Phantom Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 Naw - we'll never ALL be happy but, if you are, to heck with all the others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EvilC Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 I hope to see lots of track video and post about how you love the car. That's all I was ever trying to state. If you do sell it no one can say anything because it is your car. She should be fast when complete. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1969honda Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 Mike, Really enjoyed reading through your build, sorry for the troubles, but as I've always told other "life happens", means some times it sucks, other times it's great but the lemonade is only as good as we make it for ourselves. Hope you get to accomplish your goals and can't wait to read what happens next and learn a little from your experience and hopefully not your expense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pparaska Posted June 7, 2015 Share Posted June 7, 2015 I hope to see this thing really fully sorted, Mike. Most of all, I'd love to see you enjoying the beast on the track. One of my favorite things you've done lately is the Ford 8.8 swap - After going through not having my Z on the road last summer because of a snapped 280Z stub axle and waiting for the vendor to get the correct billet replacements shipped (took the morons at the manufacturing company THREE tries to get 4, not 5 stud holes drilled to the diameter I wanted!!!) I know how silly it is to keep dealing with the expensive Nissan parts in the rear of the car, especially the differential. The Ford 8.8 is such a better way to go, with beefy parts in the rest of the driveline from there to the wheels. I've learned a lot about what stuff to use and not use as you went through this project. Let's just say if I were to put it all together again, none of the driveline parts or brakes would be the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikelly Posted June 7, 2015 Author Share Posted June 7, 2015 Meanwhile I will be spending next weekend racing a 10 hour and 4 hour endurance race in this thing!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zack_280 Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 Good luck. We just did the NCM race last weekend in my buddy's E30. Finally got a win on day 1. Day 2 didn't go so good, but we learned to make sure the oil dipstick is completely inserted into the dipstick tube. Unfortunately we have 3 penalty laps for the next 3 races. We won by 2 laps and get a 'margin of victory + 1 lap' penalty for the next 3 races. 3 races! That seems pretty harsh, but rules is rules. We weren't even the fastest E30. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikelly Posted June 12, 2015 Author Share Posted June 12, 2015 Thanks Zack!! We hope to make the car survivie all weekend. 34 cars entered, but Shenandoah is a small close quarters circuit (even at 2.2 miles) and I am under no illusion that there will be contact... 3 races? Woah... You guys doing VIR 24 hours? Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zack_280 Posted June 12, 2015 Share Posted June 12, 2015 (edited) We are not going to VIR this year either...I really want to do a race there, but we have just gotten to the point where we feel comfortable that we have found all of the bugs...Maybe next year. Not sure about the 24, though. We've only got 4 guys on our team and the car owner doesn't really want to trust anybody he doesn't know. Also we are definitely doing Barber in August and there is no way we would sign up for both of those races since they are so close. This year has been mostly positive, so we might make it out to VIR next year. I'm not familiar with Shenandoah, but generally tight courses are better for E30s. I imagine that the E36s will do pretty good too. Just tell your drivers to be smart with passing and keep the shiny side up. Finishing is almost as good as finishing first. If you have good stops, you can make up a lot of time...I think that's how we ended up so far ahead at NCM. Edited June 12, 2015 by zack_280 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikelly Posted June 19, 2015 Author Share Posted June 19, 2015 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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikelly Posted June 26, 2015 Author Share Posted June 26, 2015 the motor is in process of being blueprinted and assembled now. Jamie Posted pics on his RiverCitySpeed FB wall of the process... I hope to have the motor back within 2 weeks! Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yellowoctupus Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 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... Truers words haven't been spoken...... I always have a few project cars going at the same time (although not always by choice). It's amazing what even a few weeks can do to revive interest in a frustrating project. Thanks for your work on the 8.8 swap, I'm going to be investigating that route in a few months, hopefully with the Mark VIII carrier. I'll PM you if I can't find the answers listed here in the last 6X pages..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikelly Posted July 30, 2015 Author Share Posted July 30, 2015 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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikelly Posted August 22, 2015 Author Share Posted August 22, 2015 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1969honda Posted August 22, 2015 Share Posted August 22, 2015 Sorry to hear that, I know how you feel I've been struggling with my crank grinder since April to get things straightened out so I can mock up my short block. Hope things turn around for you whichever way you go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikelly Posted August 29, 2015 Author Share Posted August 29, 2015 (edited) 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... Edited August 29, 2015 by Mikelly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikelly Posted September 5, 2015 Author Share Posted September 5, 2015 (edited) 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 Edited September 5, 2015 by Mikelly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikelly Posted September 19, 2015 Author Share Posted September 19, 2015 And another week slips away... In other news unrelated to Datsun Zs (since mine is pretty much a non-factor for the rest of this year and is close to being parted out) I am selling the Focus ST today. Probably going to buy another Corvette or a Porsche... More on that later... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDowwwg Posted September 23, 2015 Share Posted September 23, 2015 impressive work on this build Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikelly Posted October 3, 2015 Author Share Posted October 3, 2015 So this happened... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VKLR Posted October 3, 2015 Share Posted October 3, 2015 The engine in that would be great in your Z. LOL Sorry just kidding,the C-6 Grand Sport is a beast. Sorry you are having delays getting your Z going. The GS should make you forget about the Z for a while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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