Bumpers, Fender Mirrors and Painting

Well, not a planned update for this year... as I wrote before my passenger side fender got all banged up in the garage over the winter. Originally I was just going to leave it, didn't want to waste fun summer driving time and potentially miss any races. Well with work, family and travel schedules... a 3-4 week window appeared and I decided to let Pilo over at Pilo's Body Shop have a crack at her. 

If You Give A Mouse A Cookie...

If you don't know the story.. google it. If you know me well, thats how I live my life... while I am doing something, might as well do it right and get some other items done as well. So a quick fender paint turned into... 

Sandblasted my Shelby Libre vintage wheels (still working on refinishing them)
New rear bumper (Skillard)
Got a new Xenon front air damn from a car club member (thats Kurt!)
Fender Mirrors (Z Car Depot)
Also painted rear deck lid, so of course also got a new deck lid cover (Skillard)

Since I didn't find a new front air damn until we had nearly finished... I splurged and ordered the Skillard.com front Type 1 Air Splitter... it was originally to help off set the sagging front spoiler (from going off at the track two years ago) and gave me an excuse to splurge. I still haven't mounted that as it is fairly extensive... 

Anyhow... the paint match on the fender, deck lid and front spoiler is awesome. Not perfect, it never is on spot repair (I skipped on blending since I want to fully rep
aint the car someday), but man its so good I bet hardly anyone will be able to tell. The best part is that Pilo let me work on the car a little, I learned some painting tips and helped with the front spoiler. 

I made some good decisions on parts, and some bad ones, let's break it down. 

Fender Mirrors - I got the grey plastic ones, they were on clearance (still are if you want a set) and I figured for the savings I can paint them black quick. However, the black ones are also now on sale, and I spent more in paint, sand paper, and time than I saved. I mean it was fun sanding, and I went above and beyond and since I had to paint, I sanded off the flashing lines (plastic mold lines) so I feel like they look more high end... but I know they are cheap, and I shoulda of just bought black ones. 

Rear Bumper - they sell it in raw aluminum, or black powder coat. I am glad I went cheaper here, cause it was easy to paint, and we ended up custom cutting a notch in the bumper near my tow hook. That would of ruined the finish on the powder coat. The real mistake here though was not buying a bumper in the first place, and trying to jury rig an old bumper that was in terrible shape to the car... that was last year and now my rear fenders look like swiss cheese. Fix that another day... the new bumper looks nice and I need to adjust them a bit but looking good. 

Okay so what is next? Well I have some autocross events, a track night at Gingerman Raceway and lots of other projects around the house and garage to get done. I need to find time to finish the rims, no real priority on that, but man I can't wait to see how she looks on vintage rims to complete the look. 

August 6th Cars and Coffee, August 11th Gingerman, then September and October autocross events... maybe sneak in a Z car show and a track day with the Corvette club... who knows. Glad to have my baby back! 

Here comes 2022

Well the 2022 season started... I got the suspension installed in the car and done barely a week before the first race. It was a labor of love... and a longer blog will be coming on what all it took to get it all installed and the work we did, but for now I wanted to note all the work that was done to the car and how she is riding. 

Z Car Depot: www.zcardepot.com
Adjustable Lower Control Arms - 800-890
Bump steering spacers - 650-259
Stainless Steel Brake Lines - 800-193

The Z Store - Motorsport Auto (MSA)
Front Street camber kit from MSA - 23-4188 
Rear Camber Adjustment Kit - 23-4171
Koni Yellow Adjustable struts - 23-1032/33
Eibach progressive springs - 23-4042
Steering Rack Bushings - 23-4151 
Steering Shaft Coupler -  23-4160

Apex Engineering - Quick Steering Knuckles - S30 280z

Techno Toy Tuning - Custom Control Arm Bolts - S30

Also new inner and outer tie rods, new lower ball joints, and tons of new bushings and new rear bearings, mostly from Z Car Depot. I did 90% of the work myself with other students at Ivy Tech Community College. I am two classes away (I think) from earning my technical certificate. 

Lot's of special thank you's to people for the help. Special thanks for all the members from the South Bend Region SCCA (SBR) who help with leads on parts, experts to help, and general encouragement. I have struck up a great new shop relationship with Direct Performance Solutions and hoping to find some time at Pilo's Body Shop to get my fender repaired... see my previous post on that poor fender. 

Want to see my baby on the track? Check the SBR Facebook page for events, hopefully I will be at most of those (fingers crossed). 

There Goes 2021

 Well... I guess I was worse at writing on this blog as I was on my personal blog. So let's see what did we miss since Feb 2021. 

Autocross - The Z did nearly a monthly autocross this year! Well I think I only actually got to 4 or 5 events but I felt like I was regular out there with the car! I started the year on my stock suspension and crappy tired but ended up upgrading to my Falken Azenis and dropped in a used set of Tokicos/KYB suspension. 

Track Days - we did three! I feel good abut that, I did two last year and this year more. So she is getting her workouts. We chewed up the Azenis pretty good, and luckily no major issues this year on track. I did have one big spin out in the middle of the track and luckily everyone dodged my car and we stayed safe. If you want to get out on track... following the SCCA Track Night in America program, great price and great way to get safely on track. 

Wrenching - well we were less than productive in the wrenching department this year. Installing my rear bumper the fuel tank neck got drilled into... nearly sidelined me from an event. Luckily the part was $65, unluckily it took way more labor than I care to admit dropping the tank, putting it back in, dropping it again (long story) and re-installing again. Whew. Also, the used set of shocks/struts I put in... one strut straight up blew out at my track day, and one was leaking pretty badly so I bit the bullet and bought all new (more on that later). 

Scarwars - I wrote a blog (One More Scar) about my new scars... new knee surgery, eye lid surgery, and a big scar to the Z. When I took my Z up to Ivy Tech (I am working on my auto tech degree) I was quickly backing out to pull into another lift and BANG CRUNNNNNCHHHHHH.... I hit my passenger side fender into a big commercial truck. Luckily no damage to the truck, luckily I have a spare fender already, but unluckily really no time/money to do body work on her right now so it will have to wait. 

So what is next? Well this 6 month recap will hopefully not be the last post for 2021. The Z is on a lift now and I am working on putting in new Eibach progressive rate springs and new adjustable Koni Yellow struts. This upgrade is considered way easier than the challenging coilover install on these... but man this "easier" job is proving very challenging. Wish me luck... and if you follow this and I haven't posted about the suspension being done... HMU. I need to update the page more. 

Glove Boxes, Tow Hooks and AFM

Well as usual... long time between posts, and this blog will end with a promise to post more... but hey we all know how this will go by now. If not, welcome to "Me and My Z"... a now quarterly blog about my 280Z. I do have a few more months before April and when I need her back on the road, back to autocrossing, and back on the track. 

Recap - I started classes again at Ivy Tech, partially so I am no longer a college drop out (Blog - College Drop Out), but also for some shop time, access to a lift, a warm spot for working on my car, and the chance to learn more skills as a mechanic. 

 

We finished the fall semester with the car in parts. We did finish the valve stem seals, and adjusted the lash while in there and worked on timing and ignition but the Air Fuel Meter (AFM) was completely taken apart. The lock screw was stripped and we couldn't get it back together. So January couldn't come soon enough to get back in the garage and finish it. We have to jury rig it but we got it all together, tuned, and even took a very cold January drive (with a driver side window, and no heat).

New Items - over the holiday break I ordered some Skillard tow hooks, and I worked on a custom mount of the radio bracket into the glovebox. I snagged a cheap deal on a Bluetooth radio, so I figured while we are re-wiring things lets put the radio in the glove box to free up space for more gauges in the dash. I also thought, hey lets fix the horns, it can be that hard... typical Datsun owner, who hasn't learned that nothing is easy... like trying to fix the map light switch to work... another story for another day. 

So where are we? 

Well the radio works (I need some mounts for the speakers still), the horn works, most interior lights have been converted to LED, and the AFM works. BUT, we took apart the air intake, and in mid conversion to a cold air intake style filter... ran into fitment issues. So she is filterless right now, but luckily not going anywhere so its cool. I ordered some parts so hopefully we button that back up soon. 

So what's next? 

We are going to rip out the AC parts (she doesn't need AC and none of it works anyways). Then we need to get it to the body ship. My man Pilo is going to help with getting a rear bumper mounted and we are going to tackle replacing one of the frame rails (maybe both). 

If that all goes well and doesn't total drain the car piggy bank I hope to get a new exhaust for it (I think suspension will wait until next season). Then I need to finish restoring my set of Shelby Libre Wheels... and she will be looking fresh, smelling cleaner and if I am lucky with a driver window in case it rains again while I am driving her. 

Thanks for checking in y'all. Me and My Z are nearly ready for 2021! 

Oil Caps, Connectors and Lug Nuts

Working on cars teaches you things, and recently the Z has handed down several important lessons for me. Luckily, none of them caused a critical failure or accident, but all of them could have, or at a minimum cost me time or money (or both). 

At the end of August, I invited my friend Juan to work on his Z (350Z) in my drive way while I worked on mine. I jacked it up and took off front rims to clean them up well after my track day. I was helping Juan with his install, and working on mine and got a little distracted. I didn't torque down my lug nuts. When did I find out? LUCKILY... I did a quick trip to Target, and one the way back my steering wheel was shaking bad... and it got worse as I got close to home. I decided to pull over instead of finish the drive and... WHOA. Driver side wheel was nearly off, it was missing TWO lugs (out of four) and the passenger side was missing one. I was close enough I jogged home, grabbed my tools and jack and D dropped me off at the car. Luckily I had found my extra set of lugs (Blog on my lugs issue before: Garage Lessons). I am so lucky one of the wheels didn't fly off... could of caused major damage. 

In September I had another track night up at Gingerman Raceway. It was my birthday week, and with lots of work and personal things going on I was so excited to get away for a night and race. I had a killer night, felt some decent laps, and pushed it hard at the end and actually went so fast I missed corner #11 and ended up off course in the sand. I was able to get back on track, and finish one more lap. As I left though... I slammed my car door and shattered my drive window... and then it got worse, after getting gas I went to turn on the lights and nada... I made a risky decision and I drove from South Haven, MI to South Bend without headlights. Story on fixing the headlights below. 

At the end of September, I had my final track night of the year. Made it a family trip, wanted to have the kids watch me race. Unfortunately I still had a busted window and rain was in the forecast, and a cold front moved in that was going to kill the fun level for my spectators. I was enjoying show kids around the track, and show Heather where to watch from, and show Cruz how I check fluids, tire pressure, etc... My group ran last, kids went to watch, and I started my car, and it died. Weird, started her up and she seemed fine so I drove off. In paddock lined up to go on course... she died again. Never happens. I started her again and she was fine so I hit the track... and it was 20 minutes of fun, lap after lap, couple cars I kept up with, some Corvettes kept lapping me, but man I had fun... when they called us in to pit... she stalled again. I coasted and started her back up... drove a bit, and then she stalled. All of my stuff was packed in our van, and she kept wanting to stall, so I pulled up and told Heather let's go. I didn't want her to stall again and maybe die there and I would have to worry about towing her from the track. So we went to our hotel, I was able to keep her running. I popped the hood... oil EVERYWHERE. I forgot to out the oil cap back on. Interestingly my oil pressure was fine the whole time, so I would not of guess oil issue. Well unfortunately we left the track so I gave up my second drive time, but rain moved in so maybe I saved myself. 

I finally for around to working on my headlight fix. At home I checked fuses, googled stuff, and it looked like I needed a $200 combo switch. Well since I started this Ivy Tech Class (College Drop Out) I figured lets diagnose the problem in class. We got to work, checked fuses again, took apart the combo switch, tested wires at the headlight, took apart the headlights (not easy)... and couldn't figure it out. Instructor asked, did you check grounds at the headlights, yes, the switch, er no those grounds would be fine... So we chased the ground wires back, which was through a connector of which all other items worked... so I didn't check those... pushes that in, and BAM, headlights. We spent a couple hours, I busted a few knuckles, and took apart literally everything, but that connector. 

So what is this blog about? 

Details... small details, small distractions, small connectors... they all make a difference. Following the right steps, not skipping a step, not assuming, not over thinking... I am for sure enjoying my auto tech class, reminding me the importance of process, of logical thinking, of deductive reasoning... also reminding me how much more I have to learn in life. 

Racing Solo

Maybe the activity I was most looking forward to when the Z got fixed was... getting out at the Tire Rack and running an autocross, AKA a Solo Event. If you are wondering what I mean with an autocross or solo, I think no better explaination has been written in the country, but by a local club members here in South Bend Lloyd. Read it here: A Guided Tour Through The World of Solo

In short I describe a solo as a miniature race track, made out of cones, that you race through and focus more on skill than just car speed. One car at a time, you against the clock, and then cars are classed together by type and preparation. I first started doing events like that in 2003 with the Furrin Group when I lived in Holland/Grand Rapids. I wrote a blog about my very first event: The Fast and Exhaustless 

So far for the year I got two events in, both at the Tire Rack Test Track, our local home track. My first event was with the Michiana Corvette Club and man it was a blast! Never ran with them, for sure will be back, for sure made some new car friends and saw how much I missed solo. It was a fun laid back group, some of them serious racers, but lots of folks just there to have fun pushing their car. They had a class for Corvettes, and one for "metal cars" or everything but a Corvette. 

When I left off in autocross on my old car I was running a well prepped car on race tires... so going to a bone stock, 45 year old car, on basic all season street tires... very different. Still very fun, look good doing it, but for sure not as fast. Ha. Speaking of fun, I started a Youtube Channel and here is my favorite lap from that event:

My second event was with my club, the South Bend Region of the Sports Car Club of America. It was serious competition and reminded me just how much work I, and the Datsun, need to become more competitive. I finished in the bottom 1/3 of the cars, but maybe towards the top of the list on the fundar. Ha. It was a blast, unlike the previous autocross I kept her facing the right direction the whole time (well most of the time, but never went off course) and nothing broke. 

We are continuing to enjoy Cars and Coffee event (one next weekend) and this past week I also hit the track at Gingerman again. It was a fun little pre-birthday trip on my own. I kinda like the alone time, just Me and My Z, the open road and burning some rubber. The downside on that trip was that as I had packed up to go, I slammed door shut... and CRASH... the glass shattered. Luckily the window was down so all the glass went in the door... then as I drove home and it got dark... my headlights would not go on... so all in all a struggle getting home, and I have glass to clean up... (and have to source a new window) but man it was another fun time with my ride. 

I think I forgot just how much of a car guy I am... I put it out of my mind for so long with my car broken, work taking up all my spare time, and raising some crazy kids. I am enjoying reading about new cars coming out, getting old magazine articles out, helping other people with their cars... I need more of that in my life and I love it. 

Z and Coffee

Well she has been in two Cars and Coffee events and I thought I should write a little about the fun, and work, that goes into taking her to an event. The first event a few weeks ago at Car Guys was just a few days after I got her back from the shop, so I had some quick fixed and things to get done (mounting bumpers, painting hatch, cleaning the inside good, etc.). For the second one at the Studebaker National Museum I wanted to get my street wheels back on and had to wash her she was all dirty still from the track. 

I have always enjoyed car shows and car related events. Maybe something I got from my grandpa Harold who owned a garage and knew a lot about cars, or something I remember from going to the Detroit Auto Show with my dad growing up. Whenever there was a local show I loved going, always dreamed that I could own something cool enough to have in a show... 

Now that I own something cool enough I am glad that I can take it to events. I love answering questions, what year is, do I race it, did I paint it, what motor is in it, or my favorite is when a younger guy asks... SO how much horse power it? Usually they are expecting (or hoping) to hear something outlandish... but my reply it, "Well stock horsepower was 149, and I bet she is pulling a solid 135 HP now." Their jaw usually drops, naw, really? Yeah, I mean she is 45 years old and bone stock. I am fairly sure she isn't pulling what she did on day 1, but I can you tell you she is probably just as fun. 

Today a base Mustang or Camaro is pulling mid 300s HP and weighs close to 4,000 pounds. My little baby had 149 HP and weighs about 2,400 pounds (she dropped some weight with bumpers and other items I took off). Cars just have a lot more horse power these days, lots of technology plus more money... stock Corvettes today at 500 HP... in 1975 it was 165. I mean in 1975 a Porsche was the king of the road and they pulled 175 HP... so my little Z was not far behind, and in all honesty back then my Z could hang with Porsches and Corvettes. 

So anyhow I digress... well I love my Z, I love coffee, Cruz loves donuts, and I like talking cars with people. So these Cars and Coffee events are just my style. At my first cars and coffee event I got parked between a Ferrari and a Nissan GT-R. Whew... the competition for looks was fierce, but we got our attention and everyone was friendly and fun. 

The Studebaker event was also great and the hosts for this event was the Avanti Drivers Club... if you don't know what an Avanti is... well now you do. It was always one of my favorite Studebakers, even more than the iconic bulletnose. For sure a cool place for a Cars and Coffee event, I have judged real concourse shows there, I have toured the exhibits and now I have displayed my car there... pretty cool. 

Unfortunately the morning of the show a little rain came into the forecast, I think it kept some people away but many of us braved the elements. It was dry maybe 75% of the time, not bad and we all had to get out towels out and wipe down the rides. Still had fun, still had some friends stop in, and still enjoyed chatting up people about my car. The Lotus and I were the only non-USA built cars there which was interesting. (Click photos to enlarge)