Project BLU 260

[AK]

Hi Mr Blu - the great work continues, II am not a specialist at all with engines but a manifold leak could be the problem, I only say this from a threads I have read. Mad body work skills!!! Blue engine works well in the black engine bay. Keep up the good work Cheers AK

[GongZ]

Good luck with engine issues!

 

On a separate issue-

I notice in the before and after engine bay pics that the fluid reservoirs on your brake master cylinder have been swapped over.

[blu260z]

Thanks for spotting that gong

[blu260z]

Spent some of the weekend fault finding checking timing and all that jazz. Ended up grabbing a compression gauge and bingo cylinder 6 had no compression at all. So off came the intake and exhaust, I had the girlfriend shine a torch into the spark plug hole and sure enough the exhaust valve is not fully closing. So next step will be to keep stripping until I find what is causing the stuck valve.

On a better note I have a very good 240-260z contact here in south aus only 10min from my house, which I contacted and got a few bargains ☺ I got a fiberglass BRE spook front spoiler, full rear bumper in good condition to replace my twisted one, A uncracked centre console, new set of 8mm leads, a distributor rotor and a leather steering wheel wrap at a total of $150 I thought that was pretty good I will put some pics up when I get a chance.

[blu260z]

Here is the issue and no its not a bent square. I should be able to hunt down a exhaust valve fairly cheap and sort this problem out

[Scoota G]

Did you set the timing right? Pretty sure i have spare valves here if it's an E88.

[blu260z]

Did you set the timing right? Pretty sure i have spare valves here if it's an E88.

Yea I thought I did but must have messed up somewhere, or it slipped through my quality assurance when I was rebuilding the head. My mistake I am hoping to find one local but I will let you know how I go

 

Thanks

[blu260z]

Ok guys engine problems are sorted a big thankyou to RLY240 for giving me an exhaust valve and showing me his car ☺. I now just need a new intake/exhaust gasket and I can start to tune. I have also decided the blue engine cover is not going to grow on me its very bright probably to bright, I will be changing is to silver with black lettering and stripes.

Edited November 3, 2015 by blu260z

[blu260z]

Weekend update..

Gave the 350 holley a bit of a tune I will be changing the powervalve and jets as it is running a little on the rich side. A few months ago I started a topic in the electrical side of the forum regarding my distributor rotor being 180deg out. Turns out it wasn't my oil pump but my distributor shaft, somebody previous to me must have put it in 180deg out. I started to dis assemble the distributor only to find the plastic swivel assembly for the vacuum advance to be in pieces soooooo I will be on the hunt for a 260z or 280zx distributor 1 step forward 2 steps back

[blu260z]

As most of the engine work has been completed and my zx distributor is on its way thanks to dat2kman the weekend gave me a chance to catch up on a couple of small jobs. I stripped and re-painted the rocker cover and installed my 8mm leads, also finished off the cover for the fusible links and other fuses getting rid of the ugly standard one. Also made up a battery hold down strap to replace the old rusty one.

 

 

 

Next step will be suspension and brakes I really need to keep in mind the purpose of the car, which will be occasional daily drive and weekend hack through the hills.

(Springs) - king springs "low"

(Shocks) - still unsure but possibly KYB

(Brakes) - standard rotors /quality pads rebuilt standard calipers

(Bushes) - probably poly

So if anybody has info on shock type or springs or do's and dont' please feel free to post it. Or even if you have a set of used springs you would part with let me know

 

Chris

[blu260z]

Been a little quiet over the Christmas/Newyr period unfortunately this is a busy time of year for me due to shutdown work. Quickly before Christmas I started stripping the front end suspension and painted up some components which had plenty of time to cure for the 3 weeks the shed didnt even get opened .

Today I managed to score a random day off and although here in Adelaide its 40 degs I braved it cranked the fan and spent some of the day down the shed. Although I worked over chrissy the parts didnt stop coming in, I got a new set of front and rear lowered king springs and a full bushing kit from Prothane. After this will be new brake rotors, lower ball joints, tie rods and a rebuild of the calipers

 

Pretty standard grubby front end. Factory rubber bushes, springs and 25yrs of grease

 

The full bushing kit from Prothane looks to be good quality.

 

 

Half built front end. Fresh brush on sound deadening and painted parts, I used gloss black kill rust and sprayed it with a gun amazing how hard that stuff sets.

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Edited January 12, 2016 by blu260z

[jeff43]

Nice work, looks great. I will check out the bush kit as I am nearly ready for some suspension reassembly myself. She was pretty warm today!!!!! I did some hot days in the shed over xmas/newyear myself, if you get the tiime you have to try and use it, rain, hail or 40+ degrees I reckon. I Keep the fluids up and take some breaks and I seem to cope ok.

 

Cheers Jeff

[blu260z]

So finally put the rest of the front suspension together the only thing left is to rebuild the calipers. The entire front end has new urethane bushes, tie rod ends, ball joints, springs, rubber boots for shocks and steering rack, flushed and re built wheel bearings and new rotors. Cant wait to feel the difference between the sloppy old front end to now. The rear will be getting the same treatment so that will be next.

The fuel tank is out to make space to drop the rear end and to paint the tank black with silver straps. Its amazing how new parts can really kick you back into gear

 

Picture time

 

[PB260Z]

Hi,

 

Looks great, but more importantly should make a huge difference to drive experience.

[blu260z]

I cant wait for the day till I can take it for a spirited drive through the hills. It will make all this worth wile.

[PB260Z]

I cant wait for the day till I can take it for a spirited drive through the hills. It will make all this worth wile.

And that is what is all about.

 

Must admit that I did enjoy my short run on the "Old Road" today.

 

Cheers

Edited January 23, 2016 by PB260Z

[blu260z]

Hey guys.

Nothing has really been done lately, the rear suspension has been removed so it can be rebuild. I thought I would show another little project I am working on at the moment. So my sister inlaw and husband are having a baby so I decided as a babyshower /birth present I would build something a little unique. I purchased a 1950 solid wheel tricycle in very poor condition, stripped the paint re built certain metal components, made a front wheel guard that was missing, Purchased new wheel rubbers and painted it in some really 1950s colours. It still needs a few finishing touches some pinstriping, a painted silver trim on the wheels and a upholstered seat.

Let me know what you think ☺

 

 

 

 

Edited February 16, 2016 by blu260z

[andyk_79]

That is awesome and very thoughtful !

[Sirpent]

Love it !

 

I still have mine from when I was a toddler and its almost identical with a blue frame and yellow wheels.

[jeff43]

Very cool. I am sure your sister in law will love it.

[blu260z]

Ok a quick update the trike is now finished!! It got the full "Ricks Restorations" treatment and I am stoked with how it finished up. The baby is still 20 weeks away so I wont hand it over quite yet I think I will sit and look at it for a bit, I really dont want to hand it over now ☺. Full steam ahead on the 260z now..

 

 

 

 

Edited March 1, 2016 by blu260z

[blu260z]

So I got down the shed this arvo after work. While waiting for rear suspension parts paint to dry I started on something I have been tossing up for a little while.

I have been looking into heat sheilding around my carburetor and finally fabricated something up. I was going to mount below the intake manifold but it is a very tight little spot and would be difficult to make up all those notches so it clears the header. The holley intake is not the prettiest of all things and I think this makes it a little more pleasing, and Once all the fuel/vacuum lines are all tied back it will be much better. BLU also recieved a new Ramflo air filter for our 1 year anniversary ☺

 

Edited March 11, 2016 by blu260z

[blu260z]

Rear suspension is now complete!!! New springs, shocks and bushes all installed and it looks good. The lowered springs dont seem to have done alot but that was expected, the reason they where put in was for a stiffer ride not to drag along the floor. Over the next few months the datsun will be put on the back burner as I have a gable verandah to start fabricating so it will steal alot of my shed space. If my girlfriend see's me working on the datsun and not on the verandah she will probably kill me....

 

Here is a before picture

 

 

After picture

 

And ride height

 

[blu260z]

Hey guys things have been a little quiet due to some around the house projects. I still managed a few jobs on the datsun though!! The drum brakes where giving me the shits so decided to go visit the wreckers and grab a set of R31 skyline rear disc's and calipers. I re built them and modified the mounting brackets and re designed the handbrake bracket (still needs to be proven) I will post pictures when its complete.

I also re built the front standard brakes aswell.

 

I re installed the fuel tank and put all new fuel lines in the back of the car

 

 

 

Here is a few pictures of the verandah that has now been completed, just need to rip up the pavers and re lay new ones.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Its amazing how much bigger is makes it feel! And the veranda has cost me $3800 total ? I am stoked with how it looks

[blu260z]

Hi guys BLU is still getting some love even though I am full steam ahead paving the verandah/ entertainment area. I have recently finished working on the brakes I have completed the r31 handbrake brackets that bolt upto an existing point where the old flex to hard brakeline bracket originally bolted upto.

 

 

I was having a heap of trouble with the 350 holley and spent alot of time chasing my tail. I checked everything pretty much stripped the engine back to bare and with all of that I was back to the carby. So with a wanted add on here tracked down some 240z hitachi carbs and manifold. Someone at some stage had painted both the carbies silver but with some thinners and a toothbrush I got all the paint off, luckily the paint protected some of the parts from rust. At this stage I also rebuilt them botled them upto the car set them to factory setting and bang it fired up.

 

 

Now I am currently collecting stainless exhaust bits so far I have all my 2"stainless pipe, stainless triflow muffler, 400 cell stainless cat, lazer cut stainless flanges all thats left is some elbows and some argon for my tig. I cant wait to start on this ☺

 

 

Happy Zeding guys☺

Mr Blu

Edited August 20, 2016 by blu260z