"The Brown Z" HLS30-11080

[Patcon]

So this is another car that has been sitting around at our places for decades. It was my daily driver in about 1992.

I rebuilt the engine in high school and it has a five speed that I installed at some point. It has gotten very rusty over the years. I am planning on trying to save it at some point now that a great many more good body panels are available now, if I live long enough.

I decided that I would pull the drive train and use it in Lily for the time being to get her running and then down the road I will probably go L28eT, but after Zcon 2024.

So that is what we did today

Surrounded by BMW parts and parts cars

 

Added some pipes underneath and some lifting straps

Had to move the front straps to the inside to protect the fenders

O

Our engine hoist 😉

Tipped it down on some blocks and used a power ratchet on the leveler. Didn't have any issues even with the shifter still in the transmission. It was going to be a pain to get out so we just left it.

[Patcon]

So I wanted to be sure the motor was still viable. So I hooked it up to a battery sitting on a trailer and spun it over with a remote starter switch. It spun freely with no plugs in it. So then I wanted to try to fire it over. It didn't have any carbs or exhaust on it. I messed with it for a while. Tried three different coils and two distributors called SteveJ to make sure I knew what I was doing. I then put the matchbox dizzy back in and got it to run on ether. I have a set of Ztherpay carbs that are evidently from 2011 that still look surprisingly good. They were on this engine and I will clean them up and reuse them for now

 

It lives!!!

[Patcon]

Here are some pictures of the general condition of the car

[SpeedRoo]

6 minutes ago, Patcon said:

So I wanted to be sure the motor was still viable. So I hooked it up to a battery sitting on a trailer and spun it over with a remote starter switch. It spun freely with no plugs in it. So then I wanted to try to fire it over. It didn't have any carbs or exhaust on it. I messed with it for a while. Tried three different coils and two distributors called SteveJ to make sure I knew what I was doing. I then put the matchbox dizzy back in and got it to run on ether. I have a set of Ztherpay carbs that are evidently from 2011 that still look surprisingly good. They were on this engine and I will clean them up and reuse them for now

It lives!!!

Down under we called that outback engineering, love that you got it to run!

[Patcon]

This car will need the "works" if I save it. Full floors, front frame rails, radiator support, quarters, rockers, doglegs, rear valance and slam panel. I would like to save it if I can but it really needs to be moved into a drier environment under a roof. Hopefully next year if I get Lily running, I can rearrange and move this under the roof near the shop

[Patcon]

2 minutes ago, SpeedRoo said:

Down under we called that outback engineering, love that you got it to run!

It's been sitting for almost a decade in the yard. Moist South Carolina weather with no air cleaner on it and it still runs!!! Such durable engines!

[DC871F]

I just sinched up my seatbelt.

[SteveJ]

3 hours ago, Patcon said:

So I wanted to be sure the motor was still viable. So I hooked it up to a battery sitting on a trailer and spun it over with a remote starter switch. It spun freely with no plugs in it. So then I wanted to try to fire it over. It didn't have any carbs or exhaust on it. I messed with it for a while. Tried three different coils and two distributors called SteveJ to make sure I knew what I was doing. I then put the matchbox dizzy back in and got it to run on ether. I have a set of Ztherpay carbs that are evidently from 2011 that still look surprisingly good. They were on this engine and I will clean them up and reuse them for now

It lives!!!

You gotta love the double-fisted engine starting fluid technique.

[grannyknot]

9 hours ago, SteveJ said:

You gotta love the double-fisted engine starting fluid technique.

Aerosol injection! No carbs, no throttle bodies, no programming.

[Namerow]

I fine illustration of a shade tree mechanic at work.

[Zed Head]

Do it again!

[SteveJ]

1 minute ago, Zed Head said:

Do it again!

You'll have to hold his beer.