Mikelly

You can also see pics here: http://photos.yahoo.com/dat74z Check in the Zcar folders to see pics of the black, primered unit Jamie now has. Mike

I'll give you and anyone who cares to take it some valuable advice, based on what you just typed about her... The following words ring warning bells: "But that'll have to change (lol)" If you don't like something about someone, or prefer it to be different, Best recommendation is to RUN away... Changing someone else is, well WRONG... This is the same BS guys complain about women, when they change them and make them sell their hobbies and "change". I know you were joking in some of your posts Mike, but taking someone above 90mph is something I'd not want to change, unless they were the one's in the drivers seat and it was them in control... Lots at risk there... There are obviously things in the comments you made that lead me to think maybe this is all way premature... Take your time and make sure you're doing it for all the right reasons... I waited until I was 35 to get married, and I'm so thankful I did... I got to be single and play for a LONG time, with no regrets, and met someone simply wonderful in the end... Never has a woman impacted my cars or other hobbies. Mike

You guys won't believe this... The resin took FOUR days to dry. Something was up there for sure... Anyway, I spent the weekend battling leaves... Didn't do much of anything in the garage. I hope to focus more time on it Thursday or Friday. Right now I'm busy Tuesday through Thursday morning. Owning your own company can be crazy... Mike

Now that is funny! Rudolph the bloody black bear.... Mike

BoostedZ350, Take the attitude elsewhere man... You need to tone it down... Especially for a member with 23 posts... We're not like those "other" sites. Mike

Mike, There is a lot of opportunity for work in the region. There are a lot of tuner shops in Manassas (About 15 minutes from Fairfax with no traffic) and the car scene is huge (Pop needs to go out there... No longer hillbilly country, but a metropolis!). Incomes are higher because cost of living is higher, and the traffic and congestion is pretty bad. Many of us travel quite a distance to get to the business hubs around the tech industry and government. And competition is fierce for work. People can be ruthless or your best friends... Just depends on the circles you run in... If you move for any reason at all, make sure you are prepared for what you're getting into... Girls come and go, and you've been through a few heartbreaks, so guage that move on your experiences. Traffic for me from my home to Reston, Va. which is 72 miles was taking 1hour and 5 minutes in the pre-dawn hours and an average of 1 hour 45 minutes to get home. From my home to Springfield is about an hour, or fortyfive minutes with zero traffic... Holiday weekends and Friday Beach traffic is horrendous and can pretty much guarantee your weekend planning will be localized, or traffic hell. Mike Kelly

YUp. You've got to cut all that our yourself. Mike

That wheel looks dead sexy! Can you weigh them for us? Mike

Wives spoil all the fun, don't they? Mike

Yes it is... But workable with a skilled bodyman... You can get them for around $600 delivered. Biggest issue is the points on the edges of the fenders at the A-pillar and around the windshield. Mike

I don't get it... Someone posts that pic on a CLASSIC motorsports site? Guys, that would be like going to a catholic church to worship the devil... Don't get me wrong, I hate the purist mentality when it comes to the negative comments about engine swaps... But I don't go to those sites to try to convince them they are wrong and to try to "show them the path of the rightious ones!" And to the poster above, I've seen Zcars that weren't worth $50 have THOUSANDS dumped into them... It's called choice. If someone wants to max out their credit and spend their kids college fund polishing a turd, it's their choice... Mike

Any member can delete or edit their own posts... We encourage people to do so when they've posted something then thought better of it, and I applaud the members above for doing so... re: cernsorship, Yes we actually do delete members posts when we see them as clearly against the rules of hybridZ. Remember, this is the internet, and this is HybridZ. Free Speech doesn't apply if that free speech infringes upon our site specific rules! Sounds like an interesting swap there with the chevy inline6... Keep us posted! Have fune! Mike

Dude, It's a CLASSIC... Come on, somebody buy this DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH! Thank you! I'm here all week, remember to tip your waiter and barkeep! Mike

I don't know your skill level or abilities, but I can tell you that making your own rear arms is something not to be taken lightly. They see tremendous loads and the fatigue issue is something to seriously consider... I'd just put factory units back on a call it a day. I built and sold them for 3 years... I will never build another rear arm to sell. Mike

It's been a while since I traveled abroad, and most of the places I went ATMs weren't available then, so by all means doublecheck some of these issues... Local money is better than travelers checks, but with the checks (If they are AMEX), you are insured against theft. Also, American currency in general is a real bad idea. You can exchange your american in most airports as you go through the terminals, and that is what I would do with "walking around money". Also check to make sure cell phone service is working and the types of carriers, again depending upon how urban and modernized the environment. I've been in some real hell holes where zero luxuries were allowed or available for various (usually wars and skirmishes) reasons. Mike

Well I don't see any comparison in racing vs. HPDEs. Again, I don't care if someone beats on my race car. However, few cars at HPDEs have nascar doorbars and I've seen ZERO head/neck restraints in any of the classes but the instructors. I'm not downplaying the dangers of racing. Just saying that racing has a degree of safety dictated by the equipment. Do an Audi Club event, or Mazdadrivers event and you'll see much more problems with contact. THSCC put on a top rate class when I was there in February and I'd run with them again. However, HPDEs are in general more of a risk to me, since 75% of the drivers in most groups are not grouped properly, raising the risk of danger. Add to that the lack of safety gear and things go far south in a hurry. Mike

Check the State Department's website for travel advisories on the areas you will be traveling in and also check their travel tips section for advice. Couple tips from me personally: Keep a low profile and do NOT broadcast your nationality. Always keep all identifications within internal pockets or physically on your person (Not in handbags, backpacks, or purses). Travel with travelers checks, limit the cash on hand. Trust your instincts. If something does NOT feel right, go with it. Don't let the spouse or friend convince you otherwise... Safer than sorry. Remember faces. ALWAYS remember the faces of people. If you see the same person three times within a given 8 hour period (Assuming you're moving around a given city during these sightings), you're being surveiled. For every country and city you travel to, pre-plan and locate the US Embassy for each, print the location, map and directions from your hotel. KEEP those with you. Always check in daily with CNN or other world news outlets to find out the latest... It helps to be aware what you might be traveling towards. Don't broadcast intended destinations anywhere outside your hotel room. If traveling with companions, explain that you wish to be as invisible as possible while traveling. Don't discuss much in airport terminals, Taxis, Rails, or buses. Trust NO ONE. Mike

I'm pretty sure Jmortensen is correct on the R200 in all manuals... I think I read that in one of the books I had on Zs that disappeared... Maybe Alan Thomas, Eric N., John C. or one of the other "knowledge/ history" buffs could 100% confirm this. Mike

Let's keep it civil guys or I'll just start deleting posts from the offending members... Not gonna let a few spoil this thread... to nice a car for that... And I'll echo what Matt stated... Some guys like to do it themselves... Bottom line is everyone I know that has done a swap will "qoute" a price in the beginning, guestimating the cost of a swap, and in the end come out WAY over budget. Sometimes it is better to just PAY THE MAN and get it done right, and quicker. Sometimes not. The choice is individual and personal for financial or other reasons. Let's leave it at that, shall we? Mike

Also, If you installed the bushings, did you make sure to press them in all the way? They are designed to be extremely tight so the strut housing will be VERY tight... This is normally a two man job: One holding the strut assembly and the other holding the control arm, and the two working in concert to get them back into place. Also, i think that VB has Spindlepins for about $30 each... They are geniune Nissan parts... Mike

John, I agree 100% with you, but at DEs it isn't a requirement, which is why they are, in my opinion, more dangerous. I'm building my track car to have all the requirements for safety, including a fire system, fuel cell, and a fairly extensive cage that has already been completed. But you go to these HPDEs and see most of the guys with ZERO safety gear other than a helmet and a long sleeve shirt. And many of them are in widely differing types of cars. Like I said earlier, contact doesn't bother me if you're racing. It's during the DEs. Most of the deaths we've seen at DEs around the country this year have been with people in street cars with ZERO safety gear beyond helmet and longsleeve shirt. Mike

Good idea but two days to late... Mike

Now THAT is funny! Thanks for the laugh! Mike

I plan to attend the next SEZ event, But I'll be in the vette. Mike

I like John's version much better... Closer to reality in my household! Mike