Boy from Oz

There are plenty of LS1s this side of the Pacific but very few F-body cars. I have contacted a few salvage yards in the US but they only want to sell complete engines. I have friends in CA who could collect and post a pan etc, but they don't know much about finding one. Can anyone suggest where I might get one? Thanks.

I know it has been stated here but I would just like some confirmation. The winged corvette LS1 oil pan will not fit with JCI mounts (LS1-240Z) but the camaro LS1 pan will? I can't see it myself but if I read it on Hydrid Z it must be right ... right?

If the cross-member is presently bolted directly to the frame rails isn't it already bearing all the weight? I have measured the mounting hole distances and they are 90mm, perhaps a completely seperate second cross-member would be too far back. As an alternative could you marry a second to the original using the rear mounting hole of the existing one as the front mounting hole for the second. It would envolve scalloping away a portion of the second member and welding it to the first. You could then reposition the engine-mount bracket so that it straddled both members. You would remove the steering rack mount on the second. You could also reduce the height of the engine-mount bracket before reattaching them which would lower the engine giving you perhaps even more clearance at the firewall. All theory you understand.

Jon - Just a thought, but could you mount a second cross-member back 100mm from the existing one. Remove the engine mounts bits from the existing one and remove the suspension bit from the new one. After some consideration about forces, etc, you may consider some other lightening. This is very much off the top of my head - it's just an idea not a recommendation

Built mine last week and had a few hiccups. I used two engine stands and made the height adjustable via castor brackets. The problem was that the inward facing leg moved with the adjustment and it didn't actually create any improved clearance. Remember the body is more likely to contact the inner rotisserie legs before the garage floor. To sovle the problem I cut the vertical tube to insert a 400 mm extension piece, however when I took half to the steel supplier he didn't have the same profile. I had to reconstruct the vertical tube with a whole new piece. Costly and timely.

The 250 GTO guys use Daytons, you might find something there. http://www.daytonwirewheels.com/

Mike- You have to decide how authentic you want it to be. I know that Dick has gone all the way with lights etc but I don’t see the value in it in my case. While I want it to look like a GTO and certainly to go like one I also want to drive it extensively so I expect things will break or be broken and I don’t want it to be off the road for too long or my bank account to be emptied. For example I am using the stop/tail and parking lights from the Landrover Discovery. I picked up a couple of fog lights (driving lights) cheap on ebay after measuring the size of the openings in my bodywork. I think the openings might vary from kit to kit so you need to check. I have not been able to locate any side indicators that match the GTO shape so I will be buying them from England for 27 pounds. Santa gave me a couple of GTO books and I have had a read over the break. It seems that no two similar GTOs were ever built so it’s somewhat impossible to create an exact replica anyway. Oh, by the way I managed to obtain one Honda lock – one to go! I actually did some work on my project and built the rotisserie. It had been thirty years plus since I last welded and I forgot to cover up. I have flash burns over arms and legs … I’m loving it! What is it they say, “no pain no gain”. I’m building up a real affinity with this car. If you haven't already seen this you might be interested: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFfx6kdiNyM

I'm weighing up whether to buy a full donor car or just the LSX motor and gearbox. I've tried to think what other parts I might need and how much trouble it is to get rid of the unwanted parts. From what I've read the 240/260Z air conditioner is inadequate and I wondered whether I could use one from a GM donor car and if in fact the console could be fitted (I would need to reshape and recover the 240Z dash) allowing all the cabin air conditioning knobs, dials etc from the donor vehicle to the also used. Has anyone done this? 240Z, LSX, T56, 250 GTO (just starting)

Again - try these; Nisszed Spares - 20 Kerrs Rd, St Andrews, VIC, 3761, +61 3 9710-1091, All Z Parts - Unit 1, 17 Kings Rd Hornsby, NSW, 2077, +61 2 9476-0966, or Z Shop - 4 Paran Place, GlenIris, VIC, +61 3 9885-3366. I've include the international phone codes but check the time zones if you intend to call - we're way ahead of you guys!! (All Z Parts have recently changed address - I'm not sure if this is their old or new one) Good luck

You, or he, may want to start looking here. I suggest contacting someone from a Z Club in the State where he is staying. Also, look up Google or the yellow pages and start dialing. There are a few specialist Z places. http://www.viczcar.com/

You want inspiration ... here's inspiration! www.mototechnique.com/250GTO_p1.htm Note in particular where the exhaust are!

You want to think the whole process through before you do anything. Think about how much time, money, skills and resources you will have for the project. I bet there are plenty of half-finished (one-hundredth finished more likely) replicas lying around in garages all over the place. You could start looking there or you could buy a complete 6 cyl car (I think the one that has been on e-bay for months would take $20,000) and add your own V8, or, you can can do a full rotisserie-up build or somewhere in between. It's your call, but don't put any side-pipes on it - right, Mike! That's what Cobras were designed for. You might want to try these for starters, and good luck: http://www.zcarkits.com/ http://www.thunderranch.com/gto.html http://www.scorpionzcars.com/ http://www.classicrevival.com.au/ http://www.kitcarz.com/ [url=http://www.zcarkits.com/][/url]

Here is what some guys in Oz did with a Jaguar V12 www.vehicleengineering.com.au/xj13/xj13.htm

I have posted the latest photo of my GTO in the photo album. It's there just to make everyone else feel good. http://album.hybridz.org/showphoto.php?photo=11545 I haven't really been that slack, I've put together a 100+ page project manual showing all the proposed work. I have now got an 'in principle' agreement from an authorising engineer that the car can be registered when the work is finished - 250GTO kit, Gen 111 (LSX), T56, r230 & Arizona Z brakes. The project manual is actually 22 MS Word files and includes numerous photos and task description from Hybrid Z, but all set out in an easy-to-read printable format. If any GTO folk are interested I can e-mail the files - just let me know an e-mail address. You can print a copy and watch your friends start to salivate!

Poortecher - You've given me some food for thought with your trolley design. I had been thinking how wide to make mine, balancing space and stability issues. I now think I will build it with the same track width as the Zed so that I can wheel the whole thing up the ramps onto the trailer. I'm also thinking of investing a bit more in the construction with possibly 6 or 8 inch castors. Unfortunately I have a tandem garage (as opposed to double) and I will need to wheel the car about amost every time I want to work on it. Did your trolley 'do the job'?

Thanks guys - once again. I think the idea of enrolling in an evening machine shop class is the way to go. You get to use industrial equipment and they even supply the materials - 8 x 2 hr session and only $100. I know my way around such equipment having machined parts for helicopers many years ago and I just hope my skills aren't too rusty. I will just have to prepare some drawings. Only problem I now have is coming up with a new present for my wife's birthday later this month - an limited slip diff perhaps!

Yes, it's was those little $50 here and $70 there that I was thinking add up to making this a good investment, to say nothing of those frustrating hold-ups because something just doesn't fit. The capabilities look reasonable but I'm just not sure. Even if someone has just seen one, your comments would be appreciated.

After 9 months of planning I am just about to start my 240z, LS1-T56, 250 GTO, project. I have been slowly building up my resources; mig, etc, and was looking at a pedestal drill when I came across this. http://cgi.ebay.com.au/500MM-BC-LATHE-DRILL-MILL-COMBINATION-MACHINE-NEW_W0QQitemZ250037095734QQihZ015QQcategoryZ105827QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem Does anyone use something like this? I thinking that is might be a good investment right at the start of a project. It's Aussie dollars, equal to about $US900. Thanks

[Mi]chelle et al On another thread about 'GTOs everywhere' there is a photo of chelle's car and I belive Kim's. I noticed that chelle's seem to have a more typical 250 GTO flattened oval grill opening. Is that just chelle's particular kit or has it been modified? And, does the seemingly smaller opening create any cooling issues? Does anyone know if the larger opening on most kits was just to avoid too much similarity with the Ferrari (legal issues) or is it necessary for cooling? Thanks.

NOTE: The wheel offset and rim sizes I gave the other day were based on daytons fitting over Arizona Z race brakes. I think that if you are going with 15" Daytons you will be limited to the 12.2" dia rotors. Check it out with Dayton's template. However, I am now having second thoughts about my intentions to use the Arizona Z set-up with the Wilwood calipers for two reasons. Firstly Wilwood do not have, so I'm told, dust seals on the pistons and secondly they don't incorporate a parking brake. I am now searching for other calipers and will make up my own mounting plates, while still using Arizona Z hats and rotors. This whole Dayton wheel and brake thing becomes a bit of a chicken and egg dilemma. What comes first? Both are expensive and you need to make sure they are compatible Also, I understand that you can have alloy rims and stainless-steel spokes on Borrani style Daytons. I assume they would be low maintenance, but hey, who's going to complain about having to frequently rub their hand over such a shape!

I went through this exercise with Daytons just a few months ago and after measureing up my car to their chart this is what they suggested Front: knock-off, well-laced, 72-spoke, cross-laced, 15"x7" with a 4.25" backspace. Rear: knock-off, reverse-laced, 72-spoke, cross-laced, 15"x8" with a 2.5" backspace My own thoughts on the cost is this. If you, as I, are so keen on the GTO you are doing yourself an injustice by not getting the right wheels, they are integral to the whole 250 GTO concept. Someone has suggested that without power steering, front rims over 6 or 6.5 inches make for very heavy steering at speeds below 60 km/h. something you may want to research.

Just about the only issue I have with LS installations is the appearance of the cold air intakes. I have noticed that 'over-the-radiator' frog-mouth intakes are used in MAFless installations and wondered if they could be adapted to a Zed installation. Because of bonnet (hood) clearance problems it would mean lowering the radiator 75mm and moving it back about 75 mm also. Here is a site to sells the intake but I wonder why it is only suitable for MAFless applications. http://www.capa.com.au/ls1_induction.htm And here is info on MAFless which is popular down here. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MAFless_Tuning I would appreciate any thoughts on this concept.

I placed an order for heahlight covers and stainless steel trims for the 250 GTO kit with Ian at Classic Revival. He tells me he has none in stock and is just about to make up a new batch. I'm not sure who else is supplying these items so if you are interested in a top quality item you may want to contact him http://www.classicrevival.com.au/

I have an offer of a reported 260Z factory A/C. Is it viable to install in a 240Z and would I require a 260Z dash, and, would that fit?

Just about to start building a rotisserie for a 2 seater 240Z. One concern I have is in trying to find the approximate axis of rotation. I don't want to be too far out for obvious reasons. I appreciate that this may vary from 2 and 2+2 seater bodies but can someone with experience suggest how far above or below the bumper mounting points (front and rear) I should have axis of rotation?