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Mikelly

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Posts posted by Mikelly

    Mike Kelly's Zcar Project

    in S30 Series - 240z, 260z, 280z

    Posted · Edited by Mikelly

    Shortblock is done and paid for.  Jamie picked it up yesterday.  He still needs to put the heads on and plumb the head drains.  I really hope I'll have it back sometime this coming week, but as has been the case with this whole project, posting it here will guarantee another bitchfest from me about this very subject come October. 

     

     

    So keeping tabs on the expense this time round... 

    I had to buy a new block/pistons/rings and went ahead and bought head studs - Shippedit was all total $1800.

    Jamie Ported my heads for $400

    The machine shop then had to replace some of the main and rod bearings, recommended studs for the block, did all the machine work/blueprinting/fitment on the shortblock and the total was $1678.

     

    I will have a balance for Jamie's time to finish it all up... The bleeding never stops and I will admit everytime I spend more on this car after so long it stokes the fire that much more...

     

    Mike

    Mike Kelly's Zcar Project

    in S30 Series - 240z, 260z, 280z

    Posted · Edited by Mikelly

    Latest update on the LS3 416...

     

    Jamie Farmed the motorbuild out to the machine shop that did all the fitment/blueprint/machining.  They are in the process of building the short block. Apparently one of the ring sets in the pack given to me by the company I bought the replacement block from was missing a ring.  Someone doing me a favor...  Anyway, they're sourcing a ring.  I hope to have the motor back in my hot little hands before 2015 comes to a close.  

     

    I will never be happier than the day I roll this mother onto somebody elses trailer and send it down the road. 

     

    On another note I'm actively searching for a replacement street car that I will be able to track with some regularity and still drive to work the 150miles R/T daily.  I suspect I'll be back in a Corvette or Porsche, and anyone who has been with me through this long ride will know how that will end...

    Mike Kelly's Zcar Project

    in S30 Series - 240z, 260z, 280z

    Posted

    Well I'm pretty dejected, again... Was hoping the motor would be back before now but hey nothing goes as planned with this build.  

     

    I'll either have updates "soon" or I'm parting this mother out and moving on with life... 7 F'n months of getting this latest motor fiasco over with is just to much.  Although I appreciate the help a number of people have extended to me, I can't seem to get things rolling in a reasonable amount of time.

    Mike Kelly's Zcar Project

    in S30 Series - 240z, 260z, 280z

    Posted

    Spoke with Jamie Yesterday and gave him a deposit towards work...

     

    Motor is being assembled by the machine shop that did all the fitment work.  They used a torque plate on the shortblock bits and the short block should be back together in short order.  Jamie hand ported the heads so he is going to have them put the heads on the flow bench and pull some numbers on them.  We'll atleast know where we are from that aspect.  With that bullet racing cam and the rest of the motor combo, I'm hoping Matt Shue can dial in some decent HP with the FAST EFI.

     

    I hope to have the motor back and in the car by the 21st of August.  I am racing at VIR doing the 24 hours Chumpcar race on the 8th and will be recuperating after that.  So the following two weekends I'll get it all button'ed up, then off to Matt for some dyno time.

     

    Getting there, slowly.

    Mike

    Mike Kelly's Zcar Project

    in S30 Series - 240z, 260z, 280z

    Posted

    Last weekend we managed to complete two days back to back endurance racing at Summit Point Shenandoah Circuit with our little E36 Sedan.  Saturday, after losing two hours combined time in the pits addressing small issues that popped up (liking a sticking gas pedal!) we managed to bring the car home in 20th out of 34 in the 10 hour enduro.  On Sunday we managed to place 11th in the 6 hour enduro.  Temps were topping 170 in the car.  Crazy...Really close clean racing and we had a blast.  We're doing a race footage viewing party this Saturday if anyone in the area wants to stop in!

     

    I have to reach out to Jamie for an update on the LS3. 

     

    Mike

    Anyone in GREENSBORO NC look at a Zcar???

    in Non Tech Board

    Posted · Edited by Mikelly

    I'm bringing this back up because there is an ending to the story on this car... 

     

    As you guys may remember, one of our HybridZ members took the time to drive up to Greensboro NC to check this car out for Russell.  Turns out that the car that he gave the thumbs up to was SWITCHED OUT and the car that Russell ended up buying and then seeing for the first time months later was a smoking pile of dog poop.  I saw the chassis on Friday and it had MASSIVE right front damage that they didn't even attempt to hide.  Not to mention none of the work previously paid for... I don't know the name of the shop or the guy who committed such an act, and I know Russell is a really great guy who placed a lot of trust in several people to help him buy a car... In the end Russell spent a LOT of money on items he never got, specifically an S30 chassis with tons of body work and chassis work.  I personally hope Russell presses charges for obtaining money under false pretense or whatever NC has that is comparable.  We can't let these bad actors get away with this kind of stuff...

     

    Fortunately I put Russell in touch with Jamie Taylor at RiverCitySpeed in Richmond Va.  Jamie located a true survivor S30 that not only drives, but has WORKING AC... But the best part is DELIVERED it was $4000.00!!!  Amazing car in amazing shape for the money.  And Jamie let me drive the thing on Friday.  I know he will take care of Russell, and make this bad experience be a distant memory with the machine he is going to build to represent Linear Edge!!

     

    Mike

    Mike Kelly's Zcar Project

    in S30 Series - 240z, 260z, 280z

    Posted · Edited by Mikelly

    What do you want me to say... You're right? You are correct? Well You are.

    I had motor problems with the 383 stroker. From day one I could not get that motor to stop leaking. So going a different route on the motor seemed like a reasonable option if I was going to do it right and go with a drysump, which complicated things incredibly because A: I had never set one up by myself and B: adding it and an alternator that sits low in the engine bay was a whole lot more complicated than I would have thought... Hell doing the motor mounts I did ended up being a lot harder than I thought.

    The LS motor by itself, as has been proven by Joe and Clive and a host of others should not cause problems if you are using the Johns Cars mounts and a stock computer/harness configuration... I am not. My standalone created more problems, all of which again are MY OWN fault due to my decisions to go standalone efi. And integrated dash... Nothing with that is easy either.

    The Ford 8.8 conversion to me, that was a no BRAINER. That is the smartest money I have spent yet on this project. It just is. The serviceable part availability and the gear choices coupled with the inexpensive LSD choices, I dont feel guilty at all about that decision.

    The T56? Looking back, that could have waited, but while in Rome... It should have cost me an extra 2 weeks... It cost longer because I simply was rebuilding a transmission that I never touched before and there was limited info on reassembing some key parts.

    All in all you guys are 110% right. I could have resolved the oiling issues with the 383 again and just driven it with the other setup. Maybe I should have. I wasnt happy with the car. There were tings in that particular combo that were going to limit the ability to reach the goal I had in mind. That goal morphed into "Hate this thing and want it out of my life". BEST thing I could have done was roll it into the car trailer and not allow it to remind me of my shortcomings and failures. everytime I walked into the shop.

    There is good news in all of this... The motor is at the shop in Richmond being assembled. I hope to have it back within the month. When it is assmebled, I will install it immediately, along with the trans and hopefully all will go well so I can get the thing tuned by Matt Shue. Then, I will start debugging and enjoying the car. I plan to drive it a LOT to sort the chassis and brakes. I hope the car is as reliable as I planned and I hope I can share a lot of data and video with all of you. I hope that... I also hope that someone loves it enough to buy it for the price I want, when it is done. If it sells, then great. I will get to enjoy it for a bit before she sells, and the eventual goal of liquidating it into cash will be acheived. As a couple of you have hinted, maybe I will be bitten by her charm again and will opt to keep her. Although I seriously doubt that one at this point. Regardless, she does nobody any good sitting like she is.

    I know some of your are frustrated with reading 65 pages of a grown man pissing and moaning over this epic saga... I have stated before that I use this as my build diary/blog and it is often one-sided. I have been curt and even rude at times with some of the comments from those participating in this discussion over my selfmade nightmare. Thats the frustration of the build, my mistakes, my bad decisions, and my inability to seem to bring this project to its close. It isnt an excuse or apology. It is simplye why I am in such a mood at times.

    The car will be back together soon. What happens from there, its anybodies guess. I guess we will all have to stay tuned. Its certainly episodic in nature and one that I honestly wish I had not played a staring role in. But here we are... I will keep writing, and you all will keep reading. Maybe in the end we will all be happy...

    Mike Kelly's Zcar Project

    in S30 Series - 240z, 260z, 280z

    Posted · Edited by Mikelly

    Took a wire transfer in "full" for the sale of the Spec Miata today.

     

    So I've come to the conclusion that I'm going to give the datsun this season... This season, in full. I'm spending the money on CCW wheels, and then the efi upgrade, along with a coolsuit box and the fire system. If this car doesn't do two things in 2012, I'll be parting it out and moving on:

     

    1. Perform reliably

     

    2. Perform respectably

     

    I'm down to my tow vehicle, daily driver (97 M3) and the Zcar. And contemplating selling my motorcycle...

     

    I know some of you die-hard guys will be like "You have so much time in building it" and "Building it is the fun part". You're certainly allowed to have your opinions. I have morphed into someone who wants to drive their cars... I don't want to always wonder if the thing is going to start, stay running, or fail for yet another unknown reason. I'm a track day guy who wants to be competitive lapping in the groups he runs with. It's less about the car and more about the driving. I also want to be able to continue improving my driving, and you can't do that if you're troubleshooting in the pits... Spending more good money after bad to prove that you can make something work was fun, when I was younger... Now, at 45 my priorities have changed... So the Datsun gets one last season to prove to me that she can be reliable and competitive.

     

    Mike

     

    Three years ago... WOW...Neither reliable or competitive...

    Mike Kelly's Zcar Project

    in S30 Series - 240z, 260z, 280z

    Posted · Edited by Mikelly

    And of course looking back to this post, here I am in JUNE and just getting the final pieces in place to build the damned thing...

     

    These came in for my "EGAY" motor...

    I am awaiting the block, pistons, rings and head studs. I hope to have a motor together in the month of may.

    Mike Kelly's Zcar Project

    in S30 Series - 240z, 260z, 280z

    Posted

    Pistons are being held for me at FEDEX.  I'm expecting to get everything loaded up and down to Jamie Taylor at RiverCitySpeed around lunchtime tomorrow.  I hope Jamie can turn this motor around in a reasonable amount of time.  I'm sure the motor will be put together correctly and am excited to get this project moving again so I can get it running, driving and on its way.

     

    Mike

    Mike Kelly's Zcar Project

    in S30 Series - 240z, 260z, 280z

    Posted

    So, when we found the cracks in the block, I removed the drivetrain and pushed the car into the car trailer.  I haven't seen her other than occasionally opening the car trailer to get a part or a tool since MARCH.  Friday I rolled her out of the car trailer and back into a shop bay... I must admit not seeing the car was good for me not having to be reminded of the failures and frustration.  Time heals all wounds I guess... 

     

    I'm still awaiting a set of pistons to arrive so I can make the treck down to Richmond with everything.  I'm going to let Jamie and RiverCitySpeed put this one together for me.  We'll see if I have better luck this time...

     

    Mike 

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