BARACU Posted April 5, 2006 Share Posted April 5, 2006 Thought I'd post some pics of my latest Z project. I started with a rust free green Z and ended up with this. Literally every part of the car was rebuilt,refurbished or replaced. Engine compartment was "sanitized", fuel injection removed and replaced with SU's. I had a set of Dayton Wire wheels made in 16x7 with correct offset and bolt pattern. NOS 240 bumpers and NOS door panels.I did all the work, with the exception of engine machine work , in my home garage. AL http://s56.photobucket.com/albums/g186/BARACU/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lunar240z Posted April 5, 2006 Share Posted April 5, 2006 lookin good. you've changed my mind about roadster Z's. have you thought about taking the side glass out, and having the top of the door welded shut? you stated roadster, not convertable. I just think that that chrome door trim looks a little out of place now. ...anyways. great job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark Posted April 6, 2006 Share Posted April 6, 2006 Congrats on onw sweeet ride. You should be proud because YOU did it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BARACU Posted April 6, 2006 Author Share Posted April 6, 2006 lookin good. you've changed my mind about roadster Z's.have you thought about taking the side glass out' date=' and having the top of the door welded shut? you stated roadster, not convertable. I just think that that chrome door trim looks a little out of place now. ...anyways. great job. [/quote'] Thanks. I did think about removing the door glass, but was concerned with wind at highway speeds. As far as the polished strip on the door top,I tried doing it in black and yellow and polished. And while I'm not really crazy about the polished strip, it seems to be more acceptable in it's stock look. Just a price that I had to pay to keep the windows. AL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cygnusx1 Posted April 6, 2006 Share Posted April 6, 2006 Al, how long did that take you? A busy man can do alot of things. Top notch work as usual! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trevor Posted April 6, 2006 Share Posted April 6, 2006 Did you reinforce the unibody with frame rail connectors, sill rails, torque boxes, cage tubing, or anything like that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BARACU Posted April 6, 2006 Author Share Posted April 6, 2006 DAVE: Car took me about 9 to 10 months to complete. However, a substantial part of that time, was spent working on it FULL time, some days 12 -14 hrs! I'm very fortunate to be at that stage in my life where I can devote that kind of time to my hobby! AL TREVOR:I started with a rust free,structurally sound car. For reinforcement, I welded in a 3/16" x 5" plate along the inner sill from the firewall back to the seat belt pockets. This was welded along the entire floor and at the top to the inner sill. I then capped it off with another 1+" wide plate welded to the vertical plate and the top of the sill. This essentially gave me an angle iron support , but one that was also welded inside. I then ran a diagonal from the top of this support to plates welded to the shock towers ,then tied the shock towers together. I built a jig that attached to the upper hinge mount on the front door frame and ran back to the rear door jamb and attached a dial indicator to this to measure deflection of the door jambs under stress. I then , very unscientifically, jumped up and down on the center of the sill to measure deflection. With the roof , still on the car and no reinforcements, I measured an average of .020" deflection. I then did my reinforcements and removed the roof . I measured .018" . I, honestly, don't know how this will hold up with torsional stress, but I think I'll be OK. I had discussed this with our resident expert on reinforcement (thanks, Pete) and he felt I should be fine. The car is not going to be raced or subjected to anything other than normal driving. Plus, all the reinforcement was designed to be virtually unnoticeable in the car. AL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavyZ Posted April 7, 2006 Share Posted April 7, 2006 Beautiful car and very nice work! You get total kudos from me! BTW, it still needs a V8... Davy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BARACU Posted April 7, 2006 Author Share Posted April 7, 2006 Beautiful car and very nice work! You get total kudos from me! BTW' date=' it still needs a V8... Davy[/quote'] Thanks......but I already have a V8....(hehe) AL http://www.pbase.com/baracu/zcar&page=all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
staledale Posted April 7, 2006 Share Posted April 7, 2006 Nice car Baracu, both of them. You seem to have a talent for clean engine compartments. What did you use for your trunk? It's nice and flat where most are humped. What part of Pa. are you in? I'm from the Altoona area. Again,nice work. Stale Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Some-Guy Posted April 7, 2006 Share Posted April 7, 2006 that is one sweet car great work man! Also i really need a wiresless security system like that lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BARACU Posted April 8, 2006 Author Share Posted April 8, 2006 Nice car Baracu' date=' both of them. You seem to have a talent for clean engine compartments. What did you use for your trunk? It's nice and flat where most are humped. What part of Pa. are you in? I'm from the Altoona area. Again,nice work. Stale[/quote'] Stale: I like hiding everything in the engine compartments(hehe). The trunk was fabricated from the hatch. I'm up in the Scranton area. BTW, the Maryland Z club is having a show within the Carlisle Import show towards the end of May. Weathering permitting, I'll be there. Why not try to make it over, shouldn't be that far for you. AL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
staledale Posted April 8, 2006 Share Posted April 8, 2006 Hi Al, I've been there a couple of times, are you taking your Z's? Think it's May 18/21. Seems to rain a lot and scare away the Z club. I'd love to see your cars so I'll make again this year. Gotta find where your hiding all that stuff.LOL Staledale Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest l28et Posted April 9, 2006 Share Posted April 9, 2006 That engine bay is gorgeous. I love the cleanliness of it. nice work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phantaz Posted April 9, 2006 Share Posted April 9, 2006 Awesome attention to the little things... very nice cars. BTW what seats are those in the red Z out of?? they look really nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparks280zt Posted April 9, 2006 Share Posted April 9, 2006 they look like starion/conquest seats Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BARACU Posted April 10, 2006 Author Share Posted April 10, 2006 Sparks is right, they're out of a Mitsubishi Starion. AL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chaparral2f Posted April 10, 2006 Share Posted April 10, 2006 That is a beautiful car. I can only wish that my engine comapartment would look one tenth as good! There is one thing though.... You said, "I did all the work, with the exception of engine machine work , in my home garage." Now I feel even more inadequate;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BARACU Posted April 10, 2006 Author Share Posted April 10, 2006 Chapparal: If it makes you feel better, I just realized that I lied! The tire place mounted my tires. They would have let me do it, but I was afraid of screwing up those rims! But,This will make you feel even worse: Prior to this project, I never welded, did sheet metal fabrication, major body work, paint with SS Urethane,powdercoat or electroplating! I love challenges!(hehe) AL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chaparral2f Posted April 10, 2006 Share Posted April 10, 2006 Gawd!!!! U D MAN Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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