fallenone121 Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 I guess I may as well get this over with... -steps out setting out his soap box and stands on it- My name is Charles McMillan, I am 29 years old and the only son of two retired military members. While growing up as a child I had few to no friends and well into my adult years it was the same thing. I graduated high school in 2001 in Clovis New Mexico, only a few months prior to the occurance of 9/11/2001, I was at a job interview in Lansing Michigan when the news broadcasted the twin towers attack. I worked a number of menial jobs prior to the employment rates beginning to plunge so I enlisted int he US Army in August of 2004. As a truck driver for the army I deployed to Iraq in December 2004, while in Iraq I drove semis supplying US Military with ammunition, food, and fuel. While deployed I bore mute witness to close friends dying and people being blown apart by IEDs. Occasionally I was placed in charge of cleaning out blown apart vehicles with human remains still within in 150-160 degree temperatures. When not on mission I had been selected to watching over local national drivers while passing through forward operating bases. Upon returning from Iraq I went through several depressing events including getting married, divorce, and bankruptcy. Also upon being discharged from the military for civil matters involving the marriage - I was granted the opportunity to utilize my experiences in driving semis cross country where I performed these duties for the next two years based out of Phoenix Arizona's Swift Transportation. While driving through South Carolina I had thought I had thought I had come down with the stomach flu but upon going to Dorn South Carolina VA hospital came to be misdiagnosed in the VA ER by doctors saying I had a bowel obstruction when in all actuality my appendix had burst and ruptured whereby I during a course of two months I had encountered four near death experiences in the course of eleven surgeries. Upon being released from the hospital my parents drove me to Bellevue Michigan where attempts to recover failed due to still being sick as a year after my release from South Carolina I basically relapsed when scar tissue wrapped around my insides. Several trips to the Battle Creek VA ER finally brought relief when Kalamazoo Bronson surgeons decided to operate to remove scar tissue and hernia left over knowing that it was no way to live. I am now a disabled veteran unemployable because I cannot lift over 10 lbs due to mesh in my stomach from losing so much weight due to the poison in my abdomen in 2010 in addition to PTSD and other military service related disabilities. Driving is my way of relaxing and escaping the extensive stressors that life throws in my path. Luckily my parents were in a position to help me to recover from the bankruptcy, divorce, and assisted me in the purchase of 'Sadie' an 06 Subaru Impreza WRX STI - a car which has born support for charities including Scoobies for Boobies, Keep a Breast and Wounded Warrior Project. -takes a deep breath- It was the Z's fine lines are comparable to a beautiful woman in my mind...it has curves and doesnt look like a breadbox like most modern cars. I also found out after I started working to try to get my hands on one that the Z is my mother's dream car though my project is first gen while her dream is third. I had bid on several cars since joining the forum, always losing, after having spoken to yellowdatsun over email before coming in when I was looking at a mildly rusty no title car. Since then I have lost two no title rusters between 300-500$ because of reserves because the condition just wasnt worth it, I lost three mint conditions because I wasnt as daring as some, right now I have a slightly rusty one with a title I am bidding on putting a 1500$ max bid towards it. Once I have the body itself I can start figuring out what pieces I will need. I have looked in some craigslists and not had any luck finding any and have contacted shipping companies who say due to where I live that it will be 2500-4000$ to ship a car to me especially if it doesnt 'run'. So I look at cars within range that the amount I would save from shipping could be repaired for the amount I save with maybe a little leeway to put towards pieces and parts. I was able in early August to win one from NY for 2500$ that appears in mostly solid condition...and was able at the end of August to purchase the engine that I will be implanting into the heart of my franken beast. Whew...that was a mouthful! AUGUST 25 But pulling the car off the trailor after finding the exhaust laying on the trailor... AUGUST 29 Exhaust Hanger #2 Exhaust Hanger from rear Exhaust Hanger #1 View 2 Exhaust Hanger #1 View 3 Temp fix Stock Engine - Soon to be for sale Yay! Driver side doesnt need carpeting it just needs dynamat...likely to cover rust...dynamat will soon be gone to check... Red interior that will soon be exchanged for black Red Red Red Driver Floor Passenger Floor Rear Deck Passenger side Stock cluster Stock Console - Soon to be changed Another Driver View Driver Door The last thing the bugs seee Those horns lack cowbell Lots of space and a bent grill So much room! Passenger door New Engine on hoist ready to be loaded before we brought it from Flint MI to Kalamazoo MI tonight... Pictures of the engine... Newly imported from Japan and loaded onto a test bed frame to be worked on by someone who wanted to work on a RX7 engine for their project - has never been operated on open roads. RB26DETT with RB25 Bellhousing and Z32 Transmission set to shift similarly to a ferrari. T88 Single Turbo setup 550 RC Injectors (planning to change them to a higher low impedence injector most likely a 1200cc before engine is put in) 50 mm BOV Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fallenone121 Posted September 1, 2012 Author Share Posted September 1, 2012 (edited) Update September 1: Purchased 74 240Z Console (130$) to replace jerry-rigged and cut up stock one in my car now and be rid of choke section 69 Corvette Brake Scoops (150$) to ram air the cool air to rear brakes through stock vent slots in quarter panels 69 Mustang twin gauge & vent setup (45$) for center dash to replace top vent above AC control and add two more dash gauges --- ==== --- While it was planned that today I would begin stripping down the Z to its chassis level - I have pushed it back a week due to the upcoming holidays. Stripping it down will allow for a thorough inspection inside and out of rust damage to repair any damage and properly have the vehicle coated - the hope is to allow for the full body to be able to be inspected and body work done prior to install of key equipment. * Rust proofing the underbody prior to engine/trans install * High Temp painting engine bay prior to engine install to match future car paint job * Rhinoline interior where it will be covered by sound deadening and carpetting which will add a extra sound dampening layer through the rhinolining prior to the full body painting Edited September 1, 2012 by fallenone121 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldAndyAndTheSea Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 First off, thank you for your service, and welcome to HybridZ! Sorry to hear about your troubles, and I wish you a steady and hopefully fast recovery. I'm sure the Z will help. It sure did when my Dad died. That being said, SWEET FREAKIN PROJECT man!! It's going to be awesome. Keep the stories and pictures flowing!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluDestiny Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 Words Can not express what you've been through, but thank you for you service and commitment to your country and its people. As andy said, that is a great starter project. AS you get better, so should your Z. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fallenone121 Posted September 1, 2012 Author Share Posted September 1, 2012 First stage of plan is as said the full stripping of the Z down to chassis level, repairing rust damage, and coating underbody, engine bay, and interior. Second stage among installation of engine and transmission with custom HD driveshaft and Mckinney mounts will likely be: * OS Giken R200 LSD (1500$) * Driveshaft Shop CV upgrade (1100$) * Arizona Z Car Trak Pack (7500-8500$) {Likely going with 4 piston 13" brakes all around} * McKinney Rear Sump (800$) * Greddy High Perf Oil Pump (190$) As I am still looking at parts and prices and will adjust according to advice and depending on what I find as I tear everything else apart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fallenone121 Posted September 2, 2012 Author Share Posted September 2, 2012 First off, thank you for your service, and welcome to HybridZ! Sorry to hear about your troubles, and I wish you a steady and hopefully fast recovery. I'm sure the Z will help. It sure did when my Dad died. That being said, SWEET FREAKIN PROJECT man!! It's going to be awesome. Keep the stories and pictures flowing!!! Thank you for the warm welcome Words Can not express what you've been through, but thank you for you service and commitment to your country and its people. As andy said, that is a great starter project. AS you get better, so should your Z. Thank you for the welcome as well. The Z will definately be something I can take my time with...a labor of love to make it my own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fallenone121 Posted September 9, 2012 Author Share Posted September 9, 2012 Stripping the 240Z begins...with the help of my mechanic's brother Chris...who strips cars all the time... First find...ghetto rigged antanna! Out with the old...red carpetting and vinyls torn out with rotting jute padding...vinyl may be a template for new where possible... Pulling out the interior... Dynamat further revealed...during which beyond the dynamat I only found one needle thin rust hole the rest is mostly surface rust... 150hp...soon you will be a distant memory! Ripping, pulling, peeling... One of 4 piles of interior torn out... Making the doors naked... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fallenone121 Posted October 5, 2012 Author Share Posted October 5, 2012 Stripping it down is still in process - held up by an attempt to sell the engine/tranny to someone who wanted to know if it ran as they are restoring a Z and wanted the original engine. Meanwhile I have Ordered: * Several panels for the interior in black * 5" 4 in 1 11k Tach (Oil Press, Oil Temp, Coolant Temp) & Shift Light * Speedhut 4" 200 MPH Speedo (Turn Signal & High Beam LED) * Speedhut EGT / BOOST / FUEL / VOLT gauges * EVO series Clock Gauge * AEM Wideband Gauge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richracing Posted October 5, 2012 Share Posted October 5, 2012 Welcome, I was also deployed to Iraq in 2004. Camp Babylon and Diwaniyah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fallenone121 Posted October 15, 2012 Author Share Posted October 15, 2012 Pulled the Z into my mechanic's garage today... Hood off... Up on jacks the fun begins... Radiator removed and sold...20$ Took a picture to let me know the size ill be working with on the front of the car... Engine pulled! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emeraldlion Posted October 16, 2012 Share Posted October 16, 2012 I love seeing progress on new projects. Welcome to HBZ and great project. Your car is solid! Great find for the price IMO. Keep us updated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JGREEZY Posted October 21, 2012 Share Posted October 21, 2012 Congrats great Z I was actually bidding on the same car right along with you your doin alot more than I would have by now. Great to Zee it go to a great home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fallenone121 Posted November 12, 2012 Author Share Posted November 12, 2012 Presently the project is slowed as I work on saving for sectional funding... I have a widespread measure of parts on excel I am looking at...weighing options... Separated into: Engine, Suspension, Exterior, Sound, Interior Trying to do my research through manufacturers and distributors which is making it difficult as some are non responsive to product questions. I know the fun will begin with the engine because the RB26 has the RB25 bellhousing and the 300ZX 5speed transmission...which means the standard tranny mounts wont work from McKinney - at least not according to Raw Brokerage. Custom fabrication! The fun will be even more fun Have been spending the last while reading up in HybridZ about some of the products I was looking into like carpeting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docaam Posted November 13, 2012 Share Posted November 13, 2012 Sorry to hear about your past but future looks bright Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PR280z Posted November 13, 2012 Share Posted November 13, 2012 Hello, are the red interiors for sale??? Your project z looks great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fallenone121 Posted November 16, 2012 Author Share Posted November 16, 2012 @ PR280Z, I will likely sell some of the interior red pieces - that which is in acceptable condition. Such as one of the rear interior pieces was cracked. The plastic and the vinyl will likely be sold. Meanwhile! A few small parts ordered...: Wilwood 15/16 Master Cylinder Wilwood 7/8 Clutch Cylinder Dorman Slave Cylinder Vintage Air Control Knobs Contacted ZBarn to get pricing of the black interior pieces that I will be needing to get. Contacted Raevyn here on HybridZ about the doorboards. Have been doing research here on hybridz and other sites about carpetting while at the same time looking into other parts and setups for the upcoming activities. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fallenone121 Posted January 26, 2013 Author Share Posted January 26, 2013 THOUGHTS As I am looking at the AZC race pack when I do the suspension and brakes of the Z - and am looking at the OS Giken R200...I am trying to figure out what parts are included in the two and what parts I will need to get in addition such as the Q45 pieces and all in order to get everything sorted out. That will all be by the end of the year however as I will be starting off with the under, interior, and engine bay coating and painting and then reworking the engine. Spacing becomes a concern there as I am going to build up the engine fully before I go about fully installing it into the car so I dont know what all I can fit in the engine bay until that point but the restriction comes first from how much the machine shop can do with stroking, boring, porting, and polishing the block for the buildup and the stroker kit. UPDATE Put a car cover over it with a tarp under it just before christmas - due to the fact I live in Michigan and didnt want it open to the elements during the winter which is a time period I wont be able to work on it. I was able to get ahold of Raevyn here on HybridZ and ordered fiberglass door panels with speaker pods...now just waiting to recieve it. Ordered a Competition Datsun hoodscoop with the vents to the sides not the rear. ZBARN sent back a reply about my inquiry about interior panels and seemed confused on what I wanted on an email asking for pricing of 71 240Z interior parts and giving a list of all of the parts I needed. I will have to try again later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fallenone121 Posted February 23, 2013 Author Share Posted February 23, 2013 (edited) Frankie Datsun is a 240Z project being performed by Charles Mcmillan. With products purchased and priced from varied vendors including Otaku Garage and Jordan At Defined with labor performed by the efforts of the mechanics at Cals Toybox, bodywork and paintwill be done by Ryan Racine putting exterior to paint code Nissan BNR32 #TH1, and artistic detailing will be done by Art Guapo Solis. The 1971 Datsun 240Z itself was an ebay buy for 2600$ which was based out of New York where it was picked up from its home outside Niagara Falls. Initially the name Frankie came from a joke by Cal about the car being a Frankenstein monster. Build will be conducted over the course of two years with purchases of parts where funds allows - and will be completed in sections when all required parts are purchased and is roughly estimated to be 60000$ in parts with 20000$ in labor as a rough estimate. Maybe it wont take that many hours for labor and maybe I can get deals on parts buuuuuuuuut estimates in the meantime are done for a retail market. Right off the bat the 240Z was brought to Cal's shop to be inspected initially as the vehicle was stripped down of nonessential items to allow for a more thorough inspection for rust damage. Interior thoroughly stripped out and put into storage as stock engine, transmission, radiator, exhaust was sold off via craigslist allowing for a more thorough inspection of engine bay and interior for rust. Come spring the intent is to have the interior further stripped out and tear down the wiring of the engine bay with intent to have - first: all frame and body panels repaired second: the engine pay sprayed down with high temp black paint third: a nice interior black paint spraying the interior fourth: undercarriage sprayed with rust proofing - = WORK SO FAR or PARTS PURCHASED = - ENGINE / TRANSMISSION / EXHAUST / ELECTRONICS: RB26 mated to 300ZX transmission (5000$) Tomei RB28 Stroker Kit ordered from Otaku Garage * 87.5 mm with Cooling Channels! 18 Circuit Fuse Block & Cover bought from Painless Wiring Dorman Slave Cylinder Vintage Air Control Knobs bought on Ebay Wilwood Master Cylinder bought on Ebay 15/16 Master Cylinder bought on Ebay Tomioka Racing Pro FPR bought from Sharla STi SUSPENSION / DRIVETRAIN / BRAKES: Q45 bought from Andrew Hoover EXTERIOR: ZX 'Z' style hood emblem bought on Ebay Competion Hood Scoop bought from ZStore Classic Corvette Scoops bought from Ebay to be rear brake scoops SOUND: Fusion CPFR6930 450w 6x9" Speakers bought on Ebay for rear INTERIOR: Nismo steering wheel bought from Stephen Dynomite Wheeler 4" 11k 4 in 1 tach bought on ebay Luggage Riser Trim bought on ebay 200 mph Large Speedometer bought from Speedhut Fuel Level bought from Speedhut Boost bought from Speedhut Volt bought from Speedhut Wideband A/F was on my STI but I went with Prosport EVO for that EGT bought from Speedhut Power Door Lock bought on ebay Billet Window Winders bought on ebay Fiberglass Door Panel bought from HybridZ crafter Raevyn 1974 240Z Console bought on Ebay Autometer Gauge Cage bought on Ebay Edited February 23, 2013 by fallenone121 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fallenone121 Posted March 9, 2013 Author Share Posted March 9, 2013 Engine Parts Bought recently (since the list above was put up): ARP Main Head and Rod Studs ACL Rod and Main bearings Tomei Procams (Super High 280) Tomei Type C Valve spring & retainer Tomei valve guides Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fallenone121 Posted April 3, 2013 Author Share Posted April 3, 2013 April Order to be made by Charles Mcmillan: Tomei High Perf Oil Pump Tomei Intake & Exhaust Valves +1 Tomei Head gasket 87mm x 2mm (metal) Tomei Oil Filler Cap Nissan OEM metal gasket pack CC Tomei Oil Pan Baffle CC This will bring the bottom end to be finished off so we can get the engine bay mocked up and get the access holes drilled in and get the engine itself stroked, bored, ported and polished and then begin on assembly. Yup, CC means Credit Card! Dont want to shove the entire 3200$ onto the checking account all at once when its only around 3400$ available right now. Looking at the engine section on the spreadsheet most of the next few purchases are rather tolerable...100-300 per item... The only things that make me groan at this point are: (2) Tomei M8260 Turbo 3000$ Tomei Expreme Exhaust Manifold 1000$ & Outlet Pipes 800$ Okada Plasma Coil Pack 1500$ Standalone ECU of Badassness 1600$ (Still not sure which one) Tomei 275 Intank Pump 530$ & Radium 400 Surge Tank 840$ Engine Assembly Tuning by (No ******* clue - they have to be reliable so its unlikely it will be tuned locally) But I can wittle around them when I feel peppy and have things saved...one BIG purchase every few months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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