Horatio

This help? More in line with what's in my head.

Haven't quite figured it out yet. Definitley hadn't planned on leaving it flat though. I'm still debating on license plate placement as well. I'll have to fab up a lamp for the plate also. You can't tell in the photos or in the photochop, but I have planned to keep the contour of the original black tail light panels, providing a slight recess to the tail light area that would give it a "vague stock" appearance. Hopefully i'll get it to look somewhat stock in appearance but more refined....... Foose'd, ya know? (man what i'd give to have that man fix my 240 up!!!!) I'll get the lights in and work around them.

So why the big no no? Concern about damaging the fins? Why would a company sell fans that attach this way if it was so detrimental to their own radiators??

Your comments seem to be validated in some of the things that I have read. Apparently it is a "myth" that more rows = more effiecient cooling. Found this on another forum. Thought it was a decent explanation. Re: How many radiator rows? Doug, For about the last 3-4 years the stock replacement rad for the IDI has been changed to 3 row cores, you can still get the 4 row core but you have ask for it. If you don't tow heavy or work the truck hard you will never notice a difference. There are a few schools of thought in rad design. Less tubes means you can increase the tube diameter which then gains you more tube to fin contact area and also allows more air to flow through the rad. Both of these can help with cooling. Now another school of thought is more rows will equal more tube to fin contact so that you can transfer more heat but with more rows you can't flow as much air through the rad. Now which one is more correct I know when I was fighting my cooling issues I opted for the 4 core but increased the fin count. Now this meant that I was increasing the tube to fin contact area (more fins) but I was thickening up the rad because of the full 4 rows so I was not flowing as much air through the rad. So it was very very important for me to keep the rad clean of bugs and such. Now my rad stopped my cooling issues dead in it's tracks - never had problems with overtemp again no matter how hard I ran. Now I know that ICANFIXALL runs a 5 row core which he is getting more tube to fin and is also restricting the air flow through the rad as well. I know from talking with Gary about it that he does not have a problem with overheating either... So there you have it... Now I will tell you that most race cars run 2 row cores that are alumnium. What they are doing is going with HUGE tubes (typically 1.5" tubes) so they are maxing out their tube to fin area but at the same time they are shoving tons of air through the rad because they only have 2 rows... Best of both worlds as you can see but this comes at a price... $$$$$ and then some more $$$$$$ So you can have your cake and eat it too but you just have to pay for it (AL Rad). Sooooo, where does this leave me with my new (not yet received) three row aluminum radiator???? We'll see. My guess is that I won't notice any difference between this one and another with less rows, particularly with the intended use of the vehicle (casual cruising down the Blue Ridge Parkway). I imagine if I had more severe plans for this car that I may be more concerned. We'll see!!

Alright, here's my plan as best as I can get it out on photoshop.

Not bad! Alright, i'll bite. Give me a little while and i'll see if I can get my ideas down in photoshop. Can't guarantee it'll be much better than yours though!

You definitely have my attention! Cool idea. Keep up with the updates!

Ah, we have ourselves a volunteer!!! Plus, why bother... I can see the finished product perfectly clear in MY head!!

As long as the mounting points will match up I guess???? Suppose some minor mods could be made to make it fit either way.

Yeah, tried that. I'm not coming up with anything but eBay listings on a google search. I bit the bullit and ordered one. We'll see I guess. I'll post some pics when it comes in.

LOL!!! Geee, Thanks! Don't know what kinda guinea pig i'd be though! Don't even have the engine and MONTHS of work to go before i'd even be able to test it out. I'm just buying parts/researching as I go. Might go ahead and get this one now though. I can't find and particular flow rates/requirements for the LS1 anywhere. Can anyone chime in on this? Looks like this would be sufficient with the fans. How 'bout if the fans crap out (not likely to happen both at once though I guess)?

I agree, they are huge looking. The pictures really make them look bigger than they do in person also. Believe me, I had serious doubts whether or not to continue with the swap when I first held the lights in my hands. I'm hoping that the addition of the BRE spoiler and some additional bodywork at the bottom will tame that a bit by making the rear look a little bigger than it is now. I have some additional bodywork planned that'll help them look more at home as well. As of now though, i'm a ahppy camper.... Cause I can see my ultimate goal in my head!!!

Sooo, ya'll think this is sufficient for an LS1 swap? Seems to be. Just wanted to see if anyone has been running one and what kind of success they've had.

Thanks! My intention wasn't to make a drastic change to the rear... just to smooth things out and get rid of the "dated" tail lights. I really want it to look like it was meant to be stock, ya know. Hopefully i'll get the other one in this weekend and start trying to figure out how to get them mounted from behind. More to come!

Anyone running one of these setups? Sufficient for LS1 swap?? http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Aluminum-3-ROW-70-71-72-73-74-75-240z-260z-Radiator-and_W0QQitemZ170322327954QQcmdZViewItemQQptZMotors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories?hash=item170322327954&_trksid=p4506.c0.m245&_trkparms=65%3A10%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1309

It's coming along... REALLY slowly! I'll just keep checking off these little things one at a time until it's done.... four or five years from now!

Spent the better part of a day getting this one light fitted. No mounts yet on the inside to keep it in place. This took major modifications to the inside light supports to get them in. I'll take more pictures of what was required when I get the mounting figured out. The cutout that exposes the fuel cell will be filled in with another trim piece to hide the cell. The circle under the lights is a rough location for exhaust tip cut outs (duals). Still ALOT of work to do to get this thing the way I want it to look!!

Anyone ever redeem an MSA gift certificate online. I can't figure out how to get it applied and they're closed for the night.

No doubt I will!

Yeah, i've got the Z bug pretty bad. I can't drive downt he road without thinking... "hmm, wonder how that would look on my car" Saw a late model mustang fly by me on the way home from work one day and caught a glimpse of the tail lights. Once I got caught up with him I noticed the similarities in the shape of the lamps between the stang and the early Z's. The stang lamps are HUGE though in comparison. You can't tell by looking at the pictures but once you get one in front of you it'll suprise you. I have a nice set now that i'll be working on getting installed. Wish me luck!!

Good luck!!

crazy!! I really thought I was the first to think of this. Pretty naive of me I guess!!! I PM'd Warren to see if he'd share some secrets before I dig into my project. I think they'll look better on an S30. I've shaved the rear of my car and removed the bumper so I don't have the hard horizontal line of the bumper to compete with the bottom curve of the tai lamp. Thanks for the reference!

I'm not a huge fan of the stock lights either. I have a '73. I had considered filling in the rear panel and just flush mounting a set of 260-280 lights (w/out the reverse light). Changed my mind though and now here's the direction i'm headed in. Gonna take a considerbale amount of modifications to the rear as well as to the lights themselves, however, I think the shape of the stang lights really complements the Z. Should look pretty nice and will help to smooth out the rear while still keeping a hint of the original style. I'll also be dropping the license plate lower. I think it's an eye sore sitting so high up. I'll be working this out this weekend and i'll try to keep updating my progress.

I'm looking for a used stud welder with a slide hammer and some studs. I can get it from Harbor freight for about $120. Figured i'd check if anyone has a set laying around that they'd like to let go first. Thanks.