Ok guys, probably should of started this last year when I decided to resurrect my 1993 JDM 300zx Twin Turbo Auto. I said I call the car "Blue Thunder" (mostly just to annoy everyone:tt2:) as it will be loud and blue:thumbup:.

You'll have to bear with me as I'm going to use previous posts off this forum for most of the current bits and I'm not "computer super proficient" with adding images etc

I'll start at the very beginning if I can remember back that far:lol: (No pics in this quick update) (This is for the benefit of anyone joining after '09)

Bought the car in the summer of 2005, a low mileage (42K) 1993 300zx TT auto, within a few months the timing belt had stripped some teeth, luckily no engine damage. Replaced belts, series 2 PTU and bought my 19" TSW Catalunyas. Had to get the rear wheels custom made to 9.5" as they weren't available in this size:thumbup1:. Went on to buy a Pioneer Avic X1R single DIN touchscreen Sat-Nav stereo to liven up the sounds and my Brembo Big Brake kit.

July 2006 - Engine had a ticking noise, nothing major, diagnosed as sticky lifters, recommended solution was an oil change. Bought 2 4.5 litres of Castrol Edge 10W60, oil filter and an engine flush, brought it to a "garage" and asked them to drop the oil, using the engine flush, refill with the fresh Castrol oil heat it up, flush it out, fit the new filter and refill with the other container of Castrol Edge...Simples:innocent:

Collected the car and went home, got to the house and the engine turned into a tractor, lifted the bonnet, oil everywhere, they'd put the full 9 liters into the car and wrecked the engine.:scared::thumbdown: After a few arguments and the backing of the Motor Factors owner where the oil was bought, the "Garage" eventually admitted responsibility. They sent the car to another "Garage" who was fitting the new engine from API, more drama, Radio was stolen in their care and engine lasted a day, oil sump had been damaged and suction pipe couldn't get enough oil in, another knackered engine:scared::thumbdown:.

2007 - Sued the "Garage" and got the car back 2008.:thumbup1:

2008 - 2009 Went to a decent bloke who sorted the engine, did the manual conversion, fitted a brand new Exedy street performance clutch with an RPS Lightweight Flywheel, BuddyClub Racing Spec Coilovers, Z1 hardpipes and HKS Induction kit. November '09 Hydrolocked the engine driving into a puddle:scared::thumbdown:

2010 - After getting "Ripped off" on a Border Fuel Rail, 555 injectors and Japanese "UK" Clocks (meant to be UK but had been converted) and with a 9% pay deduction and extra Levies / charges on Civil Servants (totalling a 60% deduction of my already diminished gross pay), I called it a day on the Z:thumbdown:

Edited January 8, 201610 yr by Richie K

I asked my cousin who runs a fabricating company if he could send one of his lads up to work "on site" at the garage, he's up to his eyeballs till Weds, so won't know till then. he did give me 16 x high tensile stainless steel M10 nuts, bolts, spring washers and regular washers for fitting the exhaust, so that's another obstacle out the way, Sorry about last night guys, my life is up to ninety at the moment, the only thing taking my mind off it is getting the Zed up running and when the guys told me it didn't fit, i lost the rag, so apologies for that.

I'll butcher up the decat pipe, the cousin company deals in stainless steel so I should be able to get joiners and extra pipe if required:thumbup1:

IT'S ALIVE!! Well guys the engine's running, allbeit without the rad etc, attached, good loud burble coming from the downpipes. Got my hardpipes powder coated but not too happy with them, they rushed the job, which meant they didn't sand down the chrome pitting and it shows up through the coating. I'll get them to re do it when the car is home. Battery is shagged, what's a good replacement?? as Halfords must have changed the product code. Clutch slave cylinder is leaking so no clutch at present. Hoping to sort out these niggles tomorrow, then on Weds, I'm hoping to get a loan of a lift and a guy who can Tig weld to hack up my decat pipes so the exhaust will be fully connected:thumbup1: Gaskets and accordion pipe also arrived today. Thanks Baz for that

A few pics..

Edited February 8, 20169 yr by Richie K

IT'S ALIVE!! Well guys the engine's running, allbeit without the rad etc, attached, good loud burble coming from the downpipes. Got my hardpipes powder coated but not too happy with them, they rushed the job, which meant they didn't sand down the chrome pitting and it shows up through the coating. I'll get them to re do it when the car is home. Battery is shagged, what's a good replacement?? as Halfords must have changed the product code. Clutch slave cylinder is leaking so no clutch at present. Hoping to sort out these niggles tomorrow, then on Weds, I'm hoping to get a loan of a lift and a guy who can Tig weld to hack up my decat pipes so the exhaust will be fully connected:thumbup1: Gaskets and accordion pipe also arrived today. Thanks Baz for that

A few pics..

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Its going to look a beaut.

 

Out of interest how much did it cost you to powder coat the plenum, and do you have to mask of anything? I want to get mine shadow chrome or satin black but i'm noob and don't know how it works :rofl:

I had the lads in work sand down the castings on the plenum and then gave it to Carlow Coatings who do the rest, block holes etc, they then treat it, coat it and lacquer it. It cost me €90 (£70ish) to do the plenum in that silver chrome and the rocker covers in Red, The hardpipes (silver chrome), balance bar and coilpack brackets (Red) are €50 (£40ish).

Hope this helps you out:thumbup1:

I had the lads in work sand down the castings on the plenum and then gave it to Carlow Coatings who do the rest, block holes etc, they then treat it, coat it and lacquer it. It cost me €90 (£70ish) to do the plenum in that silver chrome and the rocker covers in Red, The hardpipes (silver chrome), balance bar and coilpack brackets (Red) are €50 (£40ish).

Hope this helps you out:thumbup1:

 

Thanks for the info :thumbup:

Called over today, gaskets don't fit:thumbdown:, Fan cowl doesn't fit with Koyo rad and shiney Z rad bracket, He found an 096 battery which will get me out for a few months...

She's not looking too bad under the bonnet

Edited February 10, 20169 yr by Richie K

A little video of it running, not running great, but running all the same:thumbup:

 

 

We fitted the 550 injectors as we're not sure they are 550's so left in the original ecu, there's also no decat pipes fitted so the middle section is empty and the exhaust is exiting the divorced downpipes.

Still sounds pretty smooth.

Any comments or opinions?? Would the car run smooth like that with 550's and standard ecu??

Edited February 10, 20169 yr by Richie K

looking and sounding great Richie :thumbup1: The fan guard should fit with a few modifications mate. There is a pic of one fitted to AndrewG's Z in this thread.

http://www.300zx.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?181559-New-Radiator&highlight=koyo

Finish line is in sight, engine looks great.

 

Maybe could do some tucking for the fuse box and stuff in the future maybe? What are the plans once this is finished?

Fan cowl doesn't fit with Koyo rad and shiney Z rad bracket

 

You can use your stock brackets by swapping them over left to right and cutting a notch in them to hold

the Koyo radiator. The fan cowl will then fit as it should and the bonnet stay clips remain.

 

Thanks guys, luckily he held onto all the replaced parts so the rad brackets are there, might get them powder coated before they go back on, I've run out of money so the decats will have to wait, got the clutch slave cylinder in the post this morning. Ali, I don't think this will ever be finished:biggrin:. I've bits to get in the UK still. Any available cash will go on getting the car actually driving, then I'll be getting the other bits over from the UK and fitting / tinkering with it myself to try and keep costs down.

Thanks guys, luckily he held onto all the replaced parts so the rad brackets are there, might get them powder coated before they go back on, I've run out of money so the decats will have to wait, got the clutch slave cylinder in the post this morning. Ali, I don't think this will ever be finished:biggrin:. I've bits to get in the UK still. Any available cash will go on getting the car actually driving, then I'll be getting the other bits over from the UK and fitting / tinkering with it myself to try and keep costs down.

 

By finished i mean getting it back from the garage and it being drive-able, but I've no doubt that you will keep buying stuff for it, its irresistible.

Ah yes, once she's driving properly (which could be a while away yet),she'll be getting the front bumper tidied up until I can get my rear spoiler and skirts from the US, once they arrive, she'll be going in to have the Twinz rear bumper, 99 spec front, skirts and spoiler painted. My wheels are pretty much done, just sourcing locking bolts for the inserts, they can go on the car pretty much straight away, I've to get my subframe and bumper over from the UK. I want to get fresh waxoyl, rustproofing sorted also, the lights are all ready to go on also, today I'm giving the metal light brackets a fresh coat of paint, just to tidy them up a bit:thumbup:

Edited February 11, 20169 yr by Richie K

Just got word that the wheels are fully sealed and finished, he's going to get the tyres fitted tomorrow :drool::drool::drool::thumbup:

 

Fitted all the light brackets back on after their fresh lick of paint

 

Cant wait to see them alloys on the Z mate :yes:

I've been onto Japspeed regarding the decats, they have discontinued them!!:no::no:, I'm thinking that if I cut off the 90 degree bend off my NA decats and reweld the flange back on that it should fit, problem is getting underneath the car to mark it up and test fit it all before welding. I'm going up to the garage today to see if they could allow me an hour on the lift later on.

As an alternative approach, why not buy a complete kit (ebay ~£130) and sell the NA decats you have now?

As an alternative approach, why not buy a complete kit (ebay ~£130) and sell the NA decats you have now?

 

They're 2.25", so I'd be going 2.5" to 2.25" to 3", plus I've paid out every last cent to the garage and am totally broke mate.

The NA ones have a built in silencer also, so I figured it would quieten it down a bit.:thumbup1:

So, today I'm trying to organise towing the car out of the garage, as I can't justify spending anymore than the €2,200 I've been charged to switch the engines and do the belts etc, they can't get round to doing the clutch slave or decats anytime soon and they won't let us use their lift to measure up the decats due to insurance restrictions, so I've to go somewhere else. The brothers friend has said I can use his lift this evening so fingers crossed, I can get this hurdle out of the way if all goes to plan:thumbup1:

Build is coming along nicely rich :thumbup1:

Build is coming along nicely rich :thumbup1:

 

Getting there mate, it's just frustrating sometimes, I thought the guys would of at least marked up the exhaust and sorted the clutch before giving the car back, especially after I gave them the extra €700 they wanted. €2200 and it has to be towed out,??

In my opinion mate , you would of been better off coming over to England (I know it's a bit of a trek) to pay lee dent or jimmer a visit at least they would of done the clutch and even sorted the exhausts for you and got the car running sweet and roadworthy

In my opinion mate , you would of been better off coming over to England (I know it's a bit of a trek) to pay lee dent or jimmer a visit at least they would of done the clutch and even sorted the exhausts for you and got the car running sweet and roadworthy

 

But would that work out any cheaper considering the cost of transporting a non-running car, engine and all of the other parts?

In my opinion mate , you would of been better off coming over to England (I know it's a bit of a trek) to pay lee dent or jimmer a visit at least they would of done the clutch and even sorted the exhausts for you and got the car running sweet and roadworthy

 

But would that work out any cheaper considering the cost of transporting a non-running car, engine and all of the other parts?

 

I'd love to bring the car over to Jimmer, my plan is to get the car driving and bring it over to Jimmer for a thorough inspection and then up to Noz for a remap:thumbup1:

I'll get there some day, my other idea is to ship my spare engine over to him for a fully forged rebuild and then drive the car over to him and get him to swap out the engines, I'd then leave him the old running engine as part payment:innocent:, At least that's the way I'm playing it out in my head:biggrin: