#ZedShed Project Vixen - Sterling Grey Z3 2.8 Sport+
- Thread starter GazHyde
- Start date
Shortie_gal
Zorg Guru (III)
- Joined
- Dec 13, 2014
- Points
- 128
- Model of Z
- Z3 2.2i Sport
Dont put ideas in his head Dino!! Lol
It could be worse Sam 
Tony.
Tony.
This 2.8 is from the Sienna Dad has. It's a little rotten underneath so we've decided to pull the engine and break it. The mileage is similar to Sam's zed.
Also being the TU engine it will be alot easier doing the swap.
Also being the TU engine it will be alot easier doing the swap.
Thrust bearing starting whining in my first zed, such a long job just to change. And you need to do the engine conversion, it would make an already sorted and awesome looking zed even better!I’ve also got to upgrade the clutch as the thrust bearing has started wining. I’m holding off on that as we might drop a 2.8 lump into her instead. So watch this space
Yeah totally agree. I did the clutch on Gaz's zed a few years ago, it took us the whole afternoon just to change the clutch plate. So much work for a 5min job!
Don’t knock it till you try it.
Even more comical when you leave the 18’s on the front and whack skinny 16’s on the back. Many smiles per mile!
Another small update. To match the new steering wheel I’ve had the gators done to match. Royal steering wheels have done a top job.
Did they do the gaitors too?
Not normally. Gave him some templates kindly donated by Martin.
Time to jump back to this thread. The engine swap was a success and I've now covered 3000 miles since the swap.
There's been a few upgrades along the way, one of them I did just after fitting the engine. I changed out the clutch hose for a braided hose it's a really noticable change in pedal feel, much smoother and crisper.
The next fix was getting the Aircon to work the correct way. First off everytime I turnt the aircon on the main fan went flat out. It was also spinning the wrong way really labouring the engine. Bit of research and a chat with Dino revealed this to be a common thing on the 2.8s, the wiring has never been consistent so a simple swap of wires sorted this.
I soon turnt my attention to some cosmetic touches. I got my hands on an M bumper for peanuts, got some brake ducts and BMW fleased me for the M grill. Really makes the car look more aggressive.
I also bought another hardtop so I can have one to match this zed, the painters told me this hardtop had 5 other colours of paint before they reach the fibreglass
Heading back to some handling tweaks I got my hands on some M top mounts and reinforcement plates, If you reverse the top mounts you can give the zed 2* of camber. This really improves the way the zed handles, it dials out the dreaded understeer. I also refreshed the springs while I had everything off the old springs had done 30k although still look really good.
Lastly I couldn't bring myself to spend £800 on a new exhaust system so I ended up using the old one, just as well because on the New Forest run I caught it on a speed bump at Leape and tore it open at the rear. Luckily Spurs had a system laying about that's been modded making it a 3 piece, the front two sections are fine the back box looks a bit long in the tooth for many miles so I'm planning to get the rear box made. I fitted this earlier today and found it a huge improvement over the stock, I'm putting this down to it being 2.5" all the way from the cat making it flow better. Can feel the zed really pull from the mid.
Old on the Right / Newer on the Left
With a Nurburgring trip this friday shes pretty much ready to go
There's been a few upgrades along the way, one of them I did just after fitting the engine. I changed out the clutch hose for a braided hose it's a really noticable change in pedal feel, much smoother and crisper.
The next fix was getting the Aircon to work the correct way. First off everytime I turnt the aircon on the main fan went flat out. It was also spinning the wrong way really labouring the engine. Bit of research and a chat with Dino revealed this to be a common thing on the 2.8s, the wiring has never been consistent so a simple swap of wires sorted this.
I soon turnt my attention to some cosmetic touches. I got my hands on an M bumper for peanuts, got some brake ducts and BMW fleased me for the M grill. Really makes the car look more aggressive.
I also bought another hardtop so I can have one to match this zed, the painters told me this hardtop had 5 other colours of paint before they reach the fibreglass
Heading back to some handling tweaks I got my hands on some M top mounts and reinforcement plates, If you reverse the top mounts you can give the zed 2* of camber. This really improves the way the zed handles, it dials out the dreaded understeer. I also refreshed the springs while I had everything off the old springs had done 30k although still look really good.
Lastly I couldn't bring myself to spend £800 on a new exhaust system so I ended up using the old one, just as well because on the New Forest run I caught it on a speed bump at Leape and tore it open at the rear. Luckily Spurs had a system laying about that's been modded making it a 3 piece, the front two sections are fine the back box looks a bit long in the tooth for many miles so I'm planning to get the rear box made. I fitted this earlier today and found it a huge improvement over the stock, I'm putting this down to it being 2.5" all the way from the cat making it flow better. Can feel the zed really pull from the mid.
Old on the Right / Newer on the Left
With a Nurburgring trip this friday shes pretty much ready to go
It looks absolutely amazing. You and Sean have the best looking Z's on this site and the mods you just made with that hard top and the M bumper was money well spent. It is beautiful but also looks bad ass!Time to jump back to this thread. The engine swap was a success and I've now covered 3000 miles since the swap.
There's been a few upgrades along the way, one of them I did just after fitting the engine. I changed out the clutch hose for a braided hose it's a really noticable change in pedal feel, much smoother and crisper.
View attachment 102610
The next fix was getting the Aircon to work the correct way. First off everytime I turnt the aircon on the main fan went flat out. It was also spinning the wrong way really labouring the engine. Bit of research and a chat with Dino revealed this to be a common thing on the 2.8s, the wiring has never been consistent so a simple swap of wires sorted this.
View attachment 102611
I soon turnt my attention to some cosmetic touches. I got my hands on an M bumper for peanuts, got some brake ducts and BMW fleased me for the M grill. Really makes the car look more aggressive.
View attachment 102612
I also bought another hardtop so I can have one to match this zed, the painters told me this hardtop had 5 other colours of paint before they reach the fibreglass
View attachment 102613
Heading back to some handling tweaks I got my hands on some M top mounts and reinforcement plates, If you reverse the top mounts you can give the zed 2* of camber. This really improves the way the zed handles, it dials out the dreaded understeer. I also refreshed the springs while I had everything off the old springs had done 30k although still look really good.
View attachment 102614
View attachment 102615
View attachment 102616
View attachment 102617
Lastly I couldn't bring myself to spend £800 on a new exhaust system so I ended up using the old one, just as well because on the New Forest run I caught it on a speed bump at Leape and tore it open at the rear. Luckily Spurs had a system laying about that's been modded making it a 3 piece, the front two sections are fine the back box looks a bit long in the tooth for many miles so I'm planning to get the rear box made. I fitted this earlier today and found it a huge improvement over the stock, I'm putting this down to it being 2.5" all the way from the cat making it flow better. Can feel the zed really pull from the mid.
Old on the Right / Newer on the Left
View attachment 102619
With a Nurburgring trip this friday shes pretty much ready to go
View attachment 102620
Quite an important update this guys. It appears the M top mounts work really well but because of the extra camber the thick part of the spring cup catches the tower wall. So using the OEM spring cup won’t work it gets stuck when you get near full lock and try’s to turn the spring. I’m guessing because the M have slightly longer wishbones there’s enough clearance. I might look at an E36 spring cup and see if they clears better.
Modifications usually require someone (such as yourself) to do the trial and error work Lee for everyone else's benefit. This is making a great car for you and Sam mate.
Tony.
ps. Looking at the first picture is it not possible to trim the top cup (seat) rather than changing the strut?
Tony.
ps. Looking at the first picture is it not possible to trim the top cup (seat) rather than changing the strut?