Captain Obvious

Nice. I often find it's the little things like that which really add to driving satisfaction.

I've always been curious about the CA inspection... With a car this old, how do they verify the visual inspection? Is there a reference picture in an old greasy notebook somewhere they compare to or what?

I just went through this last spring. I bought a NOS aftermarket heater core off ebay to replace my leaker. But before I put the replacement in. I pressure tested it on the bench. I would run it higher than the release pressure on the cap, but I wouldn't take it over about 20 psi. Over 20 and you start to bulge the end caps out. I think if you keep it in the high teens, you should be OK. As for my heater core saga... The NOS replacement held pressure overnight on the bench, so I swapped it into position in the car. Drove like that this past summer, and by the end of the summer, the new one that I just put in was leaking. Farqing bastages.

OK... You have just crossed over into the realm of waaaaaay too much time on your hands. You spend all summer working outside, so in the winter you're bored out of your skull with cabin fever?

Yeah. Pics or it didn't happen. Have you ever tried using stone knives and bearskins?

Cool. I wouldn't have thought they rolled stuff that small either. Thanks for the link!

Yup, like that. I would go a little more with the bulge. Essentially do what you can try to recreate the shape of the bulges on the original fuel and coolant lines. Out of curiosity, does anyone know what process was used to form the original bulges? Were they hydro-formed?

My local far east supermarket has on the shelf in the meat dept "Beef for stir-fly". I was gonna say something, but didn't want to risk pissing someone off. Nice work on the radio stuff. I gotta ask though... Couldn't you have come up with something a little less conductive than building that whole thing on a piece of sheet metal? I know the stock radio chassis is sheet metal too, but didn't they at least put a piece of insulating material in there between the back of the board and the chassis?

My PO did the same thing with the slight single outward flare on the fuel lines and it was a pain in the tuchus. Difficult to get the rubber started over the flare, and cut up the inside of the tube over time. What I found worked a lot better was partially formed bubble flare. Do step one of a bubble flare, but don't push it out quite as far. Just enough to get a bulge that will keep the hose clamp from slipping off.

Well after digging into the MSDS literature for this stuff, I think I learned something interesting... The Marine Weld in the little tubes (they call it the twin tubs) looks to be the exact same stuff as the regular JB Weld. Same color, same strength, same MSDS. But the Marine Weld PUTTY is a different animal. So if you're all running out to purchase a blister pak of the twin tube version of Marine Weld thinking that it's going to be different than regular JB Weld, then you're in for a surprise. This stuff appears to be the same as regular JB Weld: But the putty form is different.

I met both of you, and am friends with both. The commutative property suggests that you and he are friends even if you haven't met.

Wow! You must have wanted to get the heck out of the garage something fierce!! You went from pink into purple.

In theory, a gasket is never required at that location, because there should never be brake fluid at that seam in the first place. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but you've got a master cylinder problem.

Wait, wait, wait... So is that a Tree Forty or a Tree Sixty?

You're not worthy.

Haha!! That's awesome! Did it miss the front suspension cross member, or is the steering rack growing right through it?

Cool. If I'd have slathered that stuff on, I'd need to add some additional dash mounting points to support the weight. I'm picturing a cable from the clock up to the rear view mirror mounting screws...

Dash continues to look good. Buttload of work, but looks good! So how does the weight of the dash compare to the original? Noticeable increase?

If you're looking for a performance mod, I would pull the stock 2.7 liter v6 and drop in a 2.8 liter in-line 6-cylinder. Nissan made a nice torquey 2.8 that fits very well Only other suggestion would be to put aftermarket wheels on it. As for the hood being turbo or not... They used the same vented hood on all versions in 83. I don't know my ZX's enough to tell if that's an 83, but if it is, then that's the stock hood regardless if it's turbo or not.

Glad to help! I've used those trailers a grand total of thrice now. Once, as the apprentice, helping jfa.series1. Once, as the teacher, hauling my sons new car home. Once, as the supervisor, hauling my buddy's 260Z to the paint shop. Those hold down strap system is pretty sweet.

Glad the trip worked out as planned. My only comment is that I thought you were supposed to have the strap centered down the middle of the tire. The lower ratchet point moves inboard and out to allow for adjustment, and I think centered is desired. I know it doesn't matter for you now, but maybe for the next guy? I'm no expert on the use of those trailers, but maybe someone else more experienced can confirm / deny?

Yup. That's from either 1985 or 86. I had just started working a real job out of college and for the first time in my life had enough money to buy food AND a car. That Z is why I have my current one. Rest it's soul... It died at the hands of a tractor trailer on the interstate in 1988. I was OK, but the Z didn't make it. The Jag in the background was owned by the guy a couple houses down. He also had a Lotus Esprit, and a Ferrari 308. Both were engine fire salvage wrecks and put them back together.

I don't have to wait ten seconds for my Z to pick up. I saw you mention this in the other thread and was going to ask... I second Zeds question. What RPM are you stomping at?

There are differences in how the 280 horn pad and the 240 horn pad mount, but as long as you are using everything from the same year (ish), then there's no problem. Get the 240 steering wheel, the 240 horn pad mounting hardware and stuff, and a 240 horn pad. They'll all work fine together and will fit on any year column. All the column splines and mounting scheme is the same for all the years.

Actually, the black part is the core, typically called a "ferrite core". It isn't a good conductor of electricity, but it is much better at conduction magnetic lines than air. The metal end rivet looking headed things just to make electrical connections to the wire. I don't know how deep they go, but I can guarantee that they don't go all the way from one end to the other. Think about it... If there was a conductive nail right through the middle of that thing, then the coil on the outside would be dead shorted out and would be superfluous.