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Mike Kelly's Zcar Project


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I've had a little bit of "lull" while I was dealing with the sale of the 996Turbo. I also am awaiting some boots to repair the CV boot I managed to lose on the driver's side rear. Once we've addressed that issue, I'll get it ready for the next track event...

 

There's also an E36M3 being added to the stable this coming weekend, we think...

 

Mike

 

Anyone else hear that knocking? I think it's opportunity. Sounds like it's saying, "Mike, buy a turbo for that bimmer."

 

You know, there's not many bimmers I really would like to own, and the E36M3 is one of them.

Edited by Gollum
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Porsche snobs? :D Our Hudson Valley PCA chapter is nothing but down to earth guys...snobs is the furthest thing you would think about them... OTOH, you get to find out which people in your circle are a-holes, when you get a P-car or Bimmer. I have had, what I thought were good people, thumb their noses at me after I picked up my 330. Amazing, how thin, people can be.

 

Not to mention how people tend to drive offensively towards you, when you are in one...if you know what I mean. Mike, post pics of the car when it materializes!

Edited by cygnusx1
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I'll pick it up today...

And trust me, I know both kinds of Porsche owners... In the First Settlers chapter, I enjoyed the good group of car guys who just loved cars... few, if any Porsche snobs... In the Washington area club, which is closer to me, it was pretty bad... Enough so that I changed chapters... A few nice guys, but not worth weeding throught the bad to meet the good. I'll own another Porsche for sure... It's the most well engineered and easiest to maintain machine I've ever owned, and by far the most powerful and easiest to drive at the limit.

I'm picking up the M3 today if it checks out... Going with my checkbook and a cartrailer to bring it home...It'll be a daily driver, and it has Bilstein PSS9s, Carbon moonroof delete, airbags removed, bunch of other mods, all the emissions removed, chipped, CAI/header back exhaust, and some other stuff... It still has the full interior and Vaders... Also has two sets of wheels/tires for it... Car was a daily drive/AutoX car that TomBaRace's boss Kyle owns... Kyle owns classic aviation Just shouth of Harrisonburg, so it's been maintained by an aircraft mechanic for the last two+ years... Should be a nice ride...And it's the right color... Silver!

Mike

Edited by Mikelly
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Pete, She's been driving this for the last 18 months:

 

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2011 Hyundai Sonota. We're slowly falling out of love with it. Fine "appliance" for a commuter and travel car, but they lack soul. I'm just glad we bought it with the sport suspension package. It holds its own on a back road, but it's still 'Meh...

 

Mike

 

Nice!

So is the M3 the funny little honey's new ride, since you're replacing her little white 3?

 

I remember your M Roadster - took it for a quick drive, and I fell in love with it!

Edited by Mikelly
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Latest Zcar related update:

 

So when I picked up the M3 last week, I also picked up a front suspension from a Zcar Tom Harris had. Today I managed to get the uprights disassembled and the spring perches cut off. I will cut and re-weld the fronts together in a few weeks. I'm going to drop them 1.5-2 inches so I have more front adjustment. Figure I'll store the rears as I really don't need to drop the rear suspension. I Have plenty of range in the rear, but not enough in the front!

 

I also started work on the CV axles boot issue. The driver's rear boot had cut on the inside. I Ordered 4 Dorman replacement boot kits, and will replace the two boots on the driver's side. I managed to get the axle unbolted today. I'll tear into it in the coming days.

 

I also manged to install a new carbon cowl panel I've been sitting on for a bit...

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The unit is probably a 3rd the weight of the stock steel panel and looks and fits well... except for the whole, well... Hole. Or lack of... If you buy this panel, you need to cut the holes for the wiper pivots yourself and that can be a daunting task for anyone who might be less than comfortable with cutting into a carbon fiber panel... I did it with a twist. I removed the passenger side arm, since it's a track car and I'm in weight savings mode... Cutting the hole in the panel and making it that funky teardrop shape was simply a matter of using a couple of files to form it as I cut way the material. I then painted the edges in a flat black and it turned out well.

 

I like the look of it, although the carbon weave/finish is darker than that of the hood.

Mike

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So I pulled the CV axle today, got the thing appart, and mostly back together. I got interupted with an M3 with a sticking hood cable, and that was the end of working on the Zcar for the day... Oh well... Maybe wrap it up tomorrow...

 

Mike

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My M3/4/5 sedan had that hood release prob. I removed the drivers side corner marker light and pulled the cable from there. The sheath had collapsed and come loose but the inner cable was intact. I could pull the whole cable and it released the hood. Coups have different corner marker lights that may be more difficult to remove with the hood closed.

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Thanks John! It was actually the loose nut behind the wrench. I was installing a new hoodliner and apparently got the hood latch plunger slightly off on re-install. I got it straightended out today... A curved handle from a miata jack kit was used to pull the plunger forward slightly to release it. Then I got the bolts loosened and realigned the plunger and got it all resolved.

 

Mike

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Got the CV boot replaced on the torn side, but will probably replace the one that isn't torn, just to be on the safe side. What I've noticed is that the older boots are really thick, but really dry, which is why the other one probably cracked. The CV angle is farely steep. The DOREMAN unit I am replacing it with is very flexible, but doesn't seem as thick a material either. So there is some concern there... Expect to get Justin's Carbon flares in this coming week, and then I'll get to ordering my CCWs and after that, I'll try to run down a leak that's really bugging me. I believe the head on the driver's side is going to have to come off for some troubleshooting of a constant leak. If this were a street car, I'd not worry much, but the bell housing is wet every time I run the car and collects a small drip at the bottom... so I'm going to have to find the source.

 

Mike

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