You've come a long way, baby

So here I am, finally finding the time to post something a mere three months since the last time.

A lot has happened.

First but not least, I made my deadline for getting the car back on the road in time for the 50th Anniversary of the 240z's release on October 20, 1969. 

The second big milestone was making the All Japan Day Classic show at Birdwood. I'll post about that at a later date, but to be one of 9 240z's at the show, and one of 11 s30's was amazing - even if my car felt a bit like the very cute, tries really hard, but ultimately untalented kid in the school end of year eisteddfod...

Amidst all this though, I have been driving the car. Driving the car a lot. That has been a mostly pleasurable, though at times quite stressful, experience. I pushed my garage rebuilt L28 and FS5C71A 5 speed gearbox past the 1000 mile mark, and I would have to say they performed brilliantly. To my amazement, it all just worked. All of it. The brakes pulled it up. The clutch nicely disengaged the gears and didn't slip or grab. The ride was smooth... smoother than I ever remembered. The lights worked... the gauges worked ( well, sort of, it's a 240z... c'mon on! ), the diff didn't thump or whine, the gearbox and differential mounts didn't vibrate, the tailshaft didn't even once shake itself to pieces, the engine ran cool and perfectly smooth. After a few weeks I hit some windy roads, to find the brakes didn't suddenly try and hurl me off the nearest cliff as they pulled violently to port or starboard. The car went around corners like it was on rails... I have not driven a car like that in a long while. Out on the highway, at 110kph I could let go of the wheel and the car would keep right on going straight. The steering felt perfectly firm and positive... better than a lot of new cars I have driven.

Of course, there were some minor glitches.

In November the Master-Vac booster failed, but to my delight, the early 240z boosters can be fully rebuilt! For about $90 I replaced the perforated diaphragm and seals, and it was great again. Exhaust leaks are an ongoing problem, but it's mostly confined to the join between the collector and the tailpipe - easily fixed with some welding. I also had my first ride home on a  tow truck last weekend... which turned out to be totally unnecessary. Again, that's a story for another day.

I was forced to drive the Z as a daily for a week while my Daily Driver was sidelined with a blown head gasket, which was interesting. In that week I had to deal with trucks, soccer moms in giant SUV's, idiot Adelaide drivers not giving way at GIVE WAY and STOP signs, and long periods not moving in heavy traffic. The car REALLY hated that, and the protest backfiring once I got free of it really was something to behold.

A highlight was coming face to face with Roger Lomman's 240z across a busy intersection east of town one morning in peak hour. 

Alas... the next day, the car hit the armco railing competing in the Classic Adelaide Rally, and did a fair bit of damage. The good news it's in the shop as I type, and will live to play another day.

All up my car was great, and by the end of the week I had really become quite comfortable in it - more than I ever dreamed. It's just been registered on full rego for another 3 months, so better make the most of it over the few Xmas days I have off.

Who knows... I might even get to do another post on one of those rare days off.

:D