Mike C

Do the same thing. Get the motor on the TDC mark on the compression stroke and point the rotor at the #1 spark plug tower by rotating distributor and crank, slightly advancing until you get it to run.

If yuu did an r200 swap on an earlier car(70-71) and kept the OEM driveshaft, it is too short. Unless something is REALLY wrong with the diff, which seems doubtful, it has to be trans spline engagement. You will break either the driveshaft or tranny ouput shaft sooner rather than later if that is the case.

My friend has a Typhoon as his daily driver and another wrecked one in the gee-rage. I've TRIED to talk him into the Z car swap but nothing doing so far. I think he's going to do an S15 Jimmy 4x4 swap. Summit racing built an all wheel drive roadster called the Quadra deuce that used Sy/Ty technology so it could be done. Especially if you used the 4.3 instead of a SBC for front diff clearance. Driveline angles would be a concern and it would likely have to be a tube frame creation without inner fenderwells in order to mount the upper/lower control arm setup.

I would switch to a 180 thermostat or maybe even a 190, the water spends more time in the radiator to shed heat. With 230 degrees and a 160 t-stat, it is open ALL the time and the water never gets to cool before being reintroduced to the hot engine. Also check to make sure you have coolant flow, that the t-stat isn't stuck shut. It couldn't hurt to invest in a new radiator cap as well. Another problem is that universal hoses don't always have the anti-collapse spring so check your lower hose to make sure it is not crushing shut and stopping water flow. Also double check the fans to make absolutely positive one isn't flowing the opposite you think and causing dead air right where you need flow the most. The core dimensions should be more than sufficient for a stock SBC. Add foam rubber seals to the sides and tops of the core to seal it to the core support so that air cannot run around the radiator but most go through it. Also pop your hood to the safety catch and see if allowing additional hot air to exit the engine compartment as you drive helps. It is possible that the impeller can come loose on the water pump shaft and basically freewheel in the coolant, so checking for sufficient flow is a neccessity. Crank it up cold and watch the coolant through the cap. If the t-stat is working, there should be virtually no movement in the radiator, but as soon as it opens should be a rush. It should then slow as the cool water is introduced to the engine. I'd buy a new Griffin aluminum radiator before I'd moneky around with adding the heater cores...

If you don't want to buy them or coat them again, I would get the stainless ones. If you really want the heat rejection performance of the coating, have the stainless ones coated. My brother's seldom driven '68 Camaro has coated Dynomax headers and they are REALLY rusty. I'm not at all impressed.

I know the crossmember you are talking about. It looks like it would work in a lot of cars including the Z. YOu could make some c-channel brakcets that slipped over the frame ramils and bolted through them, then you could weld the crossmember brakcets to that. Should be at least as strong as the Nissan crossmember mount, But might cause steering shaft and exhaust clearance problems in a Z. It is kind of re-inventing the wheel since an easy way to swap a V8 into a Z already exists.

I originally had intended that on the 2 1/2" Flowmasters on my Camaro. Never did it because I liked the sound when I was young. Now I just don't want to spend any more money on that exhaust! One great thing about adding something to the back of the mufflers is you can just clamp in on to test. You could even have your local tube bender make you some swedged 2 1/4" or 2" pipe for tips. (Kind of the anti-fart pipe) If you believe Walkers numbers, just one of those mufflers is sufficient...

I'd say it's not very common at all. I'd get another r200 bar and move your bushings over to it and see how long it lasts. You may want to fab a strap for the diff nose as thay should take some twisting load off the mustache bar.

I don't have specific numbers for you, but a modified Z handles like a go-cart. Especially with a 225 section 16 or 17 wheel tire combo. You should have no trouble equalling the skid pad numbers of Detroits finest. What you won't be able to do is emulate the luxo barge ride they have in addition to being great handlers.

I kind of agree with Scottie. I would do both the heat shield and the hood vents. You could score a 280 hood, but I like the later vents better. I'm planning on scoring an 82-83 ZX hood and cutting the vents out and welding into my hood. I've got a parts 280 and I've been eyeballing the same shield for my car. If Nissan considered it neccessary for the NA motor, seems like an excellent idea on the turbo motor. I'm still waiting on my clutch in order to do my motor trans swap Tony, but I'll still send you some digi photos.

I was pretty sure that cats were mandated in all vehicles starting in 1975. I know that was true on domestics, and would surprise me if imports were exempt, but I guess it could be on smaller engines. The '78 I just cut the exhaust off of had a cat.

As you've found Pete, it's all about tailpipes. I have a pair of the 2 1/2" Hemi turbos on my Jimmy, and it is QUIET! The loudest thing on it with the 'vette 2 1/2" rams horns is the failing alternator bearing . It would be interesting to see a direct comparison on somebody's car with all else being equal but muffler size and outlet.

As far as pushrods, you shouldn't, but it should be checked. If you have a stock motor, you probably won't gain any power or lose any, really. One of the mag rags did a test and their conclusion was, gee, it's not the ports and valves that really kill low speed throttl response, but the monster cam that usually goes with them. I think the 215s would be fine and is what I would spend my $ on as far as iron heads go.

This is another one of those "it depends" questions. In my readings, it seems that basically cylinder head design of one engine prefers one type of chamber. A small block Chevy will make 20 hp more with the closed chamber head than the open if all else stays the same (ie compression ratio/total volume) However, it is the opposite with a big block Chevy. They always seem to make more power with the open chamber head. It all comes down th the quench area in the end. Quench is probably the most important aspect to the equation, followed by chamber shape and valve flow and flow direction in the chamber IMO.

From your 1 5/8' headers, I'd run the Flowmaster dual 2 1/2" into 3" reducer, a single 3" pipe back to the front of the diff, the 3" to 2 1/2" reducer cone from Flowmaster, then a welded mandrel bent combo of tubing into the back of a center in offset out 2 1/2" Dynomax super turbo, as long of one that would fit. I don't have any hard data, but in my head it seems running the cooler gases through a single muffler is better than running through 2 mufflers. With the single 3" under the car, the 2 1/2" should flow almost as well at the rear when the gas has cooled, it might even help keep the flow velocity up. I don't think you will EVER be able to get reasonable sound levels from a 3" muffler.

It seems that the forced induction that does work blowing through a carb is one that uses a complete enclosure that the carb is mounted in so the only pressure differential is in the venturi where it should be. They are expensive and leak prone, however. IMO, I wouldn't waste any money doing a turbo WITHOUT fuel injection. Until the OEM switched to FI on their turbos, none of them were worth a darn. FI changed all of that in the early '80s, especially with the Buick GN.

Cool. I think the 3.8 is an awesome swap motor for a Z. Be careful as the '98 may have the drive-by-wire throttle control which may make life more difficult. You could probably adapt the Camaro pedal assembly if it does, but converting to a '97 throttle cable would be easier. Might have to change throttle bodies. Too bad you couldn't have got a 5 speed with it!

Seems that some 240SX seats have the cutouts you need for the belts. Hopefully you can get a set cheap, as the Talon seats are quite comfy and the SX seats don't look nearly as much so.

Pull all the plugs out and you can probably rotate the motor by hand with a pair of gloves on the crank pulley.

I order any of my Hot Rod parts from Summit Racing. They can get darn near anything for the Z, just special order. There prices are better than motorsports for lots of that stuff. Tony is right about the turbo motor, but if you want to stay NA,I I'd think about an 80-83 2.8 short block with flat tops and a 72 E88 head and 240 Exhaust manifold, upgrade your throttle body, do a 2 1/2" exhaust with Dynomax muffler and a K&N cone filter in place of the stock air cleaner box. Add an MSD Blaster coil and a set of Taylor Spiro Pro plug wires. Actually, that's where I would start. Then Exhaust, then intake, then throttle body and if you do switch motors, all that stuff switches as well.

Hamburgers has a new pan in the Summit catalog. Road race/street use. 7 qt capacity plus filter and only 7" deep at the sump.

Here are the Eclipse seats

My silver '72 had no troubles outrunning a NA Z32. This red car is pokey, though. Wore out but that will be remedied soon...

My Comp mechanical street roller 280 advertised/236@.050 and .550 lift has only 145# seat pressure. (Comp 950 spring) Actually, they recommend more pressure now than when I bought the cam circa 1988. I have had no troubles however, but only turn it about 6500 max. I do have titanium retainers and Manley Pro Flo valves with undercut stems which are a little lighter then most, and Crane Gold TR series rockers. I'd be tempted to stay with the 175's for street driving.

Can't argue with you much if they are already paid for... I have a set of seats from a 91 Eclipse in my car. Front bolts line up, just had to remove the foot fromt the rear of the track and tack weld a stud to it. They have the same shape as the Z seat and fit well. I'm 6' and if I was any taller that might be an issue... These have mechanically adjusted tracks and lumbar so wiring/switching is not a problem. I had a set of Talon sport seats for awhile that were more comfortable with mechanical thigh support and larger bolsters, but they don't look as nice color wise as my eclipse seats. Oops, these are the Talon seats. I'll see if I can find a photo of the Eclipse seats.