[MarkJerling]

I filled ours out online.

I was about to ask if there's no electronic option. I'm pitifully bad when it comes to paper format forms.

[MarkJerling]

Been busy during my quarantine. Cleaned up the shop some, and dug my brown Z out. It has been sitting for 22 years. Charged the battery (more than 22 years old) overnight, and this morning, with a squirt of starting fluid to help the engine burp to life and draw some 22 year old gasoline out of the tank, it fired right up. It is missing, likely fouled plugs from the oil that the thing burns, but I got that covered. I have an engine I was building for it when I was still married to Mrs. Racer 1.0, so I will mate it up with a manual transmission (the car has an automatic - yech!) and drop it in.

Mrs. Racer 2.0 and I went for a short ride this evening, just up the road to where the pavement gives way to gravel, then turned around and headed back to the house. I'll give it a tune up, see if I can get the miss to stop, change the oil and filter, give it a real good cleaning. Notice the red haze on the paint. Some years back I painted my Ford 8N tractor, and didn't bother to cover anything up. I'll have to give it a good rubdown with some final cleaning glaze, the car is painted with acrylic enamel, the finish of the day, is mostly original, and should clean up pretty well.

When I get done with the quarantine I will make a run over to the airport and get some 100 octane low lead avgas for it.






77,000 original miles.

Those little Datsuns are probably the prettiest little cars they made. Why have you not used it for 22 years?

[MarkJerling]

Otis sent me a link to this, said he's watched it about fifty times now.

Dog and Squirrel Play Chase Around a Tree || ViralHog - YouTube

I like it! "How to wear your dog out without leaving the yard!"

[Racer X 69]

It is 97 degrees here today.

So, not much hands on work with the Z. A bunch of research, parts searching, relearning the L series engines.

Oh, because of the heat, I made fruit smoothies for Mrs. Racer and I.

Just thought y’all should know.

[MarkJerling]

Last night, after completing the pizza oven floor, I fired up the bbq for some ribs. Bob will be pleased to now I did not precook, but used the slow cooking indirect fire method, with lots of basting.

It was 7 degrees but red wine helped with that.

[robtcorl]

fired up the bbq

A green Weber Master Touch. Sweet!!
My MT is red and I have a rotisserie ring for it.

[Racer X 69]

Why have you not used it for 22 years?

Well, in 1997 I won a regional championship with the red Z. In 1998 my primary focus was a second championship.

That didn’t leave much time or money for other stuff.

Also, I met Mrs. Racer 2.0 in 1997, and we were doing a fair bit of traveling around the Rocky Mountains, camping and exploring old mining ghost towns.

More money consumed from the recreation budget.

More time taken away from other hobbies.

As I mentioned, the car was burning oil, so it needed a fresh engine. Also, I want to change it over to a manual transmission, as I really despise automatics. Being short on cash and having a dry place to store it, the car was added to my bucket full of projects.

Of course then life happened, and here we are.

By the way, 22 years is nothing.

My 1972 Camaro has been “resting” since the early 1980’s.

It is up soon.

---

Last edited by Racer X 69; 08-19-2020 at 12:17 PM.

[Racer X 69]

It was 7 degrees but red wine helped with that.

Well, it is winter there.

[MarkJerling]

A green Weber Master Touch. Sweet!!
My MT is red and I have a rotisserie ring for it.

Thanks Bob!

That reminds me - I have a rotisserie I've never used.

[MarkJerling]

Well, in 1997 I won a regional championship with the red Z. In 1998 my primary focus was a second championship.

That didn’t leave much for other stuff.

Also, I met Mrs. Racer 2.0 in 1997, and we were doing a fair bit of traveling around the Rocky Mountains, camping and exploring old mining ghost towns.

More money consumed from the recreation budget.

As I mentioned, the car was burning oil, so it needed a fresh engine. Also, I want to change it over to a manual transmission, as I really despise automatics. Being short on cash and having a dry place to store it, the car was added to my bucket full of projects.

Of course then life happened, and here we are.

By the way, 22 years is nothing.

My 1972 Camaro has been “resting” since the early 1980’s.

It is up soon.

I suppose 22 years is not that much time. It's almost 20 years since we emigrated and it sure does not feel like 20 years.

[MarkJerling]

Well, it is winter there.

Almost spring. Daffodils are out, cherry trees have started blooming and I can see buds forming on all the fruit trees. One lone flower open on the plum tree as well. Seems like I pruned the roses and fruit trees just in time.

[lesmore49]

Good recovery Les!

Yeah...I think I pulled that off very well....don't think anyone caught on, but then I've always been pretty good at landing on my feet...

[Racer X 69]

I suppose 22 years is not that much time. It's almost 20 years since we emigrated and it sure does not feel like 20 years.

I’m pretty happy with the condition of the car so far. A couple spots with a modest amount of surface rust, and the right “frame rail” has a rusty hole, indicating new structural replacements are in the not too far off future.

The paint is good enough to pass off as an original (well, it is), but with parking lot rash on both sides. It is apparent that the parking lot rash was repaired once, and “spotted in” rather than repaint the whole side of the car. You can do that with acrylic enamels, but the finish is metallic, so the edges of the partial panel repaint show.

It kept well sitting in the corner of my shop with a thick layer of dust, spider webs, bird and insect poop on it.

[rod_grant]

don't think anyone caught on,

You obviously don't think very clearly then.
I caught on; but old dogs and new tricks come in to play; I wasn't going (to be able) to teach you anything.
Tim60 caught on too, didn't he?
And dbs (Dave from Clare Valley in S.Aust) he caught on.
We might be the only three Aussies on the thread, (If we count tim60 as still Aussie - him being in the Old Dart and all that).

[lesmore49]

You obviously don't think very clearly then.
I caught on; but old dogs and new tricks come in to play; I wasn't going (to be able) to teach you anything.
Tim60 caught on too, didn't he?
And dbs (Dave from Clare Valley in S.Aust) he caught on.
We might be the only three Aussies on the thread, (If we count tim60 as still Aussie - him being in the Old Dart and all that).

I apologize if my attempt (obviously failed) at a bit of light humor offended you. It was not meant to be offensive.