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Mike Kelly's Zcar Project


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I'm going to pick up the Zcar in about an hour... Dropped it off to have the exhaust welded up this AM and just spoke with the fabricator... he's almost done, so I'll have her back at home within the next two hours... Pics may be posted by the weekend...

 

Mike

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The exhaust turned out well, and it is modular in design... I can remove one of three sections, or all three by simply unbolting the collectors and the three rubberized mounts...

 

RearView.jpg

RearSection.jpg

Xpipe.jpg

GroundClearance.jpg

Dsidefit2.jpg

DsidePipe.jpg

PsideFit.jpg

Oillineclearance.jpg

 

This is the third system I've had robert's custom exhaust do for me for V8Zcars and he always gets better with each design. I paid $950 and he had the car all day. All the stainless tubing was tigged, but unfortunately he didn't have stainless flanges, expipe or race mufflers in stock... I'm good with it because the car won't see much rain.

 

The tips were slashed and turned down sections of pipe at my request... I have zero interest in flash for this car... They'll be painted black so they blend in with the lower valance...

 

I'm going to re-route the oil lines away from the pipes, along with the red fuel return line... This stuff will all be re-routed. The passenger side downtube will also get header wrap at the oil pan section.

 

Mike

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Had some free time yesterday afternoon so I unhooked the MSD box, and started welding my dzeus fasterners onto the chassis of the car for the hood and the MSA Type3 front airdam.

 

Should have some pics of the final products for these two components in the next few days...

 

Mike

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Well we're in sunny south Florida and trying to relax a bit...

Went by Greg Ira's house yesterday and visited with him and looked over his championship race car 240Z... Greg is a super nice guy and very smart, and that GT-R is pretty darned mean... Havin been in a few of them since the dust up a year or so ago, I have a new found respect and have actually come to like the big beast from the rising sun...

I stopped in to see if there were recommendations for Greg's setup from the windtunnel testing, and due to rules, he is pretty darned limited... I actually came away with more than I contributed... Greg, that whole alignment stringer idea is simply genius. I'll be borrowing that for sure man!!!

Anyway, Greg was having a cookout that we intended to participate in yesterday evening, but my buddy Dennis, who along with his wife is on vacation with us, had waitlisted for a night dive and got a call at 3PM to take a spot on a nightdive... Sooooo we didn't make the cookout, and went for the whole "support the friend" thing....

Any of you blokes get a chance, pick Greg's brain. He is obviously doing something right with his car... It's fast as hell and he's one hot shoe!!!

Mike

Edited by Mikelly
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  • 2 months later...
  • 2 months later...
  • 5 months later...
  • 2 weeks later...

We should start a rally to bring him back!

 

Hey... rally.... we should literally RALLY across the USA to mike's place and bust down the doors all 80's action movie style.

 

"Mike, you've got some work to do."

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  • 4 weeks later...

Who the hell let in the hooligans??? We can post in other member's projects??? :D

 

OK, project update:

Yesterday, yes YESTERDAY I workd on the Zcar, after I did a four wheel alignment on the porsche and cleaned up the shop. Track day season is upon us and with the 996TT and the SpecMiata both occupying time, I hadn't been able to get into the shop since we cooked the starter on the Z back in late March.

 

So, yesterday I got the Zcar in the lift bay, in the air and replaced the starter and re-installed the right downpipe from the header to the exhaust. I've now got the rear axle appart trying to resolve a few issues with fitment there, will need to further clearance the rear caliper craddles so they don't rub on the rotors and then continue on with the minimal amount of welding left under the car and clean up a few more things inside the car. I plan to have the car RUNNING and AT THE TRACK July 12-13 where Pete Paraska and I will be attending a trackdaze.com HPDE event. Poor Pete has requested me as his instructor, so we're doomed for sure! :D

 

Last two weekends I was at first Summit Point's Shenendoah Circuit, and then VIR with PCA First Settlers doing the national instructors course for PCA. This is what I got to play chase with on the 3rd day:

 

 

 

Nothing like chasing a 2560 # 450HP race car with sequential shifter...That's a 2008 Cup Car with some 2010 upgrades in it... I'm still rusty from 18 months not tracking the 996TT, so my times were off slightly, but man it was fun reeling him in under braking and corner entry...

 

More in a few days...

Mike

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Mike,

Your Porsche rocket ship is amazingly well mannered, quiet and somewhat like riding in your Dad's lincoln town car. I suspect that you are in for a real treat when you saddle up the old Datsun later this year. All the sounds, and "in your face" sensory over load that a fast and gutted z car provide will certainly wake you up. The difference you will experience in the two cars will be a long subject that I hope you will share with us. I'm happy to here that your first gen. is close to being track ready.

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