My 260z keeps needing parts. WTH. FML.

[Tuan]

So last week I drop the 260z HARD around the block and it was quite fun. I came back and noticed the temp gauge was spiked really high to the max. I had a 15" electric fan with thermostatic switch set to 160* degrees, so I couldn't figure out why. I checked the fan and it was running and worked fine.

 

Well, so I thought to myself well, I haven't changed the thermostat or the water pump since I got the car and who knows what kind of condition it was in. Should have done it when the engine was out, but none the less, it's easy. So I went and got a new thermostat, water pump, lower hose, and oh well might as well get a new belt. Had $20 in points from autozone so I only paid $30 out of $50 woot.

 

Changed the parts, ran the car again, and still overheated. WTF.

 

My friend told me that my radiator and it's core was probably shot, I removed the radiator, flushed it out and gold Nuggets fell out. About 10 pieces! roughly the size of M&M with peanuts. WOW, I picked the pieces up, and I was going to go to the pawn shop!

 

Well, of course, it's stupid calcium or mineral deposit nuggets, but wouldn't that be cool if RaTsuns produced gold, eh?

 

Went on Fleabay and got me a Champion Aluminum 2 row radiator. Cheapest one was $167 shipped, taxed. I was gonna get the 3 row but I new that it may be too think to clear my Electric fan, or id have to relocated the fan to PUSH and to the front of the radiator, so whatever. $167 for aluminum rad with lifetime warranty is fine with me. Installed the rad, and everything is good.

 

I went to drive her, backed it out of the driveway and BAM! My brakes go out. My booster which was already bad, took a shitake mushroom. And not to mention something blew, either the MBC or the lines. FML. The next day I see brake fluid from the rear passenger wheel, so i was like "OMFG". So after redoing the damn cooling system I have to do the damn brake system now.

 

Dropped $130 on a New remans Booster, $35 on the BMC, and $20 on a pair of rotors (Brembo) blanks I got for a crazy deal. It's 3:13am and I just finished putting all the brake components on. Painted the booster Silver and bench bled the MBC on the car.

 

Now I want to rebuild the calipers and do the rear disc conversion.

 

WOW< What a week.>

 

I also polished the radiator and the intake manifold. Took me like 6 hours on the intake manifold. Jebus I hate sanding. I was polishing it while waiting for the parts to come. I also painted the electric fan blade blue cuzz I was that bored. I made a spark plug wire holder out of an old CPU heat sink laying around..

 

[ninjabortion]

lookin good man. that is a crazy lookin air filter. looks like you are running out of things to replace on that thing, it'll be like a new car in no time haha

[fisch]

We've all been there dude and feel your pain! Manifold looks sweet though. And just think, if it hadn't been laid up, you may have not found the time to do that! (I tend to have perma rose colored glasses!)

[metalmonkey47]

LOL Yeah, sounds like a Datsun. Or rather, an old car!

 

I hit that in my car, and I was bankrupt. Spent every last penny into my 210 for about a year, so mechanically, it was brand freakin new.

 

 

Then I sold it for next to nothing last night :(

Edited October 13, 2011 by metalmonkey47

[Tuan]

lookin good man. that is a crazy lookin air filter. looks like you are running out of things to replace on that thing, it'll be like a new car in no time haha

 

Haha, yeah, that filter is actually a velocity stack I retrofitted. When I got it, it was too tall, at 5" and didn't clear the hood, so I had to cut about 1.5" off so that it didn't hit the hood. There is an aluminum mesh screen as filter inside there. I still have tons of things to do.

 

I ordered some Fleece and will be making a fiberglass dash for the Z, since my dash is kapooot. I'll post that when I am done.

There's still allllllllllllllllllllllot of things do to the car, at least the car's engine/drive train/ brakes, and cooling is okay, everything else now is just appearance and cosmetics.

The money is a lot more than I'd like to spend on this Ratsun, but man, I guess "you have to Pay to Play" in this game we love.

 

I was planning to sell the car and get another one which was rust free, but I guess I may keep this after all.

 

I did a rough math, I have $2,000 in the car with everything up to date. Which is not that bad, but man, when you're broke and unemployed. Sucks balls, oh well.

 

$700 for the 260z

$380 Manifold, Carb, header

$167 Aluminum Rad

$40 Por 15 Rust

$40 Por 15 fuel tank

$85 Herculiner

$53 Sending Unit

$55 Bosch Ecode H4 Headlights

$45 Hood

$40 Custom Strut bar

$130 Brake Booster

$38 Master Cylinder

$250 Miscellaneous

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$1,985 Total (Give or take)