Leaderboard

I have been driving this thing longer and longer distances, trying to correct all the bugs and other things that I didn't like. Some of the issues: After 50 or 60 miles, it would shred the serpentine belt. I found that the tensioner was approximately .12" out of alignment with the other pulleys. This was strange since the tensioner is a GM LS3 part, but I shimmed it a bit and solved the shredding problem. Then it started throwing the belt. I switched to a belt a couple of sizes smaller (shorter) and that problem seems solved. I had minor leakage around the passenger side door when washing the car. Fixing this was just a matter of loosening the window frame screws, moving the frame inward so it made more solid contact with the seal, and retightening the screws. All good now (I think). The hatch gets water inside it when washing the car. I am 99% sure the entry is via the spoiler hardware, and can be fixed with rubber gaskets and thread sealant, just haven't dealt with it yet. Assorted clunking noises from the rear end when going over bumps. This was partly due to having too long adjusting screws for the rear upper strut adjustment plates. When the suspension bumped, the upper spring perch was hitting the screws. Shorter screws fixed that. It still clunks a bit, which I think is due to the exhaust hitting the hardware for the diff mount. Still have to sort that out. After re-locating the oil cooler and better sealing the radiator for improved airflow, cooling is no longer an issue, at least not road driving. Track remains to be seen. The stock steering column had loose bearings, and it was driving me crazy because it clunked when the steering loaded up. I modified the electric power steering and replaced the column with a modified Woodward one. Now steering is rock solid. However, the stock turn signal/high beam controls no longer were viable so I added steering wheel buttons for those things, and also the reverse lockout switch. I am pretty much calling the car done. I mean, it will never be "done"....but it is fairly well sorted. I'm sure I will be tinkering with it as long as I own it. Plan is to put a few more road miles on it (has about 700 ATM) just so I feel reasonably comfortable in its reliability, then do some track days when the weather cools a bit.

I thought the idea of the SubtleZ kit was to give you 1.5" extra width without looking like it was flared, so why add any lip flares to it? A stock body 240z with rolled fenders can easily handle a 245 in the front and a 245 to 275 in the rear with the right offset so with 1.5" extra you should be able to add some healthy rubber on the ground... I am going to build a RIPS RB34 for my Primadonna Z; love his engines!