[2023] What Did You Do To/with Your Z Today?

[Patcon]

5 hours ago, MyDatsun240Z said:

I may not have mentioned but the car was sitting for over 18 years.  As part of maintenance, I will eventually replace all the front end components but I am doing it a little at a time.  I have been putting a good amount of $ into it so taking little chunks at a time.  One thing that set me back a bit was the fuel tank.  I also didn't think getting the interior pieces was going to be such a big cost.  I have original blue interior and I have a number of missing pieces.  

For the front end I plan to do ...

- ball joints - this also includes the lower bracket because I have an early 70 model.

- tie rods

- lower control arm bushings

- sway bar bushings

- steering coupler bushing

- going to need to replace the lower ujoint in the steering column

Yup, there are a lot of moving parts in the front end. Probably not going to find one thing that makes all the difference. Might be a few small things that get you to where you want to be

[Jeff G 78]

I made good progress today in my effort to get the 280Z back on the road after a long nap.  I pulled the trans and replaced the rear main seal, the trans output shaft seal, clutch release arm boot, replaced the speedo pinion and replaced the O ring, and got the trans back in.

Working alone on jack stands sucks.  30 years ago, I could just pull the trans by hand and drop it on my chest, but I'm older and weaker now, so I just used a floor jack to lower the trans.  I thought installing it would be much worse, but I made two alignment dowels which worked great.  I cut the heads off two long hardware store bolts, cut a slot in the end and rounded the edges.  I made one bolt longer than the other and I screwed them into the two lower block holes.  I put the longer one in the hole with the dowel.  With the two alignments pins in place, I could get the trans started over the long pin and then rotate the trans to match the second pin.  Once lined up, I slid the trans right in.  It was the easiest trans install I've ever done. 

I'm taking Monday off work, so I will install the starter, driveshaft, shifter, console, speedo cable, and add MT90.  From there I just have to wait for an order to show up from Jegs with the 2-1/2" 3-bolt flange collector so I can finish the exhaust install.

My daily driver 911 is sold and ships to Georgia in a few days.  I bought a new GR86, but it won't arrive until mid-November.  I'll be borrowing cars until the Z is on the road and once it is, it will be my DD for at least 6 weeks.  Hopefully, I don't find a bunch of other things that need attention.  I briefly considered getting a few year old 370Z, but The GR86 is more like the original 240Z.  It weighs about the same as a 280Z and has 228hp, so it should be a fun DD.  The 1st gen didn't do anything for me, but the 2nd gen is better in every way.

[Yarb]

Tell me more about the GR86, You have my curiosity!

[Jeff G 78]

6 minutes ago, Yarb said:

Tell me more about the GR86, You have my curiosity!

 

Here is a random pic off the interwebz.  I got a red premium manual trans.  Dealers in AZ want $10k over sticker, so I found one in Ohio for sticker and I'll have it shipped out to AZ.  The new Z and the Supra are $15k - $20k more than the GR86 and they weigh much more.  

[Yarb]

From that pic it looks like it may be a bit shorter than the Z. Pretty cool.

[siteunseen]

10 hours ago, Yarb said:

From that pic it looks like it may be a bit shorter than the Z. Pretty cool.

Here's one that looks more like the 2023 Z. I really like these and have had good luck with Toyotas. Jeff you are my hero, well you and Guy...many more too. 

[Jeff G 78]

1 hour ago, siteunseen said:

Here's one that looks more like the 2023 Z. I really like these and have had good luck with Toyotas. Jeff you are my hero, well you and Guy...many more too. 

The orange is a special edition and they are impossible to find.  Dealers think they are made of gold.

I can't afford a new Z, and frankly, I'm not sure I'd want one.  The GR86 weighs 800 lbs. less than the Z which makes it more playful.  The Z is a nice car, but it's just too big for me.

I am sad to see the 996 go, but at nearly 150,000 miles, it should be a weekend car now and not a daily driver.  I don't have the garage space, or money to keep it and buy another car.

[Jeff G 78]

My vacuum hoses are all cracked. Can somebody tell me what size they are?  I'm measuring 7/32" OD, but I can't get a good ID. 

[Jeff G 78]

I found an old roll of vacuum hose in my toolbox and it seems like it will work, but the ID feels a tad bigger than the original hose and the OD is much larger. The box is marked 7/64"  It will work for now, but it still doesn't seem like the correct match. I only care about the OD where it goes through the firewall grommet. The thick wall hose will never go through. 

[siteunseen]

I want to day 5/16 OD?

[Randall.K12]

On 9/4/2023 at 1:26 PM, MyDatsun240Z said:

I remember you,  I was in the blue one that is in need of a paint job.  Where are you getting it tuned?  Are you going to ZONC on Sunday? 

 

Tokyo calling was a break-in trip.  We had recently gotten the car going after not running for all those years. We have driven it around town but a 300 mile trip was a good shakeout.  

 

Ah, nice!  

Hoover at Turbohoses tuned it.  209whp and 207 torque.  Pretty fun to wind it out for the first time in a while.

[SteveJ]

Hanging out at Atlanta Motorsports Park north of Atlanta for ZNationals Track Day.