New Project - no Fj content!

[Picopower]

Hello can damn,
Why the ramp? Are you moving car somewhere temporarily? I can't figure it out.

[CanDman]

Hello can damn,
Why the ramp? Are you moving car somewhere temporarily? I can't figure it out.

The ramp is so I can work under the car.......several major issues required me to get under the car...and this was the best solution I could come up with......

[CanDman]

Frank

Hey Gandolph......a little spit polish and grease and you may just end up riding this........



    Bikini model Jessica Henson gets a ride in a 1000hp 240z

[Flynt]

Been a while...  sorry.  I've gone a bit further than this already, but this is a good step.  A week ago we pulled the engine...

Recap:



Kind of took my time, had my long term buddy and fellow z owner Don helping.  Beers were consumed of course and happily nobody was injured...









And here's what I'll get back in a few months probably...



Got the teardown in high gear now, so I'll show you some rust shortly...

Frank

[Pat Conlon]

Frank...Looking at those SU carbs just reminded me....I found in the back corner of the top shelf in my garage a can of Dash Pot Oil....from my MGA/MGB days back in the mid'70's....(40 years ago...gulp)

Dash Pot Oil....go figure.

I know that you want to keep it looking stock externally, hence the SU's, but are you going to do any tricks on the inside of the engine?

[Flynt]

but are you going to do any tricks on the inside of the engine?

Of course...  Dave Rebello is building a stroked 2.75liter lump he came up with for just this kind of thing.  If you want to go into the 3liter realm, you need to go to a 280z block and I'd lose my "matching numbers" engine.  He takes the original 240 block, slightly bores then uses the diesel crank (from the later 810/Maxima Diesel) to increase displacement, puts in a mild cam, adds porting and polishing, balance and tune, etc.  The pictured engine is another guys motor he had ready for pickup to go in another early, matching numbers z.  He handed me the dyno sheet for it...  225ftlb at 4,300 and 242Hp at 6,500 (stock was 146/151), so yes it will be a bit quicker than stock.  I'm also adding a LSD to get the power down a bit more effectively.

Stock looking yes, but she'll have some secrets...

Frank

[Pat Conlon]

Yeppers...Rebello's is the top name here on the west coast.

Well known in the Miata crowd, they do amazing work.
Take a stock 1.8 Miata engine with 110rwhp/105ft.lb. Send it to the Bay Area and get back a 170rwhp/130ft.lb.normally aspirated engine that runs on pump gas, idles, and with the stock factory ECU passes the Ca.smog test........Gotta be Voodoo black magic.  Their Mazda E class race engines get ~300 rwhp normally aspirated.

Their cam profiles are proprietary, as is their head work. They can get flow numbers out of the Mazda head that match flow numbers from the stock Honda F series head. (S2000)

Yep, They are the best.

[Flynt]

Next update...  car is now completely stripped down and I'm doing some rust neutralization before it goes to the body and paint guys.  Every little piece is bagged and tagged awaiting restoration/replacement.  Suspension and subframe parts out for rebuilding and powder coating.  New interior vinyl/plastic parts on order...  lots of balls in the air right now.  Here are some pics:

Back on jack stands ready to strip


Stripped mostly, ready to mount on rotisserie to get at the bottom


On rotisserie, close to fully stripped and freshly degreased/pressure washed


I'm guessing June for start of re-assy.  I'll post pics of pretty parts as they return...

Frank

[movenon]

Looks good Frank.  On the last picture you should have Photoshopped out that rotisserie......   
Nice work.
George

[Pat Conlon]

Going to do any media blasting? What's the process you are going to use to rebuild the finish?

Quite a project. Makes me want to take my '55 bird out of the garage and do some work on her...

[Klavdy]

That's a really cool project, keep the words and pics coming please.

[motogp52]

I love the old 240z, my dad had a 72' 240z and I missed that car after he sold it.  Thanks for the pictures Frank you're obviously a talented man, looks like you have a beautiful place there is sunny California!

[Flynt]

Going to do any media blasting?

Not sure yet...  the body guy will make the call, but he's typically not fond of blasting or dipping a car.  He's also done dozens of concours Alfas, so I defer to his judgement pretty much.  He's going to be doing lots of cutting, welding, leading, pounding, etc.  Then we'll move it over to the paint guy...

What's the process you are going to use to rebuild the finish?

The paint guy I'm using did another z for me nearly 20 years ago...  he's got it covered and has already procured the paint.  Funny guy in that he won't really happily spray a color he doesn't like...  doesn't need to I guess.  Anyway, he loves the 907 dk green we're using... did a test piece to be sure.  The last z was the 918 Orange (really common z color) and he insisted we add some yellow to get the "poop brown" out of it.  He was right and the car is just a very clean looking 918 orange, even next to another 918 car.  A very good friend bought it from me and still owns it...  paint looks new at 20 yrs.

He's going to do the prep and prime with a tinted primer, then a single stage top coat.  The paints these days kind of suck, but he's using a solvent based Spies Hecker he really likes in the original color...  it was a 1 year only solid (non-metallic) dk green.  I'm going for a better than original finish and will rust protect the full chassis (unlike factory...  did you notice the under fender area is uncoated sheet metal!).  I want it to be original plus with emphasis on functionality in the coatings department. 

Makes me want to take my '55 bird out of the garage and do some work on her...

... and you're retired.  What the hell are you waiting for... 

Frank

[Pat Conlon]

Et Tu Brute?

I gotta listen to that same thing from SWMBO.... So I come here to the FJ Forum to escape, but nooooo...

I have too many projects. I'm currently resurrecting a Denver hard tail chopper I'm going to sell...
JMR would like this beast with a Honda CB750 and loooong springer front end.
I'll post some picts. which you will no doubt find amusing...

[Klavdy]

When are you going to have my chopper ready?