John Washington

Excellent idea! I will do just that...as soon as someone supplies me with the appropriate parts! Thanks, Alan.

As I recall, you could get the original G-nose two ways: with a rounded lower valance, or with an air dam. One big problem, however, is that with an air dam the extra front overhang of the G-nose put the bottom edge WAY out there. Pretty easy to drag going into drives with any approach angle at all, speed bumps, etc. Lowering the car (which is what we all want) contributes to that quite a bit, too. It's all a moot point until a G-nose falls in my lap so I can make a mold. I'll be sure to post when/if that happens!

It's BAAAAAAK! Yes, Randy Johnson(Z Cars of Arizona)'s partially-completed VR is for sale again! The guy who got it on eBay drove down here from Canada to pick it up, and his tow car (Chevy Cavalier, I think) was having trouble just with the tow dolly. He decided to call the trip a nice vacation (could have picked a little warmer time to be in Phoenix:) and leave the car with me to resell for him. I've reposted it on my website at: http://www.reactionresearch.com/johnson.htm The seller is VERY flexible on price (but not stupid) so MAKE AN OFFER. I need to get it out of my back yard before my wife strangles me!

>if you can afford them bmw z8 Huh? I mentioned earlier in the thread the possibility of mounting projector lights. Someone sent me this picture last night: http://www.reactionresearch.com/280yz/projectorlights.html

Who's your friend, Pete? I spoke with a guy a couple of years ago who had a car and kit in similar condition to what you describe. I was going to copy some of the information I have for him, but his phone numbers don't work anymore. You can email me off line if you want.

Only these and they aren't very good. There is another panel to hide the quarter window shape, but it is not on this car. http://www.reactionresearch.com/gtorr/Downs.htm

Sorry I never responded to any of these posts, guys. I've been out of town a lot this summer traveling on business, trying to scrounge a few extra bucks. I have not actively looked for a G-nose from which to make a mold, so if anyone runs across one... Thanks for weighing in on the side of reasonable pricing, Dan. I'm like all of you in that I like getting the best deal that I can on stuff. However, I also have a great appreciation for stuff that looks good, mounts well, and doesn't require a ton of work to make it nice. Some of my older stuff needed improvement, and I've tried to do just that through my years in this gig. As for FL327's "crazy prices" comment; I'm all for constructive criticism. However, that comment doesn't carry a lot of information. "Crazy" relative to what...other parts like mine of equal value that you can buy elsewhere with equal customer service? I'm sure I can improve just about every aspect of everything that I sell, but that doesn't help a lot. If you can show me a more cost effective way to prototype parts, manufacture them, market them, and sell them for a lower price that still allows me to keep putting food on the table (it may be a hobby for you, but it's MY job), I'm all ears! I'd also probably offer you a job...

There was a Z-based Cobra Daytona kit available at one time from a company called Nalle. I have one of their installation manuals and some photos (nothing scanned) courtesy of one of my customers. I have no idea where the molds wound up. If anyone finds them, let me know...I have received several requests for that kit!

How about a Daytona body: http://www.reactionresearch.com/daygallery.html Available in coupe or spyder.

75-76 are "smooth." 77-78 are "corrugated." This allows some give if the bumper gets bumped. The two styles are not the same. In addition to the outward differences, the bumper on the later models is square in cross section, where the earlier ones are slightly curved. You could probably get them to fit, but I doubt they'd look good. I have molds to make the 77-78 bumper ends in fiberglass and would like to make molds for the 75-76 if anyone comes up with some decent originals I can use.

Some time ago (before the changeover) someone posted a request for information about drilling spot welds. May have been Eric Neyerlin and I'll email him directly. In case it wasn't, I just saw in the Harbor Freight catalog (http://www.harborfreight.com) a nifty looking Spot Weld Cutter Set, item number 02553. Happy Drilling!

A new customer from San Diego recently installed the first set of carbon fiber hood vents on his car. He reports: "I got the vents installed on my 280Z late yesterday, and they are a big help. In traffic my car runs a bit cooler, and it doesn't heat soak anywhere near as bad as before. Thank's for the great product!" I'll try to get some empirical data in the near future, but in the meantime I think this is a pretty good endorsement!

Ok, Mike (and whoever is interested), Eric was kind enough to carve out this photo for me, since he has been too busy lately to post any of the Rio Vista photos. From this photo it's a little hard to tell how they will look on a car of uniform color, but maybe you'll get the idea? http://www.reactionresearch.com/hoodvents.html

Mike, The only factory hood I have around here is a little bent up, so I don't know if that would do you any good. Dan Juday had some mounted on a stock hood (I think) for the Rio Vista meet. I'll e-mail him and Eric to see if they ever got photos posted.

I'll consider it...especially if I can sell enough to pay for the tooling. BTW, I checked out Modelsport.com. Interesting. Always hated guys who could fly those things...the skills don't transfer very well from the full-scale birds! I happen to have fuselage molds for a 1/4-scale T-38 Talon I'd like to sell. Would you know anyone who'd be interested?

If I could afford it, I would...unfortunately, I have more bills to pay now than usual!

I don't think a lip would help. Read the info on the page for my assessment of the aerodynamics. However, I'd love you to prove me wrong!

New photo of carbon fiber hood vents posted at http://www.reactionresearch.com/hoodvents.html

I just received a letter from Larry today and per his wishes will do my best to transcribe it here. The typos are mine...Larry's later is hand-written. I am moved to reflect yet again on the triviality of my daily "problems" in light of Larry's plight, and my disgust with the system that did this to him in the name of a victimless crime of technicality. "April 11, 2003 "Dear John W "Your thoughtful letter and catalog was very welcome to a Z starved addict in need of Z therapy. One fellow is very interested in building a GTO Coupe for his homestate of Washington. I should get out of this penal asylum around December 4, 2004 at the latest. I am still hoping to get released around December 2003 thru a legal technicality of legal notice and due process of law. The 9th Circuit ruled that I could not handle my appeal by myself and appointed a lawyer from Portland, Oregon to act for me. My legal schemes and manuevers could be compared to a "snowball chance in hell" or as futile like "urinating in the wind." But I have hope and refuse to fall down like an abused pup. I really miss the fellows on the HybridZ website and look forward to returning to that great forum and informative occupation. "I am in a minimum security federal work camp less than seventy miles from my home, where my wife can visit me on a regular basis. The inmates in the work facilities are rather civilized individuals as opposed to the ones in the general population of the federal gulag prison system. About the only abuse and violence an inmate would face is from guards hoping to increase the inflation of their fragile egos. No place for a HybridZ Master! "Upon my release, I want to begin construction on the Stable Works 250 GTO on my 78 280Z platform with the stock running gear with my cross lace Dayton wire wheels with 12 inch coilovers to lower the body. The old silver Z engine is a zero oil burner with an automatic. I want to continue my fiberglass mold making with a mold for a full fiberglass roof cap plus a separate "Pantera" style rear hatch. I enjoy the mold making and hope to offer a "UPS" shipable line of small Z car parts like a fiberglass dash combining features of the GTO 250 and Tomahawk Z plus some fiberglass interior door panels. I would like this letter posted on the forum and hoping for some letters from the members with pictures so I can show these white collar criminals, aging gang bangers, pot growers, pornographers and government informants what a real hot rod consists of. "And good luck to you John on reestablishing your Z based business and to the other parts vendors that work so hard to keep us diehards supplied with Z parts. Actually I was very fortunate to be designated as a minimum security inmate with firearm violations. Send pictures and absolutely no money for my commissary fund since the money will be confiscated to pay my $1400.00 felony fee assessment. They stole a gun collection worth a small fortune and I have lost too much already. "Larry Johnson 65400-0065 "Federal Prison Camp "PO Box 6000 "Sheridan, OR 97378 "Tomahawk Z, Hybrid Z Master "Slave to no one and master to none"

The trim rings around the headlight covers (as opposed to trim rings that can be installed around the headlight bulbs...which are a nice touch, too) were made--as I understand it--by a little French guy named Marcel in the LA area. They were hand-formed by this talented sheet metal worker. And they were VERY EXPENSIVE! I have a set of them from which I wanted to make some tooling to press form some duplicates, but it's way down my list of priorities right now. To make the dozen or so that I anticipate that I could sell pretty quickly, I'd have to charge probably $500/pair to pay for the tooling. If I'm wrong and there are hundreds of responses to this posting, well...I may change my prices AND my priorities!

Just to be clear, the front fenders, air dam, and hood REPLACE existing sheet metal for a weight savings of more than 50%. The rear quarters bond on over existing rear quarters, after trimming them out for the larger wheels and tires. There is a VERY SMALL weight increase in the rear. The original rear quarters can be removed for racing style application. However, in most cases the weight savings are not worth the structural integrity degredation of removing that panel. The rear quarters on virtually any unibody car (like all Zs) is part of the structure of the car. You can find all this information on my website on the FAQs page.

Give me some idea of what you want, equipment, condition, running/not, budget, etc., and I'll see what I can do!

I've talked to several guys over the years about using a hole saw to cut a hole right in the front of what would otherwise be the headlight area, so as to mount a small-diameter round projector-beam light. I think that would look really cool. Maybe someone with Photoshop (who is better at it than I am) could cobble up a rendering. If you look at Ted's car at http://www.reactionresearch.com/Fisher/index.htm you will see his triple carb setup. I don't know the exact details of his engine, but as I recall he's over 300hp. He owns Primarily Japanese auto service in Tucson, so he knows a trick or two. That car really scoots around the track...seen it in person. Ted is a dealer for those wheels. Jason, where are you located? I offer donor sourcing service and if you have more than a couple thousand bucks worth of rust repair to do, you should consider getting an AZ car. Even with the transport cost, you may come out well ahead.

Just to make sure everyone has the latest skinny: I do have the reins back in hand here, and my kit is buildable as a coupe. I leave out the rear deck area and recommend leaving the rear quarter windows open to help avoid a serious blind spot. See the FAQs on my website for more info. There is a small amount of custom fab required in that area and around the back lip of the hatch, but the upside is that without the trunk lid and header cap, the kit is a little cheaper (about $300). Also, there were some pretty negative things posted about Puckett recently. In fairness to Puckett, I've never had any bad dealings with him, but there are some other pretty unhappy guys out there. Charlie, if you are listening, I'd like to hear you address the issue in this forum.

Check out my website at http://www.reactionresearch.com . Click on "automotive." If you look at the photos of Ted Fisher's car at the car show, you can see a great way to mount lights on the kit.