Nice !!!

Stripes !!!
 

So- in a do something, do anything moment yesterday I stripped off the 4" bonnet stripes and cool weather notwithstanding replaced them with 5" stripes spaced 5" apart. More central, not quite straight but this is still a tryout.

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d6.../DSCF2041a.jpg

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d6.../DSCF2040a.jpg

For my two new pennies worth, I reckon the Z300 shape would benefit from asymmetric stripes, one thick, one thin, like on this '64 Datsun 1500 Sports -

http://i1301.photobucket.com/albums/...ps0086746c.jpg

That would help to break up the expanse of bonnet, which is quite large, and make the car appear more athletic. Just a thought. :)

Took a few minutes, but I managed to find a precedent -

http://i1301.photobucket.com/albums/...ps074a98f4.png

Thanks for the comments & pics, Mr T.
I'm still trying to evoke the spirit of the Male's (Snr & Jnr) A6GCS on a larger car.

1998 Z3 2.8 £875 No MOT Twickenham
 

Alarming !!!
 

So I took Z300S #4 into work yesterday. Had a really nice drive down the M4 into Slough. Later on, in the car park as it got dark, the alarm started sounding and the only way to silence it was to disconnect the battery.
It was still sounding intermittently as I refuelled so had to disconnect it again whilst in the garage. Was probably sounding for 25% of the journey home- very entertaining I'm sure.
Any ideas on why... before I reconnect the battery for the next outing?

Or... how to disconnect the alarm?

Check on the slam panel for an alarm push switch that wound have been operated by the original Z3 bonnet. I can't recall if your car had one or not.

Thanks Chris- there are two switch type things on that panel- I'll try disconnecting them from underneath.

Found the switch and taped it down. Also fitted a QR battery clamp- just in case...

Well that didn't work either so I've disconnected the switch. Other forums have blamed that switch for spurious alarms.

Don't indicate- I am keen to guess...
 

I became concerned that the front indicators mounted in the headlamp recesses were not very visible, especially with the headlights on.
Not wishing to alter the appearance too much, I mounted some repeater indicators in the front brake intake ducts on the expanded metal grilles within and sprayed the lenses with boy-racer "Backlight" lacquer.

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d6.../DSCF2087b.jpg

They contain only 5w bulbs so I may replace the fittings with full 21w ones as fitted to the rear- will still hide them with lacquer though.

Strut Brace
 

I see that the £18,500 Bertini currently on eBay has a strut brace across the front suspension towers.
If it had made a lot of difference, wouldn't BMW have fitted one to the original car?
So- any recommendations here?

Strut braces do make a slight differece, but as the tower movement without them is so minimal, fitting them also has a very minimal effect, which is why most mainstream manufacturers don't put them on as standard.

The cost does not justify the tiny gain.

It seems to be mainly a boy-racer and real racer thing.

With boy-racers, it is mainly aesthetic, but with a rally car or race car, putting unintended extra strain on the towers will give more movement, so the the gains of fitting a brace will be larger, but still minimal.

Apparently a butt brace makes more of a difference with the Z3. The rear suspension set up is not great and on the M cars the rear mounts can actually tear themselves apart.

One of the reasons I decided not to drop the LS7 V8 in the front of mine

WCA, I don't know much about rear strut braces, but IanA was referring to a front one, and so did my comments.

And the other reason you did not put the big engine in your car was the wife threatening to do a John Bobbit on you if you went ahead with the project!!

Agree with your comments about the front brace and my wife's comment could have been construed in that way I guess

So when I saw that Vistaprint would embroider these for silly money- how could I resist?

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d6.../DSCF2090a.jpg

What is silly money?

If we can get Patton on board we could all have matching t-shirts and forma splinter group within the Tribute Automotive Owners Club

;-)

*Doesn't actually look to bad. How much for a XL in black delivered to Stoneliegh?

I got a special price for being a good customer but best I can get at present is £15.24.