ric240z Posted February 6, 2016 Posted February 6, 2016 I met John for the first time today and was very impressed by his build. The attention to detail and engineering he is putting into this car is to be admired. It will be a one of kind car when he is finished also still giving the option to bring it back to original if need be. Really nice and welcoming also thanks for your time john! Ric Sirpent 1 Quote
Sirpent Posted February 6, 2016 Author Posted February 6, 2016 I met John for the first time today and was very impressed by his build. The attention to detail and engineering he is putting into this car is to be admired. It will be a one of kind car when he is finished also still giving the option to bring it back to original if need be. Really nice and welcoming also thanks for your time john! Ric Thanks Ric I hope you don't remain one of the silent members as you mentioned today, I and I'm sure all of us will be looking forward to the restoration updates on your early girl 240Z. As for the rest of my day, well got stuck into the rear end geometry today and working around small factory tolerances when the sheet metal and rear mustache bar mounts were welded in place. Going with a solid rear means that the play in items such as the hangers and rear lower LCA support's that allowed everything to bolt up and line up with a bit of manipulation just isn't there and things get pretty tight with bolt points etc when you are working with substantially larger chunks or metal. Anyhow, the picture series below tell the story, the original hanger plates pictured for the last time will now be consigned to the parts bin, in their place 5mm walled RHS beam utilising the hanger bolt points and the 2 mustache mounts, this should give a good foundation for the suspension set up and mounting the diff off. The forward member that the LCA's will eventually be grafted to utilise the 4 bolt mounts from the old LCA forward cross member. YES, crush tubes will be added to all these bolt points shortly. From there 205mm hangers from the same material currently held in place by some plates and clamps. and off of these 42mm OD pipe with a 4mm wall thickness. These are welded to the hangers and will act as the pivot rods for Arizona Z type LCA's, all that will need to be done is to weld on 4 brackets on each so that the Rose Joints/ Rod Ends can bolt up to. Speaking to Peter Mac, these will have 3-4 bolts points on each to allow for the joints to be bolted higher or lower to help with adjustment should it be needed when the suspension is lowered etc etc etc. So that was all for today, new "D" size gas bottle is great, no problems running out of gas, but of course I ran out of mig wire this time. Stay tuned Cheers John Ponyo240z and PeterAllen 2 Quote
Administrators gav240z Posted February 6, 2016 Administrators Posted February 6, 2016 Thanks Ric I hope you don't remain one of the silent members as you mentioned today, I and I'm sure all of us will be looking forward to the restoration updates on your early girl 240Z. Ahh thanks for dobbing him in. Yes enquiring minds would like to know more about an early girl 240z... Quote
Sirpent Posted February 6, 2016 Author Posted February 6, 2016 Ahh thanks for dobbing him in. Yes enquiring minds would like to know more about an early girl 240z... Glad you found something of interest in my thread Gav. Quote
Administrators gav240z Posted February 6, 2016 Administrators Posted February 6, 2016 Glad you found something of interest in my thread Gav. Oh I am watching your thread, I just don't have any input into it. Since it's a lot of re-engineering that's not my area of expertise so I'm just quietly watching and seeing what's going on. . It's not that I don't find it interesting. Quote
Gordo Posted February 13, 2016 Posted February 13, 2016 I've been silently watching your thread for 17 years. Sirpent 1 Quote
Sirpent Posted February 13, 2016 Author Posted February 13, 2016 I've been silently watching your thread for 17 years. 17!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I thought it's been 6 ! Better pull my finger out ! Is it getting any better ? LMAO Quote
Sirpent Posted February 14, 2016 Author Posted February 14, 2016 (edited) For Gordo........... Pulled my finger out today, finished the exhaust portals and hangers, squared it all up for the last time and buttoned up the rear end. The gutts of this chassis is now finished and now the gussets, laminates and fish plates plus the cross bracing starts. Diff mounting then follows which will be fun. Cheers John Edited February 14, 2016 by Sirpent PeterAllen 1 Quote
d3c0y Posted February 15, 2016 Posted February 15, 2016 (edited) I've been silently watching your thread for 17 years. Haha yeah when i feel my build is going slowly I think of yours John... They say that perfection takes time! Edited February 15, 2016 by d3c0y Sirpent 1 Quote
Sirpent Posted February 15, 2016 Author Posted February 15, 2016 (edited) Haha yeah when i feel my build is going slowly I think of yours John... They say that perfection takes time! LMAO I'm glad my snail paced build is you dosage of inspiration............... It ain't the perfection it's all the F*CKING mistakes that you have to re-work ! Edited February 15, 2016 by Sirpent Quote
d3c0y Posted February 15, 2016 Posted February 15, 2016 It ain't the perfection it's all the F*CKING mistakes that you have to re-work ! Yeah perfection! or maybe "fuck it that'll do" in some cases... Quote
KatoKid Posted February 18, 2016 Posted February 18, 2016 Good stuff John. What about ground clearance....pics may be deceptive but it looks like your rails hang a fair bit lower than the originals? Sirpent 1 Quote
Sirpent Posted February 18, 2016 Author Posted February 18, 2016 (edited) Good stuff John. What about ground clearance....pics may be deceptive but it looks like your rails hang a fair bit lower than the originals? Thanks David As the chassis is tucked on the inside of each rail, some pics show them relative to the floor pan and therefore they look very low, however side on to the rails it ranges from around 10mm up front to 20mm at the rear lower relative to the rails where they start to kick up at the rear. Cheers John Edited February 18, 2016 by Sirpent Quote
Sirpent Posted February 21, 2016 Author Posted February 21, 2016 Weekend update So had to drop the chassis out of the car "By myself" as I needed to get to some seams I couldn't get to and I was a bit concerned about the weight, but to my surprise, I estimate around 30kg and not hard at all. Welded them up, lifted it side on again to the car and it slid straight back on and bolted up again effortlessly. With the additional gussets and cross members still to come, it will probably round up around 50kg. Took a pick for David of the underhang to the rails, as I suspected around 20mm. Next time she drops out, I will be able to start on the diff and gearbox mounts on it. Cheers John mother240 1 Quote
jeff43 Posted February 21, 2016 Posted February 21, 2016 Serously nice work there John. Good to see you had a productive weekend. Keep up the good work. Cheers Jeff Sirpent 1 Quote
Sirpent Posted March 2, 2016 Author Posted March 2, 2016 Watch this space, New rear LCA fully on vehicle adjustable design finished and about to be fabricated by John Lang at Pro9, although specific to my build, they will be a retrofit for other s30's also. Cheers John Quote
Sirpent Posted March 6, 2016 Author Posted March 6, 2016 (edited) And today........................ Started to square up the diff within the rear cradle. Both diff axle flanges are lined up in same position in space as were the Zeds originals, they may look slightly higher, however keep in mind that the LCA mount tubes are 25mm lower than where the originals sat. Positioning of the diff necessitated cutting into the rear cross member which replaces the moustache bar, no real issue as its 5mm material and I will graft a piece in to close of the box section and double up on the wall thickness now that I can see exactly how and where the diff will sit. Started to fabricate the first Right Hand Side diff mount plate, and sectioned the tube which will carry the nolothane bushes, in the photo you can see the mock up positioning less the brackets coming off the mount plate, think you will all get the general idea. The diff is squared up and sitting on a number of scrap pieces of square tube and plates at the moment, and will be set in the cradle with the input yoke level. The iPhone inclometer is a nice bit of kit and surprisingly accurate, came in handy when I was mock setting the diff positioning. So there are 2 fabricated mounts at the front of the diff, while at the rear I’m looking at using an aftermarket diff cap upgrade Peter Mac put me onto from independent motor sport (see last pic) this should really stiffen up the rear mounting but also still isolate any unwanted feel while driving providing a good level of dampening. Cheers John P.S. Yes I know it all still looks agricultural, but how great it was to work on it all off the body, can’t wait to get to the engine and trans in the future. Edited March 6, 2016 by Sirpent PeterAllen and 260DET 2 Quote
Sirpent Posted March 13, 2016 Author Posted March 13, 2016 Only a small amount of progress today, both 10mm mount plates cut and drilled, and the RH side mount set with 15mm outrigger to bush. This will still need additional upper and lower triangular gussets set to the plate while the LH side outrigger will project outwards 55mm due to the offset of the diff. This will place both Bush tubes exactly above and aligned to each lower LCA mount tube. Mounts will rise upward from each new LCA mount tube so as to bolt the bushes in place. I need to get the rear diff hat laser scanned so as to build a new cap incorporating the 2 rearward bushes. Same Bat channel next week, hopefully a bit more progress than this weekend. Cheers John 260DET 1 Quote
Sirpent Posted March 31, 2016 Author Posted March 31, 2016 Sometimes you look at something in retrospect and ask "What the F*CK was I thinking" The rear diff cradle and LCA mounts were bad, plain and simple, so out with the old and in with the new. Had some time this week and redesigned and fabricated a new cradle. This one will not be welded to the rest of the chassis which "I am VERY happy with" but rather bolt onto the rearward cross beam meaning I will be able to leave the diff in the car or visa versa. The new set up will now allow me to also use the rear LCA cross brace as a mounting point for the rear diff mount set up. Cheers John 260DET 1 Quote
Sirpent Posted March 31, 2016 Author Posted March 31, 2016 And a few last ones for today for those that find this interesting Shot showing the original LCA against the new mount tube and a rearward show looking forward of the new cradle. Cheers John 260DET 1 Quote
260DET Posted March 31, 2016 Posted March 31, 2016 (edited) Would be great to see all this in person, there is so much it's hard to take it all in as one piece. Love the concept, one of the difficulties with doing something like this must be to plan where everything attaches to make it simple and strong without having a series of tagged on bits and pieces.And keeping the tube wall thicknesses down by, for a start, by not having to remove large chunks from critical areas. With the tube sizes you are using quite thin walls would be quite adequate with local reinforcement where appropriate. Must remember to follow this, love ambitious projects Edited March 31, 2016 by 260DET Sirpent 1 Quote
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