Emperor Ming

The way I see it, it is of interest to site members what we do as we do it so to speak. I have plenty of ideas and just enjoy working on the engine bay. H5 said from day one he would do his all in one go and i said I would do it bit at a time. I looked into the bay today and found something else to polish that I am SURE no one has polished on their car yet and although it is not obvious when it has been done properly it WILL be noticable It is little things like that i am sure will make all the difference. For once in my life I believe that it is being in the race that counts and winning is second!! Ming the Happy It's probably nothing to do with the bits you're thinking about polishing up, but it occured to me as soon as I got the Z that the material on the top of the radiator and the surrounding area is particularly dull. Is it made of a thermal plastic or something that it has to have that strange finish? It was the very first thing I noticed when I lifted the bonnet. I am sad in that one of the first considerations I have when buying a car is what I can do under the bonnet! There are options available that I am considering but other things are first. The most common one - and there or the one I will almost certainly NOT take - is a carbon fibre replacment. I will have to take it off to see what is underneath it and what it does before I decide exactly what i am going to do but i am sure I will do something! Infact I have just had a brainwave. Thanks for brining up the subject!! Ming the Happy

You wanna see the Hyper Black mate. Its mint! Send it through any time and just let me know what colour you want Ming the Happy

Definately irridium as it said so on the plug if I remember rightly.?? Ming the Helpful

The way I see it, it is of interest to site members what we do as we do it so to speak. I have plenty of ideas and just enjoy working on the engine bay. H5 said from day one he would do his all in one go and i said I would do it bit at a time. I looked into the bay today and found something else to polish that I am SURE no one has polished on their car yet and although it is not obvious when it has been done properly it WILL be noticable It is little things like that i am sure will make all the difference. For once in my life I believe that it is being in the race that counts and winning is second!! Ming the Happy

Don't polish . . . . . . WAX Infact Wash, claybar, polish, ultimate polish, and THEN WAX Welcome to club crazy mate. Ming the Obsessed

A pic of the strut brace fitted. The blue is courtesy of the flash. Got the colour right but kept getting shake - I have a new camera and am not full up to speed with it yet. Ming the prepared

Why don't you replace the cable covering with some of that wrap around stuff that fits badly, and looks worse, and hold it all in place with dodgy electrical tape of differing colours BRUSH paint all the bits you can see and spray paint all the undersides of stuff and awkward to get to places in a slightly different colour - plenty of overspray of course - to blend everything in nicely. Instead of clingfilm how about FABLON?? Remember that dodgy work surface and head board stuff of the 60's and 70's Lastly I know its off topic but how about an engine bay like this . . . . . And yes it is a REAL engine bay of a car that I stopped at work. . . . one of the inside of the car to show TRUE customising Ming the reminded

Bound with electrical tape for now mate but i will be looking for the proper sized samco bend in black sooner or later to finish it off properly. PS The induction kit has a lovely 'gulp' sound if you boot it as it really sucks in air!! Ming the Happy If you find out where to get a bend let me know The paints flaking on mine now Yes they do sound well dont they Lomoto I have just had a flash of inspiration regarding this whilst talking to my eldest lad. I know a place that MAKES hoses. Not just any old hoses but.............. . . . BRAIDED STEEL HOSES!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am going to go visit them over the weekend and see what if anything they can do for me!! There are a couple of other visible hoses that could also be replaced I reckon. I will update you later on mate Cheers Ming the hopeful Looks like I might have to start posting my intentions to get my bits in first!! This was one of the things due on mine.......!! ANOTHER re-think...... hI mATE I am sure that even if we did exactly the same things the distance between us would mean that the bays would still look VERY different!! If you post up your ideas and I like 'em I'm gonna pinch 'em. All's fair in love and WAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ming the Buzzin'

My car is an import with the non Brembo brakes. The Nissan 200 pads fit and cost me £20 for the front. The braking is still controlled progressive and sharp when needed. The only thing I have yet to test is consecutive high speed stops. Other than that highly recommended and CHEAP. If the pads are the same so might the dics be. That being so I would check for after market 200sx parts as they will be bucket loads cheaper. Just a suggestion. Ming the thrifty

I have been driving around without it now for about a week. If there is a difference at normal road driving speeds and conditions then it is marginal to say the least. The front MIGHT feel a tad softer but it might be in my head! I think if there is a difference I will notice it more when I put it back on!! Cheers Ming the soft front end

Bound with electrical tape for now mate but i will be looking for the proper sized samco bend in black sooner or later to finish it off properly. PS The induction kit has a lovely 'gulp' sound if you boot it as it really sucks in air!! Ming the Happy If you find out where to get a bend let me know The paints flaking on mine now Yes they do sound well dont they Lomoto I have just had a flash of inspiration regarding this whilst talking to my eldest lad. I know a place that MAKES hoses. Not just any old hoses but.............. . . . BRAIDED STEEL HOSES!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am going to go visit them over the weekend and see what if anything they can do for me!! There are a couple of other visible hoses that could also be replaced I reckon. I will update you later on mate Cheers Ming the hopeful

Its here. Its bleedin raining (I don't want to get the rest of my engine bay wet) so I can't fit it!! My powder coated strut brace Allthough the pictures don't show it it is infact a fine metallic black colour that benefits from sunlight Heres a bit of a clsoe up on the left hand bit The good news is is that what ever Nissan used inside the tube is one tough foam. Its has not been affected by the stripping agent, the blasting agent or the heat of the coating I can't wait to get the thing on but I am going to do it when I have 'cleaning time' to spare as I am going to do the underneath thing first. Ming the Happy

I agree mate Its all part of the fun. Ming the Happy

Hi mate. Many have tried and only a very few have succeeded and of those that did a few do still walk properly Joking aside. When people have little digs it just makes me think that little further outside the box. If money and practicality were not issues and I could afford the car to be off the road a whilst then I could come up with some SERIOUSLY wierd results but that was not the intention as I remember it. Ming the Happy

Yup. I do this but so far the gearbox is quiet. Try double de clutching UP the box. My 1st to 2nd is slightly notchy and I use this method and it smooths it almost right out! Ming the considered

MIng, in reply to this! Carbon, you know you want to! Change all plastic to the sexy material!!!!!!!! Carbon?? How does a panel beater beat carbon? LOL You use what you have access to and Barnsley is a 'steel' area, even now, so thats what we will use. Ming the content.

One thing to remember guys This car is my daily ride. I only have ONE car and as such I cannot afford to take it off the road for long periods of time to get things done. Everything I do will be as part of a 'living project'. (Like that? Sounds like management gobbledy gook to me!! ) Ming the considered

To start with thw powder coating. My old GTO which i powder coated the engine bits on just under FOUR YEARS ago still looks as good as the day I did it. Powder coating goes on at 170 to 190 degrees and if it will stand the heat of my old twin turbo engine, including the rear turbo heat shield, without discolouration it will stand the 350Z heat FOREVER I am VERY confident that it will look as good in one years time as the day I fitted it - unless I change my mind and have it done a different colour (They are working on something for me which if successful will change my engine bay colouration completely The reason I favour powder coating is simple. It stays clean with a wipe of a cloth and is hard wearing and versatile and comparatively cheap. (Price up chrome or anodised finishes and - unless you are in the trade - you will see what I mean.) As for 'custom' parts I have just dropped the front cover off at a panel beaters to have one made in mild steel. It should be ready in ONE WEEK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Dependant on the quality - and I expect it to be superb knowing what else he does - there are a lot more bits that can be 'adapted' As for its finish I also have quite a few ideas on that as well but i need to see the finished article first. When I asked him what the finished item would be like he replied "EXACTLY like this" holding out my spare cover this will give me LOTS of options. As for ideas its easy Pick a piece, look at it for a while and then the idea comes. Like H5 said. the hard bit is finding a man - or woman - who can put your ideas into practice. I think i may have found THAT man!! Ming the confident Fetishist

Purple, polished ally, stainless and hyper black. Whys that odd?? I start soon cleaning UNDERNEATH things!! Ming the Fastidious

Your joking aren't you You want to see Mrs Mings Celica two dead pigs would be easy Talking about Solvo. Best results are had putting it on with your bear hands. I think it is to do with the sweat but it definately works better and is LOADS more satisfying. Clean soft cloth to buff it off and you get a better, quicker shine. Ming the sad Git Thats Ok Ming ,But where are we going to get a "bear " from You mean you haven't got hair on the palms of your hands!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!! Ming the fluffy palmed

The plenum cost £45 and the pipe, bracket and box I think were £40. I say think because I do loads of stuff for another car site and my bits just go down when the others go down. Ming the Very busy (I am going out to play poker in about fifteen minutes )

When time permits mate I am going to get stainless steel bolts for everything. Its a matter of getting a few out and going shopping If you powder coat them they:- a. Get bigger on the head making getting a spanner/socket to fit awkward. b. the powder coated head would damage when done up tight (The paint would scrunch up) I might get a few bolts out and try buffing up the heads as I have had success this way in the past. I shall have to see but the GREEN will go!! Ming the Busy

Your joking aren't you You want to see Mrs Mings Celica two dead pigs would be easy Talking about Solvo. Best results are had putting it on with your bear hands. I think it is to do with the sweat but it definately works better and is LOADS more satisfying. Clean soft cloth to buff it off and you get a better, quicker shine. Ming the sad Git

Bound with electrical tape for now mate but i will be looking for the proper sized samco bend in black sooner or later to finish it off properly. PS The induction kit has a lovely 'gulp' sound if you boot it as it really sucks in air!! Ming the Happy

Unlike you and ming my motto is If you can't see it, don't bother cleaning it! I bet you wash your ars* in the shower though!! You can't see that!! Ming the Fastidious