hood liners, gaskets, and valve packing. These materials were also manufactured with race amounts of asbestos during the years in question.

Finally, you should also protect your lungs when sanding any old paint, or rusty metal surfaces. Inhaling oxidized metal or lead paint dust can also lead to serious health problems. Protect your exposed skin, wear a respirator and work in a well-ventilated, environmentally controlled workshop when dealing with any of these products.

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ZCCNE Cookout Camp Onaway 2011

2011-11-01T09:46:00.002-04:00

Well its the end of Z season in the Northeast and the Z Car Club of New England celebrates the year by having its annual cookout at Camp Onaway.

From ZCCNE Cookout at Camp Onaway 2011

Good turn out this year even though it was pretty cold.

From ZCCNE Cookout at Camp Onaway 2011

Mike's Z32 300zx is stunning as ever.

From ZCCNE Cookout at Camp Onaway 2011

Mhmmm..

From ZCCNE Cookout at Camp Onaway 2011

My favorite car of the meet was this 1974 260z 2+2. The only one I've ever seen.

From ZCCNE Cookout at Camp Onaway 2011

Awesome.

From ZCCNE Cookout at Camp Onaway 2011

And someone brought a totally awesome woody to the cookout.

From ZCCNE Cookout at Camp Onaway 2011

Nice.

From ZCCNE Cookout at Camp Onaway 2011

Gene took us for a hike all around the property.

From ZCCNE Cookout at Camp Onaway 2011

Excellent views of the lake.

From ZCCNE Cookout at Camp Onaway 2011

Till next year!

From ZCCNE Cookout at Camp Onaway 2011

Lollerskates

2011-10-27T22:39:00.002-04:00

From Z3

Now I can push this thing all around my garage.

From Z3

I got all four for half off from Harbor Freight. Really stoked on them.

Time to fix the paint

2011-10-24T14:35:00.000-04:00

From Z3

Witness the fitness

2011-10-23T20:34:00.002-04:00

From Z3

About that time... - Mounted and balanced

2011-10-22T16:23:00.003-04:00

From Z3

Doing all I can to get the front suspension installed tomorrow. Then its time to get fitted!!!

Outside my office building

2011-10-21T13:37:00.002-04:00

From Instant Upload

Dope 280z 2+2.

Poor Z had a ticket... Haters.

Hooked up - Suspension install

2011-10-17T10:41:00.003-04:00

Big shout out to my buddy Ethan who came up this passed weekend and helped me with my suspension. Helps to have a second brain and a couple extra hands. :)

Rear Driver side Ground Control coil-overs installed.

From Z3

Read Passenger side coil-overs installed.

From Z3

Rear Lower Control Arms installed on adjustable G-Machine aluminum bushings.

From Z3

Keeping it Dirty with the steering rack and crossmember. :)

From Z3

And last but not least we installed the Front LCAs also with the G-Machine adjustable aluminum bushings.

From Z3

Still have to install the front strut towers but should be well on my to that by tonight.

Almost ready to set her down to test ride height and fitment!

SquaQr Launching at Formula Drift with the help of Racecrowds!

2011-10-08T00:13:00.009-04:00

Hey all. I'm sure you might have been wondering why I haven't been posting any updates lately on my Z.

The truth is that I have been preoccupied with launching my first company with my good friend Jose Lugo Jr.

Its called SquaQr (pronounced Squawker) and we are launching this weekend at the Formula Drift Title Fight in Irwindale, CA with the help of RACECROWDS.com.

If you go there and you see a bunch of QR code stickers all over the place, you can scan them and enter to win a Need For Speed Games pack courtesy of Formula Drift, Need for Speed, and Racecrowds.

We developed the mobile platform that the give away runs on!

If you go to Formula Drift in Irwindale this weekend check it out and let us know what you think!

If you wanna help a brotha out, Like our facebook page!

We got hoooked up with the Formula Drift gig through Tom at Racecrowds. They do sweet deals on Motorsports events like FD.

And of course a big thanks to Formula Drift for letting us launch at the raddest Drift event in the history of history.

Bangkok Beater

2011-09-12T13:32:00.004-04:00

I don't care how many people posted this. I am so inspired by Nakai-San and his artwork that I have to post this.

Making of RWB Bangkok from TennXX on Vimeo.

And I bought a new winter beater!

From Instant Upload

A 1989 Dodge Raider 4x4 with a fuel injected 3.0 V6.

From Instant Upload

Definitely the first time RWB and a Dodge Raider were mentioned in one post!

Rear suspension, RLCAs

2011-09-08T12:45:00.006-04:00

Next up was the rear suspension.

First thing i had to do was re-attach the RLCAs using the spindle pin.

From Z3

I expected this to be a monster pain in the ass, but it just hammered right in with a TON of anti-seize.

From Z3

both sides.

From Z3

All done yo!

From Z3

Super pumped.

Getting ready to start re-installing the suspension system.

Can't wait!

Back in the game! - Suspension, Wheel Bearings, Rotors

2011-09-07T22:27:00.004-04:00

Big thanks to Nick and Bryan for getting me off my ass and back up and working on my Z. Also, big thanks to Zeead for coming over this weekend to help me out. Couldn't have got this done w/o you.

Your builds inspire me yo.

So in case you don't remember I left off having just finished assembling my rear hubs with new wheel bearings and extended lug studs.

From Z3

So next up was the front wheel bearings.

I hammered in the extended studs to the hub.

From Z3

And attached the front brake rotors.

From Z3

I stuffed the wheel bearings in a bag with the grease to lube them up without getting the bearings dirty or getting myself covered in grease.

From Z3

Heavy lubing the races.

From Z3

Install inner bearing and seal. More lube.

From Z3

Then I installed them to the front hubs.

From Z3

Then install the outer wheel bearing and more grease.

From Z3

Torque down the castle nut and hammer in the cotter pin. Bang the grease cap on and you're done.

Here is a pic with the spring and strut cartridge installed.

From Z3

More to come.
Time for bed!

Catching some Zs

2011-08-02T08:33:00.005-04:00

From Shouth Shore CruZe - 7-31-11

Coastal Nissan Sponsored this past weekend's "South Shore CruZe" for the Z Car Club of New England.

From Shouth Shore CruZe - 7-31-11

It was a beautiful day to cruise with the guys. Since my car obviously needs more work, Pete picked me up in his bright orange N/A RB25 Z.

From Shouth Shore CruZe - 7-31-11

The more modern motor was sooo smooth on the highway.

From Shouth Shore CruZe - 7-31-11

Got a rolling shot of a fellow club member on the way in.

From Shouth Shore CruZe - 7-31-11

We had a pretty good turn out!

From Shouth Shore CruZe - 7-31-11

I loved this all original first owner Z.

From Shouth Shore CruZe - 7-31-11

But the prize for the WILDEST Z go to Bo.

From Shouth Shore CruZe - 7-31-11

Never seen anything quite like it!

From Shouth Shore CruZe - 7-31-11

Thanks to Coastal Nissan for hosting a great event!

From Shouth Shore CruZe - 7-31-11

And extra special thanks to John for blasting me home in his 3.2 liter stroked G-nose!!! *slobber*

From Shouth Shore CruZe - 7-31-11

Till next time.

From Shouth Shore CruZe - 7-31-11

Rear wheel bearings finished!

2011-07-27T17:01:00.002-04:00

Now that I have the axles out of the old outer bearings and all cleaned up, its time to prep and install the new rear wheel bearings.

Pack those bearings extremely well with grease.

From Z3

I'm sure there are better wheel bearing greases out there but this one was listed for Japanese wheel bearings and I don't know any better. :)

Sealed side goes toward the wheel studs.

From Z3

Slather the bearing surfaces on the axle with anti-seize.

From Z3

Like dis.

From Z3

Then I pressed the axle into the bearing.

From Z3

Easy.

From Z3

(NOTE: I edited out the two hours if fussing and cussing) lol

and whammy!

Grease them all up with spacers and studs.

From Z3

Then we move onto the inner bearings.

From Z3

Pressed them in with the same machine.

From Z3

I missed a pic of the grease seal under the flange but I'm sure you can picture it.

From Z3

Booyah. Repeat.

From Z3

Just need a fresh coat of ugly-b-gone!

La Norriture Douche - Official Trailer

2011-07-26T11:28:00.004-04:00

So I'm a movie star now. lol

This was so much fun to make.

'The Food Douche' Teaser Trailer from Sweven Films on Vimeo.

Check out www.SwevenFilms.com for more of Mark's projects!

Outer Rear Wheel Bearing Removal

2011-07-11T08:44:00.002-04:00

After asking everyone I could think of and searching for an answer, it seemed like my only option for removing the outer rear wheel bearings from my stub axles was to go to a shop and have them pulled.

From Z3

As you might have been able to guess, this is not an option for me, as I am extraordinarily pig headed and cheap. Enter Harbor Freight.

For $49.99 I bought this.

From Z3

A full wheel bearing puller set.

Setup was straight forward enough.

From Z3

I set the contraption very loosely in my vise so it still has room to expand, but won't spin. The threaded rod on the top pushes against the axle while the silver bearing pullers lift the bearing off the stub axle.

From Z3

A few spins of the breaker bar and shablam.

From Z3

There are two surfaces on the stub axle that need to be pulled through the bearing.

Repeat with both sides and you're done!

From Z3

I had this whole job done in about 45 minutes both sides.
I very highly recommend this kit as long as it fits your specific wheel bearings. On my 73 240z it just barely fit.

Raw

2011-07-10T22:24:00.001-04:00

From Z2

F*cking Outer Rear Wheel Bearings!

2011-07-10T13:39:00.004-04:00

If anyone knows how to remove the outer rear wheel bearings (Green) from the stub axles and can tell me how to do it myself, I will ship you an early Christmahannukwanzikah present.

From Z2

What a pain in my @$$.

Gold Lugs Crew

2011-07-05T14:01:00.001-04:00

From Z2

Some people just can't paint - So I moved on...

2011-06-28T10:16:00.002-04:00

I am one of those people.

After repeated attempts to spray a decent clear coat, I have come to the realization that I need to skip it and move on.

I have the entire car sanded and ready for a final clear by a professional.
This paint job has seriously taken a bite out of my summer and I had to take a break from the car because of it.

But moving forward........

I picked up a set of 50mmx13mm extended studs from Touge Factory.

From Z2

I like their style. They make a lot of their own parts and they are from Chicago.

Also, I have started refurbishing my wheel hardware.

From Z2

As Cassio pointed out via comment on my last post, the wheels are three piece, but were welded together by the factory.

From Z2

This means I can take all of the hardware out with little worry.

From Z2

This will also allow me to polish up the wheel.

Following Brad's advice, I picked up a 5lb tumbler from Harbor freight. If you toss your rusty nuts in here with the proper abrasive, technically you should be able to remove the rust and get them looking good again.

From Z2

Time will tell on that one.

I also was able to mount my fuel lines this past weekend.

From Z2

With the help of my lovely girlfriend, I was able to get the feed and return lines mounted up along either side of the transmission tunnel.

From Z2

Nice.

From Z2

As you can see I also found a couple of spots that need a little wire wheel action and some Zero Rust. :)

Thanks to Brad and Cassio for the help!
I am back in go mode on this build, so thanks to everyone for the motivating comments on facebook and the blog.

Means a lot.

Big weekend planned

2011-06-17T10:19:00.004-04:00

Hey guys.

I have a big weekend planned for the Z.

I'm not ready to write down all of the things that I plan to do, but I have a lot of ground to make up and not much time to do it in.

Summer

As you can see I have a little over 3 days until my deadline and I haven't even finished rebuilding the motor.

Needless to say I won't be making it :( but I am definitely going to do as much as I can in the little time I have left.

Look for a big update on Monday.

Lobsters, Tires, and Wheel hardware

2011-06-13T15:59:00.004-04:00

Just got back from a long birthday weekend on the Maine Seacoast.
Such an awesome place. Full of Lobsters and other Lobster related things.

From Z2

Finally got my tires in but I had to settle for a size lower than I wanted.
BF Goodrich G-Force Sport 215/50/15.

From Z2

They look fine.
There was no getting the 225s even direct from the MFR.

Also looking to replace or refurbish my SSR wheel hardware.

From Z2

I have a local SSR dealer, Pro-Spec Autosport (www.prospecautosport.com) trying to locate a set for me. In case they are unable to locate them I will be trying to clean these up just as a backup plan.

From Z2

It would be cool to be able to use the original stuff.

From Z2

Anyone know of a good place to find 40 SSR nuts and bolts?
And whether or not I can replace these nuts and bolts with a mounted and balanced tire?

How to fix a shitty clear coat - pt. 1

2011-06-08T09:11:00.002-04:00

So with incorrect HVLP gun settings I sprayed down a clear coat that typical wet sanding and buffing couldn't fix.

From Z2

No matter how much you sand, you can't fix a thin spot without adding more clear.
So naturally, with my tail between my legs I start wet sanding the whole car.

From Z2

Using 800 grit wet sand paper, getting it as close as possible without burning through to the clear and ruining the metallic base coat.

From Z2

My local paint pro says that I should just leave the little dips because the clear will fill it in if i apply it correctly with enough light coats (3 or 4), then I will have enough to sand down and buff to a shine.

This part looks ripply but is smooth to the touch.

From Z2

Pretty much every single part needed sanding.

From Z2

I will run through the whole car using 1000 grit tonight and wash it thoroughly.

From Z2

Then I will be ready for a trip to gloss town.

Hard time

2011-06-01T08:45:00.003-04:00

I've been a bit lazy working on the car lately since I've been having such a hard time finding the tires I want.

The BF Goodrich G Force Sport in 225/50-15 was supposed to be the perfect tire for my build.

But BF Goodrich has stopped manufacturing them with no specified date of starting back up. There is a huge backlog of orders for them so I doubt I'm going to be getting them any time soon.

If it comes down to it, I might just end up running some 215s or something which would suck.

Aside from that I have been piecing together my fuel system collecting parts from Summit racing, and doing a lot of research on fuel delivery configurations and fuel pumps and regulators.

Also, as many of you know, my clear coat went down super sloppy.

From Z2

Yuck.
So I am fixing it.

Wet sanding the whole car using 800 and 1000 grit and then respraying with the correct gun settings. My pressure was way off. But I will have a post regarding the clear coat respray later.

Till then I am going to be installing brake lines, fuel lines, and then refinishing my crossmembers and moving toward painting and installing the suspension system.

Just gotta get some of that motivation sauce.

SSR 15 Inch Wheel Advertisement! - Casablanca Eight

2011-05-18T10:39:00.002-04:00

Just saw this on Monkeymagic's blog!

This is the first ad I've ever seen for the Casablanca Eight wheel.

From Dirty S30

Look familiar??

From Z2

Love this.

Thanks for posting man!

Bad Dog RLCAs

2011-05-18T08:44:00.004-04:00

I know I know I really wanted to get that ill set of Rear Lower Control arms that Techno Toy Tuning makes for the 240z, but this time my budget wouldn't permit.

But luckily, a friend of mine John that runs Bad Dog Parts (the frame rails guys), let me take his set that he used on his 240z race car!

From ZCCNE Charity Inspection

You can see the LCAs installed here.

From ZCCNE Charity Inspection

You can also see the bottom of the custom fuel cell that they traded me and how they ran their fuel pump setup.

From ZCCNE Charity Inspection

John and Pete are the guys that built and race this car, and I gotta say that they are some of the nicest guys I've ever met. They also have an awesome collection of stuff that somehow ends up getting installed in my car! :D

So here are the RLCAs.

From Z2

As you can see they are stock LCAs, but are in much much better condition (metal wise), than my stockers.

From Z2

And they came with the eccentric RLCA bushings!

From Z2

If you look at that picture closely (and through all the dirt), you can see that the metal bushing is off center. This allows you to tune the camber AND toe settings on a stock set of lower control arms!

Very cool. And since I can't afford the blinged out T3 set, I can't think of a better set of stockers to run. 'Cause if they were good enough for a race car, then they are good enough for me... For now. lol

Check out Bad Dog Parts here:

Engine rebuild - pt.3

2011-05-16T13:05:00.003-04:00

With the short block assembled, it was time for head installation.

From Z2

I used the Felpro 1mm head gasket so I could get my target 9.2:1 compression ratio.

Note: Maxima N47 Head, and a stock N42 L28 short block and rotating assembly, with a 1mm Felpro head gasket makes for a 9.2:1 comp ratio.

I cleaned up the gasket surfaces on the head and the block by using an extra fine silicon carbide wet/dry sand paper and air tool oil as a lubricant. This helps make sure that there aren't any traces of old gasket left on the surface. I recommend that you do this if you do not have the surfaces professionally machined.

From Z2

I also wire brushed out the combustion chambers using WD40 to help break up the carbon deposits. Worked great! At this time, make sure you line up the cam thrust plate timing dowel with the top center timing mark (it will be obvious when you look at it).

From Z2

With the block dowels and head gasket down, I carelessly tossed the head onto the block, making sure to align everything perfectly.

Be absolutely sure that the first piston is at exactly top center.

From Z2

After searching for almost an hour, I finally found my head bolts and thumb tightened them into their holes.

From Z2

Then, according to the factory specified torque procedure, I tightened it all down.

From Z2

Then we installed the crank side timing sprocket. Make sure when you install this, that the timing mark is visible, or you will have to take it back off and flip it over (me).

From Z2

Then the chain tensioner, guides, and cam sprocket get installed. Make sure that you install the #1 cam hole on the cam thrust plate dowel. Then make sure that the "bright links" on the timing chain install on both of the #1 sprocket teeth.

Like this.

From Z2

Head and timing system installed.

From Z2

Next up is the timing cover, oil pump, water pump, distributer, all the gaskets and seals, and then the oil pan and valve cover!

Engine rebuild - pt.2

2011-05-11T11:41:00.005-04:00

Now that the block has been prepped, it's time to start the actual build process.

To help me with this, I had to call up my nerdiest friend, Chris.

From Z2

We started by pulling off all of the old piston rings. Be careful when doing this as all the heat from the motor will have made them brittle and prone to breakage when bent.

From Z2

Once all of the rings were off I inspected the ring lands to make sure that they were reusable and they all checked out fine.

From Z2

Next we installed the new piston rings.

From Z2

Make sure that you install the rings with the gaps facing the correct direction as advised by whatever rebuild reference you are using. The point here is so that none of the gaps are in the same place.

From Z2

Next we moved on to the crankshaft main bearings.

From Z2

We cleaned the block several times with Brakleen to make sure that it was nice and free of debris.

From Z2

Then we installed the bearings making sure that they all ended up in their proper locations.

From Z2

So fresh and so clean.

From Z2

Next we lubed up the rear of the crankshaft and installed the rear main seal onto the crank. Nissan says that this is incorrect, but they are chuckleheads and this way is best.

From Z2

Then, we lubed up all of the bearing journals with 20/50 motor oil and laid the crankshaft into the bearings, being extra careful not to ding the rear main seal or the journals on the crankshaft on the way in.

From Z2

The first cap to install is the rear main cap. This slides into the void shown below very snuggly. We ran 1" of SuperBlack RTV on each corner of the block to ensure a tight seal.

From Z2

Once the cap is installed, we slid the rubber seals, and shim nails into the RTV filled cap voids.

From Z2

Then we installed the rest of the caps, starting with the front and working our way back to the rear main. After they were all installed, we followed the proper torque order and torqued them all to the recommended 40ft/lbs.

From Z2

Now that the crankshaft is installed, it is time to install the pistons.
We installed the connecting rod bearings into the rods, and removed the end caps.
Then, using a piston ring compressor, we cranked the rings down to prep them for installing into the block.

From Z2

We inserted the piston into the block rod first until the piston ring compressor stopped on the gasket surface of the block. Then, using a shop towel and the wooden end of a hammer, we banged the piston into place being careful not to lose the connecting rod bearings from below, or ding the crankshaft journals. It is also a good idea to spin the crank until the piston that you are installing would be at top of its stroke. That way the connecting rod can seat correctly on the crank journal.

From Z2

Once the piston was in, we turned the block on it's side to thumb tighten the rod nuts.

From Z2

Repeat these steps for all six pistons.

From Z2

Flip the block and torque all of the connecting rod bolts to spec and you're done.

From Z2

Rotating assembly assembled.

Engine rebuild - pt.1

2011-05-09T08:44:00.003-04:00

So I started rebuilding my L28 this weekend and can honestly say that without this book, I would be straight up guessing at what to do.

From Z2

If you want to rebuild an L series motor, you can do no better.

Luckily, I had the foresight to bag and mark all of my nuts and bolts from the disassembly so it was very easy to take inventory before getting started.

From Z2

I pulled my L28 block out of storage and gave it a good cleaning before doing anything. Brakleen loves me.

From Z2

My first order of business was to hone my cylinder bores.
I strongly recommend watching a video on how to do this to get an idea of the speed of plunging and spinning that is required.

From Z2

As for honing oil, everyone has a different opinion. Some say kerosene is the best, some say to use a mix of 20w motor oil and kero, some say to never use motor oil, etc etc..

I found one site that said that they had the best results from using WD40. So I picked that one cause it was easy. :)

From Z2

Attach the spring loaded cylinder hone to your favorite drill and get to work, making sure that you clean the bores thoroughly, and keep them well oiled. I had bad results from honing while the block was upside down. I recommend that you hone with the block right side up.

From Z2

If all goes well, and you are a master of doing things, your hone job will be perfectly crosshatched. A quick google will show you that machine shops can get a much nicer cross hatch than this, but since I completed this job for about $20 (including the WD40), I am happy with it.

From Z2

Next you have to clean the bores three times with WD40 and Brakleen and check the bores thoroughly for any deep scratches or anything at all that you can catch your fingernail on. If you can catch your finger nail on it, it's no good and you have to re-hone it.

From Z2

Sweet.

Next up is test fitting and gapping your piston rings. I bought mine from Rock auto and got the cheapest ones I could find. The "Economy ring" by Sealed Power.

From Z2

They ship the rings in separate compartments because each ring is different, and needs to be an exact length for each ring's specific job and heat tolerance requirements.

From Z2

Keeping tabs on which rings will be where in relation to the piston and their specific cylinder bores, you have to test fit them in the block.

From Z2

The top or primary compression rings need to have a total ring gap of .014 inches (0.36mm). With the use of the proper feeler gauge, I was able to determine that my "Econo" rings and my Craigslist L28 were exactly perfect with all rings on all bores.

From Z2

I continued this process with the bottom or secondary compression rings. They required a total ring gap of .012 inches since they are subject to less heat and subsequent expansion, they require less overall clearance tip to tip.

Every single ring in every single bore measured out absolutely perfectly (lucky mofo), so I did not have to shave any of my rings.

Engine Parts

2011-05-06T14:18:00.004-04:00

Starting to get all of my rebuild parts in.

Motor mounts, thermostat, connecting rod bearings, crankshaft main bearings...

From Z2

Full engine gasket set.

From Z2

The Rock Auto gasket set pretty much comes with everything. I was very surprised with how complete it was. I even got valve stem seals, and those little plastic strips that slide into the crankshaft end cap on the block.

Lots of work to do this weekend. Hopefully I will have time to get started on the rebuild.

F*CK FAKE SH!T - S15 from Malaysia

2011-05-04T09:01:00.005-04:00

Jerry sent me some pics of his super clean S15 from Malaysia.

From F*CK FAKE SH!T

I love the white on bronze Nismo LMGT4s.

From F*CK FAKE SH!T

You know how I know he rolls legit?

From F*CK FAKE SH!T

Thanks for the support man.

From F*CK FAKE SH!T

Car looks awesome!

HKS USA Shutting down - A call to action by MotoIQ

2011-04-29T10:15:00.004-04:00

Quoted from MotoIQ.com:

What the Hell? HKS to Close US Operations!

MotoIQ Staff Report

We were shocked and dismayed to see this notice come across our desks yesterday afternoon. HKS the iconic Japanese manufacturer of some of the best engineered tuner parts on the market is ceasing US operations. HKS will start winding down operations and be done here sometime this summer, around August.

This news came as a total shock. Many HKS employees have been our colleagues and close friends for years, even decades and of course we are concerned about their well being. MotoIQ is also a fan of and a strong supporter of companies like HKS that represent our true industry, the quality performance and innovation of the industry.

Many factors are involved with this decision. HKS states the reasons in the official memo shown below as the slow economy in Japan and the US, a global lack of demand for performance parts, an unfavorable exchange rate between the yen and dollar and the devastating earthquake in Japan.

At MotoIQ we feel that perhaps the most important reason has been left out. Probably HKS doesn't want to point fingers and complain, it's not Japanese style to do that so we will do it for them. HKS has been perhaps one of the biggest victims of Chinese companies ripping off their designs and selling reproduced cheap junk copies of their parts, some of it even boldly labeled as genuine HKS products.

The staff of MotoIQ is calling on our readers to take a stand. Don't support the makers of rip off parts. Beware of what you are buying, especially what you might buy on line on Ebay and the like. Don't patronize the rip off companies and the fake JDM companies. HKS is not the only casualty. ARC, Apexi, JUN, RSR and Tanabe are all either defunct or greatly diminished in US presence because of the rip off artists. Many good US companies have been put out of business by them as well.

Of all the leading Japanese tuning companies, only Greddy, ARK, RAYS, Tomei and Toda will be currently openly active and supportive of the US market. If you continue to patronize companies that rip off, soon you will have no parts other than janky copies of crap for your cars and no parts will be developed for newer cars. It's hard for us to publicly name names of the rip off artists, last time we attempted to do this, we were threatened by a lawsuit.

A prime example of a market that was eliminated by the Chinese was that of the Sentra SE-R. At one time it had a thriving aftermarket but the Chinese and Ebayers moved in and drove all the innovating companies either out of business or into other markets. Few quality parts are now available for the platform and the SE-R scene died. Few new parts have been developed for new Sentras and the only enthusiasts left are mostly people who build janky cars. All interest and innovation has moved on. The Chinese copycatter killed this platform dead in around three years.

Now it's happening on a larger scale. To stop this plague don't buy fakes. Save your money and buy real parts. First of all, support MotoIQ's advertisers and partners. MotoIQ has a no fakes policy. We will not work with producers of fakes nor accept advertising dollars from them. We have been approached by these charlatans many times and although it would have lined our pockets we turned them down. Legal action prevents us from naming crappy companies but nothing will prevent us from writing about good ones.

Support companies like Rays, HKS, Greddy, Tomei, Toda, OS Giken, Kaaz, Tein and American companies like AMS, Full Race, Cobb, Turbonetics, Precision Turbo, and others that although perhaps they don't advertise with us, you can bet we support them and they are fans of our site. Keep it real, buy real.

HKS is not going out of business, their Japanese division will handle the US market but you can bet service will be slower, parts won't be developed for the US market and the whole company may fail shortly.

Although it is probably too late, lets start a grassroots effort to save HKS USA. Lets support them with our wallets. We will try to incorporate HKS products in our project cars and pay for them. If HKS wants it, we will give them free advertising until this crisis is passed. Please don't comment about capitalism and competitiveness below. That's not what this rant is about. Although we don't moderate our comments much we will delete these kinds of posts. This is about our love for our cars and the love of building them correctly. This is about passion for our industry. This is about action. Let's do something before it's too late.

End Quote...

Link to the Article:

Sad times....

Budget Garage Paint Job

2011-04-26T08:44:00.006-04:00

So all of this preparation, disassembly, chemical stripping, cleaning, sanding drinking, humping, and dumping has all built up to this moment.

This is where the tear down becomes a build up.

It's time to paint her.

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First things first, you have to setup your garage to paint.

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You need to cover up your precious clutter.

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Minimize wall damage.

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And have some sort of ventilation so you don't kill your cat (or girlfriend) with fumes.

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Then you need to clean all of your surfaces with a grease/wax remover.

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This ensures that there is no blood sweat and tears still on your car from the tear down.

Then you need to pick a primer.

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I chose Transtar's 2k kwik prime. this is a direct to metal, high build sandable primer. It is pretty much everything I could ask for. But not terribly cheap at about $100 for three quarts with the needed activators and reducers.

You need a good old spray gun.

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I buy mine from Harbor freight because they are decent and disposably priced. I bought two of them for this paint job. One for the primer and one for the base and clear. See below for why I was glad I did.

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This stuff is thick and sticks to everything.

And don't even think about spraying anything ever without a respirator. If you do not use one of these you will die.

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Once everything is setup and you are properly equipped, mix your paint to the instructions on the back and spray it!

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You will learn how to spray as you go. It's easy when you are spraying primer because if you f*ck it up you can just sand it off.

Once that dries completely you have to sand the entire car with a 400 grit sand paper. I chose to Wet sand the whole car because it works great, the paper clogs less, and there is no dust which is your mortal enemy when you are painting in your garage.

Then spray a second coat.

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This time I wet sanded the whole car with a 600 grit paper since I was going to be spraying my base coat right over it.

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After the car is completely dry, inspect it. look at everything. Every little detail, because i know you are going to miss something.

I made a list of all the little parts that needed just s touch up and tagged them all with the primer.

Once cured, sanded and cleaned. It's time for Base coat.

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I used PPG Deltron 2000 DBC in a Nissan Paint code KV3. Nissan Called it "Grey Lustre", PPG calls it "Charcoal Metallic". The after market reproduction of this color is considerably darker than the OEM color which is part of the reason I liked it so much. It is truly exactly what I was looking for.

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Makes me half wish I chose a satin finish. heh But in my opinion, satin colors look great on show cars and race cars. In the real world they just end up looking like lousy paint jobs. Unless of course you keep your car "show car" clean.

Now it's time for Clear.

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I bought this clear because it was cheap and they recommended it at the shop. Either this clear is not the best, I suck at spraying clear coats, or both. I am not sure whether or not to recommend this based on my experience with it.

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I am sure that this orange peel is due to my spray technique and my gun settings.

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But the clear coat really makes that color look good.

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That is the most accurate representation of how the color looks in person. Almost black from an angle, and dark ass grey metallic when you get up close.

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I couldn't be happier with the color, but the clear needs some love.

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I will be wet sanding and buffing tonight.

Wish me luck.

How To: 240z Ground Control Coilovers w/ Sectioned Struts

2011-04-24T20:23:00.008-04:00

This weekend I was finally able to finish my suspension build.

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A few weeks ago my buddy Bruce came over and we measured everything and read all of the instructions for the build.

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We used a combination of the instructions that shipped with the Ground Control kit and the write up by John Coffey from Beta Motorsports available HERE. Read the whole article, but the last part is what was most helpful since it is specific to the Tokico Ilumina BZ3099 and BZ3015 Inserts.

Everything I read gave different measurements, but the basic information was the same. Cut the strut tubes in half and remove a section from the top equal to the difference in length between the stock struts and the struts you are installing.

This is easy enough but I had to find my own measurements and cut and section the tubes strategically so everything fits and works. The most important measurement of this whole thing, is the overall height of the tube as measured from the inside (Internal Height).

Here are the measurements for sectioning 1973 Datsun 240z strut tubes to work with BZ3099 (AW11 MR2 Rear), and BZ3015 (240z Front) strut cartridges. But please remember, before cutting or welding anything, measure everything like nine times.

Front:
First, remove the stock spring perch with an angle grinder.

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You will have to grind off the welded perch ring so that the strut tube is smooth.

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The first cut you make is to cut the strut tube in half 6.5" up from the top of the spindle casting.

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Cutting at 6.5" gives you enough room to install the new spring perch later whithout interfering with the stock brake line bracket.

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Now the overall internal height of this tube needs to be 13.5". My stock internal height was 15" so in order to achieve this measurement I had to cut 1.5" from the bottom of the top strut tube section, making the top piece 7" long when all is said and done.

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When you are using a big baller pipe cutter like mine it creates a lip on the inside of the tube where it cuts. This lip needs to be ground out or you will not be able to slide your strut cartridges in.

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Once you get them cleaned up it's time to weld them back on.

Luckily my stock strut cartridges were blown so I didn't have to worry about heating them up too much. I was able to use them as guides for welding the tubes perfectly straight.

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Then weld them up!

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Once Bruce was done working his metal magic, I had to grind down the weld a bit so I could slide the new perches over them.

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This is the sectioned and welded strut tube with the new perch location measured and marked with the perch around it ready to weld in. I welded the new perch so that the bottom of it was 5.5" from the top of the spindle casting. Also, make sure that the flat side of the new perch is facing the spindle side.

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Tack it up and weld it in.

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Once it's welded all the way around you're done!

Test fit.

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Since the first one went pretty much perfectly (except for the whole stuck cartridge housing fiasco), we just repeated these steps for the other front strut tube.

Rear:

The rear strut tubes were a little easier to do because if you cut it right, you can cut the original perch weld right out of the tube without grinding it all the way down.

You do however have to cut it off.

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Once the stock perch is gone, you need to cut the strut tube in half at 8.5", as measured upward from the top of the hub casting.

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Grind out the lip.

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The stock rear strut tubes measure 16.75" tall as measured from the inside. Since I am running front struts in the rear I need to cut them so that when welded up, they will measure 15" from the inside. This meant I had to cut 1.75" from the bottom of the top section of the strut tube.

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Once cut, I test fitted the new strut and it fits perfect. Just enough room for the threaded cap.

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Again I used the blown rear strut to help align the strut tube for welding. Never do this with a strut tube that is not blown.

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Grind down the weld so the perch can slide over it.

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Then have your buddy weld up the perch. The rear perch should be welded so that the bottom of the perch is 7" from the top of the hub casting. This places the previous weld under the threaded tube and out of sight.

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Once that perch is welded all the way around you're done!

Test fit.

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Just do the same thing with the second rear strut tube and you're dancing.

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Please take this as a reference on how it worked for me. If you are going to be installing these parts, make sure you take all of your own measurements and confirm whether or not these will work for you.

The worst thing you can do is cut these strut tubes too short. The overall internal height needs to be very precise and cutting them too short is not easily fixable.

Hope this helps some of you guys that are thinking about building this setup.

If anyone notices any technical errors or if something is unclear, please post up so I can fix it.

Thanks to Beta Motorsports for the writeup! That proved to be very helpful and special thanks to my buddy Bruce who is the mack daddy boss man welder master of the universe.

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Peace.

Floors are done.

2011-04-22T16:54:00.002-04:00

Finally.

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All sealed up with Zero rust. The frame rails were super rust free but definitely crushed a bit by retard lift operators.

We call them custom concave frame rails. For decreased rigidity... :(

370z vs Mexican Racing Chicken!

2011-04-22T13:21:00.002-04:00

LOL.

Friday video. Enjoy.

Vacation - Pt. 4 - Body Work

2011-04-22T09:18:00.004-04:00

A while back I had the misfortune of finding a large qty of body filler on my driver side door while stripping the paint.

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In the picture below you can see the point where I said "eff this" and moved on to something else.

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As with all things that get the "eff this" treatment, you have to confront it sooner or later. So I decided to tackle it last week.

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I don't even want to tell you how much bondo dust came off of this thing. It was truly absurd.

You can also see where the body shop drilled holes in the door to pull it out since there must have been a pretty good dent in the side of it.

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Since this was my first real experience doing any body work I decided to start smaller and do my roof first. There is a small ripple (that you can barely see) travelling from front to back down the roof.

This body filler came highly recommended by one of the better body shops in town.

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And here is the hardener they gave me. lol

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I guess the rule of thumb with body filler is that if you make a pile of filler about a half inch thick, just run a line of hardener from one corner to the other. This gets close enough pretty much every time.

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You just mix this paste until it is all uniformly light blue (or whatever color hardener you have) and it is ready to apply. I had approx 4 minutes to get it applied and smooth before the mixture became unworkable.

Usually my first try is my worst try, but this run came out perfect. Just a little raised and a pretty level height. One thing you want to avoid is creating a low point. This is a point of filler that is lower than the desired surface. when sanded smooth it will show as a pit and you will have to reapply.

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After about 10 minutes the body filler is ready to "grate". This takes all of the high points and peaks and shreds them. It is best to perform this step when the body filler is still slightly gummy but not soft.

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After about another 20 minutes it is ready for sanding. The body shop I spoke with recommended using 36 grit sandpaper on a block and then 80 grit to smooth it out. Using a 36 first will cut down on sanding time. Since my time isn't worth shit, I just used 80 grit so i wouldn't take off too much filler and have to reapply. This technique worked very well.

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Repeat steps on all dents and dings that cannot be hammered out.

This rear skirt is right next to my spare tire well so i was not able to hammer it out.

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After grating and sanding.

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Now on to the door.

I had to mix up a hilarious amount of filler and did my best to keep the mixture and the ratios as close as possible.

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This pic is after my second application. I found low points and had to refill.

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Third and final.

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Luckily my passenger side door...

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Hood...

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And Hatch...

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Were all in much better shape.

Oh shit.... Setting up for paint.

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Vacation - Pt. 3

2011-04-20T08:57:00.006-04:00

So after I got that strut cartridge housing out of my strut tube section I had to try and salvage the tube housing. After being heated and hammered on in a vise for several days I expected the part to be out of round and badly damaged.

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As you can see the walls are scored and the inner lip got pretty beat from hammering nails into it.

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Determined to solve this problem while putting forth as little effort as possible, I came up with a plan.

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I call it the "Jack Sander". lol.

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All you do is take a threaded rod and wrap sandpaper around one end of it.
And then stuff it in the tube and jack it up and down furiously until the inside is clean as a whistle!

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Works great!

I was very happy to see that after removing the rust and burrs from the walls of the tube, my Tokico Illumina strut cartridge was able to slide freely in without hangup.

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It appears to have been measured and cut perfectly! (Thank god) More info on that process later.

Moving on to the steering rack. As some of you might remember I pulled the steering rack out of the car with the outer tie rods still connected. My silly little propane hobby torch couldn't heat the nuts enough to get them to break free.

Well the end all resolution to that appears to be my new friend Mapp Gas!

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I loaded my steering rack and the tie rods into my vise and heated it until it was smoking.

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This little nut didn't stand a chance.

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Flip and repeat. Make sure that you remember that one side is reverse threaded.
The steering rack threads out and upward away from the tie rod.

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After checking my steering rack out I wasn't able to find anything wrong with it at all. Just needs a new pair of boots, a cleanup, and some new grease and she'll be up and running.

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Into the bush for these guys.

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Vacation - Pt. 2 - The Stuck Strut Cartridge

2011-04-19T09:06:00.005-04:00

The first major issue I was forced up against over my vacation was a stuck strut cartridge.

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When disassembling my suspension, this one front strut tube was the only one that I had any issues with. We banged on it, heated it up with my new Mapp gas torch (do not do this is your strut is not already blown), and beat the ever living piss out of it from every angle.

Then we tried the hoist.

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I laid the hoist on its side, trapped the strut tube under one of the legs and started pumping.

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I actually had to sit on the thing because it was starting to bend and lift there was so much pressure applied. Even with the chain pulled tight enough to play it like a guitar string, it still didn't budge, and frankly we were afraid of what would happen if it did at that point. So we moved on.

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Later, since I was cutting and sectioning the struts any way I decided to measure out the cut points and try to cut the strut tube and the whole strut cartridge in half, hoping that it would break the cartridge free.

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That turned out to be wishful thinking.

I ended up driving out to Harbor Freight at a total loss for how to get this effing tube out, and came back with this BAMF.

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A 12 ton hydraulic press.

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While I was there I picked up a round hunk of metal to stuff through the tube and push the stuck cartridge housing out.

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Didn't work.

Not terribly upset though cause I only spent $100 on the press and now I can do my own wheel bearings. lol.

After completely giving up from hammering on this mother fucker for upwards of 6 hours, the nice little old lady that runs my local hardware store gave me the solution.

Nails.

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As you can see in the picture I just hammered about fifteen nails into the strut tube separating the cartridge housing and satisfaction was achieved.

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Tough Guy was very proud of me.

Now I can finally finish my suspension build!

Vacation - Pt.1

2011-04-18T13:30:00.004-04:00

So as some of you know I have been on vacation all week working on my car to try and get it ready for the summer, which at the time of me writing this is 63 days 6 hours and 28 minutes away.

I have received a bunch of parts, and done a ton of work over the last week, pulling at least 6 10 hour days completely dedicated to my car's completion.

I am going to post all of my progress in chronological order, but since I have a major case of A.D.D. it is going to seem like I am all over the map.

So first things first, my sweet box of parts arrived from Motorsport Auto. (http://www.thezstore.com)

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I got new boots for my steering rack since mine were a distant memory.

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New Three Five "555" ball joints (overnighted) from Japan.

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The G-Machine tension rod bearing kit. This kit allows the tension rod to pivot instead of flex where it meets the frame. Many Z car owners have had issues with the tension rod breaking under stress. This eliminates that issue and provides more range of motion over the stock rubber TC bushing.

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And the MSA Bump steer spacers for 15" wheels.

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I have one completely sectioned and assembled strut housing for my Ground Control coilover kit.
All the parts are measured, cut, and stripped for the rest but i am waiting on my buddy Bruce to help me weld the rest of them up.

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I don't trust my welding skills with my life yet lol.

Many more updates coming daily.
Stay tuned.

Body Filler

2011-04-13T12:15:00.001-04:00

I owe you guys a zillion updates.
But in the mean time here is a dope picture of my epic body filler job!

More 510

2011-04-06T15:22:00.003-04:00

If you couldn't tell I've been extremely busy with work lately so the Suspension build write up is on hold.

But the good news is that John hit me with a few more pics of his 510 today.

From F*CK FAKE SH!T

My Z has a man crush on this 510.

Thanks for the pics John!

Ultra Legit 510

2011-04-05T14:27:00.005-04:00

John from CA hit me with a pic of his absolutely STUNNING 1973 Datsun 510 last night.

From F*CK FAKE SH!T

Repping the F*CK FAKE SH!T decal no less!

From F*CK FAKE SH!T

Perfect. He swapped in an S14 SR20DET Blacktop that shines like justice under that hood.

From F*CK FAKE SH!T

John, this 510 blew me out of the water man.
Major props on the amazing style and build quality.

One of these days, my ride may be so lucky.

-=F*CK FAKE SH!T=-

.

Suspension Build (Teaser)

2011-04-04T09:02:00.003-04:00

This weekend my buddy Bruce, of Bruce Bruce Professional Welding Incorporated, LLC. stopped by and we hacked through getting all of the measurements together, cutting out the proper sections, and constructed one 100% successful strut tube.

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Much much more to come as I get the write up together.
This will be a multi part post and will include all of my measurement and assembly detail.

I love this crap.

Fenders

2011-03-30T11:12:00.002-04:00

So I drank a bunch of margaritas last night and wire wheeled the insides of my fenders.

I have no pics lol.

Gutted and Sealed

2011-03-29T09:57:00.002-04:00

So I finally got around to gutting the rest of the under dash and kick panel wires and crap.

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Relays and kick panels.

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Pedal box and that dreadful firewall insulation.

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Feeling motivated, I fired up the compressor and got to spray sealing.

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Driver side floor, all welded up with two coats of Zero Rust.

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Passenger side floor welded up with two coats of Zero Rust.

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So the interior floors are done for now. All I really have left to do in there is sound deadening and carpets. I am considering doing a double layer sound deadener because I really want the interior of the car to feel less like a tin can than it did last summer.

Body panels next.

Energy Suspension, Painting, and Floors

2011-03-28T09:17:00.004-04:00

Finally finished gathering all of the Energy Suspension bushings for the 240z chassis.

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This is the entire HyperFlex kit aside from the end link bushings since I am not going to be running a stock set of sway bars, I am going to wait until I get my hands on them to acquire the bushings.

Big thanks to Pete for helping me get all of these together!

Whipped out the tried and true, Hammered Finish spray paint from Rustoleum. Dark Bronze (Gunmetal) again.

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Spraying all of my front suspension components. Two coats all around.

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Looking mighty sharp.

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These steering knuckles have never been happier.

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Front LCAs etc.

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ALSO...

Not that you could tell from this pic, but I have just finished stripping all the under coating off of the floors and I was able to finish welding up all of the little pinholes I found. 4 total.

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The driver side is all ground down and ready for cleaning and painting. Just need a little grind session on the passenger side and the inside will be ready to seal.

Not before I strip the paint and undercoating residue off the floors tonight.

Blasting, Parts, and Race Gas

2011-03-25T08:40:00.002-04:00

I had a very successful blast session at my buddy Pete's house last night.

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I blasted my front lower control arms, my steering knuckles, TC rods, and pretty much everything else I could find from underneath the car.

They just need a quick washing and they will be ready for paint. I'm going to be using the Rustoleum hammered paint again on all of these parts for the durability, looks, and ease of application. It is definitely a sweet spot for my application.

One thing I didn't realize until last night was that the front LCA bushings on this car had been upgraded to adjustable metal bushings with a urethane sleeve.

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They are still in good shape too. Just need a touch of cleaning up.

Also picked up this awesome box of Energy Suspension goodies!

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AND THIS!

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lol @ crappy pic.

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A custom built aluminum Fuel Cell! This cell was run in the Bad Dog Racing 240z Race car! It still has the foam and some race gas in it. ha ha

Best of all it fits in the spare tire well, you just have to cut a hole in the well for the fuel valve at the bottom of the tank.

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Still not sure whether or not I'm going to run this tank in this version of the build but we'll see how it goes.

Illumina

2011-03-24T11:31:00.004-04:00

Got my struts in the mail today.

MAN I love getting new parts!

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2x BZ3099

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and 2x BZ3015.

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I'm also heading over to a friends house today to drop off some parts and sand blast some stuff. (My ball joints were a bitch to get apart from my steering knuckles)

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I have a small pile of suspension and mounting parts to blast and repaint.

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He has a blast cabinet which is ideal for this sort of thing. I would blast them right out in the open but it would make a ridiculous mess.

I will post after blast pics tomorrow.

Craigslist Score!

2011-03-22T10:14:00.004-04:00

Hit Craigslist on Saturday morning while eating my breakfast and I almost choked.

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Scored these two Datsun Used Car Dealership and Service center signs!

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Their appears to be a date on the Parts and Service sign of (8-70).
the story the kid had was that his father scored these signs from a dealership when it closed down or something similar. The best part is that these were found local from a local Used Datsun Dealership.

If anyone can help me figure out which one I would be extremely stoked.

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Definitely perfect pieces to add to my garage.

Blast and Seal - Wheel Wells

2011-03-21T08:36:00.006-04:00

Inspired by having less than 100 days to finish my car I have recently found some time to work on it.

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I have chemically stripped all of the factory undercoating out from the wheel wells on all four corners, and sand blasted out the remaining residue.

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Still wielding my new found ambition, I gathered my painting supplies.

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Black Zero Rust, according to "Resto Rick", should be thinned by 25% using a lacquer thinner in order to be sprayable.

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That's one part thinner to four parts Zero Rust.

Using my nifty dumping spout I fill the cup to the 20oz marker adding 16oz to 4oz of lacquer thinner.

Here is my ridiculously long spray contraption.

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lol.

It consists of an air pressure regulator and an inline water filter which keeps my shitty compressor from fucking up my dope ass paint job.

Next time I paint I will re think this setup but only because it was hard to get it under the car in certain places due to it's height.

A couple hours later, It's beer time.

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Sealed the cowl area.

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Inside the cowl area.

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Under the fenders.

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And all four wheel wells.

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As you can see in the above photo I need to remove and repaint some more pieces from underneath the rear of the car. I will clean and seal all of the inner body panels (especially the rear in the above photo) to make it chemically impossible for it to rust for a good long while. Assuming I'm not retarded. But that may be assuming too much.

Here is a link to Resto Rick's Tips and Tricks for using Zero Rust.

I found them to be invaluable.

Struts ordered

2011-03-16T11:39:00.003-04:00

Ordered a set of Tokico Illumina adjustable strut inserts.

I ordered a pair of Tokico part number BZ3099 which is intended for the rear struts on 1987-89 Toyota "AW11" MR2. I will run these on the front of my Z to allow for full travel in a strut that is approx 2" shorter that OE. And I ordered a pair of part number BZ3015 which is the stock size strut for the front of my 240z, but I will run them in the rear of the car.

With the Ground Control coilover setup I can place the threaded tube so that maximum adjustability and flexibility can be achieved, and since I'm shortening (sectioning) my strut tubes to the exact difference between these shorter struts and the OE, I don't lose any travel when lowering.

Hopefully I can link up with my "pro-welder" buddy Bruce within the next week or two and I will have some epic clandestine metal shop pics for you guys.

**Edit** Just wanted to give photo props to Circuit Soul for the slammed RWB bumper pic I stole. They are a new site that appears to be launching soon and from what I can tell so far I am going to be a fan.

http://www.Circuitsoul.com

Facebook Page

Driving in the past...

2011-03-10T09:02:00.003-05:00

Just saw this article posted on A Class.

It's called "Living In The Moment, Is Driving The Past"

It's about classic Japanese cars and what they represent to the scene. Really thought provoking stuff.

Here's a snippet...

"So despite beating the dead horse of environmental malarky we’ve all grown too accustomed to hearing, there’s a lot to savor. It’s a message to anyone who loves cars and loves driving. Just enjoy it. Spend as much time on it as possible. Buy that car of your dreams and raise hell in it. To live in the moment is the best way to live because you don’t know what you’ve got, until it’s gone."

Read the whole thing over at A Class!

Fast 5 lol

2011-03-09T10:00:00.001-05:00

Yeah I'm excited. haha
Scored this from SpeedHawaii. Check them out.

dope.

This is Ground Control.

2011-03-07T20:30:00.004-05:00

Got a package today.

From Z2

unboxing.

From Z2

I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the pieces.

From Z2

Ground Control Coilover kit with Eibach 200# Fronts and 225# Rears. 10" springs (free length) and 6" threaded aluminum tubes. The weld-on lower perches look very substantial, and the adjustable perches have an allen key locking mechanism. Very nice set.

From Z2

I am super excited to get working on my suspension setup.
A friend of mine has offered to help with the welding.

Keep an eye out for a full write up!

Nostalgic 2 Days 2011 Video

2011-03-07T11:47:00.003-05:00

Been working. Nothing fun, just stripping and prepping.

I spoke to a friend about hiring some Mexicans to help strip this fucker.

Still working on the details lol.

Snagged this vid from Kyusha Kai.
It pretty much embodies everything I love about the Nostalgic Scene.

Check.

Nostalgic 2 Days 2011 By: AUTOnGRAPHIC from Rod on Vimeo.

Undercoating

2011-02-24T09:15:00.004-05:00

I've been super busy lately with work so I haven't made much progress on the build.

I did however manage to spend 5+ hours this past Monday (Presidents Day) stripping under coating and I'm still only half done.

Super shitty cell phone pic of destruction!

From Z2

I have been softening it up by slathering it with chemical stripper and letting it sit.

It comes off fairly easy after ward but will make a complete mess of you.

I do not recommend doing it this way but I am extremely "winter lazy" and simply cannot bring myself to do any really hard work. I have however been wearing the proper protective gear so I don't acid burn my eyeballs.

So many options...

2011-02-16T11:34:00.001-05:00

From DirtyS30

Tons of actual paint chips in here.
Lots of colors to research... Damn this is tough.

Color testing

2011-02-15T11:17:00.002-05:00

I've been spending a lot of time lately considering my options for color.

Since it is relatively difficult to know what you like until you see it, I started spray bombing my car.

From Z2

This color is Rustoleum's high Performance Graphite Metallic wheel paint.

I used this same paint on the centers of my ZX wheels and I liked how it covered and looked.

From Z2

A touch too light for what I was looking for.

Looking to see if I can find anyone local that owns a Gen 5 Maxima in KV3 "Grey Lustre".

The shitty pics I have been able to find online look very promising.

Casablanca

2011-02-10T19:43:00.004-05:00

From Z2

SSR Casablanca 8

From Z2

15x7.5 front, 15x8 rear.
Offset unknown.

From Z2

Tough Guy approves.

From Z2

LCAs

2011-02-08T13:21:00.004-05:00

Now that my Lower Control Arms have been removed, it's time to clean them up and paint them.

From Z2

Blasted off the end bolts with an impact wrench.

From Z2

Removed the crappy rubber bushings. (to be replaced with Poly later)

From Z2

Wire brushed the crap out of them and picklex20'd.

From Z2

One of the guys in my local Z car club hit me with a tip about this paint.

From Z2

It is supposedly really durable and can be applied to almost anything.

Few coats down on both sides.

From Z2

I really dig the finish. Looks badass, and dries hard like a plastic almost.

From Z2

Sweet.

How To: 240z Spindle Pin Removal

2011-02-07T13:06:00.003-05:00

I was finally able to remove my 240z rear suspension spindle pins.
Piece of cake if you have the right tools.

Here is how I did it for those of you that are unsure:

10 Steps to Victory!!!

1. Buy the Spindle pin Removal Tool from John (jtburf) at HybridZ.org. $50 shipped as of 2/1/2011.

From Z2

2. Apply the included Anti-seize copper lubricant to the threads of the rear facing end of the spindle pin.

Note: The rear facing side of the Lower Control arms are flat so you can only use the tool from this side.

From Z2

3. As you can see below, the all thread rod is threaded both inside and out.

From Z2

thread the rod onto the spindle pin.

From Z2

4. Lubricate the outer threads of the rod and slide the included pipe with pipe fitting over it. Make sure the included fitting is touching the LCA.

From Z2

5. Install the included washer and nut onto the rod as shown.

From Z2

6. Heat "the crap" out of the cast iron part that houses the spindle pin.

Note: This will cause the entire assembly to expand slightly loosening its grip on the spindle pin.

From Z2

7. Start slowly tightening the nut with the box end of a 28mm wrench. (I successfully used a 1-1/8" wrench since I couldn't find a metric wrench that size)

From Z2

8. It is extremely important to make sure the spindle pin is pulling through the assembly as you are tightening (see below). It has been reported that if you over-tighten the nut without breaking the pin free, you can strip the all thread from the inside out and you will be SOL.

From Z2

9. Once you are sure the pin is coming out, just keep cranking and cranking, being careful not to bend or strip anything.

From Z2

10. Victory!

From Z2

Once the spindle pin is out you may now get very excited and start telling your girlfriend all about how awesome you are. When it becomes clear that she simply does not appreciate just how awesome you are, proceed to step 11.

From Z2

11. Beer.

From DirtyS30

Time to start building a suspension system.

From Z2

Spindle Pin Tool

2011-02-04T15:19:00.003-05:00

Thanks to John (jtburf) from hybridz.org for making this nasty looking reverse spindle press contraption.

Looks ultra bad ass.

From Z2

If you want to pick one up they are $50 shipped and the thread is HERE.
Also, a good percentage of the sales go right back into the HybridZ community through donations.

The thread says loaner program but I just bought mine.

Check it.

YAY!

2011-02-04T10:21:00.003-05:00

10,000 hits!

I am so honored that there are so many of you from all over the world with nothing better to do! :)

Thanks dudes and dudettes!

And now.........

a photoshop hint.

From Z2

Pipe wrench style

2011-02-03T13:30:00.002-05:00

Thanks for the suggestions on how to get that 51mm nut off.

From Z2

I found this wrench in the car when I first cleaned it out after buying it.

Add a little heat.

From Z2

Wrench fit like a champ.

From Z2

WAY better than buying a $60 51mm wrench.

From Z2

The strut looks clean and seems to be working pretty well.

From Z2

Still gonna throw it in the bushes.

BIG thanks to you guys who have been down this road hitting me with the tip.

Damn you Spindle pin!!!!

2011-02-01T09:11:00.005-05:00

So this weekend I got started taking my rear suspension apart and of course I had to start with the springs.

Picked these up at Harbor Freight for under $10.

From Z2

Worked like a champ.

From Z2

With the spring pressure relieved I can unbolt the top hat.

From Z2

This purple substance appears to have once been some sort of bushing or bump stop.

Totally FUBARed.

From Z2

shortly after removing the spring assembly I realized that I don't have a wrench that is anywhere NEAR big enough for this.

I measured it out to 51mm!!!! WTF? Did all of you guys really go out and buy a $60 wrench for these bastards?

From Z2

Finally we meet....

From Z2

Pulled the little stopper thingy.

From Z2

And then stepped into ultra-fabrication mode.

From Z2

Check it.

From Z2

Coupler nut.

From Z2

LOL. Ridiculous spindle pin puller contraption!

From Z2

Handle.

From Z2

"This is totally gonna work!"

From Z2

HUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUURRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

From Z2

haha ok ok maybe it wont.

So then I start thinking with my tools.

From Z2

The issue here was that I couldn't get it to stay straight.

From Z2

It kept pulling from an angle.

FOILED!

Looks like I'm getting the spindle pin puller tool from HybridZ.

Oh well.... :(

Simple

2011-01-28T13:16:00.003-05:00

One of the S30 bloggers (InZane240) that I've been following for a while has posted stance pics.

I love this car.

I can't wait until I post my first cruise pics...

Congrats man!
Wish I was on the left side so I could catch a ride.

Mad Busy

2011-01-26T11:39:00.003-05:00

Sorry I've been so MIA with build progress.

Heres some pure ZX sex to make up for it.

From Dirty S30

If anyone knows where I can find more of this, hit me with a link.

New toys!

2011-01-24T11:11:00.003-05:00

As if I need anything to further sidetrack my project. :)

From Dirty S30

So to make a long story short, a friend of a friend's father had this motor kicking around for years. He sold the house it was in and couldn't bear to see it get thrown away.

I was the lucky knucklehead to get it.

The story goes that it was built as a racing L24 motor.
Block was bored .030" over, 260z rods, 10.5:1 raised dome forged pistons, 3/4 Cam, and fresh valves and competition springs. All fully balanced and machined.

It also came with dual Weber downdraft carburetors with manifolds, and a 6-2 header. I say 6-2 because the 2-1 part is missing.

Supposedly when this motor was assembled the rods were installed backwards meaning the oil feed holes are on the wrong side.

I'm not sure how they know or why it was done like that, but I am going to take it all apart and figure it out!

I will post more pics later as this project will to take a back seat while I'm prepping my car for paint.

I Heart TOSCOs

2011-01-20T12:48:00.000-05:00

From DirtyS30

from Rarejdmwheels.blogspot.com

Saw it, loved it, need to play it.

2011-01-20T10:34:00.007-05:00

LOVED IT!

I acquired the live action Wangan Midnight movie that was remade in 2009 about a year ago and finally got around to watching it.

I gotta say I really really liked it.

I would be sure it was just because I'm such an S30 fan boy, but my girlfriend liked it too!

The best part is that they didn't wreck a 240z for the junkyard shot. They used a busted ass 2+2. Had me worried for a while though, the main character was in fact an S30.

Now I cant wait to get to Fun World for some Wangan Midnight Maximum Tune!

If you listen to this whole song your head will explode.

Fan boy status achieved.

Suspension List

2011-01-18T15:59:00.004-05:00

Top to bottom.

From Dirty S30

Grabbed a seat on the backorder list for the Cusco Strut bars. MSA stated approx 1 week wait for the fronts and the rears were in stock.

Still contemplating going with the Ground Control setup or the Beta Motorsports offerings.

John from Beta is extremely knowledgeable. Every time I read his posts I have to stare at them for a while before they completely sink in.

This is him:

Bodywork Sucks

2011-01-13T14:27:00.003-05:00

I'm just gonna run paintless.

If Bugatti can do it, I can do it.

Bugatti Veyron all metal and carbon fiber two tone with no paint.

Door Restore

2011-01-11T13:35:00.003-05:00

If I were to go back and do this again, I wouldn't.

From Z2

What a freaking ridiculous pain in my ass.

Getting the window and "rollup" mechanism out of the door was a f*cking nightmare.

From Z2

I was able to get everything out eventually with no real plan for how to get it all back in there.

From Z2

Removed the rear view mirror and door handle.

From Z2

And applied large quantities of chemical stripper.

From Z2

YAY!

My door is full of bondo!

From Z2

Awesome....

From Z2

It looks like I am going to have to get very good at body work in the next few weeks.
If anyone who knows what they are doing wants to come by and take care of all of this I will shovel money into your pockets.

lol not joking.

New stuff and more stripping

2011-01-10T09:55:00.006-05:00

Just found out on New Years day that they opened up a Harbor Freight 30 minutes from me. I used to have to drive an hour.

Picked up a few new toys.

This is funny because High Life's are twist top. lol
I've been trying to find one of these forever!
Now my workbench is complete.

From Z2

Picked this Auto Darkening welding helmet for half price.

From Z2

New Grinder/Cutter.

From Z2

And FINALLY got a vise.

From Z2

Kind of a beast but its one of the few vises at HF that got good reviews. Also paid half price.

I got this Tie rod remover at HF too. It is too big but still managed to get it to work.

From Z2

Pain in the ass.

From Z2

Got suited back up and started stripping again.

From Z2

Getting the door jams and cracks I was too lazy to do the first time through.

From Z2

Started on my Fenders.

From Z2

This one needs some straightening.

From Z2

I gotta go pick up some body work tools. Palm hammers and such.
With any luck I wont fuck this up.

New Wheels for Tokyo Auto Salon - Gram Lights 57v

2011-01-07T09:35:00.005-05:00

Mackin industries dropped these on their Facbook page yesterday and so far the reactions are very good.

Looks like they will be offering in a 15"x7.5" wheel with +0, +10, +45 offsets in 4-100/114.3 bolt patterns.

From Dirty S30

I think these wheels look downright sexy and I am very interested in the price tag as they will be a cast wheel as opposed to the forged (expensive) te37v. Heres hoping they are cheaper lol.

What do you guys think? Would you run these in 7.5"?
I would be more tempted by an 8 or 8.5 with a small negative 5 to 10 offset.

These are slated to be released at the Tokyo Auto Salon this year.

Build Deadline

2011-01-05T10:14:00.003-05:00

As some of you may have noticed I added a build deadline countdown on the sidebar.

This is the absolute last possible date that I can have phase 1 of my build done.
Engine and suspension rebuilt, car painted, reassembled, registered, inspected, and on the road.

Summer

Here goes nothing!

2011

2011-01-04T10:35:00.003-05:00

Big thanks to all my friends for being awesome.

We threw an epic NYE party to kick off 2011.

From DirtyS30

Tequila shots!

From DirtyS30

Friends.

From DirtyS30

Friends.

From DirtyS30

And more friends...

From DirtyS30

Here's to 2011!

From DirtyS30

Sweatin' Shadows

2010-12-29T09:00:00.003-05:00

From DirtyS30

I've heard these referred to as SSR Techno Shadows, and Devil Japan Shadow Spokes.
Anyone know which one came first? Or if SSR even ever really manufactured a wheel like this?

Either way they are top three wheels of all time for me.
One wheel Rota has yet to try and fuck up.

Thanks to Riverside and JNC for the flyers.

Gift from HKS!

2010-12-23T13:46:00.004-05:00

I guess I won some sort of awesomeness competition cause HKS USA sent me this in the mail!

From DirtyS30

Thanks so much guys! The PS3 controller looks dope!

HKS is now my new favorite performance company. :D

Very stoked.

go check them out at:

http://facebook.com/hksusa

Ghetto suspension mods haunt me.

2010-12-22T08:35:00.003-05:00

As I have recently noticed, my front strut towers have been redrilled.

From Z2

The word from HybridZ is that people actually redrill the holes for the towers as "a quick and dirty way to eliminate unwanted negative camber after lowering your Z car".

From Z2

Supposedly I can just run washers and torque the nuts down and I shouldn't see any ill effects.

I really didn't want to cut the tops out to run camber plates, but I also don't want to be worrying about my struts popping into the extended section of the mounting holes under stress.

What do you guys think I should do? Weld up the holes? Cut the tops out and weld in camber plates? Just leave it? Let me know!

Naked Lady

2010-12-20T14:37:00.002-05:00

From Z2

Glows

2010-12-16T14:52:00.001-05:00