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I scored a brand new, in the box, factory painted OEM Nogaro Red rear spoiler with all the hardware and upgraded OEM hatch struts and a new OEM front spoiler for less than $200 combined from a guy who just wanted to get rid of them. Courtesy wanted over $800 for the same combo.
I've been debating on whether or not I wanted to drill holes in the car's hatch, since they'd just be for the spoiler's plastic clips. I might just go with extra 3M automotive tape when I put the rear spoiler on.
Now that it's almost 10 years old, I'm thinking the car deserves a minor makeover. I'd like to get some new OZ wheels when my current tires are at their life's end (probably another year or so). I'm still waiting for most of my rear end components to come in the mail. I'm also thinking about upgrading the suspension (but only a little,) so I'm probably going to either go with Tokiko D-Specs or Bilstein B6s. I don't really want to take the coilover route and I don't want to lower the car since I'd constantly be bottoming out on my driveway with a front spoiler attached to it.
I'm keeping all the old bits so I can just revert the car back to factory (including the stereo) if I ever decide I want to take the car back to how it was when I drove it out of the showroom. Fun times ahead.
I"m no expert in this field and wanted your opinion. I have the rear end loose feeling. hoping the subframe collar/bushing will improve that. I also have some weird clunks and stress sounds when going over large bumps in the rear. Is there anything else I can have my shop do for me? I'm going to ask them when I drop my car off as well but wanted to see if you guys have any other suggestions.
Besides replacing the shocks with some generic OEM ones, I believe I also need the top mount bushing? Is this just to try to remove the noise or will this also help in overall handling of the car?
Last concern/question, because my valve cover has been sweeping out a little by a little for at least a year now it has caked on all over my engine block along with my alternator. Should I replace my alternator while doing this job? or should i just ask them to clean it up? it's been working pretty well without any issues so far.
My goal is to try to own this car for another 15+ years, and right now just trying to make sure I replace critical components and that I don't harm anything that may get very expensive down the end.
I"m no expert in this field and wanted your opinion. I have the rear end loose feeling. hoping the subframe collar/bushing will improve that. I also have some weird clunks and stress sounds when going over large bumps in the rear. Is there anything else I can have my shop do for me? I'm going to ask them when I drop my car off as well but wanted to see if you guys have any other suggestions.
Besides replacing the shocks with some generic OEM ones, I believe I also need the top mount bushing? Is this just to try to remove the noise or will this also help in overall handling of the car?
Last concern/question, because my valve cover has been sweeping out a little by a little for at least a year now it has caked on all over my engine block along with my alternator. Should I replace my alternator while doing this job? or should i just ask them to clean it up? it's been working pretty well without any issues so far.
My goal is to try to own this car for another 15+ years, and right now just trying to make sure I replace critical components and that I don't harm anything that may get very expensive down the end.
You should ask what the price difference between the subframe collars and just replacement with whiteline bushings would be. They both cost the same for the parts and I think replacement of the entire bushing would be a better choice.
For everything else if its not broken I wouldn't fix it.
Shop just told me its 200 to install the collars and 800 for the bushings.... what do you think? i can't afford 800 on the bushings right now. should i not do it and save for the bushings? is it really worth the difference? I'm probably not going to be tracking the car just using it for spirited canyon runs and road trips.
Damn that's a huge difference... Might as well just give the collars a try, im sure they are a good improvement.
If it was a $100 difference I would have said get the bushings replaced but $600 difference is ridiculous, I can't imagine they would take 6 hours longer in a professional repair shop.
But now that they are on... Not so excited about them.
Also they are super right on the hub, like had to force on with the lug nuts tight.... Like I'm going to have a horrible time when I take these off in 6 months tight... O well, hopefully they dont fall off, gotta go for a test drive...
But now that they are on... Not so excited about them.
Also they are super right on the hub, like had to force on with the lug nuts tight.... Like I'm going to have a horrible time when I take these off in 6 months tight... O well, hopefully they dont fall off, gotta go for a test drive...
Fingers crossed.
Mike, you sand/clean the corrosion from the hubs? There's no reason they should be so tight unless there's a build-up on the hub itself. Even here in usually dry California, I do that just about every time the wheels are off. The build up is visible!
A little emery cloth used like a shoe shine cloth does the trick. I used to put a little grease on 'em as well but haven't in a while.
Amen brudduh. Me and my wire brush set have gotten very well acquainted these last couple weeks. Have worn out three already working on 46 year old accumulations of chassis nasties on my S30.
They are on now so I'll just be dealing with the consequences in about 6 months, but for whatever reason they are tighter than any other factory wheel I've used.
Did the Costco test drive and re-torque and all seemed well.
I attempted to plastidip a stripe over my bad fade job, turns out plastidip doesn't appreciate 50° temperatures. So once that dried I peeled it off and wrapped it with 3m black...
Then drove it to Burlington coat factory and got some shoes (Velcro Rockport comfort shoes) and some pants and dog toys.
The differential bushings and removal/installation tool from Z1 Motorsports came in this weekend along with the new rear control arms. I was going to work on those, but spent half the day looking for a stupid $60 pinless universal impact joint that got lost somewhere in my garage last week. I swear to God, the way things go missing in my house, I must have a poltergeist or an inter-dimensional portal somewhere in the area where I keep my tool chests.
The differential bushings and removal/installation tool from Z1 Motorsports came in this weekend along with the new rear control arms. I was going to work on those, but spent half the day looking for a stupid $60 pinless universal impact joint that got lost somewhere in my garage last week. I swear to God, the way things go missing in my house, I must have a poltergeist or an inter-dimensional portal somewhere in the area where I keep my tool chests.
The differential bushings and removal/installation tool from Z1 Motorsports came in this weekend along with the new rear control arms. I was going to work on those, but spent half the day looking for a stupid $60 pinless universal impact joint that got lost somewhere in my garage last week. I swear to God, the way things go missing in my house, I must have a poltergeist or an inter-dimensional portal somewhere in the area where I keep my tool chests.
I get side tracked easily looking for things I know I have, they usually show up right after I buy a new one...
This weekend I came to the conclusion I have some tool hoarding tendencies. I was going to buy some new ratcheting wrench set untill I figured out I have like 6 sets.
10-31-2017, 08:39 AM
I wiped the dirt off with my glove... 
I'm Z-less til April - hibernation
