ZROSSA

Over the weekend I decided to put my money were my mouth was and started to make a new air dam for my z. My design objectives were to improve the areodynamics, lose some lift, and try to give it a slighty more modern apearence. I thought this would be easy as i have thought about it for a while but its bloody difficult. I started to try to do something like the new aston martin but there was no way it was going to work with the stock turning lights. I dont want to do a g-nose replica. I think this makes the nose look heavy. At the moment its kind of like Terry O's and like the white z on the prevoius post (nice,BTW). The only think I would say is that the noses on both these cars look high becuase of the large grill opening. I have searched a bit over the last few days and have noticed that a lot of my favourite sports cars have grills that are much wider then they are high. I think this is what gives them the low look I like. Another way around this is to divide the grill horizontally (like the bumper does). I havent tried this yet, but might. Any way, Its a hell of a lot harder then I thought it would be. Also, have a look on the body kit forum under "what kit is this". Thomas A. who made the car in question has found his way over to our play ground and has been talking about it. I think his front end with the intigrated front bumper is the best one i have seen. Douglas

Howdy Thomas, Thanks for the reply. Thats a mighty fine z you made there. Thats one of the best airdams I have seen for the z. I have a photo of a red one on my fridge. Its a shame about no longer having the moulds. Did you destroy them or pass them one to someone else? Douglas

Fun! I have had two of those myself. My wife had a supercharged mk1 mr2 that was puting out around the 200 hp mark. That thing could eat big bikes in the twisties. Couldnt fit the dogs or the babies in it. Now have a wagon. Douglas

I tried to e-mail him last year. No reply. The kit is all done buy themselves. Thomas made a air dam thats different to the msa in a big way. You just cant really tell inthe light that the photos are taken in. The flares are modified 911 turbo ones. Mabye he doesnt understand english, (fair enough, I cant speak any other language)hence no reply. IMHO this is the best looking air dam i have seen on a z. I might just go down to the shed and see if i can come up with something similar. Douglas

John, Im not really a fan of the g-nose myself. It only seem to look good if the bumper is painted a different color, which to me kind of defeats the purpose. However, I do think there could be a market for something similar, as some of the guys have pointed out, more modern front end. The new Aston Martin Vantage gets a mention from time to time and i would love some thing like that for the z. I was thinking about doing a nose myself but it would be a one off. If someone else were to come up with something I would buy it for sure. Douglas

I guess fuel isnt as expensive as I thoght it was here. We pay $1.20 nzd per lt. $4.32 nzd per us gallon. This works out around $2.33 Usd per gallon. Still way to much. Douglas

Mike, Do you have spec. on that 365ci engine, or mabye a link to it? Douglas

It might be a "buck a gallon" but,..... You will need twice as much. Douglas

I dont think anyone here has done the ford into zx swap. Looks like we are going to be looking at you two for the answers. I think that the ford engine is shorter overall then the chevy but is actually larger in lenght and mabye width ( cant find info right now, Just woke up, Hate mornings). I think there are three different types of steering on the zx as well. Manual and power rack and another form of power steering. The oil pan could be a challange as well. If you look at some of the posts buy guys with the sbf in the s30 chasssis you will note that they went to a lot of effort to get the engine behind the front subframe. You might not be able to do this with the zx as there is not as much room there. I dont think headers will be a huge issiue as long as you settle for block huggers or a form of stock set up (probably not the mustangs). Engine mounts will be a one off. Have a look at Alsil,s engine mounts for the s30. (search under his name, alsil). This should give you a good idea whats involved. There is always a way to do something when theres a will. You will have to do a lot of the thinking and leg work one this one yourselves. I think it will be a cool swap. The zx doesnt need any more weight and with ali heads and mabye a stroker crank it will be one quick machine. Cheers Douglas

It really is begining to sound like the "free world" is no longer free. Its sad that you are going to have to spend time in jail to stand buy your beliefs. Freedome of speach and bearing arms are in your contitution , are they not? All the best ,mate. I have really enjoyed your posts and humour. Keep in touch when you can. Douglas

Grumppy, Ross, Fellas, Those collecters look like the would get you a similar responce as a tri-y header. I like the idea of a big single. The car already has block huggers into a y pipe and a 3.5 inch single made buy the previous owner. It needs to be done again. I dont want the car to have the normal v8 sound. I love the sound they make with an more equal fireing order. I would be happy to go to the extra effort as long as there is a power gain as well. I wonder if there will be a difference in power at the rpm I will be running (< 7000 rpm). I look at the local v8 race cars here and the road racing classes all run duels into a cross over and duels out. Even most of the local trans am run this. Im I barking up the wrong tree here for a road car? This is not a daily driver but i would like to do the odd long trip in it. I have to redo the exhuast anyway so I really want to get as much power I can from it. Douglas

Jens, I didnt see a adapter for the toyota box in there. I have had a bit of mail asking how mine works and where I got the parts from. I bought the car as is so I dont really know. Do you know of any other northern hemishere toyota adapters? Btw, I would have a manual trans any day. To many corners around here. Douglas

I have always loved that shape. IMHO its one of the best looking cars out at the moment. If/ when I ever get going on the Z I want to make a front end a bit like that. Douglas

Compleatly different engine. If you are lucky it might share a common bell housing. Douglas

I have always liked the idea of the buick 350. It is only 450 lbs but I dont think it will ever have the power of the chevy and parts seem to be kind of rare and expensive from what I have seen. Still it would make a very nice street motor. There was talk of ali. heads being made for these that were based on some of the v6 race heads. If that were the case i would be looking all over for one. I believe the narrow bore restricts valve area somewhat. Douglas

Some of the porsche guys run some very large 15 inch rims with something like 315/35/15 tires. I think these were made for a lamborgini originally. Have a think about your gearing as well. Which way would you want to bump it over your current set up. The money isnt really a hell of a thing considering how much you have spent already. Douglas

Sorry Brad, Its way to small. Can't read a thing. Douglas

Howdy fellows, Think i could get a copy? Douglas

I am planning to paint my zed rossa red so my wife bought me ZROSSA. There are heaps of others you could do but most non car people will be in the dark. REDHED ZEEGTO ZEDGTO REDGTO 04AGTO 0EGTO MYGTOZ JAPGTO GTO4ME.......Those came straight of the top of my head. Dont forget you gan replace o witha zero(0) and start all over again. Douglas

Your going to have to ask yourself if its more cost effective to change over to 5 lugs of just get some custom wheels made for the standard set up. If you did the 5 lug swap you could then use mustang wheels, couldnt you? You could get some really large ones then. Douglas

It can be done. I am not a turbo guru but have a look through some of the posts on this site; http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/blowthruturbo/messages/2509?threaded=1 Some of the guys there have a hell of a lot of knowledge. Kind of made me want to go turbo on my sbc z. Douglas

How much does the 4.3 weigh? Douglas

Sorry Jens. I have given you the wrong info. Barber Dodge was a 3.2 lt v6. The one I was reading about is for a new single seater series thats being set up now. ISSC (international single seater challenge). I couldnt find much other than marketing Hype and B.S. I imagine it will be rather expensive. Douglas

Jens, Not much info I'm afraid. It is the us domestic market dodge 3.5 lt. There is (was?) a single seater race series in the U.S. called barber dodge and I think that the engine is used there. The article I read said that it had stand alone fuel injection, new inlet, exhuast and cams. Its a sohc engine but has 4v per cylinder. It is standard in all the large crysler's. You may be able to find it in a voyager van in your neck of the woods. You would need a adapter of sorts for rwd. I will see if I can find more out. Douglas

Thats what i had in mind. How far are you going to go with this? Are you going to run door bars as well. I think for street I would not do the X- bar. One diaganal should be enough here. You do mostly straight line stuff, dont you? One more mod that should really stifen (sp?) things up. Run a door bar from the floor of the front hoop to the rear strut tower that pickes up the main hoop on the way. This kind of bar wont make it to hard to get in and out but reallt ties the structure together. Over kill for the road though. Douglas