dot

What IS the intended propose of a heat gun? It’s sort of like the use of duct tape…used for everything but ducts. Now that might work on back hair…

Disassembly and compressed air works great...but mind your paint!

When I built my hood out a fiberglas I used the original hood as a mold. By removing the metal brace underneath and making a wood form to support the metal panel. Resin and glass were layered inside the open panel. This could work for Lexan. Place the plastic in the hood panel and add heat or so the theory goes. As for the practicality of a clear hood…if the wind didn’t break it I think the engine heat would deform or degrade it somehow. But don't let that stop you from thinking Jared.

Tim: I love that paint. I love the sound track too. It's been a while since we've heard birds around here.

Hey BayAreaZT: Welcome to the 911 Losers club. When I had a 340†in the Z I thought I was unbeatable by anything stock. I had lost to 911 cars in the corners but always managed to over take them on the straights. One day my son and I chanced upon a red light and a 911. I looked at my son (15 then) and said “Wonna see me smoke a Porsche?†His car had at least 600lbs of flesh between the two guys. They must have built the car around them. The driver gave me a look of distain. It was going to feel good leaving tire dust on his hood. I smoked the tires through the intersection on the green. This guy sifted into second early and let it go. We might as well been sitting at a bus stop. The 911 was just gone. I had been humiliated in front of my son! We still laugh about it.

the purist's against the pillagers This is not a debate that can be won. The purists are a are single minded in their purpose. The car has to be original no matter how many panels and parts they have to replace. I have had two low number production cars that were “almost†worthy from a purists stand point. In order to get these cars to a point that they would be accepted, it would have rendered them not drivable. They would have become trailer queens. I pass. I turned my back on these people long ago mostly for their lack of comradely. The Z is a car that lends itself wonderfully to customization, handling and power upgrades. This is the modern equivalent of the ’49 Merc or 32/34 Ford. The proof is in the fact that there are companies based on the sale of parts aimed at the those who wish to modify their Zs. The bottom line is a hybrid Z car can stop double the number of show goers on a cruise night than a purist car. And the little bugger is faster too! So why argue with some one who doesn’t share our point of view?

Hey Tony: Thanks for the experienced view. I thought one could get away with a single heat gun and hadn’t realized so much controlled heat would be involved. This pic is interesting.

Well I give up. No point in going to work with a foot of snow on the ground and another in the forecast I have dusted of my skis and boots…and health card. Ground hog day is a long weekend right?

Hey Ray: I went looking for that magazine but was unable to locate it. My search continues. I thought I read ‘somewhere’ that the Ultima was the test bed for the McLaren’s BMW V12. The prototype wasn’t ready at the time. That was long ago. That Ultima is nice. Scary nice.

Hey Austin: Nice pic buy the way. Would look good on a Christmas card.

Freezing rain. Must be a hot spell. I was going to go skiing this morning but a at -20 I thought if I hit something I might shatter into bits! And you know all the kings horses and all the kings men yadda yadda yadda…

Anything can fit if you make it. The real question is "why"? Economics. My first Z swap motor was from a taxi. It was a free 318. I had no desire to drive passengers about, but I still took the time to make one fit.

I had a 4.2 in a YJ and it pulled ok, not great but ok. The fuel injected motor in my ’93 is much faster. My lady’s ‘97 4.0 is faster still, but this could be from a gear change. These cars have always gotten us home. I have thought about this swap as well. It doesn’t have the under the hood WOW factor...unless you win. It would be nice to see one done. How about one under boost?

Thanks MastersMechanic: I’ll have to check it out. When is the Ultimate street car challenge? I don’t hang around the tube much these days.

My sentiments exactly!

Sorry Bill no pic...You can't see the black rubber bits as everything is black in there

The round rubber light mount from the back of a truck trailer fits perfect for the large gages. Mine are VDO, which were as close to stock looking as I could get.

Hey Nic: I know hat tune…I thought is was a SBF. Have you tried converting to .wav then editing and then back to .mp3. There's more .wav editors out there.

I lived in Regina for a couple of years. I’m surprised you can work on your car in winter out there. I gets some cold. Not too bad when the wind isn’t blowing. But a slight breeze can touch your bones. Stay warm.

Hey John: IMHO I would just heat and bend as high up on that part as possible so not to interfere with the hardening (if any) around the pivot. Then let the part cool as slow as possible. I put a pie plate over some suspension parts I was bending to let them cool. They worked out OK. I would be afraid that welding would introduce too much heat disturbing the strength of the pivot and promote failure.

eeeeeeewww...BBQed wennies I have only burned holes in my new Levis. Never the old ones that used to be new ones before I burn holes in them...

When you find the sound you like see if you can get your parts in stainless. It may require deep pockets now, but it should pay off in the long run. I have had three motors but one set of pipes and cans for the past 18 years. The headers are recycled from previous home built ones. Hint: It helps if you live near a food/juice/milk plant. They leave the old stuff lying around.

I have to wonder what happened to the guy who invented the reversing drill.

When I was sooooo much younger I found that beer coolers (those foam things that surround the bottle) will stop them from freezing so fast. Now I’m getting arthritis in my fingers from a misspent youth of twisting ice cold bolts.

I just love you guys from NZ and OZ rubbing it in that it’s summer down there. We’ll remember come July...Oh ya…Now go and wipe the bugs off your windows while I chip a hole in the ice on top of my glass of beer.