The Brown Hornet - as NEW 1971 240Z - SOLD

[MaygZ]

Getting close now  8)

[acf321]

Week 64 ...

 

Finally an update worth posting.

 

As you can see, engine is in as are brakes (that we ended up not getting slotted for want of finding a place that actually does it). Dash is at the Doctor, with gauges all having been repaired and restored where necessary. We've stuck the factory fuel lines back on, but to my mind they don't look great, so these are likely to be left behind once the motor is going. Just need the fuel return piping, battery and F pump and a then its off to Andy at PMM to have the extractors and exhaust fitted.

 

Anyway, hope you enjoy these. Check out the factory triple cored radiator, and those menacing 45mm O.E.R's. Should be ok to drive (i hope).

 

Cheers

 

Adam

[acf321]

and these.

[acf321]

and lastly

 

how could I leave out this, a prior full resto of Nat's that was back for some A/C work.

 

Cheers

[FLEXZED]

Hey Adam

 

looking AWESOME well done mate , i see it has taken pole position in the workshop now that the roadster is gone

 

can i ask who did the 3 core radiator

 

Loui

[mossy]

Looks like your well on the way to being finished Adam, congrats.

BTW what colour did you end up using for the front grille, a matte black or semi gloss?

[acf321]

Thanks guys

 

Loui, I am not sure who did the radiator, would have to ask Nat, but I know it cost about $450. They completely pulled the thing apart, cleaned the internals and added the three core inserts. Mossy, the colour of the grill is satin very dark grey.

 

Cheers

 

[NZeder]

A credit to you and Nat and his team - and lets not forget James for the great engine work

[Zedman240®]

Excellent work; when you are done, you will have to place it in a large glass cabinet and just admire it..Then go for a drive!

[C.A.R.]

Such a shame - it's going to be too nice to drive...

[acf321]

nah never too nice to drive ... it'll be awesome! hopefully we can all get together one time and actually take this thing for a proper spin.

 

check out this absolutely gorgeous looking thing... Gotta love that stance! To me this is my equal favourite 240Z shot (of them all), along with Mike's red zed with race numbers, bullet mirrors and those fat wheels.

 

Cheers

 

[Scoota G]

Hey jus a quick Quiz... did the hinges come apart to get plated?

[acf321]

Hi Scoot

 

THe hinges were not pulled apart to be plated .. they are somehow all done in one piece.

 

Cheers

 

[Brabham]

Hi Adam,

              looks awesome, will have to catch up with you to check it out when you get it back. I bet you can't wait to hear it fire up for the first time! Where did you get the plating done and what is the plating on all the bolts i.e. is it yellow zinc or some other metal? Also how much did the plating cost as I want to get some of my stuff done in Syd? Do you know the process that they use - do they dip the stuff in acid first to remove rust etc? Cheers.

[acf321]

Hi Brabham,

 

On the plating, it is yellow zinc, but to me it does not look all that yellow and infact looks more like nickel. The cost of the total plating process was A$600 for everything. That includes every nut and bolt on the entire car, every hinge, door lock, hood locks, brackets etc etc. My mate had his Speedster done also, as in the hood latches and so on and he is similarly impressed. James had all the engine bolts also done in nickel, and if you look at the motor you can also see this treatment. The place was in Sydney but I am not sure where specifically. You can Nat on 02 9817 3233 and have a chat and ask. He also sent out the radiator (for triple coring), fuel tank (for resto and pressure test), and had the body media blasted.

 

Here's my mate's '55 356 Speedster that he had Nat 'spruce up'. It was in the shop for about 12 weeks. Nat did a complete concourse detail and lots of little mechanical repairs, as well as many paint repairs. This photo was taken yesterday as my mate picked it up.

[Whittie]

Looking the goods mate!!

 

Whatever you do tho, get a professional photo shoot done before you drive it!! Please! It would be a shame to even chip paintwork before you got some life-lasting shots of it.

[MaygZ]

Looking the goods mate!!

 

Whatever you do tho, get a professional photo shoot done before you drive it!! Please! It would be a shame to even chip paintwork before you got some life-lasting shots of it.

 

Have a look at Photomotive.  He's a member on this forum (sorry I can't remember his name).  The photos on his web site look very impressive.

 

I just remembered:  It's Stivva, check his posts

[FLEXZED]

look here

 

http://www.viczcar.com/forum/index.php/topic,7591.msg73601.html#msg73601

 

Loui

[WA240Z]

nah never too nice to drive ... it'll be awesome! hopefully we can all get together one time and actually take this thing for a proper spin.

 

check out this absolutely gorgeous looking thing... Gotta love that stance! To me this is my equal favourite 240Z shot (of them all), along with Mike's red zed with race numbers, bullet mirrors and those fat wheels.

 

Cheers

 

Adam, Really looking forward to seeing you on the road enjoying your car. Photos of the engine in the car look great.

 

I couldn't agree more about this photo, the ride height, tire diameter etc just look perfect. I am biased, but I do prefer this OEM look as you are also achieving.My appoligies for getting off subject, but do you know the wheel / tyre spcs on this car.

[acf321]

Hi WA 240Z

 

Yes certainly, the tyre and wheel combination on that orange car (as I will be using on the hornet) are; 205/60/R15, and the wheels are 15*7" Panasports, zero offset.  Tyres are Bridgestone RE55S, but i plan to use the Dunlop Direzza Star Spec. The car is perfectly lowered, on king springs and Tokico Illumina's. No sectioning or anything special.

 

Cheers

 

Adam

[WA240Z]

Adam,

 

Really appreciate the info.

 

Cheers Billy

[chris240]

fellas , on that previous photo of James Fletts orange 240, does anyone know if his rims are 7" or 8" wide.....I'd give a right arm to find out 

[NZeder]

fellas , on that previous photo of James Fletts orange 240, does anyone know if his rims are 7" or 8" wide.....I'd give a right arm to find out 

Check Adam's reply (reply number #329) in this thread the answer you seek is there - or here is the quote

Hi WA 240Z

 

Yes certainly, the tyre and wheel combination on that orange car (as I will be using on the hornet) are; 205/60/R15, and the wheels are 15*7" Panasports, zero offset.  Tyres are Bridgestone RE55S, but i plan to use the Dunlop Direzza Star Spec. The car is perfectly lowered, on king springs and Tokico Illumina's. No sectioning or anything special.

 

Cheers

 

Adam

[MaygZ]

Chris,

 

waiting for the photo of your severed arm 

[acf321]

Week 65...

 

No photos this week, but I did buy my electric fuel pump, regulator and a new coil, as the one in the car looks pretty shabby, not to mention it has cracks on the top of it.

 

As for the pump, I ended up buying an Aeromotive 11209, with matching regulator. For the coil, I went for an MSD (in part to match the leads) but also given the Rocket Industries sales chap told me that the MSD Blaster SS, seriously lights up the plug like a christmas tree. Ok, so the plugs might not last forever, but then this coil does offer more fire, which might come in handy with my 10.9:1 CR.

 

I've also been speaking to Andy at 'Penrith Muffler Man', who is extremely knowledgeable given 35 years custom exhaust fabrication experience, but is a really helpful guy, willing to discuss all the pros and cons of the exhaust system for the Hornet. Given the engine I am running, Andy suggested a much less common 'firing order' system, and before you all shoot me down as an imbecile, there does appear to be merit in this approach.

 

In a nutshell, the GT40 (ie Ferrari killer) is a famous example of a car that used a 'firing order' extractor kit, and the results for that car speak for itself. For the Hornet however, apart from being unique on a zed as far as I can see ('firing order' systems 'bunch' cylinders 153 and 624 together into two collectors, as opposed to the more common 123 - 456 bunches seen on other extractors) the benefits explained in detail were; 1) the firing order system DOES generate more HP out of a motor (again - I am not the exhaust expert here ... Andy is) because following the firing order, the gasses run more smoothly, particularly at high RPM, and basically follow each other, and 2) this system is quieter and offers a more unique sound than a 123 / 456 system, as the gasses do not 'smash' into each other in the collectors to the same degree. Andy suggested that given my cam has 290 degree dwell with 12.5mm lift, that the engine would be 'cammy' and pretty loud. He suggested if I ever wanted my Wife to be able to drive this car, then the 'firing order' system is the way to go, on top of the extra HP it makes. As for HOW MUCH MORE you ask, I really don't know, but he did have a 1.2 litre Ford on his dyno generating 160HP when I was speaking to him, also using this system.

 

After speaking Andy I was still somewhat skeptical, and was out the front of my place when I noticed a neighbours 72 Lotus Europa pull up with engine troubles. We lifted the engine compartment lid and 'Voilla' there was a factory original 'firing order' extractor kit, designed and made by none other than Colin Chapman. I spoke to Chris (lotus owner) about the system, and he suggested that the firing order system was a better design system that did offer the benefits I mentioned, but given the complexity of manufacture (have you actually seen a genuine GT40 extractor set !!!!) they were typically only used on higher end cars, and race cars given the labour required to make them. In the case of the L-motor, just picture an extractor set that bunches 1, 5 and 3, into three, and then 6, 2 and 4 into the other bunch.  The extra twisting, crossing over and length is why they are much less oft used.

 

I ran all this by Nat today, who confirmed the 'firing system' extractor kit is infact the best system to use. He confirmed that he used to use them on the factory Alfa race cars that he was involved with building, and that the D-Types (also straight sixes of 3.8 litres) even used them in the day. He confirmed they are harder to make, require more mandrel bends, and typically have differing lengths. In a word, he told me to go for the system that Andy suggested, but warned to have my money ready.

 

Anyway, sorry for that long-winded rant, but to me its very interesting, and definitely worth going for. If you still think i'm mad, go and have a look at a genuine GT40 on you tube and have a listen. The 4.7L Ford V8 sounded a lot more like a high pitch V12, largely because of the firing order system.

 

Here's some footage of a '65 GT40. You can just about reach out and touch that sound !!!

 

 

Cheers

 

Adam