JoeinCA

half empty or half full? I dunno but i better stop at a gas station, because i cant trust my darned guages! Corzette... I think you have ALOT more invested in your car than i in mine:-).. Very nice. hehe... i am using tire sidewall scraps and aerosol can style rtv silicone to seal up the holes in my floor where i am missing the oem rubber plugs... my parts get into the store at 3:00... 15 minutes and counting... Joe

I still dont think it would enough to get this Z in perfect driving order! I managed to go through another $700 in 2 weeks in odd parts and the like for my Z. I just had to buy 4 new rubber brake hoses, because i burst one when i took my friend for a ride ... I just ordered a vacuum canister too.. I think that the only thing i need to buy now should be heater hoses and some insulation.... Is there anyone here who is really good with covering doorpanels and making headliners? Advice or help would be much appreciated. the money pit is deeper than i could have ever imagined!(and it wont take small bills) Joe

just a little bubbley... (is that a word?) Boboli? lol.. i found out yesterday that i burst my passenger side brake line... while i was trying to install a new one peice oil pan gasket... i need to finish it this morning... i had a couple of little technical difficulties with the installation. I looked at my exhaust and noticed that it had burn residue, then i looked at my brake line and noticed that it was soaked in something, brownish dirty brake fluid. So, it is time to replace the brake lines. with 2 weeks until i leave... i am starting to sweat.THE CAR WILL GET DONE!!! exeunt, Joe

I found this link here that has the torque specs for chevy engines... it says that the poil pan bolts are only supposed to be tightened down to 12 ft lbs. and the valve covers to 3 ft lbs. http://www.2quicknovas.com/torque.html Joe

is the secret hybrid Z handshake sliding into the parking lot sideways in your hybridZ?? good luck in mexico man. I'll have to check you guys out when i get out of school... Joe

Do you guys think i will be able to pull my pann off of my engine without pulling the motor? i really dont feel like removing the engine... Joe

I'll have to go get that one peice gasket and give it a try... the 4 peice ones seem like a really (expletive) idea to me... thanks bamm bamm. Joe

thanks for the pic barracu. Man, i am convinced more and more each day that i should have dropped the cash on that lokar throttle cable Ive changed my throttle 2 times now. this time i think the cable may be bent a bit too much... if this setup doesn't work perfectly, then i think i will go get the lokar cable, and grab one of my extra gas pedals and assembly. bamm bamm: PM me, and we can arrange to hang out. thanks guys, Joe

i probably already warped the pan... I have 2 others sitting around though... it would suck if i messed up my nice chrome pan... serves me right for buying a useless shiny thing. Joe

The speakers finally arrived... : I'll build thier boxes as soon as i am done with my throttle cable install. Joe[/img]

Hey guys, i have a pretty nasty oil leak from the front of my engine's oil pan. Now, i was wondering if you guys had any good methods for getting rid of oil leaks.. I do not have time to pull the engine again. One person suggested that i just loosen the bolts and then go through and tighten them in the correct order. If anyone can tell me the correct way to do this, it would be much appreciated. Also, i think that my transmission is leaking from the speedo housing... any advice? Thanks, Joe

AWD 240Z!!! That is awesome.. http://www.z31.com/~morgan/nd/?z/awd1000hp240z.jpg Joe

I got the carpet from home concepts fabric store. It was a year ago though, and i dont remember what it cost (it was cheap) and i dont remember what is was called. If you would like i can send you a scrap piece in an envelope... just PM or email me. Here is another photo from a different angle... i am out of room in my personal gallery now...: Joe

I have patriot Block huggers... and they do not get that hot.I wouldnt touch them.. and they melt my electrical tape on my wiring a bit... but glowing hot anything is BAD in my opinion... I found TDC by removing the valve covers and turning the engine until both the 1 and 2 cylinder's valves were shut. then you look in the cylinder through the spark plug hole and make sure that #1 is at the TOP of it's stroke. Then if you really want to be sure.. you could pull the timing cover... You really should have timing marks and a guage on the engine... it will make your life MUCH easier... this reminds me... i havent even checked my timing yet!... DOH! Joe

This just goes to show that there is always someone out there that is crazier than you... i dont know if i should take comfort in that thought... or be afraid. heh.. I want to see a blown big block in a datsun 1600 roadster... INSANITY Joe

LOL... what deer? 3 tons... 170mph... in a bentley? wow... that thing is cool! Maserati Cambiocorsa Top speed: 180-plus mph Engine: 4.2 liter V-8, 390-hp Price: $90,865 In 1977 Joe Walsh sang, "My Maserati does 185... I lost my license, now I don't drive." Truer words were never sung. That song is great! Joe

Well John.. when it is finished.. let me know if you want to cross 3 states... BayareaZT.. MWAHAHAHAHA... he didnt even know what hit him... He came by later with another friend, and he told him about how fast it was... I dont think i could even be that excited about it! and then they began to bench race my car... my friend who got the ride (mike) was telling his friend (Joe) that my car would "whoop" on any car that he had ever ridden in. He also said that he wouldnt even attempt to race me in his camaro... I think i may have earned some bragging rights... even if i'm not the one bragging! This is WAY too much fun. Joe

RPMS: I will take more pictures tomorrow... They are covered in some industrial type carpet that i found at a random fabric store. I liked it because it was sorta shiny... The boxes for the 6.5" speakers aren't perfect yet, but for me they will do, once i have more time on my hands i plan on changing a couple of minor details (mounting points mainly, and a couple of my measurements werent perfect, minor stuff) I originally had planned to mount the 6X9 speakers where the 6.5" ones are, but i had a last minute change of heart. I may build boxes for 6X9s to fit there (and the 3.5s to go where the 6x9s go), so i can swap them around as i please. the 6X9 speakers are going to mount in front of the shock tower. angling towards the occupants, and slighlty vertically, maybe at slightly different angles to avoid mudding the sound by crossing the waves. but that is tomorrow... i am too engrossed in this car to even sleep well lately..i still need to find a place to live! Thanks, Joe

oh, i dont know if you guys know this.. but a little extra info about the setup i have back there: the car battery sits behind the subwoofer. In front of the sub there is a box that has the amp on it (literally, it is screwed to the lid of the box) I designed the system so that i get the best sound possible inside of the car, not outside. All of the speaker boxes are made out of 3/4 MDF, i must have added at least 150 lbs to the back of the car... (which doesnt really matter to me....) Plus, i still have a good amount of room for stuff. I have been thinking that once i get settled in Wyoming, i can make an identical template and produce a limited amount of kits, covered in whatever material you want, with whatever brand/type of speaker you want. (one 10" sub, 2 6.5" high ends, and two 6X9 speakers.) so, if anyone is interested... let me know and i will decide whether or not to bring my wood working tools with me to school. Joe.

I really like it. The mid range isnt very good though as it is. Which is why i am adding the 6X9 speakers. I really like the little 10" RF sub, it has 800 watts max capacity, and 600 watts RMS. I need to get a new head unit, and i could use a better amp. (mine only cost about $60 from Etronics) I would like to put one of those single DIN sized DVD/MP3/.../.. compatible units with the motorized 7" lcd screen. then an xbox under the passenger seat... but i think that is a little overkill... even though i do plan to take long trips in the car.. it would be difficult to play halo and drive... Joe.

all right I'll be in Laramie Wyoming, attending Wyotech. we can find a drag strip to go to... or a runway, safety first... I'm working some bugs out. my 2nd to third shift lags really bad. My car is the best thing i have ever built, too much fun to even find words enough to suit. Coolest thing is i no longer talk about how fast my car is going to be... because now it IS. The power is ADDICTIVE. Joe

Heh... he finally understands what a white knuckle ride is!.. I thought i was going to have to replace my passenger seat, (and my buddy would have to replace his underwear!) This thing is so much faster than anything i have ever driven or have ridden in. (sorry jumbo) when i jumped on it, i thought he was going to put his feet through the windshield, absolutely hilarious. when he got out of the car, it looked like he had just walked off of a rollercoaster... Something wierd happened though, at one point the passenger compartment filled with smoke, it was there for about 10 seconds and thne it dissipated.. methinks that my transmission leaks a wee bit and it sprayed fluid on the pipes. or it was the nasty oil leak i have at the front of my oil pan... man i am so tired of chsing down these little leaks and bugs... oh well... only 5 things left to do, I think.... I figure we could talk about how your friends reacted during thier first ride in your hybrid because the look on my buddy's face was priceless...from macho to scared kitten in 3 seconds flat... Joe

I was looking at my throttle pedal, and deciding how i wanted to run my cable to it... when i saw this : I have been under that dash hundreds of thousands of times (exageration? i dont even know) and i have never seen that mark... my car has been branded! hey, does anyone have a good picture of how you set up your throttle cable? thanks Joe

hey guys, well my stereo system is just a bit closer to being finished. i should be getting my rockford fosgate 6X9 speakers tomorrow... I just need to put the finishing touches on it, build the 6X9 boxes, and then it is done... Ive been trying to upload a better picture of it, at the same size and resolution and everything... but hybridz wont let me upload it... i even went and took another 2 pics, and one of them uploaded (not of the stereo) but the rear view of the deck wouldnt upload... uh anyways... HERE it is: tell me what you think. Joe

I was wondering if there was an easy method to make a good vacuum canister. I know the basics, but it is the details that cause problems! I could just buy one for $45.... but i havent found a local parts store that stocks them. My vacuum assist brakes arent working very well off of the intake manifold. I meant to solve this problem today... but instead i started working on my speaker boxes for my Z. I have a mig welder, though i am no welding expert yet, i could probably use it to make , or modify something, to use as a vacuum canister. Thanks for any help, Joe