From Montreal to The Cosmos

[Lee]

The winter of discontent has faded into after-thought now that Spring is arriving. Some lovely sunny weather and some much needed time off work coinciding in Scotland.

Job #1596 - Outside Airtemp sensor is done. No longer reads - 40c

80% of the bits ready for a rear end rebuild with a box coming from Schmiedmann in Denmark shortly with a load of spring pads, nuts, bolts etc.

Parking brake refurb kit, 4x bolts for the chassis plates and some handbrake lines... I think that might be it...

Obligatory bits photo.
View attachment 175715

Nearly ready! Brake lines and swing arm bushes left.

Look forward to the next steps.

 

[Scooblitz]

Nearly ready! Brake lines and swing arm bushes left.

Look forward to the next steps.

Really looking forward to it but also a bit nervous with rusty bolts. @Stevo7682 has got some special tools for the job, so fingers crossed she doesn't put up a fight.

Going to be a very different feeling car from when I bought It in 2019. Fully rebushed, new suspension and 17s instead of 18s.

The list continues as it would now appear I have a larger oil leak than perhaps previously thought...

Had it in for a rust check yesterday. Needs por15on the sills and rails behind the front quarter panels. Outer sills are a little spongy in places too. Added to the list.

The never ending list...

 

[Scooblitz]

1 down 3 to go
.

 

[Scooblitz]

The Z has come out of hibernation and got its MOT on Friday after 3 months in storage. A trip up to Pitlochry to stretch its legs. 300 Sunny and dry miles over the weekend and never missed a beat.

Abscence makes the heart grow fonder.

 

[Scooblitz]

Out with the old, in with the new. Shocks, springs and braided flexi lines on the front.

All work carried out by @Stevo7682.

Stevo had to fabricate a penny washer to hold one end of the flexi in place as the tops of the connectors don't have an indent like the oem flexi hoses. I would assume all braided line kits will be similar.

The pipes themselves put up a bit of a fight as the flexis wouldn't separate from the brake lines themselves. Cut and shut with a flaring kit to make it all work.

Much thanks to Stevo for his time and efforts getting the cosmos in finer fettle. Up a few millimeters on the front which is no bad thing when the underside has much scarification from being excessively low.

Brake rotors, just surface rust.

After settling down, this is how she sits.

Spring Scottish Run 2022 - Dumfries and Galloway

 

[Scooblitz]

Day 1 of Rear Subframe Build

Super sunny day for it. Scottish skin was burnt to a crisp @Stevo7682 both the brains and brawn of the operation.

Stage 1. Exhaust, heatshield and propshaft off.

Stage 2. Nuts and bolts - Not an easy job at all when the parts are 25 years old and very rusty. Stevo used his induction coil heater which was an essential tool to get them off as well as knowledge, patience and experience working on cars.

Stage 3. Slowly slowly with the Jacks under the diff and beam. Some gentle persuasion and the beam was out. Around 3 hours to get this stage.

Stage 4. Breakdown some of the beam to get items that will be reused with the refreshed and new parts.

As she sits now and some overall condition pictures.

This side not looking so great. Drivers side seems to be more rusty than the passengers side.

Tomorrow will be some cleansing, rust proofing of some key areas, some issue fixing and hopefully getting the fully rebuilt subframe back in position and back on its wheels. Fingers crossed.

 

[Lee]

That's a cracking time for your first time doing it. Respect for doing it on a gravel drive that sounds like hard work

 

[backseateducation]

Excellent work

 

[Scooblitz]

That's a cracking time for your first time doing it. Respect for doing it on a gravel drive that sounds like hard work

All Stevo. 3 hours with a few tricky bolts and he'd have had it dropped in 2 hours if they came out easier.

 

[Stevo7682]

Shoulders are busting

 

[andyglym]

Shoulders are busting

A top job mate

 

[Mint]

Shoulders are busting

Great effort

 

[Robert Hill]

Welcome from Alloa Scotland

 

[Scooblitz]

Day 2-5

So it was more than optimistic of me to have the build done in 2 days. There were just too many little issues that kept cropping up. However, much progress has been made over the last few days.

@Stevo7682 has done the work solo. I am merely the hander of tools. If I knew what I was doing, perhaps it would have happened a lot quicker. Huge gratitude and appreciation to Stevo for getting bruised up and plodding through it.

Day 2 - In photos

With a few issues along the way, this is just about as far as day 2 got. Daylight, energy and patience drew thin but Stevo's determination, unwavering. The day ran into night and it was 10.30pm before the tools were downed. Really should have called it a day sooner.
Pictures don't tell half the story as the snagging list was long but Stevo is a proper mechanic and his problem solving was absolutely key to getting this far.

Day 3-5

My optimism was way off. I had a trip planned after day 2 for a 600 mile trip around the Scottish Highlands which in retrospect wasnt well thought out but hey ho, went in the Mrs car instead.
Stevo still cracked on as best he could and has got the car on 4 wheels. Absolutely amazing job!

Day 6- On 4 wheels

The picture above shows the negative camber from lowering a Z but to compare to what it was like before... Huuuge difference.

Cant wait to go out and drive it with all the new bits on. This little Z has had a lot of new parts chucked at it. It's come a long long way since I bought it back in March of 2019.
There is still quite a list of other things to do but all in good time.

Huge huge huge thanks to Stevo who has single handily brought this car up to scratch mechanically. Couldn't have done any of it without him.

When it's time for his Dakar Individual to get subframe bushes done, I'll be there to pass the tools.

 

[t-tony]

Great work chaps, Stevo you deserve the plaudits mate.

Tony.

 

[Scooblitz]

5 years on Zroadster came around this month and over 3 years with the Cosmos 2.8. A long long way to go till the car is how I would like it, if it will ever get there. I can but try.

The car has an oil leak coming from the oil pan gasket. £35 gasket but potentially a full day's work and more to replace it with the engine needing braced from the top with front subframe coming off and a few other parts removed or loosened to gain access. Shopping list has been formed and a few bits purchased already.

On the fun side of things, a test fit of the 17x9j et26 'style 42' wheel was done today. A scrap 245/40/17 was used to offer it up and see how it fits. The wheel sits in arch without issue but a 255/40 might be pushing it.
Will need to pay close attention to some sectional widths of tyres before thinking about pulling the trigger on 2 tyres that might not fit.

Pleased with the 'dish' levels.

From the top, the 245 didn't pertrude the arch at all. Slight gentle roll on the tyre sidewall but not much.

Last month I bought X4 z3 bbs style 42s, 7.5j and 8.5j rims. All running straight and true but very much in need of refurb before getting wrapped in rubber.
The search still continues for another 17x9j. It's a very rare wheel indeed. 5 down 1 to go.

Other trinkets being purchased on Monday for the start of some visual upgrades instead of the boring bushings that no one can see.

Taking shape.

 

[Scooblitz]

The aforementioned trinkets were purchased for an extremely reasonable fee from a local parting out an M44 orinoco. Picked up all the lights and installed the side and rear lenses this evening.
Amber indicator bulb disintegrated on installation so another trip to halfords.

Also got some chrome door handles, again, with some other minor bits.

De-tangoed or de-gingered, north of the border. Headlights awaiting new bulbs.

 

[Scooblitz]

Happy 25th birthday to my Z3 this month. Further trinkets for presents.

5000k Headlight bulbs and 6000k LED sidelights. Makes the car more 'modern'. The 3000k halogen bulbs with yellow tinge dates the car. Subtle upgrade/not so subtle

Period correct headlights also installed. I had been seeking the non chrome trim versions for quite some time and very very pleased with the combo. Excuse my mug in the reflection.

 

[Scooblitz]

Parts update:

@ZEDonist UK power steering return pipe arrived on Sunday. Looks very nice in black. Meyle Engine mounts x2 arrived earlier in the week too.

The front subframe I bought and had powdercoated looks great but is potentially getting binned as one of the captive nuts in the subframe has come loose.
Can either use 3 bolts for the x brace or get another subframe instead.
Siding with the later since it's a one time job on the subframe.
Pretty much had everything aside from bolts and gasket for the front sub job to be completed.

Never easy.

I have a feeling the powdercoaters have used this nut and bolt to dangle the subframe for painting. Also why it's missing some paint.

Hardtop is back on after the Scottish Run 2022. Just in time for rain season. (Chucking it down as I write this)

 

[Scooblitz]

It's taken 15 months but finally I have a pair of 17x9 BBS RS 'Style 42'.

Huge thanks to @DomiMik for being the German interpreter for this international trade.
I pestered him for about a year to message random people on Polish and German marketplace looking to broker a deal. Much appreciated!