NZeder

My wife things I have Back to the painting I just have to wait for the booth to be cleaned and washed down to the real stuff can go on

Here is the article in PDF format - and the images and text has also been posted above I see. 8391_.pdf

No top coat yet but close latest pics

Ok got a txt message from the brother, has asked me to coming into the shop tomorrow and to bring the camera so I assume all in primer and I hope they have painted some of the top coat on the car too.

Ok popped into the shop today and took some pics - well it has taken them longer than they thought but it will be primed tomorrow. Anyway all the little bits have been tidied up and the project is getting closer to the end of it time in the panelshop (10 years in the bro's shop sitting in the back corner only get worked on over xmas/new years every 2 years or so) Anyway here is some new pics for you.

4x4 5x1 shafts ends for reference

Yes Pathfinder - well in my case from an import Nissan Terrano V6 gives you the 5x1 axles and the 4 cylinder diesel = 3x2 tripod at the other diff end

I have been playing with CV setups for the rear of my zed. For those of you have visit hybridz you might have seen my post about using some other Nissan axles (linked below for reference) http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?t=132252&highlight=cv+shaft+length&page=4 http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?t=143201 And I posted about it here too http://www.viczcar.com/forum/index.php/topic,4451.0.html Anyway I spend some time today in the garage play around again this time with the 5x1 setup. As I already have some companion flanges (purchased a few years back from modern-motorsports.com - the billet Z31 setup) for the 300ZXT 4x1 setup. I started all this as I have a new LSD that came from a short nose R200 that requires/came with the little plug in axles with the C-Clip on them (not retained in the diff like most of the longnose stuff) Anyway this new LSD (not Viscous by the way - but this axles setup could work with VLSD from a short nose) is the 5x1 type and as I had already tested the 3x2 for length so I needed to know if the 5x1 will also work. We have found that 300zxt axles are still a little too long even with the cage flipped to gain some extra compression to stop binding. We found we had to still grind the end of the shaft. So in the end we had some custom shafts made for the shorter side and used the old short side on the long side (swapping over the correct diff input CV). The stock 300zxt short axle fully compressed is 409.5mm from mounting point to the seal face. Our new custom axles (with new shaft installed) is 400mm. So I wanted to find a solution that I could use/create with stock parts from another Nissan. So my target is an axle when assembled with all the parts would come in around 400mm from the companion flange mounting face to the seal mounting face when compressed and using the plugin 5x1 or 3x2 axles (depending on your centre requirements ie S15 R200 HLSD have 3x2 plugins - so this is what I tested these too in case I get a HLSD from a S15 later) If you check the pics I posted in this thread (I will link here again) you will see that the 3x2 setup = 395mm approx http://www.viczcar.com/forum/index.php/topic,4451.0.html So I tested today the 5x1 setup and it again comes in a 395mm fully compressed. So all good on that front. Ok so now the issues. I will be installing the (in my case) the 4x1 300zxt on the end of the shaft that would normally have the wheel end of the 4x4 CV. Although these share the same spline and diameter the race is slightly different (I will get some pics tomorrow) as the 4x4 CV has a more tapered lead in the race slides onto the shaft more allow the C-Clip on the shafts to lock the race onto the shaft. With the 300zxt race on the shaft there is enough shaft sticking out to replicate the Sir-Clip setup on 5x1 race end. Or I could remove the stop and cut another grove into the shaft and install a C-Clip to stop the race a little bit further down the shaft - and allow the race to pass the c-clip on the shaft. So what do you guys recommend? Next week I will get the shafts modified so I can reassemble the axles next weekend and have another job ticked of the list If I did not have the 4x1 companion flanges already I would have made the axles with 5x1 at both ends and them had a custom companion flange made. The main reason for doing the 5x1 at both ends is that these CV can still be purchase new (from Nissan and other aftermarket CV suppliers) unlike the 4x1 300zxt units. So if this all works out in theory it should be possible to order stock parts, mod the shaft, assemble the axles and then just made the companion flange then you can use your 5x1 plug-in or 3x2 plug-in sourced from a shortnose R200 ie S13/14/15, Z32, R32/33, A31/32 etc and thus opening up the option of using a number of after market shortnose LSD centres that can be installed into the long nose with spacers for the M10 to M12 or M13 (or if you are lucky and have the last of the R200 sourced from Z31/R31 etc that already have the M12 crown wheel) I will update this thread as I progress this conversion - however it will be some months before I will be able to road test this as the car is still a body shell at the bro's workshop (getting panel finished now )

chin up big guy - the $$ put into the car might not come back if you sell it - so it is simple never sell it that is the way I look at it I should have an update soon on my car too

Tin worm in there alright - have Nat check the A piller also - I have seen rust on this sort on zeds with that much rust elsewhere. As you well know - you will have rust free shell at the end and it will last another 30-40+ years and if well looked after (which I am sure it will be) it could be handed down to grand child via your own child

Check this out - was posted on the zclub.org.nz - thought I would share with you guys also. http://indoautomobiles.blogspot.com/2009/03/infinity-essence-concept.html

I agree that is why I put road/track as those cars had either a full or 1/2 cage, not sure about CAMS rules but here in NZ only stock (as in original with no mods or next to none) are allowed to have no cage for real racing.

Welcome Now to answer the question about what springs people are using etc. Well I can only talk about the track setups that I know of here in NZ and I don't know anyone who is quick that runs a rear swap bar. My cars were road/track and had a 25mm front bar and none on the rear. 2 of the 3 road/track cars I had were 225 front and 250 rear. The suspension I have for my zed now is similar to a mates setup when his was also dual purpose (he has gone much heavier now) So I will be running 400lb front and 450lb rear.

I thought Feral was not in the parts business anymore? Last time I emailed him was when a rare LZ twin cam head was forsale here in NZ I was tempted but Feral informed me of the cost of the missing bits and most would have to be custom made etc = out of my budget then and now. I have been playing with CV setups for the rear of my zed. And I have a solution in the pipeline it does involve some stock Nissan Axles, different plug-in stubs from the short nose R200 and then an adaptor for the companion flange at the wheel end. I will in the coming weeks drop off the parts to a CV shop to have the axles assembled (have enough of the smelly old gear in the garage while I have been measuring up and testing) for the final time. I have 2 different axles setups and this is a pic of the option 1 version that has the 3x2 Tri-pod setup at the diff end. The other is the stronger 5x1 setup. But this might give you the idea. I also include the stock specs of the 300zxt axles which most use for the cv conversion on the s30 but we have found the short side is good for the long side of the car and the flipped short side can work on the short side but binding could still be possible so a custom axle was made in this case - so this lead me to find a new axle setup using stock parts that was shorter - ie approx the same length as our custom axles design.

All normal rust for a zed mine has been repaired in the same places for the same reasons - however when we did the firewall we 1. Took the whole scuttle panel off and media-blasted the car with this off - then good amounts of BRG (what the bro had in the shop at the time when he was restoring an e-type jag) were applied in this area = more paint/sealer than factory. Then the scuttle panel was spot welded back on - yes some of the paint got burnt but there is now paint were it never was 2. Cut along the firewall until we got to clean steel - there was not enough seam sealer in there from factory = rusted long the join. Looking good the worst of the rust is almost over - dog legs might be good - mine were

ok change my mind. I would invest the $40K in doing a subdivision on the farm. This way the I would have a block of land to sell - more $$ to spend on toys etc

Well I might be tempted to get that Skyline GT-B that is for sale here in NZ - not too many of them around

I assume cam tower shims but then assume does make an ASS-out of U-and ME

Got a txt/sms message from my panelbeater aka older brother today. He tells me the car will have the finial primer on the whole car and the underneath and inside the car will be finished in the top coat by this time next week So I plan to pop over before this happens and get some more pics of the progress on the body work

Look like the standard dish piston to me - I have never seen a N42/F54 combo with flattop's yet and I have seen a few apart over the years. I believe the flat top were on the NA P90/F54 setups. These pistons (your pics) will have a 10cc dish

In the S30 parts catalogue Nissan call it the Assy-Panel Rear

Ok I have updated my website to a blog based site. This has resulted in all my old pics going missing. I will go back over this thread and replace them when time permits - I have/will update so thumbnails are there and when you click you will get the full pic But update time I guess I have told my brother (aka panelbeater) that I will not be purchasing any more toys to distract me from this project and as such I want the body home painted and ready for the big assemble by my birthday this year (August) as I want the car back on the road for summer. 13 years is long enough for it to be off the road with it sitting ideal (panel wise) for the last 7-8 years. So funds have been put a side and work has been happening I am told that it will be panel finished in the next few weeks and be in the final primer, textured underneath and painted under the car bonnet then the final outer shell complete a few weeks after that. So 907 GP Green has been ordered and is sitting at the shop waiting for the spray gun to pass this onto the shell. I hope to get out to the shed soon (I need to get power on that puppy so I can work at night) at finish up the engine details ie re-wiring the ECU, injectors, gauges etc. Anyway enough sitting at the PC time to work on a the task/target list. Check out the new site (still a work in progress only we live yesterday) and let me know what you think. www.nzeder.net Cheers Mike

I would have thought a good panel man would repair that rear panel - I am sure a replacement (if you can find one) will cost a packet. As you now know the one from the UK is not cheap = £425 (a truck load of AUD) so if Nat can fix it for less you are ahead of the game. I have emailed you the part numbers of a new panel from Nissan so check them out too just incase they can still be purchased (again I am sure it will not be cheap) When we did my car we remove the slam panel just to make sure all was well underneath (most of the back end of my car had been replaced in the 80's after the PO thought the zed was a bit pussy cat and needed to visit the kitty litter - suffice to say my RS30 has seen more panel work that most) and it looked like yours (although sometime photos don't show the true look etc) and my panel man just repaired it.

Love the comment - rare 260z 2 seater TURBO (yea right not such animal from factory)

So this is what this panel is called I would have just called it a rear panel - never heard that term before - given that my understanding of the US slang I thought the beaver was the front bottom not the rear bottom known as the fanny in the US. This is the only place I know that supply them http://www.fourways-engineering.co.uk/zcars_parts.html