Kato Kids BMW M3 powered 71' 240Z

[KatoKid]

Dave you know if you spent this much time and energy on a different name brand car like a falcon GT or mustang you could end up with an 80K car. But sadly with the Zed it will still only go for 35K maybe. Just make sure after all this bloody work you hang onto it. I have known to many people to finish grand projects and then almost give them away because they are over it.

Here's to many happy yours of you driving and enjoying it when it's completed.

Cheers Craig   

 

I know what you mean Craig and sometimes (read often) I question what I'm doing! The reality is that cars like Mustang's, Camaro's and GT Falcon's are not that unique now, especially the yank stuff. Not saying I don't like them, I do actually but they still drive like the nearly 50 year old cars that they are unless you spend big bucks on completely redesigned aftermarket suspension..... http://www.heidts.com/6769_camaro_rear_independent_suspension.html

 

The Z has an OK chassis and suspension to start with, give it some more power, and improve the steering and brakes and you have a car that will drive really well and has some classic appeal. It may not be worth what the others are but I'm not in  this for the money.

[620Z]

I agree Dave,

But while it is stripped you should be putting in some sort of cage to stiffen the body. Zed bodies flex a hell of a lot. It's now or never if you are going to do a good clean job that is hardly noticable. This will help it's drive ability and stop the wandering on the road not to mention safety.

[KatoKid]

I hear you Craig but I need to get this engineered first and foremost and a cage will draw too much of the wrong kind of attention. I know cages are beneficial but the regulators don't see it that way!  I'm also concious that the car is probably worth more as an unmodified Z so everything I'm doing is bolt in and can be reversed, that's the main reason for going with the original colour. Ive got the matching engine and will one day rebuild this and the rest of the standard drive train so that when I do sell it I have choices depending on what the market value is at the time.

[Riceburner]

I agree Dave,

But while it is stripped you should be putting in some sort of cage to stiffen the body. Zed bodies flex a hell of a lot. It's now or never if you are going to do a good clean job that is hardly noticable. This will help it's drive ability and stop the wandering on the road not to mention safety.

 

What about some hidden front end bracing, like from the sill to rocker box where the radius rod attaches. Also from the sill diagonally up to the uderside of the strut tower. It'll be hidden under the guard, also fairly easy to remove and fit strut braces front and rear.

[KatoKid]

Good call G man....may do that.

[GV260]

FYI from Jan 2011 new roll cages are now basically illegal for road use as they come under the Federal Govt design rules which in essence don't allow them for everyday use (refer to link below and then from page 39 onwards ). Roll cages made before then are OK proiding you can prove they were made then (ie CAMS sticker, invoice).

 

Full chassis seam weld and added bracing as recommended by Gareth is next best and much needed given the hp you'll put through it. Hate to see the excellent body work fall apart :-\ 

 

http://www.infrastructure.gov.au/roads/vehicle_regulation/bulletin/pdf/NCOP7_Section_LK_Seating_and_Occupant_Protection_1Jan2011_v2.pdf

[jamo240]

Intesting comments all round...but, what makes you think Z's have flexing problems in road guise (which Dave's car is...it's not a racing car)? Having worked in Holden engineering for many years, we flogged Commodores around the 'rough track' circuit (which is absolutely brutal) for thousands of KM's to create cracks in the body shell from flexing (which is what causes cracking...if you're not getting flexing, you don't get cracking). I don't know about you guys, but i sure don't drive my Z on rough roads, and just how hard can you push a road car even if you do some spirited driving when conditions permit. I simply cannot imagine a condition you can create in a road going Z that would create sufficient loading and flexing in the body to cause cracking or sustained and repeated suspension deflection. The sort of loads you can create in racing cars with slicks (eg going round corners on two wheels and all that) are not present in road cars. You really need to think through whether it's justified to add 50 or so kilograms of steel tubes into your road going Z fellas.....

 

Jamo

[Zedman240®]

Most zeds have that tell tale cracking of the lead filling where the rear quarters join the roof near where the hatch hinges are above the quarter windows...also the zeds werent made of the thickest steel around at that time. Shows the body does bend and twist a bit.

[620Z]

Jamo you can't even compare a Commodore to a an old Zed. On a Commodore the engine is set back and braced very well. As you know a Zed has a ver long bonnet with the engine miles in front of your legs. I can tell you normal driving the Zed flex's massively even in standard situations. Personally if I was Dave I would weld in a number of braces and just not do the cross sections around the doors. Maybe bolt them in and out as required.

[luvemfast]

Another +1 for Dave to stiffen it up. maybe not an entire cage, but some bracing.

There is a certain person here who took a road Z to a track, soon after buying it. At the end of the day, there were cracks to be found.

No slicks or stiff suspension. A pure road Z, driven spirited.

 

Long bonnets and distance from firewall to rear apron.

Strut braces front and rear are a certainty!

But as G-Unit pointed out, it doesn't need to be obvious or weigh 50kg.

[benny]

perhaps a bolt int halfcage would suffice. I know cusco make one.... looks nice too!!

[620Z]

Personally I reckon bolt in's still have movement and only do half the job.

Weld half a cage in and if worst comes to worst just cut it out. Easy.

[jamo240]

Fair enough boys, fair enough. Up to you Dave.

 

Mine won't be getting one though. I changed the roof turret on mine 20 years back (it had been jumped on) and replaced the lead with plastic filler after welding. No cracks then and none now, and it's had 245/40R17 Yokie AO32R tyres and a very torquey 400HP turbo engine for 12 years, now going up to 500. I will let you know if any start showing up though.

 

Whatever floats ya boat!

 

Jamo

[d3c0y]

Drive into a steep driveway on an angle, see how it goes. You can hear them flex!

[KatoKid]

Thanks all for the advice.

 

Its hard to convey how I feel about this car. I think it would be fair to say that everyone has a mental picture of what they want out of a project and how they expect it will drive. Needless to say this is a very personal thing, not everyone wants or expects the same things.

 

I'm all for mad as race cars but I'm also mindful of what makes a good road car. Ive had both so I think I know what I want from this one. Its not a race car, the M3 engine makes 320 hp but is very useable  so it will get along fine. Yes, I agree that Z's do flex, as do all road cars, as long as its not stupidly unpredictable I'm happy for it to be a stock chassied and I will live with the short comings compared to a race car. I will do some motorkana's, maybe hill climbs and even track days but first and foremost its a road car to be driven on sunny Sundays.

 

I like the challenge of doing something that no one else has and yet past experience has led me to think more about the value of the finished product. I still kick myself for slamming my stock (apart from wheels and in brilliant condition) silver mink HK 327 Monaro into a tree when I was 19 years old. What would it be worth now.....a lot more than the $1990 I paid for it. As I said, I'm not in this for the money but I'm not going to modify the car to the extent that it erodes the value either, hence my each way bet.

 

This topic has inspired me to pull out some old photos that I haven't looked at for many years and may give you some insight into why Im doing what Im doing.

 

The Monaro:

 

 

[KatoKid]

The Torana that used the 327 out of the written off Monaro:

 

Angle plug fuelie heads, 12:1 comp, GM Pink cam, Victor Junior, 750 Holley, toploader with vertical gate, 9" with 4.11's. This was a legally registered and engineered "road car".....well not really, it was an animal and nearly dangerous to drive with stock suspension and brakes. Great fun but big time cop bait. Ran 12's on crap street tyres and when I sold it the new owner bolted on a small set of slicks and it ran 11:20's with no other mods. Not fast by today's standards but back in 1981 it was quick enough.

 

[KatoKid]

Lastly, the Cortina:

 

3/4 chassis, ladder bar rear and tubs. 461 LS7 spec Big Block Chev, 12.5:1 comp, solid cam, 850 Holley on another Victor Jnr. Powerglide with 2800 stall converter and 4.88 9". Ran in the heads up Pro Gas class which was had a 9.80 breakout.

 

Sold this to Geoff Patton who owned Superplus speed shop in Dandenong. Geoff was good mates with Peter Ridgeway who ran a 71 Chevelle in AMS, he bought the big block out of the Chevelle, put a small gas kit on it and the car ran 7.71 and held the SS/AA record for  a few years.

 

Top photo was when I owned the car, bottom photo when "Mullet" as Geoff Patton was called with the ex Ridgeway engine on gas.

 

Here endeth my trip down memory lane!

[620Z]

Some bloody nice cara there Dave. We learn more about you every say. Ha And now onto a Zed project completely different from your others. Remember enjoy it when finished. Cheers

[Fairlady Z]

yep some pretty sweet rides. 

 

Craig he will enjoy it. Too much hard work not to.

[KatoKid]

Have to give this guy a plug.....

 

Woodys Engine Services

Greg an Louise Wood.

(03) 9597 0387

Unit 12/ 20 George street

Sandringham 3191

hydrolblast@iinet.net.au

 

I had been looking at alternatives for cleaning/restoring the cast aluminium sump and accessory brackets on my M3 engine as they were badly corroded from the salted roads in the UK. Research says that hydroblasting is the way to go to get an as new finish. I was going to go to a guy in Pakenham http://www.southernhydrablasting.com.au/ but Peter Mc recommended Woodys. Im blown away by the quailty of the finish, it actually looks better than new, nearly fake its that good.

 

Hyrdroblasting is like glass bead blasting but using water rather than air.

 

Cost is $1.00 per minute, both items ended up costing $150. Not cheap but I think well worth it for something that looked terrible before.

 

On the right is my old S50B32 sump for comparison.....the clean one was actually even worse beforehand.

 

The oil filter housing/accessory bracket was just as bad.

 

[KatoKid]

Now that the bottom end is back together I could refit the windage tray that gave me a heart attack when I first started the engine on the test stand. This tray is from the 3 litre engine and the longer stroke on the 3.2 litre engine means there isn't sufficient clearance.

 

The ARP bolt heads also stand a bit taller than the factory rod bolts so the rods 2, 3 and 4 were hitting the windows in the windage tray much more than previously. Some judicious filing  and checking had it fixed and turning over with no other clearance issues.

 

[peter mc]

haha I'm always finding new things to get done, love his and her work i just had my hole motor done by them and it looks incredable, bet your blowen away by the finish

[KatoKid]

Youre right Pete, most amazing finish Ive ever seen. Looks like a ceramic coating buts its just aluminium.

[Zedman240®]

Would they be able to blast a set of triples on their manifold? Just curious as mine look like crapiola.

[Riceburner]

Looks fantastic Dave, well worth the money! Are you going to clear coat it?

 

Dimitri.... triples, is that an update for the red baron?