Dan's 66 VG30E Roadster

[ppeters914]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but from the pics it looks like you bought this w/ a VG30 already swapped in, then swapped to a better VG30.

Yes? No? Maybe?

[DanR]

Yes, the original was on its way out, burning oil and overheating until it had almost zero oil pressure at the end of driving season last year.

[dbrick]

No, he asks is that an MG!!!

Well, I've referred to an MG as FJ, (F#%^g Junk)

[DanR]

Had my first bout of fail safe/limp mode in a car. I hit a few big bumps (for this car) and my RPMs were stuck at 2200 max. Pulled over and reset the ECU a few times with no change. Looked under the hood and one of the spark plug wires had come loose slightly. I guess I've been messing with them too much and the terminal isn't as strong. Put it back and blasted my way back home. I was getting quite sweaty anyways.

[DanR]

I finally found a suitable shifter knob that resembles what would have come in a roadster, minus the chrome trim. The original 300zx knob was melting and falling apart in my hand turning it black. Picked one up from Dave at futofab.com.

Here's the original, with terrible focus on my camera in macro mode. It was turning grey and brown, yuck. Just noticed you can see the aluminum pieces for the door weatherstripping that I picked up from Ross at Sports Imports eh. No screws in them until I can actually find the holes in the body.


After I turned it by hand, the inner piece just wouldn't budge and the knob was spinning. Channel locks didn't work either, so I cut it off. I also love being able to just unbolt my steering wheel, until I get a horn, although I could have used that horn yesterday when someone wouldn't turn left on a green arrow. I feel like such an ass having to yell at people all the time.


New knob with some light sanding and a dab of paint on the shifter.


The dash with some wiring I need to clean up during the off-season.

[DanR]

After all the rain and cloudy days I was able to take it for a spin around the corner. Tossed the camera in front of the mirror, got up to about 55mph but without a speedometer cable I can't be accurate.

[youtube][/youtube]

[DanR]

I also apparently have a secret admirer, I found this in my mailbox the other day.

[dbrick]

I also apparently have a secret admirer, I found this in my mailbox the other day.

If you get flowers next week, I would maybe be worried.
New knob looks much more at home the the plastic blob.

[DanR]

Got tired of the "cold" air intake the previous owner had made for the car that was at one point hitting the crank pulley. It was blocking airflow from the fan, and was just danging off the intake manifold. I purchased a MAF adapter and tucked the filter where an overflow tank would normally go.

[Garm]

Doesn't that make about a third of the filter non-functional? Or is there an opening in the inner fender? (which would be pretty cool, pun intended)

[DanR]

If this thing was a screamer, like a turbo VG, it might make a difference but I don't go above 5k. It's basically a round filter in a square hole, so it can't be that bad. The old intake pipe was just dangling with no way to secure it. I had it held up with some wire before this but you can see from when the previous owner installed it, it took off quite a bit of paint just below the filter. Plus I now have room to put in my coolant recovery tank, although the irony is that the filter is where the stock one would go, but there's no way with this engine to go that route.

[DanR]

Some small updates before I put it in winter storage and finalize some of my projects on it.

I made a rough aluminum mount for my over flow tank. The tubing is clear so I can see when it was working and I couldn't be happier with how it turned out.


I also got my horn button from Ross the other day. Up until today I had no idea if the wiring was even present, traced everything and did some tests and the relay is actually wired up properly and working. Now to get some loud horns to go with it.


I also got myself a surround for the rear plate.


I will also get my heat working for the defroster as later in the summer the windshield fog was getting annoying. I will be running a relay off the defrost switch to a vacuum solenoid and valve.

[DanR]

And one last pic until next year. Just got it into the back yard about to be pulled into my small garage for winter.

[RCMike]

Great photo!

[DanR]

Had some nice weather so I went out and pulled the fuel sender to find out why it was reading half a tank when it was empty. First off I could tell it was adjusted improperly. I tested it out with a multimeter and it was fine, VDO brand 10-180 ohms. When adjusted properly, the bracket at the bottom was too long to get the whole assembly through the hole in the tank, so I guess the previous owner just put it in that way. I cut the bracket along the bottom and cut the extra length now in the float, should have mostly accurate readings now, won't know until I run low on gas though.

Will probably have to replace the fuel filter now though.