FairladyLexi

Are we going to meet up somewhere and arrive together, or just show up whenever?

Nice, looks like we’re right next to the car club entrance.

Hi guys, It looks like my Z isn’t going to make it to this event, unfortunately. She needs a new lower ball joint and it’s not looking like I’ll be able to get it sorted in time for the 23rd. I’d rather not keep using the car for fear of further damage to the suspension. There’s a small chance I might be able to bring my Z if the part arrives quickly and I’m able to move my appointment. If not, I’ll be coming in a different car and won’t be parking with the club, but I will be sure to say hello and check out the line-up! Cheers, Lexi

1. andy James x1 PAI 2. vlad_kfv x1 PAID 3. Nismoandy x 2 PAID 4. Coz@TORQEN 5. stef x1 6. Payco PAID 7. JSH95 X1 PAID 8. Humpy x1 paid 9. Paul Froggatt (fr06jap) x 2 PAID 10. FairladyLexi - paid I put “350Z-UK.com” as the club. I hope that’s okay! I guess they sort it manually as there’s no club code? I got my Z in October so I’ve been waiting to join you guys for events. Going to this one and Go Japan! with the club so far! Very excited.

1. Payco - paid 2. Andy James- paid 3. Humpy - paid 4. FairladyLexi - paid Really looking forward to this! It was great last year, but I didn’t have my Z at the time.

Thanks for the response. Perhaps further investigation into the brakes might be a good idea. I forgot to mention that my car is a JDM example with the non-Brembo brakes, if that makes any difference?

Hi guys, I've got a really annoying issue with my Z! During low-speed braking, there's a horrible creaking noise that happens in a sort of 'back and forth' manner (bit like a squeaky bed) as the wheel is turning. I thought it was old pads and discs, so I had the rears changed in November and the noise went away. It's now come back in the last few days, exactly as it was before. Things to note: Only happens during low-speed braking, especially when coming to a stop. Does not happen when braking whilst reversing. Does not happen at all when braking via just the handbrake, whether lightly or strongly. Gets louder the more the brakes are used. Doesn't seem to happen when cold. There's also quite a loud, singular click that comes from the rear when pulling away from a stop. I've tried pushing back the dust shields on both sides to no effect. Brake cleaning spray has no effect and there are no signs of grooves being worn into the discs, so debris is unlikely the cause. The noise is very similar to in this video, so my next guess is the wheel bearings/hubs. If anyone has had this issue and has any ideas, it would be very helpful! Thanks, Lexi Edit: I forgot to mention that my car is a JDM example with the non-Brembo brakes.

I'm 99% sure the covers are still present. When I say you can see inside them, I'm talking a tiny hole I noticed when the headlights were on, same on both sides. It was only the passenger side that got water in it and I think it only happened because there was so much standing water on the A3 (mostly on the inside line) that night! I wouldn't have driven that way if I'd known it would be so bad. Visibility was horrendous. I think I'll see if the bubbling in the paint gets any better, or worse, as the headlight dries out. When the weather is better, I'll look into baking and resealing both headlights and will probably have to sand and respray that black section. The oven method sounds scary at first, but so many people have reported it's very easy and done at low temperature! Should be doable.

To be clear, these are the original headlights and I don’t think they’ve ever been dismantled. I’m also aware that the Z headlights aren’t fully sealed. They’re designed to vent and you can actually see into them a little through the wheel arches when they’re on. The ballast and bulbs were thankfully unaffected by that extremely wet drive (down the A3 during heavy downpours with standing water). However, I’d like to know if anyone else has had the same sort of bubbling on the black section. I guess the only solution will be to wait for warmer weather, take it apart and repaint that section. It would also be an opportunity to reseal the cover, too, as there might be gaps in the original seal.

Hi guys, My passenger side headlight unfortunately got quite a bit of water in it during a very wet drive on Christmas Eve. The weather has been miserable lately, as we all know, and the condensation is finally clearing. However, I've discovered that the black painted (or vinyl coated?) area at the bottom of the headlight has some strange bubbling that's developed since the water got in. Looks like veins and it's really gross... I know it's possible to dismantle the headlight with the aid of an oven, but any ideas what I'm dealing with? Can the paint be repaired or would it require that section to be sanded and repainted? I'm hoping it might become less raised over time if the bubbling is due to water trapped underneath, but I realise I may be dealing with permanent damage here. It's a relatively minor cosmetic issue, but it bothers me nonetheless because I know how expensive the facelift headlights are to replace!

Thank you! I think I'd rather put new ones in so they last as long as possible, so it's all good. 😇

So the dodgy near-side shock is driving me mad, it's making horrendous screeching with movement. Had it checked by my mechanic last night and it's safe, just annoying. Grease hasn't helped. I did lots of reading and I'm pretty certain the shocks will fit with no issues, the only difference between UK and JDM OEM is that the latter's shocks are a bit stiffer. I've ordered Tein EnduraPro Plus (the adjustable version) for both fronts and will be getting them fitted next Saturday. I'll report back next weekend in case anyone is interested or has a similar query! I went with the adjustable ones because they'll allow me to keep the ride a bit softer for London, then make them firmer for when I eventually move out of the city!

Hi guys, My Fairlady Z is in need of new front shocks. However, I just learnt that the JDM models apparently have a firmer suspension setup versus the UK ones. I'm not very clued up on suspension parts, so my query is whether I can replace the shocks with UK-spec ones. I presume the mounts are all the same and that the shock stiffness is the only difference? For example, would these Tein EnduraPro shocks be compatible with my car? She's also got huge 19-inch Work wheels fitted (245/35 R19 at the front) so I'm not sure if that affects anything. I've searched for the original part numbers (found via the EPC-Data website, super useful for JDM Zs) and haven't had much luck finding equivalent parts from UK/European retailers. I'd rather not have to import OEM ones from Japan, given the price and shipment hassle! If I'm understanding suspension design correctly, would fitting UK-spec shocks simply make the ride a bit softer? That would probably be a good thing, given I live in London and the roads here are horrendous! Especially with my skinny tyres... Thanks, Lexi

Japfest 2023 now has a date: Sunday 23rd April (as per this post). Now that winter is in full swing, I’m already dreaming about next year’s car season. Will the forum be attending and arranging club tickets?

Yeah, seems like it from the videos I've watched! I've tried contacting Works Bell via their online form twice now, but haven't received any confirmations or responses. I'll try their email address next. There's no longer a notice on the webpage about orders being paused, so I'm hoping I can order a new kit from them. Edit: I just saw this, so there's hope! https://www.worksbell.co.jp/en/news_detail/column-shifter-notice-of-order-resumption-and-price-change/