Countdown to ZCON

[d240zx2]

Beautiful work, Steve. I hope to see you in N'ville.

[gnosez]

Answer re: nylon crap after plating - use a dremel tools w/wire brush and remove the foam that floats on the top of the plating solution. It hardens and leaves a real "nice" deposit that makes you think the ball ends are no longer use-able.

Some work will be needed to get them back to normal but the ball is still in there.

I have over 30 ends still to do myself....

[madkaw]

Gnose,

thanks for the advice, I actually took an end off of an extra linkage and secured it to the end by drilling a hole thru the plastic and rod and using a cotter pin to hold it on. It wasn't the most desirable fix, but it worked in the pinch. My plastic really looked damaged and when i took it back to the plater he tried using a different method of cleaning up the metal next time before plating. He actually used a media blast instead of chemicals to prep the pieces before plating. The problem with this method is that the zinc doesn't shine as well, it turns out almost matte finish. I don't have any more pieces to do to try an perfect a method with the plater, but he was suggesting a nickle dipping before the zinc. In the end, I am going to live with what i have.

D240zx2-thanks for the comments and I hope to see everyone there(IN MY CAR). The pressure is mounting.

[xs10shl]

Ive got a few workarounds i use with my local plater which helps preserve the nylon in my nylocks so they maintain their color and substance. This may or may not be applicable to your situation.

The silver zinc or silver cad process itself seems to not damage or discolor the nylon, but the cleaning process does. Now I put all my nylocks into a descalar bath in an ultrasonic cleaner prior to sending it to the platers. The descalar and ultrasonic cleaner costs a few hundred and is useful for removing rust and plating.

Alternatively, if every surface which needs to be plated is exposed, you can put the part in a media blaster to clean it, and then polish it on a wire wheel until it gleems. Tell the plater to forgo the cleaning process and plate it clear zinc. If you want it to look really sharp you can also tell the plater to not add any blue color to the zinc. The resultant part will look shiny silver, hopefully with the nylon unharmed.

This works for me, hopefully for you too.

Edited May 23, 2010 by xs10shl

[xs10shl]

Sorry for the previous post. It's a mess. I'm on a mobile.

[edit - fixed it]

Edited May 23, 2010 by xs10shl

[Walter Moore]

I am counting the days myself. I have my new weatherstrip installed. (Thanks to all those from the Indy Z car club who helped)

But now my stereo has died, and the battery is failing. So I have a schedule to get things replaced.

Must be done by July 28...

[Samuel]

thanks for sharing this and i hope that you will share more that type in future thanks

buddy............

Rueckfahrsystem

[madkaw]

Although it was only about a block, but it did move under it's own power instead of me pushing it around on dollies. Did I say this thing is LOUD-like hide the women and children loud.

It did really feel SOLID going down the road and i couldn't hear any strange noises coming from anywhere -because it's so freakin LOUD. I will try and post a video this week.

I have to do some double checking but I believe I will be ordering some magnaflows this week. They actually make something small enough for my cramped space. It took so long to get the pipes to sit right in the rear valance and i will have to start all over again:cry: Oh well, I only wasted 25$ on Both glasspacks, so i'm not out a bunch of $$$.

I will be posting soon for some wiring help. I am getting down to the final stuff in and around the fuse box and accessories and i seem to have too many loose ends going on. Like the combination switch has a blue/white wire(male bullet end) that seems to go nowhere. The schematic shows wiper, but the wipers work fine. I also have extra wires since i went from automatic to manual-i.e. kick down seloniod. My biggest worries are that the dash lights don't work yet, do all the circuits have to be complete to get the dash lights to work-as in parlking light grounds??

I start a new schedule next week that should help me gain some time to finish this car up-but it will be down to the wire.

[Walter Moore]

Congratulations! That first drive is a major event, proof that the long hours weren't in vain.

See you in July I hope.

[Ron Carter]

I think there will be a good chance that a few of us from the West Coast will be there.

[madkaw]

Well i'm stilling making headway, but it seems to be an hour at a time. The clock is ticking in the back of my mind constantly and reminding me to stay on task. The engine compartment is about complete except for tying up some loose ends with the headlight wiring. I am waiting on my airbox to get back from the powder coater. I have given up on having the triple Mikunis on the car before I go, I'm just going to run out of time.

The wiring i still giving me fits, but I expected that. I am going from automatic trans to manual, plus retro fitting some newer model stuff on the car which adds to the mess. I can't get my dash lights to work and i am getting a headache from staring at the schematic. I do have all my exterior lights working, including reverse lights and turn signals.

I got my spoiler buffed out and mounted up, so now she is looking pretty good. I still have to wet sand and buff out the entire car.

I have a weeks vacation at the end of the month and i'm hoping to have things looking better by then-if not- I might have to consider not making it in time-but I'm keeping my hopes up.

[Walter Moore]

Hope you finish in time.

Personally, I am waiting on my MSA rear speaker enclosure. I have new speakers and a new stereo to replace my dead Aiwa unit, but I need the enclosure. Hopefully we will both be ready.