JHzcar

this did not happen, instead i advanced the existing cam by 4 more degrees, grabbed a set of stock head bolts from oriellys and my friend helped me remove the broken ARP head bolt, got the engine back in the car and it fired up on open headers and no tune whatsoever, but the cam definitely sounds different from the last time with open headers, sounds like hot for teacher now! had to leave for school before i could drive it, but ill be back in less than 3 weeks where ill get things dialed in right. i just want to drive the car, beyond any modifications i need seat time. im not driving around the understeer very well and its causing some very slow driving. i orginally believed that the car was too oversteer prone, but further review of old racing footage brought me to realize hat its the corner entry understeer, then when the front finally catches i have too much input to the steering and its being too hash on the rear for corner exit, and v8 power isnt helping that. plan of attack is learning the tendancies of the car, adjusting my driving style as best i can, amd then starting with moving the engine/transmission forward and backwards since i have about 3" of adjustment to play with. once i get them in a happy place balance wise i can start looking at swaybars and such. I'll try to update again after ive driven the car some. the debate for more power always exists, its pretty fun being able to put bus lengths on them fancy dodge hellcats from a 60-160, but thats just the car showing off and i want something more, i strive to be a better driver regardless of what car im in, and i think the z will help with that. i can also detune the engine at will, and when the car comes up to AZ next semester and sees 5500-8200ft of elevation the loss in hp will be significant, which wil force me to improve my driving to keep up, especially against some of the boosted cars we have up here. I'll also likely be switching to some cheap all seasons for AZ until the weather warms enough for the nittos to provide an advantage, i hope to use them as an opportunity to get better at driving near the limit, as well as learning the roads around here. i will not drive in the snow rain or on salted roads, the nittos just cant get enough heat in them when its cold out, which happens a lot around here. we have a mountain road that gets very twisty nearby and with the average age in this town being 55, the whole road is empty after 8pm, a few weeks ago 10pm i drove from one side to the other and back and didnt encounter a single other car for over an hour of driving, but that was in the truck which handled those corners impressively well all things considered. with regards to swaybars as i approach that step in coming months, do yall have any recommendations for swaybars? im looking at the 1-1/8" front and 1" rear or possibly 1" for both, but starting with modifying my stock ones to get a real world understanding of how it affects the car. for now im primarily focused on handling, ride quality doesnt matter, im young and my body can still take it. on that same note, is there any handling benefits to be had for swapping from polyurethane bushings to steel ball bearings on the control arms? none of these suspension thoughts are critical for now, just something to daydream about until i can get back to the car. ill try to upload some pics and possibly video later this week of engine assembly. thank y'all for your continued support and advice throughout the years

quick update, shifter is awesome with the full manual vb, I got a new carb proform 750, switched to a holley style carb with high speed airbleeds and more stuff i can tune. i started college, im at ERAU prescott studying aerospace engineering, learning a lot of good things that i can later apply to the car, and theres lots and lots of mountain roads around here so once the cars up here that should be fun. over the summer i did do more autoX racing and claimed a first place finish in my class by default(no one else was racing in my class) and ive been improving my handling, i adjusted all my ride heights for even height side to side and even camber, and slightly less rake to keep the back end a lil more planted, illl document my handling journey as i gain more seat time and can hit my now local mount roads more often. i blew a headgasket before leaving for college, caught it early enough that there wasnt any damage, but i snapped a headbolt on reassembly so ill deal with that when i get home for thanksgiving. going to rebuild with head studs and mls headgaskets, and gonna swap to a much bigger cam, 4/7 swap with 250ish duration and .530ish lift, solid lifter ect. i also have nitrous if i need more speed, but i imagine i wont get much use out of it around here. i been looking at swaybars to help with the bodyroll, but theyre pretty expensive especially for a now broke college student, anyone have any experience with making their own for these cars? i was looking at doing like a splined setup but ill have to see, may just end up buying some anyways. ill upload pics when i get back to texas next week.

i think the v8 weighs similar or possibly less than the l28, no accessories, aluminum heads and intake ect, but the positioning sets it off, its not hard to slide the engine front or back an inch or so to help balance, i just really need to start with a full day and a set of scales, the car has a little bit of a lean towards the driverside and a lot of rake, but i haev adjustable height on all 4 corners and i can move the engine around to help get it dialed just right, i think if i get 4 bathroom scales i can stack wood under the other 3 tires and balace the cat corner by corner.

finally got this car onto the autocross course!! super fun stuff, only real issue im fighting is just keeping the #5 wire from arcing onto the header, its too close to the plug to even fit an actual boot or sleeve, much less a ceramic one, so ive been experimenting with heat shrink and it works for a while but eventually will tear around an edge or something. as far as autocrossing the car, it definitely needs some dialing in, the car is very raw, rowdy and unrefined, as to be expected with a v8z driven by a 17 year old. i live on dirt roads so keeping everything set is near impossible, but if i can get my suspension set evenly then i can work on effectively setting tire pressures. i met another racer with a turbo L28 280zx, and his car was a lot better around the cones than mine, he had a lot better and a lot more dialed in suspension setup. ill try to upload videos from the past 2 events ive gone to, if youve never done autocross before, get out there and do it! so so so much fun! IMG_2686.MOV IMG_2687.MOV IMG_2782.MOV IMG_2786.MOV

cm-chat-media-video-1:4808e0eb-ec57-519d-a198-2dc2384e2854:7690:2:0.MOV cm-chat-media-video-1:4808e0eb-ec57-519d-a198-2dc2384e2854:7690:1:0.MOV cm-chat-media-video-1:4808e0eb-ec57-519d-a198-2dc2384e2854:7690:0:0.MOV trans got back in the car, it drives and shifts great! the shifter i had before kept skipping 2nd so i ordered a new one thats gated and it should be bitchin! also got a new tv cable and shift cable so i been working on installing that. car has purple one way tints that look gorgeous! timing was set at 35 total and hadnt slipped but its breaking up at rpm so im looking at my carburetor to figure out whats up. i drove it to the first day back to school and didnt get pulled over this time so im quite happy! ill update when i get it tuned right cm-chat-media-video-1:4808e0eb-ec57-519d-a198-2dc2384e2854:7690:1:0.MOVcm-chat-media-video-1:4808e0eb-ec57-519d-a198-2dc2384e2854:7690:2:0.MOVcm-chat-media-video-1:4808e0eb-ec57-519d-a198-2dc2384e2854:7690:0:0.MOV

PETG, it has good resistance to gasoline and should be ok with the temps, if it has issues then i can switch materials and resolve it. i’m currently soaking a sample part in E10 gasoline for a few days to see how it reacts. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

quick update, realized i haven’t updated this in a while. july 25th: i figured out my jetting issue was timing, my distributor slipped and it had 12* total, i’m surprised it even ran. also trans gave up transmission: i blew up my 4l60(700r4) which wasn’t shocking just disappointing, i was hoping it would last longer. fully disassembled and everything flushed ect, it burned the forward clutch and the band, and the lower planetary gear set was junk. upgrades coming: .500 boost valve, hardened sunshell, wide band, new frictions, unbreakable pump rings, 13vane pump, 2-3 shift kit and full manual valve body, and i’m gonna go for a 3500stall torque converter, just give it a little more jump off the line i also 3d printed a carb spacer, after i get it running consistently i plan on porting the intake, and building a custom header for the driver side, i can 3d print 1” sections that snap together and have angles ect to model it before i cut and weld stuff, but that’s after i’ve driven the car for a bit cuz i needa drive this damn car school has crushed me these past couple of months so i ain’t been able to work on the car like i’ve wanted, but when i get it back together i’m gonna be the fastest car at the school Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

its been a min since i posted an update so here goes, ill try and keep it semi in order and ill attach lots of pics cause itll be nice to look back n see the progress ive made. shortly after my last update i did the s13 coilover conversion, and noticed a significant improvement, next goal is to do sway bars but that will be a while. i shed 19lb up front and 7lb in the rear, while not really important it was interesting seeing the difference. i used the maxpeedingrods coilovers from ebay, and they've actually been decent, should i need to replace them they are quite cheap. i did the alignment myself, -2.7* on the front and the rear is whatever cause i cant adjust it yet, and i set it to 1/8" of toe out but ill move it closer to zero toe soon. i also added a bunch of rake to the car to offset the squat some and make the car look more how i want it to. carburetor: sunk a float and set the engine on fire, but i had a fire extinguisher on hand so im just cleaning up residue, nothing major got burned thankfully, i also have been trying to sort why my jetting changes dont affect performance and it always behaves like its lean especially when it gets hot, culprit is what i believe to be gasoline boiling inside the carb as heat from the intake manifold transfers and heats the carb, causing vaporlock. ill 3d print a plastic spacer to alleviate this issue hopefully. electrical: ignition wise i lost an icm inside my hei, replaced it and things got better, been having trouble with keeping all 8 cylinders firing but ill resolve it one day. i also updated/cleaned up some wiring, so its easier to sort in that regard. i tried to wire the tcc lockup on my 700r4 but its not working so ill check my wiring again and go from there, millions of different ways to wire a 700r4 lockup. timing at the dizzy also seems to randomly be slipping which is odd, gonna try a few things after its redialed in to resolve it. exhaust: i finally built a full system for it, i loved the open headers but after my ear dripped blood onto my shiny valvecover i had enough and decided it was time, i did dual 3" in to single 3" out with a nice borla atak muffler, it sounds literally exactly how i wanted it to so i couldn't be happier, and my ears dont ring after driving the car. ill try to attach video of it. transmission: dropped the transmission for the 3rd time this year, replaced the tail shaft seals and bushings, sealed up the governor cap and the dipstick tube so i now officially don't leak any fluids in noticeable amounts, which warms my heart. tires: currently on nitto nt05, 200tw tire and they actually have some grip, combined with the suspension upgrades this thing handles really well, but is very twitchy so i need to tone it back a bit. racing: i am officially signed up for my first autoX race on august 15th, im super excited, i been working hard trying to get the car dialed in enough to go race, so if i can pass tech then i will have a ton of fun, even if i break the car at the start line ill still be happy gonna try and add pics, feel free to ask questions or leave suggestions IMG_5335.m4v 64832813541__345AF4C7-37FE-4190-B4EE-1B1B2090E00B.m4v IMG_5247.m4v

finally got the car to run, and i drove it today, my what a blast that was until the trans died and i had to tow it home, and ****ed up my truck in the process. i had slack in the throttle cable so i could only get about half pull, but it would still break the tires loose in 3rd at 50mph, so time for better rubber, im getting some nitto nt05s installed tomorrow in a 235/40R17 front and a 275/40r17 rear so hopefully they will grip better. also note to future self if i need to replace the dizzy again i need to advance it more than i think. i did eventually get the lt1 longtube headers to fit my car, but its very far from just a bolt in and go kinda deal, definitely wouldn't advise unless you have more patience than a saint times 1000. if anyone wants a full writeup on what i did to make them fit i can post one, but itd really be so much better just to get a custom one made. also the car now leaks oil worse than it did before and its pissing me off, but its simples fixes, the first leaks are the fittings on my remote oil filter, i had to relocate to clear headers, but i was able to put the oil filter right behind the hole where the i6 airbox would've gone, allowing me to get somewhat of a cooling effect on the filter. the second issue is my valvecovers, the stamped steel dented around the bolt holes and lost any sealing capabilities so it leaks a fair bit onto the header, making a constant massive smokeshow and coating my windshield in oil. i ordered new valvecovers that are a cast aluminum so that they have a much thicker gasket surface that i can make seal better. after these areas are addressed it should seal, everything except those two has been sealing fine without issue my brother and i went to go look at an 82 for him, still with the original i6, it is in much better shape than mine was at first, so hopefully it works out for him, i think itll be cool both having Z's. he rode with me today as we were breaking it in and it was a lot of fun, hes been helping me these past few nights waking up at 7am and going to bed at 3am just trying to get the car done, and ive been appreciative of that i lost a trans cooler line while i was out and drained the transmission while i was driving, i think how much i abuse this trans is really proof that they arent as bad as people say they are if you do the necessary mods to them(bascially just a shift kit and up the line pressure some). ill replace the line with something better, change filter and inspect trans for damage and call it a day. in the process i had to trailer it home, and my dad forgot to lock the hitch to the ball, so when i drove onto the trailer it jumped up and slammed into my tailgate, it made me shed a manly tear, but it still opens and closes so im just gonna pretend the dent and hole in the tailgate doesn't exist, besides would it really be a toyota if i didn't constantly beat the stuffing out of it? ill upload some pics of the car and some videos of driving it, the videos are definitely a volume on deal with how nice the open headers sound, carb still needs some tuning but the engine only has 27miles on it, lots of mid throttle acceleration then letting the car engine brake to establish a good ring wear pattern, basically just running from 2000-4000 rpm with no more than half throttle, and a bunch of in between stuff, feel free to leave comments or ask questions cm-chat-media-video-TAQMBPnXfUwQnJBIj7xk2.mov cm-chat-media-video-9rCc9naPlQiGuZmTbwZO4.mov

quick update: engine has been fully assembled, only had to do some minor grinding on the block for clearance of the rod caps and bolts, and of course they forgot to send the flexplate so i had to wait for that after 3days of customer service calls, but they were nice so i didn't really care. i sealed everything to RacerX's advice so now the engine should hold oil as intended, lots of nice parts so i'm excited to get it running! Engine and trans are back in the car, currently working out how to make these headers fit, if i can get the driverside to fit then ill just use a blockhugger on the passenger side for the time being. i borrowed an oxy acetylene torch from a friend and the goal is the bend the collector slightly so that it stops hitting the frame rail allowing the header to bolt up, and i've made a sizeable dent in the primaries to clear the gearbox, but i'm out of oxygen so i'm waiting on another tank before i can finish that task. i drained the fuel cell today, gonna replace all of the rubber lines and the fuel pump. i installed a fuel pressure regulator as well so that i can monitor that and keep the carb from flooding at idle. car sits almost a full inch higher than before just from the amount of weight removed from it, and it has a much simpler look now which makes me happy. i'm gonna have to get a cage fairly soon, i'm thinking the jegs 12pt cage for the 240z and just modifying it slightly to fit the zx(if anyone has done this chime in with your experience), i have a good welder and a tubing notcher so install can only be so impossible, but that'll be a summer project. i attached some pics hopefully of the engine on the stand and of my girlfriend and i installing the engine and some misc snapchat stories from building the engine and stuff. ill update again when its making loud noises! 7cc84cb45e5a4665b672a3befbfb6e1b.MOV 0f2a0ce1d465479a8577d349edea3d71.MOV 849b93a74e8948a782d29384ba135b5d.MOV

you've owned lot of my dream cars, thats really really cool! the paint color i used is from tcp global, its called "Royal Crown Purple" https://tcpglobal.com/products/kus-umb-8011-qt_2, its a urethane based paint, i couldn't decide between red and blue and so purple seemed to be the best compromise. as far as transmissions i like the 700r4 but i do agree that a manual would a lot of fun, but i don't have the budget for that at the moment. however i will be putting a gated shifter on the transmission so i can choose and hold each gear similar to a manual, but it still won't quite be the same. maybe when i inevitably explode the 700r4 it'll get manual swapped. with sealing the chevy engines do you have any advice you could give? i'm replacing all the gaskets and cleaning all the surfaces beforehand but is there some secret tricks to make them last longer/seal better?

more when the oil pressure has a very slight surge at idle is when it’s time to top off, it only had a 5qt pan so it didn’t have to lose much to start surging Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

a few things, valvecovers leaked, timing cover leaked, the intake manifold by the distributor has a leak, there is a small pipe plug that rotted out and leaked, rear main seal leaked and the valve guide seals on the heads were old and rotten so it burned a fair bit as well. but i have the engine fully apart now and a full gasket set ready so it shouldn’t leak a drop once i’m done with it :) Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

unfortunately not yet, as up until now the car leaked about a quart of oil every 30 miles and it still wouldn't come close to passing a tech inspection, and track time is fairly expensive so its a little further down the line of places to drive. however i live on some very twisty roads that are plenty of fun!