Team Stampie 2020 Challenge 350z

slowbird said:

Hood pins? I vote hood pins.

I thought about that but I want to sell the hood for recoup.  Hood pins cool.  Challenge recoup just as cool.  Hard to decide.

Pre whiskey says yank the hood, yank the fenders, cut off the top of the core support, figure out how to rig up the bottom of the radiator.

Stampie (FS) said:

In reply to TVR Scott (Forum Supporter) :

The yards here charge cores on everything figuring it's free money in most cases.  One day I grabbed like 15 relays as they charge $6.74 for Relays 5 or more.  I paid my $6.74 plus $1 core put all of the relays but one in the truck and walked back in with that one for my core charge.  I explained to them how stupid that was but they said that's just how they do it and gave me my $1 back.

The closest self-service yards to me are 2 hours away (in KC and/or St. Louis).  I've noticed over the years they started charging "core charges" for stupid stuff (brake rotors?!).  I don't need to deal with that bullE36 M3.   It's not worth the drive to be conned.

If they aren't making enough money on the part, charge more for it.  Don't piss in my ear and tell me it's raining...or a core charge or whatever.

Sorry for the rant, but it riles me up to think about it.

The Z project is coming along well and quickly!  

In reply to ClemSparks :

Yeah it pisses me off also but Challenge rules are rules so on this build I'm keeping track of everything.  My yard has a 2 week return on cores.  Hoping I can save another $6 by returning my sway bars for cores.  Did have a thought that Patrick might get his wish.  To remove the rear bar the easy move is to disconnect the muffler.  If I do that then I'll probably just take the whole thing out. 

In reply to Stampie (FS) :

Thanks for the E30 details, Stampie.  I don't see anything on there I can use.  Typical battery box rust.  the 12(?) button computer on the dash is worth a few bucks if it actually works, but every one I've seen in a junkyard has a bad LCD.  

Good score on the sway bars....that's tough to beat.

Upon arriving home this evening I saw a care package from bluej sitting in the mailbox.

I'll have to wait until I get the last brake rotor on but I think they'll work. I'm sending a PayPal your way.

I then finished stripping out the front.  The power steering lines about kicked my behind but here's the result.

And here's what I have to work with for a core support. Yep I'm actually missing one whole corner on the bottom.

First my yards don't have a 350z so I've been grabbing parts off G35s.  I think the easy button is junkyard a core support.  That or spend battery box time making a new core support.  Problem is while the G35 core support will bolt to the 350z frame rails, the radiator, headlight mounts and maybe the hood latch are different.  I think I'm going to end up with some freak of nature Nissan/Infiniti lego build.

too bad you don't have one of those massive creality printers, you could 3D print a new one in 4 pieces.

In reply to Mr_Asa :

We're willing to accept any tool donations out there.  I do have a 25% off text from the junkyard and with my 25% off membership it's not going to be a big budget hit.  I think right now I'm at the what saves me the most time.

Following :)

[chanting] FREAK OF NATURE! FREAK OF NATURE! FREAK OF NATURE!

Who knows, maybe you'll spawn some cool guy tuner trend of swapping G35 front fascia onto a 350Z. Like Silvia front on a 180SX (Sileighty) 

In reply to slowbird :

For some reason that's what I want to name the car now.

Stampie (FS) said:

In reply to slowbird :

For some reason that's what I want to name the car now.

all hail the FONZe !

In reply to ClemSparks :

sleepyhead the buffalo said:

Stampie (FS) said:

In reply to slowbird :

For some reason that's what I want to name the car now.

all hail the FONZe !

I feel the need to paint a hood mural in the parking lot Thursday now. 

Henry Winkler is one of my favorite human beings on a personal level.  Just a gentle pleasant soul and hanging out with him is just so relaxing

Some berkhead may have stripped out a sway bar linkage nut.  No pictures to protect the guilty.

It's possible to swap a 350z front end onto a G35, so the reverse ought to work, as well. The core support solution would be sketchy, but in a different way: https://youtu.be/b-C7i-TQ5ys?t=499

In reply to RKTFiST :

Biggest question for me will be the hood latch working on the 350z hood.  That determines the level of uglyness we show up with.

This is what the berkhead left me with. 

Crappy picture but it's stripped all to hell. Yesterday I couldn't get any weld to hold on it. 

Onto plan B. That's drilling out the bolt using the hex hole as a guide.

Started with a 3/8ths as that fit the hex better.  After I took out the hex I went down to 1/4 and tried to keep it shallow. Got back up to 3/8 but the 1/2 inch bit keep grabbing at this point.

Time for the death wheel!

At little after this point I thought that sway bar is a big spring putting tension on the bolt. If I'm lucky it'll shear the end off.  Then with a pop that made me half E36 M3 myself I had this.

This ended up right below it.

Then I said it's my Friday let's celebrate with a whiskey.

It was junkyard morning today!  I was the first one in. I went to the burgundy G35 first but it's core support had some breaks in it.  Next was a white one I really hadn't looked at yet. Looks like someone already removed it's core support.

Wait what's this laying next to the car?  Could it be a G35 core support. Yes it is. So glad when someone does the work for me.

Stripped it down and found the bumper cover under the car. Here's the junkyard mock up.

They nickel and dimed me but half off. I think if I use everything I'll add $80 to budget.

Got home and prepared the 350z for it's mock up.

Core support in place.

And bumper cover on.

That's not terrible. Some quick glasswork would make it mint. Or do like me, with sheet and tech screws. Spray paint if you feel fancy. 

In reply to barefootskater :

Team Stampie always aims for not terrible.

I think a roll of fancy duct tape in your color of choice would close the gaps. 

Section the center an inch or two, zip tie together. Couple of lexan sheets made into headlights, or chloroplast.

Ship it.