1973 Rebuild

[Matthew Abate]

Okay, so here's the plan on moving this forward, since I just got our property tax bill:

1. Strip what parts I can reach without lifting the car
2. Buy a rotisserie in late February
3. Drop the suspension
4. Weld everything that's is just tacked or stitched up solid
5. Strip all of the paint off the car
6. Send it of to get the remaining paint media blasted off if necessary
7. Body Sealer
8. Have the body shop evaluate the metal
9. Epoxy primer
10. Put it on ice for a few months
11. Work on the suspension while I save money

Edited January 13, 2017 by Matthew Abate

[Patcon]

Sounds like a good plan

[wheee!]

Double the time allowed for each phase. Then when it takes twice as long as that you won't be disappointed.... as much.

[sweatybetty]

On 1/13/2017 at 5:28 AM, wheee! said:

Double the time allowed for each phase.

i agree

[wheee!]

I'm in year two on the rotisserie and still not done metal work ...

[Matthew Abate]

I think I have 16 hours of mandatory metalwork, max. I really just need to get the floor welding finished. The rotisserie is more for stripping the underside of the car than welding, but since I still have some I'm thinking get it hung before I finish it.

Technically, I could do everything without one, but I'm thinking of going around all the seems and stiffening up the car and it would just be easier to do it standing up.

[Matthew Abate]

Update: I made a decision on my fuel system today, at least for the medium term.

I got a very sweet deal on an N36 intake manifold, but it didn't have the gargantuan 260Z balance tube, so I scrounged around, located, and pulled the trigger on a Euro-spec E41 balance tube for about the same money I've seen the US-spec E46/E88 ones of for. Not a bad bit of internet shopping, if I do say so myself.

I also have a set of 1972 SUs laying around that I grabbed at the imports show in Pennsylvania last year. I had intended to use them to familiarize myself with the SU carbs in case I want to rebuild the set on the L24 that I pulled out of my car, but now the plan is to rebuild the extra set and mate them to this intake setup described above.

The implications are as follows:

• This system requires me to go smog-system free, which is okay by NJ-emissions standards, but makes me feel a little guilty.
• I probably won't be going with the triple-Mikuni system I was considering. That's okay because I'm saving at least $1,800 and haven't seen definitive data on any gains that system supposedly provides.
• The engine bay will be cleaner
• The character of the car will be closer to original
• The expense was small enough that I can still change my mind and resell these parts without it hurting
• This makes my exhaust-header options much more straight forward

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I feel really good about this direction. The parts are in the mail, so I'll let you know how they look when they arrive.

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A few things left to figure out later:

• Do I go with a mechanical fuel pump (the consensus for L24s and L26s is yes, but this is an L28)?
• How will I set up these carbs?
• Do I install the larger fuel lines I would have needed for the Mikuni system anyway?

Edited January 17, 2017 by Matthew Abate

[Takhli]

I think you'll be fine with the mechanical pump, Matt. 

Not certain on how to re-jet the SU's and they may use needles, too, but they should handle the additional 220cc's with no problem. Also, they cannot be much more difficult to work than the carbs we modified for Betty. If you were going to make the engine live and work consistently at high RPM, that would be different, but we'll use the larger fuel lines to handle the fuel volume and work the carbs to provide the necessary mixture.

 

[Matthew Abate]

32 minutes ago, Takhli said:

I think you'll be fine with the mechanical pump, Matt. 

Not certain on how to re-jet the SU's and they may use needles, too, but they should handle the additional 220cc's with no problem. Also, they cannot be much more difficult to work than the carbs we modified for Betty. If you were going to make the engine live and work consistently at high RPM, that would be different, but we'll use the larger fuel lines to handle the fuel volume and work the carbs to provide the necessary mixture.

 

Right, I just meant that I haven't put any effort into figuring out how to set them up yet. I fully expect that they will need an overhaul.

Besides, they're filthy.

Edited January 17, 2017 by Matthew Abate

[Mark Maras]

 Agree with takhli, mechanical pump is all you need. IMO, a thorough cleaning of the carbs and basic tuning procedures should be all you need. @rossiz has SU's on his 280. I don't remember him changing nozzles or needles. No need for larger fuel lines.

[rossiz]

i just adjusted 'em with the stock needles - runs great. at some point i'll install some sniffers in the header to see just how the mixture is across the rev range, but really that will be to tweak it for the last 10% of performance. i drive it daily and love the way it runs. i have a little airtex electric fuel pump mounted in place of the stock efi pump. sounds like a little fish tank pump - little purr in the background that lets me know it's running

[Matthew Abate]

eBay win! NOS Nikki MFP for $50 shipped. Huzza.

Yeah, I know it's not original to a '73, but neither is my engine. The guy who has the Denki one I was watching wouldn't come down under $90 and I couldn't find an Ampco. I figured that since both of them have the same chance of being shot and needing a rebuild, and the replacement parts for both will be at least $50, why not get the one everyone covets for about half the price? 🤣


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