junglist

How many coats of base and clear did you spray? Do you mind me asking you how much just the paint & clear cost you total? I'm hopefully going to be spraying the car in late september/early october and need to start looking at paint options that won't break the bank.

What were the issues that you had with the boost control?

So I am about to begin assembling my motor which is a refresh/rebuild of a F54/P90 that will be boosted, has new cast balanced pistons with balanced rods, clevite main/rod bearings, ARP hardware, new timing kit, seals and gaskets. I have two new head gaskets but I don't particularly want to run either of them. I have the Fel-pro-FP8799PT and a NOS Nissan L24 gasket which has some water holes different than the P90 head. This engine/car is basically getting a full resto/mod and everything on it is going to be new or completely reconditioned. I don't want to run a MLS gasket right away as the car is going to have to be broken in/tuned with Megasquirt for the first time and I like the theory that some of the guys have mentioned about a non-mls gasket usually being the first thing to go if I experience heavy detonation. My question is this: Where are sources to get new quality head gaskets for the L6 motors nowadays and for a somewhat reasonable price? (re: not <$75+). I know the head gasket thing has been covered in older threads, but a lot of those mention using gaskets that are NLA. I kinda wanted to start this thread for current opinions on the head gaskets available nowadays and see what people recommend or prefer and why. Do any of you more experienced turbo guys, engine builders or parts hoarders know of anywhere that might have a NOS Nissan P90 correct head gasket? Is the Ishino head gasket mentioned below truly identical to the original Nissan gaskets in quality & design? You can get the Fel-pro anywhere, but I hear a lot of mixed info on it. Courtesy no longer has any except for the Nismo 0.6mm gasket. Black Dragon sells a head gasket here, but I have no idea who makes it. MSA has a few different head gaskets including this "stock" one (maker unknown) and of course the absurdly overpriced Kameari one. Top End claims to have MLS head gaskets in 1MM or 2MM for $199 (again, expensive as hell). I have heard minimal things about Ishino head gaskets (P/N A8100-29194) that are supposedly identical to the NLA Nissan head gaskets...but I can't find a reputable place that sells Ishino.

I just won an auction on ebay last night for a full unused set of the classic tube stainless brake/clutch hardlines for $100 and I'm pretty psyched! I really hope UPS doesn't screw them up in shipping. I was planning on bending/flaring my own but that just seems to be leaks waiting to happen.

That looks fake. I don't think the "gauges" that are inside the speedo are anything more than something that was printed in there. Wow that is super, super cheesy.

Pretty funny and ingenious...I'm sure if this gets put on digg or something that kid will get his $$$ fast.

Same guy has another stock fitting up for sale (this is not my auction) http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Datsun-240Z-260Z-280Z-ZX-TURBO-OIL-FEED-L28ET-NR_W0QQitemZ260271813814QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item260271813814&_trkparms=39%3A1%7C65%3A10&_trksid=p4506.c0.m245.l1318

The turbo manifold studs are two sizes, the part that is in the manifold is M10 x 1.5 and the part that the turbo bolts to is M10 x 1.25. I just replaced all of mine with M10 x 1.5 studs that I got from www.atpturbo.com. Although, you can get the M10 studs from an auto parts store if you look in their "HELP!" brand section...they have "exhaust studs" that are the right size.

You could get a 1/8" NPT to -4AN adapter and run that from the "T" that Phil mentioned and then get a -4AN line to run to the turbo which will also need an adapter to plug the line into the turbo. You can buy kits on ebay or piece one together yourself and you can go smaller to -3AN also. If you don't have an OEM block fitting I know places sell little "T" block adapters and stuff you can get. So you could get a "T" block to put into the motor and then run your stock oil pressure sender and your turbo oil line off of that. Here is a completed auction showing what you need: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Datsun-240Z-260Z-280Z-ZX-TURBO-OIL-FEED-L28ET-NR_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33742QQihZ016QQitemZ260268028546QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW Example of a feed line "kit" you can get on ebay, although 36" isn't long enough for the Z I don't think: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/_Car-Truck-Parts-Accessories__36-4AN-TURBO-OIL-FEED-INLET-LINE-KIT-CIVIC-ACCORD-CRX_W0QQitemZ110276683631QQadnZCarQ20Q26Q20TruckQ20PartsQ20Q26Q20AccessoriesQQadiZ2865QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item110276683631&_trkparms=39%3A1%7C65%3A1&_trksid=p4506.c0.m245.l1318

http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/mld/cto/785204805.html I don't know how far Bowie is from you in Philly but this car is non-running but seems to be decent body wise with a little bit of rust.

Is the stuff you are using called Tal-Strip? If so, I use that stuff all the time to get coatings/paint off of things. What I've found works best is to liberally spray it on and let it sit for a few minutes and then hose it off...it doesnt get everything off but it gets a lot of it usually. As far as removing paint without using a wirewheel, I use these 3M discs which you can usually find at any auto parts/hardware store. One is more abrasive than the other but both are good to have. http://www.acehardwareoutlet.com/(uj1n2y45an5atzvhiugs3wzi)/productdetails.aspx?sku=2062339&source=GoogleBase http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1287725&cp=&sr=1&kw=3m+rust+stripper&origkw=3m+rust+stripper&parentPage=search&searchId=36693771254

Falken Azenis...and if later on I can afford to order a second set of wheels I'll have some track day slicks (hoosiers or kumhos) on those.

the problem is I'm not sure how much boost I plan on running and the MS comes with a MAP sensor that is good to 21psi which may be at the absolute upper range of what I'm running which is why I was going to get the 4 bar MAP daddy add-on. http://www.diyautotune.com/catalog/mapdaddy-sensor-with-barometric-correction-p-117.html

What did you paint your trim with?

So basically the consensus is that the relay board is not worth the money? I still haven't decided which components I am going to buy with my MS setup but I was going to get a relay board. Is it easier to wire seperate relays for the fuel pump/fan on your own? Should I just get something like the painless wiring relays that summit sells for those components? One more question, I plan on having the Megasquirt be my boost controller and getting the GM boost solenoid and the 4 BAR "Map Daddy" MAP sensor add-on for the MS board to help facilitate this (I know MS has a MAP sensor already but its not 4 BAR). Does anyone have any input on MS as a boost controller? I will be having DIYauto pre-assemble the board because god knows I have enough other little things to do on the Z.

They are just Recaro SRD's. They aren't exclusive or special to Honda's persay. You might be able to find some without the Hype-R pricing....but probably not. I think jdmshit.com has some replicas and some other companies make replicas too but they usually arent FIA and SFI certified. You could probably cruise the classifieds on honda-tech (www.hondamarketplace.com) or on craigslist to find somebody locally or in SoCal selling a set for cheaper than on sleazbay.

You could consider looking at the solenoid/release mechanism for the 350Z hatch. I know it was pretty robust and strong from what I could tell. On mine the release would literally pop the hatch up instead of just releasing it when I would have the rubber stoppers adjusted high for the hatch to have a tighter seal.

I wish sometimes I lived in california b/c of stuff like this.....

Good lord thats some clean carnage! How much nitrous are you spraying?

I have the universal APR CF mirrors for my Z, I haven't bolted them on yet but I could take pictures or measurements for you if you'd like.

It looks so gnarly. I love it. My car will be pretty similar bodywise when finished this summer, I even have similar mirrors...mine are the APR GT3 universal fit. Only differences is that I'm keeping the front bumper, shaved all of the sidemarkers, shaved the antenna and shaved the rear bumper mount on the passenger side and the middle indentation (kept the driver side rear bumper mount to insert a tow hook). I dont think I'll be as lucky to end up with such a low weight though.

did you have someone weld up the end or did you use some other method like JB or alumafix?

Why don't you get clear ones and put red LED bulbs in? Or tint/smoke your orange signals, there is some company that makes a transparent paint called "nightshades"....possibly VHT.

The car hobby is rough. It is prohibitively expensive but also impossible to unattach yourself from. Here's my long winded experience. I had a '95 Integra GSR from 1999-2003 and it was the first car I had that I bought on my own and could afford to modify. I reworked the entire suspension to be fully adjustable, had every sort of suspension tie bar that was available. Big brake kits on the front and rear, minor engine work, tons of rare, JDM and Integra Type R parts and so much more to list. I paid $12,000 for the car with 33k on the odometer and put so much more money into it after that for parts (no labor except the clutch) and when I went to sell it in 2003 I only got $9000 for it. It was in better shape than when I had bought it. Taught me a big lesson though. I sold that car to get a 2003 350Z when they came out, I had fallen in lust. I bought the 350Z knowing it would take me awhile to be able to afford doing any modifications because of the hefty payment/my salary ratio (ha!). The 350Z was perfect for the first 2-3 years as it was better than my GSR in every way except for braking. I started to get the itch again, do small things to it here and there. It was unfortunately totalled in the rain/ice in december of '07...coming home at night and was riding on falken azeni's on my 350Z track wheels. Needless to say, dont drive on Azeni's when the temp. is below 42 and the road is wet and you don't see black ice even if you do have the traction control on. When that was totalled I had agreed to build up a race/project '72 240Z with my friend Ryan who had a rusty shell (with all new bushings/suspension) that he used as his daily in college and had been sitting in the garage for 2 years. I have always had a thing for Z's and we started stripping the car down, repairing the rust on the floors and body panels. I added up my receipts yesterday and added up the stuff I feel that we still need for our project to get on the road and be at satisfactory spot. It is overwhelming almost...I think I've already spent $4000 and I've gotten another $600 worth of stuff as gifts from my parents/girlfriend for christmas and my bday. The stuff I feel the car needs is another $5-6g's. I'm committed to this project in full and the car is going to be nasty when finished...I just can't wait. I would never want to buy someone else's project. The entire satisfaction of building a car is the sense of achievement when finished and the knowledge you gain when you are doing something you haven't done before.

My god, it seems like atlanta must be the Z car hotbed of the east coast. At any point in DC there is hardly any Datsun or Z stuff on craigslist. There is a V8 240Z in richmond, VA right now and some really sad looking 240Z for $700 in pennsylvania that looks like its parked into the side of a hill and the hill has engulfed half of it.