cygnusx1

Not liking it, but that's just because I like hardtops. Other than that, the conversion work looks pretty good. I like the stance.

I decided to leave the car with Classic Restoration Inc. because he is supposedly one of the best shops in the area, and at least if I ever sell the car, I have his stamp of approval on the work. Not to mention, I am not paying for a dime of the accident work anyhow. The car should be ready in a few days. I had some additional work done, on my dime, while the car was there. Some rust repair in the inner rear quarters, and lower door skins. Here is a semi-charity built T-Bird that Classic Resto did. Pretty cool photo essay of the crap they deal with when some one brings them a car that was supposed to be in "restored" condition! http://www.classicresto.com/mambo/content/view/150/2/

Clive has the best friends! How does he keep them close? Hijack their car, race it, and don't give it back until they finish yours! Nice! Clive's turbo Z build is coming up soon. I better go install another kill switch in my car, pronto!

I'll never forget the first time I saw my Z with fresh paint. I know how you feel. It looks amazing.

For that price, if the maps fit the motor you are putting into, just put a darn knob in the dash and turn it while you drive. Manual VGT!!

When you want to compliment an idiot: "You are definitely not without a lack of talent!"

Solidworks was costing me about $2500/year to use at the office. That gives you support and upgrades. You could start with a call to http://www.caddedge.com/ to possibly find you a local dealer.

Make sure your injectors aren't leaking, your fuel pressure is perfect, your O2 sensor is working (if you have one), and that you have no vacuum/exhaust leaks before you get too deep. Also note that FI, Z's with large open exhausts tend to make pops in the exhaust during decel, in my experience. You should check all three of those sensors with an OHM meter against the factory manual. You can check them right at the ECU connector to also test the wiring circuits that lead to the sensors. I use a needle to poke into the connector, and then clip my meter onto the needles. Idle mixture is adjustable via an air bypass port in the side of the AFM. It mainly effects idle mix only. Running mixture is not adjustable, asides from hacking the AFM tooth wheel preload. That only effects the cruising ranges. The higher load ranges are pretty much unadjustable, unless you play tricks with the readings from the sensors, have bad sensors, or modify fuel pressures.

My Winter project this year, plus the coilovers. Thanks! Looks great.

The coffee mug that we got at work came with a warning label. It had 10 warnings on the list...seriously! Number three was "Do not exceed capacity of container." What have we become?

Austin's thread sparked me to post an update. STILL NO SHIMMY!

I think I stopped shimming around 0.003"-0.004" and they feel buttery smooth. At 0.013"+ it was like holding a machine gun. http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?t=138821&highlight=AZC+shimmy AND http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?t=126479&highlight=AZC+shims

Don't laugh too hard. I stripped the ends of the wires for the LED strips and tucked them into the factory connector for the side markers. Re assemble the connector and the wires are captive and sealed darn good by the factory rubber grommet. Yup, that easy. I believe someone is working on using orange strips to set up front driving lights, and turn signals, hidden in the factory front grill. I am definitely using a 12" red strip across the top of my hatch window as a third brake light. It will be the first thing I do when the car gets back from the body shop, after being rear ended! LOL.

I found runout in the aluminum hat while mounted to the hub, so turning the hub only, may not fix it. Although the "waves" in the hat could be coming from a warped hub, the warp is probably caused by the forces of the four mounting bolts flexing the aluminum hat. I suppose you could turn the aluminum hats inner face, after it is torqued to the hub and that would alleviate the need to shim anything. I assume the rotors are straight to start with. Authentic Wilwood rotors, which I use, are guaranteed to 0.001" I think.

IMHO, you will feel 0.010" of runout. Shim it back under 003" and you will be golden. If you shim it, the next time you put on a new rotor, it will be ready to rock. If you turn it, you will need to turn the next one too. Please give feedback on the brakes. I love my set. It's the single biggest improvement to the car asides from the turbo swap.

Looks right to me from where I am sitting. Make sure you are at TDC on the #1 cylinder as well (it looks like you are but confirm it). It looks like you are using the old timing chain or is it a new one?

I agree, PC's can be very stable and powerful when built and handled correctly...just like that bike.

Black. It's just the color of the wire leads pretty much.

PC=HybridZcar, MAC=Lexus

That's the same steering wheel I have in my Z. Maybe that's why it doesn't turn in as well as it should! Poor dude and Mazda.

OK hang on to your squishy hats. http://dcerutti.smugmug.com/gallery/9292006_VFxXc

Fixed. You can all stop dreaming now.

I keep them on a separate drive....not for family restaurants....or family websites.

I try to look at the girls but sometimes a bike catches my attention at a car show.

Caught this at our new, local, Friday night car cruise.