RPMS

Sorry, can't help you. But like you, I'm curious as to what differences there are between the 240 and 280 assemblies..

The sticker on the glovebox door lists the payload weight of my 260 as being 420 lbs. That's laughable, especially when one considers that Blaine and I already weigh more than that, and I'm bulking up in the gym. Add some luggage for a weekend trip, (and 25 more pounds for me by the end of the year) and we're exceeding the rated carrying capacity of the vehicle by 25% or more. I've considered making a little trailer for Blaine to sit in, towed behind the Z, but I somehow don't think that would paint a pretty picture. "Okay, it's time to go. You're too heavy to fit in the cabin, so sit down in your trailer." My question is this: How do I increase payload capacity w/o having the ride become bone-crushing? I've been considering the Datsun European Z springs (allegedly 15% stiffer) but I'm not sure that's enough to keep us from smacking the bump stops on a regular basis. And am I on the right track in thinking that the springs are the key to upping the capacity? Any suggestions would be welcome!

quote: Originally posted by BadKarmaCreepin: is there anyway to change the setup of the e-brake so that the handle doesn't stick straight up in the air when engaged? maybe just at a 45 degree angle or something? thanks. dan Why, yes there is! There's an adjustment mechanism underneath the car that allows you to compensate for cable stretch (which it sounds like you have) Get your car up on stands and enjoy getting filthy dirty when you adjust it. And yes, it DOES look like Dork Supreme to have your e-brake handle doing an imitation of a giant erection every time you park the car. It doesn't need to go up more than 30 degrees or so, when properly adjusted.

Heya, Brian. One other thing to consider regarding the use of a relay in place of just a switch is current drop. Depending on the gauge and length of your wire, as well as the soundness of your contacts and the internal resistance of your switch, you may notice some loss in efficiency that will make a noticeable change at the fan itself. If you run heavy gauge wire to a relay near the fan, you'll probably get noticeably better performance. For evidence of this, notice how many people with stock wiring complain of dim headlights. Just a thought. Oh, and where in Dallas are you located? Us Hybridz folks in the Metroplex aught to get together sometime for beers/burgers. [ July 29, 2001: Message edited by: RPMS ]

Back to the subject of VIN replacements for a moment... when you run a Carfax report on a VIN, that tells you not only when and where the car was registered, but gives inspection information as well. This seems to indicate that this information is stored in a central database somewhere. If you pulled the VIN tags off a junked car, I think it might be possible that someone would eventually notice that a car with a Junk Title is, all of a sudden, pounding the pavement again. And if your car was ever impounded for something like a parking violation, what VIN number is on your title? If you can't prove that you own the car, you might not get it back! I'd steer clear of this kind of thing, myself. It just gives Johnny Law one more avenue for prosecution, if you're ever in a marginal situation.

JTR just ran another batch of books in late February of this year. Are they out again so soon???

$800?!?! Let me get this straight - There's a rust-free (or nearly so) California 240 with no body damage, and you're asking if that's TOO MUCH??? Oy... Think of it this way. Buy the car for $800. You won't be using the engine anyway, so you can sell it, the carbs, and the tranny to someone to help finance the deal. As long as there isn't a monumental amount of hidden rust, that sounds like an incredible deal, to me. Go to him with $650 cash in hand and see if he takes it... Scott Ferguson 1974 260-Z - $600, but had NO floorboards, big bodywork, obvious metal damage, etched glass, no A/C, and an engine that would BARELY run.

This might not be appropriate to this forum, but on the other hand, it just might be... Anyway, on the way home from church today I saw a V8 conversion for sale at a tote-the-note lot just northeast of 635 on Garland road. It's a black 280, and I'm guessing it's a 1977 or a 1978. Automatic transmission, with what may have been a Gates shifter. There are a few problems that I see right off the bat. The interior is pretty raw, and the rear driver's side appeared to have some repaired body damage. The hood is missing the vents, and there's a 15" hole in the hood to accomodate the Moroso air cleaner. The engine is NOT in the JTR position, and I could see that at least part of the accelerator linkage was held on with a twist tie. Other than that.... It looked to have good bumpers and the body (or the bondo underneath) looked straight. With a little TLC and some paint (it's in black primer right now) this has the potential to be a good looking car. I have no idea what the telephone number of the place is, nor do I know the name. But if you're looking for a Chevy conversion in the North Dallas area, this may be a good project car for you to look into. Good luck! Scott Ferguson 1974 260Z - sure, it has a V8. On a stand sitting next to it.

quote: Originally posted by Eric Neyerlin: I like Thurem's response the best. Creating some awful looking one-off just to be appear to be different seems kind of pointless and shallow from several human perspectives. I think it may be of questionable taste, but why does this man's effort have to be called pointless and shallow? I have no doubt that he was quite proud of his accomplishment. And I DO think it was an accomplishment. A lot of work went into doing what he did, and it didn't look a half bad effort, to me. quote Just because other people don't like your version of "art" doesn't mean that it's NOT art. In fact, that's what the best art does - it makes us re-think our view of the world. quote I agree that not every attempt is successful, but you have to keep in mind that not everyone shares your vision. Many folks out there put huge spoiler kits on stock Honda sedans and think (for whatever reason) they're the cat's ass. Or they put gold plated spoke wheels on a baby blue Caprice, or they haphazardly slap twenty dollars worth of Pep Boys stickers and stripes on an old Chevy work truck, thinking that they're "customizing" it. Their vision is SO different than mine that I can't see it. But I'm sure that to them, it looks quite stunning! quote: That said, I would also say that if the primary motivation is to learn and practice new auto building skills, then just about any project or design would be justified, no matter how ugly or in left field that it might appear to others. I agree, and I applaud your open minded attitude. It's tough to maintain when your(our) cultural training is screaming "It's FUGLY!" while your civilized mouth is saying, "That sure is...different." You or I might think it's a good first draft, while the Dr. Frankenstein who created the abomination in question thinks it's a splendid final edition.. I sometimes have a tough time remembering that not everyone will appreciate my Z when it's finished. But F**k 'em. It's MY car, and they don't have to like it in order for me to be happy.

Fairlady 327 says: "you guyz cant be serious...." And I retort: Hey, why not? Plenty of stuff that the ricers do isn't inherently bad, it's just that they, like most children, don't know when to quit. Ever hear a five year old tell a joke? it's funny over, and over, and over again, no matter how mundane or oft repeated. Think of ricers from that perspective. As far as in-cabin lighting is concerned, I can't have enough. My cars usually aren't sanitary inside, and sometimes it's tough to find what I'm looking for in the dark. Am I going to sacrifice practicality for originality? No way. Putting one tiny little light in the back of the headliner was shortsighted on Nissan's part, and I intend to rectify that situation ASAP. When I flick the interior light switch, I want to think that the sun has risen! I also want my instruments to be instantly legible at night w/o squinting and staring at them. The stock odometer light is especially poor. Why bother lighting your instruments if they're not going to be readable? Backlit pointers and numbers make SO much more sense than the weak, side-lit abominations that Datsun originally installed. On the other hand, lighting up something just for the sake of lighting it up is unforgiveably ricey. Blacklight neon tubes, "dancing light show" stereos, and strips of light illuminating every contour of your dash to impress your homeys doesn't do anything but distract the driver. And in a Hybrid Z things happen so fast, especially at night, that distraction could be deadly. Just my opinions. I think you were probably talking about "discotheque" lighting techniques discussed previously in the thread, I just wanted to vent my spleen a bit.

Nice car, Mike, and welcome to the group! I've got a set of 1984 Camaro mirrors that are going on my Z as soon as I can get the thing painted!!! I think they look very nice, with a very aerodynamic look to them. The only issue is that they were made to fit a convex curved door, and the Datsun mirrors rest in a concave. A 4" grinder used on the mirror pedestal took care of that issue nicely. Since the mirror housings are aluminum it loaded up the grinding wheel, but that was of small consequence. These mid 80's F-body mirrors (also found on the Fiero, I think) look too large when they're off the car, but if you tuck them in a bit closer to the side glass when you fit them, they look like they were made for the Z. I'll post pictures when I FINALLY get them painted and on the car. Maybe a week away, if the Bondo Gods are listening? [ July 20, 2001: Message edited by: RPMS ]

Just a few thoughts here, since I've owned five BMW's in various states of disrepair over the past few years! A large part of the suspension prowess of these cars comes from the structural rigidity of the body. I don't believe that a ZX has the rigidity to mimic a 3-series BMW, but if you take measures to stiffen up the body, this swap just *might* work. The BMW Digest has an official BMW Master Tech who posts regularly. His name is Brett Anderson, and he's overseen several projects that are in the class you're talking about. Like, stuffing an M3 engine into a little 318ti body. I think he may have even shoehorned a V12 into a 635csi, but maybe I'm misremembering. Anyway, he's the sh*t on BMW's. If you want, I can give him your e-mail address, and see if he has any interest.

Thanks for the encouragement, guys! Last night I did the "final" blocking and filling on all of the car except the driver's side rear wheel arch. I'm having a devil of a time getting that compound curve right! The P.O. had a replacement piece welded in, and the metal doesn't exactly follow stock contours. Last night I gave up trying to follow the precise stock curve, and wiped the whole arch. If I can't duplicate stock, I'll make my own, dammit! It already looks 10x better than before. Tonight, if the Bondo Gods smile on me, I *might* get it right! Then, I can advance one more step... And you're right, Drax, that was a cool paper on Sisyphus (thanks for supplying the name!) Didn't I see that Sisyphus had a Bondo spreader tucked into the waistband of his toga??? [ July 19, 2001: Message edited by: RPMS ]

I swear, I'm going nuts, and I have to vent a little bit... Last night my friend Kirby, my paint and body guru, came over and helped me fill in most of the small waves and dings that block sanding revealed. It was great to have him there to teach me how to do all this stuff, and I'm very, VERY thankful to have him help me get this car as straight as possible before painting it. After all the work, time, and money I've put into this car, I don't want to end up with a half-assed paint job on it. But Kirby said that I still have to re-prime, guide coat, and block sand before I can even paint the jambs. Then I have to put the doors and mirrors back on, then wet sand the whole thing twice, and only then will I be able to shoot REAL paint on it. I'm getting antsy like you wouldn't believe! I don't have a lot of patience to begin with, and doing this "two steps forward, one step back" dance with filling/priming/sanding/filling/priming/sanding is taking a toll on me. I want gratification NOW, and I'm throwing a mental tantrum!!! *sigh* Who was that Greek character who was condemned to be forever pushing the big stone uphill? Always striving, but never reaching his goal? This will feel so good when it's all over, but while I'm still in the middle of things, it seems like it'll never end. But the recent shots of Pete and Dan's cars give me hope that all of this effort is for a good cause, and they motivate me to keep after it and not cut corners. Does anyone have about a gallon of patience they'll sell cheap?

Wow, Pete has competition! (and it only took Dave TWO years to get his running! ) That's an incredible machine, Dave! I love the way the rear fenders worked with the rest of the body. Everything just looks so... CHUNKY! Like it's ready to take names and kick some serious ass. I just hope my Z looks a third as malicious when I'm done...

If I understand your question correctly, the answer is "No". You can't use a factory-style 153 tooth starter with a 168 tooth flywheel. The Jegs starters you're looking at have dual bolt-hole patterns that accomodate either spacing, so they can be used with either one. The factory-style starters have only one bolt hole pattern. If I'm wrong, someone please correct me...

Dan, You're killing me! Last night I tossed down my sanding board and said, "this is as good as it's going to get." Well, thanks to you and your f***ing car, I am now motivated to go BACK into the fray and keep going until the darned thing is ruler-straight. *sigh* Will this never end?!? All I want is perfection. Right now. And for a hundred bucks. Is that so much to ask?!?

Oh, gawd, I can't stand to let someone hang out in the wind like this. Go to http://www.jagsthatrun.com/Pages/Datsun_Z_V-8.html and that will answer 50% of your questions. 40% will be answered when you buy their book, 9% have already been answered in the Hybridz forums, and the other 1% you can feel free to ask about when they come up. The V8 swap is fairly straightforward, if you're familiar with a wrench. If you're not, then I'd suggest you take the JTR book to a good mechanic and have them quote you a price for a turnkey install. Scott Ferguson 1974 260-Z. It has a V8, just not in the engine bay right now...

Damn, that fully "dressed" interior was.... unique. It looked like a disco exploded in there... I've been thinking about using thin fluorescent tubes, the kind that illuminate a laptop computer display, for interior illumination. They're skinny enough to sneak up under the bottom of the dashboard, and they put out plenty of illumination. I wonder if I could use a standard 12-volt power supply from a camping lantern to power them...

My mother gets all these neat catalogs, and in one of them, MicroMark, they have cut-to-fit electroluminescent sheeting with a power supply for only $19.99. I've never seen anything like this before, and it got me to thinking about backlit gauge faces, illuminated emblems, etc. http://www.dxmarket.com/micromark/products/25010.html The only issue I can see is that the sheet is fairly small - 1 3/4 x 3 3/4. That should be enough to do two of the smaller stock gauges, but it's not large enough to do the speedo or tach. Whaddya think? Does this stuff generate any ideas amongst y'all?

Howdy, Karma, We've never met, but I consider everyone on this list to be a friend, and that includes you. I'm probably going to come across as a total ass for saying what I'm going to say, but I'd feel like I wasn't a friend to you if I didn't. Bearing that in mind, here goes... Slow down. If you don't have a very, VERY firm grasp of basic engine building concepts (like TDC, for example) then you aren't ready to go poking around inside your engine. For all the simplicity of the carbureted, pushrod engine, they're still complicated pieces of machinery, and if you screw up one little thing (like forgetting to put in an oil galley plug) you can throw $2,000 and a week's worth of work down the toilet very quickly. I'm concerned that you are jumping into this feet first, without the preparation necessary to fabricate your own car (which is, essentially, what most of us here are doing) This is a tremendously cool chassis/engine combination, and I encourage you to pursue your goal of a V8 Z-car. But please, PLEASE, make haste sloooowly. Be careful, and be very sure of what you're doing. If you're not mechanically inclined, a 380 HP engine buildup might be biting off a bit more than you can comfortably chew for your very first engine build. It's definitely not a "trainer"! I've been wrenching on engines for twenty years now (although this IS my first pushrod engine...) and I'm still a bit intimidated by thought of building my own engine from the block up! And this doesn't even begin to touch on the other mechanical aspects of stuffing an engine with two or three times the factory horsepower into a little Z. In a car that is THIS fast, your brakes, suspension, driveline, etc. ALL have to work pretty much perfectly, or the car will eventually turn around and bite you. (see THANK FRIGGIN GOD I"M ALIVE!!!!!!!!in the "Announcements" section for evidence of this). When cars this powerful play, they play for keeps. I hope you don't take this the wrong way, Dan. I just don't want to see you get hurt. I'm anxious to see you build your car, but I'm also anxious to see both the car and YOU live long enough to bring home some winning timeslips!! Thanks for listening to me, and I truly hope I didn't piss you off. [ June 29, 2001: Message edited by: RPMS ]

quote: Originally posted by Glenn Richelsoph: Hey guy's I thought my 2 cents worth would be helpful here. ... Most expansion valves are adjustable so low side pressures may not indicate system level...You may have to adjust the expansion valve. Sounds like a good idea. One thing I'm concerned about is the system icing over on humid days. I guess a properly adjusted expansion valve will ensure that this doesn't happen, right? I've got gauges and a moderate level of know-how, but I've never adjusted the expansion valve in a Z. Can you walk me through the procedure? quote I guess the biggest would be out of a mid- 70's 454 Cadillac Fleetwood, but I'm not certain that would fit without mounting it on top of the roof... Is there one that's more efficient that you would recommend? Something more modern, perhaps? quote Buddy, if I want medical advice, I ask a doctor. If I want a recipe for air conditioning that works, I'll ask someone from Arizona! [ June 27, 2001: Message edited by: RPMS ]

Dang, I just can't seem to get this right. I'll re-post below. Sorry for the WOB. [ June 27, 2001: Message edited by: RPMS ]

I've never seen a modification kit to change the tail panel, but looking at how its all put together, it doesn't look like it would be all that difficult to do a custom install. The hardest part (for me, anyway) would be frenching in the light buckets. I've thought about doing this to my Z, but I don't have the talent necessary to fabricate something like that. "Funny, it looked so easy in the book..."

I did this last week. I soaked the remaining foamy rubber bits in lacquer thinner, then used steel wool to remove what was left of the rubber/adhesive goo. I'm pretty sure that 3M or Permatex adhesive remover would be a better, easier choice, though. Good luck!