SpeedRacer

Ahhhhhhh............My friends still call me that!!!!

That's a "Simpson" dash that was made by Jim Simpson http://www.simpsondesign.net/ when he sold the Ferrari 250 GTO kit (which he called a Rhino). BTW, It doesn't have to be glossy. You can get one from Jeff at Stable Autoworks http://www.zcarkits.com/ or Tom at Scorpion Z Cars http://www.scorpionzcars.com or John at Reaction Research http://www.reactionresearch.com/dash.htm John also offers the older "Alpha One" style dash as well.

Had that happen on my '69 Vette one time when I was leaving the parking deck at the GM building. Going down the ramp, I stepped on the brake and the rear line burst! And, to my surprise, the front brakes wouldn't stop it. There was a curb on each side of the ramp with a rounded metal edge on it. So I eased the right front tire into it and it helped me stop. Messed up the sidewall a bit but at least I didn't hit the cars at the bottom of the ramp! The car was never driven in the snow but, as it turns out, Chevrolet ran the brake line on top of the frame to the rear of the car. Over time, mud and sand had built up around it especially by one of the hold downs. Ever time it got wet it rusted a little bit more. Five blocks later I would have been going 75 MPH down the freeway!!! Anyway, sounds like another good reason to use stainless steel brake lines.

Since you are looking for Semi-chrome I assume you are talking about the parts of the wheel that are already polished. I haven't seen Semi-chrome in a store lately but you can get it here http://www.goodspeedmotoring.com/subcat.php?get_category=2&get_subcategory=Wheel%20and%20Metal%20Polishes BTW, the Mother's Billet polish is pretty good stuff too.

Try here http://www.cobraaccessories.com/catalog/default.php?cPath=61&osCsid=1ae0b0028cd2b2e32e2ad17d018f82a4 or here http://www.mossmotors.com/

We have a couple of guys in the club that have Northstar's in their Pontiac Fiero's and they are seriously fast! http://www.design1systems.com/download/nrthstar.pdf

As usual Grummyvette - you are right on! And yes, I should not have said "everybody wants to rev their engines higher" I should have said HAS TO to rev their engines higher because of the restrictions in the rules. BTW, I copied some interesting info from the Williams F1 site on their BMW engine: Output of the BMW P83 is over 900 bhp. Maximum engine speed is 19,200 rpm. In a race, engine speed is limited to 19,000 rpm. Idle speed is 4,000 rpm. The engine weighs less than 90 kilograms. It completes a distance of 500 kilometres before undergoing revision. It comprises around 5,000 individual components, 1,000 of them different. The air intake volume is 1,995 cubic metres per hour. Maximum piston acceleration is 10,000g. Piston speed peaks at 40 metres per second and averages 25 metres per second. Exhaust temperatures of up to 950 degrees are reached. Maximum air temperature in the pneumatic system is 250 degrees. At the Monaco Grand Prix, the WilliamsF1 transmission and BMW engine have to withstand an average 3,100 gear changes. Sorry, I know this it's Z related, but the technology in a modern F1 engine just amazes me.

Heavy Z - That's not what you started out this thread to be about but........ what happens if the 383 can't rev any higher that 6,000 RPM but the 327 can go to 7,800 RPM? Horsepower is just an equation HP=Torque X RPM/5252. That's why, when the sanctioning body (NASCAR, FIA, etc,) restricts engine displacement, everybody wants to rev their engines higher. Again for the street I think torque rules. And that's because we spend so much time accelerating and/or cruising at low RPM's. However, in a race car you spend very little time at low RPM even in a road race. So, geared properly, the shorter stroke engine will rev up faster. Like I said, look at a current Formula 1 engine - a little, normally aspirated 900 HP 3.0 litre V-10 that idles at 4,000 RPM and is redlined at 19,200 RPM!!! Just listen to one go through all seven speeds up to 210 MPH in a matter of seconds sometime - you'll be convinced. Maybe a better example is a Harley vs. Japanese crouch rocket!

Or glass bead them

Late in 1973 the last of the 240Z's and all the later Z cars (260 & 280) were raised up about 1.5" to meet Federal bumper standards. More info on the differences can be found here http://www.zhome.com/ I'd go for the lower, lighter 240Z - but that's because I feel the need for speed!

It's pretty rough, but I just noticed one of those on eBay http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=6472&item=2437043193

You might want to ask these guys http://www.reinaintlauto.com/gto413.html A guy has been racing one at Road Atlanta for years but I don't know if he has a web site.

I was going to stay out of this one but I can't because johnc is right. First let me say that for the street - torque rules! Why, because driving on the street means stop and go where you need torque, (unless maybe you are lucky enough to live in Nevada). Seriously, you can't use the "everything else being" equal because, when you design a car with a small high revving engine, you design the powertrain differently than when you design a car with a high torque producing engine - so it isn't equal. Yes, if you simply replace the 327 with a 383 then chances are, the 383 will out rev the 327. But.... change the transmission gear ratios and rear axle ratios and you have a different story. Why, because they are used to MULTIPLY torque!!!!! BTW, please don't tell the Formula 1 guys that short stroke engines are not high (or fast) revving!!! 3.0 litre V-10's that generate 900 HP @ 19,200 RPM. Hmmm - why do those guys use 7 speed automatic transmissions?

You're right - the answer is black.

Actually, I think you will find that most trade rags credit Colin Chapman and his great little Lotus Elan http://www.96trees.com/lotus/lotuselan.html as the inspiration for the Mazda Miata.

They are sooooo cool! 8) Conely http://www.conleyprecision.com/backdrop.htm has been making one for years. The local hobby shop ordered one and had it on display.

It's too late now because you would have to change the bellhousing but you guys doing Chevy conversions should check out the 1984 and later Corvette bellhousing. The transmission mounts straight unlike the Camaro @ 14 degrees. Best of all is that the slave cylinder is aluminum and not plastic. It's a much higher quality unit.

Got one of those on my car (but with a single plane Offy manifold so it would fit under the hood). http://www.hybridz.org/Review/0002/Ferrari_GTO.htm You can get parts from Vintage Speed http://www.vintagespeed.com/ or Larry at Automotion http://www.hotrodcarbs.com/home.html As Phil1934 mentioned, the base plates of the end carbs are very important. The best ones are custom made because the throttle blades MUST seal completely!! Only the middle carb has idle screws so adjusting them is easy. The end carbs only have an accelerator pump and main jets in them. No choke, power valve, idle curcuit, etc. Sounds like you have the right linkage but you can get different linkage setups from Vintage Speed or Automotion if you need it. PS At WOT the carbs sound almost as good as the exhaust!

Got any new pictures????????????

You would have to drive pretty fast for the ram air effect to do much but the general rule for cold air is a 1 percent increase in horsepower for each 13 degrees cooler the air is going in the engine.

Welcome 250GTZ and yes, quite a few here have built Ferrari 250 GTO kits. Mine is the original Alpha One GTO that I bought from Joe Alphabet. http://www.hybridz.org/Review/0002/Ferrari_GTO.htm and http://www.cardomain.com/member_pages/view_page.pl?page_id=236622 It's a good thing that they don't make the Alpha kit any more because it took over 1000 hours to get the body to fit right. Over one third of the time was in the nose alpne. After McBurnie got the molds from Joe he modified (and greatly improved) the nose. The molds have been through many hands but, last I heard, Jeff at Stable Autoworks http://www.zcarkits.com/ has them now. Even so, the mounting of the body is the hardest part. One guy who has visited this board recently has a great looking kit but I have never seen one in person. You might want to check out Scorpion Z http://www.scorpionzcars.com/ He offers a trunk kit which makes it even closer to the real thing. The finished product is an awesome car – good luck!

Yup - where you at?

If don't use an HEI distributor the setback of the engine is not a problem. I use the really small Pro-Billet MSD (# 8570) http://www.msdignition.com and the problem I have is with the right hand head getting in the way of the heater hoses. I had to use 90 degree fittings to make it work. The head is closer to the firewall than the distributor. Why is it that everybody forgets to look at the bottom of the Ford engine. One reason why you see more Chevy engines in street rods (including Fords) is that the oil sump is in the front. All to often this interferes with the front crossmember and/or steering linkage. Yes, there is a "double hump" oil pan available but it still causes the engine in those cars (and the Z car) to sit much higher in the front than the Chevy. I can drop the pan of my engine without removing another piece from the car. The entire engine (except the harmonic balancer & pulley) sits behind the front crossmember. Nothing wrong with a Ford, and quite a few guys here have them in their Z car. But........... it depends on what you are looking for. The Chevy is easier and cheaper because there is a conversion manual for the Chevy http://www.jagsthatrun.com/Pages/Datsun_Z_V-8.html Chevy parts are cost less and Chevy has two different hydraulic clutch systems to choose from (Camaro or Corvette) unless you are going automatic. If you love the Ford small block and want a bit more of a challenge it has been made to work. If you want a real challenge, talk to Staledale - he's dropping a Jag V12 in his!!!

Actually, most Ferrari Daytona Spyders had Borranni knock-off wire wheels as standard equipment. Here are some examples http://www.barchetta.cc/english/All.Ferraris/summary/SN.365.GTS4.Daytona.Spyder.htm Tom McBurnie http://www.thunderranch.com/ did a really good job of creating the Daytona replica. http://www.ucclermont.com/~kelleybe/ The fact that his replica was used in the Miami Vice TV show is what got Ferrari all up in arms and their lawyers started shutting down all the Ferrari kit car manufactures. And yes, the Corvette was wider so (except for the very early McBurnies) the replica had pretty decent flares around the wheel wells. http://www.kitcars.com/Classifieds/AdDetails.asp?classified_id=2582 My guess is it would be an early McBurnie. If it's a real Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Spyder it would be one of 122 and be worth $260,000 to $390,000 according to my latest copy of Cavallino http://www.cavallino.com/

It's amazing the stuff that turns up on eBay. Here's a Puckett Shelby Daytona coupe kit for (and including) a Z car. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=7251&item=2431606259