Stupid name. I know, Ill think of something better later. Spent roughly an hour utilizing my mad-ass Photoshop skills, to get a good impression of how I want it to look. GO FROM THIS... [/IMG] TO THIS... [/IMG] Im keen on black. The best colour for a car I reckon. Black is the new Red. Was going to go two-tone, but I couldn't decide on which colours. Id still considering a two-tone scheme, if I find the right colours. Those are the rims I intend on using. Centerline Convos - 15x8 on the back. 15x6 on the front. A few people have questioned my reasons for choosing old school style rims. Mostly cause I have a soft spot for Centerlines, but also cause I dont really see the Z31 as a completely Jap looking car. All depends on what you do with it. I dont know what kit im going to use. It all depends on what I can still get. I just want the body to square off a bit better, so it doesnt look so much like a wedge of cheese. If need be, ill make my own. Alot of you know by now that I intend on ditching the turbo and injection, in favour of a needle and float. Mass loss in power. Not fazed. Loss of style? I dont think so. Subject to opinion of course. I was going to run a multi-carb setup, but a decent single will be enough for now. Get myself a manifold off a carby VG, and get it re-fabbed to take a Holley. Something near a 465, maybe a little smaller. Should I decide later on, to go for gold and squeeze some more horses out, ill go down the multi-carb path. The engine itself will get a mild work over. Nothing drastic. Just enough compliment the carburation. EG: head work, cams, extractors. The usual NA jazz. As im not going for decent power figures, the lower internals will stay stock. A good set of flat-tops might be on the cards though. As the engine wont have enough power to even pull the skin off a coffee , I wont need to worry to much about the bottom end. Thats the gist of it. The fun begins next weekend. Ill keep this updated as it progresses.
True. The wider the better. The backspacing for those rims are 3 3/8" for a 15x7 and 6 1/2" for 15x9. I did a rough measure yesterday, and found I may have to roll the guards to fit the 15x9's on the back. Would you agree with that?
The thought had actually crossed my mind, but two things stopped that idea: 1. Horror stories of torque-snapping chassis rails. 2. Its straying to far from being a Z. I figure, if I want a V8 box-coupe, I should just get a Pontiac or something. Buuuutttt, later on, should the mod bug bite harder than normal, I might drop one in. :br:
Cool project man. The z is a very clean example. And what you have in mind for it sounds promising. Albeit "black magic" is the name of the kiwi company that film and edit the footage together for the ARC - rally. Bit of trivia for you hahaha. I noticed you said ditching the turbo in opt for needles and float. Does that mean it's a turbo factory engine with low comp and your adding a carb? Or you want to carb an NA engine instead of going turbo? I have to ask though, what are you planning on using for timing? Removing efi would suggest you require a mechanical distributor to power the plugs. That had mechanical and vacuum advance. Other wise locking the efi dizzy and so on would make the cad rather shitty to drive. Just curious as to your idea? Also body kits. Hit up American suppliers while the dollar is strong. So many muscular looking kits available still over there. This body shape was big over there so it has plenty of options. Oh and the centerlines. Excelled choice. Work very well with your idea. And agreed the z31 has that option of being full on jap. But also flipping over to that typical American styled grunge look. I think also as a final idea. For later down the track. Whacking in a nice lumpy v8. Seen a few hotted up ones on YouTube vids and they're sexy to see screaming dons the road. Best of luck with your build. Keen to see this one take place. If you're not already a member. Join the z31 forums too. So many handy tech info and sexy vechiles there.
Thanks for input... and trivia. Its good to hear that someone shares the same opinion towards the Z31. The intention here is to delete the ECCS completely and replace the 'turbo-spec' parts with the NA equivalent. For example, the engine's internals will stay as they are, except the pistons, which will be exchanged for NA or aftermarket items (to bring the compression back up). As for your question about ignition.... The system in its mechanical form, will stay (EG dizzy), but the plan is to run an MSD 6AL-2 system. That way I dont have to make any major mechanical changes. It will work out rather convenient, as the MSD system can use the pre-existing CAS for timing reference. The timing advance wont be a drama, as the 6AL-2 system has the option to program the timing map.... gotta love CDI ignitions. Ill take your advice and check out America for a body kit. Japan seems to be dry of them.
Look forward to watching this happen. What is the motivation to lose the turbo and injection ? Is it for class requirements ? As you already said lose of power is the result, also lose of economy compared to NA injected setup (if set up well maybe negligible), reliability and cost don't really come into it, a 4 barrel and manifold will cost a bit, triple Weber's look good and perform but cost a packet. Be aware there are Weber's out there that are not the original design, interesting story. http://genuineweber.blogspot.com/ LOL just noticed the signature "Defying Convention Since 1985."
Nah, im not looking to race it or change licence classes. Im basically doing it because it hasnt been done. Every Z ive seen or heard of (bar one), has at least been injected, if not turbo'd. As my sig suggests, i like to do things a little differently. That, coupled with the fact I grew up on and learnt from old school tech, so i have a bit of a soft spot for it. Most cars back in the 80's where carbied. Turbo injection was fairly uncommon and seen as some form of wizardry. Most people will argue that a Z is just not a Z without it. Which I can agree with, but when I look at the Z31, I see the old ways of thinking. I dont see it as the leading edge of 80's engine development, I see it simply as a car that was built in the 80's, and for me, that era means dirty carbies, lumpy idle, and rattling extractors. Most people cant understand my reasoning on this. I need to question myself sometimes But yeah, its a catch 22. Im sacrificing every benefit the current setup has to give, just for the sake of making the car feel like the era it was built in. I could just go and get another Gemini if I want to feel my age, but I love the Z to much. It has a presence about it that I cant see in any other 80's car. :zlove:
Been looking at the RB24S option mentioned in the other thread. It seems the Philippines is where some went. http://caloocan.olx.com.ph/for-sale...-w-tranny-for-nissan-cefiro-rb24s-iid-2047730 Looks like an old ad, but P15,000 = $325AU Also there's an RB30S, "RB30S - carburetted single-cam, The RB30S was found in some Middle Eastern R31 Skylines and in some Nissan Patrols." http://japanesenostalgiccar.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=97633 Might be some in the UK as well. Also found this. Link to RB30S and TB42 manual, downloaded and appears vermin free and works. http://www.mediafire.com/?59ag808j38j3jt1
should be a sweet car mate, i like the old schoolers. dunno about you but i've always been a fan of the bolt on wheel arch flares on old zeds, it just makes them look a little bit more tougher.
An RB30 with 3x twin side-draughts. Now that would be something! That TB engine.... ive heard they are absolute torque monsters, relatively speaking lol. These engines, being a straight six would call for some heavy fab work and a really big shoehorn to fit in. Nonetheless, it would be an insane, and not mention completely unique project. Its definitely something to consider. Thanks for the info.
Yep yep. If I can find a set of flares for it, i wont think twice about getting them. If not, ill try and find something to fit. Failing that, the guards will be attacked with an oxy and hammer ... but seriously, if i cant find flares, ill flare them out myself.
Update. The last time I updated this I was ready to make a start on the rebuild. Didnt happen. Moved house instead. Now that I have a workshop instead of a single garage, the fun can actually begin. I started looking over the car, with a flat-blade in hand, inspecting all the rust spots. Its all pretty average as far as the rust goes, like the typical spots around the t-tops. There is some cancer in a few other places, but nothing that cant be easily fixed. Well, so I thought, until I chipped away the freckles at the bottom of the A pillars.... This is what I found. That is the bottom of the A pillar where it meets the door and guard, on the RH side. The LH side is pretty much the same. The pile of mank behind the front wheel there, is whats left of the sill panel and lower edge of the guard where they bolt together. The sill panel is salvagable, but I may need a new guard. Ill see what I can do with it. Its hard to see in the photo, but the panel where the foot-well is, has been mildly eaten away to the point that you can see, what I believe, to be the relay box. That might explain why my wipers stop spontaneously when its raining Apart from the pillars and the sill panel, the body appears to be in relatively good nick, considering its 26 years old. I only counted a few small dents so its basically dead straight. Somewhere between buying the car, and now, its developed a decent dent between the RH t-top and the windscreen. Its looks like someones laid the smack down on it with thier elbow. All things considered, im pretty happy with what ive found so far. I mean, it could be a hell of alot worse. We'll see if there is anything more to worry about as I strip it further. Anyway, back to the spanners. Peace.
Idle hands... Had an RDO on Tuesday, and got a little bored, so I decided to unpack some boxes in the shed. I found some left over acrylic cans from an old project. Primer, black and clear. I was already planning on spraying the car black, but couldnt make up my mind about removing the body mouldings or not. I looked at the cans, looked at the car, then at the cans again... "Fack it, got nothing better to do". The guard in primer, hanging out to dry: Final coat done and bolted back on: Didnt turn out to bad for a spraycan job. If I dont say so myself Unfortunately the clear coat is only satin, but hey, it gives me a good enough impression. Definitely happy with deleted mouldings. Decision made. No moulds.
