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Sorry for the snow up there...Here in NC it's 48 degrees and sunny. May hit high 60s by weekend. Still doesn't change the fact that my Z is on &*%@#&@^# jackstands and I have to spend my vacation scraping off undercoating (Grrrr...), but at least I can play some golf.

Holy Crap. I hate hearing these stories--mainly because FGZ has a near-effortless solution---I have to shamelessly plug FirstGen Z for a moment. His spindle pin puller is nothing short of amazing. Absolutely best $$ spent on tools so far. Both pins came out easy--no swearing (a rarity in my garage), no beating/torching/begging/BFHing/machine shop/replacement. Screw it on, turn the nut, out comes the pin. Can't get easier than that. BTW, First Gen, you sell them for less than the cost of a spindle pin...

Kmack: While I don't have the instructions, I found labeled pics and diagrams in a thread devoted to Pertronix install. http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10538&highlight=pertronix Unfortunately, Bambikiller recently (October 2005) deleted his posts (so he IS still lurking...), but the pics should explain what you need. His first post says you can PM him, so try that too... My 2 cents Steve

Bryan: I finished up my suspension redo recently also. Wow, what an improvement! Of course, it's been subsequently dismantled to begin underbody resto, but I had to drive it just once after finishing. I have to say my favorite part was burning out the remaining old rubber bushings. The image of the moustache bar burning on both ends was great--not to mention annoying my neighbors! Congrats on the milestone... S

"The Z really just needs someone to sit down and put some time in on it. The dollars are low. Get some rubber window and door gasket and hatch trim on, patch a few weak spots in the floors, replate the rear bumper, get a front bumper and a front grill for it." Could you elaborate on that point... Thanks Steve

bump. anyone have some ideas?

Pics would be great! I probably can't make it down there until after Thanksgiving--hope it's not too much trouble... Steve

Hey all! Need some advice...After 2 tanks of gas I noticed my fuel was still real orangey-brown. Drained the tank (also orangey-brown gas), so I figured it was crud in my tank (and probably fuel ines) that was making the mess. So last week I pulled off my gas tank and have been working on getting it prepped for tank sealer. I noticed some magenta/red colored stuff along the sender hole, and when I peered into the tank via filler hole, this is what I saw... This red stuff is in filler-hole (passenger) side of the tank (a single baffle blocks left and right sides), and there's none of this stuff along the walls (that I can see) There is surface rust and varnish-type changes where this red stuff is not present Is this someone's previous botched fuel tank sealer job? Is this Red-Kote as previously mentioned in a recent post? How can/should I proceed? Fill it with stripper and hope it comes off? Send it to the radiator shop as is? Ignore it and overcoat it with POR's tank sealer? Any ideas/suggestions would be appreciated... Steve

How are the wiring harnesses, headlight extensions (particularly driver's side) and gas tank? How's the rear bumper? Is the engine bay worth picking over? Steve

Agree with Arne... Given your goals, however, I would strongly consider keeping your dished pistons and going turbo. Max hi comp L28 (that I've heard of) power is maybe 180 to the wheels before you get to 11:1 or 12:1 and race gas requirements...L28ET is the way to beat the street racers with 25+ year old technology. Good luck.

Sounds like a party...pm me with directions, and I'll be there Sunday or Monday morning. Need parts, but too many too list... How dismantled is the car? Steve

I get the feeling the pics don't give us the full picture of the car. Engine bay looks pretty clean (I think it's a smudgy camera lens on low-res setting). Rear spoiler not necessarily my style, but remember it's been modded and that restricts its appeal...Overall I bet it's a looker in person. Hope it sells high. As a slight tangent, I am a little bummed the car referenced below sold for what it did. Based on the pics, I would have hoped for 10k or better... EBay item #4588442627

I have dealt with him only once (bought a replacement oil pan), and despite it taking longer than I would have liked (2 weeks) it arrived in fine shape and without glitches... Take Zcar.com opinions with a grain of salt...

Definitely, but a "too loose" shoe is more easily fixed than a "too tight" one...at least for me Thanks for the advice! Steve

The shoes are different front vs rear (on the strut), but the same left vs. right. Rear shoe hooks into the e-brake flange (has square hole mounted on it), interfaces with the slot cut in the piston and is slightly longer than its mate which mounts in front and attaches to the adjusting wheel. Top return spring is green and has opposite-ended hooks in an S-type configuration. Bottom return spring has hooks on same side but bent 90 degrees so that they look like eyebrows when the spring is held horizontal. True, the lower return spring can be mounted anterior, but it is fully engaged and very tight, as my fingers will attest... FWIW, and messed around with the position of the cylinder in that slot, and that seemed to fix the problem. When turned, the drum slightly scuffs the shoes, and the drum spins as far as the axle without the drum attached... Of course, all of this is subject to change once the lines get hooked up and bled--who knows what problems still lurk! Steve

Thanks for the tips...The springs are well-engaged and were put back on the way I found them on disassembly (wheels spun fine with minimal engagement). I think the cylinders are on straight, but honestly not that sure. Because the other side was put on in an identical fashion I think it's an adjustment issue like you two are suggesting. I'll add that onto the "To Do" list for today! Steve

Hey folks, Just got done redoing the rear brakes on my 1972, and the shoes on the driver's side bind on the drum. The binding is not so bad that the wheel won't turn, it just doesn't spin more than 1/3 revolution (passenger side will spin 2 times by comparison. Struts are not mounted yet, and new rear wheel cylinder adjusting wheel is fully screwed in on both sides. Am I missing something? Will this issues be resolved by e-brake adjustment, rear wheel adjusting/proportion valves, etc? Any thoughts are appreciated... Here is a pic: Thanks, Steve

Just checked the thumbs--looking good! Just caught the whole "year and a half" thing...yikes! Is that typical? What other work did they have to do? Steve

Checked your gallery--no pics...would love to see it though. Steve

QUOTE VaGuS510 "You could try to use a .99 nozzle. If you think you are running rich everywhere then this should lean you out everywhere. I just installed some O2 sensors on my car and i got a nifty gauge that reads both o2 sensors at the same time. I also am going to need a richer needle. I am currently rich at idle and cruise but it leans out big time when i get on it. The only way to keep it from backfiring is to make it run really rich at idle and cruise. Therefor i get bad gas milage, about 10 mpg. I am currently running N54s on my L28. I am also leaning towards trying an SM needle as a baseline..." Vagus: Isn't the N54 stock for the SU? If so and you use a 2.8l block, I would not be surprised you run lean at WOT. I'm no SU expert by any stretch, but surely increasing displacement without changing needle diameter would cause a lean condition, yes? BTW, I looked for N27 needles and couldn't find anything...can you fill me in? Lastly, do you know of a source to buy additional needles? Checked your Teglerizer link (very nice), but they don't look like a retailer. Thanks, Steve

Great stuff.... Also, a similar discussion takes place in Des Hammill's book, "How to Build and Power Tune SU Carburettors." I find most intriguing his description of self-tuning needles by putting them on a drill press and using fine sandpaper to "polish down" the diameters to fit your application. Almost makes you want to grind your own needles...almost. Good luck, Steve