Ferd/289

thanks guys, love the avatars. Keep up the great work Ferd

I was watching a DVD that describes a Cobra kit car where they use a Lincoln IRS. I looked really nice and supposedly performs very well. I wonder if it would work in a Z car? Apparently they are readily available from salvage yards, from older 2 door coupe continentals from the '90's Ferd

I guess we can write some stuff about politcal views until someone in Hybridz management outlaws this type of post (which is probably a good idea). I think that the two party system is one of the things that make our country great. Right now the Dems are in trouble and they know it. I really hope they strengthen so they can provide us voters with an viable option in four years. Competition keeps the honest people honest. Until then, God Bless America and our President, Commander and Chief, George W Bush. Ferd

I love the new function of this web site and congratulate the senior leaders of HybridZ.com for upgrading the site to the level it is now. It really is dynamite at this point from a functional standpoint. I do miss the Avatar signatures however since that function brought kind of a personal touch to our communications. Well anyway, make way for progress. Ferd

How can I make an avatar? I tried to use MS Photodraw which makes a web picture thumbnail with 96x96 pixels. This website needs the avatar to be 80x80. Maybe I dont understand what an Avatar is. Cornfused!

congrats..sounds like a dynamite car. I cant help but think the Blue Oval block equiped cars are more exotic than the bow tie's. And yours is a fuelie, pretty neat. ( hope no Bow-Tie fanatics read this and come after me) Ferd

351 = big engine should run like a rocket. Can you tell me if the front of your oil pan is above or behind the steering rack and pinion. The front of my oil pan sits just over the steering rack and pinion which I dont like. I am curious is other hybridz's set engine far enough back to clear the rack. Ferd

nice car -- looks like good quality as it sits really nicely. Good luck Ferd

You can view pictures of my car on this URL: Its new so if you have problems let me know. Ferd http://www.geocities.com/oakmossy/Datsun_edge.html

I have a bunch. I need to learn how to post some pics..should be up shortly. Ferd

I have a ding king. I guess in the right hands it works but I have not been too satisfied with it. I have taken out several dings on my Z32 which probably has 22 guage steel ( thin and hard ). The problem I have is when you glue on the plastic stud the ding may or may not come up, but several times the pulling up motion warped the surrounding metal. Especially on the crowned surfaces like hood, door, etc. Naturally this defeats the purpose and makes for more damage than the ding itself. I would not recommend the ding king although I guess there are some uses where it would work. Ferd

Racerx, Thanks. I am repairing some hail damage which about 3/4's of which could be repaired via paintless dent repair. But I am actually preping the entire car for paint. Three panels are damaged, hood, right quarter and driver door. I want to pull out the shallow dings with the 'adhesive/stud puller method', since I cannot get to them from underheath the metal, and would rather not use a stud welder. Then I will use on 'bare metal', bondo/glazing putty and epoxy primer for the damaged panels. The paint will be done by a professional, but I would like to do the 'prep' work and have the paint shop do the primer/sealer and color finish coats. Anyway, thats my current plan. Ferd

Muskrat, I will try to stop by your nightly gathering. Ferd

Don't ask why, but my 280Z/SBF 289 has been sitting in my garage and up on stands for about three years. The engine had run before for a brief time as a break in, and now I want to get the my 280Z/289 SBF running again. Here is my plan, all you real mechanics out there please check my thought process. BTW, I used to crank it with the starter once every three months but have not for at least a year and a half ( if not more ). SOOOOOOOOOO! 1. I plan to take out spark plugs and squirt WD40 and motor oil into the cylinders 2. Change oil 3. Gas up hitherto unfilled ( previously drained ) gas tank with racing gas or high test with about 5 gallons 4. prime carb ( 4150 Holley ) with a couple of teaspons of gas and make sure floats are floating and electric pump pumping-it has a gas pressure guage 5. Make sure engine turns by use of a socket and drive on the balancer nut turning clockwise (while looking at front of engine). Maybe turn 360 degrees?? 6. I would like to prime oil pressure with a drill, but dont know how. Any instructions would be helpful! 6. Set distributor on cylinder 1 TDC 7. Crank it up. What do you think? Ferd

someone mentioned earlier ( I think Racerx) that he uses adhesive to stick spot weld type rivets onto sheet metal dents, then uses slide hammer to pull out as if it were welded on with a spot welder. What is the type of adhesive, and what type of spot weld rivits are used, as I would like to pull out some shalow dings and refinish areas of my car. Clarification will be helpful. Ferd

Hey thats good information thanks. Since I have 4 ( count 'em 4=too many) I wanted to save money on insurance. I was thinking classic stratus means low insurance. I dont think I would put many miles on the Datsun since my daily is a Z32. Ferd

Racerx, That all makes sense about the racing and all. Thanks for clearing that up. Ferd

I hate to put this reply in because if you 'muck-up' you will break your window or something else and blame me. I do not guarenty this but I have done this, and the method was told to me by a body shop tech. Once you fit the door and window frame as close as possible using the adjustable door hinges and attaching bolts, then manhandling and bending metal may be required for a better fit. In doing this, try to protect the door windows ( I take my out, they come out so easily with window frame on or off). Look at your door and see if the window frame and/or door itself needs fitting. You can raise (bend) the door slightly with a phone book wedged between the bottom of the door and the foot sill while putting some of your weight in the right place. If the door hits the door stop bolt, lets say a little bit too low, you can place the phone book at about the middle of the door between the door and foot sill, then push in and the rear end of the door bends upwards and in slightly. Try to bend the door to comply with the side contours of the car. You have multiple shots at bending, so if you go too far you can gently bend back with your body weight. Your window frame, which is a seperate componant, can be adjusted inward to colapse the rubber trim better, by adding plain washers to the bolts that hold the frame on the door. I used 5 aluminum washers ( 3/8ths thick) on mine to get the window frame to close better on the rubber seal, and the door looks like a factory fit. Again, you can bend (carefully) the metal window frame component itself to custom fit better. Keep trying it really does not take long to get a factory fit if your original door placement is close to where it needs to be. Hope this helps. Ferd

Phantom, and all others who register in Texas,, I was wondering how you license your car. I have a 77'280 work in progress and I thought I could license it as a 'classic over 25 years old which precludes the emissions requirement in Texas. How do y'all apply for license plates. Ferd

FYI,,To me after learning about Factory 5 Racing I think a rebody for a cobra type car may not be the best way to drive a Cobra. The Factory 5 Racing company makes a hand made tubular chassis that is based on twin 4-5 inch round chassis members. This chassis comes with a cobra plastic body which is I guess the exact repleca of a 65 Cobra. They clain that their chassis is actually stiffer than the original. They also make a class racing model. All this for $10k-12k and you supply a mustang doner car. Apparently they have sold over 10,000 of these kits. Still love my 280 and Z32, but if I wanted a 427 Cobra I might consider F5R. Ferd

Racerx,,You bring up a good point. I guess you can consider primer's including high-build's, a type of 'plastic' covering. I have reading up on automotive metal finishing and I guess its a lost art save for the few who still make a living pounding out new replacement fenders and body parts for classic and custom cars. Marcel and family in southern Cal. comes to mind. These folks use english wheels, plannishers, pounding bags, Yoder's etc. and use steel and aluminum. Plastic is good in that it saves a lot of time and it looks basically the same as an all metal replacement. All metal is to me still more exotic, and still has its place in areas like racing, ie Nascar, F1 etc. I would be happy being considered a good plastic body repairer ( which I am not, but working on it). BTW, lots of stuff I have learned has been from you on this URL..thanks much. Ferd

After the initial test starting of my 289 SBF one of the spark plug wires was burnt on the header. I was thinking of using the stock spark plug protector assembly that comes on older SBF engines. Dont know if it will work with the custom headers I installed. ANy other neat way to protect the wires? I might powder coat the headers. Ferd

I am thinking about duals with the tailpipe coming out in front of the rear wheel. Thusly, less clearance problems. Ferd

How can I check to see if the interior of the tank is rusty and needs work. Car has been sitting in a garage and I drained the tank years ago. I heard of a process that corrects a rusty interior on a fuel tank. Anyone know what that is? Ferd

I guess the even the high dollar cars use this topcoat of bondo/evercoat or whatever with resin to smooth out all the little imperfections over old painted surface and bare metal. This saves much time but is not as exotic as true total body sheet metal work which few including me know how to do today. I am curious if anyone out there has a customized HybridZ with all metal body. Ferd