UPDATES ARE POSTED AT THE BOTTOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am a single 40 yr old that grew up in the Automotive industry. Learning from an early age, taught by my Father and Grandfather, I learned the Automotive Repair business from mechanical repair, to paint and body work. I did that for most of my juvinile to early adult life, until I found car audio and video / customizing at at the time that industry was blowing up. Say 84-86. I worked in that industry perfecting all aspects; including standard installations to exotic multi-screen, remote start/ funtion control, automation, fiberglass and paint, LED and neon, mirror and plexi-glass. It took 20+ years to get where I was in the industry. I worked for several local shops and nationwide chains......until BIG BOX STORES KILLED THE CAR AUDIO/ VIDEO BUSINESS!! FUCKING BEST BUY AND CIRCUIT CITY!!!!!!!! I remember back when it was a service driven industry. You went to the same shop....cause you knew all the guys....sales to install. Shit, I remember being up at the shop till 3 in the morning...working on systems to get ready in time for the week-end. Try that at a Box Store.....the guy you bought the equipment from, is working in washers and dryers that day, and the kid that put it in??...well he probably does'nt even work there anymore!! Car Tunes...Auto Audio......Audio ExPress....Mr. Car Stereo....MAN!...that goes back aways.....back when it was a party every week-end....cruising Levy and Geyer Springs on Friday and Saturday night....then Burns Park ALL DAY SUNDAY!!!!.....Anybody out there remember those days???!!....you worked on your ride all week to go cruise on the weekends....you young people have no idea what I'm talking about...IT WILL NEVER BE THAT COOL EVER AGAIN!!!!....they don't know what they missed....:0)....the closest I can describe it would be like having a NOPI or HIN event, every weekend, in your own home town.....EVERY WEEK-END!!!!.......
So, anyway, I got out of that industry a few years back. I found a career with a Commercial/ Residential A/V company here in Little Rock. But, I always retained a passion for building cars. So, with the demise of Circuit City and the COMPLETE LACK OF SERVICE AT BEST BUY AND OTHER LOCAL "SPECIALTY RETAILERS", I have desided to open a local shop, ROCKCITY MOTORSPORTS in the LR area. It's still in the initial stages of concept. Looking for the location that will support a Custom Auto Shop in the greater LR area. We will specialize in Import Tuning (Z31 / Z32 specialist) on all makes and models. Muscle Cars of all shapes and sizes will be welcome, as well as Marine / Boats, Sport Bike and Choppers. High end A/V system work also will be available. Look for rockcitymotorsports.com coming soon, to see some of the work on customer and personal vehicles, over the years. I will keep this website posted with pics and progress on the Z as well as the shop.....LOOK OUT LITTLE ROCK!
YES THIS CAR IS REALLY MY MOTHERS CAR! I bought it for her in Sept. 08 and have been fixing it up ever since. She had a 89 200sx named "Red" that got totaled by an 18 wheeler tire about 7-8 yrs. ago. She REALLY LOVED THAT CAR! She had been driving a 95 Pontiac Sunbird since that happened. I thought it was about time she had another car she could love that much, or more. MEET MAX!
From the time I saw the car, till I showed it to her, I knew this was the car and this was the time. It took every weekend up at my Dads shop in Greer's Ferry, for 2 months (being single and living alone allows the time and MONEY required for this project), (that's only 16-18 days, people...talk about dedication!) to get it ready enough to formally "give" her the car to drive full time christmas morning 08. (rebuilt engine, drivetrain, steering, front end alignment, driveshaft, steering wheel, vaccum lines, clutch, scrubbed, sanded / sandblasted and painted every part, custom NISMO badging, etc., alot of which came from overseas. I LOVE E-BAY!!) Sure, I get to drive it every once in awhile, to make sure everything is still up to par. Or when it's time to take it back up to the lake for more work, and back. When she gets to where she can't get in and out of it, I will be happy to take over....she'll probably want to take it for a ride every once in awhile. :o)
For those who don't understand what's going on here.......It is a "Import Concept". If Nissan had offered a Nismo edition 1986 300zx..........what if????.....I completetly rebuilt the engine and drivetrain using genuine nissan parts........outsourced as little as possible (i.e. head work and had a local shop build the driveshaft as well)........a little mechanical inginuity........speed tricks here and there.....nothing that really screams tuner, 'cause......THAT'S THE POINT!!!!!.....I'm building this for my Mother and she LOVES IT THE WAY IT IS!!!!....yeah....it needs wheels, tires, carpet, and paint.......some upgrades I WOULD like to do while it is her primary vehicle, are: larger throttle body, larger injectors, ECU upgrade.......:p.....:o......:OOOOO....
5-23-09 UPDATE!!!!!.....UPDATE!!!!!!!UPDATE!!!!!!!!!!
Well, It's time to order the wheels!!!!....I went to see the PROFESSOR of wheels and tires, Hank, @ 501 tire and wheel in NLR.....He mocked up a set of staggered 18x8.5 +20mm / Front and 18x9.5 +35mm Rear rims to check fitment and clearance...check out page 4....everything looks good so far.....rims ordered!!!.....should be in this week!!!......now I just gotta get the tires, studs, lug nuts, drilled / slotted rotors, Z32 brake upgrade F/R, SS brake lines.....oh well, this might be getting outta control.....more than anticipated!!......STAY TUNED!!!!!
6-2-09 WHEELSANDTIRESAREHERE!!!!!!!!!!!!WHEELSANDTIRESAREHERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
More pics to come......gotta rip it apart this week-end to start the whole suspension/ brake teardown and rebuild!!!!!
6-7-09......DAMN I"M TIRED!!!!.......got the front disassembled......gonna try to get the rear apart today......don't know how far I'll get.....stay tuned...................
up on jack stands.....shade tree style!!!!!!!! the view is nice though!!!!!!!!!!!
Just got the wheels and now it's tore apart again!....:(:(:(
UPDATE 6-21-09..... well I got the rest of the suspension and undercarriage disassembled.....
Now comes the fun part!!....cleaning, scrubbing, painting, undercoating, new parts....
Next weekend will begin that process....STAY TUNED!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Cleaned rear diff Scrubbed and painted....ready for reassembly
Gonna look alot different next weekend!!!
I'll be undercoating the car and starting the reassembly next weekend!
fresh under coating............ parts ready to install......
freshly painted subframe crossmember........ new poly bushings.............
front lower control arms....................................
I'll be glad when this is done!!!.......................................
hhhhmmmmm......old 86 Z31 brakes..................96 TT calipers and 07 350z Track rotors!!!
NEW BRAKES ARE HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!....................UNBELIEVEABLE DIFFERENCE!!!!!!!!!!!.....and yes those are BRAND NEW NISSAN 88 turbo front hubs loaded with new bearings/ races and seals!!!!!!!!!!
new springs/ refinished/ rebuilt strut assemblies w/ new struts.........VERY NICE!!............a taste of what's to come!!
UPDATE !!!!!!! 7-26-09....Suspension is back together, brakes are mocked up.....IT'S ON THE GROUND AGAIN!!!!!!!.......YEA!!!!!!!!!!!.....next weekend I can roll it into the shop to finish the fabrication and assembly!!! Hope to be ready for the show in LR River Market August 14th.....
DUE TO MY LATEST ROOMMATE/ EX-FRIEND BEING A PIECE OF SHIT, PARTS SUPPLIERS NOT BEING ABLE TO DELIVER PARTS ON TIME, HAVING A HARD TIME FINDING THE REST OF THE PARTS I NEED AT REASONABLE PRICES, AND MY GENERAL OUTLOOK ON LIFE DUE TO THE WEEKLY STRESS ENDURED AT MY "JOB".....my wallet and mental disposition will not allow me to get the car back together for the show @ the River Market August 14th......just hope to now be able to afford to get it back together by the end ofAugust.....we'll see ..................................................................................................................................if anyone cares or reads this far down...........................................
8-16-09
