tonycharger72

This is a design I have come up with in my head................. I dont have anything more sophisticated than paint, so the drawing is a touch basic !!! However, the principal idea is based upon replicating what Luxon do, with the provision for a strut, not a top a-arm! Basically, grab a piece of 2-3" thick mild steel, put a whole through for the the axle and remove metal for the hub to bolt to - guess also act as a weight saving device, The rear LCA's would need to be increased in length as this design does away with the bolted/welded together connecting supported that TTT or AZC use, and the LCA simply bolts right up to the backing-plate (bolt through at the bottom of the backing-plate!!!) The strut would be connected in a similar fashion as TTT's model users, or like the RX7, two bolts with a welded on piece to the back of the backing plate - I say welded as I don't have a CNC machine and don't know you could easily get steel that thick to incorporate this part !!! This design though, requires you to construct longer LCA's and custom strut tubes - maybe that is more why AZC's are the way they are........to work with his existing Rear LCA's and Strut designs, make more sense to create complementory products instead of ones that make existing products obsolete - just a thought!

Thanks for the comments mate, this is more from a persective that I am actually building my own rear's and mine were more or less going to be (simpler) but similar to AZC's - I really wanted more information on what was wrong with it !

Incase anyone is interested! Rack-Ends from a Widebody Camry - should be years 1991-1995 approximately, when they changed from boxy 80's shape to round early 90's shape! Rack ends are 151mm approx and have M14x1.5 threads - so basically fine for this conversion to use the Stock Z outter tie-rod ends!!! Therefore, if you can't relocated the LCA's on the stock crossmember to suit the Subaru racks ends, or dont care...............just "bolt" it together, But from memory, when you bolt the Subaru rack in it sits higher than the stock rack, which means you could raise up the LCA pivot points, this gives you room to then move out the LCA's, as a rough guide you should be able to get away with moving the LCA pivot point out 15mm (which there should be easily enough meat on the crossmember for!!!) to properly align things - or get them closer.............. Get bit of camber as an added benefit !!! The aformentioned rack ends should make this a bolt together proposition for you all!!!

It does look very good mate, really love the look of the aggressively sloped roof!

But wouldn't the thickness and material you construct it out of take care of those sorts of issues? Looking at that fellows rear axle housings (from the link you posted) they appear like they would weigh as much as a paperweight, like he has optimised the design so he was able to remove as much meat as humanly possible from the design, If you didn't have access to a CNC machine so werent able to replicate his sort of design, making the backing plate out of absurdly thick alluminium should take care of these design "faults"? Sorry, I may have missed what you are saying here ! Your not referring to the strut-to-backing plate portion - that appears welded? Are you referring to the Backing Plate-to-lower portion that than mounts to the rear LCA's? I think it is awfully tricky to weld together alluminium that thick, like have to get it hot enough that the metal changes composition or something? BUT..........look at RX7 S5 front struts, basically has two bolts that hold the McPherson strut to the spindle, basically these two bolts hold up the front of the car - couldn't imagine it would be that different from this application?

Fellow in Australia did this same engine conversion before ditching it for a LS1 from memory, but no - he didnt buy it from the Datsun dealership with a Y44 in it ! He is a member here! http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?p=671539

NizmoZed, same, saw pics of your build on Viczcar, Want to buy a shiny rocker cover that say's Turbo on it for your L28 ?

I spent a few hours staring at the front of my Z trying to figure out how to mount different headlights in there !!! Problem is where the Bumper-Bar and Hood Mechanisms are attached! To put in more modern wrap around style headlights, actually any sort of modern headlight you need more room then what is available at the front of the Z, those nose cone areas are tiny! So I figured I would have to remove the section that the Hood Mechanisms and Bumper-Bar bolt to - easy.............. But then I figured would have to change the way the Hood opened, front to back, instead of opening up at the back, this was because I would have to create some sort of custom front end to properly integrate the new front headlights! This caused me concern as it was worried how I would fit a latch mechanism in the front of the Z and where I would put the Hood mechanisms because the battery and Brake Booster would get in the way, Then I realised I would have to whip up a new bonnet for all of this as I would have removed the front supports and to make the new headlight look any good I would need to integrate them properly, Thats when I gave up !!! But, if you could find a light that actually fit into the nose cone area of the original head lamps that would be a much easier solution!!!

Fronts are pretty straight forward, you have a few options, first go to Supercheap and purchase yourself a set of Trailor hubs with a Ford Stud Pattern, amazingly pretty much places the hub face where the original Z hub is - but its cast iron from memory, engineer frowns upon this sort of thing, but they are $29.95/each and rated to 500kg's, Other option is get someone to make you some front hubs, Hoppers Stoppers in Melbourne will make you whatever offset hub you like out of Chromoly for $450AUD/Pair, Rotors are easy, just advise the people making your hubs what centre hole, bolt to or floating etc, style rotor you have - at Hoppers they sell Hubs for $400 for the Z which are specifically mated to the BA Ford Rotor, 298x28mm, which can be used with the 30mm 4-Spot Sumintono's, not the 32mm GTR ones though! Then you will need some form of caliper mounting bracket which will adapt the Sumitono's (or Brembo's, cant remember which is on the GTR) to the Z's cailper mounting ears, Another option open to you would be to use something like this that Baz at Datsport sells, uses a 63mm ID spring, just change the spring hat and slap it into your car (my brother has a 1600 and these R31 struts used in this kit is literally identical to the earlier 240z strut tubes )!!! http://www.datsport.com/R32_CODS.html Rears are quite a bit trickier, well to use R32 gear, they have an internal drum style handbrake which sits underneath the rotor hat, unless you go to a completely different style of rear suspension housing this isn't an easy option to pursue! mainly because it's quite difficult to stuff that stuff onto the original stub axle and rear strut housing! In regards to the R32 diff and axles, that is more or less a bolt in using gear sold by folks like Ross at Modern-Motorsport, he can sell you axles, diff mountings and custom companion flanges to stuff all of that gear into your Z,

I thought these rear suspension bits were new? Yeah I know , finding stuff can be a bit of a pain! This design moves away from the flat plate design (well sort of), is made out of steel - however no gussets, http://www.technotoytuning.com/racing/ A friend was going to make a rear setup similar to AZC's but from 32.5mm thick 5083 alluminium, I ran it past my local engineer and he was initally keen on it being made out of steel, but gave the ok for the alluminium version, It will basically be a big flat backing plate, 32.5mm thick for the hub, rotor to bolt to - strut tube arrangement similar to TTT and Rear LCA connecting piece would right angle off the bottom - welded on though, not bolts! Plus having seen that, maybe a gusset either side at the back, However, even without the gussets the engineer was happy to pass it for road registration,

People seen these goodies yet? http://www.arizonazcar.com/strassy.html

I might be wrong, but if they are Girlock they are probably a bit earlier than mid 90's? Thought Ford and Holden used PBR calipers on the VR/VS & EL/EF's? Like 70's Kingswood used the Girlocks, same as an Charger that I had! However, if it is a Holden would very easy to acquire the pads for you at a local Repco Parts store, just need more information ! Nizm0Zed - your in Canberra?

Carbon fibre isn't that bad, just depends what grade you get, the stuff they use on the A380 is quite expensive, but you can get grades of CB that is 1/5th the price of that! like $20US/m and if you only use it as as top layer, cheaper again, As for making your own metal door panels, well thats easy, you just need some moulds and a press

Yes, it was a bit grim! and the smell was pretty ordinary as well! The drive home going 10-15km/hr with the car coughing and spluttering and the clean-up wasn't much fun! Battery acid disolves paint, who would have thought !

For an N/A car, unless the battery literally rubs on the headers really don't think you need a heat sheild, With a turbo and a battery in close proximity, you really should get one, don't want that battery exploding on you ! However..................when my car was N/A and I didn't bother with a heat shield and I didn't quite secure the battery properly, then went round a sharpish corner , Battery fell onto the exhaust, that sucked!!! Heat sheild would have kept it directly of the exhaust, which would have stopped it melting everywhere so quickly.................

Oh..........and don't set fire to yourself either - I was grinding down a weld and the sparks set my overalls on fire, that was mighty unpleasant !!!

Well the Gal should give you Zinc posioning, which can be a touch rough !!! But, "When zinc vapor mixes with the oxygen in the air, it reacts instantly to become zinc oxide. This is the same white powder that you see on some noses at the beach and the slopes. Zinc oxide is non-toxic and non carcinogenic. Extensive research1 into the effects of zinc oxide fumes has been done, and although breathing those fumes will cause welders to think that they have the flu in a bad way, there are no long-term health effects. Zinc oxide that is inhaled is simply absorbed and eliminated by the body without complications or chronic effects." http://www.sperkoengineering.com/html/articles/WeldingGalvanized.pdf Still grind of the gal where you are going to weld or buy your steel with weldable primer or just black - welding Gal sucks, not only posionous but not easy to weld either! Check this link out mate, extremely helpful - lots of little tutorials and they are quick with photos and movies! http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/tutorial.htm

Mine is a 260z, but built in early September 1974, so has the smaller 240z type struts - I did own a 1977 260z (from Australia, we didnt get the 280z), but the struts were 56mm, not 51mm OD and spring perches were much higher on the rears! Maybe mine has so much less room because I have basically a 240z! I am pretty sure it is supposed to be However, I think track is a bit of a case by case basis , for example, when I installed my 17x8's with a 6p offset my front track was 1434mm and rear track was 1426mm, stock (from memory) is 1356mm front and 1346mm rear - I was using floating rotors, so the added about 8mm and went from 15p to 6p offset, 8mm + 9mm x 2 = 34mm increase in track both front and back, not 78mm and 70mm that it apparently had increased in reality!!!

Go to Youtbe and search - "Project Hugo 240z", He replaces his rocker panels from memory - its about 25 different parts, but lots of good stuff in there!!!

You could always do something like this to keep the wheels under the guards? http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?t=143035 2nd last post! Sorry, at work so don't have access to the pics in this thread! I used a set of ZG flares, bolted them to the guards and then bogged it all smooth, painted them and then made some fibreglass copies, Lighten up the front of you Z to! On the rears, I had a local bodyshop make me a copy from steel of the fibreglass ZG flares! You would basically follow your standard ZG Flares installation, expcept you would be eventually tacking the flares in place and bogging (Bondo) the edges - could even lead wipe!

Almost forgot, For $850AUD this fellow will re-do your harness and send it back to you ready to connect up to your Datsun, http://www.sideshowsperformancewiring.com.au/ And for about $950AUD this fellow will do the same! http://www.venomcobras.com/services.html#10 Or you could just buy a Haltech or Autronic!

Let us know how you go with your wiring - still trying to decide if I will be lazy and send mine away!

Its a getrag box I am pretty sure - thats why it's so strong! And I am pretty sure it is basically the same box that is used behind the RB25DET and the RB26DETT (modified for 4wd drive of course!) The adapter kits are all the same price as far as I have seen, about $1800 or so $AUD - just the prices for the gearboxes vary, in $AUD, $600-$1000 W58, $1750 or so for the R154 and IF, and I must stress "IF" you can find one, the mighty 6-Speed Getrag from the Supra can go from $3500 and up, I have seen people trying to sell them for over $6k - wowzers!!! www.rodshop.com.au www.dellow.com.au Dellow sells kits to bolts lots of different gearboxes behind the 1UZ, not just the different Toyota manuals!!! You are better of with the earlier model 1UZ's if you want to make lots and lots of HP, pre 1992, thicker blocks and stouter rods used apparently!!! The LS1 does have very nice valve covers and intake manifold, the VH45 looks like it was assembled back to front and is a touch ugly, but the 1UZ isn't without its charm !!! Maybe it is different in the States, but I would really have to disagree with this one - do many people sell this sort of thing for the VH45? These two do individual throttle bodies, http://www.efihardware.com/products/1603/manifold-Toyota-4.0-Lexus http://a1turbos.co.nz/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=A&Category_Code=1QT These two do Supercharger kits & a T-56 Conversion! http://www.bulletcars.com/superchargers/toyota/budget-toyota-1uz-v8-supercharger-system.html http://rushimports.com.au/index.php?cPath=40&osCsid=54799fc66eeca1722876ac6da38f5ba7 & this one has all sorts of goodies available!!! http://www.lextreme.com/allgo.html This the last one is $US, but all the rest are $AUD or $NZ - which is an extremely attractive prospect at the moment for anyone earning $US!!!

That fellows is running S4 Rx7 Suspension, so with hub offset probably can run a high offset wheel and still clear his struts, which would also keep the wheels inside the guards................but still amazing that 9" rim fit under there, stuffed if I know how it was done, because there is no way that would fit under the guards of my 260z coupe!!!

They are mostly overlapping joins and I don't like the way it looks once dressed - if they were butted together I would dress them, but as they overlap I prefer to look at the welds! Yeah I know , I welded it together on my work-bench, but was paying attention to the welds and getting it straight, not to what it looked like - so when it was complete I sort of stood back, had a good look at it and thought................"sh$t, that looks pretty thick" !!! The radiator I am going to use hangs down a bit, so I was thinking I might cut that section out and run some 65mmx35mmx2mm sections in there (same stuff that the crossmember is made out of) and angle the sides down - kinda like the stock piece!