AydinZ71

I hear ya on putting bodywork on the back-burner. That was my original plan. I wanted to throw everything back on the chassis once the interior and non-body chassis was painted. Once I started doing some filler work, I realized just how much sanding and dust I had ahead of me. I could not figure out how I would manage keeping all that dust from getting everywhere, so I decided to just finish the body before proceeding with mechanical and electrical. Yeah that has been some of the stress of ordering ahead. Two bird in a bush, one in the hand (so to speak). I try to buy what I need 1-2 weeks in advance, but once I pivot directions I end up with a bunch of stuff taking up storage space. Its incredible how much room a disassembled car takes up haha.

Sweet man! Yeah I have had cu-ni tubing and a flare tool sitting in my Amazon outbox for months now 😂 I’m trying to stay disciplined on planning ahead, as I still have several months of bodywork before I’m ready to move on. As you said… dust everywhere. Can’t imagine how I could bother putting anything back on the car given the extensive cleaning I would need yo do later. I have one door nearly complete. Hardest part is matching the contour with the rear quarter panel and fender. Using filler as a last resort, only when no other option is possible (like along a body line). I have the drivers door next, then both front fenders. Rear half of the car has been sealed and primered, ready for block sanding with 220-400-600 il tell you what, doing things “right” is a PITA. Everyone told me to get down to bare metal, but this was a race car before I started resto. You can imagine what shape the underlying steel was.

Here is the check valve without hose barbs. Probably a better installation: https://www.mcmaster.com/product/5492K51

Yes, the way you described the check-valves are correct. I bought them off McMaster Carr. They are enclosed plastic with hose barbs on both ends. I’ll have to look them up again, and il post it. all spring loaded check-valves have a “crack”pressure. It’s the pressure necessary to open the valve in the direction of flow. Just enough pressure to push the spring and allow fluid to flow in the intended direction. This spring creates the back-pressure preventing the valve from being open all the time. I’m just using this tiny amount of necessary pressure to create a “closed” system that operates in a + 0.3psi to -0.3psi range. the plan was to put an air stone on the make-up air (one of two). I just have not gotten around to it. It’s not a big risk, given where the valve is (right on-too of my fuel cell) how Infrequently it opens to let air in, and the downstream fuel filter. So it goes: vent nozzle on fuel cell -> AN fitting 90 to hose barb -> fuel hose -> tee fitting -> short length of hose on 2/3 ports on the tee -> check valves on those short lengths of hose. Check valves oriented in opposite directions PS: before doing this, make sure your fuel cell can handle the little bit of pressure that will build up. I did this by closing off all the nozzles and blowing in one until I hit 1/3psi. Yes, the fuel cell was drained and all residual fuel had evaporated. I am an engineer who works in fuel infrastructure (go figure) but just because it works for me I can’t guarantee it will work for you.

Fuel cell and passenger vehicle gas tanks have the same principles. The main difference is the OEM vent system must comply with EPA regulations that dictate where and how the vent Vapor is routed/treated. Besides the nozzles (feed, return, gauge, etc.), you have a fill port and a vent port. Fuel cell has an a roll-over check-ball in the vent line for safety. Passenger vehicle has all sorts of stuff like carbon canisters, vent connected to the fill port etc. your main challenge is how to deal with the vented gas. If you don’t care about the smell of gasoline vapor filling your car and garage, you can just put a small breather filter on that fuel cell vent port. for those who prefer to manage the vented gas like myself, there are many strategies. Some coil a length of tube connected to the vent port. This creates a volume and restriction for the vented gas to occupy. Eventually, the Vapor cools and condenses back into the tank. I have a different strategy. I use two parallel check-valves made of plastic compatible with gasoline. They have a crack pressure less than 1/3 psi. One is for air make-up, the other for gasoline vapor to escape. Therefore, my fuel-cell is actually a closed system that operates +- 1/3psi. It’s not enough pressure to stress the cell (mine has a bladder), but just enough to keep the vapor from escaping under most conditions. On particularly hot days, pressure rises above 1/3 psi and vents. no more gasoline smell in the car or the garage.

All I ever used in the past was the Walbro 255, but that was hot 20 years ago 😂. Literally the last time a purchased a fuel pump. I have a little time on the injectors and pump, since I plan to run the Z on the EP L24 w/SU’s to start. Sorry I haven’t check-in here very often. I have been bogged-down in body-work hell and have not had much exciting news to post.

Greg turned me on to Prather. He is dominating E-production in that damn BMW. They had to put a restrictor plate on his intake just to slow him down a bit. I will be looking for injectors for the 3.1L, but have not figured out how big they need to be yet. I have the Jenvey ITB manifold.

Sorry for hijacking your post Clark! Looking forward to your next update. @tube80z ah yes! This brings back memories of a previous discussion. I recall you mentioning you got a Z down to ~1800lbs, and one way you did so was through clever selection of wheels and tires. @Dat73z thanks for the tip! The strut tube itself was really easy to weld-to. Il have to practice on some spare material from the cast lower section of the strut. Sounds like it’s much harder material.

Ah! hey, that's helpful Cary! Silly question, why the 13" wheels?

@clarkspeed Yep, today all I have is stock calipers and cross-drilled stock rotors (from PO). The S130 rotors are still pretty small, but its just a night-and-day difference going from a solid rotor to the vented so its well worth it. Stock spec. S130 diameter vented rotors and OEM S130 calipers are allowed on the spec. line. Oddly, Greg worked-up a solution within the rules to use an AL rear caliper, but still no idea what rotor he used or what model/spec caliper. Did you see his times posted from the Majors? He absolutely clobbered the completion! I mean, my jaw dropped. Il have to bug him more on how he did his brakes. Maybe ask him for some pictures if he still has the #2 (now #12) car handy. Its usually at his buddies place in Jacksonville.

Cool pistons! What rods will you be running?

Sweet man! Nice score! Count the notches on the trigger wheel. If it’s 36, with one tooth missing, it will be for a ford EDIS module. That’s what I have mounted on the L24 with the megajolt (thanks to a suggestion from this forum). So I don’t actually know of a caliper adapter for an S30 to S130 brakes. Greg said he “brazed” his on. Maybe silicone bronze? I was literally going to put the rotor on, caliper on (with some clamping force applied) then weld a bracket to the existing caliper mount. If he brazed, I’m thinking the cast strut material is forged and hardened as you said, and hence difficult or unadvisable to weld to? Il have to develop a solution. Let me know if you have any ideas whatcha got planned for the block?

Ugh… I’m not looking forward to it. I need to adapt my caliper mounts for the s130 vented rotors and calipers. Do you think the steel here is forged/hardened? What rotors/calipers do you plan to run? Is that flange intended to feed the “hat” cavity of the rotor and have the air fan out the rotor vents? good luck Clark! Great to get in some Christmas work! Merry Christmas and happy new year.

My head is at Yoes. I don’t recommend if you have a timetable (he is busy) and you may need to repeat your specs and follow-up. Also, not cheap. My head work is coming to around $3K and most of that is labor for porting and chamber work. This is for a street application? Just keep in mind that this kind of intense head work doesn’t usually make sense unless you are living mostly in the high-rpm’s with a long duration/lift cam and at least upgraded rods so you can rev high with piece of mind. Not trying to dissuade you. It’s just a lot of money for something that won’t drive so we’ll on the street. You are using a V07 crank as well ya? The rods are going to experience even more acceleration for a given RPM to travel the extra 4mm. You may want to consider the whole engine and what your limiting factor is. For example, no need to upgrade your valve spring retainers (to rev high) if you don’t plan to utilize lighter rods and pistons as well. You will risk throwing a rod.

Looking good Clark! Man, it’s got to be tough fabricating suspension mounting points since they are all so interdependent. Good luck!

They come with little foot-mounting tabs with a pivot point to adjust the angle. I have a general idea of it going somewhere in the rad intake. That whole area is custom so it shouldn’t be difficult to a fabricate a mount for it.

I can give some insight on both topics. I first had my doors (already just the shell, lightened by PO as a race car) media blasted. They definitely warped. I had to do some metal shrinking to get it back to a similar shape. It’s subtle. You can’t see it, but you will scratch your head why it doesn’t quite go ont he same way it did when you pulled it off. Our sheet metal is around 20-gauge for a 240z. Not sure if it’s the same for 260z+, but that’s really thin. After calling many places, I found the ONE guy who seems to still be doing dipping here in the LA area for individual customers (not some big large volume contract). He is this hardcore looking dude covered in tattoos and an old school east LA widows peak. his little shop is in Van Nuys. Most of the dippers have moved out of state or gone out of business because of local OSHA and AQMD regulations. My fenders cost $150 each, and small items (like a valve cover) costed $45. Not cheap. try looking into “vapor blasting”. I believe the water keeps the surface cool while the media still removes the finish. Found a guy in Lancaster who would do a whole car for $850 if you delivered it to him. my fenders now have a layer of epoxy sealer on them. The wheel well side is finished with a single stage two component black urethane I sprayed, and the outside is waiting for me to scuff the epoxy and get a skim layer of filler.

While I’m at it, here are some progress picks. After months of searching for the “perfect” lightweight headlights, I landed on these motorcycle PIAA projectors. They weren’t cheap, but the reviews were great. Planning to mount them somewhere in the rad intake area. Not sure about too many night races but it’s warm enough out here to track the car in winter, so lights help with the early sundown. Finished the body work on the rear valence and drivers rear quarter panel. Sealed and primed. Moving on to the rockers and doors, before finishing at the fenders. machine shop has started on the 3.1L block with the Kameari internals. This shop is expensive but their main business is race engines. Happy to pay for the experience, since I don’t have an intuition on what is critical and what is not. IMG_9874.MOV

@JMortensen Second everything you said Jon @mutantZ Was in the same boat as you about six months ago. Since I had taken the car down to bare-metal and performed all the welding work, I was ready for refinishing. I quickly realized even a $10k budget was insufficient to get the entire car refinished, inside and out. I joined an auto body and paint forum, and started researching a ton. I got the recommended guns for primer and paint, got my stash of materials together and hit it hard. I painted the whole interior in 1-2 months in stages, so I could get-in and do a decent job. I have been in external body-work hell since then, sealing panels, spreading filler, sanding, etc. Don't be afraid of filler. If you are doing the metal work yourself, you will be in control of how much filler you ultimately need. Use a straight edge, and make sure none of your low spots are any deeper than 1/4" (much less preferred). No body on an avg. 50-year old car will be straight, and the only option you have is a combo of metal and filler work. Getting a body straight is mind-numbingly time consuming, and there are no shortcuts. Just a handful of blocks, sandpaper, and filler. If you change your mind and decide to get some of the body work done yourself, let me know. Happy to share my experiences and learnings. I am just north of Glendale. You can come see my tools and work, and see if you want to do something similar. Since I don't have a booth, I am considering finding a talented local painter to do the final base/clear on the exterior but have not found someone yet. I should be done with bodywork in about 1-2 months, and it will still likely be too cold/humid to get a decent finish with urethane without a ton of cut/buff. If you find someone you trust, please do let me know!

Hi all! Question for the group: Anyone have resources/pictures/ideas on modifying the OEM oil pan? My budget is currently going towards the things I don’t have the tools or skill to perform (engine internals, machining, etc.) but I think I can manage welding up an extension on the oil pan and considering some baffles. Already need to weld-on a bung for the oil temp sensor, so I thought why not have it a go. The “racing” oil pans seem to be in the $600-$800+ range, and I have no problem welding sheet metal. Does not seem sufficient enough weight savings to spend that much on an AL unit. I already have a 3qt accusump, so I’m more concerned with addressing G’s than adding much capacity.

Indeed I have seen the vids of Rob ripping on it in the streets near his shop. Curious how Mountune may be involved just because it’s a little closer to home (they are in socal like me).

Hey Derek. Have you heard of Mountune here in Southern California? Their principal Ken Anderson said he was working with Zcargarage up in San Jose on one of your heads. Just curious about who you are collaborating with. Keep up the great work!

Very cool! Well, naturally I have no advice on the floating rotors haha, but that is pretty darn neat! Impressive. We seem to be on counter-schedules. You seem to make the most progress when im stuck in the gutter ahahha.

@clarkspeed Thanks Clark! Reciprocating weight was definitely my interest on this engine. Since I was considering this for a track motor, I really had no interest in using the V07 crank unless I had some confidence that I could reduce the reciprocating assembly weight by a large margin. Of course I am assuming the weak-point are the rods at high RPM. I mean, I have not seen a stock forged L24 or L28 crank "break" yet (w/ stock internals), but that doesn't mean it cant/wont happen. Zero experience on the V07. I am just running under the impression that the forged crank is as solidly over-built as any other Nissan crank from that time. Some data: - Conventional stroker build utilizing OEM components (weights from various forum posts): L24 rod: 711g KA24E piston: 375g (no wrist pin) - The Kameari parts I have: His Drag I-beam rods: 490g Forged racing pistons: 290g (no wrist pin) 4.5mm longer rod for increased rod ratio According to Kame, she will rev to 8k no problem but I still don't think the head will flow enough air to make use of it. I'm just guessing I will be shifting somewhere around 7k, but we'll see what she does on the Dyno. The head is with Mike Yoes at the moment. I think we talked about a .54 lift, 295deg @.05 duration. Most importantly, he is doing his magic on the porting and chamber work. That is not something I trusted the race shop with, since it is hyper specific to the L-series (where and what to remove). He also has my Jenvey manifolds to port-match. Header will be my Stahl unit with the 1-5/8 primaries. We will see how she runs! I'm not trying to get every ounce of HP out of it. In fact, the head will only be 11.5:1 for 100 octane. The goal was to have something that would last, and be reliable. I'm fine with having to replace rings, bearings, but the plan is to avoid a catastrophic failure that can otherwise be avoided. I will be surprised if she puts out 300hp, but who knows.

yeah thankfully not much work left to do on the crank itself. It was off by 5 though (straightness), but they were able to straighten it. Apparently that’s quite common with the V07 cranks. They seem to be quite confident about what bearing material they want to use so I’m going to just let them go after it. Most of their business is race engines so I trust them. I’m not planning on knife edging or doing any mods to the crank itself. I just don’t have enough experience with that and the shop didn’t recommend it unless I was aware of another motor with enough track hours as a comparison. This will be an 11.5:1 CR racing engine so I’m being a little conservative. The pistons and rods will have a significant weight reduction though. I doubt the head will flow enough to make it worthwhile, but the short block should be capable of 8k rpm with the rod and piston selection I have. They will balance the whole rotating assembly, and will likely add some small reliefs to the crank where necessary for balance. i should have it all ready in Q1 23’, so I will likely run the 2.4L EP motor before this guy has a chance to go in.