zgeezer

July 19, 2004

I have a 6 point "cage" that consists of a hoop and four bars running to the front floor boards and back to the "trunk" floor about 1 inch b/4 the black plastic panel. This set up was designed to not be readily apparent from the street. The hoop is located a bid further back than some (just behind the edge of the back shelf) I bolted and welded the front tubes to the floor boards using two 4 inch square pieces of 1/4 inch steel. It all clears the plastic panels. The problem I have is that the driver's side bar is close to the steering wheel and you have to be both skinny and flexible to get in and out. I'll probably address that issue with a smaller wheel or make upl a removeable hub.

Other than once or twice a year at the local drag strip, this is not a race care and the "cage" was built specifically to keep my head from being bent should I go off roading and to make it a little more difficult for either myself or my passenger to be wearing someone elses bumper should I ever be "T-boned". Chassis stiffness is just gravy.

g

July 19, 2004

Some thoughts about the A/C.

Some early 240z's had factory air... I'm not talking about the dealer add ons, but the real thing. There is a thread on this somewhere on this site, with some part numbers.

Courtesy Nissan and some others offer a complete add on that is based upon the dealer add ons from 1970-1974. These are "blow through" units and will have a small pod attached to the console with a/c controls. I see these all the time in our local JY. If you buy them as salvage they will be setup to use the older refridgerant.. not the newer stuff. May or may not be a problem.

If you do a search on air conditioning you will find a wealth of information relating to how to improve these early add on a/cs.

Here's what my a/c will consist of: Condensor from a 280z (It bolts right in, but all a/c lines enter and exit from driver's side); the evaporator (the part in the car) is an older dealer add on with a replacement valve to allow use of the newer refridgerant; compressor is stock for my engine. All hoses are custom cut to fit. The advantage to the older deal add ons is that the pieces will fit around your fan and if you find a complete unit you won't have to worry too much about fabrication.

If I were independently wealthy, I would have ordered a complete Vintage Air compact a/c. They will fit, but will require some fabrication skills.

I suggest you contact Vintage Air (there are several other firms in competition and you can locate them from advertisments in any Street Rod magazine) and order their catalogue. They have a newer more improved compact a/c heater that is very small. Check their prices and construct a cardboard model using their size specifications. If the mockup works, the real unit will too.

Have fun and a cool day.

g

July 14, 2004

My vote goes to the early swing axle Corvair coupe with 500 ci Cad Eldo with hydromatic in the back seat. No upholstery, metal mesh floor boards up front, metal mesh lawn chair seat, 13 inch wheels and bald rear tires that I saw parked in the Summit parking lot last Hot Saturday Nights in Reno NV. Car was so ugly you wanted to take it home. Drew a bigger crowd that the 350/350 crate engined plastic '32s parked in the same lot. Must have had 60' times out of this world.

g

July 4, 2004

My 1971 240Z crossmember has three captive nuts welded to the inside of the trailing edge of the member. One of these small holes has a round head allen screw in place. Does anyone know what these captive nuts were used to secure?

Nothing in the manuals I have identifies any use for them. But, I figure Datsun put them in there for a purpose.

thanks

g

June 11, 2004

I don't think the Caddy has much if anything over an LS1 in the weight department.

The Fiero crowd seems to like them. I recall reading several articles...one of which was in one of the Kit Kar magazines that a NorthStar in a Fiero would turn 13.5 second 1/4 mile times with automatic transmission. Didn't seem to be all that quick considering how light a Fiero must be. If you wish to see more about NorthStar power look at this website: Click here: Design 1 Systems | Northstar Engine Conversions - Heart Pounding Performance! If this link doesn't work try a google search on Design 1 systems.

June 11, 2004

Hey Auxillary,

If your management is billing you for changing locks when they did not provide the service, be absolutely sure that you respond to the letter, in writing, return receipt requested. These things can end up with a notice to comply with covenants and then an unlawful detainer hearing. Believe me, create a paper record right now with your management.

g

May 31, 2004

I've had two unhappy experiences with POR: their "Tie-Coat" product I used over the POR is delaminating in several locations. It takes with it PPG primer, color, and clear and a lot of work. The second product "Top Coat" which I sprayed over cured POR has totally delaminated from suspension parts in 18 months of outdoor storage on the North side of my garage. Parts I had previously painted with a brush using Rustoleum primer and black Krylon rattle can spray and stored with the POR finished items have faded, but have not delaminated and have not shown any rust.

I have rust reappearing on metal seams that I had previously painted with POR. As the rust follows the seams, this problem may be a matter of technique and not product. Nevertheless, the body was sandblasted and treated with POR's "Metal Prep? (Ready?)" before being painted, again with a brush, with POR's high solid content "Silver". I took my time and really made an effort to avoid any surface contamination and to work the product into all body seams. The entire tub was treated, inside and outside. The delamination appears to be limited to the outside.

I will post photos on my Album on HybridZ so you can see what's happened.

This work was done outside in the low California desert: we have a lot of sunlight and heat. Little humidity, which I understand POR needs to set up. One year passed between the application of the POR and the Tie Coat.

When the Tie-Coat delamination first appeared, the distributor for the product stated that the separation was due to contamination of the POR surface before application of Tie-Coat. I think Tie Coat will delaminate if it is subject to light and heat (one year outside) for any substantial time before painting it.

If any of you have any comments or suggestions, I sure would like to hear them. Right now, I'm eying the old sand blaster and my PPG receipts.

g

April 24, 2004

Over on LS1TECH.COM in their Truck Performance forum there are several good discussions relating to the differences between the truck and LS1 intake manifolds and what is involved in swapping the LS1 in for the truck manifold.

g

April 16, 2004

The swap has been done. Hit the search button there is a phto from zcar.com (I think) showing a completed swap. I'm in the process of doing one, but have to finish body and paint b/4 I tackle the installation. The major issues are oil pan (waay too deep rear sump) and exhaust manifolds (might fit but I doubt it). Intake will clear Z hood, but is really ugly. The LS1 intake will bolt on, but there will be interference with serpentine belt idler. On the good side is that the accessories (other than AC) are mounted high on driver's side.

g

April 12, 2004

After taking a good look at the doors on my 240, I decided door bars were not optional. But in keeping with the "original" look, I didn't want any giveaway raceboy roll bars easily visible from the outside. So, The hoop is placed back to be hidden by the "B" pillar (if it had one) formed by the 1/4 rear windows. The hoop is braced by bars running almost the full length (3 inches short) of the back storage compartment, following the body line of the hatch. The front of the hoop is braced by two door bars running forward to the floor board taking out the "dead pedal", which was rewelded to the door bar, and by one horizonal bar designed to sit low enough to allow full vision to the rear through the rear view and hidden from view by the lower hatch. In my case the door bars were carefully placed to keep them straight and clearing all door handles and such. As I sit in the car the door bars pass under the window and attaach to the hoop. The hoop is not set on the "shelf" behind the driver, but is mounted through the storage tray about 6 inches behind the "Shelf". This moves it back far enough to be obsecured by the leading edge of the glass 1/4 panels. The door bars are not hinged. I expect they will stiffen the body a bit, and will provide some resistence to side hits. Total cost, with the work being done by a certified welder using mild steel: $500.00.

One sobering observation when hitting JY's: Z's can fold right at the rear door jam. At that point, even with the doors closed the stiffness is in the roof and floor pan. Triangulating steel from the floor boards to a hoop and back down to the rear alongside the tire well will resist that "fold". Just some thoughts.

g

April 7, 2004

I used TC1 from Cascade Audio. Easy to spray on, inexpensive, and I'll know if it really works in about another year. Type this into your browser and take a look: http://cascadeaudio.com/hotrodpage1.html#Thermal Control Products:

g

April 4, 2004

Ok, I've searched for an old thread that talked about Subaru WRX and SSI power steering racks as appearing to be a near bolt in for 240Z. I can't find any information relating to this thread... . Is it lost in cyberspace or have I been searching the wrong forums? Has anyone done a Subaru WRX or SSI power rack swap? I'm really concerned about centering the rack and having equal length "tie rods" from the rack to the front wheels. The Rx7 rack is too long on the passenger side. The Miata rack appears to entail about the same fabrication skills as the late Mustang, but I would like to have a "quicker" rack than the Ford product. Any help out there?

Thanks.

g

March 6, 2004

I've had a 2002 LM7 out back for a year. Here's what I'm doing. The truck pan is rear sump and deeep. Too deep for road clearance. Therefore, buy a camaro pan on E-bay ($50.00). The exhaust manifolds are shaped differently than the LS1, they exit to the back and down... they seem to fit, but it will be close to the firewall. If not, then jump for another $150 on Ebay for Camaro units or spend a lot of money for aftermarket headers of some sort. The Corvette units look good, but I don't know what clearance might be like. I understand that the heads on the LM7, which are aluminum, have smaller combustion chambers and smaller valves than the 2.0" LS1 items. All the reading I've done seem to indicate that the valve ports are the same size and configuation as the LS1. Of course the block is iron and heavier than the aluminum LS1. The accessories, with the exception of the AC compressor, mount diferently: the alternator, for example, is mounted high on the driver's side. The truck intake manifold is simply butt ugly (sorry OJ) when compared to the LS1. It stands higher. The folks at Street Performance in Mena AK tell me there is little difference in the plenum volumne between the two. The LS1 manifold will bolt to the LM7, but there are a number of fitment problems arising from the fact that the LS1 manifold mounts down lower than the truck unit. There is interference with the accessory belt drive idler pully. It's difficult for me to explain, but the problem is obvious when you have the LS1 manifold in hand and are looking at the LM7. This stymied me for a year as I thought I'd be replacing the entire accessory drive elements and crank pully with LS1 parts. There is a post somewhere on LS1.com to the effect that the simple answer is to whack off part of the idler mount and lower the pully by an inch or so. Street and Performance have recommended this approach.

Given all this, one might ask why bother? Go with an LS1. The answer is economic: my engine, complete with ecu, all accessories, and automatic transmission, with confirmed 13,000 miles, set me back $1250 delivered to my door. Other than the LQ4 6.0 engine, these truck engines don't have sex appeal or horsepower (285-295 for LM7). Finally, in California a truck swap into a smogable car is VERBOTEN. Even if you import all the smog controls, California smog law specifically forbids truck engine swaps into passenger cars. So, if you expect to use the truck engines and seek the blessing of a California smog referee, he had better be both your brother in law and blind.

I'll send you some photos by pm if you are interested.

GW

December 19, 2003

I have an offer to buy z32 R200 viscuous lsd with both axles and cv joints. This is the internal part that bolts to the ring gear [unit is out with ring gear attached]. I know the unit is viscuous. My question is whether anyone knows if it will physically bolt to my 280 "long nose" R200 ring gear (with or without bushings for different bolt diameters] and, if so, would the differential side stubs from the z32 fit into my earlier case. I've searched this forum and read an earlier thread devoted to mix and matching eagle cv axles allowing the use of the earlier viscuous lsd's from the "White" anniversary car. If anyone has done this, I'd sure like to hear from him/her. Last item the finish before I have a roller again.

g

December 6, 2003

If you are really Ford hard core and have friends in OZ, take a look at the new 24V 4litre turb charged BAFalcons. Do a google search on Ford of Australia, Falcon.

g

December 6, 2003

Edmunds and other information sites do list the M30 as being equipted standard with lsd. I think they may be wrong. My favorite JY has two M30s. They are both equipted with long neck R200 diferentials. No finned alloy inspection plates and both fail my field test: [lock driveshaft, turn one wheel and watch the other] In both cases the other wheel turned in the opposite direction, which I've always used to id open differentials. However, there has been another thread that suggests viscuous lsd might behave in this test as if they were open. Sometime in the next week or so I'll open up one of them and see what's really there.

g

November 4, 2003

If your talking about the stuff Nissan placed on the interior of the Z, buy a bag or two of dry ice chips and place it on the floor. Wait 10 minutes and attack with small hammer and a stiff putty knife or flat chisel. The stuff will pop off in chunks when cold. If you like high tech find a co2 fire extinquisher.

November 3, 2003

Search as I might, I can't find the answer to the following question.

What procedure do you use to field test in the jy for a viscuous LSD? I understand the visual test of looking for a yellow tag or finned inspection plate. I've identified clutch LSD by securing the drive shaft and then attempt to turn a wheel. If the other rotates backward it's open. If it doesn't move easily, its toast or LSD. But, I understand viscuous LSD all slip easily by hand because they "engage" in the same manner that a torque converter "engages" ,by hydraulic action where one slipping axle will transmit torque to the other.

Any help out there or do I just read every tag or dismantle every differential?

g

October 29, 2003

Stumbled upon 1990 Infiniti M30 in jy today. Front brakes are ventilated disk with standard nissan 4 bolt pattern. My parts man states he shows the same parts number for front hub bearings of M30 and 300zx. Also, same part number for front brake pads. Visually, the calipers seem to be the same as 1988 300zx parked next to it. Wheels are 15 inch. If any on is contemplating an upgrade to ventilated disks, it might be worth your time to check one of these out.

g

October 29, 2003

In researching specifications for the 1990 Infiniti M30, two separate web sites stated that the vehicles came standard with limited slip differentials. These sites listed M30's commencing from 1990. I found one with a build date in 1989. This one did not pass my field test for LSD (elevate rear, lock transmission, and turn one wheel. If the other wheel turns = open; If c/n turn wheel by hand = lsd or trash.) However, it is a long nose R200 with CV. Rear suspension looks early Maxima or 280zx. If you jy shoppers see one it might be worth your time to check it out.

gw

October 22, 2003

Does the ECU on Ls1/Lt1 control the cruise control? Is anyone out there running cruise on an earlier non-cruise equipted Z?

thanks

g

October 18, 2003

ooooooooooohhhhhh, I was afraid I'd be doing this again. Practice, I'm told, does make perfect. Fortunately, I've still about 2 gallons of POR stripper in the back room.

I appreciate the help. Great site, but too many great ideas, for a grease junky that lives vicariously off other's great rides.

g

October 17, 2003

I applied the Tie Coat nearly 2 months after the Silver POR15. The POR was cured. The Cascade product is VB-1X (loooove these designations) see : http://cascadeaudio.com/prod/vb1x.html. It appears to be a petroleum product. Their tech states that it can be painted over. I applied the primer over the Cascade product about two weeks later. I've pulled off a sheet of the finish coat and it appears to be delaminating at the 3M/PPG primer interface. I primered the 3M product another 3 weeks after having sprayed it. This location is one of the hottest places in the US, [yeah, I know Arizona and Texas are h.a.h. but do they have towns called Thermal or Mecca?] Sorry, I digress.

The zones of delamination are all on the upper surface and begins with 1inch square "crazing". I hope this is a weather exposure problem, but if it's preparation or contamination I need some insight into prepping 3M Schutz for paint.

Finally, the POR rep talked to me and his opinion is that the Top Coat is delaminating in sheets b/c of contamination in the application. He suggested that the product was reduced with an inferior thinner. [it was applied straight on without thinner] or than the POR15 should be sanded or otherwise "roughed up" with a nylon pad.

I'm going to clean up and respray the Top Coat.

Redundant? How dare you say that, when you've not even seen the other 9 coats of product on the inside. Ask me to explain why I have three sets of everything, have taken two quarter panels up and back down to bare metal twice. Only my shrink knows...my wife despairs. Friends have died, married, divorced and remarried, while I continue with body work. I, too, seek the grail. Sorry, I digress.

g

October 14, 2003

Good Idea. I called the local distributer several months ago, but d/n contact the company. I'll do it.

g

October 14, 2003

Referee stations do check casting and serial numbers. If it's a truck block you may really be screwed, even if all the passenger smog devices are in place and operating.

g

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Posts posted by zgeezer