1973 240z Build

[BluDestiny]

Budget wise were are you at now? Seems like you're gathering a lot of spare parts

[Jesse OBrien]

Budget wise were are you at now? Seems like you're gathering a lot of spare parts

I've accepted that I lost my budget a long time ago. I'm still tracking it, but don't have a latest breakdown. My best estimate is around $3500 right now, but I still need to spend money on:

• tires (and possibly wheels)
• brake lines
• fuel lines
• battery
• seats
• fluids (comes to around $125, more expensive than one might expect)
• radiator
• new battery box
• brake booster
• brake master cylinder
• exhaust

I think that with some more clearly defined data on what fits and what doesn't (forums are NOT an ideal way to organize that data, by the way ... searching then scanning is pretty ineffective), I could have stayed within my original budget of $2500 without any issues. I'm now on my 3rd pedal box that doesn't fit, for instance. (automatic original, 280zx manual box didn't even come close, and the late-s30 box is close, but not usable without significant modification).

 

Gaskets and manifold studs really added up too, I think I've spent $300 on studs/bolts between these two engines, largely because sellers didn't provide adequate descriptions of their products. I was extremely disappointed with http://www.ebay.com/usr/charger440rt, who sent me EFI bolts instead of carb studs, even though this was a 240z bolt/stud kit. I tried to be helpful in my description of what the problem was:

 

John/Nancy, It seems this is a kit for EFI l28e and l28et engines only, not a universal stud kit that would also fit the 240z and 260z's l24 and l26 engines. The distinction between the two is that the l24/l26 use 17 of the same-sized studs (the smaller of the two, I believe they're m10x1.25) rather than two different sizes, which the EFI manifolds require. Here is a photo with all the studs required (plus an extra on the thermostat housing, which you can ignore) installed on an n42 head, which is tapped for both EFI bolts/studs (the larger m12 threads) and smaller studs. http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7043/8690005639_063f9c1a70_b.jpg I have no use for the (4) m12 studs but the (11) m10 studs are exactly what I needed. Please let me know how you'd like to proceed. I'm happy to return the entire bag for the right order or just the incorrect studs (it's still packaged right now, you aren't the first to make this mistake and luckily I know what to look for now). Since it seems that we'll already be shipping items out, would it be possible to also get a second set of carb studs/nuts/washers as well? I have three heads that I'm prepping for the race season (the photo I sent is of the first), and would love to be able to take care of them all at once. Feel free to call my cell (listed with this message), but I can't guarantee that I'll be able to pick up during work hours. Just leave a voicemail and I'll get back to you as soon as possible. Thanks for your time.

Two weeks later, I followed up with them, and the reply I got was:

please call us

<phone number>

At that point, it wasn't even worth picking up the phone for these people. This is just one example of a setback I ran into, but at this point I just need to move on and finish the car up. I'm not TOO far away from completion at this point (around $1500 away, if my math is reasonably accurate).

[Jesse OBrien]

After this weekend's event, I don't really see any alternative to adding a roll cage. If I'm going to drive this thing in a hillclimb event, I'm going balls to the wall with safety. It's something I'd rather go overboard with than not, and it looks like I have all winter to get it sorted. Without getting into too many specifics, getting to see the 40-or-so cars thrashing the crap out of such a beautiful mountain road has me completely sold on this event. I won't get into too many of the boring details, but I took a few (hundred) photos and a bunch of video that I'm still sorting through:

Amazing home-built machine (lots of time on an English Wheel) running surprisingly fast times on bias ply tires. Runs sub-10psi pressure through a front-mounted supercharger off of an earth mover.

(this one isn't my photo)

Twin turbo Audi that made me rethink squeezing the widest wheels possible on the Z, and instead focusing on balance and roll centers (he broke a couple of records this weekend)

[Jesse OBrien]

Just received this last night:

 

I'm really sick of trying to find pedals that fit. At this point, I'm ready to bite some bullets and just get the damn thing put together, so I'll order this over the weekend:

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/wil-340-12410

 

I started adding some tack welds to the major chassis seams, and after it's running/driving, I think I'm going to make some tubular subframe connectors (or I might just go with BD parts ones).