I thought i'd drop you a link to a slideshow of all the progress on the car so far plus a few new photos to show you where it's at at the moment.

 

Just having a mass ebay then ordering new parts in the next couple of weeks.

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/600zx/

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hows the work going,Any more pics?

looking Fantastic Nick:cool2::cool2:

 

I really like the spoiler that is on it.

:blushing:

That is so so cool!! Really would like a thumping v8 under the hood. And as a bonus it looks far friendlier to work on in the future. There's more room under there now!

Sorry I haven't replied to any emails yet folks if you've sent me one, flat out at the moment.

 

I'm off this week so busy working in the garage.

 

So far I've stripped back the car to work on the engine, the cars back up on ramps so I can get underneath. I've finally found a suitable place to mount the holley fuel pump and off tomorrow morning to Gelscoe Motorsport to have all the piework made up in aeroquip and braided hose.

 

Tuesday I'm off to London at 7am to pick up all the parts I need, the rest of the day will be testing valve clearance in the heads and then ordering the correct push rods.

 

Wednesday I'm connecting all the pipework up and getting the starter hooked up to turn it over for the first time (with the heads off)

 

Thursday I'll get all the heads bolted down in the fresh gaskets, intake plenum in place, carb bolted down and all fuel pipe connected. Test fuel delivery and finish radiator and water pipes.

 

The weekends going to be spent on hopefully starting and tuning the engine!

 

Wish me luck! :D

 

videos and photos to follow!

Nearly there mate hope the last bits go ok, and look forward to some vids :D

Well a crap start, disaster has struck :(

 

was going through all the prep work and found that the oil drive shaft wouldn't go in - on closer inspection I realised that that's because it has to be put in before the oil pump DOH! :headvswal

 

SO engine has to come out to fully remove the sump :(

 

so tomorrow will be spent doin just that!

 

NOT the best start to the finishing week :(

shit mate. just keep thinking how cool it will be when its finished

Wowww gonna be cool when done great project

Cheers guys, always nice to see some feedback on here.

 

I've just been to Gelscoe Motorsport and the fuel line connectors are ready now and I can mount and wire in the fuel pump today.

 

I've just sat down and done my budget for the month to work out just how much I can spend on the car tomorrow and it's not enough to get it finished :( I'm easily 500-600 quid short of what i need to spend and can't afford to go over my overdraft again - HSBC the swines have fined me another £150 this month and its just pissing money down the drain.

 

So looks like another week wasted, i'll pull the engine today to get it out the car onto the stand and strip it down to get the sump off and fit the oil pump driveshaft.

 

I might as well keep it out of the car while I wait to buy the rocker arms etc. and put a load of stuff up for sale again on ebay.

 

Time to resubscribe methinks so I can sell some stuff on here!

Its gonna be worth it mate,Chevy v8s sound awsome with a good set of headers and a four barrel carb,A neighbour has been ranting his corvette around last weekend and it sounds amazing!Stay positive it will get done. What gearbox are you using?Have you kept the standard rear axle?

I visited a drag car builder last week so see what he could do with my z31.All being well if work stays busy i may get mine in over the winter for the conversion.Even if its just the the block,box,axle.propshaft ect.Not sure which route to go down with the gearbox but were looking at the 350ciBlock ,th350 box with shifter and a narrowed ford 9" rear axle.tubbed caged ect.I have a engine reserved it needs a rebuild but i would like to turbo the chevy if i can afford to so will need compression lowered anyway.(see how the funding goes it may be on n/a for a while) any tips are welcomed.Keep up the good work

I think you emailed me didn't you buddy? Sorry if i haven't got back to you yet, things are very hectic at the mo so only get 10 mins to sit down and go through things my end.

 

Well just an update, i've managed to get all the fixtures and fitting sorted on the fuel side of things, I need to visit an engineering firm at silverstone racetrack to get some larger connectors fitted to the remote oil filter/cooler system as the ones i have are apparently aren't going to be free flowing enough.

 

I got the prop shaft off over a week ago to get it shortened and balanced so need to chase that up then spent a day on the exhaust system. Headers fit fine now, most of the front section of the exhaust is on and it won't take much (welding a single hanger/bracket into place to get it to mount up properly then i'll get the rear section shortened and mounted up properly and we're done.

 

All the brakes are done, clutch and actuators are all plumbed in, powersteering is done, all electrics are done bar the fuel pump which i'm still yet to figure out but will probably just wire in through a separate relay, connect up the senders for the fuel tank/speedo.

 

I'm going down after the 26th to get the lifters and rockers + starter motor then i'll trial fit the starter before removing the engine to place it back on the stand again and do the final bits and pieces.

 

Annoyingly i'm off on my hols the first week of july so not going to get much done till i get back :(

Okay a bit of a positive update for you guys and gals!

 

Although I didn't get much done on my week off I did manage to sort out all the connections for the fuel system, mount the fuel pump up in place and all I need to do to finish it off is pick up some braided fuel line and it's all ready to rock & roll.

 

Finally got the propshaft back last night after 2 weeks of chasing and it fits perfectly! :hyper: There's about 12mm of gap just in case there's any movement in the drivetrain but the gearbox and diff are both bolted in so shouldn't need to be too much movement.

 

I've booked tomorrow off to visit real steel in Uxbridge in the afternoon to go and have a BIG shop for parts.

 

Mainly the 3 big components I need are starter motor (the last one was too big), lifters and rocker arms.

 

Unfortunately they've put the price up of the rocker arms to £550(!) from £380 so taken me a little longer to save up for. I can't really afford to go for the cheaper ally rocker arms so i've had to opt for fully rebuildable stainless steel comp cams pro magnum rockers.

 

I've serviced the distributor with a new cap and dissy arm ready, i've got the plugs and leads, a distributor clamp and everything to sort out the electrics.

 

I'm off on my hols next weekend after Japshow but when i get back the other half is going to Cuba for 2 weeks so i'll get plenty of time to get stuck into the car.

 

I'm pulling the engine on Sunday afternoon when i get back from hers so I can get everything ready for the final part of the engine build and get that flipping oil pump driveshaft installed that i'd managed to mess up, measure the valve clearance so I can order the correct pushrods.

 

It's all go finally! :hyper:

Edited June 24, 201015 yr by bantambunny

Thats brilliant new!

 

Cant wait to see this thing on the road.

Cheers buddy, i'll pop some new pictures up soon.

 

Should definately be on the road by at least one of the zed festivals

 

Just wet your appetite, i've just switched the old steering over for the momo v6 i bought from andy:

 

Rats, out of stock of everything I need apart from the starter motor :(

 

Looks like I might have to do some creative ebaying in America but I can at least get the starter motor tomorrow while i'm down there, i'll probably buy up all the small stuff while i'm there too and get it over and done with.

I'm glad things are coming together for you Nick (and not just for my own reasons, lol ;) ) Really can't wait to see this in the flesh :cool2:

Not long to go now :dance:

great update and love the clocks!!

I'm glad things are coming together for you Nick (and not just for my own reasons, lol ;) ) Really can't wait to see this in the flesh :cool2:

 

Cheers buddy, hoping i'll be finished soon. Driving me up the pigging wall with all this sunshine and no zed! :headvswal

 

Not long to go now :dance:

 

great update and love the clocks!!

 

Cheers guys :D

Okay update time!

 

Friday i went down to Real Steel in Uxbridge to pick up the replacement starter and a few final bits and bobs to get me going.

 

Firstly the starter i had was very tight to the exhaust manifold and i ended up selling my old starter so i could afford to go and buy a "mini" starter unit.

 

Well guess what, i was presented with the exact same motor i'd just sold doh! :headvswall

 

Turns out that IS the smallest starter motor you can buy for a chevy small block - bugger! :rofl: so that lost me 40 squid for a silly mistake.

 

Never mind, I bought a mr gasket high heat starter motor jacket which apart from looking like michael jackson's glove should take some of the heat out of the stater until I can get the car driven over to an exhaust man to chop and reweld the bend in for me when it's on the road.

 

Luckily, I enquired about the rockers and they said they'd actually just recieved some in for a client that day but weren't sure if they still needed them. They gave him a quick ring and bobs your uncle I have a full set of ULTRA pro magnum comp cams rockers!

 

£300 squid but virtually indestructible and a lifetime guarantee and the latest model they do rather than the last gen ones.

 

Unfortunately found out that out of the 2 roller lifters I could fit i had to get the £550 ones not the £350 ones :( Mainly due to it being a street car i need taller lifters which are better suited to low revs for long periods of time.

 

Out of stock but being ordered to arrive in a couple of weeks time.

 

So that's nearly a grand i've spent this month on the V8 but nearly there.

 

Engine comes out this week before my hols and i'll get it on the stand ready for my return!

 

More to come :)

Progress, spent last night in the garage and ripped the engine and box out in an hour to sort out this oil pump drive shaft. If i get time i'll be pulling the sump off and getting the driveshaft in.

 

Not much more I can really do until i get the lifters but at least it's all ready to go back in then :hyper:

 

 

 

Nice to see you're working on it again, good luck!

Cheers buddy, good to hear from you - how's yours going these days? Is it back on the road again?

Back off due to knackered starter motor. Unfortunately it has exhaust manifolds wrapped around it so engine out to change! Bugger.

Crap! Sounds a bit like mine - can't get the starter in without the manifolds being off first and can't fit/remove the rad without taking the tension off the utility belt and removing a pulley completely :headvswal

 

Also found that i can't put the oil pump driveshaft in without removing the sump but can't remove the sump without taking the engine and box out!

 

Stupid hybrid cars :rofl: