All Activity

Sema and Apex Show 2025 -Las Vegas Nov.4 to Nov7 I have been to the Sema and Apex Show in Las Vegas for over 35 years missing only two shows. These Shows have been crowded and always better than the previous year. That is until now, this year the show were not better than previous ones. Not as many vendors and corresponding not as many attendees. Prices at this noticable higher than past. Everyone expects convention prices to higher than outside of convention area. But, this year, prices for food, hotel rooms, etc were extremely higher. For example , one regular16 oz of Water was $9 a bottle. Mac Donald's Cheese Burger Meal with Fries and Drive ran about $35!! Prices for everything was higher within 2 Blocks of the Strip. The lack of human card dealers who were replaced with automated machines was everywhere. Also, missing was the people. I would there was about 20% less people at the convention and maybe 25% less people walking on the Strip. This is happening during one of the biggest conventions of the year!! Back to the Show- Riding the Las Vegas Mono Rail that runs parallel from MGM Grand to the Las Vegas Convention Center. Regular price was $6 a ride but it was lowered to $5.50 for the convention goers. Cars, Trucks, Food Truck, Vendor Tests, etc outside the Convention Hall. Blown Cars preparing for the Burnout Box Area Off Road Motorcycle Jump Area Videos of their Jumps Sorry, my videos of the motorcycle jumping was able to post. I will try to correct this if i can. A crazy looking Roaster Beautiful Chopped Chevy Truck Convertible a Usual Large Amount of Load Speakers in a truck bed. Pic of the Crowd of People Outside the Central Hall Ford GT Racer Interior pic of a Green 240Z Racer Fuel Injected Lowered Chevy El Camino Nismo Accessories Board Nismo Wheel Display GReddy Racing Booth FUGU Z 10year Anniversary Sung Kang Famous 240Z Right Rear Wheel Rear View Engine Compartment RB25 with Turbo Left Front Wheel Left Rear View Interior Pic Rear Hatch Area Pic Sung Kangs New 240Z-24 Valve Overhead Twin Cam Motor Interior Pic Left Rear Wheel Pic Carbon Fiber Rear End Parts Interior of a Bullet Proof Armored Vehicle 10,000 lbs worth More pics and text to come-

IMPORTANT MESSAGE-CONCERNING NEW COMPLETE 240Z BODY ASSEMBLIES FOR SALE I just posted information concerning new complete early model 240z bodies assemblies that may be available in the near future. It is posted on the BODY KITS AND PAINT SECTION of Hyprid Z Forums on Monday. There are a lot of pics and text discussing their construction and quality. Information about the manufacturer is also listed. There was a lot of interest in their line of reproduction vehicles( Toyota Land Cruisers,Toyota A86, Ford Bronco bodies). Also, I also post text and pics of ALL ALUMINUM BODY PANELS FOR 240Z MANUFACTURED IN JAPAN. Weigh savings are about 20 to 30 percent and very corrosion resistant. The workmanship was excellent and looked beautiful. This is a limited production run so if you are interested, I would put your order in. Star Road in Japan is handling the sales of this product. I will also start posting pics and text of other cars and products that I found at the SEMA SHOW 2025. This will posted in my usual Hybridz Forum site at V8 ZForums-Gen III & IV Chevy V8z site soon.

Well, it took all day, but I got the door jambs and inner doors all done and ready for the body shop. The paint on this car is incredible. I have never seen anything like it, it only comes off with a flapper wheel on an angle grinder....I tried 40 grit on my orbital sander, didn't touch it. So, I have continued to use a flapper wheel, and will then go over each panel with finer and finer sandpaper to get it all smooth before handing it over to bodywork and paint. I am finding areas that were slicked with filler and sanded out, with THICK layers of paint and all. I remvoed the hinges and coated both sides with rustoleum and re-assembled. Man, It really worked me today! Pics.

It seems there isn't much activity on this forum vs. about 10 years ago. I guess not as many of these cars are still being modified now. Anyway, an update on some progress. The pool hose I am using here is just for mock up purposes. It has the right ID to fit tightly on the fittings. I just heat up the the hose (a plastic/vinyl material of some sort) and then slide on the fitting. I believe this is helping to establish the actual hose lengths I need as well as "clocking" or indexing the fittings to the hose. Additionally, though I did not plan it this way originally, I came up with a great design for securing the battery to the tray... and made this upper battery mount bracket in such a way as to tie in to the bracket that I made to mount the oil tank in the car. The upper bracket I made today not only clamps the battery in place, but also ties into the oil tank bracket and the engine compartment panel, triangulating everything. This design makes the mounting for the tank very rigid. I still have a bit to figure out with regard to mounting the forward most part of the bracket that I made today to go on top of the battery. I think I may cut a plate like this red outline and rivet it to the upper battery bracket. This panel will sit atop of the angle piece that presently holds the breather tank in position. Then the two bolts (within the red outline representing the new panel) will join all three layers. The result here is that the triangulation appears to substantially strengthen the tank bracket. I won't have issues with the weight of the oil in the tank causing the brackets to bend/fatigue.

Got a lot of the rear track attack kit put together today. It went together pretty well, their videos are very helpful. Only minor issue was these lock washers being too big, just ground them down a bit.

Have you tried industrial Blower Heat Gun (capable of heating the area to 200degrees)? This method usually works but be carefully not melt anything near by. This Process softens the glue to allow parts to separate. Try on a small area first.

Not clear what this means. There is no "upper pan". This is a 280Z but it's the same engine. You posted Sunday so probably already got it done. Good luck. https://www.carpartsmanual.com/datsun/Z-1969-1978/engine-280z/cylinder-block

It should only be the bolts that hold it to the block. No extra secret hidden bolts. Have you tried tapping it with a rubber mallet? if someone used gasket adhesive on both sides it would be pretty well stuck. I had to use a rubber mallet to knock mine loose. If it's really stuck with something like permatex ultra black instead of a stock style gasket have you tried running fishing line through it? Could cut through easier than a blade without damaging the metal.

My rollpan is almost ready to ship as well. I got it from Chop Suey Hot Rod Shop, he is filling in the exhaust cut out for me. It bolts on to the rear.

dropped off my new hatch from resurrected classics, my grille, and my 240 taillight outer panels at R&S Powdercoating for a coat of gloss black powdercoat. I had the hood sandblasted and found damage, so I ordered a new hood for Resurrect Classics, and will make my cut out and then have it powder coated gloss black as well. The car will be light metallic blue, with black hood, hatch, flares and rear spoiler/Air Dam. here is the inspiration for my change in direction: (Just picture the light metallic blue instead of red)

Yep that is there forever home. I can cover them if needed, but this is an around town hotrod only. no wipers, my version of a cooler AC Corbra.

stock brakes Sir. of the two "blocks" I assume you are talking about the one with the electrical probe on there. Rather than try to figure it out, I knew I was going to run stock brakes so just copied how Nissan built it. (shrug)

You don't really need the brake line differential pressure warning switch. It does function as a decent junction block. You are also likely to want an adjustable proportioning valve instead of the stock unit unless you plan to run stock brakes.

I believe you are referring to the Proportioning Valve and the Brake Line Pressure Differential Warning Switch. Is the switch still functional (I couldn't see any wiring from those photos)? Did you decide to relocate them to the fender well for a cleaner look under-hood? If that's going to be their permanent position, I would fabricate some kind of metal shielding to protect them from road debris damage....the stock plastic inner fender liners are probably not sufficient. Good tip on the "Finishing Lines"...will check it out for sure! 👍

IMPORTANT MESSAGE-CONCERNING NEW COMPLETE 240Z BODY ASSEMBLIES FOR SALE I just posted information concerning new complete early model 240z bodies assemblies that may be available in the near future. It is posted on the BODY KITS AND PAINT SECTION of Hyprid Z Forums on Monday. There are a lot of pics and text discussing their construction and quality. Information about the manufacturer is also listed. There was a lot of interest in their line of reproduction vehicles( Toyota Land Cruisers,Toyota A86, Ford Bronco bodies). Also, I also will post text and pics of ALL ALUMINUM BODY PANELS FOR 240Z MANUFACTURED IN JAPAN. Weigh savings are about 20 to 30 percent and very corrosion resistant. The workmanship was excellent and looked beautiful. This is a limited production run so if you are interested, I would put your order in. Star Road in Japan is handling the sales of this product. I will also start posting pics and text of other cars and products that I found at the SEMA SHOW 2025. This will posted in my usual Hybridz Forum site at V8 ZForums-Gen III & IV Chevy V8z site soon.

I had a couple hours this morning, so I went ahead and worked some more on the layout for my brake master cylinder backing plate, and then installed my brake "parts", that divert fluid to all 4 wheels (I don't know what to call them). I used Finishing Lines for the hoses. These hoses are the new PFTE hoses that do not swell, etc. Guys are completely running brake lines in whole cars with these and they work great! I will be doing a combo of hard lines and this. Everything past the firewall back is the stock stuff. www.finishing-lines.com. They advertise a lot of Honda stuff, but they DO have our 10mm fittings etc. Great people to work with. I then went ahead and pulled the back window as part of gutting the rusty hatch out and then installing my new hatch I got form Resurrected Classics. My hood is at the sandblasters right now, should pick it up tomorrow, and then I can cut the hole and repair the spear with all metal filler a tad, as I can see some mud in it. Seriously thinking about having the hood and the deck lid powder coated gloss black to contrast the light blue metallic. Black spoiler and air dam also (they are already black, I can put a coat or two of 2K clear on them), I have glossy black flares........I will attach a pic that a guy did this with..... but the car is red.....it is giving me these ideas. Pics follow, Cheers!

just barely screwed them on and took a pic.

Good list, I went with the track Attack kit And a 370Z diff (R200). I went with the Bull Dog Frame rails as they can go over the existing frame rails. They are still in the box though, I’ll install those after I install the rear suspension.

Those struts look really long. How much can they be shortened and still maintain sufficient travel?

When I installed my small block Ford in my car there wasn't a kit available to mount the engine and transmission. So, like you, I had to figure it out on my own. A particular challenge with these cars is that they are small and you will end up with a very short drive shaft. Because of that we have to pay particularly close attention to driveshaft angles. We need the axis of the engine to be parallel to the pinion axis, and to keep the u-joint angles as low as possible. If you don't do these things you will have drive line vibration that will make the car very unpleasant to drive at high speed.

What did you get, the Pro Touring kit? I do like how the Apex suspension looks and I heard a lot of good things about them. I also picked up some parts for myself to try out. Modified S30 Z’s are rare in Europe and once with anything more the coilovers even more so I’ve never seen the Apex suspension myself. I will eventually move down the new Retro Mod line as I want to keep the stock drivetrain and R200 diff but for now I just got some nice upgrades that give me the adjustability I need. - Front fender brace - Frame rails - Rear strut brace - Front control arms - Steering knuckles - Front crossmember - Upper steering rack clamps - Rear control arms

Today my fiberglass smooth cowl I bought from Jhousa Ramos arrived and I got my caliper / lower strut assemblies back from welding. The cowl is really a nice clean part. JP Fiber Shop – The world of your car

Thanks. I ordered a can, I’ll see where I can squeeze some in. Also Apex rear suspension got here today, going to get to started on that this weekend. 🤗

It is as firm as a rock.

How many of you have played around with Crossmember plates/shims, hammering a trans tunnel in a bit, engine height, trans height and driveshaft angle? I am now stepping into this new realm. I have my Vortec 4200 in, now for the trans. If you plate the crossmember you give up ground clearance, and the more you plate the more fender wheel well gap you will have, so you raise one, then adjust the coilovers to take it out, but coilovers only have so much adjustment......using aluminum plates, I can get it to where I may have to actually take the plates in to a machine shop to mill them to a precise measurement. I have some megan racing coilovers being welded on to my spindles right now. Not interested in messing with the motor mounts and like my engine riding high, so I guess we shall see!