Suite aux qualifications qui ont eu lieu samedi après-midi à Phillip Island et à l’annonce de Bridgestone, qui ne pouvait garantir la fiabilité des pneus slick arrière, et donc la sécurité des pilotes, sur une distance supérieure à 14 tours, la Direction de Course a décidé d’instaurer une règlementation spéciale pour le Grand Prix Tissot d’Australie :
1. La course comprendra 26 tours (au lieu de 27).
2. Chaque pilote devra faire au moins un arrêt par la pit-lane pour passer sur une seconde machine équipée de pneus neufs.
3. Aucun pilote ne pourra faire plus de 14 tours sur le même pneu slick arrière. Par conséquent, un pilote qui change de machine avant le 12ème tour devra impérativement faire un deuxième arrêt aux stands pour finir la course.
4. Les pilotes « Factory » et « Satellite » devront utiliser le pneu « dur » (B51DR), dont Bridgestone fournira des exemplaires supplémentaires.
5. Les pilotes CRT devront utiliser l’option « dure » CRT (B50DR), dont Bridgestone fournira des exemplaires supplémentaires.
6. La zone de limitation de vitesse de la pit-lane sera rallongée à l’entrée comme à la sortie et une voie de sortie pour rejoindre la piste sera indiquée par une ligne blanche en bord de piste. Franchir cette ligne pour rejoindre la piste avant l’endroit prévu à cet effet sera pénalisé.
The change came courtesy of an announcement from Race Direction after qualifying on Saturday, with Bridgestone having announced that it is unable to guarantee the safety of its rear slick tyres beyond 14 laps.
It has therefore been decided to make the following changes to the MotoGP™ class race in the interests of safety:
1. The race distance will be 26 laps (previously scheduled to be 27)
2. Every rider will be required to enter the pits and change to their second machine with fresh tyres at least once during the race.
3. No rider is permitted to make more than 14 laps on any one slick rear tyre. This means that a bike/tyre change before lap 12 would require a second bike/tyre change to finish the race
4. Riders using ‘Factory’ and ‘Satellite’ machines will be required to use the ‘hard’ option tyre (B51DR). Extra quantity will be allocated by Bridgestone
5. Riders using CRT machines will be required to use the CRT ‘hard’ option tyre (B50DR). Extra quantity will be allocated by Bridgestone
6. The pit lane speed limit zone will be extended both on entry and exit and the exit route to rejoin the track will be marked by a white line in the runoff area; crossing this line whilst rejoining the track from pit lane will result in a penalty
In Jerez, during the final WSBK round of the 2013 season, Carlos Checa, after twenty years of racing and success, has confirmed his decision to retire. The announcement was made by the Spaniard himself, in the presence of journalists, colleagues, sponsors and friends who were invited to the Ducati Alstare hospitality today. An intimate and emotional affair, which gave Checa the chance to thank a world that he has belonged to for many years and to which he has made such an important contribution.
Unfortunately Checa has not been able to end his career as he would have wanted, due to a bad accident at Istanbul last month which has prevented him from participating in the final rounds of this 2013 season. Despite a challenging year, Carlos retires from professional motorsport a very satisfied man, taking with him countless successes, memories and lifelong friendships.
Such passion and dedication could not end with goodbye. As Carlos Checa announced his retirement, Ducati took the opportunity to confirm that he will have a role as ambassador, allowing the Catalonian to continue to collaborate with Borgo Panigale as a very special Ducatista.
In celebration of Carlos' 20th anniversary of competition, Nolan wanted to create a commemorative helmet, with special graphics dedicated to this important milestone. The helmet was presented this afternoon, just after Carlos' retirement announcement, further heightening emotions for those present.
Another demonstration of affection and esteem arrives from the circuit of Jerez, that has decided to dedicate a part of its 'Hall of Fame' in its new museum (that will be opened to the public in 2014) to Carlos Checa, his brilliant career and WSBK World Title - he remains the only Spanish rider up until now to have achieved this goal.
"This year I am celebrating twenty years of racing" said Carlos Checa "at world championship level. I am extremely proud of this long sporting career, which has given me many special memories of all the teams I have worked with. I have had the opportunity to compete at the highest level, riding the best bikes and winning against the best rivals. My aim has always been to discover my limits and to be able to take a close look at myself in order to continue to learn, grow and become a better rider and a better person. This is something that would not have possible without taking this path, full of risk, but which has also provided me with great challenges, adversaries and emotions; a long climb which culminated with my best season in 2011. There is a moment that will always arrive in the life of a sportsman, the day on which you say enough is enough."
"This day has arrived for me today" he continued. "It was not an easy decision, but one that I've thought long and hard about. I am grateful to the entire motorcycle family, to those who make it possible for this world to exist and especially to those who have supported me and followed me from the start, for having given me the opportunity to pursue my dream and live a life that I wouldn't have changed for any other. I will now move on to discover new things about myself, a new and stimulating phase now begins for me in Ducati. It will take time to adapt but I am confident about my future and the satisfactions that it will surely continue to give me. Thanks again to everyone for being here to support me on what is a very special day for me, definitely emotional but also unforgettable."
Présent à Jerez à l'occasion de la dernière manche de la saison WSBK 2013, à laquelle il ne participe pas en raison de ses blessures, Carlos Checa a annoncé qu'il mettait fin à sa carrière de pilote après vingt années de compétition marquées par de nombreuses réussites. L'annonce a été faite par l'Espagnol lui-même, devant les journalistes, ses collègues, ses sponsors et ses amis qui avaient été conviés à l'hospitality de Ducati Alstare. Un moment d'émotion, dont Checa a profité pour remercier le monde auquel il a appartenu durant tant d'année et auquel il a offert une inestimable contribution.
Checa n'a malheureusement pas pu terminer sa carrière de la manière dont il l'aurait souhaité, en raison de l'accident dont il a été victime le mois dernier à Istanbul et qui l'a privé de sa participation aux dernières manches de la saison 2013. Malgré une dernière année difficile, Carlos quitte la compétition avec de nombreuses satisfactions, d'innombrables victoires, de merveilleux souvenirs et des amis qu'il gardera pour toujours.
Véritable passionné, Checa ne pouvait pas quitter le paddock en rompant tous ses liens et Ducati a profité de l'annonce de son départ en retraite pour confirmer qu'il prendrait un rôle d'ambassadeur pour la marque italienne, afin que le Catalan continue à collaborer avec Borgo Panigale et demeure un Ducatista hors-norme.
Pour fêter ses vingt ans de carrière, Nolan avait préparé un casque commémoratif avec un design spécial pour marquer le cap. Le casque a été dévoilé cet après-midi, juste après l'annonce de Checa, visiblement touché par les nombreuses marques d'affection que lui avaient réservées ses collaborateurs.
Le Circuito de Jerez a aussi rendu hommage à Checa en décidant de lui dédier un espace dans le « Hall of Fame » de son nouveau musée (qui ouvrira en 2014), pour sa brillante carrière ainsi que son titre WSBK, qu'il est le seul Espagnol à avoir remporté.
« Cette année je fête mes vingt ans de compétition en Championnat du Monde, » a déclaré Carlos Checa. « Je suis extrêmement fier de cette longue carrière sportive, dont je garde beaucoup de souvenirs très particuliers, avec tous les teams avec lesquels j'ai travaillé. J'ai eu l'opportunité de courir au plus haut niveau, de courir avec les meilleures motos et de gagner contre les meilleurs rivaux. Mon objectif a toujours été de trouver mes limites et d'être capable de faire face à moi-même pour continuer à apprendre, grandir et devenir un meilleur pilote, mais aussi une meilleure personne. C'est quelque chose qui n'aurait pas été possible si je n'avais pas choisi cette voie, pleine de risques, mais qui m'a fourni de grands challenges, des grands adversaires et de grandes émotions. Une longue ascension qui a culminé avec ma meilleure saison en 2011. Il y a toujours dans la vie d'un sportif, un moment où l'on se dit que ça suffit. »
« Pour moi, ce jour est arrivé aujourd'hui, » a ajouté Checa. « Ce n'était pas une décision facile mais un choix auquel j'ai longtemps réfléchi. Je suis très reconnaissant envers toute la grande famille du motocyclisme, envers tous ceux qui rendent ce monde possible et surtout envers ceux qui m'ont soutenu et suivi depuis le départ, pour m'avoir donné l'opportunité de poursuivre mon rêve et de vivre une vie que je n'aurais jamais échangé pour une autre. Je vais m'orienter vers d'autres choses et découvrir de nouvelles choses, notamment avec une nouvelle phase qui commence maintenant avec Ducati. Il va me falloir du temps pour m'adapter mais je suis optimiste pour mon avenir et pour les satisfactions qu'il m'apportera. Merci, encore une fois, à tous pour être venus ici pour me soutenir en ce jour qui est si spécial pour moi, un moment d'émotion et un moment inoubliable. »
Eugene Laverty (Aprilia Racing Team) a décroché sa seconde Tissot-Superpole de la saison, et de sa carrière en WSBK, samedi suite à un duel serré face au leader du Championnat du Monde eni FIM Superbike, Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team). L'Irlandais s'est assuré de partir en tête de la grille de départ pour la dernière manche de la saison 2013 avec un meilleur tour bouclé en 1'40.620 et tout juste 0.048s d'avance sur le Britannique. Complètera cette première ligne de la grille de départ pour les deux dernières courses de la saison l'Italien Davide Giugliano (Althea Racing Aprilia), apparemment prêt à se battre pour la victoire après s'être affirmé aux avant-postes depuis le début du week-end.
Sur la S 1000 RR, Marco Melandri (BMW Motorrad GoldBet) a réalisé le quatrième temps et mènera donc une deuxième ligne sur laquelle il retrouvera Sylvain Guintoli (Aprilia Racing Team) et Toni Elias (Red Devils Aprilia). Ce dernier est tombé dans le virage n°3 dans la troisième partie de la Superpole, à cinq minutes du drapeau à damier, et a ainsi perdu sa dernière tentative de viser la pole position.
De retour de blessure ce week-end, Leon Camier (FIXI Crescent Suzuki) continue d'afficher une belle compétitivité et s'est qualifié en septième position, devant le pilote local Xavi Forés (Team Ducati Alstare) et Mark Aitchison (Team Pedercini Kawasaki). L'Australien signait sa meilleure qualification et s'offrait un départ en troisième ligne amplement mérité.
Absents de la Tissot-Superpole, les Français Sylvain Barrier, qui fait ses débuts en Superbike avec BMW Motorrad GoldBet, et Jules Cluzel (FIXI Crescent Suzuki) s'élanceront respectivement des seizième et dix-huitième positions.
Eugene Laverty (Aprilia Racing Team) has claimed his second Tissot-Superpole of the year - and of his WSBK career - today after a close battle with Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team). The Irishman put in a fast lap of 1'40.620, edging the Championship leader for just 0.048s. The first row on the grid for final two races of the year is completed by Davide Giugliano (Althea Racing Aprilia), who is keen to play his part tomorrow after the consistently good performances of the first two days at Jerez.
The top-3 riders in Tissot-Superpole were joined at the SBK Paddock Show press conference by Spaniard Carlos Checa, who made official earlier today his retirement from racing and will keep staying with Ducati as an official ‘ambassador’.
Marco Melandri (BMW Motorrad GoldBet) rode his factory S 1000 RR up to fourth place, with Sylvain Guintoli (Aprilia Racing Team) and Toni Elias (Red Devils Aprilia) to follow. The Spanish rider had a crash at Turn 2 during the third Superpole session, with five minutes left, that ruined his chances of getting a better starting position.
Leon Camier (FIXI Crescent Suzuki) continued to impress on his WSBK return and, despite not being 100% fit, he secured the 7th slot on the grid over local rider Xavi Forés (Team Ducati Alstare) and Mark Aitchison (Team Pedercini Kawasaki). The Australian rider got his best-ever qualifying result today and a well-deserved 3rd row start.
Pendant 10 jours, une anachronique caravane a traversé la France entrainant un effluve de pionniers. Ça tombe bien car l’idée de ce rallye est de retrouver les « valeurs humaines des grandes épopées mécaniques des années 79 à 90 ». Dans le contexte actuel traverser la France de cette manière est bien un retour à l’aventure réelle… et à la détermination qui va avec.
A la vitesse sur les grands plateaux sablonneux, la préférence sur ce rallye raid historique est plus axée entraide, solidarité et détermination car ici point de chrono mais une savante connaissance et interprétation de la lecture d’un road book. Certains, au départ, se demandaient si l’instrumentation sophistiquée sur les motos était bien nécessaire…bah oui, car manipuler un antique lecteur de road book manuel avec des changements de directions incessants relève plus de l’acrobatie que du pilotage. Non, pour rallier Château Lastours en passant par tous les CP, il fallait vraiment se prendre au jeu même si le chrono ne comptait pas.....
Andrew Hull from Austin, Minnesota, is one of those guys recently returned to meddling with bikes in his backyard, and getting to the point where his work needs a proper brand and yo be properly shared with others, and as a starting point he’s made a superb job of turning this 1979 Yamaha xs400 into a Brat/Scrambler hybrid. Normally we have to we-write the builder’s story, but in this case, Andy tells it best himself, without any interference from us…
I’m Andy Hull I started riding and modifying bikes when I was 15. I started out with a old Tomos Silver Bullet moped. I went from two wheels into four wheels then decided that four wheels consumed to much space in my little shop/garage so I returned to my roots two years ago when I started picking up motorcycles again. I now have 11 bikes in the garage, some including my old moped, I just recently stumbled across and bought back.
I’m a painter by trade, houses and businesses not cars or motorcycles. I actually went to school to be a cylinder head machinist but some how took up painting instead. I worked as a mechanic for a few years out of high school and it started to kill my love for working on things so I took up painting with my father, but I did not kill the love of metal and bolts when I did this. I brought all my tools home and started to tinker with some older motorcycles and found that it just invigorated me. I sold my first bike last winter it was a slightly modified Kawasaki KZ400 and that was the beginning of Hold Fast Motors.
I bought this 1979 XS400 from an old farmer a few hours from my home town, he had been letting his grand kids ride it all over the farm so when I got the bike it looked like it had gone through a tropical storm. I rolled it off the truck and began by ditching everything that was not essential to what I wanted to build. I started with the frame, I removed the rear shock stays and re-mounted them more forward on the frame, lifting the rear of the bike a good two inches.
The rear frame hoop was chopped off and a new custom hand made hoop was made. I then had a good friend build me a seat pan to fit the shorter frame section and re upholstered it in black and tan. The seat was really what the bikes color scheme was based on. I loved the contrast of color it had so I spread it throughout the bike.
The tank was the next to be modified. I read an article online about adding knee indents to tanks and I loved the look of old cafe racers with them, so I decided to do that. After some good hammering and body work it was right where I wanted it. I sent it over to a good friend and pinstriper Jeremy Pedersen of Relic Kustoms where he added the Hold Fast Motors badge on the sides and added some highlights with some well laid lines. The frame was then sprayed in a gloss black and set aside to be assembled.
When I got the bike it had an issue with the electric starter and kick starter. I pulled the engine out because I was going to freshen it up anyway, and when I opened the side case I found a sheared off kick starter journal. This threw a hammer in my progress. I started searching online for a set of engine cases to swap my internals into. After a few weeks I found a set of low milage cases on eBay and had them sent to me. I reassembled the engine and gave it a good coat of flat black engine paint.
I ditched the stock mufflers and instead made some custom turn downs with home made screw in baffles for back pressure. The engine sucked in through a pair of stock carbs re-jetted for the XS Performance pod filters. I hated the look of the battery just hanging out under the seat so I had Nick Pedersen make me up a leather battery surround with a pocket on one side and a compartment for all the essential wires and fuses to be tucked into on the opposite side.
The wheels are stock just repainted to match the rest of the bike and the tires are some knobby Kenda dual purpose rubbers I found online. The steering is done with a old vintage set of motocross handle bars. I ditched the stock head light and went with a smaller chrome unit I found on Craigslist. The stock speedo and tacho were destroyed from the farmers grand kids so I bought a mini speedo and mounted it up on the top triple tree.
The bike was one of those builds that really evolved with time, it was going to be a cafe racer when I first brought it home then I fell in love with the brat style bikes that I was seeing on The Bike Shed and BikeEXIF. I then re watched “The Great Escape” and fell in love with the Triumph Steve was riding in the chase. The one that was built to look like a war era BMW. The knobby tires and the rough look of it enthralled me so it went from a brat bike to a knobby tired scrambler. I would have never pictured this bike in my head it just evolved slowly into what it is now, I don’t think I could ever just draw up a design of a bike and build it, first off I don’t have the skill to do that and second I really enjoy sculpting and changing things as they go until they meet my satisfaction…
It’s a really great looking build, Andy – Thanks for sharing with all of us. We look forward to seeing what comes out of the Hold Fast Motors garage next.
Steel bent Customs are back on the Bike Shed, and having set themselves a firm reputation for bikes with a firm rear end it’s interesting to see a bike with a little more seat padding than their usual hard-assed brat style customs, but this T100 still has all the usual SBC touches that make them one of our most popular builders.
The donor is a 2008 Bonneville, and was sent to Michael & Co in Tampa, Florida all the way from the Mediterranean, having been bought unseen and accompanied by a set of pictures and rough ideas of what he wanted. Being a newer bike, she was mechanically sound, but the owner wanted something very special.
First up the wheels needed to be lightened, so Michael got in touch with Doug at the Devon Wheel Company in the UK to get some wider and lighter rims laced-up in satin black with stainless steel spokes. The 4.5 inch rear and 3.5 inch front could then be fitted with a Continental TKC80 150 & 120.
Meanwhile the guys got started on the frame, looping the rear, adding support for the exhaust and a smaller rear fender. The 2:1 Arrow Exhaust was designed for the Scrambler, so they had to modify the right side cover along with the rear master cylinder and fuse box. The stock shocks were removed & replaced with a fresh set of fully adjustable Öhlins from British Customs.
The seat pan was hand made to account for the battery placement & rear fender clearance, while the (unusually comfy) seat foam was upholstered in leather with orange piping & stitching to match the paint scheme. The chrome engine covers were pulled off and powdercoated in satin black and the chain guard and cover were drilled for looks and lightness. Stock instruments were replaced by a mini Motogadget gauge. The Headlight is a MuzaMoto unit, complemented by LED bar end turn signals and a cat-eye rear light.
The paint scheme uses matte silver with a Coast Guard orange accented stripe that flows from the tank down to the brush guard. As a final touch the guys relocated the tank filler hole from the right side to the center and mounted a camera-lens style removable Francis Barker compass, following the design with a custom fabricated headlight guard.
Michael goes on to say; “This was by far one of our most exciting builds. The client spared no expense building one incredibly unique bike that is sure to inspire anyone with a stock Bonneville on the streets today.” We agree, it’s not your average scrambler and great to see SBC spreading their style onto a modern Triumph.
If there’s one thing I can admit to, it’s this: I absolutely love a project, and every aspect of it. From the initial vision, whether it’s a picture in my mind or a sketch on a sheet of scrap paper, to the procurement of the assets, then working through the pains and pleasures of the process – it’s all good fun. The moment you get to the home stretch and embark on that maiden voyage down the street (in whatever it might be) there is almost no greater reward. The dedication, time management, and the support you get from friends and family, it all comes together at that moment. For those who have been there, you know the feeling; you couldn’t wipe the smile from your face if you tried.
Welcome to my humble garage, which I affectionately call ‘Imai Works’. I named it that because this is where all of my personal projects, big or small, go down. I wanted to share a few of these projects with you before we get to my latest build. And you will have to excuse the mess, as my workspace was still reeling with energy from the pre-JCCS thrash-a-thon a week before, getting cars ready for the show. This also happens to be the favorite part of the house for my two year old daughter. We spend many weekend mornings here, where she assists me by hiding my sockets, wrenches, and anything else she can get her little hands on.
It’s a small workspace, but I manage to fit a lot of stuff in here.
On any wall, you’ll see art pieces from friends, a bustling toy collection and memorable souvenirs from my travels.
I even have a few derelict 1/10 scale projects sitting around, waiting for a bit of love. One of these days…
Now about those 1/10 scale projects. RC cars were a big part of my childhood. I’ve spent many days riding my bike to the hobby shop after school to gaze at the shiny kits and cool box art. I hoped that I’d be presented with one for a birthday or holiday.
Although I completely thrashed the first few cars I got, eventually I became quite good at building, tuning and racing these things.
About 10 years ago, I started resurrecting whatever old cars I had, and began restoring them, along with other used and abused examples of my favorite models growing up.
Although RC cars are great fun, I decided to make the jump and work on a full scale project a few years back. I picked up a 1971 Datsun 510 wagon that some of you may be familiar with – it debuted at the 2012 JCCS event after a lengthy build process. All of it was done right here, in the Imai Works garage, from the suspension to the bodywork. I’m currently doing a quick refresh on it; perhaps we can look at it in more detail in the near future.
But the real reason I’m here today is to talk about my latest project, a 1974 Datsun 260Z that I purchased shortly after 2012 JCCS. I was quite satisfied with the progress on my 510, so I wanted to change things up and build something different. While I went for a more shakotan style with my wagon, I really wanted to build a works-style street bruiser. At first, I had my eye on a first generation Toyota Celica, but I was never happy with the examples I looked at. Literally a day after looking at another beat Celica, a good friend of mine called and asked if I knew anyone who would like to buy his 260Z.
I took this as a sign, and immediately thought of the possibilities. A works style Z? A vision popped up in my head, and I was sold. A deal was made, and I took delivery of the car a few days later.
PRESENTATION MODE
DOWNLOAD WALLPAPER
SHARE
The car certainly had an eclectic mixture of good and bad. Stainless brake lines, a semi-decent repaint on a solid body, the gauges and lights worked occasionally and it ran for a little bit before overheating. Not too tragic for an old car. But it was the bad stuff that would take me for a hard ride. It was running on five cylinders, second and fifth gears were gone, the engine was leaking fluid from every possible area, and it looked like no one had ever bothered to cleanany of it during the many years of operation and neglect. To top it off, a week before the car was sold to me, my friend bumped into a truck on a freeway on-ramp, crumpling the hood, passenger side fender and accompanying sugar scoop. Malaises aside, this car meant a lot to my friend, and I wanted to make sure it became something he’d be proud to see after a makeover.
I’ve built a personal strategy that has worked for my projects, regardless of scale. I’m a budget-minded builder, and I enjoy finding cost effective solutions. I try to reuse everything I can before throwing it away and replacing it. Of course, if the integrity of a part is compromised in any way, it will be replaced. But many times, a good cleaning and light restore can make a part look, work and feel like new. Be it intake manifolds, suspension components or even the engine hardware, most parts are worth saving.
On the other hand, there are lustful components that are worth blowing the budget for, and make all the difference. For me, wheels and tires make or break a car. Since I was building this car for brutal balance, I was not going to compromise here. I went full tilt and settled for the best.
Work Meister CR01s wrapped with meaty Yokohama ADVAN Neova AO48s was the perfect combination for this project.
The measurements are 15×9 ET-58 wrapped with 205/50 for the front, and 15×10 -58 with a 225/50 for the rear.
When it was time to order the wheels, it was a total brain buster deciding on finish. I ended up committing to the polished faces with gloss black barrels, and I couldn’t be happier. The offsets are aggressive, but they complete the look along with the track ready rubber.
With offsets like these, the faces disappear into the barrels in various angles…
… and devour Andrew Jacksons without a hiccup. Thanks for the $20 Larry!
Containing this footwork required some massive flaring, so I sourced a set of works-style flares from Japan. For the many who asked me where they are from, they are made by Arita Speed. Purchasing them was no problem for me, but I had to go through a network of friends in Japan and here in LA who went through some creative shipping solutions to get them to my door.
The results are worth the effort, and they are complemented by the three piece wing that was a lucky find on Craigslist. Most people usually remove the rear bumper with the works flares, but I kept mine to keep it street. All of the ancillary and trim parts are finished in matte black. This was an easy way to get a cohesive and aggressive look. For those of you considering the works flares, keep in mind that they are designed for the G-nose, which I do not have and aren’t easily sourced in the US. I came up with a solution that you’ll see in a moment.
PRESENTATION MODE
DOWNLOAD WALLPAPER
SHARE
As a designer, I enjoy giving my projects personal touches. These are the little bits of details I look forward to creating for my car, whether it’s a one-off sticker design…
… or a unique part I made using raw materials I have in the garage. Someone recently asked me how I drilled all of those holes in the inspection lid. I just told him that I have a steady hand and a lot of drill bits. Of course, I later mentioned that it’s a custom part.
And if you can’t fix it, feature it. After straightening and grinding the fender metal, I got this neat blown-out look, like the tail end of a jet engine. I couldn’t be bothered with repainting it at the time, so I just added a clear coat and a message. It’s a lot of fun when those who aren’t necessarily car folks see this and ask if a ball of fire is going to shoot out from there.
The NOS Fairlady Z emblem was a gift from a great friend. It took him a long time to track it down, and that means a lot to me.
I got the #MaximumAttack sticker when I met with Rod at SEMA last year. I’ve been waiting for the perfect place to stick it on to, and here it is! It’s a neat location because it glows bright orange in front of the headlight.
Getting the engine bay sorted took a very long time. I began working on it immediately after I got the car, because frankly I couldn’t even see the block or head under all of the sludge and grime. When I was done scraping the gunk off, I was happy to find a L28 block in there. I began dismantling everything from the engine bay for a proper cleaning, inspection and refinish/replacement process. I didn’t want to go overboard here, but as you know, the further you dig, the more stuff you find.
It took a few months with the limited time I have, but I managed to make some simple and effective modifications. First I painted the engine bay and block. I relocated the battery to the inside of the car, and rewired the entire engine harness. Every connection was on the verge of breaking off, so I started with fresh wire and connectors, and rewired it all. While at it I did a mild wire tuck and hid the many relays to reduce the clutter. I cleaned and rebuilt the carbs, and had the head fully rebuilt by a local machine shop as it was cracked on the inside, which explained the dead cylinder. I cleaned, restored or replaced every part that came off before it went back on the engine. I’m happy that I was able to save much of the components, aside from the gaskets and rubber hoses which I replaced. I added a Koyorad radiator, and replaced the ailing transmission with an identical replacement five-speed. As long as the tranny was out, I replaced the tired clutch with an Exedy OE unit.
PRESENTATION MODE
DOWNLOAD WALLPAPER
SHARE
And to be honest, this was the first time I’ve ever gone so far on mechanicals. I’ve never taken an engine apart to this point, let alone redone all of the wiring, replace a transmission and do a clutch job. I followed the FSM’s and advice from friends to a T, and got it all done. I was elated when the Z fired up after all of the work. I had a friend come by to help me tune the carbs, and it was good to go. Eventually I’d like to go with a set of triples and really make the motor sing, but for now I’m content and the fresh headwork makes the engine feel like new.
The interior was pretty complete, but I spent a lot of time cleaning things up and getting the gauges and lights to work. I found an old Nardi wheel for $10 at a swap meet in Japan, which was perfect for this car. Again, budget is key and I do my best to stay on it.
The TRD-like racing bucket was also a swap meet find in Japan. I originally had it in my 510, but have repurposed it for Z duty. But why is it on the passenger side? I wanted to use it as the driver’s seat for this Z, but it’s unbearable after a few miles. It looks great, and it’s lightweight, but it’s a backbreaker and that’s why I roll the stocker under my rear. Mounted behind the seats are a set of Pioneer TSX-200 speakers, a modern tribute to the old school shakotan speaker boxes.
Now back to the exterior for a minute. Using the works flares without a G-nose requires a bit of trickery. I researched the ways people get around it, and I wasn’t happy with them. I wanted that huge chin spoiler look while using the stock valance, at the same time blending in to the flares. After trying a few premade solutions that didn’t work, I ended up making my own. It took several cardboard mockups, but after the tenth made mine out of a variety of materials including ABS, and it works great. It creates a good amount of downforce and has held up to some hard driving and unforgiving LA roads!
Despite all that I’ve done, I still have a way to go on this project. I didn’t discuss suspension on this feature, simply because this car currently doesn’t have a good set-up at the moment. I’m planning on a proper coilover system with adjustable inserts, and a brake upgrade. Perhaps the next time around, I’ll have that sorted. In the meantime…
… I enjoy the ride, and you couldn’t wipe the smile off my face.
I have really enjoyed sharing my story with all of you Speedhunters out there, and hope you’re having as much fun as I am working on these projects. Be inspired, and get creative. See you around!
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
