RaDeuX

I'm just speculating, but I'm thinking that a compressor with a high enough rating (higher than the spray paint gun's requirement by 15-20%) so it gives it constant pressure without relying on the tank. That's what I THINK, not sure if it's true. I'm just saying this after all the reading I've done and I still may be wrong.

Alright, I guess it's not the time for me to buy an air compressor right now. Once I get my own place then I'll get a quality compressor, gun, etc. But regarding my replacement fender, I really do want to learn how to spray paint correctly. Someone told me that there are auto paint shops that have paints that would match the color code of my Integra in spray paint cans. I don't really mind messing up this replacement fender since all the stuff I bought to paint it ended up being much more expensive anyway. I'd much rather work on a car that I don't really care about than mess up on a car I actually admire. If I put enough primer over the cracks, do you think it'll work out?

...and I don't think the 7-gallon tank will be enough? What I got is a Craftsman 7-gallon compressor which runs 2.4SCFM@90PSI/3.7SCFM@40PSI. I have a spray paint gun that uses 1.6~4.0CFM that operates at 50-70PSI. Now that I look more carefully, members on this site have 20 gallon tanks and whatnot. I don't think I'll be able to store a tank bigger than 15 gallons in my garage unless I can keep it outside without getting it stolen... What if I try painting the car one body panel at a time? How would that work out? Basically what I'm trying to do is to learn how to spray paint car body panels. Eventually I'll be able to get enough experience to apply it on my future 240Z. Now that being said... ...sanding down just ONE fender is a toughass job (trying to fix up my current ride, Acura Integra LS year 2000 model). It feels like the 400 grit sandpaper only lasts for 5 minutes of rough sanding. The fender that I'm talking about is an "extra/used/stolen/god knows how this guy got it" fender that I got from a craigslist dealer for 20 bucks. Not the best looking fender (has a little bit of rust but nothing serious) but it looks decent and dent-free enough to be able to replace it with my old one (acquaintance of mine damaged it by ramming my car into a deer on Stevens Canyon ) ANYWAY, I'm almost done sanding down my extra fender, but I'm not sure what to do about the little cracks on the edges. I'm not entirely sure if the cracks will be noticeable once I install the extra fender on my car anyways. But it's always better to be safe than sorry, so perhaps I should NOT cut corners and do everything I'm supposed to do. Oh, I did sand all the way down to bare metal on parts here and there so I got self-etching enamel primer from Kragen's. Would it adhere with the factory primer? Oh, and here are the pictures for reference!

Oh please, do tell

Ride comfort along with high performance is like a black art in the automotive industry. However, I believe that a true performance vehicle doesn't need to be comfortable. As long an S30 can beat those jerks in German and ricer cars who think they're the king of the road, then I'll be more than content.

So lately I've been wondering what actually makes a car handle better. Sure you could put the best suspension parts in the world, and gut out as much weight as you can. However, I don't think that is the case. I like to look at Top Gear's Power Lap sort of as a benchmark. The Bugatti Veyron that weighs nearly 2000 kilograms beats the much lighter cars like the Ariel Atom (approximately 500 kilograms). Maybe if there were more corners on the Power Lap the Ariel Atom could beat the Veyron. I've also gotten comments on how a car that is a much older generation does not have the kind of performance capabilities that newer cars have. Wouldn't that problem be solved with an RB swap on an S30, replace the original suspension parts with race quality ones, and install reinforcement parts like strut bars and sway bars? I mean a car is not all that complicated with the exception of the engine and electronics, so a car that is a few decades away from another is not too different. At least that's what I think. So then what characteristics of a car other than its suspension settings and chassis stiffness makes it handle better? Perhaps the lower center of gravity (which is already accomplished by lowering your ride height anyway), the dimensions of the car, the aerodynamics of the body, et cetera. Thoughts? Comments?

So long as there aren't a whole lot of problems like rust then that's a helluva good deal.

Okay, I FINALLY got the... *flips pages* head bolts out. There was one that just wouldn't come out (took me three days just to get that one bolt out), until I realized that I unscrewed all the bolts in an incorrect pattern. Oh well. I'm trying to degrease the whole engine compartment so I used CDC engine degreaser and that stuff was CRAP (plus it has a heavy odor...). Sure the engine looked cleaner but 1.) I'm probably not going to use this engine, 2.) it didn't really clean the rest of the compartment anyway. What would you guys recommend for cleaning the compartment and getting rid of that rust in the battery tray area? (I think it was called COR-15...) Needless to say, progress is slow. It's okay though since I don't even have the money for another engine yet. Oh, and I randomly found a lubricated banana-flavoured condom wrapper on the passenger seat.

Is it easy to add a turbo on an L28E?

Well my mother is one of those people who never really appreciates what she has and takes it for granted. I'm still having a bit of trouble finding cheap vehicle storage. I got an acquaintance who owes me 600 bucks, so I told him if he finds free garage space for me he doesn't have to pay me back.

Am I reading this wrong? If a stock 280Z is 2800lbs, how the hell does it become 2560lbs just from removing the bumpers???

Ah, well in that case I guess I'll give the garage better ventilation. Besides, there is no gas in the tank (so I've heard) so I don't think it really matters. Besides my parents always start their cars in the garage so who cares, right?

Ah okay. Well my dad told me disassembling an engine near a heater is not the greatest idea (the heater that heats water and whatever else). What can I tell him to persuade him that it won't just spontaneously combust? Oh, and what would you guys recommend to get all this dust/grease/dirt off the parts? (e.g. solvents, wiping materials, etc) I used dish washing soap/detergent and it came out mediocre.

At this point I'm pretty much convinced that the engine is rusted through and isn't worth much... Either way it'll take some time to fix it so in the meantime I need to find another place to keep the Z. However most storage centers do not allow non operational vehicles so I guess I'll have a fun time looking around on friday (I have a feeling most places will be empty today) A lot of Chevrons in my area are closing down, so maybe they'll let me rent out their little garage spaces there... If I were to get another engine, what would you recommend me doing? (e.g. what to look at closely, et cetera) What I think I'll do is take pictures, come back here and post them, then listen to some feedback. Oh, what are your guys' recommendation be on preparing for the engine swap? Is there something I could do on my Z while I search for another engine? And uhh, my hands are full of cuts and blisters. Lots of skin peeled off. Yep.

Well I tried to get the engine head off without any service manual or book, but I thought to myself the sooner I start the better. I bought some metric tools and started unscrewing away. Two bolts were so tight that when I turned the bolt too hard it sort of cracked. Apparently the spiral part rusted through, but I do hope I can still take out the head even with a chunk of the bolt inside the part that connects the head and block. The other bolts were really tight as well (it took an average of 7 minutes on each one) Also, I'm getting the monkey wrench attatchment thing replaced tomorrow since it kinda broke on me... Tomorrow I will also buy some WD-40.

Ah, well I'm wondering what I could do at LEAST before my book comes in...

Well I haven't found any L28s in my area, so I've decided to just promptly work on the current engine so it's cheaper (can you tell that I don't have much money left? lol). My mom isn't too happy about the Z in her garage spot, and it didn't help that my dad kept trying to ignore her... I need to get a set of tools to start unbolting the engine's head, and the How to Restore your L-series book is coming in on around Thursday. Does anyone know how long the rebuild will take? The faster the better; my mom likes to beat the crap out of my Z every time she passes by it... Also, will I need an engine crane to rebuild my current engine? I definitely won't be able to afford one of those...

Good news, apparently you need proof of registration/ownership for towing companies to take your car away, so I have some leeway! I just gotta get the engine running ASAP. I bought Will Humble's How to Restore Your Datsun Z-Car and the How to Rebuild book is coming in 3 business days. Hopefully I'll be able to fix the engine in like a month or so? And if the engine is that far rusted would I need replacement parts? Like I said I would prefer to go the cheaper way, whichever way that may be.

I suppose I'll take a look. Does anyone know the legality of getting rid of a car without proof of ownership?

How much would another L28 cost? If it costs less in total I'd much rather try to fix up the original engine...

Wow a complete engine rebuild... Around how much will THAT cost?

Oh and all the spark plugs are loose.

If the crank is the biggest circle thing on the bottom, it is solidly stuck.

Uhh if I'm correct it hasn't run for 12 years... How many weekends will it take to fix this? And will regular wrenches be able to take out the head?