Whittie

Cheers fella's. To be honest, I'm fairly sure rivets are pretty easy to just drill out. Removing, I assume to be when returning to standard ,is not an issue with this car, it will never be made anywhere near standard in the time I own it and I have absolutely no plans on selling it at any stage in my lifetime.

Unfortunately, I can't comment accurately on the source of this unit. The previous owner had it fitted and the car was being serviced and maintained by a local shop, so who knows where they got it. I have spoken to them and they know a lot about zed's, have a great history and are very reputable (much like a western equivalent of SW, just focused on english motors and cars) but I just have a feeling it's not a Stuart Wilkins part. Nothing to say either way with evidence, I just don't think so. This balancer has been on the car and outlasted 2 motor's and around 10 years of racing and abuse, so longevity is not an issue really, Just that I've heard there is better so I wanted to ask the guys that know (you guys!). I will email ATI and see what they have to say once I get pic's of the balancer that comes off the car and the keyway damage, just to make sure the crank is not busted and then purchase direct through them. Light weight rotating components are far better mods than light weight sprung components and I'm chasing cheap performance, so I'll probably go with their product even tho a replacement/rebuilt BMW unit would work. I think hard use and about 40,000+ km of racing revs is what has caused the failure of this unit. The motor does not ping even on full advance on the dizzy and MSD and a static compression test of 240psi, so more compression is the aim of the latest rebuild. The motor has had a hard life, it gets worked hard and components fail, that is just par for the course, I just can't justify replacing it with a rebuilt unit or a secondary product when something as good (seemingly) as the ATI product is the same price!! Thanks all for input!

Indeed there is keyway damaged. We had to get the car going for an event and used some type of super putty, that is holding perfectly adequatly, however, The machine shop will be fixing the job while the motor was out. I didn't realise there was a custom bit holding the balancer in tho! The balancer itself, however, is stuffed. When you look at the engine from above as it's running the balancer has a wobble in it. It's not a flat face anymore, so I am looking to get a new one. If in fact, it's not busted, then yes I'll just make a new plug for the balancer and get it back on the motor.

Hey all, I currently have what I am told is a BMW harmonic balancer on the car. I've heard it's solid gold. Either it has gold in it, or it's just the price, I'm not quite sure. Both?? I had in mind about a grand, but less than that would be a bonus. Either way, it's done the keyway on the crank and it's starting to wobble, so while the engine is out of the car it's time to get a replacement. This one has been good, so I'm happy to buy another the same, but is there anything out there as good/better, for the same/better money? Here is a pic of the balancer. Like I said, I believe it's a 200mm BMW balancer The motor has a 60thou bore, flat tops, high compression (being rebuilt to more, currently 240psi compression test) and rev cut is set at 7500rpm, so a replacement has to be able to do 8000rpm no probs (just in case!) and looking for 200rwhp, if that makes any difference, but just in case the details change the requirements. I've been told in the past that for what I do in the car (essentially a track car) that a plain, simple, solid harmonic balancer would be best as comfort and roughness is not really an issue (depending on bearing life of course!). I'm not sure what they cost, or where to buy them, so if anyone has some insight they could share, that would be great! My mantra for this build has always been 'Do it right, do it once' so I'd like to stick to that and not need to buy another any time soon. Cheers

Well originally I didn't want to have to run flares, but after discovering rust in the rear wheel arch's that I'm going to have to cut the arch's for anyways I figured it would eb easier to source flares than to try and modify fiberglass front guards without putting flares. Besides, black flares on the blue body with black highlights should look tops anyways. However, I can't seem to find anyone local who sells small zg style flares. I only want 1" of flare, as the wheels don't stick out much (16x8 +10) and I want a 'full' look in the wheel well without ridiculous offsets or new wheels. Does anyone know where I can find such flares? Any mounting option will be considered, however rivets sound the easiest. Cheers!

I have a set of these on my car: http://www.technotoytuning.com/productdetail.php?p=846 They work a treat and with the AU/US exchange at the moment, under $500 at your door!!

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.

Was it running coilovers? Keen for pics if it was!

You just reminded me that I recently replaced the seats in my zed and have a spare fiberglass racing seat lying around..... WHY DID YOU DO THAT!!!!! My wallet is bracing itself already. Might have to soften up the olds tho, I doubt they'd like me having a racing cockpit lying around in their house. Nor could I fit it in my room which is the only place I'm able to play games due to lack of big screens in the house, hence everyone wants access to it at the same time to watch such quality shows as Today Tonight and Neighbours... :'(

The local shop has the G27 for $420 including next day delivery Haven't been able to do the ring around not being home, but would suspect that I'd only be able to get the$600 320gb version Notinterested in the signature edition. I don't need a key chain, die cast model and picture book enough to warrant the $200 extra!! So yeah, $1100 if I bite the bullet. Yet to be decided! Depends if I get that day off in November that I want!!

Well I heard a myth about some $350 120gb PS3's going around, but I'm not intown at the moment, so they'll all be gone before I get the chance to buy one, so it'll be a $600 playstation, a $400 steering wheel and then a $100 game. So, realistically, $1100 just for the one game. I already have a 360 with about 20 games and a modded Wii with around 80 games, so there isn't a whole lot coming out these days I can't play on atleast one of those systems. Hence, $1100 for one game.... :-\

I've got a bad feeling that the missus is going to get angry at me, I'm going to be 'sick' according to work and my zed is going to stall for a few weeks due to lack of funds when I come home one day to find that new G25 and PS3 sitting on my desk.... I think the game looks promising, and I've played forza 3 to death already.... Now, just got to justify $1000 for one game

Pics aren't working for me. I feel your pain mate, real hard position! If it were me I'd keep it. I might not repair it straight away, but I'd stick it away under a car cover somewhere, keep the rego up to date, and get back to it one day. My current zed has been mine since 15 and I couldn't imagine if it was written off and lost.

I can. I have mine stripped and if this had come up in WA I would have jumped at it! I'm looking at a sight more than 2k to fix the sunroof and all the rust, this would have been far cheaper, even including the cost of putting another cage in it!

Cheers Whilst not being anything special, and very inexpensive rims, they really look the goods in my opinion! I will get clearence pics on the rear when I get home in a few weeks and some shots of front suspension, but without front guards, can't get front clearence to guard shots. The wheels are 16x8. I was thinking 17 but I decided that it would be too big on the car visually and along with the extra rolling radius raising the COG and rotational axis thus reducing performance, that the extra cost per tyre would be a step backwards in building a cheap competetive car. I have another minor update today. There is currently the last round of the regularity season being run back home and the guy who trucked his car from Perth to Stewart Wilkins for a motor has picked up 2 seconds, down to 70s laps and a guy who I haven't seen for a while who used to run around in a 3.2L Porsche 911 seems to have bought a 240z! The first I heard was seeing his name on the time sheet today! Either way, he is lapping low 69's, 2.5s faster than my PB. Hmm, time to get the car finished and show these guys what a 67s zed looks like! For anyone interested, Production Sports (Note 8 zeds in a 16 car field, all within 5 seconds. Battle of the zeds!) http://www.natsoft.com.au/cgi-bin/results.cgi?12/09/2010.BARB Also, My Dad (John) is running his Supra in Modern Regularity, fighting for 1st in class for the series! If there is anyone from Perth reading this thread, you really are missing out and should come along, even if just to watch the regularity. If you think you aren't up to it, Ken Lyons runs essentially a standard car and last year finished 1st in class if I remember correctly! Also look how Howard is going in regularity terms, even tho he is lapping 10s off the fastest 2 zeds. There is no such thing as a car that can't compete in regularity.

Ooh, I feel sorry you didn't get the evo8 around the track! If I wasn't rebuilding the zed this year I'd have flogged the Mirage and bought an 8MR instead. Such good looking cars! To be honest, I was still pleasently surprised with the Mirage. When I was looking at buying a shopping trolley to drive to Uni and had decided on a Hatch, the Mirage is the one I wanted because I had seen what they could do on the track. I couldn't afford one, which is why I drove my sisters Suzuki Swift for a year or so, but when the chance came up to get this one, I jumped. So far absolutely no regrets! There are still a couple floating around in Perth in Improved Production that do pretty well on the track! The new (previous model) Ford Fiesta's are pretty unbeatable in the Hatch group tho, but that probably has to do with the better engine and newer engineering design in the last 10 years. I've done a 2.02 in my zed around the Island and I could not imagine a mirage doing that, I thought I was going quick!

Now, the zed is not really an 'exotic' but it is a sports car, and a fast one, but what I want to know is: What is the least exotic/sporty car you've driven on a track. In the interest of getting friends and family involved in learning to drive better I've driven a few cruddy cars around the track including an AU falcon on gas, an old school Suzuki Swift Cino (which is just a4 seat Go Kart!) but I must say last weekend probably takes it for me. I attended a driver training/skidpan day with a mate at work to encourage him to the track. The reason I think this one is the best is that it is mine for a start, but it actually went really well! I present, a stocker 2003 Mitsubishi Mirage. Mods include removing the rear window wiper after someone at uni stole the blade arm and option mags that I picked up for $200 cause Mitsubishi wanted to get rid of them. Also sporting Pirelli P6 front tyres and concrete rubbish onthe rear: The blue smoke in the background was me ripping the handbrake around the hairpin. Unfortunately, no-one got that on camera My work mate came along in his Honda Prelude, also not a very sporty car, although the V-Tec was surprisingly good! So, who's next/got better?!

11 September 2010 Well I'm back away for work again but before I left I (Dad) dropped the wheels at Wheels World for them to put some old rubber on so I can get the panel beater to sort out the guard rolling. I got an email today with about 17 photos of the new wheels on the car and since I'm having withdrawals I figured that meant I had to post them all, so apologies, as usually, for the affront of pictures. I must say, seeing new parts ON the car instead of just scattered around bedrooms in the house makes me want to get it fixed and going ASAP. 10 points to whoever can spot the most rust spots tho I have more pics on the camera at home but in summary it's: - Sills – Minor - Doors – Minor - Battery Tray – Few pin holes, but looks like it’s lost a wheel at some stage and pressed the panel up, so that will get fixed - Firewall on drivers side – Pin holes - Chassis Rails (Minor on passenger side at the end of the floor rail) - Drivers floor – Pin holes - Rear Hatch – A fair bit, but that has been growing for about 6 years, so not too bad considering - Rear floor – Pin holes again So yeah, the steam cleaning didn’t work very well, I couldn't get all the grease out of it yet, the tar is killing me, it still rusted and I'm unlikely to make Bathurst at this rate!!! But, PICS =D Did I say I have some wheels to sell? Cause I get the feeling that 17 for 1 car is starting to push it a bit..... I’m not decided yet but I think I’ll pass on the black 5 spoke race rims. Stockies and 3 piece Japanese rims will stay as roadies. Stacked: Rolling Radius. I love how the 225/45/16 is about the same height as the 205/55/15, no centre of gravity or rotational axis change in height! On car: And yes, that is my latest work area on the dirt that used to be our front lawn Dad tells me I'm not allowed to damage the new driveway whilst making a mess removing all the tar. Well that is about it for the next few weeks, I'm stuck away for a while and I'll be busy when I get back. Come on the second half (rebuild) of the zed! The new goal is to make the regularity series and win it next year

I can't buy this due to being on the other side of the country, but if whoever purchases it finds a good (restored quality) 260z tail light set (esp the chrome!) and wants to send it to me in Perth, I'd love to chat!!

I don't get this point. S30's often take rights and dominate in the Classic Category in Targa's, why wouldn't you run in it?!

It's for this reason I have built myself a regularity car. There are no rules, but here in Perth we have about 10 cars all with L28's running triples and no strokers (street class is what I would describe it) and the competition is great! The competition is tight across all budgets, from front runner to bog standard cars, Everyone spends what they can afford. Best of all, it's against the clock so it doesn't matter about you lap time, it's all consistency. If you do care about lap times then the zeds are front runners outright in the "Production Sports" and "Historic Regularity" fields, only loosing to modern regularity cars with big turbo's when running with the Modern Regularity boys if they have low numbers and the big V8 triumphs when they show up. Most of all, everyone has fun, it's gentleman racing, no contact and respectful. The competition is not regulated but you don't want to spend a heap of money or go turbo because no one else has and you'll be up front by yourself with no one to play with, what is the point?!. You still get 5 laps at a time and the backrunners only get lapped by 1-2 cars in that time, and I've only once lapped more than 3 cars in an event. Best of all, it's cheap and my car is still road registered! I've spent in 6 years of Regularity (including the interstate trips) what the previous owner of my car spends in 1 playing Group N in the mid field. Besides, what gets better than driving your zed to the track, running all day, driving home. I did 1000k's around Bathurst at easter and made the drive from sydney and back through the blue mountains without an issue both ways. I've competed in WA, Bathurst, Philip Island, Eastern Creek and Oran park all in the one car, all for the enjoyment of going fast and I've met great people and competed against a miriad of cars. It will be interesting to see where the game goes next year tho, I'm building my car with fiberglass, motor work (200RWHP with any luck) and aiming for 1050kg wet so I might be pushing the envelope. I also cheated a bit and bought some adjustable control arms. I'm still not on coil-overs tho, but that is likely to happen down the track. However, I hear one guy just sent his whole car over to Stewart Wilkins for an engine build, and when it's 2k in transport alone it's gotta be a super motor. Also the local zed guru/mechanic is trying to out weigh my 260 in his 260 2+2 without fiberglass so that could be a bit of fun. I have no interest to get involved with CAMS silly rules and regulations.

Hi Kaneos, Depending on what you are after you should be able to find something in Perth. If you want something a bit special there are always some going down bunbury/albany way. Give Martin Falconer, Tuneright, a call as he usually hears about cars coming up for sale before they do, so may be able to point you in the right direction. What do you want to do with the car and what is your budget? It's getting hard to find a clean body car without mods or fully restored, ie, big cash (25-30k) so you may have to settle for something with still some rust to get one on the road cheap. As mentioned above, 10k will get you driving bit it wont be a perfect car by any stretch.

Hi Rev, Are these the same size as a normal licence plate? They look a little square in the photo is all.

Hi Dave, Considering your location a trip to Stuart Wilkins would be worth a shot. When I was there he showed me one that he makes for zeds. It's made out of square tube and fits exactly where you mention. It crosses the car under the gearbox and did some funny things to seal against the bellhousing where the gearbox sticks below the bottom of the motor with some plastic mounting face. He also designed it so it doesn't hange below the car to get ripped off/bend the chassis! I think he quoted me around $200 for one, but that could be off/have changed (ie, be more like $400. It was enough for me to think about making one instead of buying anyways, but not by much). I will likely be building one for my car as part of my build and will probably just use square tube as well given it's low cost. The part is not really large enough for differant material types to impact too much on the weight of the brace.

Hi Luvdemzeds, I have the R31 caliper and discs on the rear with the standard rims for my street tyres and they clear fine. I also have Rota RB 15x8's for track tyres and they fit fine as well. In fact I have got commodore/FPV front calipers and discs on the front of my car and they clear the standard rims fine as well. I had to grind a tiny bit of metal off the calipers, but about 0.5mm of a fin was all and they fit without rubbing, talk about versatile standard rims!