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

What calipiers are they rich? And how's the car coming along at Keith's

What calipiers are they rich? And how's the car coming along at Keith's

 

Which calipers do you want to know about??

The original ones are SRT8 Brembo's, found on Jeep, Chrysler, etc and the new ones are Brembo 18z's, found on Porsche, Audi and some VW's.

Car is at Keith's for a bit longer, hoping to have it done by 1st-2nd week of April, then she's off to Jimmer's to have a health check and everything fitted properly:thumbup:

All stripped down and in the powder coaters since 3.45pm :clap:

 

 

 

Going to have to order a couple of Pistons along with the seals etc, a couple of them were quite brittle (like porcelain) and chipped off:scared:

 

 

 

Should be back from Powdercoaters by next week:thumbup1:

Going to have to order a couple of Pistons along with the seals etc, a couple of them were quite brittle (like porcelain) and chipped off

 

How did they get damaged?

How did they get damaged?

 

Just prizing them out Andrew, had pressure on both sides to pull them up cleanly but 2 just chipped off, they're about £20 each to replace, so it's not the end of the world, they're different to both the SRT8 and evo pistons in that they don't seem to be metal. they're called Phenolic pistons?? Seem to be like a porcelain/composite material.

Use compressed air to push them out next time. Put a block of wood between the pistons to stop them

stricking their opposite number if they suddenly shift.

I did bud, it was literally just prizing them out the last few mills, the Pistons popped out a lot easier than the other sets, they were just brittle

All my caliper rebuild parts arrived yesterday, planned on building them today, called into the powdercoaters yesterday, who showed me them baking in the oven:whistling: went to collect them this morning and the finish was terrible :thumbdown: it was like they'd contaminated them with grit:scared: the fronts were perfect but I told them I wanted them re done, first time I've had this happen with them, so we'll see how it goes next week:yes:

Hope they get it right this time mate.

Hope they get it right this time mate.

 

Ah yeah, I don't think the regular guy painted them, he'll do it right this time.

Plan B is a go!!

 

 

 

 

Powdercoat is much better this time:yes: The guys told me they tried to ring me to tell me not to go in on Saturday, as they were not impressed themselves with the finish, they also knocked off a few quid by way of an apology :thumbup:

 

My custom brackets arrived also but Customs were looking for €70 Duties:scared::thumbdown:

Lodged a query and they're on the way back for assessment :whistling:

 

On another note, my guy has finished building the Evo BBK and all parts are here ready to go to Jimmer for its new owner:thumbup:

 

 

 

Hopefully he's a happy chappy seeing this:innocent:

How's Keith coming along with your zed mate, what colour you going for ?

How's Keith coming along with your zed mate, what colour you going for ?

 

Keeping it OEM sapphire blue, haven't had an update from him yet, but I'm confident he'll have it sorted for Jimmer in 9-10 days time:thumbup1:

Carbon-Ceramic brake pads ordered:thumbup:

So, I've pestered Keith that much, that he sent me a few pics that scared the "Bejesus" out of me:scared:

He's told me he's not sending anymore until it's finished but that all the scary stuff pictured has been rectified :bow::bow::bow::nana2:

The mans a "Bleeding Legend" as they'd say in Dublin:biggrin:

 

Anyway, here's the horror....

 

 

 

:shock::shock::shock::shock::shock::eek::eek:

 

Things looking a bit better..:yes:..

 

:punk:

 

Its going to be stunning mate :yes:

Is it bad all I'm seeing is ££££s :lol: doing a good job there bud.

Is it bad all I'm seeing is ££££s :lol: doing a good job there bud.

 

To be honest Steve, I'd say I've wasted a hell of a lot more over the last few years than I'm spending doing it right this time. So sorry I didn't do this 2 years ago instead of coughing up €2200 in labour to put the engine in (March 16), just to take it out again and store it in my parents shed last November.

 

If you're going to do something, do it right the first time, especially with these cars. Bringing it over to Keith and then Jimmer is the best decision I've made with the Z so far:thumbup:

Glad your happy with your choices and your right, do it properly the first time. I've got a few things I'd like to have done differently or redo due to budjey and time constraints.

So, worked all weekend and my brake guy has come back to me saying that the powder coaters got some around the piston chamber grooves for the dust seals, I should have known when the foam blanks were rock hard and shrivelled up:thumbdown:. Obviously when they re-did the coating they never replaced the blanks and they shrunk more by being heated a second time, dust seals now won't fit:scared: he cleaned one out after about an hour, but he's split one seal test fitting it. I'm now trying to clean them all out with a small jewellers file and have to order another set of seals :thumbdown:

Oh the joys of it all:innocent::whistling:

 

On a positive note my brackets and decals came today after being re-assessed by Customs went from €70 down to €18

 

Edited April 10, 20178 yr by Richie K

Been busy for the last week......

Filing Goddamn Powdercoat out of the caliper dust seal grooves!!!:censored::censored:

Finally finished them off and managed to remove my fingerprints off my fingers also.

Always the way with your own stuff, every other set of calipers were spot on and hassle free, mine are still wrecking my head:thumbdown:

 

Tried fitting the decals and they were either too big or too small

Too big

 

Too small

 

Just right

 

Unfortunately for me, I've only got one decal for the "just right" size, so have had to order another 4.

It's all good though as worknis starting to progress fairly smartly on things.

Got an update from Keith today:clap:

Wings were a little worse for wear

 

 

 

 

Tidied up

Repaired wing:clap:

Front bumper test fitted after a bit of fettling with the Greddy Intercoolers

 

Wheel arches rolled flat

 

 

:punk:

 

Passenger inner tidied up

 

Edited April 20, 20178 yr by Richie K

Has he managed to stretch the rear arches for the big rims?

Has he managed to stretch the rear arches for the big rims?

 

Yup:thumbup:

He says he's pulled them out as far as he can, without "major surgery", :innocent: I'm hoping that it's enough as "major surgery" sounds expensive :whistling:

 

- - - Updated - - -

 

Has he managed to stretch the rear arches for the big rims?

 

Yup:thumbup:

He says he's pulled them out as far as he can, without "major surgery", :innocent: I'm hoping that it's enough as "major surgery" sounds expensive :whistling: