Mikelly

Glad you surviuved the ordeal with humor in tact... Give 'em hell! Mike

Jamie brought me up a set of custom hubs last night for my ride... Man are these nice... Drilled for ford and chevy pattern, and designed to work with the Ford Cobra brake rotor setups in either the steel one piece version or the Wilwood TWO PIECE version... SOOOOO nice... Three machined screws to hold the cap on (Which is a huge improvement over another design with the screw on cap that you can't get off once you put it on!), and the whole setup is just plan sweet with screw in wheel studs, new bearing races, bearings and seals included in the package for $425! I'll do a test fit and take some pics this week! Mine were finished and coated in natural aluminum and they look totally bitchin'! Thing of beauty and no more pulling the hub to install a rotor! How cool is that? Welcome to the 21st century! Mike

I can not tell you guys how much this thread has made me laugh... My Stepson recked his car last night, adding a TON of stress to our household, and right now a good laugh and some good friends here seem to make it all just a little better... Oh and he is fine, but the Civic and our insurance rates are not... twice within 13 months... man. Can I get in on the group therapy? Mike

Sell him the car... Hold the car & title until the funds have cleared... that simple. If the funds don't clear, then you know the deal was a fraud case, and you can turn it over to the authorities, and keep your car! Explain to him in advance that the car will be released once the funds clear, due to all the fraud that goes on around the world these days... A reasonable buyer will have no issue waiting... And he'll have more than two weeks tied up getting that car through US Customs anyway. So an additional two weeks shouldn't concern an out of country buyer. Mike

Hmmm... There is a way to use a channel section of steel to do that, and weld the sway bar mount nuts inside of the section. It can be done, and you don't want to replace more than you have to there. If you aren't a skilled welder though, I'd take it to someone who can wel in that section. Pull the measurements and go down to the steel yard closest to you and find some scrap within the given size and thickness. and go from there... Use the sway bar mount bushing as the template to weld the nuts into the back side. Do this before doing anything else to the car and I really wouldn't stress the front sub-frame anymore by standing on the sway bar to make it flex (Although I understand why you did it in the first place) because you don't want to pull the chassis out of square any more than it might be already. Mike

awd92gsx, YOu ever do a track day on your bike? Talk about humbling... I've got a 98 ZX9R which is twisting a little over 140HP at the crank and weighs right at 395#... Nothing like having some hot shoe on a little SV650 BUZZ you like you're on training wheels... To me, and this is just MY opinion, but I want to be able to use the equipment to its fullest. We all have different perspectives and goals... Mine is to be as good as I can be, then up the potential to the next level and start again! Mike

I just had an interesting converstion with Michael O. the other night and I've come to the conclusion that to much power is senseless unless you can use it and use it properly. I won't hammer our NOOB who just posted and Scottie And Alex just hammered, as the poor ladd knows not for which he speaks... Heel and Toeing in a Z, now that is SUCH the power adder... Uh yea, whatever... However, I've got to comment about balance... John Coffee hit it on the head when he was talking about G forces, usable power, and how to USE the full potential of the WHOLE car. How many of you guys have been on a road course? How many of you have dialed in your brakes so that you could push DEEP into the brake markers... down to the 2 or 1 mark before clamping hard on the binders? Ever get your lap times and see where you could cut time? Figure out how to whittle down the times for the corners? I just finished the VIR weekend, and last night I was dumping my in-car footage over to VHS and I decided to time it... the fastest car of the weekend held a TT time of 2:09:254... According to my camera, I was within 4 second of that time in my Vette, on street radial tires, and using pathetic ceramic pads... See, here is where I have a hard time dealing with some of the comments related to some of these posts... I'm an absolute amature behind the wheel of my Vette, and I'm building My Z with one purpose in mind... the track... but I'm going in with eyes wide open... And I've been on the track and plan to push at atleast 8/10ths every time I go out, or I simply wouldn't go... Michael O. asked about crashing the car and my response was as it has always been... "I'll rebuild it or buy another!" Why build a car with more power than you are personally capable of handling if you aren't willing to check the ego, admit you suck as a driver (As I do) and LEARN to use it? If you are never going to extract all the potential out of a given platform, WHY build it? So we can whip out our pee pees and see who had the biggest check book? PuH LEAZE... That seems like such the waste. Learning braking techniques, corner entry and exit, track in, track out, trailing brake steer, and other aspects of driving on the track can make you a better driver and WILL help you justify the blood, sweat, and tears, not to mention the financial investment in building and owning a well prepared Zcar... I personally don't think anyone should modify the powertrain until the brakes and suspension have been done, and you have gotten 110% out of it. Then, and only then are you ready... Anything else is just show. Mike

Damned NooB! Hahahaha Mike

Nothing beats the feel of cool steel and gunpowder... In my younger days, and with a former employer, we were required to have a mix of hand to hand skills that required excellent foot work, hand work, and the ability to be VERY flexible... Im now over 200# and still can bend over and touch my toes without bending knees, and I can place my foot on the roof of any car, and a few trucks. But let's face it, now days you smack some punk around in a bar and he runs to the cops... Just not worth it anymore... And I'm with Terry on the whole knife thing... Having been cut a few times, I can tell you that someone pulls a knife near me and they WILL go into a box... Big Boom, lots of holes, and burnt gun powder... I'm a fan of handguns, and generally never get confused with the words "fair" and "Fight"! Mike

JIm McNemar has the CCWs on his car... First thing we realized is they are going to be an absolute bitch to clean... So just beware when you choose your wheel, you will eventually have to clean it! If I swap to the chevy bolt pattern (Which Jamie's hubs come drilled for, as well as the hubs) I'll be running my Z06 wheels, since they come in a MUCH wider width than I would probably need... For a stock bodied Z... 17X9.5 & 18X10.5! Mike

YUp, you guys are right... I was thinkin' about the rears only... The fronts all use the same pad based on the couple of catalogs I've got handy! That would lead me to believe it is the same front caliper for all four years! Mike

Nope, they aren't all the same if I recall... the 79-81 units are smaller than the 82-83 models... Mike

Oh trust me... i've got some Hawk pads that would RUIN that chrome plating in about two hard stops... Mike

Using profanety and posting PMs sent to you by the admins when you are breaking the rules will get you escorted out the door... Our young friend RCnSC was quite honestly a royal pain and I hope he has learned his lesson and moved on... Kid was talented and sharp with his pencil. Shame he couldn't have picked up on the warnings and been sharper at watching his tongue... Mike

At $17 each for the factory rotors (Which are HUGE), I'll keep what I've got and be happy that they work as well as they do! Besides, who the HELL needs CHROME plates rotors? Talk about the bling thing! WOOOO! Mike

I like 5Foot2's response myself... However, if you still insist on spending it on the Z... Upgrade the brakes and suspension to better bits first, and then learn how to drive it... I'd recommend doing an instructional school. I'd wager money that more than 80% of the people on this board would walk away dumbfounded at how poorly they would perform on a road course... I know I have been humbled more than once. Learn to drive the car you have to 110% and then plan to upgrade the powertrain... That's my recommendation! Mike

Latest and greatest update... Got the suspension all button'ed up tonight and re-installed the fuel cell... Spent the rest of the evening notching the underside of the hood for top hat clearance, and installing the hood, strut bar and accessory hatches. Got a call from John at the Fabrication shop where Jim's car is. He offered to paint my car at my house for the cost of materials and some cash... And teach me how to do it in the process... I'm all about learning! So it appears that this project is going to fall into place pretty quick. He said my car should be able to get into the shop for the cage within 2-3 weeks at the most, since they are test fitting Jim's motor, and tweaking the headers for clearance. ALl that is left is sorting the new hubs, along with the brake swap we're doing with the parts We got from Ross, mixed with parts we're putting together for an OVERHUB install... My car should be either painted or caged in the next few weeks with the other following suit within a week or so... After that, it'll be plumbing, wiring, and install of the drivetrain! Almost five years later (Took the other Z off the road in October, 2000!)... Might actually have my second V8 Z finished up! I'll take some pics tomorrow night of where it sits right now! Mike

Clint, I take "Joint-ritous" (SP?) three times pre day most days and I must admit it DOES help a LOT... Being a Yuppie in the Washington DC area, and having been raised in or near the mountains of Appalachian Virginia, I've had the opportunity to do a LOT of outdoors stuff. Lot of folks are amazed and in some level of disbelief when I talk of things I've done... sometimes it is hard for me to believe... But the only thing I can say is I've never let grass grow under my feet... There was a reason I was 35 years old and getting married for the very first time... I was out playing through most of my teens and all of my 20s! You get one life... LIVE IT! Cheers! Mike

Bastaad, That is exactly why we went with the 97-98 models, which seem to run a little more than the 93-96s! I could have bought the early ones all day long for about $7000 as the other poster mentioned, but we wanted one as new as we could get, as unmolested as we could get it... This car is a HOOT... I checked the power steering rack before we bought it, and we're gonn have a BG trans flush done with some amsoil fluids, and I may eventually replace the existing wheels with something larger, using the stockers for winter wheels with Blizzaks! For the money, I'm not sure we could have bought a better car! Mike

Well this evening I was sidetracked with assisting the wife in sorting out the new BMW we got... All kinds of features I wasn't aware of on this little thing... Anyway, other than making my new TC rods, I'm done with the front end and the chassis is pretty much painted and done. All holes in the firewall are sealed except those I will re-use. I also finished up filling in the panel holes at the rear of the car. I finished the uprights for the custom radiator mounts. Now I just need my u-brackets to hold down the radiator from the top. I plan to re-install the rear suspension tomorrow night and mount the panels on the car so I can be ready to ship it out to paint. I need to get with the guy I know that paints locally and see if I can get in the hopper for getting this done and then get the cage done, or vice-versa! I'm rolling guys... I'll take pics and post them.. basically the whole underside, engine bay and interior of the wiper motor area of the car is painted in an "Aluminum" color! Almost lost the right thumb in screwing with the coil overs, trapping my right hand between the body of the car and a strut assembly... Kinda hurts at the joint, so I wrenched something internally... Joy, more injuires/ war stories! Mike

I'd confirm it is an overlap of a floor skin, and then try to heat the glue and pull it up... Clean ALL the edges off the panel, and the surrounding edges of the HOLE, and then get a welder and tack it back in place... After removing any residual rust of course... It only sucks as much as you make it... be glad you didn't find it in a more integral part AFTER a crash... Glass half full man! Chin UP! Mike

I rock climbed for years, both free climbing, lead, and relay. I had to give it up after a mountain bike accident gave me a level 2 seperation of the ACL in 1995. Soft tissue damage to the shoulder area SUX! Worst injury I ever had climbing was a 30 ft. free fall onto a 4 ft. ledge in West Va... Sennica Rock is known for good climbing out here, as well as the Carter Rock along the Potomac! I haven't climbed in years...But I miss it... Much like running... Miss them both.. getting old sux! Mike

So we've been shopping for a new car for her for a while... My wife is much more practicle than I could ever hope to be... I qualified for over $65,000 worth of vehicle loan and that about made her heart stop... I had a $25-30K budget for a car, and we ended up with $11250 worth of BMW... Yup, We bought her a 1997 BMW 328i. It is loaded, four doors, white with the sport molding, tan leather interior, moon roof, traction control, automatic, cute as a button and a LOT of scoot for the money! The thing really makes good use of the 190HP... Turn off the traction control and it wants to ROLL! I'm truly impressed. We drove a 1998 540i that was an absolute pig of a performer and very lethargic. It also was not as well cared for... This 328i is a one owner car, has only got 76K miles on it, and looks almost new, except for one small scuff on the front valance... Car is in tip top shape! We're getting the windows tinted and that's about it, unless I run across a steal of a deal on a Set of M3 wheels for it! Mike

I still have mine, minus the craddles that hold them. Those craddles are rare, unless you get them from GM... Still haven't used them or mocked them up yet, but they are excellent calipers. Making a mount for them shouldn't be an issue at all! They are NOT like the Cobra caliper, as it is a bit smaller in size than the C5 caliper! Mike

Betty at S&S doesn't know that one of the senior guys in the fabrication shop has talked to me about this issue... Since I got mine for $125 from a member here, I'm inclined to cut them and mod them... We'll see the closer I get... Tim's tri-Y set up looks very promissing! Mike