Hey all!
At the advice of the CT residents on HybridZ (I'm Shift_VE on there) I joined this wonderful more local Z club (and got a really nice "e-handshake" from the membership director). I'm pretty excited to hear some of your opinions on future projects and see your cars (mine's pretty stock as it stands). Some basic background, my name is Tyler, I'm in college now (in Minnesota of all places, but I live in Trumbull) but bought my 300ZX (sorry to whoever thought it was 280ZX w/ Digi Dash, if you have a broken digi I'll try and fix it for free ) in high school after it was offered to me at what I thought was a pretty good price (3k) by my old geometry teacher of all people (original owner). He had kept it dealer maintained all its life (it came with a full set of service records, and about 3 previous radios) and had it repainted about 2 years ago (same factory color, Maako winter special) so the body and paint are in really good shape for a 180,000 mile car. Its got most of your basic Z31 flaws (leaky tail lights and quarter windows, rusty wheel wells, dead suspension) but I still love it and wouldn't trade it for the world. Did I overpay? Maybe, but I don't care, I'm just glad to have a real sports car.

The car itself is a 1987 GLL, it came with everything but the Digi Dash and leather; the exterior is red with a black interior. It's a 2+2 body style with the T-bar roof, which unfortunately means no turbo, however that might change in the future. As my HybridZ screen name implies, I am a rather large fan of the VE engine series despite the VTC issues they seem to have, in my mind not having to worry about the timing belt outweighs that (feel free to disagree) and my dream summer project would be transplanting one into my Z. Ultimate summer project aside, I have a nice set of Tokico Illumina struts / shocks waiting to be put in, all I need are the front strut tubes from a turbo which for whatever reason Nissan doesn't sell separately.

Basically, all my spare time over vacation is spent trying to restore the car to its original condition, I figure once that's done I can work my way up the modifications ladder (real modifications, not the Honda modifications ladder that most people my age seem to love). What can I say, I got bit with the Z bug .

Pics will come, I get home tomorrow (Wednesday) and I can snap some photos then but its nothing special yet. Hopefully I will be around during some of the club events, I can't wait to see some of the faces that make this club what it is!

EDIT: Just realized I have my VIN registered on ZBum's site, all the info you could possibly want is right here at this link:
http://www.az-zbum.com/cgi-bin/z31history.pl?JN1HZ16S8HX128953

The VE engine is a 3.0 L V6 piston engine from Nissan. It is based on the Nissan VG engine and was only used for the '92, '93, and '94 model years. This engine has an iron block, aluminum cylinder heads with 4 valves per cylinder and dual overhead camshafts, variable valve timing on the intake camshafts, coil on plug ignition, and an available variable intake manifold. (5spd only)

A major difference between the VE30DE and the VG30DE engine are the heads. The low underhood clearance on the 1992–1994 Maxima demanded a special head to be developed with 30°, rather than 46°, between the valves. Lack of space also demanded a redesigned camshaft drive system, so a special chain drive was developed. The engine is otherwise similar to the VG30DE.

interesting? i'd probably go new vg for the twin cam then ve cause i dont like timing chains. my girlfriends saab has timing chain. arrrrg!


i did the basic honda mods cool?


Welcome to the club. I just joined a couple weeks ago myself. I think you will like it here.

_________________
-Dave

At least its turbo'd, I meant just slapping a 3" exhaust tip on a factory exhaust with a double decker wing and calling it done, I can respect just about anything else. Come to think of it I should have called it the ricer list of mods, not the Honda list... Just wondering, is that an H series engine? I can never remember my Honda engines(haven't touched them since my friend sold his Accord, and that had an F22? I'm probably wrong though), but I remember someone talking about the H series and the virtues of owning one. Another friend has a 1998 Saab 900s (B204 block), I never thought the chain drive was that annoying, but maybe I just have a really high tolerance for engines with large gobs NVH (or you're referring to a model that didn't have balance shafts). Actually, I'm convinced I do since I thought the Ford CVH was a smooth running engine . Reliable beyond all reason but above 2k it was noisy as crap (in the Escort anyways).

hehe, i was just having fun with you. =o) yea its an h22a. and the saab is a b234 turbo with a single balance shaft

_________________
-Dave

I love this guy's introduction:

"...I love it and wouldn't trade it for the world. Did I overpay? Maybe, but I don't care, I'm just glad to have a REAL SPORTSCAR".

THANK YOU, Dave ~ you just summed up the ownership pride of every member in this Club!

Like our member Mike Englehardt once said, "As far as I'm concerned every Z in this Club is the Car of the Month and the Z car is the ride of the century".

Yup ~ you're gonna fit right in here, brother! WELCOME ABOARD!

Frank T
MbrshpDir

Welcome. You mentioned that, "2+2 and T-tops, must be a non turbo," now I'm not shure about the Z31's, but the 280zx 2+2 was available with turbo, and the Z32 made for other countries, has a 2+2 turbo, most likly RHD. I seen one for sale in Canada. Also, I thought the 95's had the VVT, and 96 they dropped it. Which I wonder why, seemed like a good thing to me, but then again, I'm old school Z, slowly working up the Z latter. Just picked up my first Z31, and when all projects are complete, (in a sense,) I'll be looking for the Z32. I was interested in the convertables, but with T-tops, it's not that much more open air in my opinion, so twin turbo is what I shall seek. (if I can find one not beat on.) Welcome.

Same deal with Z32, all 2+2s destined for the American market were non-turbos, but in other countries (Canada) they were available as a turbo. Not totally sure on that though I have to go look some more.