Zednalong

Just in case you all thought I had died, that is not the case. But I should have been dead a thousand times before. About eighteen months ago I collapsed in my Z shop unconscious, I just managed to use a one butten call on the phone for help. I had contracted Viral Labyrinths, that has left me with pretty bad vertigo. It is such a slow recovery. I would have paid someone to shoot me at the time. I have been forced to retire, I was half way trough repairing my smashed Z baby when it happened, So I have done nothing Auszcar wise, or NDSOC, I have dropped out of everything, but I am recovering enough to do most things again, I did think I may never drive again, let alone race, but that's not the case, just had my first Z outing last weekend, around the Peninsula at full stick in places, and its all fine again, so now I am looking for some club outings with you guys.

Hi Zeders What have I started with my harmonic balancers, all I know is that BMW make one of the best harmonic balancer there is, that is why I use it. I ran the biggest heaviest Z one I could find on my Targa car in 98, it lasted three days, I rebuilt it, it lasted one more day before it disintegrated again and split the casting through the keyway. I put on another Cheepie, I finished the Targa carefully. A month or so later at Sandown it buggered up to, but in the process I did the number one big end bearing on a relatively new motor, ( the other journals were perfect ) a direct result of the shaft harmonics shaking the guts out of the crank, I then built a BMW one, it has been on there since 98, and done two more Targa’s, and races ever since. An L series revving to 6500 to 6800 RPM, a standard one will last almost forever, but if you accidentally, or deliberately go over 7000 RPM, they are finished, not to mention what you are doing to your engines internals. Since the new one I have still accidentally almost hit 8000 coming out of very wet hairpin corners in low or 2nd gear, and instant revs. Ideally they should a flywheel on each end of the crank, so the BMW balancer is the next best thing, I make mine so big it clears the water pump pulley by only 4 mm. The further you get the balancer out from the crank, the more stable it makes the crank. Some of you may have read that BRE fitted finned alloy sumps to there race cars in the 70’s for cooling, the harmonics were so bad through the block, that it sheared all the centre sump bolts on each side of the block, that gives you some idea of what's happening in your poor little Z engine at full works, and the power loss. I have proved it does the job, that’s why I build and sell them. I also made and fitted an engine girdle, a 4 mm high tensile steel plate that covers the bottom of the block between the sump and the block to turn the engine block into a solid box instead of an upside down channel that can twist and wobble The harmonic balancers by the way are $380 each, plus GST if applicable, and freight, depending on your post code. Regards Len

Yes matey, they are the same as the bolts that are original fitted.

Engine builders I have made another batch of engine performance parts, the indestructible 8 inch, 200 mm BMW harmonic balancer pullies, to keep your cranks together, and the vernier adjustable camshaft gears to get your valve timing precise.

Hi S30 lovers I can now supply all, or any S30 bolts that you may require, they are in the yellow gold cad plating, and are the genuine metric headed bolts that came in your new car, Just tell me where they are to go, and how many.

Hi fellow Zeders. As you know some nice guy did a U turn in front of my Z baby, it pushed the bumper mounts back that are mounted on the thin inner guard panel, destroying the inner guard and collapsing the radiator support panel, requiring them both to be replaced, if you could get them. Even in a very low impact, the inner guard can be easily destroyed. So I have come up with a body protection bracket, it's a laser-cut bracket that bolts to the tow hook bolts on the chassis rail and folds out and up to attached to the back side of the bumper iron bolts. It transfers any impact to the stronger chassis rails, which lessens the chance of damage to the inner guard. In a high impact the brackets have been designed collapse [/color][/color]by the addition of weakening slots, to prevent damage to the chassis rails. They come with 4 new longer bolts, nuts, and packing washers for the bumper iron mounts, plus 4 new chassis bolts. They are easily fitted without removing anything. I will eventually get them on my web site with a photo's when I can get the hang of my new updating program. They are available for S30 cars at $180 a pair, plus freight charges interstate.

I bought a brand spanking new 240Z in 1971 at Wodonga, and it came with a pair of wing mirrors, it was the first Z car to be raced in Aus, but I pulled the mirrors off as soon as I bought the car because I didn’t like them and put 1600 guard side indicators in the holes, the mirrors were stainless steel, I still have them wrapped up somewhere, not sure if I want to sell them though, every thing sell I later wish I had kept it. I cant believe I trashed so much 2 + 2 stuff years ago because I didn’t think anyone would ever want it.

Hey Gav I found out most of what is written on the silver foil decal with a magnifying glass, it says that anti-freeze has been added, something or other is in this car radiator or similar, and the same in Japanese above it, if someone can tell me exactly what is written in English, my Japanese friend can translate it for me.

Damb pauly, I have been saving one for years out of my race car because it was too good to throw away, as I was sponsored by a windscreen mob I just kept getting new ones each year, and not a month ago I threw it in the tip, it broke my heart to tip a good clean Z part, but I didn't know about the Z forum then, bugga

I would love to see them on my race car S30Mike, but she who must be obeyed would crack it, too many other things to pay for.

I am in need of a reasonably good photo of the silver foil decals on the radiator support panel of a late 76 260Z. Right hand side top, to get them reproduced as per original and make them available. One has the paint code, the other has Japanese writing plus other stuff that I cant read Len

Small angle grinder, but use the new 1 mm cutting disc's, they are magic

Hi stevo_gj Its easy and permanent, phosphoric acid where you can reach, and fish oil, and never worry about it again, a car will only rust if it stays wet as in packed with dirt and crud holding water, keep your car clean in all nooks and crannies, never wash it and park it, wash it and drive it to dry it then garage it. Paint a rusty area with fish oil and it will never rust, but never paint over active rust with anything like paint, or you will drive it the other way straight through the steel

Hi acf321 I am presently working on having a supply of the assorted genuine cad plated as per original metric bolts available through my web site which I will be able to dispatch nationally to those in need. There is nothing worse than having to change spanners when you get to the non metric, which is the only type sold through most hardware stores and bolt bars. I will keep you informed on progress.

Hi Z guys As stated in my previous post, that I had my 1976 260Z baby damaged, and want to make it all better than before, or as near to new as possible. What I am in need of is someone that might still have the two silver foil decals on the top right hand side of the radiator support panel, one that has the paint code, (the only one that I can still read), the other which has some Japanese writing but I don’t know what else. Can the Z owners of the world check if they still have those readable decals on there car. I have found a manufacturer here in Melbourne that will replicate them for me and I will post them on my web site, www.Len-Brennan.com.au making them available to other Z owners and restorers.