300ZX Turbo Track(ish) Car Build

[FlatBlackCaddy]

Hoping to get the rear underbody cleaned up, subframe re installed, differential installed and the new 1 piece aloomineum driveshaft installed this saturday. I'm itching to get the back all done, but I got a new truck and I want to spend some time this weekend cleaning it up, installing a radio and polishing the exterior.

Also glad to get some table space back, got a my brake hardware a few weeks ago. I'll post an update on that this weekend.

[Eye of the Tiger]

I need to clean up my rear underbody, too. And I too lack the time to do it, and as well I can blame that on my truck.

[FlatBlackCaddy]

Reported to moderator.

[Eye of the Tiger]

Truck thread or ban.

[FlatBlackCaddy]

I'm going to punch mighty max while you sleep.

[Eye of the Tiger]

Good. Mighty Max is bored sitting in the yard, and cylinder 3 is probably all rusty by now.

[68_427]

Found how to fit wider tires

[FlatBlackCaddy]

I like it, but I really don't dig the idea of cutting up metal. I could find some front fenders to cut up and use, but cutting the quarter panel is something I probably wouldn't do.

It looks like a nice kit, and it's priced pretty well.

[CaminoRacer]

[68_427]

The front is more of a problem for fitment right?

[FlatBlackCaddy]

The front is more of a problem for fitment right?

Yes, 245's are easy, a 255 is pushing it. Rears will take a 295 or possibly 305 depending on your hicas setup.

[FlatBlackCaddy]

Got the truck all done, pretty much. Only need to throw some tire shine on the tires and give it a wipe down with a spray detailer.

So this weekend I'm going to clean shop a bit and get back on the 300ZX. I'll throw some pics of the new brakes I got up, and hopefully find a place to put this until I get around to it.

[MrH]

I want full pics of the truck, so we can judge you for having a boring daily and 3 sports cars.

[FlatBlackCaddy]

I want full pics of the truck, so we can judge you for having a boring daily and 3 sports cars.

I don't follow, it isn't any different now compared to before.

[MrH]

You've shown like 10" x 10" pictures of the paint condition.  I want to see the whole thing.  So I can laugh at your mirror chrome.

[FlatBlackCaddy]

Got the truck all cleaned up, cleaned up the shop a bit and moved back on the Z. Looked over all the brake stuff I got about a month ago.



14" 2 piece rotors with 4 piston nissan calipers in the front.


14 " 1 piece rotors with 2 piston Nissan calipers.


With a few hundred pounds (200-230) taken offx this should be adequate. I hope.

[68_427]

Do you have the stock calipers?

[FlatBlackCaddy]

Yes, and a 13" ap front kit for this chassis.

[68_427]

Are the calipers the same for NA and turbo cars?  If so they're the same calipers I've been trying to find for my car (same as WRX)

[FlatBlackCaddy]

No, turbo is delifferent.

[68_427]

Ok.  That's actually good cus I just bought pads and rotors that wouldn't have been compatible anyways...

[FlatBlackCaddy]

Still been plugging away on this, been pretty slow lately because I've lost a few weekends due to social commitments.

Picking up where I left off, I was pretty much down to final assembly of the rear.

Out with the old, in with the new.


Starting to cobble together the drivers side.






Can't imagine how bad this would be if I had to sit on the ground and do all of this.


What a mess


It's starting to come together.


Until I hit this little number.


The bolts provided with the brake kit are about 5mm too short, imo. They are only holding on to the caliper by about 3 threads. I had to wait til next weekend to get some new 12MM x 1.25 grade 10.9 bolts. It took about 3 stops, in 2 towns, to find what I needed.

[FlatBlackCaddy]

In the meantime, I decided to get the other side's spindle striped down and replace the bushings, as well as clean up the wheel well and get that side ready to go together while I waited for the bolts mentioned above.

Got the spindle all taken apart.


The lower control arm striped, it's a real pain to get those inner stock bushings out.


Spindle with the new bushings greased and ready to be pressed in. Pressing in greasy soft bushings is about as easy as you would think(meaning a complete pain in the ass).




I pretty much have the hang of it now, so about 40 minutes later I had the spindle all bushed up and ready to go.


Cleaned up the hub assembly and removed the outer shield from the brake backer and got it all cleaned, assembled, and torqued down.




Along with the lower control arm with it's new bushings and ball joint.

[FlatBlackCaddy]

With the 2 major components ready to go, I wanted to do a quick cleaning of the wheel well. This side turned out much better than the drivers side, thanks to a new product that I tried out on it.







Sprayway, makers of the best glass cleaner ever, crazy citrous cleaner. Works great.


Now I just spent some time cleaning up a few other things for the passenger side assembly.

Cleaned the driveshaft and greased the boots to give them a bit more of a usable appearance.




They aren't too bad for 20 years and 70K miles.

[FlatBlackCaddy]

With new bolts in hand, I moved back over to the drivers side to wrap it up.

Got the rear hicas arm installed.


Put the new rotors on and caliper, installed the pads and adjusted the ebrake.


And lastly I cleaned up(I spend a lot of time cleaning, obviously) the filler neck cover and reinstalled it.

[FlatBlackCaddy]

Drivers side is all wrapped up, the passenger side needs assembly, but everything is pretty much prepped and ready to go in. Should be able to wrap that side up, and have the ass end back on the ground this coming saturday. Then I'll just pop up front and change out the rotors and calipers for the new ones and I should be done with assembly of all the suspension components.

Which leaves me with a few minor things(oil cooler install, roll bar, seats) and of course setting ride height, corner balance and alignment. Followed by new wheels.

Then I can do a few things on the GTR and Miata and get them ready for the driving season.

Meanwhile I picked up a more long term(er, I guess they are all long term, let's just say a ways away from seeing the road) project.


I'm sure I'll start a thread on this in the future.

[Cookie Monster]

God damn. You're one of the few people I'd want working on my car.

[FlatBlackCaddy]

God damn. You're one of the few people I'd want working on my car.

Thanks, but I take a long time. You'd never see your car again.

[Byteme]

With new bolts in hand, I moved back over to the drivers side to wrap it up.

It all looks good.  I respect the way you keep the work area tidy.  That's the only way I can work. 

[Rupert]

Thanks, but I take a long time. You'd never see your car again.

That's the difference between me and a real mechanic, especially a real bike mechanic.