Wheel Well
I won a spare wheel well of ebay to put on the new body as it has had the well cutout and a flat piece of metal welded in place. Picked it up yesterday, $40 + $30 postage.
New Clutch and Oil Change
The new master and salve cylinder didn't completely fix the problem which pretty much meant the clutch needed to be replaced. There were 2 different clutches listed for the 260z from Repco. I ordered part number R63N as I already had an old box for one at home and figured it was the one I needed. Turns out this one is for the 240z, the 260z required a taller pressure plate (and a more expensive one, $230).
So I took the clutch back and they supplied the other part (number ####) however when I got home and opened it up it look like it had been used. Finally went back the 3rd time where they swapped it for an Exedy clutch for the same price (RRP $270). Got the gearbox back in and whilst it was up on the stands I did an oil change with a new filter.
Car is now back up and running again.
S&M of the cylinder variety
I tried bleeding the clutch recently and it was just pumping a heap of air through the system. Pretty sure the master cylinder is gone. Hopefully this was my "clutch" problem I previously mentioned.
Order a new master and slave cylinder from Repco which came to $125.
Part Numbers, prices and install to be updated.
Clutch-a-rific
Been hard to get in and out of gear lately, checked the fluids and they were low. I've topped them up but need to bleed it to make sure it is just the fluid and not the clutch on the way out. If it is it would be mighty irritating seeing as though we just had the gearbox out >:|
If it comes to that, I do have a spare heavy duty clutch that was in my yellow car briefly.
The other white meat
So I was driving behind a white Audi A5 recently and I really liked the paint. I'm thinking now of maybe doing the Audi 'Ibis White" instead of the "Mazda Crystal White Pearl".
New Gearbox
We got the new (old) gearbox in on the weekend. The box whines in all gears except 4th, but we knew this before putting it in. A member on VicZCar.com recommended mising 1/3 auto trans fluid with 80w 90 gearbox oil to help deglaze the rings which might stop some of the whine. It sounds more like a bearing issue to me though.
Anyway the box is in and the car is driving again.
Gearbox Troubles…
So last week I went to reverse the car out but the car was lurching forward when I would let the clutch out, then it was in 1st when it should have been in neutral. I'm pretty sure one of the nuts has come loose allowing the gears to move along the shaft. A bit annoying as this box was rebuilt not too long ago.
Anyway Steve was wanting a hand to replace his box in his 260 due to a slight whine whilst in gear. He said I could have his old box in exchange for one of the 6x9in speaker panels I had made which sounded like a pretty good deal to me.
We swapped Steve's box over yesterday and will hopefully do mine this coming weekend.
Sparkplugs
The front spark plug has been gunking up nearly every trip recently. It's not a good sign as the rest of the plugs are burning quite nicely which makes me think maybe piston or piston ring. Anyway filled it up with oil and cleaned the spark plug for the 5th time and it seems to be running alright now. I will rebuild the engine when I convert everything into the new body.
New Distributor Breaker Plates
My new vacuum advance pot and breaker plate assembly arrived from Z Specialites .
There is a plastic bearing housing on the 280zx electronic distributors the breaks over time (about 10 years I'm told) causing the vacuum advance to not function correctly. I ordered an "upgraded" metal breaker plate assembly from Z Specialties but it took about 2 months to complete the transaction and when they arrived they were still the plastic types. They offered a refund but with shipping etc it wouldn't have been worth it.
I have cad-ed up the bearing housing so i should be able to get some cut out of aluminium soon.
Guards
The new shell didn't come with any front guards. A member on VicZCar, Peter T, had just ordered a new set so his old ones were up for grabs. The headlight buckets were welded to the guards but I was thinking about doing this anyway to simplify all the lines on the car. I exchanged them for a new mechanical fuel pump I had ordered from Black Dragon but never used. Steve and I went to pick them up and ended up staying for a few hours having a good chat to Peter.
Welded Guards
Welded Guards
Rust on Guards
Rust on Guards
And a pic of the shell squeezed into is temporary home, out of the weather...
Guards Sitting on Shell
