Captain Obvious

Thin piece of sheet metal with some black textured paint from the big box store? Might keep you satisfied until you get a better replacement?

Oh, and I added a third light bulb in the speedo to fix that 1:00 position dark spot up by 80 mph. My nighttime speedo is now completely awesome!! I think of reasons to go driving at night because I just like looking at it!

I've been working hard to get my car ready for the trip as well. This will, by far, be the farthest road trip this Z has ever made with me at the helm. I put in a new rear diff mount with customized easy to wrench hardware - I took lots of pics and I'll get to the details sometime when I get a chance. While I was back there, I also sewed myself a replacement upper strap - Again, lots of pics and details. I put in new fusible links - Old links seemed looked and worked just fine, but looks can be deceiving. I got voltage and current measurements to discuss later. The last project I'm trying to get done is some homemade bumper ends for my newly retracted front bumper. They are Dilbert quality beta units at this point.

That is just awesome. I love the camaraderie. Did SteveJ have oil of Aphrodite and the dust of the grand wazoo?

Thanks guys. I know all the driving impressions are subjective, but the descriptions sound perfect. It's been a long time since I pulled a transmission out of a Z. Long time. And I'm sorry for the thread detour as well.

Yeah. that's the kind of picture I wasn't allowed to post. I'm glad you can laugh at the situation and I'm also glad it was just a couple stiches. So how long did the Dr. say until you are allowed to give other driver's the finger again?

What exactly do you mean by that?

Thanks guys, I'm not really concerned with the ethanol as I can't get away from it where I live. I haven't been able to buy no-ethanol fuel for a number of years now. Gas prices in my area are maybe $2.50 per gallon right now, so it seems a little cheaper on the US side. Of course, I have no idea (yet) what the prices will be in the Buffalo/Niagara NY are which is where I'll probably cross over. As for $$, I'm thinking that I'm going to use my credit card for most things and let them hash out the exchange rate, but I think it would be a good idea to have some Canadian pocket $$ for things like Tim Horton's, etc. I don't want to get the dirty looks like SteveJ got. I get enough of that already for lots of other reasons. I'm thinking that if I get a chance, I'll stop at a bank for the conversion. So Namerow, You're planning to be at this event?

So any idea what was the overall change in mass? The reason I ask... I put a lightweight flywheel in my POS Civic (because that's what all the cool kids do), but I made sure to use the stock style pressure plate and clutch disk. With my Civic, the stock clutch and pressure plate together weigh almost as much as the stock flywheel, so going to a lightweight flywheel wasn't that dramatic of a change. I didn't need a tricky to drive in traffic quick spooling stab at the throttle nightmare. I just wanted something where the engine would decelerate at the rate the transmission wanted it. Prior to making that change, when I up-shifted gears in the Civic, by the time I let the clutch out, the engine RPMs were still way higher than where they should have been for the new gear. I think the flywheel was designed with too much mass for the system and by going to a lighter flywheel and slightly reducing the entire mass of the system, I think I better matched the RPM drop between gears. And I get the same feeling from my Z. Not as bad as the Civic, but a little bit. Or maybe I just shift too fast and work my synchros harder than I need to?

Whatever it takes! Sorry that you slipped. Just take care of yourself and keep it clean and dry. You'll be better quickly. And don't do that again!!

And also for any of you seasoned travelers... If I need gas, would it be better to fill up on the American side, or the Canadian side? And how about money exchange? If I want some Canadian money, should I get that on the US side, the Canadian side, or not bother at all?

Thanks for the tips about the emergency vehicles. Some states here have that law, but I don't think anyone enforces it. So what if you're boxed in and can't move to the left? Do they let you slide for that, or do you have to come to a complete stop and wait until you get a break in the other lane traffic and move over?

Site, Thanks for the info. So when you put his 10 lb flywheel in, did you put in a light pressure plate as well, or did you go stock weight there?

I was cutting carrots tonight after you started this thread and my wife wouldn't let me take a pic of a bunch of carrot slices on a cutting board with half a hot dog... Took the camera from me.

Ummmmm.... Really?

siteunseen, You're running a lightweight flywheel in one of your cars, right? What's the detail with that? What brand, etc?

Jims, Wow you've still got a long way to go. Hope it's smooth sailing! And Granny, Thanks for that weather forecast! Looks good so far!

Umm... Why? What happens if you don't? (I just want to hear you say it..... )

Yes, Having a bunch of Jims together is crazy fun. If you're the only one this time, maybe you can claim multiple personalities to cover the field? I'll do my best to cover the gaps. Rule 1 - No Pooftas, eh? So JimK, when are you getting there?

Haha! OK, here's a translation: "He likes good beer."

Support your local brewery I see: Ol' Factory Pils - 5% ABV Traditional in concept with a Two Roads twist…dry hops. We use a combination of classic German as well as American hop and malt varieties in our Pils. We renovated a 100 year-old factory building and designed this Pils to have “extra” aroma…so, pardon the pun! Crisp…refreshing…refined. 2015 GIBF silver medal- Continental Pilsner

Sorry that it's too far for a bunch of you guys, and jfa, I'm so sorry to hear that you were planning to attend, but have been sidelined by problems. zKars, you misunderstood the Jim... S30Driver (Jim) was saying that he and Zup (Jim) would probably be at the ZAttack in Nashville, not this upcoming Zcon. So, now that jfa had to bow out, none of the three (S30Driver, Zup, or jfa) are going to be in Toronto. But you'll have me!!

I'm on final approach for this event. In theory, I'm registered and have hotel reservations. My plan is to spend Wednesday night in Niagara Falls, CA and then finish the drive to Toronto on Thursday morning. Here's my rough interpretation of the schedule of events for the days: Tuesday - Opening reception at hotel and chili party dinner evening Wednesday - Judged show at hotel and dinner cruise evening Thursday - Track day at motorsport course and distillery district evening Friday - Autocross and road rally - nothing planned for evening Saturday - Peoples choice car show at Bruce's Mill and awards banquet evening Obviously, I'm going to miss the first two days, but I'm planning to do the distillery district event and go to the people's choice show on Saturday (as a spectator, not a contestant). And I'm hoping to make the banquet at the end. Who's the social director this time? I can foresee another emergency meeting of the ClassicZ Club at the hotel bar!

Haha! Consistency! Good luck with the radio. I have no doubt that you'll get it working. And make money, almost at the same time!

I know almost nothing about this whole process and I find it neat that you guys are able to do this kind of work. Is the chromate coating an electroplate process like the zinc, or is it just a paint like coating that "dries"? In other words, when you're applying the chromate, do you run electrical current through the parts, or do you just dip them into a solution and then pull them out?