Picked up two strays from craigslist

[manimal]

1984 300zx Turbo VG30ET 134k miles and needs a ton of stuff. Rack is weepy as is the oil pan and the transmission pan. Sadly it is a auto but the swap is about a 4 hour job. May do it eventually but may keep it close to stock and keep it a survivor. Gonna swap in some Z32 seats and throw on some z32 NA rims on it soon. It needs shock and a bunch of other stuff but it runs and drives. Traded some parts and a window tint for the car

1996 GST spyder. Car had what appeared to have a lifter tick from hell. I offered the guy 300 bucks so I could part it out. He gave me a 500 limit and I figured I could get 500 easy enough since it had a bunch of newer parts on it. When I did my quick diag on it I noticed the tick changed when I put some load on the engine so I thought it may be something else. Payed 500 and gave the guy an oil change on his other car. After getting the car back to the shop I took the valve cover off and inspected the lifters. All were fine. Tore off timing cover and inspected and found something was hitting the front balance shaft belt. I cut the belt and deleted it. Put it back together and voila engine is fine 150s across the board compression. The gst does have way too many ebay parts on it including the turbo. Gonna get rid of the ebay turbo and throw in a 16g I have in it soon.


The 300zx once we clean the patina of crap off of it should clean up ok. two small rust spots are gonna get cut out and the underbody will get sprayed before it hits the road. There is so much hate for Z31s that I felt like I had to rescue this one from scrappers. So technically with the three 300zxs and a s13 I have a mini collection dont I? Dont hate on it because its auto because a manual will be in there shortly.




spyder is probably gonna go to my nephew who is turning 18. The z31 I am going to keep and do some things to like swapping in a s13 subframe and run s13 coil overs and putting in a new turbo. Miraculously the car still has the factory turbro from 1984 that is only oil cooled.

 

[phucheneh]

If that's the garage at your house, I'm going to poop in a box and mail it to you.

 

[JCH13]

:biggrin:

I love it when cars get rescued instead of being sent to the chop shop.

 

[halik]

I thought those ebay turbos aren't terrible? I think you need larger injectors with a 16g among other things.

 

[camoxiong]

nice z, loving the classic jdm

 

[JCH13]

I thought those ebay turbos aren't terrible?

My understanding and experience is that they're serious hit-or-miss. The QC is bad, but sometimes a good one makes it out.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Wheeler Dealer

 

[Black2na]

does the Z31 have a digital cluster? and seriously what would you want for it....PM me i think you and i need to talk

 

[manimal]

If that's the garage at your house, I'm going to poop in a box and mail it to you.

Its my shop shop. Been open a year and half. Come to town for the indy 500 next year and you can come to our indy 500 party next year! Nashville isnt so far!

:biggrin:

I love it when cars get rescued instead of being sent to the chop shop.

All my mechanics tried to talk me out of it. They thought it was too far gone. If the rust hasnt taken it its saveable. Picked up a reman rack for 120 bucks and 4 new shocks for 85 bucks till I covert the suspension to S13 parts.

 

[tracerbullet]

Nice job on the Spyder, $500 - wow.

 

[phucheneh]

My understanding and experience is that they're serious hit-or-miss. The QC is bad, but sometimes a good one makes it out.

...they're terrible.

The quality is pretty hit-or-miss on 'reputable' Chinese turbos...as in, the ones that are made for American resellers who are generally trying to provide a good product...but even if they don't experience premature death due to quality issues, they're still going to wear out faster and be far more likely to fail spectacularly. And the price you pay for the ones with 'good' QC starts getting closer to the cost of a 'real' turbo.

Garrett's gotten a little ridiculous with their pricing, especially with the shift torwards ball bearing units. But there are other companies still making nice journal bearing units. Borgs can be had new in the ~$700 range, and are not only reliable but easily rebuildable. Makes paying $300-400 for something 'possibly decent' seem rather silly.

 

[manimal]

I thought those ebay turbos aren't terrible? I think you need larger injectors with a 16g among other things.

What JC said! One can get lucky but playing russian roullete with engines is not my thing. At least its easy on a DSM.

nice z, loving the classic jdm

Thx ^^ I hope to one day have all of my favorites from back then. Need a FD, MK4 supra, and a 993 porsche among others!

 

[manimal]

Wheeler Dealer

I cant tell you how much enjoyment I get from saving cars. I am getting a dealer license within the year so it will get a little easier.

does the Z31 have a digital cluster? and seriously what would you want for it....PM me i think you and i need to talk

It does have digital cluster but is not a anniversary edition so no fender flares and bodysonic. Surprised you like Z31s! Already have a new rack in and am going over the bay and electrics.

Do you plan on building a z31?

 

[phucheneh]

Its my shop shop. Been open a year and half. Come to town for the indy 500 next year and you can come to our indy 500 party next year! Nashville isnt so far!

...okay, then; I like your shop. Still jealous.

But if that was just your 'dicking around with cars' space I was gonna be jealous...and vengeful.

I didn't know where Carmel was until I looked on a map...you're right outside Indianapolis, eh? My mom's side of the family was from Covington- dead west of you, right before the state line. No relatives left up there, though.

 

[manimal]

...okay, then; I like your shop. Still jealous.

But if that was just your 'dicking around with cars' space I was gonna be jealous...and vengeful.

I didn't know where Carmel was until I looked on a map...you're right outside Indianapolis, eh? My mom's side of the family was from Covington- dead west of you, right before the state line. No relatives left up there, though.

lol It actually started as a way to get my wife to not behead me for taking over the garage. I was there 4 months and every week someone wanted help with something because I had lifts... So I started charging em lol

 

[Black2na]

I cant tell you how much enjoyment I get from saving cars. I am getting a dealer license within the year so it will get a little easier.



It does have digital cluster but is not a anniversary edition so no fender flares and bodysonic. Surprised you like Z31s! Already have a new rack in and am going over the bay and electrics.

Do you plan on building a z31?

Love the Z's in all shapes and form. just keep happening into MR2's way cheaper . i just love how 80's the Z31's are Z32 Twin turbos by far my favorite it was the car i lusted after as a kid. and i will one day build an LSX 240Z. first things first i need to finish my MR2 collection. then i can start on another style of car! Z's may be next!

 

[Black2na]

and i love cars you dont see every day and the Z31 is such an undervalued car. love to build just weird cars. im on the hunt for a clean toyota corona cause i wanna build one with a modern Altezza(JDM IS300) 4cyl 3SGE. think it would be an awesome sleeper!

 

[CraigRT]

I cant tell you how much enjoyment I get from saving cars. I am getting a dealer license within the year so it will get a little easier.

I am so with you.
I wish I had more money and space. Time is not too bad, but money and the space to rescue cars is the hard part.

 

[tweakmonkey]

1984 300zx Turbo VG30ET 134k miles and needs a ton of stuff. Rack is weepy as is the oil pan and the transmission pan. Sadly it is a auto but the swap is about a 4 hour job. May do it eventually but may keep it close to stock and keep it a survivor. Gonna swap in some Z32 seats and throw on some z32 NA rims on it soon. It needs shock and a bunch of other stuff but it runs and drives. Traded some parts and a window tint for the car

There used to be a local one of these, gutted and pretty bad shape, but with big slicks and a ton of nitrous. They had spray bombed it camoflauge and used to bust off cars that would run 12s all day. They said the "forklift Nissan motor" was a beast and could take a ton of nitrous.

1996 GST spyder. Car had what appeared to have a lifter tick from hell. I offered the guy 300 bucks so I could part it out. He gave me a 500 limit and I figured I could get 500 easy enough since it had a bunch of newer parts on it. When I did my quick diag on it I noticed the tick changed when I put some load on the engine so I thought it may be something else. Payed 500 and gave the guy an oil change on his other car. After getting the car back to the shop I took the valve cover off and inspected the lifters. All were fine. Tore off timing cover and inspected and found something was hitting the front balance shaft belt. I cut the belt and deleted it. Put it back together and voila engine is fine 150s across the board compression. The gst does have way too many ebay parts on it including the turbo. Gonna get rid of the ebay turbo and throw in a 16g I have in it soon.

Great find! Wow for so cheap. Good call on the 16g

 

[Danimal1209]

150 compression is pretty low for a dsm. Perfect compression is 210 I believe. I think the service limit is 121.

 

[phucheneh]

150 compression is pretty low for a dsm. Perfect compression is 210 I believe. I think the service limit is 121.

Compression is a relative measurement. You don't judge the condition of an engine with a compression test; you use it to find a bad cylinder.

What you want is called a leakdown test.

 

[boomhower]

Good steal on the Eclipse. I've always liked that body style.

 

[manimal]

I am so with you.
I wish I had more money and space. Time is not too bad, but money and the space to rescue cars is the hard part.

Space is really the hardest part if you love it. Crazy thing with s chassis and Z chassis cars is they are so cheap now there is no reason to have a 2k project that you do something with every once in a while.

There used to be a local one of these, gutted and pretty bad shape, but with big slicks and a ton of nitrous. They had spray bombed it camoflauge and used to bust off cars that would run 12s all day. They said the "forklift Nissan motor" was a beast and could take a ton of nitrous.



Great find! Wow for so cheap. Good call on the 16g

I have a 96 talon as well and its gonna get hoosiers and a holset and should be fairly quick at the track if I can stop buying cars and finish that one.

 

[manimal]

150 compression is pretty low for a dsm. Perfect compression is 210 I believe. I think the service limit is 121.

If I had seen a big delta I would have done an additional leakdown. The three layer HG also dropped compression a little too.

Compression is a relative measurement. You don't judge the condition of an engine with a compression test; you use it to find a bad cylinder.

What you want is called a leakdown test.

Good steal on the Eclipse. I've always liked that body style.

I have always been a little more partial to 1gs but the 2g vert looks aight!



Welded in a straight pipe from the downpipe back and the Z sounds great! Rack, inner and outer tie rods, inner and outer wheelbearing and a new set of wheels!! I like the look of 350z touring wheels so much I got another set for the Z31~! Replaced CHTS-cylinder head temp sensor and FPR and drained the gas tank. Its got full fresh gas and fires up clean and idles fine. Its almost a real car!!!


The GST had all the gaskets and guides and seals done as and the boost leaks cleaned up. It was still going into limp mode when it started to boost becuase the Big 16 needs a bit more juice than those trash stockers. Put in a set of 450s and will install a translator next week sometime when it comes in from full throttle. Easiest tune EVER!

Will post some pics of tomorrow. Still lots to do on both. My nephew came over this weekend to see his car and he about passed out he was so exited. I told him if he fucks up ANYTHING before graduating and the car goes to someone else. Man if I only had an awesome uncle when I was his age.

 

[manimal]

and i love cars you dont see every day and the Z31 is such an undervalued car. love to build just weird cars. im on the hunt for a clean toyota corona cause i wanna build one with a modern Altezza(JDM IS300) 4cyl 3SGE. think it would be an awesome sleeper!

If you want a z31 turbo there is another one on Craigslist here in indy cheap!!!

http://muncie.craigslist.org/cto/3650757984.html

body is a little rough but nothing for your magic hands!

I was looking at z31 prices country wide and I gotta say being able to find one for 1500 to me seems crazy cheap. What other 1500 dollar cars have an engine capable of 400 at the wheel with BPUs and a little balls?

You know you all want one!