Gramps

Hey I'm Zach. I'm a TSgt in the USAF and currently stationed @Hill AFB in beautiful northern Utah.

Two days after I got to my first duty station (Nellis AFB NV) back in march '09 straight out of tech school, I bought my Z. The car was a rolling shell but had MAD potential. I had to bum rides back and forth around town to get parts. Messed with the L26 for a little until I pulled the head off and found cyl 2 and 3 ate something gnarly. Scrapped the L26 and rode my bicycle off base to a local JY and ordered my first L28et. Swapped in the engine on base and started on getting Megasquirt 2 to work. I did all of the wiring and work in the dorm parking lot. Pushing the car from spot to spot to make it look like it was operable. I moved the car from the dorms to the auto hobby shop, back to the dorms, to my friends house on base and back to the dorms until I finally got it running and moving on its own. It took me 6 months on E-2 pay with meal card (500 bucks every 2 weeks) to get him running.

Later I was allowed to move off base. With the extra money I had, I spent it all on a fresh L28ET bare block and parts(Ross pistons, L24 rods, Total seal rings) with a P90(ported/custom Turbo isky cam) head, Z32 Trans and adapter. My man Pete from P.A. had the stuff all ready to go but had too many projects of his own to assemble. Built the new L28ET and swapped her in. I ran that engine for 5 years with 350whp. Once I was in Utah, in 2016 I noticed some metal flake in the oil. Figured I'd save it from spining a rod bearing and let it sit until I save up enough for a new engine. From then I realized I need to finally swap in a 2JZ. 

I picked up a 2JZ from a running IS300 in the JY here in Utah. 240,000 miles on the block and 600 dollars later (Longblock, ECU, Wire harness, Accessories and starter) I had my engine. Currently the engine is stripped and cleaned with a new hone and freeze plugs. Not to mention the head and block deck have been resurfaced.  (Oil sample of engine before tear down assured me I landed a "Diamond in the rough". Blackstone labs words. Not mine)