benzo Posted January 15 Author Report Share Posted January 15 Got a couple of hours to work on the Z. My brother was able to powder coat the front hubs and get the half shafts ready for install. We slipped up the other day by not putting the bump stops on so pulled the rear back out really quick to get those installed and then installed the driveshaft and started installing the half shafts and the bushings for the control arms. Had to stop as my brother forgot we need to order new bolts and nuts for the half shafts as he cut off the old ones as they were rusted. We migrated to working on the front suspension. Installed new race and bearings/grease/seals for the hubs and then installed the struts and coil overs. Had to stop as I had a meeting to attend so hoping tomorrow can install the front suspension parts along with the steering rack. 1 Quote Link to comment
benzo Posted January 17 Author Report Share Posted January 17 (edited) Cars or working on cars can be a literal headache! Guess I don't work on cars as much as I used to, so I've developed vertigo or headaches when I lie wrong or in a bad position. Installing the half shafts and widdling on the nuts was starting to trigger my headaches so would have to take breaks but lucky my brother would switch off with me and we got it done. Mounted a Longchamp wheel to get a view of my vision and it's looking just how I thought just gotta remove the flare/over fender. Mounted the front brake rotors to the hubs then mounted the G machine camber bushing with the knuckles and ball joints to the control arms and mated it all to the chassis and strut housings. Added the bushings to the T/C rods and mounted those as well. Had to stop here as waiting for some parts and have to order more parts but hoping on next workday we can mount the sway bars, steering rack and shaft and the brake calipers and lines. Getting closer to putting on the ground and road worthy so we can drive to the body shop. The parts disappearing from the floor and storage is a satisfying feeling! Edited January 17 by benzo 1 Quote Link to comment
benzo Posted January 30 Author Report Share Posted January 30 (edited) Me and my brother had some time to work on the Z today. He had already mounted the front brake calipers and pads and finished painting the steering rack so today we installed the rack along with new tie rods, the new steering coupler bushing and steering shaft and the front sway bar with new grease and bushings. We also installed all the half shaft bolts and installed the rear sway bar, so the rear end is almost completed. Currently waiting for the rear disk mount brackets to be fabricated and shipped out as well as the brake lines. Once those arrive can bleed the brakes, do a double check, give everything a cleaning/degreasing, set a preliminary ride height and alignment and mount the wheels so we can get the car running and driving. Things to remind ourselves is clean out threads or splines after paint or powder coating to ensure things go on smooth and get more organized on where parts are stored or where they are meant to go/return to, so we don't waste our time scouring the area looking for the hardware. Edited January 30 by benzo Quote Link to comment
benzo Posted February 11 Author Report Share Posted February 11 Sort of an update on the Z. My brothers been working on powder coating parts for my Z so I have some Longchamp XR4's I had been wanting to refresh so he helped me media blast them and coat them. Came out good but still waiting to clear coat them. It is supposed to be a bit more of a matte finish when done. He did say it is a bit of work to do as masking off the spokes takes time. Hoping to be done soon so can mount and balance tires and test fit on the car. Also front brake lines arrived and hoping soon to get the rear calipers and all the lines connected and bled and do a punch list and can put the car on the ground and start it. 1 Quote Link to comment
demo243 Posted February 11 Report Share Posted February 11 Yes Longchamp everything! Someday I’ll get a set…. Liking where everything is going with this car! 1 Quote Link to comment
benzo Posted February 11 Author Report Share Posted February 11 @demo243 Thanks much! Appreciate the message. Like what you did for your cars. Hope you can score a set. Keep looking or try yahoo auctions. 1 Quote Link to comment
benzo Posted March 2 Author Report Share Posted March 2 (edited) My brother had been waiting for MilkFab Engineering to produce more rear disc brake conversion brackets and they finally arrived. He mounted the brackets, rotors, calipers, pads and handbrake cable and he used a 5mm wheel spacer to test if 14" wheels clear and they do. We tested the Longchamp XR4's and Panasports. He also got some time to get access to the oven and powder coated the second Longchamp. I did test the center cap and like the cap on as it looks cleaner and complete. He should be done clear coating and mounting/balancing the tires this coming week and I can install the hardware and center caps. I went over the weekend to work on the car so while he was doing some work on the Longchamps I put in the cotter pin to secure the handbrake cable and degreased the rotors. I moved to the front and installed the brake lines and tighten down the fittings and torque down the hub nuts and put the hub cap on and degreased the rotors. We started to bleed the brakes and this is where we hit a snag as the pedal feel wasn't all that firm so after reading more, we came to the conclusion we do need to swap out the master cylinder to a 15/16 or 1" one since MilkFab recommended it. I just ordered a 15/16"/79-81 ZX one from RockAuto and should arrive later this week. If all goes smooth the brakes should be completed and we can do an initial alignment, mount the wheels and secure the fenders and other hardware and light buckets and the car should be able to put down and drive out of the garage. Edited March 2 by benzo 3 Quote Link to comment
banzai510(hainz) Posted March 2 Report Share Posted March 2 Zs came with 14s( I think so) standard upsize 2in would be perfect. 16in wheels I had a 280Z had 15s but I had 225/50 in back and 205/50 up fron and looked good 1 Quote Link to comment
benzo Posted March 2 Author Report Share Posted March 2 @banzai510(hainz) yeah some like 16's but I like 14" and 15" wheels. I have a set of 15" wheels too if I want to switch out but wanted options since my wagon uses 14's. One good advantage of 15's or 16's are tire choices. Quote Link to comment
benzo Posted March 10 Author Report Share Posted March 10 Stoked the ZX Brake Master arrived after being delayed shipping so brought it over to my brothers so we can install when we get more time but he did finish clear coating the rims and mounted the tires. I brought over the center caps and hardware and it is looking good. Complete and cleaner look! Test fit the wheels with the flare on and with it off and definitely going with the flare off oem lip look. My vision is coming together like how I envisioned it. Can't wait to get the car off the stands and so we can set the ride height and align the car to move it out of the garage. Quote Link to comment
benzo Posted March 15 Author Report Share Posted March 15 Today was a big day as after almost 2.5 years the Z is off the jack stands and on the ground. My brother and my nephew during the week installed the new ZX brake master and figured out the issue all along was he had installed the front calipers incorrectly keeping the brakes from bleeding all the air out. He did a quick swap out side by side and boom brakes are good! All good as it was a simple mistake and I missed it myself. Been so long forgot about this stuff. (note bleeders always have to face upwards) I had ordered some Redline MT 90 for the trans and some Gear oil for the diff but ends up going to return the gear oil as my brother had some Royal purple so got started today filling up the diff and then draining the trans and filling with the MT90. We then started to put the wheels on but noticed the right rear strut was moving and noticed the strut mount had separated/broke so luckily, he had some 240z ones so swapped out for now but will have to get either another 280Z strut mount or swap the other side to the 240 unit. The car was low off the bat since I am using the shortened housing with shorter inserts so tried to adjust the coil overs in the rear as much as possible and going to try to get another 1/2" rise if possible. The fronts were maxed on the lowering which is good enough. I can either swap out the springs to 9" or just leave it as there is enough travel and go with a meatier tire or even go to a bigger wheel like a 15" with a meatier tire. All in all, the car does look good, and the rear wheel look and height is what I was aiming for. The fronts are wheels from my wagon so i may swap out to something else and match the rear tire since its currently using a 185-60-14 tire. We did an initial alignment using string. The toe was really off on the passenger side. He was able to dial it in pretty good but I have to look for the original lock nuts for the tie rods as those are thinner compared to the MOOG ones we are using so we can get a little more adjustment as currently maxed out! My brother also finished powder coating the headlight buckets and reinstalled the headlights and loosely mount the fenders for now. The battery is charging at the moment but maybe can start it tomorrow or if anything I'll get another battery to get it started and we can move the car to settle the suspension more and also test the brakes and check other things but if all is good can drive the car to the body shop to get started on some rust repair and body work and then get ready for paint. Pretty stoked! Also have the flares, wheels and wheel spacers that I am looking to sell. Will get more pics of the wheels and spacers. 1 Quote Link to comment
benzo Posted March 16 Author Report Share Posted March 16 The Z is running! My Brother sends me a pic and vid of the Z running and out in the sunlight. My brother was able to salvage the battery by filling the cells with distilled water then cleaning the posts and terminals and cleaned up the wiring and also the wiring at the coil and the Z started right up. I went over to check it out and felt good to sit in a Z again and look over the dash through the dusty windshield to the long nose and feel the leg room and press the clutch and feel the torque when letting up the pedal and blipping the throttle and hear the crusty Flowmaster muffler. Like a kid all over again. Memories of my first Z came rushing back! We need to get the air dam, hood and front-end pieces back on but coming along. Can't wait to go on a test drive! 2 Quote Link to comment
demo243 Posted March 18 Report Share Posted March 18 Yeeeewwww!!!! Great to see it running! Im digging those black Longchamps with the silver center- looks great with those Falkens on there. 1 Quote Link to comment
benzo Posted March 19 Author Report Share Posted March 19 @demo243 Thank you! My vision came to life. I am a fan of wheels and tires. Can't wait to drive and feel it all in action. Quote Link to comment
benzo Posted March 23 Author Report Share Posted March 23 Not much progress but little things that will add to the end. Brother helped me balance a spare set of Panasports. One didn't need any weights while two needed very lil and one need some. Do like the meatiness of the tires. He had a spare valve cover so did a wrinkle powder coat and came out nice. He had to do over as the first time he had an issue so had to blast off the coating and start over but the second round you see here came out nice and smooth. He took the time to block sand and going to clear coat it. Will save for when the engine bay is cleaned up to install. Powder coated the hinge hardware for the hood. Have to do some straightening to the mounting area before installing the hood. Re attached the air filter to get ready to drive. Quote Link to comment
benzo Posted April 22 Author Report Share Posted April 22 (edited) Hood is back on to try to align the hinges and latch as the Z was hit at some point so have to straighten out and pull on the front to get things to align so the gaps are cleaner and even and latches smoothly. Forgot to mount something for the front brakes so I had some black lug nuts to swap out and looks cleaner. Also for some odd reason noticed the front passenger wheel the rim hardware was rubbing the caliper and noticed the washers were too thick so removed them and no more rubbing. Edited April 22 by benzo 1 Quote Link to comment
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