Bonzi Lon

This past weekend I asked my local garage if they could tweek and tuck up the sad excuse for an exhaust system the dealership put on years ago. It looked like bits of pipe put together with clamps everywhere and sat so low it wouldn't go over the only speed bump in town. Center of the car had 4 inch clearance. Coming home from Branson last year I got stopped by MO Hi-PO to 'advise' me to get it up under a little better. He got it in the air and looked it over with 2 others and suggested we start new from the header back, this was just junk. Take more time and effort to tweek and splice than start from scratch. This is not what I wanted to hear. My wallet was shaking in fear. He gave a price for 8ft aluminnized 2 1/4 inch pipe, resonator, muffler, hangers and a chrome tip. Labor was quoted 1 hour, 1.5 at the most. I was wondering if he could do it for that, or would there be unseen 'extras'. I agreed and they went to work. I had to leave it ovenight as there was a mixup on the muffler length, sent 21 inch not 12, dyslexic. The next day they let me watch the installation and to position the chrome tip, so it extends far enough. I'm happy with the sound, it looks fan-damn-tastic compared to the other one. The best part was the bill. $128.52. All 3 workers got a ride afterwards, first time in any Z for all 3. All were impressed with the power, torque and the new sound. One even said 'this gal is a real screamer!'. Bonzi Lon

This weekend was able to get the car on the lift for an exhaust tweek that turned into a new system from the header back, but that is another thread. Here are some photos of the underside of my car as unmolested 37 year old patina. The only thing done has been a cleaning with a hose. Everything else is mostly all original, including the diff & tranny leak. The garden hose quick fix has been repaired. Bonzi Lon

My 7/73 was originaly 115 blue metalic with off white interior, as it was told to me to be. Over the years of driving, smoked in, overspray, and a quarter century of storage, the vinyl survived better than the plastic. First pic is the plastic after cleaning. It looks like faded butterscotch . The dome light panel is the back side showing original (+ time) color. The vinyl and door panel are after cleaning. There is a slight mis-color at the arm rest mounts. I sprayed all the plastic in SEM vinyl dye 15103 Super White, same color MSA used on the rear tail finisher. The vinyl parts cleaned up real well with laquer thinner. The headliner and pillers were not such a mess. There is a mis-match in colors from the plastic and vinyl, but I can live with it for now. Its 37 year old patina. If it ever gets redone, everything will be replaced to match the color, whether it is the original from Les or full blown complete off white air-craft grade leather. The seats are a sore subject and now have covers on them. My other Z, HLS30-00110, (aka #110) was originaly blue exterior and a black painted interior. Only after it was home did I pull back the headliner and piller to see blue, then traces of blue on the diamond vinyl near the foot feed. Blue blue is a rare combo, I counted 5, including mine in the first 4000 vin's on Carl's list. Maybe the reason your new ones look 'too white' is that you have been used to the slow fading of the originals. I bet if you could go back in time the interiors then would seem 'too white' also. I'm inclined to say that they 'slow fade' from out of the box onward, just takes lots of time. Bonzi Lon

That paint does POP! Now the real fun part of this puzzle, putting it back together, then apart to put something in or adjust, its all in the tweeking. At least you have a mighty fine helper. The bumpers may be light weight, but get real heavy with a 1 person install. That $140 is WAY cheap for front and rear glass. If you have never done it or watched how it was done, your odds of breaking one go way up. And you want to install 2? Usually, if the installer breaks, he buys a replacement. For the price, maybe this professional would be worth it. Dad was always saying, don't spend $20 to save $10. This is just my opinion. What do the others have to say? Bonzi Lon

Weber also makes BBQ grills. hmmm... Bonzi Lon

That blue is AWESOME, mally. Like Montezuma, my #110 was a blue/blue till 'that moron' painted everything black. Same guy? The new rear trim panel I got from MSA was black with SEM vinyl dye in off white. It was larger than original, thicker too, and needed the multiple trimmings to fit the 73. Bonzi Lon

A few on my prefered list would be: Freeway Jam, Jeff Beck White Buffalo, Ted Nuggent Low Spark of High Heeled Boys, Traffic Long Time, Boston Karn Evil #9, Emerson. Lake & Palmer Fool for the City, Foghat Funeral for a Friend, Elton John Bohemiem Rhapsody, Queen Twilight Zone, Golden Earring Spirit in the Sky, Norman Greenbaum (this is a must for that true 70's feel) The 8-track is near and dear to my heart. It was the only personal music machine for us at that time. I was lucky enough to have a 'Lear' unit, still looking for one to this day. 8-track was invented by Bill Lear of 'Lear Jet' fame. The story goes, (in Stormy Genius) Bill flies to Muncie, IN on business and is shown an endless tape player called the Muncie 4-track. It played left & right on 2 tracks of 1/4 inch tape a 3/ 3/4 ips. but only for about 15 to 20 minutes then the loop started over. He knew he could do better so he bought a plane load of them and brought them back to his plant in Wichita. He and his crew set out to get at least twice the amount of music on that tape. Thus they were able to get the head to read twice the amount and got 8-track. His company produced them for about 6 months then sold all the rights. His are clearly marked 'Lear'. 8-track had its heyday for a while. The tapes can be removed from the cartrige and played on a reel to reel. Later the cassette tape came out in better qualities, 1/2 the 8-track width and half the speed, 1 7/8 ips. I still have my 8-track collection, just waiting for that 'Lear'. Bonzi Lon

There is a thread on how to make a flat plate that beefs up the holding ability of the choke assembly to the console. It will depend on what is left of the underside, the plastic bosses strip out. Find a good console and make the plate. Simple, sturdy, works great, I knew I should of taken photos. :stupid: Bonzi Lon

6 years? Thats pretty speedy. Mine took 28 years! The thrill of driving was just as much of a 'frigging blast' as you explained. There will always be little things to do, or all the 'while I'm at it' syndrome. Bonzi Lon

I made the commitment and hotel reservation, just haven't been confirmed, yet. I'm looking forward to the whole wonderful event. Now, how much clean, polish, repair, refurbish, restore, chrome, paint, powdercoat, OEM, etc, can one do in about 11 weeks? Bonzi Lon

Thank you for correcting me. My ignorance in electrical is abundant. Bonzi Lon

I agree with the above, looks good. Buffing will take time and patience. I did all of mine at night so I could control the light source and intensity for best reflection. I know I spent a good 40+ hours and not a single burn through. Whew! (and I don't drink) Bonzi Lon

I've never owned a British car but have always heard every electrical switch had 3 positions. Off, blink and smoke. Didn't think the TR6 had a frame, either. About as surprised as seeing a truck frame under the 68 Roadster. Bonzi Lon

I got one from Fel-Pro just last week. I also was worried if it was cork, but it is the black rubber with cross hash marks on it. Part #VS 26070 A, fits L24, L24E, L26, L28E, L28ET. To the right of these #'s it says 'gasket set includes 1-27060A Valve cover'. (confusing) The end of the box has 'VS 26070 A.' Bonzi Lon

I have a thin wall deep well 1 1/16th socket that fits very snug over the crank bolt. Bonzi Lon

When I first read the title I thought it would be a TV show from the west coast. That 115 Blue Metalic is so nice! Congrats. Bonzi Lon

Thanks zed2, I'll have to get one before Branson and for sure by Nashville. Also will be putting in the cloth seats that were upholstered with extra padding. Bonzi Lon

And it is blue! Bonzi Lon

I tried that on some overspray on 168,500's stickers and took some of the printing off of the sticker. :stupid: Bonzi Lon

#110 has a sticker but has been covered with black spray paint. Bonzi Lon

This happened last year at Branson. My car got a slight sprinkle. First time it has had rain on it in 29 years! Each rain drop has the flash effect. An old timer came up to it and blew a puff on the rain drops. The drops scattered in a 6 inch circle and left the paint dry. He said I had a good wax job. Bonzi Lon

Remember, when putting on componets like the headlight buckets, valance, bumper, etc, to make the fit loose, do the adjustments, then tighten down. It may take several attempts to get it straight and square. I've always heard a dollar bill is used in the reflection test. Good if you can read the numbers closest to the paint, better if you can read both sets of numbers, best if you can read an 8X10 sheet of FSM. Bonzi Lon

Its hard for me to beleive that only 12 cars were built in December of 69, and one of them is in a Kansas garage! And was blue/blue no less. Bonzi Lon

There are also 2 brass fuel filters in the banjo fittings (bolt holding fuel inlet tube) in the lids of the carbs, or should be. Take them out, inspect, clean after you have done what Nigel1943 recomended. Bonzi Lon

About that carb oil. Unscrew the black knob on the top of each carb, inside will be a dip stick with 2 engraved lines, upper and lower. Where is the level, if any, of oil on the dip stick? If no oil or low it only takes about 2cc to fill. Straight 20wt is recomended but some use ATF, 3-in-1, motorcycle fork oil, etc... Don't worry to much about overfilling as the extra will be ran through the carb. An eye-dropper or straw & finger can be used to remove excess or changing out. The oil dampens the opening and closing of the suction piston, different weights of oil, amount of oil and temp will have an effect with throttle response. Bonzi Lon