NemesizX

Yup, they've had one coat, gotta go pick up a new can of lacquer tomorrow and build up those coats.. It should look sweet.. Got the fan shroud to do next.. Don't think I'll dip all of it as it's huge to fit in the tank.. Maybe do the top half that's visible..

Well, successfully dipped the timing covers today. They came out exactly how I hoped they would..

Today I went to collect my engine bay plastics from Sam passfield who is a fantastic sprayer.. He has transformed my dull black plastics in to this! Now, once I perfect the technique of hydro dipping, I will transform them again with the gold carbon weave.. Very excited. Big thanks to Sam for doing an ace job and squeezing me in at a very busy time.

I'm going to be dipping my fan shroud, timing covers and I might extend it to the colour coded parts I have fitted inside the car. I've thought about using the dip film on the trims that run over the car from the windscreen to the boot but I'll have to work on that. Removal of those parts is tricky and very hard not to break the plastic clips that hold the trim on.. I don't want to go too mad with it but If I can get it right then I have the option of using it in other areas.

As I've been drugged up to the eyeballs with pain killers, I decided I needed to relieve the boredom somehow. Well as luck would have it, the post delivered my hydrographic film today as I'm going to use it on some of my engine bay parts. So it was practice time! I started out with a paint lid in the body colour of my car so I could see how the gold carbon fibre effect would look against the parts. Then I carbon fibre one of my skulls that I moulded, then I used a couple of samples they sent on a couple of objects to hand. These are the results. Not perfected the art yet but slowly getting there.. Provided I can get it right, I'll be dipping my own parts instead of paying the extortionate prices of the companies that do it.. I bought 5 meters of film 1 metre wide for £25 and £6 for activator.. Boom!!

Well, tried to get in mine to go for a drive to the carwash but the chest muscle injury I picked up on Saturday just won't allow me to get in it. Considering I thought I was having a heart attack on Sunday and ended up in A&E all day Sunday I guess I should be grateful that I've only damaged a muscle amd it's not my ticker! I'll have to wait a while before I get in her again I guess.. Don't like seeing her dirty, it's depressing!

Tunnel? If you're going via Dartford it will be a long way! Heathrow direction from Croydon is the way mate.. Do it in half the time.

Well, it looks like this will be a roaring success then doesn't it! I'm not one to give up easy, but even I have the sense to know that banging your head on a brick wall is eventually gonna give you a nose bleed!

It isn't mandatory Jeff lol.. It is just something else I have equipment for that some might enjoy..

You're only in Croydon Alic?? Newark is only an hour from me and you're about the same.. Camp the weekend and make it worth the trip?

Tcut? A little unorthodox method there Alic but if it's done the job! Tcut is best for paint mate..lol.. Diesel is good for wax marks, tree sap etc and white spirits is good for rubber,glue and most silicone based materials. I used to be a truck valeter and learnt a few tricks from that job! At least you got the sticker off now, so we'll done mate

Peel the stickers with a hairdryer to heat them. Then use white spirit to remove the glue. Soft cloth and gentle rubbing. Wash the area with hot soapy water afterwards to protect the lacquer.

Gaz, I've just opened a new thread in the general discussion forum.. Apologies for ripping the thread.. All sorted slick..

Hi all.. I'm starting this thread to find out who is likely to be attending the JAE this year. After the news that we have 4 pitches booked on the site for the weekend, I would like to see how many people are going to jae and who is interested in camping for the weekend etc with a view to getting something organised for everyone. I have a four stroke generator available for power supplies and should be able to get a barbecue together for food. Maybe even sort out some music or even karaoke if anyone out there would enjoy it? The main aim here is to find out who is planning on attending and how many of us there will be for the weekend. So, if you plan on going or would like to go, please let me know here. If we can get a few of us together then between us we can make it a good weekend.. So get your name down.. Party time!

OK, thanks for clearing that one up! The guy who I was talking to asked if our contact for the club could contact him. Nigel jae is his Facebook profile. I have a 4 stroke generator and can probably get a Barby together, no marquee but if other members are thinking of going and camping etc, I'd like for them to let me know so I have an idea of numbers. If there's enough I might try and get something put together for the weekend rather than letting the club funds go to waste for the pitches..

OK, so I'm on Facebook a few moments ago and chatting to a few guys about the jae and when asked I told the guy the club hadn't booked this year. He's one of the event organisers and has just said apparently that we have booked four plots this year confirmed this evening?? Who is our head cheese here on the forum? Just wanted to find out if this other guy is confused...

Yup, that's the man.. Good quality stainless kit.. Top notch!

Hey Richie, the volume of water between us is something I take in to account mate, it'd not be a daytrip for you guys and I totally get that. I was talking to a few people a while back about the possibility of a group of us mainlanders coming on a roadtrip over to Ireland. I know you guys over there have a great attitude towards get together and it's been said, there's no welcome like an Irish one. I'm scratching my head thinking about JAE last year.. Did I not meet you there with Trish and Dutch? Anyway, a trip to the emerald Isle is something I must do soon as I have friends in Dublin and surrounding areas that I've promised to meet up with for ages. Thanks for your comments Richie, I'm glad that I dont appear like a downbeat ogre to everyone! Lol. Maybe when I do get the chance to get over there, we can get together for a few pints of the genuine black stuff!

Well, one of those things came attached to the dog when I got him and just got bigger over time lol.. The other things I got from a guy on the Facebook Z32 market place. The basic set which covers most visible parts, which is the set I bought, was £100 + postage. Fairly good price for a kit. You can source them individually slightly cheaper but when you add it up and the time spent to source them, I felt it wasn't worth the bother of sourcing them individually. If you want some mate, I can have a word and get you a price. He has a few different colours.. I think I've got a screenshot of the advert here somewhere.. I'll post it up when I find it Alic

Well, this has taken a slightly vertical turn..

Ooooh! Look what arrived today! :drool: The dog arrived in a different package, but thought he looked good in the photo.. Quite literally shouting "the dogs danglys" lol

As much as a surprise this may be, I'm not a big fan of the drift style events or similar either. I'm a person that appreciates the classics both modified and oem. To be honest, the event going on around me is not why I attend, it's the group gathering of my own tribe if you like. Being around the like minded members, people I've chatted to here and people I've never met alike. Like having a family spread across the country but coming together for granny's birthday for a good old fashioned knees up! Talking Z, getting the juices flowing for ideas and seeing what people have been tinkering with etc.. Mr phutumsch never fails to impress me on here, but when I saw what he'd done to his Z at jae, it sparked enthusiasm and got the juices flowing which encouraged me to put my mark on my car with the lighting inside and out. Seeing jaikais purple Z R.I.P gleaming away whilst he polished it and took time over getting it perfect for the show. All inspirational things that shows the commitment that people have and the results it can give. As Alic said, two or three group gatherings throughout the better months of the year would be ideal. Financially they don't have to cost much, clever spending and good planning can keep costs down. The most important thing is a good attendance, decent grub/drinks etc and entertainment value.. If it's a daytime event on a weekend, maybe a Sunday being best, then traffic is low, everyone's recovered from work on Friday and getting to and from can be done in a day for most. Accommodation is the real challenge for those who travel furthest. Anyways, the future is up to us to make and you get out what you put in. If the members put in just a fraction of the effort to attend the meetings as they put in to their cars, the events simply cannot fail.. I'm going to start a thread for members input of ideas of things they'd enjoy or like to see at a meeting because I'm butchering the agm thread here! (sorry!) I'll get the thread open for the weekend and any ideas are welcomed. Please do add your ideas to the melting pot and we'll see what is plausible.

The fractured community is a big problem mondo. The thing is, that people love their cars and as you say, some mods are marmite. People take offence at comments thrown at their cars, in fact I'd go as far to say that id rather you insult my wife than my car! (waiting for a slap now) lol.. The way I'm looking at things, we have enough members spread around to vary the locations and have large club meetings around the country that will keep things fair on everyone. Sometimes you'd have to travel a distance but others the event might be on the doorstep. Exposure for the cars and the club is one thing, but in order to get people interested, they need to see that our club is THE club to be in. No one is going to be interested in a club that doesn't look exciting or fun. If people who are interested in the cars see the club having a good time and enjoying the members aswell as the cars, that's what draws people in. That's how you get a good crowd going and promote things. Take the RAC man standing outside of the local supermarket. Stood like a tango man under his ice cream cart with the orange umbrella. He does boring like no other.. If he had a bbq on the go and decent music, coupled with a fun pitch and nice car on show, people would be a lot more interested! My aims are mainly for the members, drawing people in will come with that, but I'd like to see members out enjoying the cars and the conversation. We have some great banter in here, some real comedy kings and that's great. But put them all in one place with food and drink and it can be fantastic.. The old saying "you can lead a horse to water" does spring to mind and nothing anyone can do, no amount of effort can make things happen unless the club members help. It's a team effort here folks, something that will require members to make the effort to attend events and if I'm going to plan it, you WILL have all you need to have a good time.. I'm going to need cooperation and I'd like the members to at least attend one event in good numbers and see if it's an enjoyable experience. If your Z is off the road, bring your daily! The thing that matters most in this club is the members.. The cars are in our hearts even if they're not under our backsides giving us the buzz that they do. I've got contacts in a lot of areas including hog roasts and even djs! With some club spirit and cooperation, we can and will have some times to remember.. So fellow Z nutz, are you willing to pull out the stops and let your hair down or bald patches shine and have a good time?

My idea of a perfect weekend.. Some good music, Z's parked everywhere and a large group of people with a drink in one hand, a burger in the other and smiles on everyone's faces! I'd give up my spare time to experience that a few more times a year.. I think as a club we all need it and deserve it with all the effort we put in to keeping these old ladies alive and kicking.. Something to look forward to a few times a year, some reasons to really get the paintwork gleaming and another excuse for a road trip with the targas off.. Social events just for members and friends/family aswell as showing the youngsters that what was dreamed up in the good old days, can still sit proud amongst the plastic fantastics of today.. The 300 is a supercar, it deserves the respect and nod of approval from the petrol head world. I respect anyone that works hard to keep the dream alive.

I'm not sure if I'd be the right person to fill those boots, but I'd give it a bloody good try.. One thing is clear, we need someone on neo. A combined effort with all the REO's aswell.. Like you say gaz, it's good to talk. We can talk it over at the agm and see where it leads.. One thing is certainly true that's been said here, I'd like to put the Z back on the map and whilst doing so, make some good friendships and have a good time! God only knows everyone needs it on occasion..