Not your average Z26... a resurrection

[heavywoody]

So some of you know me, and some of you have met me. Since I'm getting ready for some major updates on the Z, I figure there is no better time to start a build thread, which should have been started a long time ago.

Original purchase date: April 21st, 1999
Model: 95 Z26 with all options minus factory sunroof and CD player
Original mileage: 60,833
Current mileage: 178,XXX

Autocrosses attended - 2 (I need to work on this!)
Drag strips attended/raced - 3 (I also need to work on this!)
BFests attended - Me - 11; me with the Z - 8
Best of BFest award in 2009 and 2013
Best Engineered award in 2010
Current HP (dyno'd at BFest 2009) - 184 HP and 204 TQ at the wheels
Best 1/4 - 15.2 at I don't remember lol... that time was on my heavy 17" wheels with heavy 12" rotors - my trans doesn't shift smooth and I need more practice)

Drivetrain mods:
3400 w/ approx 75K - ported/polished intake manifolds, ported heads, polished bowls, Comp Cam springs, SS valves, work done by Ben @ WOT-Tech
TCE lifter springs
5spd swap (first member to complete the conversion)
Fidanza lightweight flywheel (8 lb vs 15 lb stock)
Clutchmasters Stage 3 flywheel/pressure plate
EP Race LSD
Rodney Dickman shifter bushings (both on the shifter mechanism in the console and on the trans itself)
Transgenic CAI
2.5" custom bent exhaust from the manifold back
Borla Turbo muffler with dual intercooled round slash-angled tips
Catco hi-flow cat
FFP dogbone on driver side subframe
SSI dogbone on passenger side subframe
FFP underdrive pulley
RK Sport poly upper motor mount insert
Custom billet/poly trans mount
OBDII swap complete with alternator cooling duct, 96 PS lines, twilight-sentinel headlights, and DRL's

Suspension mods:
Custom valved Bilstein struts/shocks
Eibach Springs
30mm front bar with poly bushings and poly end links (believe it or not my car had a 28mm bar on it when I first got it)
Addco 26mm rear bar with polygraphite bushings
GM strut tower brace
Mantapart rear strut tower brace
Welded control arms
Polygraphite control arm bushings
87-93 style control arms (converted to horizontal style control arms)

Brakes:
12" F-body brakes with C5 Corvette calipers: http://www.beretta.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=1317
Have since reverted back to stock brakes since I sold my 17" wheels

Exterior mods:
Repainted in 2003 factory Cayenne Red Metallic (PPG base coat with 3 coats of House of Kolors clear, wet sanded)
Power mirrors from Street Scene retrofitted in 2001 (switch in center console)
European tail lights (first member with them installed in the US)
Wingless trunk
Eggcrate grill
Removed door ding moldings
20% tint all around

Interior mods:
Leather GTZ steering wheel
Lotek A-pillar dual gauge pod
Leather shifter boot
Leather shift knob from late 90's F-body
Dark grey overhead console added from a Lumina? minivan
Autometer Ultra-lite Wideband monitoring gauge
Autometer Ultra-lite II boost gauge
New carpet/floormats
Minor dark grey interior painted accents (vents and cupholders in dash)
Dashmat dash cover (over an excellent condition dash)
Alpine CDA-7998 headunit
Alpine 6.5" components (tweeters located where original mirror adjustment knobs were in doors)
Kicker 6"x9" "sub" speakers
Alpine MRV407 amp for interior speakers
Alpine MRV357 amp for sub (used to have a 12" Alpine Type S sub - since has been rerouted to power the Kicker's)

Wheel history:
Stock Z26 meat slicers (1999-2002)
Black cross laces (ran during winter of 2001-2002 - the last winter this car has seen)
Enkei Shogun 17"x7" 38et (2002-2013)
NOS GTU wheels (2013-Present) with Dunlop Z2 Star Spec tires in 225/50/16

Miscellaneous stuff:
Blinders removed from fog lights
LED license plate light
Reflective decal over "BERETTA" on rear filler panel and on Chevy logo on grill
Strut tower caps (flat style)

First wax:


3400 swap:


Old wheel/brake setup:


Current setup:

[heavywoody]

Things on my plate for this car coming up over the next several months:
Euro headlight install w/ HID retrofit
Mach 1 lip install
Neon rear disk install (along with some "restoration" of the rear end of the car)
Wilwood front disk install
Del-alum front control arm bushings
Poly rear axle bushings
Custom coilover suspension
Get tires for new wheels (probably going with 245/40/17)
Begin work on engine build
Possible trans swap to 6spd F40 trans
Fix headliner and sunvisors

[bonecrrusher]

LOL - need more build pics!

[Money pit Beretta]

As always I'll be watching. Must have been a hell of a shock going back to stock brakes!

[CorvetteBeretta]

I'm interested to see this custom coil over setup.

[Robert 89gt]

Car looks badass, I'm getting excited myself for a few upgrades!i love my del-alum bushings! What are you planning for an engine build?

[MY91GT(Z)]

Eager.to see what becomes of this looking foward to the build.. u will love poly n del a lum

[heavywoody]

LOL - need more build pics!

I haven't welded anything on that car, or any car for that matter. Well, no, I take that back; the seat bracket nuts. I did weld those. Still holding up! Welding has gotten much better since then since I actually had a CLASS on it and figured out what I was doing wrong.

No sense in doing build pics of what has been done thus far as it's all kinda pointless. IMHO.

Money, it was a bit of a shock, but it helped knowing what I was getting into. I knew it was temporary...

Engine build is going to be a boosted build.

[Money pit Beretta]

Well having good lines had to be helpful! Didn't you have SS lines in front, were you able to use them on the stock calipers?

[woody90gtz]

Get-R-Did! Well...except for the Euro headlights. haha

I think that's the best pic you have of that car...solid grille...and no shiny wheels!

[DanteGTZ]

I envy you guys with your ambitious attitudes. I have so many things I want to do to my cars but I often don't know where to start and don't begin as a result...

[KFLO 93 GT]

You do happen to have fantastic access to a community of knowledgeable folks. Many of whom know ya and would be glad to help!

Geoff - where are da updates mane?

[heavywoody]

Nothing to report yet... had to get the Forester situated for my trip to Detroit this weekend, been playing "repair cars to get them out of the garage so I can start teardowns". Should hopefully have something to update in the next couple weeks.

Plus, with a baby on the way, I've got some work to do in the house too... time is limited

[Money pit Beretta]

That is a bit of a bottle neck on the project. A baby? How did that happen(LOL)?

[Money pit Beretta]

Geoff where did you have your amp power wire inter the firewall? I've got to run a 8awg wire into my car.