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LOL, I just noticed your face after looking at the pic for 5 min. I already know the secret, but Im not spilling it out.

You kids and your crazy-ass car ninjas...

With the project growing closer to completion, I'm releasing some photos. Today was a big day for accomplishment, and I'm in a good mood. I've been working on this for a couple months now, so even though my project page has been almost devoid of updates, I haven't been idle.

The exhaust I finished fabbing today is worlds better than the twice pipes I had hooked up to my original engine. Since I designed and welded it myself, I was able to put it exactly where I wanted it to be: as far away from the ground as possible. I don't think I could be happier with the clearance.



Notice how you can't see much of anything in this picture... that's a good thing...


As some may remember, my old exhaust hung below the frame rails and came very close to the ground as it passed under the differential. Not anymore. This is as good as it gets with a 3" pipe.


Yes, I went function over form on this one. That is none other than a very large HKS fartcan. I decided that more flow was important, and it perfectly matches the 3" piping leading back to it. The HKS label is hidden due to me overdoing the clocking of the muffler when I welded. I actually kinda like it that way, for now. Maybe someday I'll cut it and reweld so I can show off the label.



The motor came out of a 280z that was previously a track car that frequented Watkin's Glen and Limerock park. Mostly a stock rebuild was done to it, with Nismo piston rings and main/rod bearings that cost about $700 a set.... I wish I could remember the name of those... Other than that, stock rebuilt with about 4000 miles on the motor. A sweet find that my friend had sitting around in his garage. Stock 280zxT injectors, JSK fuel rail, 240sx throttle body, stock 280z fuel pump, tiny intercooler, no BOV, and a stock Garrett turbo that hadn't seen a rebuild since the factory. Haltech E6K engine management system. Very basic, but somehow the guy was pushing 300hp and got a 1:12 lap time at Limerock, which is pretty impressive.

I've made a few improvements, mostly small for now, the most basic being the repaint of the entire engine.

My "signature" valve cover...


I also drilled each flywheel bolt and tied them all together with lockwire. Just an added precaution. I did a real crummy job, but then again its been over a yaer since I've lockwired anything.... I used to be good at it.

The engine bay is still a mess... I'll post pictures when its clean.

Man, I wish I was old enough to drive! Goodness... the world of imports and tuning is so... cool!

Only problem with driving older cars is that it usually comes *after* a fair bit of wrench time

Tell me about it. I barely got to drive it this summer.

At least all the major stuff is done and I can enjoy it more next year.

I hardly got to drive mine too, and its like....20 years newer? Damn project cars, but I like it.

Just dont like the constant breaking down on the side of the road.

That's what's been keeping me from changing anything on my own car (along with money): I like driving it too much to put it up on blocks for any length of time. Maybe when I finally get the LD28T setup done and running...

for the flywheel bots theres a BLUE thread locker use that and let it cure for 24 hours.

don't use the red one.

I trust lockwire a LOT more than threadlocker.

Said it before, and I'll say it again....

that Z is fraking boss.

I can't wait to see the engine in it's rightful place.

Oh, its there. I just haven't taken photos of it because the bay is still a mess, stuff needs to be wired/connected/mounted etc. I just can't wait to drive it, myself

The car is running... and boy is it scary...

Is it now? In a good way? How much estimated power at what weight? Just curious, I love your car. Youve built it properly!

Also, Im glad you did what I suggested with the exhaust. I told you flow was more important!

I must see this...plz post pix my good man.

Yeah, I always knew it was more important... I was just slow to compromise. I actually love the way it looks now.

http://www.redpepperracing.com/gallery/d/2...-1/DSC03086.JPG
http://www.redpepperracing.com/gallery/d/2...-1/DSC03090.JPG
http://www.redpepperracing.com/gallery/d/2...-1/DSC03096.JPG
http://www.redpepperracing.com/gallery/d/2...-1/DSC03104.JPG
http://www.redpepperracing.com/gallery/d/2...-2/DSC03100.JPG

The engine bay is still a mess, I only semi-tucked and bundled some of the cables. I'm not done tuning and troubleshooting anyway...

Engine is an L28ET out of an '82-'83 280zx, mostly stock rebuild with Nismo rings and a set of race bearings that I forget the name of (but I do remember they cost $700). I didn't rebuild the engine, but I did clean it up and paint it, and add a few things I thought were missing. I took a non-egr N42 intake manifold off a junk Z, cleaned it up and ported it to match a larger 240sx throttle body. Rebuilt the stock Garrett turbo. 27x12x3" intercooler (larger than the one that came with the engine, but no noticeable lag). Oil cooler mounted just in front and below the intercooler. Added an HKS SSQV because I don't like the idea of NOT having a BOV. It vents into the atmosphere because the Haltech E6K I have running the engine goes off a MAP sensor. Have a manual boost control in the engine bay which the engine was tuned to previously, and according to the PO it was set around 14-16psi. I haven't brought it much over 10 yet because I'm still breaking everything in and making sure it works. Made my own 3" exhaust starting from a bellows I welded to an MSA 2.5" downpipe, which terminates in an HKS Ti-tip ginormous fart can.

The car sounds mean, boost starts at 2500rpm, the "new" clutch we installed (it was just what we found in the garage at the time) slips in 4th gear. This car wants to GO. I still have a lot to do to it, including a bigger turbo down the road, even better brakes, coilovers, new seats, etc. There's also an MSD 6A ignition module sitting in the car doing nothing.

I can't really give much for figures, but the engine was running somewhere over 250bhp before I got my hands on it. I'd like to dyno it myself just to see. Especially since my drivetrain and wheels are lighter than that car...


[ Post merged on Oct 10 2009, 03:12 PM ]
crap... pics didn't load right...

If youre ever in socal lemme know and well try and get that damned thing dynoes. You should be about 250-300 whp easily depending on how much boost youre running, 15ish psi should do the job with those mods.

Sorry, on the opposite coast

Wat? You live on the east coast?

What state?

Well I recently moved, but I used to live in CT (where I built the car).

Eastside, motherf**kers.

Nice to see more from this area.

I like it here, except for the fact that I'll probably stable the car for the winter...

Precious little time to drive... come on, global warming!!

You can always take a vactation to arizona

No huge updates, and sorry, no good photos of "progress.

Despite not having a working A/F ratio gauge, I can certainly feel power fade at RPMs over 4500 at speeds over 90mph. Car is running a stock fuel pump with the stock 280zxt injectors and a stock fuel pressure regulator. So no surprise there, I'm running out of fuel pressures at sustained speeds. Fuel pressure gauge is in the engine compartment. The clutch also slips at anything over a moderate pull, mostly above 3rd gear. Also no surprise, since its a stock clutch.

Pics from the last Z meet of the season

twins on the red Z?



f**k your z is so sexy.