1978 Datsun 280Z

[camerashy]

Awesome thanks for that

My work has actually just bought a 3D printer and being the technician dork I am I may well mock up an tidy adapter plate in ABS before machining one from aluminium Gives me some room to play

Sept 5, 2012 22:07:47 GMT bstardchild said:

Aug 29, 2012 18:21:24 GMT camerashy said:

If anyone missed the Import Monster posts I made in reply to scousers thread in the general forum...if you combine the trumpets...



with the ITBS and manifold there....

and the header and exhaust above...you get an idea of the direction the engine is going in . And people used to comment on this thread! So many gawkers with no-one telling me if I'm batshit or genius....sad and lonely times!

This thread has been one of my bookmerked threads but I've very rarely much to cotribute - this time I have

I bought a set of those throttle bodies intending to mount them to a 24V senator injector rail and a set of the polish bell mouths but I couldn't get it all adaptorplated up and in a reasonable length to clear the inner wings so I went with carbs for now and the bell mouths have been on my carbs since - you need to either flat the mating faces on a bit of glass with grinding paster or make up a gasket from gasket paper as they aren't perfectly flat and don't do them up too tight as they can crack (I've had to order 2 replacements in 3 years.

Rest of the project please carry on ;D

[camerashy]

I've ordered a second seat from Stefan at GTSClassics, so I'm now counting down the days until I'm back in Ontario and get working on the car again.

[joeytalent]

This is also one of the only threads I have bookmarked - really enjoy your updates!

[camerashy]

Sept 5, 2012 22:07:47 GMT bstardchild said:

I bought a set of those throttle bodies intending to mount them to a 24V senator injector rail and a set of the polish bell mouths but I couldn't get it all adaptorplated up and in a reasonable length to clear the inner wings so I went with carbs for now and the bell mouths have been on my carbs since - you need to either flat the mating faces on a bit of glass with grinding paster or make up a gasket from gasket paper as they aren't perfectly flat and don't do them up too tight as they can crack (I've had to order 2 replacements in 3 years.

Rest of the project please carry on ;D

Meant to add, the Datsun engine bay is positively giant. The recommended intake length from the top of the trumpet, down the runner into the head is something like 13 inches!!! Which faces do you suggest flatting, the trumpets or the TB's? I am already going to be machining off a lot of the excess material from the TB's to clean them up, not sure what the metal is like and whether it will like me machining off some of the braces, probably there to avoid the butterfly shaft from twisting the housings. A long think about the best way to do this is required me thinks.

[bstardchild]

Sept 12, 2012 15:27:54 GMT camerashy said:

Sept 5, 2012 22:07:47 GMT bstardchild said:

I bought a set of those throttle bodies intending to mount them to a 24V senator injector rail and a set of the polish bell mouths but I couldn't get it all adaptorplated up and in a reasonable length to clear the inner wings so I went with carbs for now and the bell mouths have been on my carbs since - you need to either flat the mating faces on a bit of glass with grinding paster or make up a gasket from gasket paper as they aren't perfectly flat and don't do them up too tight as they can crack (I've had to order 2 replacements in 3 years.

Rest of the project please carry on ;D

Meant to add, the Datsun engine bay is positively MASSIVE. And actually the recommended intake length from the top of the trumpet, down the runner into the head is something like 13 inches!!! Which faces do you suggest flatting, the trumpets or the TB's? I am already going to be machining off a lot of the excess material from the TB's to clean them up, not sure what the metal is like and whether it will like me machining off some of the braces, probably there to avoid the butterfly shaft from twisting the housings. Hmmm...a long think about the best way to do this is required me thinks! [/quote]

Just the trumpets on a sheet of glass with some fine grinding paste - mine were machined when I got them but didn't sit very well and you could see a tiny air gap in places - other than that they were great value compared to others I looked at

I'll build a plenum for my next engine and carb set up as sock filters aren't ideal

[camerashy]

The last few months have been frustrating. A change in 'relationship status' a while back had me down in the dumps and not really in the mood to work on the car, although this has since changed to one of 'it will be finished by February, it will be finished by February, it will be finished by February. Totally unrealistic of-course.

In other news, all parts that can be blasted and aren't the main shell itself, are being media blasted. The first batch of parts received back from the blasters are getting electroplated in Zinc. This hasn't left me with much to do unfortunately, just more engine stripping and cleaning, and buying some shelves. I was fed up with staring at boxes so I figure by exhibiting shiny car parts and having to look at them every day, I would want to get on with the car more. It should also be a hot lady deterrent. Work is once again busy to the point of insanity with writing year end reports, but by the end of next week the shell will be with the blasters, so there is an upside to all this.

[camerashy]

Got some more bits back from media blasting

[camerashy]

I got all the parts zinc plated that I wanted to. The yellow looks better than the gold, but here's the front cross member in black zinc.



The valve cover also got the walnut blast treatment and then powdercoated in crinkle black, annoyingly I'll have to be the one to sand back the lettering but at least then I know it will be done right.





I stripped the head of all the valvetrain, labelled, numbered and bagged. This will be going for hot tanking along with the block this weekend.





No cracks that I could see, valves looked mint if a bit coked up. I'll get it decked when I get it cleaned up. Finally got around to testing the Husky genny I picked up at a steal of a price, this should run the ESAB okay.



Not a whole lot happened, just stripping the block, meticulous labeling, and cursing at not having a clean garage.



You can just pick out the end of one of the fibreglass fenders I picked up. Picking up the other side tomorrow. My workspace at the moment.



And some more bling bought and received. Wolf Creek Racing CV axles, no more nasty half shafts for me! Should make the back end real tight at putting the power down and lessen any possible binding with having it lowered on the GroundControl setup.



I've been slacking, but that ended today with getting the valves out, two different valve compressors later I ended up using a ball joint splitter and some precisely placed 'bounces' to pop the collets out and let me remove the valves. Tomorrow I'm drilling all the remaining unnecessary brackets off the shell and getting it media blasted.

[georgeb]

a May finish...shurely shome mistake!

Come on lad. You can do it ;D

Nice to see this one moving forward. Can't wait to see the end result.

[Deleted]

Thats a hell of a project you have going there. Will be a real looker.

That deadline will be tough to keep.

[stealthstylz]

Keep going, gonna be well worth it.

[camerashy]

Winter is here. A balmy -5 today.



One must crack on. I needed to have the block stripped so I can drop it off for baking/cleaning. So out come the pistons, removing the main caps from the crank.







She's pretty sparkly as it is!



A ballpeen hammer with a wooden handle and a mallet made short work of tapping the crank main caps out.



Crank removed



Pistons removed



Bare block on the engine stand



Some labelling, bagging and storage to come. I've thought hard about whether to bore the block for some flat top pistons, for now I've to just refresh it with new bearings all round, new timing chain and some other timing related bling and a clean of everything. I want this built and to start screwing around with the block would only make the build drag on even longer. I may up rate the cam at a later date, Tomei have an especially nice one, but that'll be a drop-in deal. Block now loaded for baking and cleaning along with the bare head tomorrow.

[jpsmit]

Loving this! I am not clear though, the car is in Waterloo but you live in the UK? I was in Waterloo today dropping off my daughter (Laurier) I am in Toronto.

[camerashy]

The car is in Waterloo..where I live...but I am originally from the UK.

[camerashy]

and...GREAT to see a Canuck on this forum, that's actually just made my day!

[jpsmit]

Nov 26, 2012 3:24:13 GMT camerashy said:

and...GREAT to see a Canuck on this forum, that's actually just made my day!

That was easy!!! ;D

Here are my "babies" If you ever need an extra set of hands.... or just someone to brag to.

retrorides.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=readersrides&thread=113700&page=1

[camerashy]

Oh wow! Need any (small) parts bringing from the UK? I'm there on the 7th!

[camerashy]

The passenger seat turned up today (right)...it's meant to be exactly the same as the driver seat (left). *Frustrated*



Not happy. If it was just the headrest it'd be an easy fix and negate me having to ship the thing back to the states...but everything seems wrong, the panelling, the foam depth, the folded pleat in the seat corners, I'm positive it's the wrong seat frame.


*Grumpy email has been sent *

[eurogranada]

That's a real bummer indeed... Hope you get it sorted! Very nice project!

[jpsmit]

Nov 26, 2012 15:03:37 GMT camerashy said:

Oh wow! Need any (small) parts bringing from the UK? I'm there on the 7th!

James, not sure if you got my PM - would love to take you up on your offer if it were appropriate.

JP