cygnusx1

The system wasn't cooling off when you tested it, was it?

I feel for you. It happened to me, very similar, about two years ago. I definitely lost sleep. In the end, it all turned out great. If you have classic insurance, and good coverage, pick a good restoration shop to fix it. Don't settle for a "turn the crank" body shop. I installed a third brake light in both my Z cars right after I got rear ended.

I find it hard to believe that head gaskets fail on N/A motors after seeing the punishment they take in my L28ET. I would first investigate traditional leakage points, as in the heater hoses/core, radiator, water pump weeping, which is often dried up by the time you open the hood. Look for "slug trails" of where coolant may have dripped and dried. Carefully monitor coolant level in the overflow, and if your radiator cap is old, go get a new one.

I am in the process of doing the same thing with my L28ET. Since I needed new pistons, and the bores were oval by about 0.0012" I decided to go 20 over. I will keep it a stock spec rebuild otherwise. The crank is amazingly clean and within spec. I got a master engine kit from RPMrons.com, $530 with all you need for a short block rebuild. Pistons, rings, bearings, core plugs, turbo oil pump, timing kit, and gaskets/seals.

I use clay on all my cars. Easy, fast, and great results. Careful you don't drop the clay though. I did, and instantly ruined an expensive bar of Blackfire.

Instead of screen protectors, go to www.xpel.com and buy some bulk 3M paint protection film. Then you can cut it to size and apply it to anything you want to protect. I would be afraid that the ashtray would not open smoothly with a covering over it though. My thought is that if you are so worried about it scuffing, just keep it in the box, and find a decent used one for regular use.

Plug wires would be my first test, even if they look newish, but since you say the wire connections are not great, starting there is a good idea.

Not to belittle the Scheib family, but he might think he is getting big money because of that name in the car's lineage.

You have been very methodical! Try new plug wires first. Then check your coil and wire connections at the coil.

I made a washer of 80 grit emery cloth with a slot cut into it, and set it around the base of the ball. Pinched in between the ball and the head socket, it holds fast.

Alfa used the Quadrofolio as a good luck charm at the Targa Florio. They applied it to one of their race cars early on, and had success. They continued the tradition. If that badge was used on the rally Z cars, it was probably "borrowed" technology from Alfa, who borrowed the good luck charm from the beginning of time.. If you can read Italian: http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quadrifoglio_Alfa_Romeo

Tape it shut.

I want the engine that's in the truck pulling the engine!

Fished out piston skirts from the oil pan. Total L28ET rebuild in progress.

Off topic but relevant to the MSA exhaust discussion. IMHO, the MSA Dynomax muffler fits and looks fine. This is the aluminized 2.5" exhaust system, made for the 6 into 1 header. It is pretty darned loud, Ferrari like, for such a small looking tailpipe. I think the Dynomax muffler looks quite tidy under the 240Z. I am considering a resonator right after the header to separate myself from the "tuner crowd".

I was hitting about 125 on the straight, and running 1:12 at Lime Rock. That's not blazing, but it's not slow either. I was not at my limit, no cage, no fire equipment and no suit, so I was keeping it real. The gold Z that went past me was sporting a modified LS1 V8 powerplant. When he went past me, my car was already misfiring from the hole in the head gasket. I had the motor up around 6500 rpms quite a few times. It's a factory stock L28ET longblock with lots of miles on it. This was also my first time not in the beginner group. It was a mixed group with top level and mid level drivers. I was entry level to the group, so I let a lot of cars by, and then tried to work on my lines and braking. That Cadillac has over 550HP! There were some Porsche drivers behind me that wanted to know what was in the car, because I was pulling them on the straight.

The difference between pleasure driving, and utility driving, is the amount of time you spend near your car. When you go into a store, or work, your car is now alone and vulnerable. At a show or event, the car is surrounded by car people and much less likely to get harmed or stolen. Hagerty does not like when your car is vulnerable, for that matter, neither do I.

I'll have to get photos of how I mounted the camera. Basically it's a vertical aluminum post that I mounted to a rear strut tower bar. The top of the camera is near the hatch glass. Under the glass I stuck on some foam tape, so that when the hatch closes, the foam pushes down on the camera. This dampens vibrations. The motor is almost all apart and looks fine, other than #4 and #5 head gasket fire rings. They got pushed out, and #4 exposed a water passage, which led to me shutting down the car. Since the motor is old, it will be rebuilt, as will the turbo. I should be done in a few weeks. Then I need to think about a roll cage and harness...

I re-processed the video with improved lighting, and 720p resolution. You can actually see the gauges now.

Ah, the addiction has taken hold quickly. I am beginning the motor rebuild because I blew mine at a driving event on Thursday. It never ends!

Looks like the car handles great! Nice driving too.

Came up with a mental plan on how to pull and rebuild the blown turbo motor in the 280Z. Took a 1 hour cruise in the 240Z to help me think!

I would love to but I am a bit tied up this coming weekend. Thanks for the offer and best of luck with the competition! I will be looking forward to photos, videos, and reports of the new transmission.

"first car made to be sold," or "lowest VIN made to be sold," to the US general public would describe #13. Correct?

Finally after 5 years of slowly increasing boost, tuning, and reconfiguring injectors and ignition systems, I hit the limit of the old power plant. It's a junkyard L28ET with over 160k miles on it, that has been running boost levels 10, 12, 15, and finally 18psi with a larger turbo. Yesterday the engine had enough and blew a head gasket. Here is the final run...and what a good run it was. She was pulling like a freight train at the track with the Porsche Club and the NYZCC. It was my first time in a solo class, mixed with instructors and top level club drivers. The NYZCC, and CTZCC had a bunch of Z cars there, all of which impressed the Porsche Club. We were happily invited back to future PCA events. A random PCA member loaned me his truck and trailer so that I could run my Z home over an hour and a half away! I am running stock suspension geometry with eccentric control arm bushings, street tires, Tokico 1" lowering springs of unknown rate, Illuminas, with ST 1-1/8" and 7/8" swaybars. The motor will be rebuilt over the next couple of months. see video below...