boodlefoof

I'm not an expert welder, but I've done a little MIG welding and just bought myself a Millermatic 175 (beautiful machine) recently. If you're going to get a MIG, get one with infinite voltage regulation and wire speed. Also, buy a more powerful welder than you think you'll need... you can use a big welder to weld small stuff, but can't use a small welder to safely do big stuff as easily. MIG welding is pretty easy in my opinion... I have an 80 cu. ft. bottle... so it lasts a long time. Really, you don't use a ton of gas... and it is simple to set the pressure. Just turn the regulater dial, pull the trigger and see what pressure reading you get... then adjust accordingly. When welding aluminum or stainless with a MIG though you need some slightly different equipment. You'll need a special gun for aluminum wire feed. Also, when welding aluminum or stainless (versus regular mild steel) you should use a different gas mixture. Most MIG welders can also do flux core welding. This is a process which requires no external gas, but it tends to produce more spatter and the welder runs hotter (so blows through sheetmetal more easily).

No windshield yet. Haven't had much time to work on the car... I'm finishing up law school right now. Hopefully I'll be able to start doing a little more work on it starting late this summer. Frank, Yeah, I might have gone a little over-the-top on the flares... I may eventually trim them down a little if need be. I wanted to increase the track width quite a bit though.

Then, if you're interested in reducing the windshield problem you can lower your roofline and rake the windshield! I'm doing some extensive aero mods to my 240-Z to try and turn it into an open road racer that can still drive on the street (theoretically). I'm implementing a lot of the above advice to try and make the car as sleek (aerodynamically speaking) as possible. Here's what I'm doing. 1. - lower the roof and rake the windshield. There are some pics posted of what I did at... http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?t=101672&highlight=chop+top (look at bottom of first page of thread) 2. - underbelly of car - I'm lowering the floor of the car (partly to give headroom after lowering the roof), and creating a completely flat bottomed floor. This underpan will extend from front to rear (under the engine, trans and differential). I may also integrate a 1/2-3/4 length diffuser as well. 3. - air management - The engine bay will be completely sealed... all air going in will pass through the radiator and come out through a hood vent. Separate ducts will provide air for the engine and brake cooling. 4. - front end body mods - I've created a new front one-piece nose with a smaller grill opening. It will dam air from going under the car. Also, because it is one-piece, there are fewer seams in which air can be trapped or "leak" into places I don't want it. Also, headlight covers are a must... 5. - anything else? - There will be a few other things... changing side view mirrors... trying to vent air out of wheel wells as best as possible... etc.

I lived in Williamsburg for a few years and really like the Hampton Roads area. And yes, it is cheap! When I was in Williamsburg, I lived in a 1000+ sq. ft. two bedroom townhouse (in a complex of mostly college kids and grad students) and the rent was $570 per month! If you go West down I-64 (the main E-W highway in that part of the state) you are on your way to Richmond. Between Williamsburg and Richmond there are quite a few semi-rural housing developments with very nice houses at very reasonable prices. Just a few years ago my parents were looking to move and looked at a number of nice houses in New Kent County (just E of Richmond) that were in the low-mid $200k range. On the move, I used to work for a moving company. $2k for a cross-country seems like an extremely low-ball estimate to me... even if you are packing everything yourself. Unless you have very little stuff, and they will have you and five other people's stuff in the same semi... I can't imagine that price being right. We did mostly local moves... we came in, packed your stuff, loaded it, moved it and then unloaded it at the new house... and depending on the amount of stuff this could easily come to over $5000. If you packed your boxes yourself, that would cut a bit off the price... but the company wouldn't guarantee self-packed items (against stuff inside breaking).

I like Virginia, it is a pretty nice place. I recommend getting VA antique license plates for any of your old cars.

Mike, you may be right. I was only paying half-attention at the time and the second time they ran the story they said "speeds over 100..." My guess as to fleeing the scene... they probably just weren't looking at being in trouble for the crash... probably thought that if they were caught, they would be caught for something else as well... something where they might actually do some time (drug use perhaps).

My advice would be to talk to a plaintiff's attorney for employment discrimination, specifically one that deals with retaliation. They often will give free consultations, and often work for a contingent fee... so they don't get paid unless you win your eventual case. Can't hurt to talk to them...

The first time they reported this on MSNBC the other day, I swear they said that "police estimated speed at over 200mph."

Can also take a look at some other shops... Here is one with a good reputation. www.amerspeed.com

Interesting that this post got revived. I guess I wasn't the first one to think of building a streetable 200+ mph early Z car. My plan is to have a 240-Z that can drive legally on the street down to the local diner every once in awhile, lay down an impressive quarter mile time, and then hit 200mph open road racing. Of course, with the extent of modifications I'll be performing to the car... you might not even think of it as a 240-Z anymore... The Plan - Chassis - complete tube frame chassis that the modified Z body will then be welded to. Body - lowered roof, swept back front windshield, custom body panels throughout. I've already lowered the roof... you can see pics at http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?t=101672&highlight=chop+top (scroll down to bottom of first page) Aero - underside of the car will be completely flat with a 2/3-3/4 length diffuser. Lots of air flow management ideas incorporated in engine bay and wheel wells. There is a full-scale wind tunnel at Langley, VA that I may look into using. Suspension - custom front unequal length control arms, probably using C5 spindles. Out back, solid axle with either 3-link or Satchell link suspension (still debating that one). Drivetrain - lots of ideas... still no definite decision. When all is said and done, a budget of $50k is pretty reasonable. Thus far, I've bought the car, created the custom fiberglass body, chopped the top and repaired the rust... all for less than $500!

I was also contemplating a dog engagement transmission with straight cut gears... but the price is kind of prohibitive. Also, the wear factor is a pain. If I were to go with one though... it would be the 33G from Quaife. www.quaifeamerica.com (click transmissions).

When my Z project is complete, I plan for it to have a completely flat sheetmetal underbelly from end to end and I've considered constructing a 2/3-3/4 length under-car diffuser to attach to it. I haven't adequately researched the idea yet, (nor am I a physicist) but my understanding is that the full length under-car diffuser serves two purposes. First, it assists in accelleration of the air while under the car. This creates a low pressure zone under the car, helping with downforce. Second, the rear portion of the diffuser helps to integrate the air coming over the roofline with that coming out from under the car, to reduce drag. I've even read of some people having their exhaust exit into the diffuser mid-car to accellerate the air further, to increase downforce. However, some results I read showed that when you suddenly let off the gas... there goes your downforce, and things can get squirrelly kind of quick!

I use Summit a lot. They are really great to work with. You can also check Jegs. For internal engine parts there is also PAW (Performance Automotive Warehouse).

can't beat $100!

nemesis, Building a full frame is one option that would work well, but only if done right. And, doing it right will involve cutting up your car a bit and lots of fabrication work. Ride height can easily be set in the design, but may (or may not) involve raising the floor. That said, I'm going to build a full spaceframe for my 240-Z.

That would be a pretty huge cam... with potentially poor flowing factory cast heads = that engine could be a real slug.

I saw one at a local dealership up in Northern Virginia this past summer. It was solid red... and they had it sitting outside for days at a time regardless of weather. I was rather shocked actually. I'm personally more fond of the original... several inches shorter, lower, and a thousand pounds lighter.

I like the way the lights look, but am not so keen on the front air dam piece. My .02.

Beren, I'm sure the principles hold up in the LS engines. I don't know, however, if the quench effect is as pronounced though with the (presumably) more efficent chamber design those engines use. The rod/stroke ratio also tends to be shorter in the LS engines. That means faster instantaneous piston accelleration, which typically means more low-rpm airflow. In older engines, the increased rod angle increased stress on parts, and some thought that the benefits of a long rod outweighed the air pumping factor. Perhaps with the LS engines the parts are of better quality and this isn't a concern. I don't know... but it seems to work.

Or, if you're going for a short stroke, high-rev motor... build a 350 the alternative way... use a 400 block and a 3.25'' stroke crank. Check out the article "The Small Block Chevy Should Have Built." It is available online in the AFR article archive at http://www.airflowresearch.com/ It is the second to last article in the small block chevy category.

Doesn't look too bad. My project was about in that shape when I started (still is really...) but it was less complete.

I have a TT as well. It is my daily driver. Sure, it is a great car... fun to drive... looks good... but it is a pain in the neck (and the wallet) to work on. Not only are parts for that turbo motor absurdly expensive, but the design of the engine requires one to practically pull out and tear down the entire engine to do any work to it. Just changing the driver's side O2 sensor is terrible. I've contemplating transplanting something else in there numerous times, but ultimately decided against it. Partially, it is because I am sentimental... there weren't a whole lot of these cars made. For example, if I had an original '67 Camaro Z/28 I wouldn't change it from stock for sentimental reasons. But, another reason is money. The TT is a very popular car and draws a pretty good price. When the time comes that I'm fed up with the TT, I will sell it, buy something cheaper and have cash left over. Just my 2 cents.

I think that is the Chrysler "Firepower." The big brother to the crossfire... complete with 425 horse V8. Sweet lookin' too.

I'm still guessing that someone along the way who thought he legitimately purchased the car is out the money he paid for it.