With the move looming up this Friday and 4 weeks left of having a garage to work in I've been pushing on to finish the engine off and get it running before I left.

 

Unfortunately I've had a bit of bombshell which is going to stop the project for the foreseeable future and I can't warrant spending any more money or time on it for at least 6 months.

 

When I originally bought the car and parts I was told the pistons were 30 thou over and that's the figure I've always had in my head. When we found the original block was duff a replacement was found by the previous owner and I was just told to take the piston to check clearance.

 

At no point what i told the block was any particular size and good to their word the engine and block fitted perfectly together with perfect clearance and ran beautifully.

 

When it cracked I went out looking for, found and purchased a 4.030" bore block, crank clearance was spot on and then I decided to double check the bore.

 

On the new block i was getting a consistent figure of 4.030" as I'd expect whereas i was getting 4.038" on the old one. This puzzled me but i assumed the machining had been sloppy or there was some wear and all that was needed was the 16 rings reground and refitted and all would be well.

 

...until i measured the base of the pistons which turned out to be 4.037" and checking them against the bore bare they don't fit. After looking up the part number - what do they come up as? 4.040" bore pistons :headvswal

 

So without £200-300 to get the block re-bored and the time to get it there, back and rebuilt ready to leave my current house I'm left with no other option but to shelve the project, tow it to the new house and stick it under a cover to rot.

 

The engine and parts will sit over at my gran's empty single garage until a point where I can get the block bored out and start the rebuild but without a garage big enough to pop it in the car and without a transporter to move it it's going to be close to impossible to finish until I've got at least another grand in my pocket.

 

I've just bought a house with my bro who's facing being laid off so I'd have to take on his half of the mortgage, I owe my dad over a grand for the Mondeo I've borrowed money to buy to replace the rover, I've spent every last penny I could lay my hands on to get all the parts in, I owe a few hundred to the inland revenue at the end of this month, £400 on solicitor's bills and i have to build a driveway which'll cost me a few hundred.

 

So sorry guys and gals that's the last you'll see on the 600zx thread until further notice :cry:

hi Nick,

 

really sorry to hear about your recent problems - that cracked block was a cruel blow. glad to see you're feeling a little more positive today.

 

When times are bad its best to think about what you have got, rather than what you haven't: you're buying a house which (in this time of crisis) is pretty remarkable and (touch wood) have a steady job - so, it could be worse. It just goes to show, you can't always have your cake and it eat.

 

On a plus note, things should soon improve - you'll have enough on your plate with the new house for a few months, then by the time the summer is up and running you can have another bash at getting your project fully finished (if you don't manage to finish it now, that is) and still have plenty of sunshine to enjoy it. Things always seem worse on a piss-wet misreable winter's day:yes:

 

Take it easy bud, hope to see you soon!

The only problem is the price of petrol is going up and up, what could cost 70 quid to fill a tank now could be £140 a litre if i leave it any longer so i want to get it on the road while i can economically enjoy it.

 

I'll just have to bite the bullet and cough up the last £180 and hope it's the LAST £180 :headvswal

 

Don't worry too much about the rising fuel costs, the rise in duty and potential rises thereafter are just not manageable and could potentially hit the economy hard, thereby forcing government to reduce duty. Its extreemely possible that in the long term, meaning 2 to 3 years, fuel costs could go down again. Also the coalition is unstable and so anything could happen in that respect.

 

I dont think that its gna go up to £140 a litre :tt2: (dont give nightmares pls), £1.40 yes, but maybe being patient for a while could pay off.

 

vic

Nick I would be quite happy to send you a cheque for £20 to help you get the honing done, I am sure a few others will do the same.

Times are a bit hard for me aswell got to find £2500 by the end of March :( othewise I would have sent you £50 to help out.

If you keep everyones address you can send the £20 back in a few months when your a bit better sorted.

Mate we have all been here, so dont be bashfull about accepting the help :)

 

Allan

ach sorry to hear that mate. No-one else has put more effort in than you - even when it all went t*ts-up the other week you kept going! if you choose to then I know you will get there in the end - but needs must first and don't let it get in the way of your move!

Allan, thank you very much for the offer - it does mean alot that 2 people on here and another on zclub have offered to help me out with £20 but i'm too proud to accept it.

 

I had a long chat with my dad about it tonight on the phone and he thinks the same as me that i'm that close i might as well complete it. In the 2 weeks till it comes back i can be doing things that bring in the revenue to cover the costs.

 

It's going to be one hell of a push to get this done before i lose this house and garage and have to empty it out but i'll do my best.

 

Worst case scenario i have all the parts to build it but nowhere to put it back in again, best case scenario i finish the engine and get it back in again before the end of my tenancy here.

 

I'll pack the old and new block in the car tonight and go down in my lunch break tomorrow and drop it off. If i ask him to bore it to the same spec as the block before it should mean i no longer need to grind the rings and it's just a case of getting clearance on the bootom for the beams and give it another clean.

 

I'll keep you posted guys and thanks for all your support to get me through it :)

Ill throw £20 in aswell if that helps dont break it!! and if you get stuck moving it iv got a van and a tilt bed trailer that it will fit on just give me a shout if you want it moving.

 

Cheers paul

Nick if there is a problem i am sure that we can find enough £20s to help out, thats why we are a club.

yes your be supported bud

I'll gladly throw in another score if it helps mate. What goes around, comes around and I have no doubt you'd do the same if roles were reversed. Your car deserves to be finished and YOU deserve to have it finished. I am amazed at your upbeat and resillient attitude to all the set backs you've had. Don't give in now, and don't be too proud to accept a few offers of help if it means you get it done. All the best, Daffy.

What to add?-Nick, Move it and get your shit together!

All will be different another day!

Got a bit chuffed off when I did mine but I just went to bed,forgot it till the next day.Believe me it WILL be worth it:cool2:

Good offer from the Slickster so NO excuses!:clown:

I've £20 here with your name on it as well dude, a loan if that makes it better? 10 of us and you'll enough brass for the fuel to get there and back!

gutted for you av not posted but been readin the thread

as been said before to much time and moneys been put into it just to leave it..i understand youv got other commitment but im sure youv got enough determination to get it finished...as it goes where theyrs a will theyrs a way m8

ill be more than happy to chip in a score as well..on the premise that if i ever get to meet ye and yer finish car ye take us a run in it:whistling:

I'll happily put £20 in too..

Nick , Paypal account #? No way you can quit this , no way! Send me your account # via email please. My email is andy93zx@hotmail. If one of you mates knows his account send it to me.

nick , paypal account #? No way you can quit this , no way! Send me your account # via email please. My email is andy93zx@hotmail. If one of you mates knows his account send it to me.

 

+1

Count me in for £20 this is the best story ive read in years and i want to see the end.

Wow, i'm overwhelmed guys i really am! :lol: It never ceases to amaze me with the club the generous bunch you are and 5 years down the line nothing's changed.

 

I started off building it for myself as a challenge and slowly it's ended up that with all your support and interest it's pushed me through all the crap that's happened and i'd feel like i'd let myself and yourselves down if i didn't finish it now. I want to catch up with everyone again at the shows this year - it's been way too long since the last show i went to! :)

 

I do admit it would help, especially right at this moment in time to get it finished off without stressing how i'm going to cover the bills this month but i'd feel awful if i didn't give you guys something back for it so i'll offer this:

 

My paypal account is the hotmail account in my user profile if you want to help and in return i'll host a big BBQ for you all this summer when the weather's nicer and hopefully my bank balance will have recovered by then so - how does that sound?

The son in law works at a meat factory, so I'll bring ya some goodies mate.

Davy you're a star, thank you very much - extra burger for you :rofl: and thanks very much for the donation :)

That's bad news Nick and I hope that it resurrects itself again in the near future.

Wow, i'm overwhelmed guys i really am! :lol: It never ceases to amaze me with the club the generous bunch you are and 5 years down the line nothing's changed.

 

I started off building it for myself as a challenge and slowly it's ended up that with all your support and interest it's pushed me through all the crap that's happened and i'd feel like i'd let myself and yourselves down if i didn't finish it now. I want to catch up with everyone again at the shows this year - it's been way too long since the last show i went to! :)

 

I do admit it would help, especially right at this moment in time to get it finished off without stressing how i'm going to cover the bills this month but i'd feel awful if i didn't give you guys something back for it so i'll offer this:

 

My paypal account is the hotmail account in my user profile if you want to help and in return i'll host a big BBQ for you all this summer when the weather's nicer and hopefully my bank balance will have recovered by then so - how does that sound?

 

Sounds good to me buddy, count me in.........:wink:

That's bad news Nick and I hope that it resurrects itself again in the near future.

 

Thank you mate, hoping this is the last layout of time and money to get this car on the road finally!

 

Sounds good to me buddy, count me in.........:wink:

 

Thank you mate, much appreciated :)

Pm me your addy Nick and I will get a Building society cheque off to you for the 20 quid

I dont put any C/card details on the net

 

Allan

Edited January 26, 201114 yr by gruntpa64
typo

Money sent. Hope things work out for ya Mate!:yes:

Money sent good look with the build buddy