I miss my Z

[zswap0429]

I've been having to deal with my freaking Land Rover so much recently. I started to realize how much I appreciate the vehicle designers at Nissan. everything is so simple that even an unexperienced newbe like me can get some work done under the hood.
The British designers at jaguar had to make the most expensive and most non user friendly vehicle ever imagined. The freakin propeller shaft that comes on it from the factory has a disclaimer with it saying that it will have to be replaced... What company does that?
so now I'm stuck with a 5500 lb non rolling frame because the stupid drive shaft is eating up my transmission and transfer case. Way to go Britain. No wonder we won the war.


Sorry about the rant. I just hope you all appreciate your Nissans more after reading this.

[zna]

I hope you're right, im considering doing a plenum pull soon.

[A Paratroopers 300zx]

While I do agree that British vehicles suck monkey nuts to work on... the Z32 has it's pitfalls as well. I ran into one when I did the rear suspension on mine. The LT (driver's) traction rod is bolted to the rear sub-frame by a long bolt inserted in a certain asinine way that in order to remove it... one must unbolt the fuel filler neck at the gas tank by way of lots of little tiny hard to reach bolts and drop it out of the way.

The solution one might ascertain from this seemingly complicated problem is... simply insert the bolt in the other direction. Crazy right?!?! I honestly don't think many mechanical engineers have actually worked on cars before designing them.

[zswap0429]

Zna: the first time you do a plenum pull will be difficult. This car had a lot of random bills and hoses all over the place that makes it very nerve racking. But there are allot of food how-to's out there that make it easier.

Paratrooper: luckily I've never worked with my z that in depth. But I don't doubt that it isa pain sone times. But compared to the prices of this land Rover. I would rather deal with a z any day.

[DCaff300ZX]

I have an acquaintance who is a British car nut, and he will admit the same readily and has said he spends much time with his cars simplifying and streamlining them much as we do tucking and deleting on our Z's. And of course repairing them because it seems Brits aren't much into long-term thinking.
Having done a rear shock swap once and installed coilovers however, I def understand Paratrooper's post about the rear suspension- there is some serious WTF back there trying to get some things done. I firmly agree with the assessment that most if not all auto engineers these days have NEVER worked on a car before themselves, and therefore are incapable of planning/engineering for ease of maintenance...and possibly much like me at work these days, may be required to ignore this end of the product value structure to cut costs.
Capitalism has some serious flaws and this is the largest one IMO, as times change and pricing becomes the only issue the product quality/ease of use qualities disappear...

[300ZXttZMAN]

While I do agree that British vehicles suck monkey nuts to work on... the Z32 has it's pitfalls as well. I ran into one when I did the rear suspension on mine. The LT (driver's) traction rod is bolted to the rear sub-frame by a long bolt inserted in a certain asinine way that in order to remove it... one must unbolt the fuel filler neck at the gas tank by way of lots of little tiny hard to reach bolts and drop it out of the way.

The solution one might ascertain from this seemingly complicated problem is... simply insert the bolt in the other direction. Crazy right?!?! I honestly don't think many mechanical engineers have actually worked on cars before designing them.

Yea I experienced that as well... Haha I cut that bolt with my dye grinder then went to one of my parts cars and grabbed the bolt from the RH side and used it on the driver side in the correct orientation.

[StockTurbosFTW]

"everything is so simple that even an unexperienced newbe like me can get some work done under the hood."

I loled

[zswap0429]

Thanks.

[zswap0429]

This is what I am dealing with now.