pewe
Chats A Bit
Posts: 157 
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Post by pewe on Mar 27, 2017 9:16:51 GMT
Could be hiding something horrible but most were fitted to soften the steering wheel grip.
Up to that point wheels were generally hard plastic (read slippy) or "sporty" wood with leather a rarity.
The Avus (Alfa in the UK) cover offered a cheap, quick fix and a chunky look - now it just looks dated or is that just me?
Keep the updates coming.
Cheers, Pewe.
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Post by joeytalent on Mar 31, 2017 15:16:38 GMT
Could be hiding something horrible but most were fitted to soften the steering wheel grip. Up to that point wheels were generally hard plastic (read slippy) or "sporty" wood with leather a rarity. The Avus (Alfa in the UK) cover offered a cheap, quick fix and a chunky look - now it just looks dated or is that just me? Keep the updates coming. Cheers, Pewe. Yeah, it's definitely hard plastic underneath. I got a bit of time on the car last weekend, and starting pulling the cover off, then found it was a total pain in the ass to remove. I also got the locks changed over - first door took an hour, the second took ten minutes - easy when you know how! I get back to Minneapolis tonight - plan tomorrow is to tackle the fuel pump if my buddy has dropped off the ramps. If he hasn't, then it's the heater matrix! On a side note, Vancouver is crazy. There's a lot of wealth here from Asian investors, so you see some crazy exotic cars driving around. |
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Post by joeytalent on Apr 4, 2017 18:42:55 GMT
Fuel pump was a bit of a bust. All the rubber fuel lines were old and crusty, and if I'm going to the effort of pulling them off the pump, I may as well drain the tank and redo the rubber lines. Whilst I was underneath the car, I had a proper look around for anything crusty. Nothing at all. So happy!
I did a few more little bits, will post another blog entry once I get a free evening. Work gave me free tickets to the hockey tonight, so I guess it'll wait until Wednesday.
I took a picture from the side on Sunday, and it made me realise that I'm never going to be happy with the mahoooooosive arch gap. So some lowering springs and replacement shocks are now on their way. I thought about coilovers, but the shocks are the sleeve mount type that require some welding (or around $2000 bolt on options). I really didn't want to commit to that just now, so I picked up a set of 4 x KYB shocks and springs for a 1.25" drop. For $360 (and some very decent reviews), it seems like the best option right now.
Rest of the parts should be getting shipped this week. Or next week. Or who the Canoe knows. Really unimpressed with the biggest US Z-parts dealer so far, I'll be going out of my way to avoid them in future.
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Post by minty on Apr 4, 2017 19:06:19 GMT
Oh good choice!!
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Post by joeytalent on Apr 5, 2017 13:19:39 GMT
Oh, and FWIW - this is the picture that made me realise I needed an altitude adjustment:  |
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Post by joeytalent on Apr 5, 2017 23:13:17 GMT
Vancouver and FuelProgress on the 280Z has been a little slow over the last couple of weeks, as I was away with work in Vancouver. Nothing much to say, we got an inch of rain every day but one, when I got out to take some pictures and trek seven miles all over.      All in all, it's a fun city. Had a lot of fun walking around. Onto the car. I changed all the locks over, so now I can actually lock all the doors with the same key. No pictures of that, because... well, it was pretty boring. If you look at the picture below, you can see a lock that I replaced. Or just look at how nice the car is.  The fuel pump was making a horrible noise, so I'd ordered a replacement. Full of excitement, I went over there, got the car up on ramps and starting looking at what was required. Sadly all the rubber fuel lines were hard, and I really didn't want to pull them all off, let them split etc. Begrudgingly I busied myself by changing the fuel filter in the engine, and replaced the fuel hose there as well as one was weeping a little:  I've got some proper sized clamps on my shelf to fit when I'm next there. At the top of this shot below, above the brake cylinders, you might noticed a gap. Well, it turns out that the washer bottle is meant to fill that gap, which would explain why the washer button does nothing.  I had a root through the spares boxes and result! A washer bottle and pump. The nozzles are still on the car, so it looks like I was in business. Unfortunately the piping was so old it had gone completely solid, and when trying to remove it, I snapped one of the nipples off the base of the bottle, so now I'm waiting for a brass replacement to arrive.
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Post by joeytalent on Apr 6, 2017 1:37:58 GMT
This is what I fancy.  |
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Post by joeytalent on Apr 10, 2017 0:33:53 GMT
Suspension Part 1I was never that happy with the height of the 280Z, especially the rear end. I'm still waiting for more parts to arrive (bumpers, seat covers, steering wheel etc), so I thought I may as well use the opportunity to swap the suspension. I ordered some replacement shocks and lowering springs that should bring it down about 1". After doing some reading online, it looked like the rears were going to be the most problematic. I had a full day to tackle them, so time to get cracking! Firstly a huge acknowledgement - atlanticz.ca/zclub/techtips/suspension/rearstruts/index.html is probably the most thorough guide I found online that documents removing the strut / hub unit without having to remove the transverse link spindle pin. I initially started down that path, then really didn't fancy trying to pull a foot long bolt out. So, wheels off:  And done!  Ahhhh, if only it was that simple. I ended up removing a fair amount of stuff; the ARB topmount, handbrake connector, both control arm bush mounts, the half shaft....    Overall the job wasn't too bad. All the bolts were tight, but came off with some persuasion with a breaker bar. Nothing rounded, nothing sheared. It was exactly the opposite of working on my old MX5. And the two struts removed:  The new gas struts and springs arrive on Tuesday, so I'll hopefully get them all fitted this week.
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Post by joeytalent on Apr 11, 2017 2:51:41 GMT
Suspension Part 2Grabbed another hour today, so I thought I'd finish off stripping down the struts. The complete unit, ready for battle:  Attach some of my least favourite tools; the spring compressors. Tighten until you can rotate the top mount easily - that means the springs won't come flying off when you remove the top mount:  Remove the topmounts - very straightforward, just one nut holds them to the top of the strut:  Then the springs can come off, and you get the joy of taking the spring compressors off. Which takes ages when you're using hand tools:   Huzzah! Getting somewhere now. Lets a look what's left - the top of the strut with a big (2" or so) hex nut:  I had to buy a special tool for this:   That came off nice and easy for both shocks, which is great as I thought it was going to be a total pain. Liberate the cartridges:  Oh - something appears to be amiss. The passenger side cartridge seems to be completely devoid of fluid. So probably a good job I'm replacing them!  And done! All ready the new inserts and springs tomorrow.
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Post by joeytalent on Apr 12, 2017 3:01:59 GMT
Grrr. Company sent me the wrong rear shocks. Checked like twenty times, definitely ordered the right ones. Emailed the company, replacements are on the way, but will take six days. Amazon will ship them for Thursday.
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pewe
Chats A Bit
Posts: 157
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Post by pewe on Apr 12, 2017 12:11:54 GMT
Yea but better to find out now than do the whole job and wonder why it doesn't sit right afterwards.
BTW I always put a rachet strap around the spring compressors as belt and braces just in case they let go....
Cheers, Pewe.
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Post by joeytalent on Apr 12, 2017 12:41:10 GMT
Yeah I guess. I ordered the replacements from Amazon, they get here tomorrow (joys of Amazon Prime). I need to have the car back on the ground by Saturday as the garage that it's stored in goes on the market next week (and the house attached to it!).
Good tip about the ratchet straps - I had some in the Jeep as well! I'm always super careful around spring compressors, but there's always that fear. I don't know how much the "safety pin" will really do.
I need to get some new tyres (or tires) soon, but I was holding off until I found some wheels I liked. Any suggestions?
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Post by joeytalent on Apr 12, 2017 14:59:13 GMT
Current contender:  As much as I want Watanabes, they're almost $2000. Enkei's are around $600 here. |
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Post by trikkisixx on Apr 12, 2017 15:02:20 GMT
They're lovely!
Also looking at the size of your garage, the fact that you have a 280Z and that parts are cheap out there, I've decided I'm moving to the US.
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Post by joeytalent on Apr 12, 2017 15:10:39 GMT
They're lovely! Also looking at the size of your garage, the fact that you have a 280Z and that parts are cheap out there, I've decided I'm moving to the US. Sadly not my garage. That's my friend's house, about 20 minutes drive from where I live (which is close in US terms). He's selling in the next month as well  I live in an apartment in downtown Minneapolis - I actually have an underground heated car park, but I'm not *meant* to do work there. Once my lease is up, I'll start looking for a townhouse a bit further out that has a garage. Unfortunately being here on a visa means that I can't buy anywhere. |
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