Nice to see that MSC is back :)

[noll]

As with probably everyone else here, I got the email about the site revitalization.

I've been mostly out of the model game for a while now (focus shifted to other hobbies, plus just general burnout, life stuff, etc), but this place meant a lot to me when I was younger so it's awesome to see it coming back to life!
I was ~15 when I first made my account here (god, how has it already been a decade) and everyone was always so nice as I built stuff and learned along the way.


The past few years my focus has shifted to 1:10 scale r/c rock crawlers (detailed functional replicas of real vehicles), and (arguably much bigger), real cars haha.

I taught myself to weld, rebuild engines, etc, and have built up a bit of a collection of questionable automobiles at this point haha:










I don't know how much I'll be around here (although I do still have a shelf of kits that need building...), but it's great to see the place coming back to life and I'll definitely try to dip in here every once in a while

[mustang1989]

Welcome back Ellie! Good to see you around again and I'm right there with you on the 1:1 scale projects. You'll see my "My Other Hobby" thread not far from the top of the Recent Post list.
You've got some cool projects going on here man. I REALLY like that 280Z! Jeez...it's been forever and a day since I've seen one of those.

[noll]

Thanks! oh nice, I'll have to give that thread a browse.

And many thanks haha, I've been lucky enough to accumulate some neat stuff over the years. The Z is technically a 260 (the one-year-only transition year from 240z to 280z), but at this point it's such a mutt that you could pick any Z from '69-'78 and it probably has parts from it haha.





They're rather rare now, especially around where i live, and I was never going to be able to afford a nice one, so i bought probably the worst one in the world and fixed it haha.

The paint throws people off, but it's 100% restored underneath:

Entire chassis stitch-welded and added tubular bracing in spots,
subframe connectors,
homemade coilovers,
T3 camber plates,
bumpsteer spacers,
poly bushings everywhere,
technoversions front diff mount,
4pt front strut bar and welded 3pt rear one,
240sx 5spd swap,
Subaru 3.9:1 rear diff,
disk brake conversion/upgrade (wilwood 1" MC, 300zx turbo rotors/toyota x4x4 calipers up front, 300zx non-turbo rotors/maxima calipers in rear),
headlight relays,
engine rebuild/refresh,
header + smog pump delete,
240z roundtop carb swap,
front adjustable LCAs,
+ lots of misc QOL mods like gas struts for hood (replaced torsion bars), removable rad support for engine install, etc.

Took 5 years but well worth it, i drive the heck out of it when I can (any time but the winter).

[mustang1989]

Now THAT'S alot of work right there!!!! 3.90 gears? I'll bet that thing moves out well.

[Tojo72]

Yes it is,things starting to pick up again.

[mustang1989]

Feb 11, 2023 16:00:26 GMT -5 noll said:

Thanks! oh nice, I'll have to give that thread a browse.

And many thanks haha, I've been lucky enough to accumulate some neat stuff over the years. The Z is technically a 260 (the one-year-only transition year from 240z to 280z), but at this point it's such a mutt that you could pick any Z from '69-'78 and it probably has parts from it haha.

Project 406 in my 1994 Truck

[Steve Zuleski]

Welcome back, nice work on the old "Z" car. That's a real flashback for me, they were cool rides back in the olden days, Yes!

[martslay]

Welcome back Ellie! Great collection of models. The build quality, paintwork and weathering are excellent. Especially in 1:1 scale )))
How do you like the VAZ-2121 Niva (Lada Niva)?

[noll]

Feb 12, 2023 13:33:05 GMT -5 mustang1989 said:

Feb 11, 2023 16:00:26 GMT -5 noll said:

Thanks! oh nice, I'll have to give that thread a browse.

And many thanks haha, I've been lucky enough to accumulate some neat stuff over the years. The Z is technically a 260 (the one-year-only transition year from 240z to 280z), but at this point it's such a mutt that you could pick any Z from '69-'78 and it probably has parts from it haha.

Project 406 in my 1994 Truck

Sweet! Just had a look through your thread, that thing must be a riot!

And yeah, the Z is a blast with the 3.90 rear, stock was ~3.3 so it's just enough change without killing highway driving. Only makes about 150hp, but weighs nothing + inline-6 torque is fun .

[noll]

Feb 12, 2023 14:15:22 GMT -5 Steve Zuleski said:

Welcome back, nice work on the old "Z" car. That's a real flashback for me, they were cool rides back in the olden days, Yes!

Thanks! They're super fun cars, shame how badly they like to rust haha. Now that i've re-done mine i'm planning on keeping it for the long haul i think, so many memories and friends made through it already.

[noll]

Feb 13, 2023 0:32:02 GMT -5 martslay said:

Welcome back Ellie! Great collection of models. The build quality, paintwork and weathering are excellent. Especially in 1:1 scale )))
How do you like the VAZ-2121 Niva (Lada Niva)?

Many thanks! The Niva is pretty great; not fast (mostly due to gearing/4spd, it can keep up with traffic fine otherwise), but there's just something about it. It's been dead reliable, turns a lot of heads because nobody really knows what it is here, and it'll go anywhere i point it offroad; haven't been able to get it stuck yet.

[mustang1989]

Feb 13, 2023 11:52:52 GMT -5 noll said:

Feb 12, 2023 13:33:05 GMT -5 mustang1989 said:

Project 406 in my 1994 Truck

Sweet! Just had a look through your thread, that thing must be a riot!

And yeah, the Z is a blast with the 3.90 rear, stock was ~3.3 so it's just enough change without killing highway driving. Only makes about 150hp, but weighs nothing + inline-6 torque is fun .

It's alot of fun alright.

3.90's aint too bad as you said. 150hp is a force to be reckoned with in such a light vehicle. Especially with those gears. I had a set of 3.90's in mine and went to 4.10's. Thank GOD I've got an overdrive transmission!! 

[mz3]

Gotta love Z's no matter what condition!




Part of my break from model building was starting the work on my Z.

[martslay]

Feb 13, 2023 11:57:10 GMT -5 noll said:

Feb 13, 2023 0:32:02 GMT -5 martslay said:

Welcome back Ellie! Great collection of models. The build quality, paintwork and weathering are excellent. Especially in 1:1 scale )))
How do you like the VAZ-2121 Niva (Lada Niva)?

Many thanks! The Niva is pretty great; not fast (mostly due to gearing/4spd, it can keep up with traffic fine otherwise), but there's just something about it. It's been dead reliable, turns a lot of heads because nobody really knows what it is here, and it'll go anywhere i point it offroad; haven't been able to get it stuck yet.

Thank you for your opinion) We like to do this:

[Steve Zuleski]

Those track additions seem to work pretty well, as long as you don't try to get too crazy. We had those on our ATVs at work, but some of the guys beat the snot out of them.

[Whiterook]

Welcome back! It’s a pleasure to meet you.

[noll]

Feb 13, 2023 12:22:38 GMT -5 mustang1989 said:

Feb 13, 2023 11:52:52 GMT -5 noll said:

Sweet! Just had a look through your thread, that thing must be a riot!

And yeah, the Z is a blast with the 3.90 rear, stock was ~3.3 so it's just enough change without killing highway driving. Only makes about 150hp, but weighs nothing + inline-6 torque is fun .

It's alot of fun alright.

3.90's aint too bad as you said. 150hp is a force to be reckoned with in such a light vehicle. Especially with those gears. I had a set of 3.90's in mine and went to 4.10's. Thank GOD I've got an overdrive transmission!! 

Indeed! It's enough to be fun without getting me in too much trouble haha. Might go EFI/turbo one day, but that's a long way off. And yeah, in my case i think 3.9 is the highest i want to go with the close-ratio 5spd I swapped in, it's alright on the highway but if I went much higher it wouldn't be fun haha.

[noll]

Feb 13, 2023 12:27:39 GMT -5 mz3 said:

Gotta love Z's no matter what condition!




Part of my break from model building was starting the work on my Z.

Ooh, very nice! And yeah, they (all generations) are great cars, and modification possibilities are endless.

[noll]

Feb 13, 2023 13:22:38 GMT -5 martslay said:

Feb 13, 2023 11:57:10 GMT -5 noll said:

Many thanks! The Niva is pretty great; not fast (mostly due to gearing/4spd, it can keep up with traffic fine otherwise), but there's just something about it. It's been dead reliable, turns a lot of heads because nobody really knows what it is here, and it'll go anywhere i point it offroad; haven't been able to get it stuck yet.

Thank you for your opinion) We like to do this:

~snip~

Oh yeah, i've seen some wild stuff done to Nivas online haha, they are such good bases for so many things. I opted to keep mine pretty much stock; partially because that's all I need for what I'm doing with it, and partially because it is one of the (if not *the* ) oldest Canadian-spec Nivas left on the road here (sold here new); seems a shame to chop it up given how original it is (everything but the tires basically)

[martslay]

Oh yeah! If it is for the most part the original, then it is better not to make 'improvements'. Especially if it is a Niva 1.6l. Even we don't have many left.

[Tobi]

With all the work you've put into it, the paint job doesn't look like something that couldn't be fixed. ;-)