RebekahsZ Posted June 28, 2014 Author Share Posted June 28, 2014 Be sure to watch my new drag racing video in the videos section. I hope it is good for a laugh! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whatnow123 Posted June 28, 2014 Share Posted June 28, 2014 Your car is freakin awesome!! I also admire that you actually drive it around instead of it being a trailer queen! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RebekahsZ Posted June 28, 2014 Author Share Posted June 28, 2014 Thanks. It does spend long periods (like now) when it is in various stages of disassembly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RebekahsZ Posted June 28, 2014 Author Share Posted June 28, 2014 The trailer comes out for racing events because its not a question of (if) Im gonna break it. It's a question of (when). A trailer is very handy and lets me participate AND get home for supper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RebekahsZ Posted July 7, 2014 Author Share Posted July 7, 2014 Just scored a pair of 275/40/17 Hoosier A6 tires from jphglobal.com (or .net) for $150 each shipped. He has kept me on his wait list for a pair for over a year, and faithful to his word, he emailed me when a set came in. Production date of 9/12, but still very soft and nice. Mounted, bagged and going in the air-conditioned storage and ready, should I manage to get to an autocross. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RebekahsZ Posted July 15, 2014 Author Share Posted July 15, 2014 Spending some money on the tow vehicle: 2002 S10 extended cab. Paying this swap out. Builder has swapped the G80 factory "locker" ( behaves like an open) for a helical Dtroit Truetrac LSD. Got lucky and truck has an 8.5 diff from the factory. He has torn down a 6.0 LQ4 to pu in it with car intake, corvette from accessory drive and a cam of some kind. Keeping the NV3500 5-spd trans. Got update today. Diff is done; engine got new bearings, rings, pushrods, lifters and cam, head gaskets. Delay now for progress is waiting on motor mount kit and figuring out A/C compressor setup. Gotta have it back in time for mid-Sep tow to the GA mile. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RebekahsZ Posted July 26, 2014 Author Share Posted July 26, 2014 I gotta admit, it is a lot easier to pay somebody to do a swap than to do it myself. The engine and tranny are back in the truck with clutch shimmed and bled, shifter re-installed. The shop ran into clearance trouble with cast exhaust manifolds and just ordered some long-tube headers for the truck-darn?!? Once the headers are in, they start with the more tedious minutiae. Turns out the locker is in the shop but not inside the diff yet. Turns out the truck had 3.08s in the diff, so they are swapping in 3.42s, Im gonna love that-highway towing in 5th has been almost impossible unless I'm passing rice fields and the NV3500 is super noisy in 4th gear-much more quiet in 5th. On the road to Atlanta Motorsports Park, i actually have had to climb some hills in 2nd gear, so i should be able to stay in 3rd now. Wife is getting tired of driving me around-she's actually pushing me into the garage this weekend to get me to put the seats back in the Z. I'm figuring another month on the truck. I think it's gonna hurt when I write that check, but worth every penny. Time to get off my arse and into the shop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RebekahsZ Posted July 26, 2014 Author Share Posted July 26, 2014 I hope some of you guys make it out to Z Nationals to see the Z and its LS-powered tow vehicle in October. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RebekahsZ Posted August 2, 2014 Author Share Posted August 2, 2014 Weekly update on my truck. They assembled the LSD and new gear set. Driveshaft and new crossmember (that doesn't sag down like my big gut) installed. Some wiring done. Waiting on headers to arrive. This is gonna be expensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RebekahsZ Posted August 13, 2014 Author Share Posted August 13, 2014 (edited) Went by shop to check on truck today. Looks good, but still a long way to go. I will add pics in a few minutes in the edit mode. The cost is mounting, I'm at almost $10,000 already and there is more to do. I think I'm still looking at 2 weeks from now to completion. Only destructive changes from stock that I can see is that the radiator overflow tank had to be tossed and a universal had to be put on the fenderwell. Even after going to a mini-compressor for the A/C, there still wasn't room for both components. Used a Holley swap oilpan, but still had to notch the front crossmember. The headers from Stainless Works ($875!) are beautiful and fit like a glove. Unfortunately, they terminate into the transmission support crossmember, so that has to be clearanced. Looking at the cost spreadsheet that he gave me, I really don't see much out of line. The main place that cost could be saved is with fabricated parts like the engine harness (instead of buying a PSI swap harness), and brackets like the Holley alternator and A/C relocation kit (which is beautiful, BTW). Could have skipped the new diff gears and LSD, but I'm having him go ahead with some traction bars-no point having power if you can't get it to the pavement. Gotta pay to play. I think I am going to have a very stock looking swap when all is said and done. Even asked for a stock LS muffler if available, so that it isn't too loud, although the aftermarket cam, traction bars and the anticipated cowl induction hood (this winter) will give some suggestion of what's going on. Just looked at the pics I posted-I wonder if the front accessory drive is not matched with the crank pulley (camera angle?), maybe another delay.... Edited August 13, 2014 by RebekahsZ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RebekahsZ Posted August 18, 2014 Author Share Posted August 18, 2014 Lowered seats are installed! Plenty of helmet room, now. Harnesses go in tomorrow. Gotta find time for an alignment, toe in is excessive in front and rear. Borrowed some drag radials from a buddy, now mounted and on car. Making progress after months of no car work. Feels good to be moving forward. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texis30O Posted August 18, 2014 Share Posted August 18, 2014 I assure you it will hurt writing the check....... The shop called me the other day to tell me that they had burned through my credit I accumulated and that they were about to cross over..... I about lost it....... I really thought I was getting out of this project sub 20k.... yeah not so much... then I decided to add up the parts..... then I started drinking...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RebekahsZ Posted August 19, 2014 Author Share Posted August 19, 2014 Harnesses in, rear quarter glass in (what a pita!). Replacement oil pressure sender on hand, epoxying this one since soldering the other one made oil pressure readings erratic. It will go on tomorrow, along with trimming the leading edge of the BAMF flares for more slick clearance. It's a shame to cut those CF flares, but anything that compromises the big meats must be cut away! Then put a little more paint on the floors (fake black floor mats to hide dirt), install sub belts, and we are down to odd and ends. Like getting out the touch up paint for the first time in 15 years. Maybe this weekend I will start on another diff rebuild with the goal of getting the backlash right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RebekahsZ Posted August 20, 2014 Author Share Posted August 20, 2014 Rinsed off and ready to cruise to work tomorrow. The 28" rear tires are rather freakish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RebekahsZ Posted August 22, 2014 Author Share Posted August 22, 2014 Truck is down for another week. It runs and drives, went to get exhaust yesterday. But the speedo doesn't work and the power steering is spewing fluid. Still needs to go on dyno after that. Maybe one more week and a couple thousand more dollars... But I'm gonna love it! The Z is driving great in the meantime. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RebekahsZ Posted August 24, 2014 Author Share Posted August 24, 2014 I'm SO ready to get my truck back! I think it will be this Friday. It's like a million degrees, 120% humidity in Alabama right now. Daily driving the Z is a blast, but I miss the truck's A/C. Got a ticket driving my wife's minivan Friday night-somehow missed the 35mph speed limit sign rolling thru a tiny little speed trap town and got pulled over for going 52. That's gonna hurt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tooquick260 Posted August 24, 2014 Share Posted August 24, 2014 Wow pushing it close for the z nationals. got a lot to do Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RebekahsZ Posted August 24, 2014 Author Share Posted August 24, 2014 (edited) Yeah, may have to put the tires on the roof and drive the Z! My next event is actually in Sep, basically the same tow distance and mountains as Z Nats. Its hotter than hell today, so I've been catching up on posting pics and updating old threads until the sun goes down. Now to send an email to Bogart about having some custom wheels made....by the time I'm thru with that, it should be bearable. Ordered an Allstar 14" convex mirror today just for Z Nats, I want to see you overtaking me so I don't turn into you. Edited August 24, 2014 by RebekahsZ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RebekahsZ Posted August 25, 2014 Author Share Posted August 25, 2014 Blew up driver side outer CV within an hour of last post. I was getting on it, but not very hard since it was on the street-nothing major, and probably didn't even exceed the speed limit. Its the same side that I broke the inner CV on this Spring. It comes to mind that I only replaced the inner CV and left the outer alone when I "rebuilt" that axle. Will swap in my spare axle, then see what's wrong. I haven't made any major rear suspension changes, so surely it isn't a length issue (?). Glad it happened now and not at GA event. I was able to limp into a Walmart parking lot a mile from my house where I had plenty of room to back the trailer in. Glad I had that towing package put on my wife's minivan. Damn, I miss my truck. Car is tucked away inside my garage, ready for some thrashing tomorrow after work. I'm getting good at dragging a broken Z-car home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tooquick260 Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 I don't think my 273 hp will overtake your 400+ anywhere, except if you run out of gas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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