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Mike Kelly's Zcar Project


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I did indeed. I'll be ordering a new oil PUMP to go with the rest of the "stuff" I need to make this pan work. Having owned two cars with Factory German Drysumps, I am a firm believer that this is the answer to the LS1 oiling problems. Thanks for selling it to me, Mark!

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No updates on the motors. MAchine Shop still has the 383 stroker and I won't be ording parts for the LS1 until next week. I did get the cool-suit box in for the coolsuit. Just in time for fall when I wouldn't need it, right? :lol:

 

Anyway, Hope to have more significant updates next week.

 

Mike

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  • 2 weeks later...

Well this is a fine mess... Looks like I have an umbilical hernia. I have an appointment on Wednesday with a surgeon and will probably go under the knife shortly there after. Going to impact my "motor install" plans for sure... Sux.

 

No updates yet, but I suspect the 383 stroker will be ready for pickup this week. Zcar is parked in the car trailer. really hope a tree doesn't take it out in the coming storm.

 

Mike

Edited by Mikelly
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Big thanks to Keith aka RebekahsZ for selling me his custom Longtubes for the LS platform. I'll put them to good use with a set of AFR heads, FAST 90MM intake/Tbody and a custom cam. Looks like that will be the combo for the LS1.

 

Mike

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Sounds like it's going to be a nice motor! If you keep the cubes at 346 it will basically have the same hardware as my motor. Then it's all in the tune. I've tried 2 different tuners so far with a third coming up in a week or 2. 20HP between the 2 tuners but the one with the lower numbers is way more driver friendly. I'm hoping the third guy can find some of that lost power and keep the driveability I have now.

 

Joe

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So I'm going on 48 hours since my little surgical procedure. Man I hurt. Lots of pain and soreness in the stomach/abdomine. Really sore. Meanwhile I'm trying to sort out the LSx build while trying to prepare to market/sell the 383 stroker, which the shortblock should be done and back at my place later this week. Ugh, this whole surgery thing has put a damper on the whole schedule for the fall... TWO weeks restriction to picking up nothing heavier than 20 pounds really sux.

 

Mike

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  • 2 weeks later...

"I'm BACK... I'm BACK in the saddle again"... Ala Aerosmith...

 

Cutter gave me the thumbs up on my surgery recovery. I can get back to picking up heavy crap. I can tell you guys that this whole surgery thing sucked, and there is nothing worse than being ordered to "rest".

 

Sooo I'm on to planning the build up for the LS1. I really need to move the 393 stroker ASAP so anyone reading this if you're looking for a solid performer, the short block is being re-assembled right now, was completely rebalanced, and has new rings/bearings on all forged bits in a bowtie 4bolt block with all ARP goodness. Everything will be as good as new and this is a solid performing 450BHP/480-490 #ft. of torque.

 

Reading over the various boards on the LS1, and reading the nasa rules for TT1 and ST1, it sounds like I'll need to be at or below 456 wheel hp and everyone is telling me a set of heads and a Patrick-G spec'ed cam will get that, especially with the headers/LS6 intake and an upgrade in injectors which will likely be swapped from the 383 stroker's intake. So right now I am shopping for LS1 ARP shortblock bolt kit (going to do the rod bolts) and then a rebuild of the stock internals. Car is still in the trailer, as I've moved the kid's 240SX track build into the spare bay in the shop. We need to clean up some of the cage work before he takes it home to do his body/prep.

 

Mike

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  • 3 weeks later...

Well I've now had TWO people back out on buying the 383 stroker so It's going back in the car for now while I sort out the build on the LS1.  Really done with "selling" parts to people right now... Guess it's a sign of the times, but commiting to someone that you will buy something from them and then backing out with sketchy excuses is just not acceptable to me.

 

Sooo that said, I'll use the  beginning of this season to continue to shake the platform down, and then swap later in the year. 

 

Plan is to have the car and the parts back in the shop by December 22nd so I can start cleaning her up and putting her back together.  The heads need to be cleaned up and I need to get a gasket set for the top end of the motor.

 

 

Mike

Edited by Mikelly
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What ever happened to the engine builder buying the motor back? Did he back out as well? Seems like you are going to yet again experience a long time off the track with this car if you plan on swapping motors mid year. I still say set up the LS1 now and don't bother with the 383. Put a list together of what you still need for the LS and place the order. You can use the begining of the season to shake out the cobwebs with the hardware the final product will be using. You will be ahead of the game if you start wrenching on what will be the finished product now. Just my .02.

 

Joe

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Joe, The problem there is as of now I have a shortblock that needs at minimum $1000 invested in it.  Then theres heads/cam, and the rest of the drysump, bellhousing and everything else involved.  Here's what I've decided NOT to do... I'm not going to assume anything from anyone anymore or take anyone's word for any value or worth.  The Shop had a buyer lined up, that buyer has pretty much gone away.  They were really just facilitating  the connection between two of their customers.

 

I'll make it work out somehow... But I'm not missing another season at the track.  I'll start tracking my GT3, and then we all know what will happen.  The Zcar will be relegated to a doorstop, again.

 

Mike

Edited by Mikelly
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If you are in the area that I think you are in....... would you know Justin Wine?  He is in the VA area and races P-cars.  We went to school back in the day......

GT3?  That is kind of how I got my Z.  The previous owner bought a 911turbo and the Z sat on the shelf after that....... have been talking with him about buying his 911 from him in the coming years.

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Off work sick today, so I decided to have an hour or so in the shop... Managed to put together the new parts washer I bought on Sunday, and fill it with solvent.  I then pulled up the Dart heads for the 383 stroker and gave them a good washing after scraping the old gasket material off of them.

 

I'll pick up a gasket set this week and go ahead and put the bits back together.  Once the motor is ready to go back in the car, I'll unload the car from the trailer and have at it... Maybe by Sunday.

 

Mike

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PIcked up head and intake gaskets today, plan to have the motor back together by the weekend.  John and Jerry (Members JNJdragRacing) are selling me a set of their headers off their SBC.  I'll see how they work out and if I have to, I'll carve them up to make them fit.  Should be on schedule to have the motor back in the car by Christmas.

 

Mike

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I hope you get it all done. If there is anything I can say to encourage you is that in the end it is all worth it. I know you have tasted it and remeber it clearly, I'm just reminding you that the juice is worth the squeeze. If this was easy you'd just go back to tracking a Porsche..........

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Name doesn't sound familiar.  I checked my local PCA roster and didn't see it either.  I'm half way between Washington DC and Richmond Va. just off the I95 interchange.  The 911 Turbo is one of the most competent and flexible daily drivers you could ever want to own.  As long as you recognize its weaknesses and don't try to make it into something it isn't, it'll serve you very well.  True supercar in sheeps clothing.

 

Mike

 

If you are in the area that I think you are in....... would you know Justin Wine?  He is in the VA area and races P-cars.  We went to school back in the day......

GT3?  That is kind of how I got my Z.  The previous owner bought a 911turbo and the Z sat on the shelf after that....... have been talking with him about buying his 911 from him in the coming years.

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