| Last Friday, I requested to leave work a little early because the body shop had called me and said my Z was finished. I couldn't do a drop of work the rest of the day, I was so excited. When I got to the shop, the excitement went on...The bumper had been fit PERECTLY, and I mean absolutely perfect. It is a combat front and it has never looked so good on a Z. Even you stock guys may have appreciated it. So anyways, that evening I got her home and just stared at her in my garage. Sent cell phone pics to all my friends with the caption... "Do you believe it's actually a real car?!!" I was amazed at the way it was finally turning out... I spoke with Alex(Spyhunter) a day earlier about the few small leaks I had and we scheduled to bring him the car Sat afternoon and leave it for the weekend. Coz got me the high pressure steering line 3 day and I had it in the car and ready for Alex for Sat.... Sat rolls around and I check my oil that morning. I had a small oil leak coming off one of the lines to the passenger side turbo(I believe) and it looked like an easy fix for Alex, and oil levels were good for now. Besides a few boost leaks, and the PS leak, I figured I'd have my car back Sunday evening if Alex wasn't too backed up. I get in the car, my buddy following me in my other car, and we head down Rt 1 for Trenton. I would say I was about 15 minutes from Alex's house when all of a sudden the most horrible knock happens and I immediately pull the car over in the right lane on Rt 1 (No Shoulder...) and attempt to check the oil. The cap is fried on and everything is extremely hot. I had not noticed a loss in oil pressure from my gauges and temperature was steady throughout the ride there so I know I didn't overheat. A motorist (EMT volunteer) was kind enough to throw his strobes on a good 20 yards back and another motorist got out to help me see what was wrong. He luckily had a large pair of plyers and we got the oil cap off after I verified my baby was somehow bone-dry on the dipstick... I threw 3 quarts of oil in, started her back up, and was immediately in utter dissapointment. The damage was done, and my engine was knocking horribly... Metal was hitting metal somewhere inside there so I drove to the next exit which was 500 yards ahead and pulled off... I know this is long, but it's a good story(continuation of my Z nightmare) So after the cops talk to me, and try to figure out what the hell my car is (amusing), a tow truck (idiot) gets there and demands that we can get the car on the flatbed without damaging the $1500 work I just had completed to the front bumper. She was sitting extremely low and I knew there was no way... So we played around for a while and he finally said "it ain't happenin unless we destroy this bumper." Keep in mind, the bumper is fiberglass.... So I call Alex and I tell him I'm 10 mins away, my engine is FUBARed to begin with, I'm just gonna try to drive slowly and make it to his house... Boy am I an idiot. I figured I'd be saving myself some money by saving my bodywork. I mean afterall, I had gotten the car back the DAY BEFORE... I knew the engine was toast but with my addition of oil, maybe I could make it 5 more miles... I get about 2 more miles down the road and KABOOM... Bye bye to my entire build.. It is likely I can say bye bye to my turbos (GT28RS) and bye bye to some other upgraded internals... I am just so incredibly bummed out I don't know what to do... The oil leak was soooooo small. And I am extremely OCD when it came to that. I barely drove the car and when I did, I checked that oil like it was a paid job... Something must have happened along the way, and a small leak turned into a big one and that was it.... So, if you've read my story, give me your opinion.... I'm a bigtime believer in finishing something you started, and I am truthfully in love with the Z32. It's been my favorite car since I was 12 and collected every matchbox Z32 I could find.... I just can't win with this car. It was finally all coming together, and just like it has for the past 6 years, it fell apart on my when I was so close.... I spent A LOT of money on that engine, on the labor, on everything. At this point I really have nothing to show for it.... So Alex and I discussed this breifly, and if I do decide to keep going, I have a few options... They already found me a TT motor which is scheduled to be picked up this weekend. However, I don't want to just drop a stock motor in the car. I spent years adding things and waiting patiently to build something powerful. We haven't had a chance to open things up and see what survived but if things didn't part of me, well all of me wants to try my best to come out with the same amount of power I was gonna be looking at... So should I:
A) move on and realize this was doomed from the day I pulled that NA motor? Realize all the "signs" and the "karma" that me and this Z were not meant to be...?
B) stick a stock motor in the car, and likely be very unsatisfied because I'll constantly be thinking of what could have been?
C) Stick with it and just cough up the dough (if I can...) to get her to the power I worked for? IPP Long block, new GT28RS turbos(if needed), etc etc....?
D)Stick with the M3 because so far, it hasn't punished me for the mods I've done to it (knocks on wood) Sorry for my long rant... I know other members have had Z nightmares. I'm really living a crazy one. A nightmare that has now stretched 6 years plus... I've actually kinda lost count. At least some others can relate... I know I'll likely end up sticking with it, and a lot of that has to do with having Alex so close by to help me out....even with all the other shit he has going on... Your opinions on the matter are appreciated. It will help weigh a little bit on my decisions... Hope all is well that remains well with everyone else's Z's....
My Sport: Driving a Z... Because with baseball, football, basketball, tennis, and golf, you only need one ball |
