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5's run hotter and will burn off deposits more so than 6's. They will look a little cleaner.... that's all the increased temperature will do. If you have oil getting into the cylinder then hotter is better to reduce fouling. Hotter plugs may cause pre-ignition if the conditions are right so you have to be careful of how hot you select. It is generally better to go with the colder plug on engines that are in good order..... but there is very little difference between 5 & 6 to worry about.

The BPR5's are a hotter, resistor plug. If you are happy with the way the current plugs look when you have examined them, why rock the boat ...

Maybe some oil in the coolant would help? A worthy experiment? No...? I count 7 and a half.

I live dead center penthouse (small) in Sofia but my z is in the USA I will have some toys here in 2017 maybe a Z also. I have a Group 44 TR8 also and just sold my 2004 4.7 liter Thunderbird. 3.9 is standard motor but Austin Martin 4.7 is the same motor different firing order. A jaguar guy sleeved his as an xk8 has the same motor. I just went to a junk yard. The Thunderbird was a pain (motor was OK) but it just would have sat here in Bulgaria always some light failure and it had 50K only. Maybe I got scammed by the people who sold it to me with 9K miles. Tell your friend I play chess.

I would recommend an electric fuel pump wired to a relay once you upgrade those carbs. Simple enough to do. If you're using rubber fuel lines spend a little more for EFI rubber. Total overkill but worth it. The adjustable cam sprocket is nice but not necessary. As to the block, the N42 has more meat but that doesn't make the F54 a bad choice, it just means that for the money I would stay away from a full on 3.2L motor. Of course you might say, but it's a street not a race car and yet once you feel the joy of that right foot you might just do it again and again til something breaks. Why and what would break it? Lack of fuel, overheating, a mistake in the build (piston to wall gap, main not line bored, crank off, timing wrong), and that right foot.

Nuh Uh.

Removing the thermostat's restriction is like running the a/c with the windows down. The thermostat slows the coolant down and allows it to cool the motor. If it was to pass through too fast it won't cool. I made that mistake on my first Z in 1986. FYI

If you are stubbornly going to try to keep the "vintage look" then get use to fluctuating idle rpm's

Did my first competitive driving in 20 years with some auto cross at Castrol raceway here in Edmonton! Had a blast and much to my surprise placed first in SSM!! next year some beefier sway bars and R compound tires (oh and new alternator) ! Car is in storage right now with temps in -teens( I am in Honolulu!)

Damn- hate all this talk about strokers, I want to start on mine!! Sent from my iPhone using Classic Zcar Club mobile

That's cool! Uses a little more electrical tape than what I'm used to.

My '72 will be 45 & my '77 40 years old next year, wu who. Better go on and celebrate tonight. HAPPY NEW YEARS everyone! Looks like Clemson will be national champions.

Hiya plucker... I'm Redwing, a "mature" lady of 74. I have the sister to your red Z, my '76 RedBird. I bought her almost 2 years ago. She came from Scottsdale, a 1 owner car. I was exceedingly fortunate to get her, she is in real good shape. Does not have the rust you mentioned your Z has, but she had a myriad of senseless problems, to which my friends here helped me with. The final thing that corrected the last of the dogging problems was to put in a new/old ECU. Once that was installed, all other problems vanished. She is a super driving car now, quite the sweet little lady. I was told about your joining and how much your Z looks like RedBird. I have to agree. Did you say yours was a '77? Anyway, welcome to this great group. They love Z's, and are willing to help figure out problems.