So this is my project rewind.

 

The OLD mission

 

To restore a 94 UK manual TT back to bone stock. However the car will be run as an OEM+ to include larger wheels and a double din radio with OEM part ready to be refitted for the right occasion.

 

The NEW mission

 

To build my dream OEM+ 300zx

 

History

 

The car was registered in May 94 and given as a company car to a banker.

 

In May 96 the banker bought the car outright and covered a total of 94073 miles. Throughout these years the car was serviced at a local Nissan dealer.

 

In December 2001 a registered forum user bought the car. At this point the owner, Mark, had intended to keep the car and started to customise it. These modifications include the flip paint job, 5 way adjustable shocks, Mania 18inch wheels, custom exhaust, larger brakes, poly bushes to the dif and rear subframe, helix clutch, cone air filter, deleted headlight washer, ICE and a top hard pipe kit. Mark covered a further 15883 bringing the total to 109956.

Marks For Sale post

 

The car

 

Overall the condition of the car seemed good. The body work had a few issues including rust in the engine bay near both suspension mounts, paint bubbling on the spoiler and a cracked off side mirror surround. However the biggest issue with the car was the colour! The finish was very VERY good and to stand next to the car made it much more agreeable than any photo achieved, in fact I actually quite like it. The problem though is matching the colour: after talking to a few paint shops their verdicts were touch up work is impossible (thankfully there is 1/2ltr of the original paint which I'm hoping will cover the new spoiler and mirror). Eventually it will need a full re-spray.

The interior is in good shape for its age, a few scuff marks in the leather and it's looking very dry, a hole in the centre radio surround where I imagine an alarm light went and the alcantara is looking very flat.

 

 

So I hope you enjoy the following updates as I try to bring my car back to the 90s.

 

Cheers,

Chris.

Edited September 29, 20187 yr by Chris300

What’s your opinion of the EGR delete Andrew? 

 

Also are there any other hoses worth replacing with silicon while I’m there? I’ve seen these...

https://www.z1motorsports.com/z1-products/z1-motorsports/z1-silicone-300zx-z32-idle-air-hose-set-tt-p-3091.html

Edited December 4, 20205 yr by Chris300

I plan to have the EGR system removed when the engine is out for the "bolt-ons" (plus the MSP manifold is missing the EGR connection). How

difficult it is to remove all the EGR stuff with the engine in I can't say. Perhaps someone who has experience can comment.

Some background info:

http://www.twinturbo.net/net/viewmsg.aspx?forum=technical&msg_id=967920

http://s95014253.onlinehome.us/63104/197828.html

Finally managed to get the plenum off and what a faff it was too, although I’m in now doubt taking it off will have been a piece of cake compared to putting it back on. Really pleased with myself though and can’t wait to get the whole area cleaned up and put back together.

 

Well that’s frustrating, but bloody typical. I’ve just lost my fixed term contract so have to put the brakes on this job now, well at least slow it down a bit.
Im now going to have to look at replacing the harness and upgrading the injectors on another occasion. However I have thought that I can replace the faulty injectors with used OEMs and grind the plenum so that the OEM injectors can be withdrawn, without the need to remove the plenum, when funds allow for me to buy the 740cc.

If anyone has a couple of OEM injectors they’re will to part with please let me know.

 

Cheers,

Chris

Tough times for so many Chris so just take your time mate till things improve.

Thanks mate. Thankfully I’m in a much better position that most and I’m able to make my “part time” job work harder for me to keep the wolfs away. Just need to be a little careful with cash flow until something else come along. ?

Well finally work seems to be picking up and with this I’d thought I’d take advantage of Z1 Motorsports Black Friday discount code and get this car back to its best again.

I was hoping that some of you (Andrew are you still here?) might take a look at my order and just confirm that I’ve got all that I need to get going again.

Thanks guys. Hope you’re all well as it’s been a while since I was last online.

Welcome back Chris, glad to hear that work is on the up for you. Love the Z1 order!

Thanks Andrew. I’m pleased to be back in a position to get back on with moving this car back in the right direction. ?

On 26/11/2021 at 17:40, Chris300 said:

Thanks Andrew. I’m pleased to be back in a position to get back on with moving this car back in the right direction. ?

Great news Chris - good luck mate and hope to see you and your car in 2022!

Does anyone understand why a shipment might be delayed at stansted? It should have arrived on Monday but seems to be stuck and I can get anything useful out of the FedEx people.

Picked by customs maybe for inspection. And they'll have a huge back log this time of year. 

I've just ordered stuff from Z1 Chris and am experiencing a delay like you with Fedex. Two things have caused a delay for

me.

1/ Z1 did not complete the manifest correctly - missing the HS (tariff codes) codes and adequate descriptions for the items.

This generated an electronic form from Fedex customs via email to complete (which didn't work!). I emailed Fedex customs

with the info they wanted after getting through to customer services.

2/ Fedex used to pass packages through customs and then invoice you to pay afterwards. The agent I spoke to said that for

"high value shipments" they want the duty and tax payments upfront before releasing the shipment. Another delay as they

didn't let me know. I'm waiting for the call from Fedex customs to pay.

https://www.gov.uk/trade-tariff or https://apps.parcelforce.com/tariffcode

Edited December 9, 20214 yr by AndrewG

You beauty! 

Expensive box Chris!

Mine has just been delivered.

Edited December 13, 20214 yr by AndrewG

So I’ve totally bottled it fitting the new harness and have booked a day to have the car taken to Jim to be put back together. (Harness, S2 PTU, CAS, 7400cc injectors...)

In preparation for this glorious day I’ve been getting a number of parts powder coated and nuts and bolts replated. Here’s a few pictures of a couple of newly painted parts. Hopefully get the cam covers and bolts back soon. 

More yummy bits to go on soon. Just the came covers to go and it’s over to Jim at PowerZed.

Only bit I’m gutted about was I couldn’t get a fuel rail sorted in time but the plenum will be coming off in the winter for some throttle body attention so may just do it then.

I’ve dug the chameleon out ready for Duane at DWM Vehicle Transport to run up to Jim at PowerZed on Tuesday for the following work;

4x cam covers
6x new Nismo 740cc injectors
Fit new OEM “95 harness
Fit new S2 PTU
Fit new “95 CAS
Fit new PCV hose and valves
Fit balance tube
Fit new fuel pressure Reg and dampener 
Fit new fuel filter
Water bypass on plenum
Fit new plenum
Fit new cowls
Fit new OS and NS rear anti roll bar linkage
Fit new rear discs and pads
Fit front OS ABS sensor
Fit new scuttle pannels
Fit new battery
Diff seal
New chip
Minor service
MOT

and anything that may need doing. ?

She’s been off the road for too long now and I can’t wait to get her back.

For old times' sake - 3 UK specs (and Ian's slicktop) at Goodwood start finish line in 2018. Great to see the car getting back on the road Chris.

You going to get the headlight washers fitted? - part of a UK specs DNA!

Click for hi-res.

 

Edited April 16, 20223 yr by AndrewG

2 hours ago, AndrewG said:

For old times' sake - 3 UK specs (and Ian's slicktop) at Goodwood start finish line in 2018. Great to see the car getting back on the road Chris.

You going to get the headlight washers fitted? - part of a UK specs DNA!

Click for hi-res.

 

Thanks for that Andrew, it was a good day.

I do intend to put the jets back on and have collected the plumbing but I haven’t yet got the jets, Ian was going to sort this out for me if I remember correctly but it must have slipped his mind. 
We will have to sort a few meets out this year if you’re available. ?

Managed to get a spare set of cam covers powder coated just in time. Then 10 minutes later she was getting loaded up and shipped to Jim.

I can’t wait to get her back!

Jim’s just sent me a teaser. ?

Edited April 28, 20223 yr by Chris300

Well this project is about to take a massive leap forward.

Unfortunatly, after Jim had fitted all these lovely new bits for me, the car is running really badly filling the workshop up with smoke before running like a three legged horse. It’s got no compression on a cylinder and a fuelling issue. ????

Jim sent the injectors away for testing, after trying some of the other potential issues, as there was a small possibility that they weren’t originals but thankfully they are. ?

So the next step sadly is to pull the engine. ?

As it’s always been my intention to get the engine out at some point I’m trying to look at this from a positive perspective and will be tasking Jim with a lot more work than intended. ??

So the first thing on my list will be to get the engine bay properly prepared and painted. I had some remedial body work done in there after I first acquired the car but I was unhappy with the seaming around the work. This will be a good opportunity to get that properly sorted before painting.

Ill also have the engine bay painted white! I’ve always wanted a UK white manual and I know I would not be happy with just paining the external body work. I’ve yet to decide what white to go for so will be looking around, in the meantime if you have any suggestions please let me know. ?

Obviously all tin will need to be sent off for powder coating and nuts and bolt re plated.

The clutch has always felt way too heavy so this will need to be replaced and may very well lead to a “98 spec box’s as again now seems to be a good time.?

Regarding the engine work, this will be discussed with Jim. I’m not looking for big numbers, just reliability, however if forged is the best way to achieve this bows the time.?

 

If anyone has any ideas and suggestions please let me know. ?

 

Im sorry to hear that, but better to find these problems now rather than 6 months down the line and at 80mph on the motorway. Things happen for a reason and it must be fate telling you its time to get all the painting done. speaking of which, I have attached a sample of the best shade of white for you to compare agaisnt other. No doubt you will see it is the best...

2 hours ago, TheRealNips said:

Im sorry to hear that, but better to find these problems now rather than 6 months down the line and at 80mph on the motorway. Things happen for a reason and it must be fate telling you its time to get all the painting done. speaking of which, I have attached a sample of the best shade of white for you to compare agaisnt other. No doubt you will see it is the best...

Thanks for the white paint sample. ?

To be honest the colour it is now has really grown on me and it’s, for the most part, a quality job. However the rear spoiler has blown (thankfully I brought the last OEM spoiler from Nissan some years ago), the front bumper is chipped, there’s one nasty chip on the passenger side seal, the bonnet needs a good cut and I don’t like the chip resistant finish along the seal. All these things, along with matching a flip paint, make it unfeasible and economical to rescue the existing paint. And like I say I’ve always wanted a white one.

The problem is that I’ve not got a bottomless pot of cash to through at her. I’ve just dropped £2k worth of parts in her and I think sorting everything under the bonnet out to the standard I want it to be is going to cost around another £10k. All these bits I can hide from the wife without too many questions (although she is asking me why it’s been gone so long already. I’ve told her the boat getting stuck in the Suez Canal and now the war in Ukrainian has lead to difficulties getting oil filters for the 300zx ?).

Edited October 14, 20223 yr by Chris300