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480Z - cheap 2+2 build


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I was notified today that the wheels I ordered for the front are on factory backorder :( I have a long ways to go before that regardless but hopefully they'll be in soon.

 

New sway bar links and strut rod bushings from rock auto showed up. Still need to install mustache bushings too

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Balanced driveshaft from fastshafts. No more shaking like a mexican spaceship

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Got the passenger sub-frame connection done last night

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Passenger support done

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Inside filler / fish plate 

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List of things left to do:

-outside fish plate & wheel well patch

-design & fab new  trans brace w/ clearence for exhaust & hard lines

-sand, wash, self-etch, seam seal, paint new metal work

-run fuel, brake lines, fuel pump wires

-replace bushings

-install np440 trans

-install and modify shifter

-install driveshaft

-reinstall exhaust 

-drop springs & struts

-fix rear quarters

-cut fenders, mock up zg flares.

-body work, paint

-lsd

-interior revamp. Seats, carpet, gauges, sound, dash repair. recolor?  

-roll bar

-5.3 or 6.0L NA buildup & swap

 

 

 

Edited by northwoodz
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I've been looking into the Japan racing wheels as well, are you going with the 8 spoke style? When they come in I'd appreciate it if you commented on the quality of the finish and your initial impressions. 

They have two bolt patterns cut into them, I don't want to derail your thread, but have you or anybody in the community heard of that making the wheels less durable?

Thanks, Nick

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11 hours ago, nicksoccer22 said:

I've been looking into the Japan racing wheels as well, are you going with the 8 spoke style? When they come in I'd appreciate it if you commented on the quality of the finish and your initial impressions. 

They have two bolt patterns cut into them, I don't want to derail your thread, but have you or anybody in the community heard of that making the wheels less durable?

Thanks, Nick

 

Hey Nick,

 

Feel free to post all you want in this thread. Otherwise I feel like i'm talking to an empty room.

 

The Japan Racing wheels appear very high quality in the pictures, are moderately priced and carried by some high end dealers so I expect the quality to be pretty good. So far performancealloys.com has been great to deal with. Real car people. They carry all the top brands as well and seem to like the JR line. 

 

The JR19 are the 8 spoke ones like a traditional wantanabe, yes. 

 

It is pretty common for a lot of aftermarket wheels and even aftermarket brake rotors to have dual bolt patterns. Even high end brands like ssr, bbs and wilwood. So I wouldnt worry about that at all.

 

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Well,

 

Sorry to disappoint Nick and any others, the ETA on the Japan Racing wheels were 6-9 months so I scrapped the order and went with similar wheels off Evil Bay from that seller in Malaysia.  These are very similar in price and fitment with a nice gloss gun metal color that should be unique. Hopefully they are OK, they don't seem as nice as the JR wheels but I bought what was available.

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/JDM-15-GunMetal-Staggered-wheels-240z-watanabe-RS-banana-Z31-s30-ae86-s31-rkr/162985674604?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

 

More metal work,

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Outside fish plate/wheel well patch with plug weld holes. I was impressed with myself on how this picasso came out. Getting the groove right for the existing pinch weld up the middle is a challenge.

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lower fish plate

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Transmission mount version 2. Much beefier. Used part of  original Z mount. 
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Sanded all the metal work with 80 grit d-a before primer

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Zinc self-etching primer and then SEM seam sealer

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Satin black chassis & equipment enamel

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Made a pass at the trans with the wire wheel. Working on relocating shifter rearward and extending linkages before installing this unit. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Another update. Tax return parts are rolling  in! 

 

Shifter relocated back and down and linkages modified. 

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New moog radius rod bushings vs. old ones

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New sway bar links vs. old ones

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Tires came in

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Picked up a R200 from a buddy. Was supposed to be a LSD from a 300zxt but I immediately could tell it was from a 280zxt instead by the mount. Turned out to be a welded up open diff 3.54. Bummer but price was right and I guess the 280zxt cv's are a good future upgrade. 

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Driveshaft fit like a glove
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Urethane mustache bushings in
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Copper-nickel fuel lines run
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Wheels! 
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:biggrin:

 

Carpet kit also came in so will be installing that in the next few days and getting interior back together. Waiting on Vogtland springs and flares to arrive and will start repairs on rear quarters and body work  

 

 

Edited by northwoodz
double posted an image
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Memorial weekend is going to be packed with local car events I thought I would miss but the Z is actually at a point where if I decide to not start any body work besides fitting the flares I could attend. Friday there is a local car meet and saturday there is an autocross event as well as street night at the local drag strip and autocross again sunday. I am really going to push to get this z back on the road so I can attend all of these I think it will be a blast.

 

Forgot to post pic of exhaust reworked for new trans and trans mount

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Vogtland Springs installed. Went smoothly old struts were in good shape.

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Liking the stance a lot that these springs gave

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 3 weeks later...

My cheap EBay fuel pump has gone bad (surprise) and so I have not been driving the Z lately. I have an Airtex with a lifetime warranty picked out to get her back on the road. I have lost interest in the car again so may be going up for sale not sure. 

 

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8 hours ago, JDowwwg said:

Wow. this build doesn't look cheap to me. Love what you did to the fender flares. Great work on this. Do you plan to add more mods?

 

Thanks, and I know it only started out inexpensive! (maybe I should update the title?), the recent work added up but was well worth it. I do plan to increase the handling before my next auto-x event and I also plan on doing more to the aesthetics to the car like bodywork, fresh paint, a front air dam and rear wing. I also want to upgrade the instrumentation and possibly cam the engine or upgrade to more displacement. We'll see how things go.  

 

I appreciate the comment!

 

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