gvincent

Zmanco, Daniel thanks for the lead on the search, I will try and look some more to see if I can find out how you determine what size bump steer spacers to use and where to find them. If my searches are sucessful I will post my results here. Thanks, you definately proved to me that they are indeed needed on a slightly lowered street car. Thanks, Greg Well I searched bump steer spacers and found a lot of pros and cons so now I am really confused. Some guys say they are no help but these are the guuys drilling their control arms and pivot points etc. I don't want to do this I just thought that I would need these spacers If i lowered my car with springs at all. I still couldn't find how to find out what size spacer to get and I do not have any dial indicators to measure as was described below: Bumpsteer can be measured with a bumpsteer gauge. Wasn’t that easy? A bumpsteer gauge is basically a glorified pair of dial indicators. Usually a bumpsteer gauge comes with a steel or aluminum plate which gets strapped to the wheel. A stand sits next to the front tires that holds the dial indicators in contact with the plate. The suspension is moved up and down, and the front and back dial indicators are compared to measure the toe change. Unfortunately, you want to do this measurement right in the car’s normal ride height, and through a couple inches of suspension movement on either end of that ride height. To accurately measure the front springs and sway bar must be removed, then the car must be placed at ride height with relation to the suspension and moved up or down while monitoring the toe change on the dial indicators. I also saw where the determining factor for the spacer size was because of interference with the wheels? I would want to think that a specific sized spacer is required for a given length in lowering the car and not interference by the wheels. I also searched out the stickies on suspension and a lot of this custom or modified LCA's and offset bushings etc. was way beyond my understanding. I just want to lower my car a little and do basic stuff to help it handle as good as it can without doing any cutting/drilling/welding or spending thousands on custom control arms, tie rods, etc. What have all you mild street guys done with lowered cars and SBC to get it to ride and handle decently. Thanks, Greg

I asked about bump steer spacers in another location and never really got an answer so maybe you would know. I want to lower my 76 280Z with a V8 car no more that 1-1/2", I am still not sure what springs to use but will probably go with Tokico Illuminas. I don't feel I need to go the coil-over route because for one it is too expensive and 2 I have no welding skills to section any struts. So I was just gong to go with lowering springs and the Tokicos. Now I had asked about the bump steer spacers and if they are needed and how do you determins what size spacer to get. What is your setup and how did you size your spacers? Thanks, Greg

Pounds9oh9,Marcus Thanks for the info,No actually I was looking for information on SBC in general, so 86 and older with 1 piece rear main seal is a direct bolt up to the 93-97 T56? as long as I have a complete LT1 flywheel and clutch setup I am good to go? Older 2 piece rear main seal/pre1986 SBC rerquire a different setup that McCleod is talking about? I just want to make sure as I have little leeway budget wise to have to buy bell housing, flywheel, clutch etc. so I want to make the correct, easiest and cheapest choice the first time on which motor for which type t56 combination. Thanks, Greg

I searched and posted and emailed McCleod and Lakewood. the post "Gen. 1 block/ T-56 trany swap." by Mongo510 back in july was nevr finished so I don't know what was the outcome. I was under the impression that to use a T56 behind a 383 Stroker SBC one just needed a T56 from an LT1 motor and just had to have the LT1 flywheel attached to the SBC. AM I wrong???? I know you need the Weir, Lakewood, or McCleod. etech form McCleod wrote: The ls kit is cheaper and easier because it's a push style clutch and the lt 6-speed from 1993-97 is a pull style clutch. The push style clutch offer more choices in regards to bellhousings and clutches. The pull style limits you to one choice for pressure plates. No sfi bellhousings are available for this set up without converting it to a push style set up. I hope this clears things up a bit for you, if not give me a call & I'll explain it further. I had asked: Curious about your last statement, “this kit is cheaper and easier that trying to mate an Lt 6 speed to a sbc.†I thought a T56 1997 or earlier from and LT1 would be a direct bolt-up and only require a different flywheel for the SBC? Am I missing something here? So do I search and find an LS1 or an LT1 T56 transmission? I will be getting the transmissions complete with master and slave cylinders, clutch, pressure plate etc. as these will be pull outs from a junkyard, I cannot afford a brand new T56. Now I am getting more confused. This seems to contradict everything I have read on this site concerning SBC and the T56?? I need comfirmation from somebody who has done this set-up and what did he have to change? This has major implications on which engine/trans combo I decide to go with so I need to validate the different combinations. Thanks, Greg

Mongo, did you ever get this resolved? I too may have a great deal on a 98 T56 and will need to mate to a 383 stroker if I go that route. Thanks, Greg

Do you think these springs would be good for A 383 SBC stroker/T56 combo, I was thinkinking of tokico Illuminas for struts, I only want to lower a inch or inch and a half at most. More opinions? Greg

Yeah, I saw it earlier this year as well but I don't recall if it is from the same seller.

Thank you Wayne! Rick that is a cool Idea hiding them like that you will have to post pics when your done. So I guess I can have side pipes made at a decent muffler shop from 3.5" glass pack type mufflers and just buy a chrome perforated shield from Summit or someone instead of hacking up a Patriot or Dynomax side pipe kit. I think I want to keep the pipe black where it is visible at the bend and tips, maybe I will get it powder coated?? Wayne, I will be sure to show your pictures to the guy at the muffler shop say THIS is what I want. WOOHOOO I am happy I can have sidepipes!!! Greg

Hi Wayne and thanks for the response and the pictures, you have renewed my love for side pipes again! I know Cozy and Vin ran their pipes right at where the frame rail angles down, and Cozy had to nothch his frame and Vin will have to something as he is way too low, but you did it further forward right after the TC Cups where the frame is much higher off the ground? Correct? It is hard to see in your pictures exactly what you are talking about, would you have a picture shot underneath from the side view? or a couple from different angles? On the Patriot pipes you gutted the inside and put in 3" internal mufflers? How did you do that? I could use more details so I can copy what you did, it looks like it will work. That is one beautiful car you have there! Thanks, Greg

Thank you Cozy/Larry,Yes I have seen all of your pictures. I guess I won't be going the sidepipe route as I feel uncomfortable notching the frame. I have zero, well not completely zero welding experience if you count slop welding with a 30 year old Lincoln stick welder as any experience. Besides I bought the 76 because the sub frame rails, front rails, TC cups have already been replaced and done well. My 78 needs a passenger side rail when I'm finished with the Hybrid 76 I though I might take a course at the local Tech high school and get LOTS of practice and a new MIG then I might trust myself enough to replace a frame rail. I will probably go with side skirts then because the mid section looks bare when you have the front air dam and rear skirt and spoiler. I will now continue to search for single exhaust with a "Y" pipe VS dual pipes with an "X" pipe and then the whole 2-1/2" VS 3" debate. Thanks fo your assistance. Greg

Well I took my punishment like a man and paid my Administrator debt. Cozy Cole Sorry again, Dr. Hunt, I paid my fine, got out of jail, and now I can head towards GO!! (Hey Doc, your first name isn't Ernest is it? Along time friend I lost touch with about 20 years ago, built some of the best small and big block chevies I ever saw!) (He put a 327 in a tubed and tubbed 510 wagon back in the late 70's) Anyway thank you for all the help, this site is awesome! I will need tons of advice/help as I am just getting started, the garage is clean. the 76 280Z (the 78 is getting covered and moving ouside) in in the garage, I have the engine hoist and am getting ready to pull! Anymore comments or thoughts on side pipes? I haven't lowered my Z yet so maybe I would have more clearance without notching the frame? Thanks all, Greg

OOPS, DOHHHHHH!!! and an administrator at that!!!!!! Please accept my apology for the typo or slip I am not sure which. Maybe it would be helpful to see the post you are respondig to while you are typing so you don't make mistakes on peoples names. How does that Southwest airline commercial go???? OH, Wanna get away? ......YES! Sorry Greg

Sorry if this should be posted in the Exhaust forum, but most of the posts there are for L6 and turbos. I searched "Side Pipes", "Side Exhaust", "Side pipe install". Most posts were really old and the links no longer worked or the pictures did not load. I did see a post by Crazy Cole using Patriot side pipes but saw anothe post by Andrew that says both the Patriot and Dynomax were too restrictive. What I wnat to find out or search for are pictures of installations, Brands used and why. I really like the old 63-67 Stingray side pipe look and would like to see some pictures of sidepipes on Z's I would like to know how much of a hassle they are to install and about clearance issues on the sub frame and those who did not notch the frame. Otherwise I will continue reading the debates over Dual VS Single with "X" or "Y" pipe, 2-1/2' to 3" to try and decide which way to go. Thanks, Greg

SO internal balancing is a must? I thought there were smaller fluid balancers that I could use?

There asking $2000 for that 406, going on the grocery list of parts in the ad do you think it is a good deal? What questions should I ask besides to see receipts for everything? Cam specs?

I saw a local add for a 406 "up for sale is the 406 small block chevrolet engine. its time to upgrade! engine is full of the best. forged crank and h-beam rods from eagle. forged 10.5 to 1 pistons. custom grind camshaft. dart iron eagle heads. edelbrock performer rpm intake manifold. 750 double pumper holley carb. high flow water pump. hooker long tube headers for 2nd gen camaro. this engine has 450 horsepower!! dont miss out! approx 10k miles on rebuild runs MINT ANYONE INTERESTED CAN HEAR THIS BABY RUN BEFORE THEY BUY IT. STILL IN THE CAR AND WILL PULL IT FOR BUYER. 2000.00 or best offer please serious inquire's only =)" Does this sound like a fair deal? should I consider looking at this engine or go ahead and stick with my LS1 Thanks Greg

Yeah I want it too!! I have been searching and searching and getting more and more confused all the time. I just want to lower my 280Z 2" wth springs and not have to section any struts or revert to expensive coilovers. So what was the outcome of this thread, it just stopped. Did the HPK kit work? I know this thread is over a year old but this is what I am after as well. Lower car 2" with new stiffer springs put decent adjustable shocks in existing stock struts. not be bottoming out or have no travel in the shock Do I need bumpsteer spacers and how thick if I do running 15" rims with 225 falken Thanks, Greg

Hi Bartman, thanks for the info, I already have the zx 15/16 Master brake cylinder upgrade and am going to do the Toyota upgrade as well. I read that thread earlier this week and was following it but never seemed to get a full cost from it. What I am having a tough time with is the rear upgrade. Some kits require the stub axles to be removed which seems to be a big deal and other don't. Some use ZX calipers and some use 300ZX ones which is better? I wasn't able to find those prices on that thread that everybody else seems to find at Rock auto or Advanced or AutoZone for all the other parts, example is the calipers alone are about $110+ each at RockAuto because I am assuming you need the mounting plate/hardware and throw in more because I do not have a core to give back. The only parts I was able to find in those price ranges were the front calipers for a 81 280ZX with no mounting harware and no pads. Is it possible to do the two rears for $400 all parts included? Do I need new hoses as well? The second Ebay link I gave in my first post seems to be a good deal but no pictures of the actual bracket? I will ask. Thanks everybody, Greg

I see these brake upgrades on EBay all the time are they worth considering? http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&sspagename=ADME%3AB%3AWNARL%3AMT%3A12&viewitem=&item=110045503763 or http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&isfrommerc=1&itemcount=8&sspagename=ADME%3AB%3AWNARL%3AMT%3A74&refwidgetloc=watch_reminder_email&viewitem=&refitem=110045503763&item=170040357198&refwidgettype=osi_widget My application would be for and LS1/T56 in a 76 280Z. I would like to upgrade my brakes but I do not have a lot of money to spend. I do not race the car and is mostly used as a weekend cruiser with maybe some spirited back country roads and maybe an auto X once in a while. What set-ups have other users on this forum gone with and what did it cost? Thanks, Greg

EvilC, thanks for keeping an eye out for me, If I can swing an LS1 with my budget I would definately do it. I have the JTR stuff already but can eBay it if the right deal comes along and get John's kit instead. That 240Zguy, I had 9K but spent 2500 on the 76 280Z and U haul rental so far, so I am now down to 6500 to do everything, I need to do struts/lowering springs or coil-overs, toyota front brake upgrade as a minimum would like to do rear discs If I have any money left over. (I need to be able to stop this beast:burnout: ) Looking to do old school side pipe exhaust maybe as well. I have my 15" Enkei wheels on my old z already that I will swap over. Thanks all, Greg

Yeah, I couldn't pass this one up, 13 hours driving time, sleeping in the Silverado, 480 miles, and the U-Haul rental but I really wasn't looking forward to all the body work and frame rail work on my old 78 280Z because I would of had to pay to have somebody do all that work on it and I only have 9K to play with to complete the entire swap, so when I saw this add posted in the classified section I had to check it out. I will transfer over all my suspension stuff and a few cosmetic pieces to the new 76 280Z while waiting and searching for the right LT1/T56 combo to come along this winter. I will then decide if I should keep my old 78 or sell it the way it is or part it out. My 78 has a great motor with a mild cam and headers, a mint interior with only 1 very small crack on the dash at the clock gauge area, The body is mostly primer with a lot of amature hack body work (Me) and not completed. The drivers side frame rail is solid the passenger side is missing the center section in two 8"-10" areas, the floors are solid. to be done right I would replace both front fenders, both frame rails, and replace some metal at the front rockers, the dog legs are ok the rear hatch area is passable. I would hate to part the car out as the shell is not really that bad, But it might get me more money in parts. Decisions, decisions.... I will keep it long enough until I start to run out of money I guess. Greg

Well I drove down there and picked up a U-Haul and bought it. The frame rails are solid a very good job of welding on them, the front rails in the engine bay have absolutely no rust, The tension rod cups are mint, the fenders have no rust, the rockers and doglegs have no rust, the rear deck lid has no rust, the only place I could find any rust was in the passeger wheel well about halfway up that is easily repairable and non structural. Yes there is a small ding/chip above the gas cap and a paint chip on one of the passenger inspection cover. The sunroof does not leak but does not stay open either the plastic piece is broken, I'll have to try and trace down a replacement. The center console is cracked, no big deal, The dash is a cap, oh well. New carpet kit, new Brake master cylinder, new master and clutch cylinder, new fuel pump, new moustashe bar rubber, new differential mount, and a good amount of new weatherseal rubber everywhere. I haven't had time to see how blown the engine is yet, but the engine and tranny will be for sale cheap soon. Now to shop for the LT1/T56! Debating what to do with my 78, put back together and sell it or part it out? Thanks, Greg

ANY other comments?? Well unless somebody or something stops me I am probably going to go and drive the 12 + hours and check it out and hopefully return with the car in tow next weekend. Thanks all.

Yeah it does look like expoxy on the seam... It is too smooth for a weld?? Maybe the weld is underneath? Maybe it wasn't seam welded the whole length so they filled in the open seams? Man I wish I could get somebody to look for me:( It has to be welded nobody would go through the trouble of glueing frame rails would they? I would really be bummed to drive 12+ hours, $150+ in gas to find a hack rail job. Maybe I should of asked for more pictures of the inside floor boards under the carpet? I don't need 2 Z cars needing frame rails:( Thanks, Greg

Here are the pictures http://s58.photobucket.com/albums/g262/tparrotte/ Thanks, Greg