Before 2019 started, it looked super promising. I had a timeline set up of when to get things done!
The vert was suppose to be done by March and the zenki conversion should also be done around the same time. I would have the coupe painted and ready for JCCS. Vert would be entered in RADwood…
Then came the delays. I didn’t get the zenki front end untl July. I also didn’t get the vert registered until June/July as well.
With the big purchase coming soon, my budget/timeline for these 2 cars didn’t happen. As of this posting (mid July) I’m still cleaning up the Zenki fenders from dents, got to fiberglass the zenki lip together, and get the bumper support/reinforcement blasted. These will be done shortly.
I also had the ideas for making molds for the bumper/turn signal lens since both the ones I use on my M30 (KT Project) and Zenki Leopard are hard to come by or outrageously expensive (on YAJ).
I did an assessment of what I needed to do with the vert, at least all the things I want to do with it.
I’m gonna be driving it again this trip (8/2-8/7). I’m gonna bring with me a seat switch, spark plugs, wires, cap and rotor. Get all the maint. up to date on that car.
The plan is some time next month, fly up again and drive it back to WA at my parent’s place. I think this is where I want to take the car apart that weekend. I want to remove the fender and see how the door hinges look. After all the maint. and fixes are done, the idea is to have the CSF front lip and jdm headlights transferred to the vert.
Additionally, I also cut up a grill to give it an open appearance. I still need to fill in where I cut the grill and paint the inside of it black. This will go on the vert. I want the vert to look really sporty.
Since it is the #YEAROFTHEVERT, I came up with some info on some Vert top repair/maint. I think I will eventually do all of these as well as I want to make the vert last for awhile.
Something interesting popped up. I often reach out to people just to see how they are doing. I reached out to Jon, who currently owns the Project Car Magazine M30 (motor disassembled/ some parts missing). He was planning on reviving the M30 to its former glory. He recently had to give up on the project to take care of other matters and put it up for sale.
Now, I currently don’t have space and looking to make a big purchase.
As we were talking, he told me he didn’t sell the car because he wanted it to go to the right person. What I respect about Jon, he knows this car’s history and its significance. When he got it back from Cameron, I told him I would do my best to help him rebuild it. He wanted to rebuild it to when he bought it off Koji, which was a complete magazine worthy car.
Anyways, it’s just a verbal agreement right now, but he offered it me and I couldn’t resist. It is far from it’s glory, BUT, I always contemplated having a track car (not drift) and this might be a the perfect car. I’ve been thinking of having a track car that could represent F31club.
Depending on how Jon feels, which I value his opinion, I might just follow his template of making it back to a show car with VIP flare that has recently been rekindled.
Project Car Magazine M30
There is also an idea of doing a RHD swap. So, Itabashi-san has a parts leopard and I think he is almost done with it. I was thinking of getting it and do a front clip swap. Firewall swaps are tough work and doing it right even moreso. I came up in the era of the FRONT CLIP MASSACRE. So I know what to expect from friends experiences and old forum write ups that people used to post.
I really want to do the RHD swap so I can have “a leopard”, obviously with these front clips, they are gonna be aesthetically incomplete (lights/bumper will be gone). As long as the firewall, engine, harness, dash is all there. That is the main thing for me.
Just a couple months prior, I seen 2 Ultimas get stripped of most of the parts (between brothers in the leopard community) and then disregarded when done. I was thinking I’d love to pull those engines and transmissions. Then it hit me, old school RHD swap with VG30DET motor!!!
Noguchi-san (gone)
Ogawara-san (gone)
It is just getting the logistics done. My friend Suenaga-san can dismantle cars, but I want to have the front clip on a pallet and sent to Tokyo or Osaka. Most likely Osaka, but that depends on when I get the parts from Kyushu (hint: big parts, maybe the whole car). There are many body parts that I need to put into one shipment, but they will be available towards the end of the year.
But with these ideas, I’m just contemplating. I’m committed to these projects, but it’s all talk for now.
The Zenki front end was an idea and talked about for years. Finally I had to execute it once my brothers said they would help me. But it is all talk until I execute it.
While my goal to have the M30 coupe and vert done by the summer didn’t pan out, including missing RADwood and my goal of JCCS, I think aiming for next year would be good.
4 more months til the end of 2019.