PerformanceVh

Got the valve covers back from powder coat. Textured Black finish. Pictures don't do them justice!

Here are some more progress pictures of cleaning up the engine before the machine shop.

Time frame is probably about 2 months. I am getting the block cleaned and checked out. Then I need to order the custom pistons. Probably a 6-8 week lead time. The last picture is looking in the bumper through the turn signal location. Looking towards the engine, the support brackets are replacing where the front OEM tow hooks are located.

Spent some time cleaning up the cylinder heads. Here's a good before and after picture. I am sending the camshafts out to get reground this week and then it's off to the machine shop for assembly!

Well I finally got back over to the body shop last night to work on the front bumper of the Z. I was able to fit up the brackets and measure everything up for the front splitter (or as I like to call it... my bumper shelf) I'll be drilling everything out tonight to fit the splitter to the mounting brackets. Once this is installed we can do the final bumper fitment and get the Z in paint! So very excited for that day to come. Here are some pictures. The splitter is rigid enough to support the front bumper and will allow me to mount the oil cooler and other accessories to it. It's pretty light too considering the size and thickness of the aluminum.

Got the heads and engine block completely disassembled over the holiday weekend. Got ARP stud sizes for the main caps. Ordered the AN fittings for the crank case vent setup. Figured out the best way to remedy the oil starvation issue these engines have getting sideways at high rpms. I'll be plumbing in a 1qt. Accusump to the front of the block where the main oil gallery is located. Any loss of oil pressure and the accusump will flow directly to the crankshaft. My larger capacity rear sump oil pan should also help with the problem as well. Next step is to get this engine cleaned up!

No, the frequency was set around 60hz so I didn't blow through the runner. that's why the bead is wider. The gas lenses are awesome, yeah great for getting into tight inside corners. The upper flange is "fun" because I'm welding 1/4" plate to the 1/16" runner. Stay tuned for more pictures of this intake build!

Eggs - This manifold is for a customer of mine for his VK56DE, I will be making a closed plenum with a LS7 Throttle body on the front of the manifold. Znut - Firstly, thank you! This is the following setup: Tungsten - 1.6MM 2% Lanthanated Cup Size - #7 (I should've been using my gas lens) Gas Flow - 7.5 LPM (100% Argon) Filler Rod - 3.175 MM ER4043 Filler Rod Amps - 75 (No Pulse Settings) The runner material is 1.59mm (1/16") wall thickness and I designed the intake flange as a socket weld for the runners. It was very nice welding it up.

Some weekend fabrication progress! Custom VK56DE Intake Manifold :)

Richie K - The rear arches are Night Garage Flares from zshop.ca Eggs - I am currently leaning toward a standard compression engine rebuild right now. Parts List: Custom Wiseco VH45 Pistons 10.2:1 CR Custom Eagle H-Beam Rods w/ ARP Studs OEM Head Gasket ARP Head Studs Stainless Steel Valves Titanium Retainers HD Springs OEM Spec Camshafts (For now)

I decided to go a different route with the car. I was hoping to finish it up later this year, but with my new idea it might be a few months longer. Not that bad in the grand scheme of things. So, since I am this far into it. I am going to rewire the body harness. I will be using a megasquirt stand alone MS3 ECU for the engine. This decision also prompted me to switch to the newer style S2 engine 93-96 as I was using an S1 1991 engine. I don't want to have to build a second harness down the road. Also the new intake flanges that I have designed fit the newer style engines. So I will be building another engine and selling the current one. The MS3 will also allow me to run a MAP instead of a MAF sensor :) So current to-do list looks like: Finish Front Bumper Supports Mount Front Bumper Paint Rewire body harness Fuel System Rebuild new engine Fabricate Intake Manifold Fabricate Header back exhaust 3" stainless w/ X-pipe (I'm thinking SLP LM-I mufflers) Build Engine Harness for MS3 ECU Reupholster Interior panels & seats It doesn't sound like much, but that's the plan! I don't have much time to work on it (between working full time, renovating a house, running Performance VH, and spending time with the wife) but I've been trying to keep things moving. So started working on the new engine already... Got the valve covers shaved! Off to be powder coated!

Thanks guys!!! Unfortunately it is not my shop, it's a good friend of mine's shop. Once the body work is finished, the Z will be transported back to my shop for the V8 swap and wiring... and everything else lol. The best part about the rear hatch is that the spoiler is extremely subtle at some angles, then when you view the car directly from the side or rear, it really jumps out at you.

SteveE: Thanks! I thought about it, but it really doesn't bother me as much as I thought it would. Weekend update: Roof painted black, and the green on the hatch jamb. Fitted the hatch Working with the front fitment

Thanks Funkysi! Hopefully it will be painted very soon! Maybe next weekend!

Weekend updates! Removed the glass from the car, and started making the front splitter/bumper support. (Here's the picture of the fuel door) Rough cut of the splitter Aluminum splitter support brackets that replace factory tow hooks.

Thanks for the support! :) It's nice to hear positive remarks from fellow Z enthusiasts. I'll snap some pictures of the fuel door side tomorrow.

Thanks Eggs. I love the body lines too. I really don't like when the body lines are smoothed out and molded together. Clean precise body lines for me! My body specialist is very picky about gapping all the panels uniformly as well which I am very fortunate. :)

Sure is! Super excited to get the body painted! Completed rear fenders and sideskirts.

And so it begins...

The cost it totally justifiable since we are molding the spoiler into the hatch. Less trimming and messing around with fitment = $$$ savings! We had to extensively modify the side skirts to fit perfectly, so purchasing good quality parts may save you money in the long run. Thanks! More to come soon! Got all the glass pulled and the car in primer. Block sanding time!

Thanks fella's! Eggs - I'll be putting the 3rd brake light strip on the under side of the roof spoiler. That way it is hidden.

Updates! Molded the Winfactory CSL-R spoiler into the hatch. The fitment of the raw piece was incredible, very well worth the money. The sideskirts and flares have been bonded to the body, the screws are temporary. The TBO side skirts took so much work to fit correctly, the door sizing was way off, one side was too long the other too short. They fit perfectly now. The TwinZ rear bumper has been edged and permanently installed.

Update:

It's the "Gotta Have it Green" that Ford uses on the Mustangs. Here's some more updates, the fenders, hood, and sides are in primer. The doors are mounted on the new hinges. Took the front suspension off again to prep and repaint the engine bay.

I don't have any more pictures yet, hood, fenders and engine bay are next! Thanks guys, I don't think the stateside Z32 purists will like the color too much but that's their problem lol