seattlejester

Thanks for the warning, hadn't thought too much about the fact that could be done. The CV replacement part came up when searching for infiniti CV joints, so it came up with the one CV joint for a variety of Nissan Vehicles without any cross listing for domestics so I'm hopeful, but I'll be mindful. The spline count seems right so ever hopeful. Thanks will do, some sights have been great about specs, others have been pretty lacking. I'm going to just try matching end to end, and see about ordering a couple to take apart.

So starting from scratch again, sort of. XenonZ31.com has pictures again, I'm going to have to save those for later just in case. Method one with pictures looks real promising for my case, it uses the tripod CV from the Infiniti J30 from 94-96 and puts it onto an NA Z31 tripod CV axle. The NA Z31 tripod CV flange has (if the internet is reporting correctly) the same pattern as a 280zx turbo tripod and so a companion flange adapter from Joe or Modern Motorsport should yield a straight bolt on setup. Problems that may occur are two fold. 1. Length. The method is for a seemingly bolt in setup for an NA Z31. That does not neccessarily mean it will transfer directly to the S30 chassis. In fact we know that the Z31T axles are already too long as it is, so this may end up being too long even though it is bolt in. 2. Parts. The 94-96 infiniti J30 axles can be acquired quite expensively through the parts store, the same can be done the NA Z31 axles. Right now, the only ones I have found easily want about 200$ for the NA Z31 axles and about 300$ for the infiniti axles. I'm hoping to go bother my local Napa to take some measurements, but if my eyes don't deceive me, it looks like Nissan used the same CV joint on quite a few vehicles. Pathfinders for example have axles that are quite short and also quite readily available and cheap running about 100$ for a pair. It also seems like these joints are available from sears at about 40$ a piece. Ideally I would have just taken the joints off at the junkyard, but as it sits now if the splines are correct, I may be able to get out of this with 300$ in parts or 500$ at most. The benefit also continues with the path finder axles as they are quite short. This would mean that I could make an axle and then space it out correctly with some simple aluminum spacers to take up any slack. So it seems like this will be the route I follow for the moment. The pieces of information I will need and will find out is... Total length needed/used from differential to stub axle _______ Total length of 280zxt companion flange ________ Total length of infiniti differential input ________ Total length of CV joint _______ Taking the full length and subtracting all the above and accouting for how much axle sits in the CV joint itself should give me a small range for the actual axle shaft needed. This will of course be different for both sides. Part number for the axles used _________ ID of the axle used __________ CV joint spline count __________ Will go out and buy the CV joint from sears for testing and might pick up an axle or two once I get the bolt pattern down in detail.

Lack of lumbar can be a bummer, but if that is a problem they do make universal lumbar support cushions that just strap around the seat. No good seat will have seatbelts built in, the belts need to be attached to the chassis. I don't recall the stock three point very well, but it should be fairly close to your neck, too low on the shoulder and in the case of an accident you would slip right out. Maybe a belt cushion would be helpful. Or maybe the belt mounting plate needs to be rotated. Edit: Also just saw something interesting. Some newer cars have a little strap that can slightly alter the direction of the belt sewn into the seat with a button clip, that would allow for comfort and in the case of an accident or if you really needed it it would snap off and assume the correct position. Also a picture would be useful to see if your belt is in the right spot or not.

So my thoughts, concerns, questions, on the J30 VLSD swap so far. Some are going to be pretty specific, but I want it out there. I still need to take out the C-clips install the center into the pumpkin and really take some measurements, but my condensed thought process so far. Quick overview, the idea came from a post on here. Unfortunately not much more information exists. This keeps the car with a long nose R200, so the appeal is no new mounts or drive shafts have to be made. http://forums.hybridz.org/topic/42612-talkin-the-talk-q45-r230-r200-z30-so-on-so-on/page-3?do=findComment&comment=832456 I found a 300zx turbo differential from an early Z31: 130$ Took the input shafts and the center from a 93 J30: 100$ Got the long nose R200 from a friend: Free Thicker shim: 20$ Total for parts: 250$ You can see from the financial perspective why this might seem like a great idea. The VLSD comes from a J30 which was only ever sold as an automatic over here. Usually the ones in the junkyard seem to have trouble in the engine bay area the rear end seems to be unscathed in the ones I have seen. Z31 differentials used to be quite cheap especially the non VLSD ones, I think misinformation has been driving their prices up quite a bit. Both cars I have seen in the junk yard multiple times. Pulling the differential from the J30 required a sawzall for the rusted exhasut and the drive shaft. The nut and bolts holding the axles were easy enough to pull apart. I didn't want to take a whole differential so it required opening the diff and prying out the center. I would advise taking the whole diff, I got dinged a good deal for just wanting the parts, I got charged for axles for the input shafts. Rather then just a differential. Input shaft short side (driver I think): I have verified that they are the same spline as the short nose. Going off the post linked above, it says you can just insert the stub axle from the long nose R200 and call it a day. Looking at the measurements there seems to be two possible problems. The Long nose shaft is longer then the short nose by a couple mm (has more material internally past the c-clip groove towards the center), and the sealing surface is deeper on the short nose. So compared to where the C-clip groove is, the long nose input would sit further in then the short nose input while potentially bottoming out a bit sooner. The inboard length I'm sure can be ground down a bit if it interferes, but the sealing flange length may be problematic, is the difference caused by the different physical size in the differentials short nose being a bit wider? I suspect so. I think this can still be readily solved. At most I imagine a little grinding of the input, I think the outside will clear. Inputshaft long side (passenger side I think): Now comes the dilemma hoping maybe someone knows more info. Four main options here. 1. Run the 6 bolt input, hope that it doesn't bottom out before it engages C-clip groove. Use a 6 bolt J30 CV to adapt it to custom axle 2. Run the 6 bolt input, adapt it it to another pattern 4 bolt or 6 bolt equally spaced (Porsche 930 CV) use custom axle. 3. Cut the whole shaft off of the 6 bolt input, and find a machine shop to weld back to however much of the 4 bolt input is needed to fit nicely into the differential (pretty much as indicated in the post). 4. Cut just the longer portion of the 6 bolt input, and find a machine shop to weld the longer potion onto just the tip of the 4 bolt input. Option 1 and 2 would push me towards a CV axle much sooner. Option 2 may make a very silly looking axle given the first CV would be 4 or 5 inches or so from the differential depending on the adapter. Option 3 and 4 would allow me to stay with half shafts. Option 3 would require a lathe and I'm guessing a hole saw, hole saw to cut the 4 bolt flange and a lathe to turn the flange off of the 6 bolt and fit and weld. Option 4 would require a service that welds shafts, I'm not sure something like that exists. Hoping to get some more measurements and narrow down some options. I'd like to stay half shafts and then just go CV by using 4 bolt to CV adapters at a later point in time just so I don't have to drop another 500-900 on axles to get the VLSD in. As for the rest of the car, BC coilovers arrived, the rear strut housings have been cut and are ready to be welded. All the new bearings and studs are in for the rear stub axle, just have to clean and install it. The grease seal for the stub axle looks a bit strange though, it is a steel plate with a rubber ring on the outside. Looks nothing like the stock piece. Still have to cut the front strut housings to size and clean them, still have to get some slag off the control arms and finish grinding the remnants of the old arms as well as clean it for powder coat. Picked up some killer valve covers for the 7mgte, unfortunately it interferes with the factory hood latch so that has to go. I bought some quick latches I may try, I don't want to try and install an aerocatch as that was surprisingly a fairly arduous ordeal and I imagine with the multiple skins on the hood won't be easy either. Going to the parts store to pick up new u-joints to rebuild a set of half shafts. Any recommendations?

Rota, STR, JNC, XXR, many of them make wheels in 15x8 with 0 offset. Rota has been especially kind in having a wide center bore to accommodate our cars.

...I am perplexed. How did you get to the size of your turbo and injectors without wanting to hit those kind of numbers? Are you copying someone's build? Pretty interested. You could run 550cc injectors I think without problem, 600cc would give you a little more room on the upper end. A 60-1 is rated for 300-600hp depending on which company and which specs you go with. How the boost is going to feel is pretty important. If it makes 600 hp up top for the last 1000 rpm, it is going to be a bit of a handful. If it makes power over the whole rpm range it is going to feel a lot more different. Go look at some maps and see some dyno's and see if that is the kind of curve you are looking for. Even a relatively small CT26 turbo spools around 4k RPM so it should be easy to stay out of boost, but 400-600 in a daily is going to be a bit rough. Turbo choice is something you have to come to. A 60-1 will hit your power goals, not sure if that manifold will work with a cross over manifold so you may have to add a FFIM to the mix.

Well a 9 inch with a -19 off set is the preferred choice. To run a 8 inch would need a 31-32mm spacer. Honestly a bit silly. That is going to a massive weight on there. And your car is going to look like it is on stilts with the wheels hanging out there.

True words, take them to heart. Tony did an excellent job of answering your questions, get the car running and see what you don't like about it that you want to change. Read read read, everyone is going to have an opinion and everyone is going to have a perspective. Don't think of modifying right away, get the car running. An engine swap is pretty involved as is, throwing in differential, brake, and suspension work at the same time means you are building yourself a mountain of work. As tony says, get the car running. Throw on the repairs for the stock suspension pieces, bushings, shocks, maybe new springs, new lines, new masters, etc and see how it performs. The problem with "best" is that it will be different. What I may think of is the best will not be the best for others for sure, and each style has its merits and demerits. Relying on others to filter the results from you won't help you in any way. Read and find out why something is preferred over the other, don't fall into any traps. Land speed racer may want a 3.13 diff, an autocross might want a 4.11 diff. A drag racer may find the stock brakes adequate, a hardcore cone head might want a little more bite in the rear. Your stance guy is going to want air bags, your track guy is going to want fully adjustable suspension with quality shocks.

Yes. Short of a very custom intercooler you don't need to order them ahead of time. It will be up to you what you want to run and how much you want to cut it/modify the car and intercooler to make it fit. Also depends on the power level you expect to run. One you have the engine installed, take a tape measure, figure out your routing and order the one you think will serve your purposes. Datsun R200 can handle the power, the R180 you have probably won't be very happy for long, also it is open so thats going to be a lot of power going to one wheel. Half shafts, stub axle, stub axle flange, wheel studs, you are going to have to address all of these with the hp it seems like you are building for. Really nice injectors don't have the problem any more, but big injectors are going to have a pretty poor spray characteristics for down low. What is your end game hp? What are you going to use this for? 1000cc should feed 900 hp pretty comfortably and 750cc would feed a high 600hp car, what are you building? A 67mm turbo is also pretty massive the precision one states it will support up to 930hp, that is going to require a lot of tire and quite a bit of reinforcement to the rear end if you plan on launching it. We had a forum member do something similar, I think it cost him 35k to put it together. These cars are fun with 150hp, 300hp and in stock configuration you start having issues with traction, 500hp and you are in pretty serious territory probably a better idea to swap in rear sub frames or axles, over that and it seems like an act of balancing insanity.

3000-3100 would be my guess. Would be interesting to see what breaks. Keep us posted!

Ncchris, thanks for the offer, but it seems like V-fib has made me an offer I would be silly to refuse. Ah, I didn't know that, so NA ZX's also ran half shafts. Well thanks I'll have to add that tidbit into my knowledge base, thanks! Thanks guys!

Would you have the front pinion flange too? If so I'd be very happy to pay! If not, I think that might be a tad pricey, but still would like them. It would make my life easier. Newzed: I think the 280zx's run CV's so no output flange, I could probably grab the front pinion off of one of them. Arlington is a bit of a drive though. Looks like I might just need the pinion flange now. If I can't find one or someone who wants to part with one, I can pop it off my diff. I just would prefer to have a bolt in installation if possible.

Looks good, any thoughts on doing something with the lip? BRE spoiler or something?

Ack, my apologies, this would be to keep it in the S30 type of family. Installed in my car right now the diff is from a 200sx turbo, and my drive shaft is from my 240z, so I guess it is the one for the early z cars Internet shows a 2.25 pilot diameter, 2.75 bolt hole diameter, 8mm bolts. The output for the half shaft using R200's I believe are all the same, I want to say 29 spline with 4 bolts? Definitely not the the one that has the one retaining bolt used in the early 240z's. Thanks for the reply, hope that clarifies things for others regarding why I am looking for.

Very plausible, my post was in regards to your statement: "BTW, I am unaware of non-knockoff 4-spoke wheels in 15" diameter, at ANY price, from any manufacturer or vendor. The "originals" on which is based the Rota X04 are, from what I gather, no longer in production." My clarification was that the Rota X04 are still in production, Apache II are not copying the Rota X04, and finally, Rota X04 is actually not original in that design (the hayashi racing takechi projects have the original shape of that design, although my wheel history only goes to japan, that design could have been borrowed from something european for all I know). I suppose you could have meant for the statement to read..."The wheels that the Rota X04 are based on, are no longer available, thus you can only purchase 4 spoke wheels in 15 inch from manufacturers such as Enkei or Rota which make knock off wheels." Even that statement has fallacies. My point is just because they use their own classic design does not make them a knock off. Regarding your points. Point 1. Enkei are not knock off wheels, but yes apache II and most rota wheels are most likely cast. Point 2. Not really, you could in fact still buy forged wheels from original designers if you had the money. Heck at 2k per wheel you could have your own custom design. Not sure why your average guy needs forged wheels though. However several names come to mind, HRE, AFD, several companies exist actually that do just such a task. If you were going for a 3 piece or a 2 piece wheel you wouldn't even need to go to a wheel manufacturer per say you could have it machined by a machine shop and bolt it to the correct barrel. Also to further clarify your later statement on 5-lug conversion. You could do the redrilled stub axles, I'm not sure why you are implying that is dicey and unreliable, it has been offered for quite a lot of time with no complaints I have heard of, in fact some wheel manufacturers used to offer their wheels with a similar pattern. If one decided to go to 5 lug by buying another stub axle that would only require a drum or rear disc re-drill, I'm not sure where a cascade comes from unless you decided to up the axle splines and convert the CV axles and get a 5 lug disc brake kit, but you really don't need to. I'm not trying to personally attack you in any way, I am just trying to stop any misinformation.

Hello, Looking to buy the input shafts and the driveshaft flange off of a long nose R200. Willing to pay good money, if you have an R200 you are having a hard time selling, scrap the diff and just sell me flanges .

Some questions as it is my first time mounting up rod ends. I seem to have thought somewhat ahead and ordered 4 spacers. I did not leave much room in the forward inner end (maybe enough for a washer or two), but would it be better to use the rod end spacer in the front as well as the rear (rod end spacer is being used in the rear? It would move the strut assembly back about a 3/16 of an inch maybe less. The toe link arm can be lengthened and swivel out. On the outer ends, given the small face of the bearing, should I use a washer? Or would it be better to just put the bolt head and the nut directly onto the bearing to allow for a little more movement? Also I imagine it would be advisable to use some sort of mechanism to get a good grip on the toe link turn buckle. Would it be better to just weld a flat piece on two sides? Or should I shave a bit of a flat onto the two sides? Personally leaning towards welding flats compared to grinding out flats.

Would be interesting. People do forget how smooth these engines are and how powerful they are when they aren't hauling around 3000lb+. Would be quite a bit of frankensteining to get the L series transmission to work. Maybe changing to a more durable transmission may indeed be a better idea. If it is indeed a chump car, you could just hump the transmission tunnel to fit the starter. It would make installing a new starter quite a pain, but an option. If the swap allowed for use of the J35 I think that would be fantastic. 300hp NA is not unheard of and quite easily attained with bolt ons consisting of exhaust work and cat deletes. Good luck, keep us posted.

Thanks! Bummer that it took a while, but I think they look really neat and the extra adjustability will let me dial in some settings nicely. All this talk about the Right triangle design vs the A-Arm + toe link makes me think I may need to try out the other style on the next iteration. Also found a picture with the sway bar link binding issue http://www.typeischeap.com/suspension2008.html So will have to make up a spacer for that to try out. Got to call around for some powder coating quotes now. Really would hate for these arms to turn all rusty.

Finished both sides. Pretty happy with how they turned out. Still need to clean a bit of the slag and get it cleaned up and painted/powdercoated.

...I think you are confused? The Enkei Apache II is a revision of their prior Apache I design released many many years ago. While it may be similar in design to other more reputable wheels such as the SSR Mk2, I believe it has distinct differences, and Enkei is an actual company with their own designs and OEM affiliation. On the other hand Rota is known for borrowing heavily from others, the parent company may have in the past or still make OEM wheels and as such the wheels stand up to certain certifications, but the rota brand as we know it is known for borrowing or making very slight alterations in design. Nothing wrong with that, but saying that the Apache II is a knock off of the X04 is quite misleading. I think the X04 is still being sold and was released quite recently, so if you were to make a comparison between the wheels (which is difficult as the only similarity is 4 spokes, the apache having a more solid design while the X04 is tapering at the ends) it can't be "original" as it was released after the Apache I. And If anything the X04 is a knock off of the Hayashi Racing Takechi Projects, not the Apache I.

My issue with them is that their offset design is flawed. They sell them in a relatively high offset, 25+ I think to fit Honda's and such, and they offer a 0 offset which seems to be a perfect fit for us. However instead of moving the face back and adding dish, they just added material on the hub to extend that backwards. That makes it look like you are running huge spacers even though you aren't and that really doesn't do it for me. Part of the fun of the older cars with 0 offset is to have a bit of dish in play, at least aesthetically. I prefer the SSR MK2 pretty much for that reason.

Hey guys, I'm looking for the dove tail and latch assist mechanism for a 1971 240z, I think the same mechanism is used from at least 70-73. The dove tail sits on the door secured with two bolts. The assist mechanism sits on the body underneath the latch for the door. It has a spring and a plastic piece in it. Looking for the driver side, but I'll take both sides if available. Thanks!

Ah, you didn't specify standard size. Glad you found them.

Rockauto, ebay, both have several and those were the first two hits on google. You can buy single pistons as well. 40-60$.