So I've been around the Zed scene in one model or another for almost 15 years now. Last owned was a 1995 Slicktop which I bought on a bit of a whim. Unfortunately it was a terrible time to own a project due to have new born twins when I bought it, doing a huge house extension shortly after, and then having another set of twins. Basically didn't have the time to dedicate to it so ended up selling. 

A number of years later, no more wiser, and a bit of a tragedy later and I ended up buying another Z32. 

Most people here will know this car, and know it's had a hard life. Over 15 years in the UK, never undersealed, and a sketchy service history for the past 5 or so. 

Just about every panel is a different shade of midnight purple. 

After discovering that the ignition barrel had been rodgered and that a screwdriver could start the car it was time to correct that before everything else. 

So a full lock and key set was ordered from Japan. Ignition now fitted. Door locks to follow. 

List of items to do (in no particular order) :

1. Purchase and replace heater pod - Done

2. Replace window upper sliders - bought but not yet fitted. 

3. Source OEM airbox to replace the awful cone filter. - Done

4. Raise suspension up to a sensible height. (need to buy a MeisterR spanner) - Done

5. Fit better size spacers for the wheels - Done

6. Replace front drop links - Done

7. Remove all suspension, soda blast, paint, refit. DONE REAR. Part done front

8. Rear subframe to come off. Soda blasted. Paint. New bushes. DONE

9. Rear diff oil replaced, new gasket, paint. - Done

10. Replace fuel lines front to back. 

11. Clean, treat, paint entire underside

12. Sill replacement both sides (eeeek) (recent investigation suggests only rear returns will need doing. Here's hoping). - Done

13. Repair to front radiator mount (lower) - Done

14. 120k full service to complete. Probably Powerzed, but it's a heck of a journey for me. Will see. - Done

15. Fix clocks ambient lighting. - Done

16. Replace HID bulbs with 4300k - Done

17. Replace indicator bulbs with none chromed ones. DONE

18. Replace/refurb boot struts

19. Full respray. 

20. Rear bumper mount metal work repair. - Done

21. Remove crappy dynomat from boot floor and investigate condition

22. Make new boot plywood cover sheets - Done

23. Repair partial shelf blind 

24. Remove rear tints

25. New Cats

26. New exhausts (double twins) 

Edited May 17, 20223 yr by Lexx

Been busy today. 

I gave up with the exhaust bolts. I'll let the garage that's doing my new sills drill them out. 

Instead I made a start on the front end regarding the bits raised in the last MOT. 

Needed the angry spanner to get the knackered drop links off, but at least I managed not to damage my eye this time. 

Unknown brand crappy adjustable FUCAs removed. Finished painting up my spare set of OEM upper arms, and will install the Whiteline adjustable bushes in tomorrow and refit to the car. 

New Moog drop links in. And I've cleaned and painted the front ARB and have new bushes and brackets ready to go on with it. Weirdly this is a 28mm ARB so either a previous owner uprated it, or Nissan gave up on the crappy thin ones that usually came with NAs by time they got round to the 99 specs. 

FUCAs are in!

 

That "silver" bolt is just temporary?

44 minutes ago, AndrewG said:

That "silver" bolt is just temporary?

It's what comes with the Whiteline kit. There's a bolt either side into a threaded tube instead of a through bolt. The one on the other side is longer and has a locking nut to assist with camber adjustment. 

It's missing it's split washer in that image, but I've since found it and fitted it. 

I picked it up as the OEM parts have a flanged bolt head and nut to distribute the load at the fixing points which

is considerable.

The split washer is about the size of the OEM flange. And whilst it won't distribute in the same way, 100s of people run this system so I'm not worried.

Just so you know the arc that the outer joint of the FUCA travels in two planes as the vertical link travels up and down. This is not

commonly understood even by aftermarket parts manufacturers. It is one of the reasons that Nissan used compliant bushes to

allow for the twisting of the link as it moves up and down and the reason for the flanged nuts and bolts.

Fully aware but thanks for pointing it out. 

The Whiteline bushes are compliant and have a significant lip to allow movement. 

Gave up trying to drill out the studs whilst laid on my back. 

Removed the entire cat, and didn't snap any more studs! 

Well she's covered in dust and bird sh**, has 2 holes where rear sills should be, but she's back on 4 wheels and started no bother after 5 months without being run. 

Need to replace this JapSpeed heap of junk exhaust. Hateful PoS. 

 

Glad to hear she started right back up. One of my favourite colours that purple, even when dirty, still got a deep sparkle to it.


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I like the wheels on it! I am a red car man, but that purple is really nice! Cant wait to see it in the flesh

30 minutes ago, TheRealNips said:

I like the wheels on it! I am a red car man, but that purple is really nice! Cant wait to see it in the flesh

They're Ultralite UL37 - copies of the Volks TE37. 

I'm always torn by them as I prefer 5 spoke. 

The TE37 style suits most Jap cars IMO. I think that bronze colour of the wheels really goes with the purple paint, so if you prefer five spokes, how about something similar like the Rota Gtr wheels? which can also be had in that bronze.


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I had a set of Rota GTRs in bronze sat in the garage for years (previously fitted briefly to my 350z). Should never have sold them! 

Little jaunt out this morning. When I see her next she'll have a clean MOT! Hopefully. 

Love the colour coordinated tie down straps!

Progress... 

That area of rust damaged is a lot less than some I've seen Alex.

20 minutes ago, AndrewG said:

That area of rust damaged is a lot less than some I've seen Alex.

Drivers side is worse, but not significantly so. Caught it in time before it got really bad. 

Nice work Al ?

Update time. 

Both sills are done and now in primer. Drivers side was worse, and had had a very crude repair done to it in the past on the outer sill without tackling the inner sill issues. 

Quarters have just been started on. 

I'll be hopefully getting the car back in about 5 weeks. So my attention is focused on what's next on the DIY list. New centre prop bearing rcvd and will be fitted. I've got used OEM tension rods and brackets which I'm currently cleaning and painting and will be fitting Nismo bushes into. 

I née to drop the exhaust again and get the car as high in the air as I can safely to start cleaning the underbody and then epoxy coating it. To this end I've spent a few hours or so knocking up a set of stackable wheel cribs. They're made from C26 timber and I've made them to be stackable. ie each crib can be 2 different heights means jacking up is possible in stages to get to the full height. Stacks fully interlock with no movement. 

Edited June 10, 20214 yr by Lexx

Great work, your opinion for getting the car higher was a lot cheaper than ours, my brother and I went half’s on a set of car display ramps. As soon as my Porsche is on the road, i will be doing the sills and undersealing on my 300. Good luck.

A pick of my brother testing them.

Edited June 10, 20214 yr by Bones28

Display ramps where an option I considered. Bit too big for my purposes unfortunately. 

Totally understand they are huge and very long, but having had a jack slip before and survived, I’m getting to old for this.