My Vintage Rallies Texas 1000 Thread

[Zedyone_kenobi]

After months of prep, I think I have reached a point of readiness. Everything I can think of has been gone over. Somethings are not perfect but are in good working order. I finally pulled her out to wash her after so many weeks covered in dust and greasy finger prints. Everything seems to be where it needs to be. Everything feels right when she revs, starts, brakes, shifts, etc. No weird noises come from anywhere other than the usual creaks a 42 year old cars has.

With such humble beginnings she came to me in 2008. Members here helped me graciously as ever to pick the right car. Not the perfect car, but the right car. My car, like most older car has issues. Yes, it was wrecked in the front end, but it was competently repaired. Just like individuals, all cars have character flaws. They are not new. They have baggage when you buy them. You have to accept what you cannot change and move on. I love my Z. It feels like an old friend now.

You guys have been with me for every single one of my mods, fixes, complaints, dumb questions, etc. I could not have done this kind of work without the help of ALL of you here! So this is my official THANK you to all of you. You are all a bunch of fantastic guys and gals.

On to the pictures!

Hello there world! I am ready for my close up.

This my REEEEEEALLY BAD attempt a dramatic video shot...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sdamico/8003468680/in/set-72157605246065883/lightbox/

Post Wash video (please do not mind my hand squeaking on the vinyl seat headrest... It makes me crack up at the noise of vinyl on bare skin!)LOLLOL

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sdamico/8003463028/in/set-72157605246065883/?likes_hd=1

Words cannot explain how pleased I am with the results.

These cars take on a life of their own, and through this site I have been able to share the whole adventure with you guys

Next up soon will be the loading and towing pictures to the rally!

I contacted the organizers at the TEXAS 1000, and they still have some slots left for the 50 car field.

It would be great if we could get another Japanese car in there.

The organizer said she looks forward to seeing us in our 240Z. It will be the first one to make the rally. It would be epic of I could complete it with no mechanical breakdowns. I am going to do my best to show her how a Japanese inline 6 sounds!!!

[Zedyone_kenobi]

[Mike]

You are treading on some dangerous ground here, my friend.

Tlorber, jeeze now that's funny. I can't stop chuckling.

Zedyone, that car looks beautiful. Not sure if I'd drive it either.

[kjohnson2444]

Absolutely beautiful Zedy.

[72 OJ]

your ride is art in motion,pure Z porn....................

[Zedyone_kenobi]

You guys are too kind and do not forget, if this car represents any quality at all, you can give yourself a pat on the back, as the collective knowledge from the members on this board is what made it possible.

[Zedyone_kenobi]

48 days to the rally. Time is getting close and in preparation, every chance I get to get in the car and drive I am! Every chance I get to stress out the parts, I am. Today was a different kind of day. All my chores were done, and the wife and kid were happily occupied. I took the chance to take the car out for a short 40 minute drive around town in traffic and on the free way. It was the kind of day where as a driver I was not diagnosing anything. The car simply wanted to be driven.

Every overpass was a concert.

Every curb was a resonate echo of a perfectly running L28.

Every gear noise and every shift felt perfect.

It was one of those days where you leave the AFR gage in the glove box with the door closed. You fill her up with gas until she is full, and then with a heavy belly you let her slowly stretch her legs and just go. It was more like playing an instrument than driving a car. Every turn, every merge, every application of the throttle produced immediate and smile inducing physical reactions. The brakes felt strong and the car was simply wanting to never come home.

The more I drive this engine, the smoother it runs, the more OEM like it feels. With every mile that ticks the sublime magical feeling of bonding between man and machine becomes a reality. You start to look at the new engine less like a stranger under the hood and more like a new lifelong friend. Confidence replaces doubt. Trust replaces caution. The engine starts to become one with the car. The rock steady tack at every stop light and stop sign seem to dare me to drive harder. The needle unwavering at 1000 rpm at idle after a vicious romp on the throttle through all the gears indicates that all is well and with a stiff look says, "thank you sir, can I have another"

In short the car was not a project today. The car was not in diagnosis mode, the car was just a car, that was ready to be enjoyed.

And that is exactly what we did. WE just drove! And she ran flawlessly.

The next stop is the TEXAS 1000.

48 days until the automotive adventure of my lifetime fills my memories and this very thread! Stay tuned.

Edited September 24, 2012 by Zedyone_kenobi

[Mike B]

You took off the new VTO LeMans wheels and went back to your old Panasports?

-Mike

[Zedyone_kenobi]

For now, yes. I wanted to run summer tires on the rally. I currently have AS tires on the VTO. They look great. But those are 195/60 all season bridgestones, and they are good tires. But no all season no matter how good, is as good to drive as a dedicated summer tire. So I found some 205/55 yokohama's and needed to put them on a set of rims. I had the panasports unmounted and available, so I put them on those. I will run my VTO as my daily driving wheel, and use the panasports for track and rally duty.

I would love to see how the VTO's would look with 205/55's. They are substantially wider than the 195 visually. I think the VTO needs a lot of meat to look just right. While the 195's are an easy tire to live with day to day, the added grip of the 205's is nothing to sneeze at.

If I could sell my 195/60/15's I would. I would put some yokohama S drives on the VTO as well. I love how they look without the centercaps. Very much like the John Morton 240Z, which is what I really want my car to pay homage to.

I have not abandoned the VTO's, They are stored in a climate controlled storage building for after the rally.

I love them both to be honest. I could not depart with the panasports, and as soon as they were on, I started missing the VTO LeMans.

They are both wonderful wheels.

[Zedyone_kenobi]

41 days and the Rally gets closer. Did more tuning with the timing last night, but will have to start over when I get my Mallory hooked up correctly at last.

I asked about the entry list, and this is the reply I got from Rich Taylor, one of the organizers putting on the rally...

We're looking forward to seeing you and Greg. We'll have a final entry list later on, but right now it has some cool cars, including a real C-type Jaguar, Maserati A6GCS, a bunch of Corvettes, Ferraris and Porsches, etc. And two Datsuns, your 240Z and a 260Z, plus a TR-6 and BMW 3.0 CSI.

You'll have a lot of fun, we promise!

So the entry list looks fun, but my question is

WHO IS THE OTHER Z CAR!?

It will be great to represent the Z guys out there! 2 Z's among some very pricey sheet metal. That makes me very happy. November will take forever to get here no doubt.

I googled the Maserati, and it is just stunning! As is that C type Jag! I will make sure not to touch them! I cannot afford to touch the oil leaking from those cars!

[Zedyone_kenobi]

Great Tid Bit from the Organizer Rich. He asked me for pictures and when I sent him pictures of my Z he replied with this...

Hi Stephen,

Got it. Pretty car. I like the color and the Minilite/Panasport wheels. Very cool. FYI, I was Managing Editor of Car & Driver in 1971 when we built the 240Z Omega project car. I have lots of stories about that car. I'm also having lunch with my friend Bob Sharp the week before the rally to talk about doing a book on Bob Sharp Racing vs Group 44.

Thank you!

Never Lift!

Rich

Neat book that will be worth the reading!

[Quinn'Z]

sounds like a lot of fun, great looking car btw!