Miles

Thanks for the feedback. we are going to try and finish the car so we can make it to the next MSA meet in May. It is my son's car so I'll have to beg him to let me drive it once in a while. That is OK as I have a very clean stock 72 240Z daily driver I am going to convert this summer. I plan on using a crate engine for my conversion. I would appreciate any advice you have on crate engine sources. I want a "ready to drop in" complete 72 300 hp sbc. My plan is to have the car ready and take a week off from work to do the engine swap. Miles

Here is progress we have made since August last year. Still have suspension, exhaust, brakes and paint to do. Thanks for all of your help along the way. See pics at: http://www.netsnapshot.com/pickalbum?IanZ Miles

I upgraded to a new photo site and will add more photos of conversion details soon: http://www.netsnapshot.com/pickalbum?IanZ Miles

We are using a B&M short throw shifter on my son's Camaro T5 in his 240Z V8. Very nice @ approx $164.95 in Summit catalog. Miles

I have updated the photos on my web site: http://www.geocities.com/ian240z/ian240zv8.html Note that the B&M shifter comes up in the stock position. I'll try to add the tranny mount photos next week. Miles

I installed a 74 350 sbc and a 89 W.C. T5 five speed manual trans in my son's 72 240Z using the MSA motor and tranny mounts. The distributor is approx 1.5 inches fron the firewall and the engine is lowered, but not as low as the JTR position. The mounts were easy to install. One advantage to the MSA tranny mount is that it bolts up inside of the trans tunnel rather than flat against the floor as with the JTR mount. The tunnel mount allowed me almost infinate latitude in setting the angle of the tranny output shaft for proper driveline phasing. The tranny was moved up and down with an angle finder attached to the tailstock and when the correct angle was dailed in we bolted the tranny mount to the tunnel. The T5 shifter came up through the stock shifter hole and only required a slight amount of trimming of the drivers side of the tunnel next to the drivers leg. We have had no drive line vibrations with this set up. we are using a B&M shifter on the T5. For cooling we are using a 82 Camaro radiator ($50.00) with a Flex-Lite Black magic electric fan ($250.00) and with a 160 deg. thermostat. Engine runs cool right at 160 deg. Rearend is a 78 280Z R200. We had a local shop make the drive shaft for $65.00. I have a 72 240Z that will be converted using the mounting kit MSA kit.

Here are some pics of my son's V8 conversion to date. Only have a picture of the motor mount at this time. Next time I am under the car I'll add a picture of the trans mount. Hope this works: http://www.geocities.com/ian240z/ian240zv8.html

Here are the MSA part numbers for the engine and tranny mounts: These part numbers are for 70-78 Zs 10-1821 V8 engine & trans mount kit $197.00 includes: 1821ENG V8 engine mount 1821TRNS mount For a 79-83 Z use part number 10-1822 The V8 conversion Kit includes chevy motor mounts and a rubber trans mount that bolts to the MSA tranny bracket that bolts up in the tunnel. Also the kit includes all mounting bolts and instructions which are not readable. MSA was very helpfull in explaining how to install the mounts. Just email MSA or call them. Note that the tranny bracket and rubber tranny mount are intended by MSA to install a 700R auto trans, but the bracket and rubber mount bolted to the 89 W.C. Camaro T5 trans perfectly without any mods. I also used the MSA shorty block huggers part number 10-1830 @ $169.95 These headers provide good clearence between the header and the steering shaft. I'll try to post pictures of the motor mounts etc on the forum if someone can tell me how. I have photos of the engine mounts, but will have to dive under the car for some tranny mount photos.

DAW Very helpful. Thanks for the info. Miles

Which way do you turn that nut on the bottom of the SU carb to make the mixture richer? Looking from top down, is clockwise rich and counter clockwise lean? I dialed in max advance and it helped some and increased power some too. Thanks Miles

Mike Did you see any improvement in performance? Can the EGR also be removed? Anything else to remove? Thanks Miles

I'll try advancing the timing. Thanks Miles

How do remove the smog equipment on a stock 72 240z so the car will still run (hopefully better)?

My stock 72 240Z w/SU carbs stumbles when taking off in first gear then catches and everything is fine through second to fourth gears. Cruise is fine. Problem imalmost goes away once the engine is warmed up. Also, the engine will backfire (popping sound) through air cleaner and it occasionally runs on when the key is turned off. The stumble problem started after I replaced the points and condensor. The engine runs smooth and normal once I get the car through the initial hicup in first. Thanks Miles

There is a strong gas oder inside my stock 240Z. I inspected the vaper/expansion tank and hoses in the rear of the car. All hoses are new and secured to the tank fittings. I was gong to plug the lines but noticed that there is what appears to be a fuel return line from the engine comaprtment attached to the expansion tank. Is that small line from the engine to the expansion tank a vaper line or a fuel line? Can I plug all of these line without effecting engine performance?

Pete Bearings make sense. If they were worn they would move around under changing loads. My worst fear has been that the splines are damaged. I'll check it out some more. What has to be done to change out the bearings? My research on stub axle repair suggests it's a pain to do. Thanks Miles

I think my stub axles are going out. Lots of free play when both of the rear wheels are turned back and forth by hand and there is a clunking coming from the passenger side rear wheel when I shift or reverse direction. Diff mount, U-joints, drive shaft etc. are all tight. How hard is it to rebuild the stub axles and what causes the clunking? Is it worn splines or bearings that cause the looseness and clunking? Thnaks Miles

Found the problem. Looks like the stub axles are worn and will have to be replaced. Local recycler says its' easier to replace the whole stub axle and strut assembly than to replace the stub axle due to problems with getting the lock nut off of the stub axle. Has anyone in the Forum replaced stub axles? Thanks Miles

Found the problem. A small spring in the lock plunger mechanism is missing. The spring allows the door plunger to stay in the up (unlocked) position or the down (locked position). The lock plunger was designed so that if the spring falls out or breaks the lock will fail in a secure mode i.e., it stays locked unless you keep the key turned or hold the plunger up. The spring looks like the spring part of a safety pin. It appears that I will have to remove the door latch mechanism from the door to replace the spring. Looks like a pain to work on. Miles

Just purchased a 72 240Z in all stock condition. Everything on the car works except for a clunking sound when sifting or reversing. I thought this might be the front diff mount. I jacked up the car on jackstands. Inspection of the front diff mount shows that it is not torn and I could only slightly move it with a long screw driver. I then checked for play in the drive shaft. Only very little play when turning the drive shaft back and forth. Next I put the car in gear and rotated the the right and left rear wheel back and forth. There is a lot of free play when turning the wheel back and forth. Is time to replace the rear end?

Having trouble getting to the nuts on top of the diff front mount. I can barely get an open end wrench on the bolts heads at the bottom of the mount. I removed the front cross member and left a jack under the rear end to keep things lined up. Should I remove the drive shaft and the jack and just let the diff hang off the rear mount. The last one of these I did with the diff out of the car. Trying to minimize downtime as this is my daily driver. Thanks Miles

OOps This is a 72 240Z with manual locks. Thanks Miles

The drivers doorlock will not stay in the unlocked position. I have to turn the key while pulling on the door handle to unlock the door. If I unlock it and remove the key the door goes back into a locked mode. Also, to get out I have to hold the lock knob up while pulling the interior door handle. Thanks Miles

My front differential mount is failing. Do I have to remove the differential to install a solid front mount or can I just pull off the front cross member to get at the bolts? Thanks

I was going to hook up the oil pressure cut out per JTR, but there is not much space where the senor is located near the fire wall. I noticed that there is a plug just above the oil filter boss and was wondering if a pressure sensor switch could be screwed into where the plug is. I have also located a supplyer for an inertial cut off switch that chops all of the power in an accident. It is the same inertial cut off switch used in Ford explorers.