mom'sZ

Well here's a real dumb a$$ question for you all, every set of ignition wires I've bought for an L-6 has one wire end that is ninety degrees and the rest are straight ends, which cylinder does the ninety degree one go on? And Why? what's it made to clear? BTW, I took Paul's advice and bought some of those fancy Magnecor wires. They are not cheap, but they are nice. Just holding them in your hand you can tell it's no ordinary wire. Well while I'm asking dumb a$$ L-6 questions... I bought some of those little copper gaskets for the oil pan drain plug. I figured it looks like a change it everytime you change the oil, one shot deal, kind of thing. So after thirty years it's probably time to get one. So... one side is smooth, one side has a groove so it can thread onto the plug. Which side goes where? I put it on smooth side first (seem to fit better) with the smooth side against the plug. Also, how tight do you tighten it? I assume it's supposed to crush some, but how much? It's soft copper, I'm sure you could mash it flat. (then what's the point) But I don't want the damn thing to fall out! (after all the stock oil pressure gauge is so accurate at reporting degrees of zero so you'd know the minute it fell out)

Tony: I road raced motorcycles about ten years ago. Jap bikes are notorious for 'optimistic' speedometers. Generally they are 5 - 10 % off. The faster you go the more they are off. I imagine there are a lot of cars out there with none stock wheels and tires that throw off the speedo as well. Well anyhow, I worked for a shop that specialized in race prep for road race bikes. The guy I worked with had access to a radar gun. Road race bikes are generally tuned for max top speed and it was a good tuning tool. We radar clocked a lot of bikes, some pro built factory efforts, and unlimited class monsters. 170 - 175 mph was the fastest we really ever saw, and yet street bike guys with mildly modified street bikes would regularly tell us 'my bike goes over two hundred'... yeah right. We would just look at each other and smile.

most weatherstrips take a 'set' after some years of use. In other words the shape of it conforms to the opening it's in. Once this has happened I doubt anything is going to cause it to change shape much. Readjusting the panel to press slightly tighter against it can sometimes help it seal better, but this may not be possible or desirable in your particular application.

the SCCA seems to think so, and I would agree. It's more important for a drag car then for a road racer or street car. Clutch explosions that I've witnessed occured on launch. For a drag car, heat build up won't be a problem as the car is only run a very brief time.

I resepectfully think you are indeed wrong. The 75 and 76 were fuel injected. JGoodin86: I believe, as sumo mentioned, it's very likely the a previous owner had problems with the fuel injection and ditched it for the carb setup. The fuel injection on these cars kind of got a bad rap. For an older system, it's actually a pretty good system and can be made to work pretty well. If a turbo is in your future, I would consider an aftermarket engine management system such as mega squirt. If you haven't purchased this car yet, the more important issue is the unibody... rust wise. Crawl under, check the floor pans where the driver and passenger's feet go, the frame rails, the battery tray for rust or signs of cheesy repairs.

mechanical fan? what mechanical fan? I ditched that baby awhile ago

Max, I think he is refering to his own car. I wish I could run 17s The 2.5" drop seems pretty typical

Well russel, if heat has anywhere near the effect you state, then that AC is a killer because here in the sunshine state (and I know vegas ain't exactly cool) my dual core dual pass nascar radiator with tiny 10" electric fan barely allows my 180* thermostat to stay open. But the minute I switch on that air...up she goes.

uhh shucks ron......

Is the thread veritech-z linked to the like ten page one where aerodynamics is discussed at length and the aerodynamic engineer gives like a three page discussion on the different 'stations' of the car and how each effects drag, lift, ect? really enlightening. I'll try to find it. Anyhow, mopar69, you are right, closing off a bunch of the grill opening should reap huge benifits. Edit: yeah that is the thread, long read but super informative,good on ya Max.

No russel, I appologize to you sir. I kind of really kind of popped off. I'm sorry.

Mike... NO NO no, I didn't mean you or anybody else who's post count is above one hundred. tenth grade drop out here. No intellectual... ignoramous is more like it. Sorry man, I just hated to see what looked like a good discussion get muddled by some blow hard know it all telling everybody they must have slept through high school physics. Even though he later came back and said he was joking, if he typed aerodynamics into the search and read for a few hours, he'd come to realize that there are some heavy hitters on this site. If I offended anyone, I appologize. I'll crawl back under my rock now.

The FI engine Zs had some really crazy stuff controlling power to the fuel pump. The idea is if the car gets in an accident and the engine stalls yet the ignition switch is left in the on position, we don't want the fuel lines (possibly damaged) being pressurized to 25 -35 psi. (major fire hazard) So... mine (a 77) has a switch built into the AFM which only feeds power to the pump (through a relay I believe) if the AFM is at least slightly open. If you remove the boot off the front of the AFM and turn the ignition on, then sticky ya finger in there and open the flap a little, you'll hear the pump run. (this test is performed with the engine NOT running by the way) I think later models might also have it run through a oil pressure switch. No oil pressure, no fuel pump a run. Anyhow, your best bet is to look at the factory service manual for your year and check the wiring diagram. If you haven't got one, it's available to download off the net for free. I'm to lazy to find the link for you, search this site. keyword = FSM+download

Man did this thread go south. Rudypoochris came up with some really interesting numbers and a whole new perspective on our old cars and their legendary bad cd numbers. The discussion had attracted some of the big players in this community and was shaping up to be a really interesting thread. Then I got involved with some other threads of greater importance to my specific project and come back and it has degenerated into almost a flame war. (although the hybrid z guys really showed their class by staying civil) That the base of the windshield is a high pressure zone is FACT, common knowledge around here. This isn't a bunch of ricer kids. These guys aren't talking out of there hind quarters. A lot of them are degreed engineers. The discussions of aerodynamics that I've read on this forum are extremely technical and include posts written by guys far brighter and more well educated then me. I'd think twice before I stated my opinion in this crowd. sorry... it had to be said so... lets see if we can save this... does anybody know the actual frontal area of a z in sq. ft.? I swear I just read that somewhere.

aaaAAAAA.. HAAaaa (light bulb finally goes on) You mean stub shafts as in the thingies on the side of the diff!!??!!!! That the half shafts bolt to... At the diff end of the half shafts OHHhhh ok... boy I truely am dense. OK so the half shafts are alright and the strut housings thingies (I guess they would be called spindles?) are alright. I just need to get the chunk from halfshaft to halfshaft. and the mustache bar. I still want to change out the wheel bearings, I've read where they are a pain, but for this application I feel it is important. Anyhow, thank you Jon! I'll leave you alone now.

If for no other reason, just for reading through that whole damn post. I brought up the thread and looked at my post and was like OMG, that's not a question.... it's a book.

Thanks Jon!! I'm sorry for being so damn dense. So my drive shaft is OK? So the only thing I still don't quite get is that the stub shafts (these are the short ones that pass through the strut housings right?) And they need swapped out because they have less splines... making them weaker? But the half shafts are OK? (the ones that go from the diff down to the wheels) I wanted to change the bearings in the strut housings anyhow, I guess this will be my chance. Thanks again Jon, you are truely a gentleman and a scholar

I read your FAQ about the diffs and it's great, but I still am unsure exactly what I need. Here is the situation. The car used to be my mom's car (thus the name). It originally had the R200 diff and 5 speed tranny. My mom got sick of shifting and wanted an automatic. My dad picked up an automatic car cheap (blown engine I think) and made the conversion. I wasn't involved in that project, and he's almost 80 now so his recollection is not perfect. He says something was different so they changed out everything. From his description they changed the whole rear suspension/third member as a unit, including the struts. I tried to get them to save the old parts, but eventually it all got sent to the scrap yard. This is long before I ever knew I'd end up with the car. Now I'm trying to get it ready for SCCA ITS competition. To be legal I need to not just swap a R200 back in but change everything back to it's original state. I have a guy with a 77 who will sell me the parts, but he doesn't want to sell me the whole thing. So... here's my question(s), from the list below, I need (#1)the mustache bar, (#2) the yoke - would just using the drive shaft out of the other car work? You mean the rear yoke, in other words the chunk from the rear u-joint back on the drive shaft correct? Could I go to the parts store and just purchase the rear driveshaft yoke for that application? (#3) the rear cover from the r200 - won't it come with the diff? Is this for someone who buys one out of a different model car? (#4) stub shafts - so the half shafts from the R180 will work? but the little ones that pass through the strut housings will have to be changed out? This I totally don't get, if the half shafts will work why wouldn't the stubs? What do I need to make it original? Are the struts identical? How about the half shafts? If it's the same part it's legal, if it isn't but it will work it isn't legal even though it will work. I know no one will ever know, but I will and I want to be legal. Also, I know numbers 5,6 and 7 are for the 240 because the diff was in a different place but is #6 the mustache bar (#1)? And will my diff mount and crossmember work? Please HELP!!! This is the last thing I need to do to get this baby out on the track. I'm taking vacation this month to do the cage seat harness ect. I know at first no one will care if it's to the letter legal, but I want it right. I've got a guy who has the parts, all I need to know is what to get from him!

Jon: So to swap the R180 that came in my 77 with an auto to an R200 I will need the driveshaft from the R200 car or at least the yoke? How about the stub axles? Will they need swapped with the ones from the R200 car? I know I need the mustach bar, anything else?

From what I've read so far, that seems right excellent...thats perfect now I understand. I'm still not sure what kind will work best for me. But I'm thinking the roll bar mount style will work and save me having to weld tabs on to the hoop. I'm going to call and order a seat and harness tommorow. I've got the last three weeks of Dec. and 1st week of Jan. off to install safety stuff and hopfully be ready for the track in Jan or Feb.

there has always been a steering wheel puller tool. In the old days we used to rent them from the parts store. Now I think they make them so cheap you just buy them instead. It is a simple gear puller type setup like you said two bolts thread in from either side then a big bolt in the center pushes against the shaft and pops it off. If the wheel has ever been off, there's probably a good chance you can remove the center bolt and just give a good yank.

Jeff: thanks for the great links. The discussion on corner carvers really helped me understand the 6 point and 7 point thing, now I'm convinced I want one. It seems there is more then one way to install the leg straps.

Jon: how about a single tube on each side from the tunnel area that you wish to reinforce up to the main hoop at approx. 45 degree angle? (in the plane of the main hoop) That shouldn't add to much weight with the tube you describe. With the cross bar between the towers and the braces from the top of the main hoop down to the towers, I think that area should be already plenty strong. (no expert though)

280ZForce: yes a pic of it would be great oh and cam lock all the way... no doubt about that.

Mike... WHERE???? I've been searching the net for days trying to find documentation for these things. Figured it would be easy... no dice. If you have a link please share.