RedBeauty84ZX Posted October 4, 2012 Share Posted October 4, 2012 How far are you from having this engine running? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markrolston@mac.com Posted October 4, 2012 Author Share Posted October 4, 2012 How far are you from having this engine running? before the end of the year. Since we're past Wekfest, all focus is on plumbing, wiring, and exhaust. Springtime will be for interior, body, and paint. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedBeauty84ZX Posted October 5, 2012 Share Posted October 5, 2012 before the end of the year. Since we're past Wekfest, all focus is on plumbing, wiring, and exhaust. Springtime will be for interior, body, and paint. Cool. So is this the same car that had the RB26 in it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markrolston@mac.com Posted October 5, 2012 Author Share Posted October 5, 2012 Cool. So is this the same car that had the RB26 in it? It's a completely new car. I still drive the rbz. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeeboost Posted October 5, 2012 Share Posted October 5, 2012 I'm in complete awe of your work, it's just amazing. I don't know if it was said already in this thread, but what shop do you use here in Austin? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markrolston@mac.com Posted October 5, 2012 Author Share Posted October 5, 2012 I'm in complete awe of your work, it's just amazing. I don't know if it was said already in this thread, but what shop do you use here in Austin? Andris Laivins. Great guy. Solid work. Collaborative. Patient with all my crazy designs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlawleZ Posted October 6, 2012 Share Posted October 6, 2012 It's a completely new car. I still drive the rbz. Looks nothing short of amazing Mark. This was easily my favorite car at Nismo Fest this past year in San Antonio and I'm so excited to see this thing closer to completion. Do you feel with the placement and length difference between the RB26 and VQ will be a noticeable improvement in the car's overall balance and weight distribution? I would like to think so. Although the RB is a great motor I think one of the advantages to running a V6 over an I6 is how much closer the weight can be brought to the center. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markrolston@mac.com Posted October 6, 2012 Author Share Posted October 6, 2012 Looks nothing short of amazing Mark. This was easily my favorite car at Nismo Fest this past year in San Antonio and I'm so excited to see this thing closer to completion. Do you feel with the placement and length difference between the RB26 and VQ will be a noticeable improvement in the car's overall balance and weight distribution? I would like to think so. Although the RB is a great motor I think one of the advantages to running a V6 over an I6 is how much closer the weight can be brought to the center. Sure, that was a big part of the plan. However, the car is also only 1800lbs right now, and expected to come in at 2200lbs making the overall dynamic very different. And The new one is much stiffer and not an old tinfoil body like the old Zs tend to be. Lots to look forward to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelle Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 I just discovered this thread.. absolutely wonderful work.. I REALLY need to up my game lol We're doing tube chassis on two of the cars this winter.. The plan WAS e90 M3 BMW front suspension with RB26DETT for the white car..the V12 car's bits are still top secret.. looking at this though is making me seriously rethink things.. Thanks, you just complicated my life lol so many questions but even after 3 hours crawling over your pics I'm going to finish studying your work before I ask something stupid Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markrolston@mac.com Posted October 17, 2012 Author Share Posted October 17, 2012 Working on the exhaust. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pharaohabq Posted October 19, 2012 Share Posted October 19, 2012 Nice looking Exhaust. I know I'm out of my league when I look at the exhaust work I've done, and I look at yours. Did you bend em yourself, or buy a bunch of curves and straights? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frojoe Posted October 19, 2012 Share Posted October 19, 2012 You have provided me a great number of desktop background car pronz pictures, and for that, I thank you. Your fabrication work is the best that I've seen for an individual effort AKA not a huge shop being paid multiple $100,000's.. keep up the fantastic updates! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markrolston@mac.com Posted October 19, 2012 Author Share Posted October 19, 2012 Here's another update on the exhaust. We're using pre-bent segments of pipe, cut, and welded together. It's stainless steel. The pipes look nicer because these particular ones don't have the typical stretching associated with bends. I'll likely ceramic coat them as well. I should also clarify the way this car is being designed and built. I'm a product designer. I have a day job. So to build this car, I'm working with Andris Laivins, who builds race cars for Mazda. This is a side project for both of us. I have some reasonable skills myself, but Andris- he's a phenomenal craftsman. And I can only work on the car in my free time. So together we're building this. I do much of the design and mockup, either by rendering plans on the computer, or sketching on paper. Andris gets the credit for the beautiful handiwork. Just about the entire car has been designed and built through this collaboration. Coming up soon is the build for the rear part of the exhaust. We've designed (on paper so far) a really trick solution. The twin exhaust pipes will pass through two electrically controlled exhaust cutouts that can close off this straight pipe path. In the path just before this cutout will be a T that directs flow to a muffler that has a single exhaust outlet. The whole setup allows both a straight-pipe path or a nice, quiet operation. The back of the car will have three tailpipes in the center. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leon Posted October 19, 2012 Share Posted October 19, 2012 Just awesome. I hope I can see this thing in person some day! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markrolston@mac.com Posted October 29, 2012 Author Share Posted October 29, 2012 We're still working on the exhaust. But we've also started on the wiring loom. We have the original stock loom to start with. We'll route all of the wiring to a plug on the firewall so the wiring can stay intact with the engine assembly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markrolston@mac.com Posted October 29, 2012 Author Share Posted October 29, 2012 Separately to the effort to get the car running, I'm working on a few other custom parts. The dashboard of the 240Z has always been one of the most beautiful parts of the car. However, it's cheap plastic. I bought a fiberglass reproduction and it's a good shape, but I'm challenged to figure out what material to leave it. I've tried to find someone skilled or brave enough to try a carbon fiber version, but most people say it's too complicated. I've also investigated leather or Alcantera. Both are completely possible but don't look so elegant with so many seam lines. But after looking at the new Ferrari F12 Berlinetta's dash, I think I've come up with a new idea: The idea is to take the current FG dash mold and cut off the round pods so the dash is a left/right symmetrically simple shape with the center stack. Now, where the round gauge pods used to be, I would cut holes. That whole shape would then be covered in smooth black leather. It would not need many seams at all. The holes where the pods were would have smooth leather wrapped edges. Then, I will take foam cylinders and shape those like the pods that were removed. Those would be covered in carbon fiber. These parts would then all be combined back into a dash that has the same shape as an original Z, but would be made of two materials, with the pods clearly accentuated by the material change. thoughts? It might look something like this rough PS render (ideally a lot better) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garvice Posted October 30, 2012 Share Posted October 30, 2012 Looks good, but personally prefer the original dash. I got mine recovered/rebuilt. They did a new vinyl wrap, think it looks great. Love the door cards though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pharaohabq Posted October 30, 2012 Share Posted October 30, 2012 That's an interresting idea with the Dash... I was thinking about trying to integrate some of the 370z pods into the stock dash. I'm not sure how hard that would be, but the 370Z dash is pretty sweet. Awesome to see you're getting to the wiring. That means you're getting close. Oh than that exhaust just plain excites me... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mad4datsun Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 you sir, inspire the crap out of me! I am looking at getting myself head long into a Datsun project that may or may not take on this size/scope when I get back from Afghanistan next year. I love the RBZ and this one is going to be even better! I cant wait to see this all come together, because this thing is gonna be sweet! btw, is that drysump i see? (cant remember it from earlier in the build.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen C. Posted December 17, 2012 Share Posted December 17, 2012 I'm going through withdrawals! Almost 2 months and no updates. I need my fix. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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