Mike C

Hmmm. Need to get some diffs and check 'em out. When I first started researching the LSD thing about 5 years ago, the one Reider had said would fit 82 and up rears. I THOUGHT I was sure about the ring gear bolt thing, but I guess more research is in order. Worse case scenario, I get the diff and I'll have some custom bolt sleeves built.

Those numbers are excellent for the rest of your combo. Should idle nice and have an excellent power band. I don't like split pattern cams myself so I would choose one that was 230/230 at .050, but hey, it's your motor!

Sound like you've already got it figured. I assume you are going 3.90 since you should have 3.7s? I've decided I'm going to hold out until Reider Racing finally gets the LSD units from Japan. I wish I bought one 3 years ago when they were only $425...$550 or so now. They claim the end of June as of last week but they said end of May in April. I've decided to go with the 82-83 3.90 and 12mm ring gear to make adding the LSD easier. I'll check backlash of the open carrier/gearset and shim it to equal that with the LSD.

I would also try to get a 350. I bought a 72 Suburban with rebuilt TH350 and 80k mile original 350 for $400. I say avoid the 305 unless you can score a TPI car. A 91-92 235hp 5 speed car would be just dandy... Or you can get a 305 for practically nothing.

The 3800 is a BOP pattern and I think you can get an adapter plate to use a chevy bellhousing on it. As far as the 60 degree motors (2.8/3.4) and the Northstar, they are all the same pattern but I don't think any bellhousings are available. That and you are stuck with a TINY clutch. Check with McLeod as they have some scattershields that are drilled for several different patterns and in a universal GM case pattern or check with Advance Adapters on a Chevy to BOP adapter. FWIW, PAW is a McLeod dealer. Lakewood may make something as well, but they don't seem to have as many combinations.

N47 on a '73? Hmmm. Should have been an E88. Should be perfect for you, though. Glad you can proceed!

I'd get a P79 head from a Maxima. Rebuild with port and polish and run the middle Crane cam. Then swap it all in for minimal down time and you don't have to mess with milling the head and running cam tower shims. Run yourself a good 2 1/2" exhaust with a Dynomax muffler, get some Turbo injectors and fiddle with the AFM.

Great! You have the 2 1/2" manifolds? Did you have to angle mill them? What are you using in the way of mounts? JTR? Hooker/Scarab? Looking forward to some pics!

Does the yoke you used have a vent hole? It did for automatics but I don't think it is need in manual trans. Otherwise I'd think maybe the rear seal is bad. It's awful hard to overfill the manual if you use the fill plug and fill it to the bottom of the threads.

I agree with Mike. It's like a bar end weight on a street bike. Keeps the vibrations down to a minimum.

I agree with the cam thing. My mech roller is 236 @.050 and pulls 6400 or so it is 236 @ .050. How much do your drive on the highway? I'd just swap in 3.90s and watch that thing spool up! Other wise, check into the (I think) 282 HR, but NOT the XR cam. The XR are way more aggressive IMO than the advertising implies. What's the .050 on the XR you've got? If memory seves, it's over 240 degrees which to me means 3500-7000 rpm power band. Another fix would be to lose the 2500 rpm converter and go 3500. The vitor JR might be hurting you a little bit, but in my experience swapping intakes does very little to change the seat-of-the-pants feel of the combo. Any of the other three (gears, cam, converter) will have a MAJOR effect.

No problem. Hope it works out well for you.

You can order just about any of the Centerline billet wheels and the auto drags in the 4 on 4.5" size. I have 16x7 on mine with 4" backspacing. You could go more backspace if you run coil overs.

I agree with utvolman99. Northern has great price on 350 rebuild kits. Only $300 with Hyper. pistons. Comes with everything but a block pretty much.

I would contact somebody like National Drivetrain for parts. They should be able to help you ID the trans as well. The only OD 4 speeds I am familiar with are the saginaws as well. They flip the 3/4 shift lever so that 3rd gear is really 1:1 and then put an overdrive ratio where 3rd used to be. It's usually fairly easy to ID parts from a 3rd party supplier since they coded them well because they sold to so many different manufacturers.

I think MSA sells a louvered hood for about $400. If they don't then Victoria British does.

If I remember correctly it was a 175 75 14 which was right about 25" tall. 175/25.4=6.89 x .75 = 5.1675 x 2 =10.335 + 14= 24.335" and 205/25.4=8.07" section width x 55%=4.44 x 2 = 8.88 + 16= 24.88" while yours 225/25.4=8.86 x .5 = 4.43 x 2 = 8.86+15 = 23.86"

Excellent! My current 240 is the nicest driving one I've had yet so I know what you mean! (Still got a couple of clunks to chase down, but I'm getting there) One of the best mods I did was the 205 55 16 tires. handle great and are real close to the stock tire height. That extra diameter really helps smooth out the road.

Some of the head bolts thread into water jackets so a little water on the threads is not unusual. You should use some sort of sealer when installing the head bolts so coolant doens't leak past the threads. Carbon build up in the cylinder increases compression which ISN'T bad, but it's not even which means hot spots in the cylinder which contributes to pre-ignition which IS bad. All in all you don't want it.

You can get a TH200 with either the BOP case, a Chevy case or a "universal" case that has both bellhousing patterns. The 307 olds was used up until '87 I believe in the 442/Hurst Olds and a TH700 might have been available, but if so it will be as hard to come by as the 8.5" 10 bolt in the GN.

It could be your auto trans...

Awesome. Glad you are started on the project. I love my shop, best thing I own! I can make a couple of suggestions FWIW. Doors on both ends, let you drive through and make awesome ventilation. 9' studs instead of 8' for more ceiling height. At least do 1 bay with scissor trusses in case you ever wind up with a lift. My shop is 34x40 with 2/3 vaulted and the other flat for 400 ft sq of attic space. By being 34 feet deep, it is enough to park 4 cars in just a little over half the space freeing up the rest for working on a project or tool storage etc. I started mine in 1997 and am still doing details. I need to get rid of some junker cars and get my brother to take his home. Good luck on the project and I'm happy to offer any assistance if you can think of anything. After I finished I said I'd never build anything bigger than a doghouse ever again...

In my experience, adjustment of the rear brakes on an early Z has a HUGE effect on pedal feel. You may have them bled perfectly, but will never get the pedal to firm up. Adjust your shoes out as far as you possibly can without any real drag as you rotate the drum and try that out.

I sold a 78 280 motor and pair of front fenders with headlight buckets for $350 last week. Low mileage might be a selling point for someone who needs a running motor, but there isn't a big demand. The junkyard I get Z parts from says he never sells motors. Plenty of trans, but just no demand. They just seem to run and run and run. Carbed motor would be less desireable IMO because of incosistent metering over time adds wear and tear vs. the fuel injection metering. $250-$450 for the pair depending where you are at. Can't seem to give away a 4 speed around here, though.

The restriction in the t-stat is the same if it is the same size/design thermostat and they are both open. (ie both parts store types and not a Robertshaw high flow rim seal design) But there is no doubt that you have NO flow if the thermostat is closed (especially STUCK closed)and max flow for whatever speed the waterpump is turning when the t-stat is open, but reduced flow anytime it is partially open. What is different is the point at which the thermostat opens and close and there is lots of engineering in the selection of a thermostat beyond whatever temperature the gauge reads at including allowing the water sufficient time in the motor to extract heat from the block and sufficient time in the radiator to shed that heat. More important than water temp as previous discussions have included is oil temp. Has to be cool enough not to break down but hot enough to evaporate moisture.