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HybridZ

1974 260Z track car. Ground Up.


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Hello,

My name is Justin, I'm from Wisconsin. 21 years old.

-Welder by profession.

-Hobbies.. Well, I like to do fabrication. Currently working on a full exhaust system for my STI. I also like to do carbon fiber work. I'm hoping I get to stretch my wings a bit and go a bit crazy with the carbon/fabrication work on the Z.

 

-Other rides(currently); 2006 Yamaha R1

2004 Subaru Impreza WRX STI

 

-Plans for car; RB25DET 5-speed, track car with a decent body to be shown at car shows. (also street driven).

 

Here is the car we bought, but haven't picked up yet.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300133559210&ssPageName=ADME:B:EOIBSA:MT:11

 

A friend (Mike) and I have purchased a 260Z project car. We still have yet to pick it up. I would like to get a solid play by play list of things-2-do before we get caught up in the project.

 

The first thing I would like to do is to get the motor running, and drive the car a little bit, to get that vintage feel!!

In the ad it says that the motor will turn over when the starter is jumped, but not when the key is turned. Okay, so a starter solenoid. I really guess nobody can trouble shoot the car without having it in their possession. Perhaps it will start right up. Maybe not.. any input?

 

After we get sick of driving it (or perhaps not driving it) we will start to strip the car down, interior and exterior.

 

-CHASSIS & BODY (reconditioning)

I'm planning on having the body sand blasted, and hopefully it doesn't turn into swiss cheese. After that we will address any areas with new sheet metal.. hopefully not too many places. And all the low spots will be filled with lead. Fill all bumper mounts, trim holes etc..

 

Now here is where I really would like some input from the guys who have been at these stages before.

 

-What can I do at these stages to increase handling and rigidity?

 

-Roll cages? I assume you're all building your own to suit your own needs. I guess I will have to rent/invest in a hydraulic tubing bender.

 

-What can I do to bring the rear-end, suspension, and brakes into the 21st century?

 

-What would you have done differently to your Z's assuming you haven't taken this approach before the project?

 

 

-ENGINE/TRANS

We want to stick with a NISSAN motor. Trying to keep the weight down.

Still haven't totally decided what to put in, but for the price you can't beat an RB25DET. A bit more will get us a RB26DETT, but then costs increase because of needing to also acquire a RWD transmission. I have a lot of reading to do in the RB forums. It seems like the RB25DET is the least hassling and good power can be made with it. Although I'd like to say that I have an RB26DETT.

 

 

-Interior

(Bare, Raw, metal, noisy:))

A lot of carbon fiber panels. I've been doing some vacuum bagging in my spare time. I have the materials needed, and now I have a chance to work on my skills.

 

A couple of racing seats. E-bay specials maybe. Something that hopefully functions as well as looks cool.

 

*-Gauges and electrical

This is the area Mike will be handling, as I hate wires. I guess we will need to redo all of the wiring. Toggle switches for lights and blinkers, ignition, fuel pump etc.. Looking for some info on those neat digital dash gauges. I know some of them go for a pretty penny, but are there any alternatives?

 

-Exterior

Looking for some cheap, good looking, possibly functional (down force) front bumpers etc. I will also try to make a rear diffuser from carbon fiber.

 

 

This is a long way off, I will be happy when we actually go pick the car up!! LOL, well it sure is great to dream how great this is gona be, but it is a project, and a lot of hard work will have to go into it. O boy.

 

I will try to save as much of the salvageable pieces off the car as possible.

 

I thank anyone for any advice, input, and knowledge in advance.

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first off - welcome to the site! you have big plans for that there RLS30 :D

 

second off - there's a lot of questions in there! as far as the rear end, suspension, and brakes, there are currently a couple threads open about each of those topics. sounds like you're looking to DRIVE that car, so i'd recommend some big discs at all 4s, at LEAST an R200 (there is another thread right now that is discussing other rear ends for more durability), and suspension is going to be quite a beast to tackle. maybe some big sways, coilovers, etc.?

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hahaha same boat I am in!

 

there is quite a informative thread on the oiling issues that the RB's have on tracks and once again you must be aware of them or your motor wont last 30 minutes....(on a actual track)

its almost a guarantee..

and like I just said the other day to another looking to track an RB, you are going to spend another 1500-2000 bucks just to make it reliable in sustained high rpm bouts.

Good luck and will be checking into your progress!

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Read the stickies at the top of the forums.

 

Also, when building a race car your money and time priorities should be in the following order:

 

1. Safety - Its all for nothing if you die or are stuck in a wheelchair drooling on yourself for the rest of your life.

 

2. Reliability - Its a waste of everyone's time if you can't complete (or even start) the race. And no, its not fun to run 5 laps and then work on the car for the rest of the day.

 

3. Repeatability - Its a scary thing when you aren't sure what the car is going to do every time you get to the first turn after the longest straight.

 

4. Speed - Its very, very difficult to build a car that can run consistent fast laps over a 30 minute session. Sure, anyone can turn one fast lap and walk around like a big swinging dick, but no one remembers that person during the trophy presentation.

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Here are some pics and updates!

 

In the garage now being stripped down!

 

If anyone wants anything, name your price, we have been trying to salvage anything salvageable from the interior. I'll have pics of the stuff we're trying to get rid of.

 

260zproject004xs1.jpg

260zproject008hy7.jpg

260zproject014xc7.jpg

260zproject016vv5.jpg

260zproject020ff8.jpg

260zproject017yx8.jpg

260zproject018ud3.jpg

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I have to agree with panachedk.. where and what number can i call?

One place that i found was realy cheap was a company called Strip It. Tim from there was very helpfull at answering my questions said he would sanblast the engine bay and underside, then media blast the body so it does not warp the metal. if you want you can get a hold of him at: 920-285-2883 again it was tim.

 

Good luck on the project.

 

~Andrew

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I have to agree with panachedk.. where and what number can i call?

One place that i found was realy cheap was a company called Strip It. Tim from there was very helpfull at answering my questions said he would sanblast the engine bay and underside, then media blast the body so it does not warp the metal. if you want you can get a hold of him at: 920-285-2883 again it was tim.

 

Good luck on the project.

 

~Andrew

 

mind sharing what he quoted you for that? best around here so far is about 700 for media blasting the whole shell (in and out)

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Those prices sound expensive for media blasting. I go to this place near Kalamazoo, MI called Consolidated Stripping.

 

They charge $50 an hour to do it for you in their booth OR $15 an hour to do it yourself. This includes the blasting media, they also have smaller cabinets to rent, very nice people. They also sell the black blasting media (forgot the brand name, its good stuff i know) nice to get if you have a blast cabinet at home, which is nice for small stuff.

 

http://www.consolidatedstripping.com/ourplantequipment.html - link to their equipment and prices.

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