Mikelly

Well today I'm getting 20 tons of brown #57 gravel delivered to my auxillery driveway so I can start the process of landscaping the left overs from the garage project. I still need a BobCat and I may rent one on Saturday, but I might just tough it out and move the stuff manually in the name of economics... So Pete won't have to worry about getting his pretty little Z muddy when we have the ZF Racing Summer BASH! Mike

Guys, I'm trying to get a part number for a headgasket that is between .018 & .025 thick for aluminum head (No Oring) for cylinder bore of 4.030. Grumpy??? Beuler? Anyone??? Mike

Well the conversion kit from JTR is gonna run you an additional $360 plus exhaust, plus tranny, plus custom driveshaft, plus radiator... Plus about 600 other items I can think of that will creep up. MAYBE for $2500, but no way are you gonna get a T56 and the clutch kit and flywheel, plus slave cylinder and master cylinder... The T56 and related parts alone will put you at about $2000 out of pocket IF you can get a T56 for $800-1000. Mike

Centerforce has all their stuff online at: http://www.centerforce.com/pr03.htm Go to their flywheel section and get the part number you need, then call up your favorite supplier and get them to order that number for your combo. Mike

Well a few months back SuperDave had offered up a 4 bolt main block for the taking for a case of beer and I jumped on it... Now, some five months later, I finally was able to get it. Donna and I left at 0500 this morning and drove from our home to South Jersey (About 15 minutes from Atlantic City) and back in 9 hours. I now have a second 4 bolt mains project, and I may end up keeping it a 350 instead of going 383... Shooting for about 400FT# torque and 375 HP... It will either make a good motor for the whiote Z(If Tom doesn't buy the white Z) or it will go in the truck as a tow motor! Thanks Dave, and good meeting you, if a short visit! Mike

Well Said Rated Z... Zcars are like women... We all have different tastes. You wouldn't call your buddie's girl Ugly, not if you wanted to keep your teeth in your head , or remain friends ...Why Hammer the guys car? That crap is for Zcar.com. It is why we are HERE, and not THERE ! We rise Above. Mike

...Mudge, you left out the Grassy knolle and the bigfoot tracks in the snow... AND the crop patterns on my lawn! $1.67 for Supreme... Mike

John, One day we've got to meet... I think We'd have a LOT in common! Great story and good to hear you're keeping them... What about swapping the intake? Maybe go for the angled intake setup for a lower hood clearance? Knowing what that front clip costs, I certainly understand your concern over cutting it up! Mike

Doug Let's just say I've lived an eventfull life! Cats have Nine lives... This CAT has 100... and I"m running through them FAST! Mike

Scottie, It would be a hard trade for me as well since I have my suspension parts on my car to give camber and toe adjustment, as well as the Illuminas and coil overs on pretty blue powder coating... I think I'll be happy with what I have, but the availability of the GM ring gear selection IS attractive! Good Luck, and Keep us posted! Mike

I paid Dave Williams $300 to balance my Rods, Pistons, Scat 9000 Crank as an assembly using my CAT SFI Flywheel and my Fluidamper. Dave Also Cleaned my block up, installed ne cam bearings, and then installed the CRANK, CAM, Timing Chain and degreed the cam, also installed new Rod and Piston Bearings in the assembly. $300 for EVERYTHING listed. I also gave him all the parts except the bearings, which he bought. This was obviously inexpensive and I'm not sure that he would or wouldn't do it again for the same amount of coin, but he did build Pete a complete 406 stroker shortblock for cheap as well... The sum of my shortblock Including my Canton oil pan, and new oil pump and gaskets was Less than $1600 complete and that includes the flywheel, harmonic balancer (Both of which are SFI approved units) and all the parts mentioned as well as the TC Cover, Double roller TC, and Dave's charge to balance and assemble. Mike

http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/meast/04/09/sprj.irq.secret.jail.ap/index.html So I guess as the horrors are told, the bombs and chemicals are found and the truths told over the coming weeks and months, Will the protestors come out enmass and apologize for their stances?? Will they come out and say "You know, I guess we DIDN'T Know the truth!!" or "Gee, we're really sorry we screwed with all those rush hours and spent all that tax payer money with our silly protesting over BAD INFORMATION We were fed by Liberal IDIOTS!" When the truth comes out, you guys are not gonna be able to contain me or my Joy at rubbing their prverbial noses in the poo! Mike

That is not unheard of. Here is a list of questions you need asnwers to... Get the Scat9000 part number for THAT crank. I just bought one for my build up and so did Pete for his. There is an existing Scat9000 383 internal crank BUT it usually runs more than the external balance unit. The external unit will cost more to balance internally. I'd be skeptical IF he can't get that number. Reason I say this is MY shortblock only cost $300 to balance AND assemble and that was including Cam bearings, rod and main bearings. My stuff was ALL new and all forged using 6 inch rods (Which are VERY common) and forged Wiseico forged Pistons. Also, Personally I'd not get this setup due to the prices of parts you can get the individual parts for. My Eagle 4130 Hbeam rods were less than $300 (Around $260) and the piston/ ring combo pack was less than $360. The crank can be had all day long for less than $225 and a flexplate is cheap. Reason I'd steer clear is you already know you will have to buy new pistons or you just wasted that block on a one time build. If you aren't putting this motor together and into your car next month, I'd sit back, wait, and shop my a$$ off on ebay and elsewhere. I'd also suggest looking for 6 inch rods. They give the best ratio per Grumpy's advice! Mike

Couple of things you could do to help... I'd take more diamond plated steel and make a hinged lid that latches down for it, which would assist in stopping the splash effect. If you have a cage in the car you could get a few additional braces run back to the rear bumper shock points all the way back at the tail lites. Then you could run a large tube horizontally between the box and the tailight panel. As to the legality, depends on your state. I had something similar in my last Z, but had it mounted below the surface of the deck and had a trap door panel that made it external to the car. Nice, except fumes from filling the car up caused the exhaust to catch fire under and Surrounding the cell ... Fortunately the car didn't light off and kill me in the process... Mike

Well now I gotta ask... What do you plan to sell your rear setup for??? 'Cause I'm thinking... Ya Know, I could VERY easily sell ALL of my R230 stuff including both Diffs, the axles, the rear modified mustach bar, the stock R230 drive shaft, the custom aluminum brace, plus the R200 modified axles, the whole REAR setup under my car (Including coil overs and New Tokico struts and adjustable swaybar, adapters... Now SOMEBODY STOP ME!!! Let me know Scottie! Mike

Kevin, I proclaim to understand that they are SOOOO unpredictable that I would absolutely put them on and shut my mouth... For a little while anyway... Mike

John, No matter what you have to do, MAKE THEM WORK! Your wife would likely have her feelings a bit tweeked if you didn't, I know mine would . AND they LOOK beautiful... Make them work... End of story... Mike

But again, This is nothing new, or indicative of the "New Gen X" kids. We did this back in the 80's and it was stupid then. We called it slaloming cars. You just picked a pace, held it and SQUEEZED through traffic. It worked wonderfully on those mornings when you were late for work after an all nighter with your favorite girl your girlfriend didn't know about, that usually made you extremely late for work! Guys, We all agree that this stuff is dumb, but hell I still enjoy banging gears and laying rubber... I even got chastised by Pete and Michael O. when I grabbed 2nd gear on a cold winters day in MY OWN subdivision with no one around... We all have different tolerances for screwing around in cars, and I think there is a time and place for everything. Take it to the track is what my blanket statement is, and you can go back to the archives and see where I preach it over and over. However, reality is that times are no different than when my dad (Now 64) was running moonshine and racing the cops. Mike

Damn, Now I know where my 10mm went... No more blaming the kid for misplacing it! Mike

Hmm.. Interesting views here... I'm a speeder... Speed every day going to DC from Fredericksburg. I drive an average of 80-90mph on the interstate and get passed by many folks travelling even faster. I'm a father of two teens, both are into cars, and one is currently building an integra based motor to go to the track with. And last, but certainly not least, I"m 36. I don't think Kids are any worse than what we were when we were their age. Couple of problems have contributed to draw more attention to kids and speed: A: Media forms... The internet, for one has brought about more info on how people across the country and the world conduct themselves. B: Population. Years ago we used to bait the local cops to chase us out of pure boredom. Talk about stupid. What saved us was the lack of sharing the roads with other like minded 16-19 year olds. Now days there are simply too many people EVERYWHERE. You go to a resteraunt and wait in lines. Go to movies and you wait in lines. Go to any mall or shopping district and you wait in lines. All these folks you wait in lines with DRIVE everywhere and at all hours. The roads that were once country back roads are now built up with sub-divisions everywhere. With this population explosion has come less forgiving road structures and obstacles, not to mention more chance of hitting another car instead of inocently crossing the line and bringing the car back into your lane... These issues are the problem. Regardless, you KIDS are gonna get the bad rapp. Tough break, but We got it when I was your age. Welcome to the world of being accountable for the actions of others. Sux, Huh? Mike

Cheapest and easiest to modify, Hard to kill... Chevy V8 all the way baby. Mike

Esyip, IT depends on personal taste and local laws... To each his own. I personally think it works for both Doug and Terry's cars, and gives me ideas... Doug, Your car is clean. I like the stance... Nice low slung look and looks good on the track... Will look better with my control arms on it! Mike

I believe Grumpy was refering to the cummulative costs of safety gear... Hoop, belts, extenguisher, other items... Mike

I'd like to see the carbon units on a stock hood... Mike

Well I have a Dental appointment at the end of the month... I keep tasting metal and I'm told that 220 can melt fillings in your teeth. Mike