Finished my tube front and all the intake side of the kit, including manifold. Which is complete including the wetjet cut viton gasket.

 

Dropped off to oil collection.

 

so I did install my isr long tubes, new solid engine mounts and installed a second wideband so I can see both banks.
during the install, I did disconnect the steering linkage and tried to make a joke by asking my son to turn the steering wheels. after a few turns he mentioned it felt weird. lol.

little did I know that the clock spring would die from excessive turning. so I took the whole thing apart and redo the clock spring internal connections.

after 2 days of messing with it. it is done and I was able to reset the airbag light. I also do have a functioning horn too. yay!

 

Since the first of the year, I've completed an engine swap on my son's Chevy Equinox, replaced a transmission solenoid pack on my in-laws' Dodge Intrepid, and replaced the upper spring seats on my wife's V70R. I finally get to start in on my Z to get it ready for Summer driving.

So, for today, I started on the exhaust replacement. I have low-mileage OEM take-offs to replace everything from the exhaust manifolds back. The muffler (a CarEx or Midas cheapo) half fell off at the end of last season - I ripped it all the way off so I could drive home - so that was already removed. Today, I removed the mid-pipe. More to follow in the coming days

 

Dove into a Valve cover Gasket Replacement last night, Now im sitting at work trying to figure out how people get it back together without removing all the wiring.... Pray for me!

 

My Z will never be a car show winner, but I'm trying to take care of some little items here and there. Today's accomplishment was to reattach the heat shield that sits above the rear muffler. The old one had corroded through at the attachment points (due to galvanic corrosion), so I used a method to reattach it that I successfully used on our minivan some years back. I punched oversize aluminum washers to use above and below the mounting holes of the heatshield, and coated everything with anti-seize.

I always get a kick out of being able to use my dad's old tools to complete a repair. Here I was able to use an old metal punch set that he had to create the washers. This tool has to be 50 years old.


Here is the heatshield with the corroded-out mounting holes.


The antiseize was coated on the mounting studs, as well as both sides of the aluminum washers. Again, I put one washer on the body-side of the heatshield, and another on the underside. The anti-seize is not on the studs, yet, in this picture.


Here are the washers shown in place over a couple of the mounting holes.


And then the heatshield was installed.


BTW, it looks like I'll need to replace the splashshield in this back corner. Anyone have one available?

 

SInce the car was sitting in the shade - and I was shamed because my wife's car got a full polish and detail yesterday.... I washed it. First time since before COVID-19 and SIP.

Not worth pictures.

But wife's car OTOH, the roof yesterday 7am (car wash thingies don't clean the roof so good due to the year 'round ski racks.) My Z was this dirty but not stained like this at least.


4 hours, 3-stage polish (whole car), hand rubbed wax. Happy.


This SIP stuff does strange things to people. Made me do the above. And I only promised her I'd do it.... a year ago!

 

Rubbed one out by hand huh.

 

Only the best for the best.

And thanks, Trav.... you woulda disappointed me if you didn't say something to that straight line.

 

 

took off the front end yesterday, started taking the harness off today. getting ready to drop the engine

 

I love the cover, I think if you polish it, it'll be like billet chrome.
You painted or buy caps for the PS?

Meanwhile over here, I bought Works Bell hub and Sabelt wheel... until I got a message that the shop cannot ship to USA. So... I wonder if anyone has a OMP / Sparco / Sabelt for cheap /sigh

 

Caps were painted nearly 5 years ago, my son did just repaint them today using clear like i did on the intake plenum this time around. I liked the darker color without clear but much harder to keep clean.
Timing cover is actually pained, Hate keeping up with polishing. A little spill and looks horrid again. Eventually need to do some touch ups on the radiator due to staining.

 

I'm in the middle of replacing the exhaust system from the exhaust manifolds back. Since it's up in the air, anyway (on jackstands...I don't have a lift - yet), I'm also going to install the take-off Nismo shocks/springs that I picked up last year, and also the stainless brake line set.

Speaking of the stainless brake line set, does anyone have links to good pictures of the front one-piece lines installed? I think I have the routing right, but I couldn't find directions anywhere for something the Z1 base line kit: https://www.z1motorsports.com/z1-pro...es-p-2998.html

 

Finally installed my seats this weekend that I bought over a year ago.

 

man that looks really nice. how many miles on the car? Steering wheel looks brand new

 

Thanks, man. The car has about 93,000 miles on it right now...the previous/original owner had the steering wheel wrapped in alcantera. I got the car with 58,000 miles on it and have tried to take really good care of the car.

 

New Wheels

 

Can't believe you waited a year to put those Nismo seats in, would not have lasted me a month sitting there without install haha.

 

Right after I bought them, my wife and I bought a house and then spent a few months remodeling before we moved in...then the holidays happened, then COVID happened...life just got busy! Also required ordering new Recaro base frames from Europe and then some other bits to get it all installed, but totally worth it.