ls240z

Where did you get those corner lights? They look mint!

I believe he's using the ATL SP-112,a steel container surrounding a 12 gallon bladder. Edit: I was a couple minutes slow!

Started tackling the floor patches, not the easiest to get a good fit up when you're trying to butt up nicely to all the curved surfaces. Or cutting with dull tin snips... Oh well. I seem to be blowing through every so often, I just hold the trigger a hair too long. After I get it all welded and ground down, I can start flattening the floor to fit closer to my angle pieces fab'd to fit the Bad Dogs to the car.

Well so much for that supposed progress, been traveling and working a lot of OT to pay for car parts. Putting a hold on welding in the fuel cell structure until I get the rear end bits from Will. I went out and pulled this rear diff from an 04 Explorer, twas a bit of a bitch to yank out in 2 hours (closing time). It's a 3.55, not sure if that'll suit my needs, I need to research more on the 8.8" gear choices seeing as I spent most of my time looking at R200 ratios. Working a lot in the next 2 weeks, but I hope to get started on the subframe connectors so I can sandblast the chassis.

What sort of camber adjustment range will this be capable of? I'm wondering if I should bother with camber plates in the rear if the uprights are able to get enough negative camber.

Damn that silver looks nice with those satin grey wheels. I'm following your build closely, I'm going to order Will's IRS package when they're produced. Which coilovers did you use with the Koni's? Have you had a chance to get a sense of the handling? If so, what are your thoughts on your combo?

So I finished up welding the container, it turned out better than I could have hoped. It was my first time welding sheet metal so I was a little nervous. All that I need to do is drill a drain hole, drill the holes for the lid, remake the lid (the old one was an 1/8th of an inch to small), and get it all powdercoated (going to wait on that, might as well do a batch of stuff to save money). Now that I have this made I can put together the supporting cage in the rear. Getting the angle pieces to mount my Bad Dogs made up and I'm picking them up on Tuesday, should hopefully be some decent progress in the next 2-3 weeks

I agree with texis, gloss is way too shiny, and doesn't mesh will with the rest of the interior imo. Amazing work on the actual console though

Look into the Deka=Braille threads throughout the Web; identical batteries made by the same parent company, but a huge price difference between the two. I plan on running the 21lb Deka when I even get close to having an engine...

PM'd you

Would you happen to have any other pieces of the rear, like the tail light panel sheet metal?

These are gorgeous, I would love these seats. Dat diamond stitching...

Still looking for a shop with a power break to bend the 12ga angle strips I need to mount my Bad Dogs, so in the mean time I've been cutting up 1/8" steel for the mounting plates/boxes for the main hoop. I am copying robbs70z's design, which is this: Here is my pile of puzzle pieces so far I also had my fuel cell container bent up. I picked it up today, they did a good job bending it. I just have to weld the sides, drill the cover holes, and get it powder coated. I'm getting an ATL Saver Cell, so I built the container before I bought it so I can mock up the fuel cell frame in the rear. This also saves me a bunch of money right now, and I don't waste the limited life span (5 year?) FIA certification. I also bought a 4'x8' sheet of 20ga steel, for the hatch floor, battery tray, and firewall holes. Slowly but surely, this build is finally going places.

Thanks for the confirmation and mention of 12 ga John. When I said angle, I had planned on folding thinner sheet 90 degrees. 1/8" angle is the smallest I had found, and like you said, it's too thick.

Yeah, that would almost be a last resort for me. In all the threads I've read for installing these, I haven't seen this issue mentioned once.

I removed my entire factory rail because it was in terrible shape and I wanted to clean up under it completely. Looking at the floor now, there is a large drop from one side of where the rail sits. The Bad Dog rails don't take this into account so now there is a large gap. I knew people have recommended to install over existing rails, but looking at this makes me think it's a requirement for the 280Z. The driver side looks like it will work fine because the floor is flat. My "solution" to the passenger side is to rosette/plug weld a length of angle along the floor along the trans tunnel side, acting like the "old, cut off rail", and then weld the new rail to it. Does that seem like the way to go about this? Or am I not looking at it correctly? I was desperately hoping my floor was ridiculously bent, but it is definitely supposed to be like that. Both Bad Dog rails are identical, so using the wrong side isn't the issue. Passenger side Driver side Where I currently stand

I'm curious to see how you tackle that rocker rust, as I have to deal with the same thing. It's not likely to be a fun ordeal... Your build looks great though!

So here is version 2.0, hopefully utilizing your suggestions. Door bars are not accurate, only an approximation. They are subject to change to fit the door cards/be NHRA legal/be decent to climb over. Red = 1.75"x.120" Yellow = 1.625"x.060"

Looking back at my picture, those bars are ridiculously low, I didn't realize it until you mentioned it Keith. I'm sure I could manage to set it up in a way to be NHRA legal and still have an ok time getting in and out. I was just looking for the opinion on that style (two bent, uncut door bars welded and gusseted). It makes sense, I just don't want to get caught up in the "tubing fever" and install more than I need. I'll likely add them, what's another ~20 lbs at this point?

I'll sketch another lovely paint jpeg incorporating these revisions.

I am trying to get my roll bar/chassis bracing plan finalized, here is what I have come up with and I'm looking for your scrutiny and suggestions. I took info and inspiration from 74_5.0L_Z's build and numerous other's, but I have some questions. This car is going to be a summer weekend toy that I'll take to the track and autocross from time to time. I believe I have it to spec in all NHRA, SCCA, and FIA Canada rulebooks. Due to Canadian autocross rules, the minimum diameter/thickness is 1.75" x .120". Thicker than I'd like, but more what can you do. Red = 1.75" x .120" Purple = bolted in 1.75" x .120" Blue = mounting/spreader plates Yellow = tubing of which both diameter and thickness I am unsure of Lime Green = tubing I am unsure of even using or the final configuration Dark Green = gussets My questions are: 1. I know the knee bar should all be bent in one plane to keep it stronger, but I'm wondering if by gusseting it to the firewall/lower cowl box area will keep it strong and increase chassis stiffness? 2. What size/thickness is preferred for additional chassis bracing not outlined in the rulebooks? Is larger/thinner or smaller/thicker better? Can anyone suggest a size? 3. For the bracing between the rear hoop stays, I'm not sure if I should run an "X", a "V", or nothing at all? What am I looking at in terms of visibility vs. stiffening/strengthening? 4. Door bars, do I use them? Will they tie in the chassis as a whole a lot better than just the knee bar and main hoop attached to the rockers themselves? I'm keeping a full interior, so this might not be an option in terms of access/egress and my size (6'2", 200 lbs). If no, should I just run a sill bar between the knee bar and main hoop? 5. Tubular seat mounts, I'm sure I've read they should attach to the cage (I'm assuming the sill bars). I'm also assuming they terminate at the trans tunnel, welded to a mounting/spreader plate, is that correct? As this is my first build, I'm still wrapping my head around some of the finer points of a full on build. I am trying to be thorough and do the job correctly the first time, and I greatly appreciate your help with that. Cheers.

I haven't progressed too much on the underbody aside from scraping off some more undercoating. This seems like the worst of what I've found so far, which doesn't seem too bad. This seems a little troubling... Do all these cars have such a huge gap between some seams? Damn things is like 1/4"... How she looks right now. Once I finish scraping, I'm going to use a scotchbrite pad and a drill to clean everything up. I also just recieved my Bad Dog frame rails and the 240Z subframe connectors, which I'll have to modify from what I've read on here. They are some quality pieces. They are just sitting on my existing rail right now. I am going to try to plug away at johnc's list of chassis reinforcements for a street car.

I wish there were chassis up here like that, and if they existed, didn't cost a fortune to buy. You'd be surprised Keith (or maybe not) by some of the crap I found in this car. When I took off the doors I found random washers used as spacers between the hinges and body. They looked like they were attached by bird crap, turns out they were welds...

Houston, we have inversion. Already I'm seeing that this chassis has been abused and slapped with body filler, I'm scared to take it down to metal... The PO was a cheap bastard that's for sure.

I only just noticed you're in Edmonton, that's great to know someone else up here is modifying this car! I am only just getting to the point you were at 3.5 years ago though... Awesome work!