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The red Z is sexy, but yours is even better!

I overcame and then overcome

The red Z has the level of low that I want with coilovers. He was the only other guy to have ZG flares at the show besides me also. Very nicely done car, and with a corvette engine in that bay he has a lot of power to back it up.

Sorry if you answered this and i missed it, whats the width/offset of those rims?

17x9 -13 front, 17x9.5 -19 rear.

It looks brilliant. Awesome Z build.

I'm likin' those minus signs in front of your offset numbers my good man.

Now all that it needs is a Stance Stance Revolution and we'll be all honky-dory.

Lol. thats the size of my winter wheels on my GC. Barely fits over the brakes

Coilovers will fix that problem... they're in the plans. First though, i need to get a new front brake setup and install my new clutch!

The weather outside, being frightful...



The Z is going nowhere with this weather, physically. Although I have been tempted to take it out for some donuts in the snow, I've resisted the urge. The roads are hardly salted around here. Mechanically its not going through any progress either, because most of my tools are in temporary storage.


I also uncovered some photos that I forgot even existed. Looks like they were taken sometime December '07.



Rat bastards..


They ate through my old air filter... no wonder the car was hard to start that year.


As for new stuff, my buddy gave me his spare hood for Christmas, its nearly flawless. My old one was bent in when my uncle backed into my car with his van a couple months ago. This new hood is from a 240z, so it doesn't have any vents. I'm not too fond of that from a functional point of view, but it should certainly look cleaner.


New clutch. Got it for a steal from one of the state club members who happens to be an RPS dealer. Still looking for a flywheel to pair it with, either aluminum or just simply resurfacing my current stock steel one.


My old seats are also gone. I salvaged these from a '73 240 for free. They are flawless, with no rips or imperfections besides a bit of surface rust on the metal parts. All I had to do was swap the rails. My old seats were covered in rips and cigarette burns from PO's, so I had put some baggy universal covers on them. These new full-vinyl seats are much more comfortable too. I know they're not racing seats... but dude, free seats in this condition? Awesome.

Once I get my tools back and start getting a little more time, work will continue. The garage at the new place is great, much more room to work.

Man that is one sweet Z, good luck ad keep up with the good work.

Oh, and do you ever intend to switch your hood to a carbon fiber one?

This post has been edited by *DAN* on Dec 28 2009, 01:23 AM

I have, but the free one was more readily available. Maybe someday.

Might as well just go with fiberglass for the hood. Unless you *really* want to spend $$$$$$$$$$$$ for not that much less weight.

Add if you want functional heat extraction, the louvered hoods that are out there would probably be better anyways.

This post has been edited by PanzerAce on Jan 1 2010, 03:03 PM

Well the thing I like about the carbon fiber hoods is that they use all the original latch and hinge mechanisms. All the fiberglass hoods require hood pins, which I guess isn't a HUGE deal, but I didn't want to go that route yet. I guess if I got the aerocatch pins like hoke has I could live with that.

Heat extraction is part of the function, but the biggest reason for me wanting to have vents in my hood is actually to keep underhood air pressure down.

ah, got it.

I thought the MSA FG hoods used the stock mounting hardware...Just checked, some do, some don't, and that's a crap ass website to search

I know that Justin (280Zforce) has some molds for standard hardware FG hoods in louvered/vented/whatever configurations, so you might want to talk to him. Though the whole SNAFU with the LCAs/flares/apparel might have put you off (dunno if you even followed that though).

Also, short of going with a cowl induction hood, are there any CF options for air/heat extraction?

And have you thought of going with the radiator block off route as well?

Yeah, the whole SNAFU, as you say, is what's made me shy away. I had a long talk with him around the time and he gave me his side of the whole thing.... But I'm still waiting for it all to show signs of stabilizing. I keep visiting his store but in all the times I went there it was never updated, so...

I just want to make sure its visibly ironed out before I buy from him. He has some pretty cool stuff.

I don't like the look of the cowl induction hood, at all. Sucks, cause it would be a great functional piece of equipment. Maybe I could cut to make some vents through the firewall into the cowl area, though I don't know how pushing air through there would affect things.

Radiator block off? Not sure what you mean, unless it has to do with ducting. Yes, I've planned on doing that at some point. That improves flow and cooling while I'm moving, but still doesn't solve the underhood pressure problem. As long as its (the air) not trying to escape under the car, I'm in business.

Another more low tech option/bandaid is just to leave the hood open a crack while running the car, just not latching it fully.

Rad block off: On the HBZ aero forum (or somehwere else on that site, can't remember it's been so long since I read the thread) there was a discussion on the actual minimum inlet size at the front of the car for the radiator, it's its significantly smaller (like, less than 50%) of the current opening. Ducting and extraction is nice, but not having *extra* air enter in the first place makes everything else easier.

Also, on the FG/CF debate, for the 1lb difference that MSA quotes, I can think of alot better things to spend the 400 bucks on

And it looks (to me) like other than going with a 280Z vented hood or Justin, the steel louvered hood @ MSA or the cowl induction setup are the only options...


[ Post merged on Jan 5 2010, 02:26 AM ]
*this* is what I was referring to about rad blockoff:



and some ducting on the inside:


Also, from the "Pics of your race car" thread on HBZ:

How about the smaller cowl induction hoods? a la:


Or maybe get some kind of louvers/extractors for the inspection hatches?

This post has been edited by PanzerAce on Jan 5 2010, 02:27 AM

Massholes...


I recently changed my registration/insurance and all that because I moved to Massachusetts. Saved a few hundred dollars. But even that's not worth the headaches I've gotten.

Mass RMV told me I had to get my car routinely inspected since its newly registered in their state. Even though its exempt from emissions. So I have to pay someone at a certified garage so he can say my car is exempt... right... I take my car to a few local garages that are certified. The first two won't even look at the car. "Its too loud!", they say. "You're too old!" I reply. The third finally takes the Z in to have a look at it. They pull it out and nicely enter into the RMV system that my car has failed and put a big R sticker on the car (for Rejected). I'm now understanding why everyone in New England hates Massachusetts so much. They tell me that my exhaust isn't stock, and it should be. I tell them that they can find me a Datsun dealership that will sell me one. What rubbish.

So I have an official HKS tampon shoved into my tailpipe now, fresh from an online order. The car is mildly quieter, hopefully enough for these assholes. In CT the DMV looked at my car and gave me a thumbs up. Wtf is wrong with these people.


[ Post merged on Jan 21 2010, 07:45 PM ]
Ah, and my little drip of oil has turned into a full blown leak that I can't locate. At least if its leaking its not empty.


When it rains, it pours.


[ Post merged on Jan 21 2010, 07:47 PM ]
By the way, Panzerace... That hood has turned me on to cowl induction hoods. Its subtle enough to be sexy.. Only problem is that it sucks in air from the back from the high pressure area in front of the windshield. Doesn't help my problem, otherwise I'd go with it.

This post has been edited by Oddmanout84 on Jan 21 2010, 07:48 PM

Come to Texas where everything is legal even marrying your cousin

I wish. Not about the cousin part though.

Move to SC, we have no inspections, period. You can run it w/ a straight pipe for all we care

They passed my 280zxt with crack headers and that thing was LOUD

I know what you mean about that hood: that's the only cowl induction hood I'd go with.

If you *reeeeeeeeeeeealy* want to get rid of heat, I'm sure these guys could help:

Im sorry to hear about your issues, I hope everything gets worked out man.

I'm worried about air PRESSURE under the hood. Heat is fine, that aluminum radiator i got is a champ.



My car passed with the tampon in the tailpipe! yay!