Rebody Z3 Based Ferrari 250 California Build

t-tony

Zorg Expert (II)
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Torksey Lock,Lincoln, England
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E89 Z4 23i Auto
@Mazza is this the colour bonnet you’re looking for?,assuming you haven’t found one yet.

Tony.
 

Mazza

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Z3 1.9 M44 Roadster Z3 2.8 Project
Thanks for the tag Tony, but I need an Arctic Silver one, and this one is Titan Silver unfortunately. Will carry on looking .
 

t-tony

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E89 Z4 23i Auto
Ok mate, sorry I wasn't sure which it was. I'll keep my eyes open.

Tony.
 

MisterP007

German-Italian-British Mix - What could go wrong?
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Z3 2.8

MisterP007

German-Italian-British Mix - What could go wrong?
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@Mazza

Just a thought. Here is the paint code for mine. I just noticed that it says Titansilber in the large lettering and arktissilber in the smaller print. Paint code is 354/7.

If this is correct for you then let me know. The bonnet is in really good condition.

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MisterP007

German-Italian-British Mix - What could go wrong?
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So, the build has started! Well, the strip-down has at least!

Started at the rear end:

  • Bootlid off and dismantled into component parts (locks, high-level brake light, badges etc.).
  • Rear lights out.
  • Wing mirrors off.
  • Door cards off (partly to get to the wing mirror wiring and partly because they need to come off to do the interior).
  • Door sill trims off.
  • Carpets out of the boot.
I will put some pictures up when more stuff is off the car.
 

MisterP007

German-Italian-British Mix - What could go wrong?
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Another couple of hours in the workshop just done.

Front end completely stripped down, rear 1/2 done.

Inner sills both have a small rust hole in the fronts, outer sills shot on front end. Other than that all looks OK.

Now entering the “Mad Max” phase!

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MisterP007

German-Italian-British Mix - What could go wrong?
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Managed to get 1 1/2 hours in last night on the strip-down, out to dinner with pals afterwards.

Managed:

  • The plastic panel below the windscreen removed.
  • Wiper motor, blades, control arms all off.
  • Bonnet latches both off - look in poor condition so need to buy one new one for the Cali250 build.
  • All four wheel arch liners out - nut as rusty as xxxx so some cut off.
  • Nearside sill off - front end of which is swiss-cheese, rest is fine. Inner sill has a 50x50 mm ish hole in the front end so a bit of welding to do later.
  • Rear wings unbolted, nearside rear wing off and rear bumper 1/2 off (one of the big torx bolt has burred over and will be a pig to get out- finish tonight?
  • Cut off the baby wing mounting points as not needed on Cali250 and saves a small amount of weight
Filthy jobs with the accumulation of mud etc. Note to self: Get the pressure washer on everything BEFORE strip-down!

Onwards and upwards.

Also had a long chat yesterday morning with @jaguartvr (Steve), who is expert in all thing Cali250 related, about what brackets and fitting I need to fit the GRP panels as a lot are missing from my kit. Thanks Steve.

@Martin Sullivan dropped in to my place this morning to collect an Armrest (thanks Martin), we ended up talking Z's for an hour or so and I need to order some power steering pipes he makes for both my cars. Let me know a price for 2 sets please Martin.

Pics of progress:
 

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MisterP007

German-Italian-British Mix - What could go wrong?
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Possibly a tad early to ask but here goes:

The exterior of Z is Titan Silver, the existing hood is red and in good nick, Interior carpets are black so I am thinking red interior (dark-ish), red floor mats and red leatherseats, door cards, prop-shaft tunnel and rear section trim, black door cappings and dash, and leave the black carpet in place and a black or red tonneau. With that in mind do I go Silver exterior or White exterior.

Also bumpers or no bumpers? - this question may be easier to answer when you know a set of bumpers from Vietnam are £1500+

Answers on a postcard to PO Box....... anyone old enough to remember this?

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MisterP007

German-Italian-British Mix - What could go wrong?
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mwpe

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White no bumpers, even a Ferrari can't look good in silver.
 

t-tony

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Although white with red interior does have an attraction.;)

Tony.
 

Ian&Sue

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No bumpers & pick a different colour or silver if you must.

Ian.
 

spurs fan in a coupe

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Onwards and upwards.

Also had a long chat yesterday morning with @jaguartvr (Steve), who is expert in all thing Cali250 related, about what brackets and fitting I need to fit the GRP panels as a lot are missing from my kit. Thanks Steve.
Pics of progress:
Exciting couple of days for @jaguartvr he saw me too!
Your project is coming on already @MisterP007
 

MisterP007

German-Italian-British Mix - What could go wrong?
Supporter
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MisterP007

German-Italian-British Mix - What could go wrong?
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Location
Tunbridge Wells
Model of Z
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No bumpers & pick a different colour or silver if you must.

Ian.
Hi Ian & Sue

I really like the gunmetal grey which would work well with the red roof but SWMBO (sorry Sue) does not like it, says its dull and boring!

Picture is of a Tribute like my current car but you get the idea!

Do those tyres look far too fat or is it my eyes?

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t-tony

Zorg Expert (II)
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Yes the tyres do look to fat for that car. IMHO.

Tony.
 

MisterP007

German-Italian-British Mix - What could go wrong?
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A bit more progress on Saturday (14 people over yesterday so cooking all morning and drinking/eating all evening).

Car exterior is completely stripped and ready for remedial bodywork on some rust spots:

  • Surface rust all along the bottom of the inner sill - This needs ground off, treated, etch primed and 3m underbody paint applied before panels are fitted.
  • Hole in both front ends of inner sill needs plate cut and welding.
  • Bits of surface rust spots in the engine bay, on inner wings etc. - these need sanding off, treated and etch primed before panels go on.
Most of the interior is stripped out and found some interesting things:

  • Some idiot had glued the radio in place (yes glued with Araldite) - Muppets, took me ages to get it out of the centre console without wrecking the console, radio snapped into two pieces so is in the bin).
  • Centre console is now 3/4 out just need to disconnect the heater controls.
  • Roll hoops, centre rear locking box and all of the rear plastic trim removed along with roll hoop mounting brackets. The top sections of trim are black leatherette wrapped (never seen that before on a Z3 was it standard on later models? (W Reg). All in really good condition and will be up for sale at some point.
  • Dashboard knee panels out, looks like somebody tapped into ZKE module wiring to get interior lights into the footwells, good idea but badly done so I will re-do the wiring and keep the lights.
Had a chance to have a good look under the car as well:

  • Removed the spare wheel carrier and wheel, the carrier is in OK condition and I will paint it up to sell but the spare wheel is almost rusted right through.
  • Rear beam bushes are both shot, the beam is sitting directly on the metal mounts.
  • Diff bush also looks knackered.
  • Front control arm bushes are shot both sides.
  • Anti Roll Bar bushes front and rear are good.
  • Drop links all look reasonable but will probably replace anyway.
  • Rear discs knackered, fronts OK but will replace them all anyway.
  • Somebody used rubberised, old fashioned style underseal on a lot of the rear sub-frame parts and trapped the water/rust beneath so the parts are a bit rusty, no structural damage but a lot of surface rust to grind off - Looks like front and rear ends need to come out and be re-conditioned.
So it looks like a complete re-bushing, new brake discs and pads, brake caliper rebuild, stainless steel hoses all round. also need to buy lowering springs or change to coilovers.

Last but not least, I could not resist trial-fitting the body panels to see what it would look like in the flesh (GRP)!


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