JeffTT

Your right, trouble is there are some traders who go out of their way to sneak these cars under the radar as it where by mixing them in with good stock, only for the unfortunate new owners to find out usually after the warranty has run out ( for what they are worth) that there are issues. We recently checked a car out for a new owner and he then took it directly back to the garage and got his money back, the report we did hopefully was part of the decision they made to reinburse him, however I was dismaid to see it back for sale within 24 hours on Piston Heads and even worse someone here was interested, a swift private mesage put that right. Serious damaged at the front all hidden from view with new undertrays and a new bumper, the wheel on the drivers side was set back almost 40mm !! as a result of a crushed chassis leg. Jeff TT

First four photo`s from a 1996 zed! seen better 1989 ones, proof later cars are less well protected, in some places not undersealed at all. Jeff TT

Badly repaired accident damage can spell trouble for subsequent owners of any car but below is a horror story in the making we were witness to. The o/s inner wing section was split completely away from the car structure, all along the chassis rail and along the inner arch, the only thing keeping it in place were the strut fixings and the outer wing bolts. The owner had the previously day been having fun at high speed and was aware of a “funny feeling” on the front end...............jeeez. After inspection it was evident that a previous repair had gone very wrong, a new chassis rail/ leg had been fitted but the iner wing had not been welded back in ( at any point) and in use the constant flex and stress had caused metal fatigue as can be see with the splits. Jeff TT

Buyers please be aware Funny how a new bumper fitted to a zed for sale can enhance it so much prospective buyers forget to look behind it. The photo's show a recently purchased zed ( from a garage ) all splendid with an after market front bumper, however when viewed from beneath on a ramp all was not good. The missing undertrays and damaged other trays was a good indicator that some thing was amiss but when you look at the front offside chassis rail / front member it has taken a substantial impact. The damage is so bad it has deformed the fixings of the tension rod bracket, the area around it is all mishaped and has caused a set forward on that wheel of around 4 mm, does not sound a lot but a tyre shredder if nothing else. Subsequent check so the damage is isolated to that area and is now awaiting removal of the front member a small power pull and a new member welding in, not the end of the would but £500 the new owner could do with out. The said garage have yet failed to respond in any constructive way and to be fair they may well be not the culprits if they px the zed from someone......who knows. Jeff TT

No the part with the restricters fitted is AFTER the cats. Jeff TT

Not really done any testing to give actual power increase figures but as they are designed to reduce or limit power then removal can only be a bonus. After market free flowing exhausts are a well known method to get quicker response, so by freeing up the original system it has the same effect. Jeff TT

More words of warning about loose nuts, not a new warning but here are a couple of photos of how loose nuts on tension rod arms to lower suspension arms look. The rusty marks around the nuts show the extent of movement on this particular zed, clonking when braking or even accelerating is the symptom of this, the holes through the lower arms had worn oval shaped and required replacement, catch them before this and its just a case of tightening them. Jeff TT

Whilst replacing a set of hicas arms we noticed the halfshaft bolts where loose, so loose in fact the shafts had separated, a few more miles like this and the bolts could have continued to loosen and drop out, the thought of the shaft flailing around at 70 mph is horrific, no reason for them to come loose other than they had not been torqued up correctly from previous diy work ? Jeff TT

Matey I would but there maybe a few red faces here if I did, but without mentioning names one of the worst in the past few months was a GENUINE N.REG !! Shockingly bad underneath, sills, floor, boot area, fuel tank, all suspension parts and the front rad support, front subframe and sump were all in a bad way too, poor guy had bought it thinking been a later zed it would be in good condition. Took days to clean up treat and underseal but all good now, the later zeds have very, very thin underseal and in certain places have next to non. Will look at some of my workshop photo files see if I can see some that are not forum members.:D Jeff TT

Came for a zed that is parked sea front on the west coast, you should have seen the rest of it! Jeff TT

It was standard on Japanese imports, they had some kind of agreed BHP figure there and its to keep within it, I am sure this is why lower powers are talked about for imports. Jeff TT

Think its one of those if he did not have bad luck he would have now luck at all moments. Guess we all have times like that occassionally :( Jeff TT

Now this is one of those performance tips discussed many times in early days of imports, however its surprising how many zeds still have these fitted, removal of the restricters will help with performance and possible fuel use. Turbo`s will benefit from quicker spool up and non turbo`s from better flow, completely free to do yourself with absolutely no down sides. Jeff TT Ok if you have one of these fitted under your import zed then you very likely to still have the pipe restricters welded in. Here is what the restricters look like with the exhaust removed, Removal is easy, a hammer and chisel and it soon looks like this.

Was in for full brake overall including braided hoses, brembo rear calipers, etc.:rolleyes: Jeff TT

Noooo ... that is the low pressure sensor for the air con system, will prevent the compressor kicking in if the gas pressure is to low. Jeff TT

Yep seems who ever had them apart last time did not noticed they had bits left over when complete! see here with the struts fitted. The handbrake shoes could not operate as they had no expansion leverage, the car had come from a used car dealer recently with .....FULL MOT :shock:unreal, some years ago I warned of a cluster of car dealers in Birmingham who where selling dodgy zeds, they have been quiet of recent times but hey ho they are back. Jeff TT

Dryer for the aircon. Jeff

YYYYYEEEEEEEESSSSSS:nana2::nana2::nana2::nana2:

Mmm... yes we thought that too. Jeff TT

night night :)

No, although it looks like a bolt it is actually a slim pin though a large hole, and the shoes pivot on it. Jeff

Ok here are the photos of the failed single piece carbon fibre propshaft. The alloy adapter flange was a loose fit within the carbon tube, there was / is no form of locking key and it would appear that a type of resin glue was all that was used to connect the two parts???? The final photo shows the steel version we fabricated to replace the carbon fibre one, with a car with such a high power output welded steel was the only way forward we felt happy with. Jeff TT

Oohh so close, but the springs are correctly placed, you and danny need to brainstorm.

Clue ? handbrake not working, never would in a million years

To be fair its difficult to see especially if you do not know the layout of the handbrake, one of you is close but need to expand the answer, to confirm the shoes are moved by a lever which is pulled by the cable attached to the handbrake lever so no cylinder. Jeff