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, 20169 yr by Richie K

I have over 128 emails between myself and Nick regarding orders and add ons, he always replied within 12hours (8 hour time difference). Excellent customer service and nice guys also, they've gone and got stuff from Z1 to add to my parcel, stuff which isn't even listed on their own website, A++++ service and highly recommended :clap:

So, I'm still housebound after the surgery, but I'm like a kid waiting on Santa to arrive, according to my courier tracking, I've a parcel "On Van":hyper::hyper::hyper: Sitting here all excited and searching for the final bits to finally get this car up and running properly:biggrin:

So, I'm still housebound after the surgery, but I'm like a kid waiting on Santa to arrive, according to my courier tracking, I've a parcel "On Van":hyper::hyper::hyper: Sitting here all excited and searching for the final bits to finally get this car up and running properly:biggrin:

 

Boys and there toys :biggrin: Now don't over do it Richie or get to excited.

So, my excitement soon dwindled over these, the rears don't fit a Z32, they fit Supra's and 350z's:no:

 

 

 

I was well chuffed with them as they were brand new with brand new Brembo pads:thumbdown:

 

So it's back to the drawing board for my monster brake project:whistling:

 

On a positive note, CZP emailed me to say my shipment has gone out and should be with me Friday:thumbup:

Edited June 30, 20169 yr by Richie K

So, good news today, I managed to sell my newly acquired Brembo 4pot rear calipers to a Supra owner in Germany of all places:clap: the power of Facebook is strong :innocent:

I also sourced and bought the correct rear calipers for half the price:biggrin: they're not new and silver in colour so I'm going to strip them all down front + rear and get them powder-coated to match up:punk:, the spare change from the calipers are going to get me the brake discs front and rear.

 

 

Got a parcel from our very own Baz today also (Cheers buddy:thumbup1:)

 

 

Fan, power steering rack with poly bushes, prop flange and OEM shifter (already have bronze bushings for it)

 

Edited June 30, 20169 yr by Richie K

Another great day today, more goodies arrived for me (3" Z1 testpipes, AEM 320lph pump, mani gaskets, turbo gaskets and my Win factory bonnet struts), for Phutumsch (Win factory bonnet struts) and for Evaansss (FairladyZ emblem and gear knob):punk:

 

 

 

 

All I need now is my 3" divorced downpipes, which should be here in the next fortnight or so:thumbup1: then I'm ready to start building up my engine upgrade :punk:

I'm hoping to sort out my braking components and NA subframe next week and get them all fitted.:thumbup:

Edited July 1, 20169 yr by Richie K

Got out to the garden today and got stuck into the NA subframe again :thumbup:

 

After shot blast

 

 

After a tidy up

 

Diff done :yes:

 

 

Leaving everything to cure till Monday, when I will begin reassembling the rear

Nice work Richie :thumbup1:

Its looking great Rich! Looking forward to seeing this completed:)

Change of plans on the subframe assembly, I've decided that while it's all in pieces that I'd get new Energy Suspension Diff and drop link bushings, they're on the way, also ordered my 355mm front and 350mm rear brake discs with the change I had from selling the rear 4pot Brembo's. :thumbup:

Had a long day today, back to the consultant at the hospital, he's not happy that I drove myself or that I had to cut the grass as the neighbours hadn't done it, bugged the hell out of me with it sitting nearly 2ft high, strimmed it yesterday and ended up sore again:oops:. Consultant reckons 3 months before I'm fully fit, which, in my line of work is not a good thing. Have to take it easy, so anyhow I got these today,:sneaky2: so started my full strip down of the calipers.:ohmy:. I'll take it easy once these are built up:innocent:

 

2 ltr bottle for reference

 

 

 

 

 

 

I've ordered rebuild kits for both the front and rears, new springs, pads and pins also, they're now fully stripped down ready for the powdercoaters, along with another full set of Evo Calipers:whistling::innocent:

Only thing is... as the new front calipers hadn't really been used, the pistons were a bugger to get out and I may have chipped / scratched a couple :scared: Can anyone tell me if they will be ok with a quick rub down or should I order a few pistons also??

Edited July 7, 20169 yr by Richie K

Finished modifying the Big Brembo calipers and dropped them down to the powdercoaters, ordered the fitting hardware (bolts, spring washers + lock nuts), stainless bleed nipples for both sets and the Brembo decals:thumbup1:

Moving along pretty fast Rich, keep up the good work, can't wait to see it done.

Cheers Rob, was looking for your name the other day on the Projectz32 Houston page:innocent: Was going to send you a friend request:whistling:

Wow, I am tired and broke just from reading this thread, great progress Richie, it will be some car when finished

Wow, I am tired and broke just from reading this thread, great progress Richie, it will be some car when finished

 

Aaaahh, welcome back stranger, good to hear from you Trish:thumbup1: I've been a busy little bee for the past 15 months, getting there slowly but surely:clap:

Cheers Rob, was looking for your name the other day on the Projectz32 Houston page:innocent: Was going to send you a friend request:whistling:

 

Oh snap!...really?.....well, to the surprise of many, I am one of the few that does not have a FB account or any social media account for that matter. :blush:

Oh snap!...really?.....well, to the surprise of many, I am one of the few that does not have a FB account or any social media account for that matter. :blush:

 

Some might say you're using a social media account right now :helpsmilie:

Some might say you're using a social media account right now :helpsmilie:

 

It is a long stretch but I can see the argument :biggrin:

Good God Richie.......... what you stopping with those?

A Boeing 747...... They look soooooo nice......

You are going to be stopping and getting rear ended if your not careful......

Good God Richie.......... what you stopping with those?

A Boeing 747...... They look soooooo nice......

You are going to be stopping and getting rear ended if your not careful......

 

I have a contact now, who's designing the brackets for all the large brembo calipers to fit Supra's 350z,370z and 300zx's. He's done a fair bit of research into brake bias and compatability. he's currently got brackets for the 17z and 18z Porsche, Audi Q7 and VW Toureg Calipers, all 6 piston fronts, he's also sorted brackets for the AMG 8 piston calipers:thumbup:

 

Was looking for me to do a Group Buy, but there's not much interest this side of the pond, We'll see how my ones turn out and can go from there:thumbup:

More goodies today

 

 

Started to rebuild my OEM shifter

 

 

Did a bit of a clear out in the shed, way too many boxes!!

 

 

Found these few bits while rooting out everything

 

Powertrix FUCA's that I bought in 2010:thumbup:

 

 

Pulled out the front bumpers, splitter, ducts and indicators,

 

 

Can't wait to get all this painted up, I'd say it will more than likely be over the winter now though, the car will be going in for the turbos etc in the middle to end of August. Remap after that and then will be looking at paint.

After playing with all my Z parts, I figured I was fit enough to go down to the garage and do a few bits on the car....

 

 

Did my shifter refurb, fitted new rubber bushes around the pivot and the bronze bushes pushed in, Hopefully copper grease is ok??? (Let me know if it's not suitable guys). Went to swap it out and lost my no.12 spanner down onto the gearbox!!! Put it all back together so the car can be driven back in at night and will get the spanner when we pull the engine if it hasn't fallen down this evening:thumbdown:

 

Before

 

Fitted my powder coated coilpack brackets with stainless bolts and also the balance bar. One of the plenum mounting points snapped off:scared::thumbdown: Not sure if the powdercoating process had softened up the metal or what as I wasn't tightening them down that much.

 

After

 

Fitted my Winfactory bonnet struts, they could have marked which bracket went where instead of trial and error, more issues, as my car didn't have a bolt on the bottom passenger side bracket, I was happy to fit the new Winfactory bolts only to find that the reason there was no bolt is due to the fact that it just falls back out, must be threaded. This is means that the struts are putting too much pressure on the bottom corner of the bonnet, can I do anything to rectify this??

 

Edited July 14, 20169 yr by Richie K

Another shot of the struts

 

 

 

The bottom of the bonnet is pulling / pivoting away from the bracket.

Any ideas??

Edited July 14, 20169 yr by Richie K