ITR Z3 rebuild thread

[Z3_GoCar]

I thought I'd document the rebuild of the Z3, mod-Zwei.

Well, here's the rear suspension sub-frame in the back of the truck



This was the barely perceptable tweeked side. On the other side:



The twisting is more severe and toed in for extra stability Also notice the single "Mickey" mouse ear on the differential. This is how it sat for the last couple of months. Then two weeks ago I went to the auto-hobby shop. Next update; the new arms have new bearings, are on, and it's back in the car along with a bondo-update and a new steel hood in Imola Red.

James

[Z3_GoCar]

Thank you Mr. webmaster. With the photo hosting I can update the state of my Z3 : )

Here's a close up before of the rear wheel, finder, and door:


and here it is after some hammering, body filler and a new trailing arm:


This is the front horn before I started pulling and hammering on it:


and this is the left side now:


I've got several more, so I'll post them later.

James

[JeffYoung]

Wow, that is a lot of work my friend. Good job on it, looks like she is shaping back up right nice.

[Z3_GoCar]

Wow, that is a lot of work my friend. Good job on it, looks like she is shaping back up right nice.

Thanks Jeff,

It's suprising how cathardic, and cheap hammering on metal can be. I was fortunate that the damage wasn't much more than skin deep.

James

[NORRIS]

Hey James.

I'm impressed, you're going to fix the whole thing WITHOUT even taking it off your trailer!!

[Z3_GoCar]

Hey James.

I'm impressed, you're going to fix the whole thing WITHOUT even taking it off your trailer!!

Hasn't been off since you helped me pack up last Labor day. I'll probably push it off to pull the motor, but I'm waiting untill I get the windshield apron, so I can weld it on at the same time as I pull the motor. I took it off the jack-stands and it's back on the wheels.

I didn't get a chance to talk to you after Long Beach. Did you have fun?

James

[JoshS]

Looks good! Glad it's coming back together. Do you have any idea of when it might be track-worthy again?

[Z3_GoCar]

Looks good! Glad it's coming back together. Do you have any idea of when it might be track-worthy again?

Hey Josh,

I hope to be out before the end of the season, now that I'll have a regional license to keep up. I'm always running at the end of the season and not the beginning.

BTW, the ITC #63 510, we did the same super-school.

James

[Z3_GoCar]

One of the areas that really looked bad was the rear. The gap between the finder and trunk lid was much wider on the left. Now it's much closer to the right side:


Actually both the rails running from the strut towers were pushed down. Now after lots of hammer work they're closer to where they were. Also, the main horns look straight.


With the core support out I plan to pull the motor and take whats left of the pan off. The least expensive route may be to find a doner M-52-28 to put back in that I won't have to touch for a couple of races, and I know a salvage yard motor will probably be legal, and now I'll have a spare motor to rebuild evantually. I like to imola red, I'm thinking of painting the windshield frame and maybe a strip around the top of the door red, then leaving the main body color silver. This next photo is how the hood fits over the finder and door, also note I've taken the apron cap off of the windshield frame, this piece of sheet metal has been on order for the past month along with a new set of brake lines for the rear.



I've been busy with the primer and spot filler. I've been using plasticote's grey from the local N-A-PA. It's lacquer based along with the spot filler, I've found several links for factory silver and red in spray cans. See the $50 paint job thread. Slowly but surely I'll have it together eventually.

James