Mikelly

Time out... This is NOT the same engine builder that I currently am using... This issue deals with the toothless wonders in Tennessee... Dave Williams is the guy Pete and I use now and I'd recommend him to anyone... Mike

Here is what I tell them... Get a clearance... Top Secret is best... What does this require? Don't do drugs, Don't get busted for anything other than moving violations, no petty crime, no battery, No burglary, No removing your ex-wife's head and then getting Johnny Cochran and the dream team to get you off! Stick close by Uncle Sam... He has money... Lots of money! Mike

I can't stress enough how much you want to really do your research here... This car is thin wall steel in the first place. So take care in putting sub-frames and the other mods to stiffen the chassis. I sold the roof out of one Zcar to a guy whose son bought a "Targa" converted Z taht was BOWING in the middle due to lack of support... The car sagged about 6 inches at the roof line... They welded in my donor roof and that was the end of it... Mike 8)

Nah... THis way I can keep you guessing.. However, I'm seriously thinking of ditching one of them, gutting it and selling off the excess parts... I don't know if I'm gonna be able to leave a Corvette sitting outside under a cover in the driveway... Mike

Well last night I finished triming the rough sheet steal out of where the radiator support used to be, and removed the fuel filter bracket on the fenderwell. I also prepped the interior floor pans and rails for paint, and tonight I primed them. I'll probably do the rubberized bedliner stuff on them. On the new fuel cell install I went ahead and cut the frame support material. I plan to weld them in tomorrow night. On the Vette front, I test drove a 97 today. I think I'll get one with the LS1 in it... The Lt1 didn't seem as resonsive as the LS1 equiped Vette's I've driven. Mike

Nope... the motor on thestand now is the remnants left over from the other motor... All we're using from that build is the block, cam and heads... Mike

Remember that little lovely deal I got on that 383 Stroker back in 1998?? You know, All really nice stuff with aluminum heads, Vic Jr. intake, Hydraulic roller valve train??? Yea, Just got a call from the machine shop... The Kmotion springs were the wrong size and should never have been put in the heads... Not to mention the valve seals were the wrong ones. That, coupled with the wrong bolts, the piston and other related issues... I'm pretty pissed... Overall, the deal wasn't worth what I paid, and I just think back to all the comments and warnings from others. I would never buy a crate motor from Bowtie Performance in Britsol, Va again. Mike

I've got a cowl hood glassed to a steel frame... Cheap. But it is in Virginia and you MUSt pick it up... Mike

So Doug, Pete, Pete's son Eric, Jamie, Jamie's wife and new baby girl came up to hang out, swap some parts, and eat, drink and be merry! Doug brought his version of the control arm up and we had Jamie Weld them up for him... Doug is SOOO meticulous with everything he makes, it just looks sooo good, I have to ding him when I can! Pete picked up some arms from Jamie that had been powder coated, and I bought the WilWoods from Jamie. We hung out, BS'ed about Zs, and thing HP related and just had a generally good time drinking Black & Tans and smoking cigars! Nothing like good friends on a Rainy Sunday afternoon! Glad you guys could come and Hang! Mike

TO mount one on a Z I had about 12 years ago, a guy charged me $270 and delivered it in primer. He supplied the materials. I supplied the Cowl and hood... Do NOT scrimp when paying for good body work. Make sure you get the best work, and prepare to pay an expensive, yet fair price... Ask Pete P. how expensive things can get to get the Right body and paint on your Z! Mike

Well I recomend using the clevis, Heim Joint and an adjustable tube. I know the Cone Killer Crew in Southern California couldn't seem to get it set up on their car, But i"ve sold about 45 sets of TC rods, some with the arms, some without. I've had ZERO complaints from any of the racers or street guys I've sold them to, and had several shops CALL ME and tell me how impressed they were with the design and function. Do the mod and do away with this issue. The die and all the materials will run you about $90! Mike

My take on the Paris Hilton Video... She may have been high or intoxicated. However, She vamped for that camera and there is NO DOUBT she knew her "ACT" was being filmed... 18 or 80... She is guilty of stupidity and I hope the world sees it... Rape, RPMs? No... Stupidity? Yes... Some rich girl with her head up her bung... She needs to be knocked down several rungs, and quite frankly I'm glad it happened... This my friend was not rape... And certainly does not deserve a comparison. Disrespectfull??? How? She knowingly taped herself having sex with a married man... I see nothing wrong with viewing the evidence... It certinaly isn't stimulating... For that we can go elsewhere... I personally prefer MUCH higher quality in my porn... Mike 8)

Yup, that part is a clevis bracket widely available through Stock Car Products (SCP) and elsewhere. All you need is a Right Hand 5/8th Die, and a large 12 inch cresent wrench and lots of spare TC ROds... You will not get them straight at first... So plan to have a few on hand. Then You will need a 7/8th steel tie rod tube, also sold through SCP, of the appropriate length (You measure and cut the old rods to match) and plan on having at least 1.5 inches of thread of the TC rod in the tube at all times... A left hand 5/8th Heim, lock nut, and a 5/8th bolt about 2 inches in length and you are there... Mike 8)

The 280ZX TC rod doesn't look like the TC rod you show... That appears to be from a 300ZX... Mike

I had a guy on here (Sorry, but I forgot who!) sent me one from a 280ZX and it was snapped as well... I still have it in the shop somewhere... I couldn't come up with an economical way of fixing it, but I could provide a step by step on what it would take and what tools to buy... I personally want nothing else to do with making parts for people, as I simply don't have the time, but I'd be happy to provide a parts list and list of tools required... Mike 8)

I'd recommend 1/4inch on the mount material... My JTR mounts are made of 1/4 inch and I still get a little flex/ movement. 1/8th inch would defenitely flex under boost. 8) Mike

Well We test drove it yesterday and I must confess, they are nice little cars... Very confidence inspiring to drive... Noisy as hell though. We take posession of it on Tuesday, Only thing I could tell that it needs is a shifter boot. Decent tires, good paint, no rust, no leaks in the Ttops... Should be a nice ride. Best of all... It is SLOW! Mike

Upon further inspection, It seems I'll be OK on the fuel lines, but since I've got the tank out, I'm going to go ahead and sand, prime and paint the whole D-side frame rail sl firther rust issues don't occur... I plan to keep this truck for a while longer... Another decade or two maybe! Fortunately Pep Boys had everything I needed for the brake lines and the fuel pump... In my haist, I forgot to get a fuel filter... I'll pick one up today on my way back from our epic Motorcycle ride... Mike

Well I had a 240SX sitting in our yard for two + years and I can tell you that the 240SX has lines MUCH closer to the early Z than the 300ZX does... It is a much sexier car in my opinion and except for the whimpy motor, the rest of the car is VERY neat. Ours was an automatic and had issues with the motor... It would have made a nice hybridZ... Then again, as John C. Mentioned in another thread... I have WAY to many cars as it is! 8) Mike

Alex, Contact Dave of Z Dr. in Roanoke Virginia... Look him up in the yellowpages on line. Dave (AKA Doc) did a RX7 Turbo2 conversion on a 75 Z about 10 years ago. It was NOT that hard to do... If you have questions, he is your man! Mike

Well I just got done dropping the gas tank and I've got other rusty lines as well... Looks like I'm done for the day. I'll have to order gas lines and the rear main brake lines. Both are rusty. ANE while I'm at it I'll go ahead and do the fuel filter and fuel pump! I keep telling myself that a nice new truck would remedy this... 'Course mine does have 255,000 miles on it and is running pretty strong! Mike

Yesterday I swapped out the old oil, front brake pads, new thermostat, and rotated the tires on my truck. When I was done, I backed it out and hooked my car trailer up to it. I was going to go run to 84 Lumber and pick up wood for my stairs to access the upstairs of the garage... A pool of brake fluid was seeping out from under the truck... so back in the garage it goes and up in the air (Thank GOD I have lift!)... Rusted brake line has split and is letting the fluid spray out under presure... Guess what I'm doing today? DAMN! Mike

Well I hate to brag, but he isn't your average kid when it comes to cars. He has given me assistance in the garage more times than I can remember and he has actually helped me with suspension work and with layouts on the control arms I have built for members here. He has more knowledge of suspension geometry and theory than the average bear, and he asks questions.... LOTS of Questions! A normal project takes twice as long because, to put it in his words " I want to know what you know about XXX!" Two weeks ago we put new struts and Eibach springs on our 90 civic, and he learned a bunch! It was Craig who pointed out the suspension handling characteristics of the MR2 to me... He came to me with a list of mods he wants to do and I started nixing them off the list... until he started educating me! The wife just shook her head and said "See what you have created?!" I think he'll be fine. We will be putting him into an entro drivers course through Summit point as soon as spring arrives... Mike 8)

I've been riding motorcycles on the road for 20 years, and dirt bikes for 25 years. I've never been down on a motorcycle on pavement (Knock wood, I'm leading a big group ride tomorrow!) and I have always felt there are two types of crashes: Accidents: Some fool just blows through a stop sign and clips you. This is an example where the victim had no warning, and was truly not at fault in any way. Incidents: You're dragging knee on your favorite corner when you wash the front end and get high sided into Mrs. Crantz's flower bed, taking out the mail box with your shin in the process... THIS is not an accident. You contributed to the situation, causing yourself to be at greater risk. Do I speed? Yes, every time I ride. Do I try to use common sense? Yes. That is why I only ride with those I trust and we set rules before each ride. We also will NOT let anyone ride with us if they don't have FULL leathers, boots and gloves and an appropriate helmet. I've been called a safety Nazi by more than a few, and I have un-invited many to my group outting, which is a shame, because to me, I'm looking out for them and me as well. You see, If someone in our group clips me out of stupidity, and I deem it just absolutely avoidable. I'm likely to beat them until they stop breathing, Give them CPR, and start beating them again! This is assuming I can walk and complete said beating. Motorcycles are fun, and can be most enjoyable. They can also be as deadly as a firearm in the hands of a child. I look at both with the same respect. I carry a gun and I ride a bike, a big green sport bike. Now that is an image 'ey? Mike

JOhn C.... You too Huh? Me and cars... I can NOT buy a Vete because I don't have an open bay in the garage... I really could have sold one of the Zs and still been just fine... Mike