John Scott

240 struts need to be sectioned for Tokico Illuninas, right? Why not fab a spacer to sit in the strut tube? Whats wrong with the stock travel of the strut, assuming I'm going to keep the stock height? John

The "smells" got me to laugh. Had to park the Z outside during first pregnancy. Fumes made her sick. It goes from understanding to THATDAMNCAR pretty quick, but when she's in it, all smiles. She got sent home for drag racing her 67 cougar @ 17 years old. The Z's smelly, but its shopping that gives me a major headache!John

She only went for one in the s.chrged V6, enjoyed it but not a big success. I was on my best behavior. After a block of putting around she said go to where you can open it up!! I found a back road and did a few roll on funny car burn outs, then let it hook for a quick run up in 4th. All grins and said "pull over I want to drive". She's a gear head deep down inside and capable standard trans driver. Her first punch in 2nd threw her back from the pedals so violently we pogo'd down the road a bit. She's way too short to reach the pedals, even with the seat all the way up. But, got a couple of part throttle stabs in, enough to make her want to see it at the track...wide open. Found that a goood heating of the Nittos will hook pretty well if I drop @ low 2000s and then gradually roll wide open. Brings the nose up high and hooks. A tad higher rpms and it smokes to redline in a split second. Touchy, but fun. 150 miles so far, one Ricer kill, not worth mentioning and tons of fun. Low teens milage around town, and 16 on a combined hiway/city tank. Oh yeah, she wants a date to dinner AND take the car. I din't have kids for 11 years and right after I bought it...Something about a Z! John

According to MSA: MSA,Tokico, Eibach progressive rates are f/r 129/184,140/165, 68-148/85-302. Maybe I'm wrong, but aren't the 240 springs a different length than later 280s? Spring seats year specific? What are the rates for Arizona's springs?..Just looked 180/200 I might have to get a set!Dave@Arizona says not year specific and not intened to lower, but much stiffer than MSA. The rates are hard to find in a replacement spring. I wonder if my KYBs are up to the task of damping 180/200? John

Hooker aerochamber. Two thumbs up. Out flow 2 chamber Flowtech. Sounds more like a Ford Cobra with H pipe. Way to loud for road trips but fantastic flow ratings. Higher pitched than duals. NICE! Scott @ Windsor Collins Muffler is the BEST. Master Artist of Exhasut. Worked over 7 hrs on my car. Mandral aluminized. Flowtech Y. Highly recommended for custom work in Colorado. On the down side an elusive oil leak behind the right head. Front tires hit valance. On the up side Phenominal torque and power. I'd swear a 4 second 0-60 on the primaries alone. A litle sceptical about streeting a cam so big, but 244 keeps it alive down low, 108 lsa, though lumpy brings on power early and strong.I can use 6th on highway w/o bucking. Pulls smoothly. Only part throtle roll on @55 mph, no where near full throttle: Smokes the tires! Phantom grip's insuring two soild black lines. I'll keep updating as I think this is a great borderline street set up. John

Sounds like fun! Maybe by spring I'll have the bugs worked out. (yeah right) Changed back to my 205 50s up front. Might have the leak located. I tried a while back to rally a HybridZ Bandimier trip, but had little interest. Maybe next season we can get a few more going. I'm going to have a hell of a time getting off the line, but would be happy with a big mph. John aka Torque addict, dang this thig pulls!

I know this started as a carb question, MikeC started to mention a 6speed trans, but it needs mentioning again. Overdrive transmissions will really help the milage issue, weather its a 4 speed auto , 5-6 speed standard. Cruising down the highway at idle rpms is sweet! My .02 thinks that an over drive trans. strong bottom end engine, forged pistons, and a big nitrous system will get you closer to your goal. Mild manners, great milage, AND fast at the touch of a button. The only other way to get high hp is big cams/ compression, cubic inches= worse milage, or turbo/supercharger higher initial investment, effort, tuning FI & $$. W/unlimited funds I'd Turbo, being the most elegant and sophisticated, nitrous will get you there w/o an engineering degree and fewer headaches, but still need a strong engine and a fair amount of work to get you into the 10-11s. John

This thing revs like a top fuel! Lightweight (15 lb) flywheel and all. Predictions on launching difficulties. Annika 2, is squealing and running in circles to tell Mommy how "Youd" it is. Sat in my lap for the starting. "WOW, don't do that again" Jarek, 6, is high 5s with hopes of picking up at school next week. Mom is complaining of the noise and exhaust smell in the bedroom. Sheesh, some people just don't get it! John

Fastfrog, Did you hear it on the western slope? Two pumps on the pedal and it fired right up. Must be livin' right, only 2 degrees off on my initial timing. Open headers, nasty cam and high compression = SWEETSWEET music Goes down the driveway and goes up the driveway. Only pissed off 3 neighbors enough to come out. Sorry to gloat, but its been so long since it was running and I'm happy as a gear head can be right now. Trying to schedule the muffler shop for a all mandrel bend set up. Won't takle it on Saturday, so I have to wait until the first of next. Local ricers take note: Another HybridZ ready to embarass the fart pipe right off your psuedo performance rides! John

So spring rate controls chassis movement, strut damping the time it takes for movements. Like everything it will be a compromise for the average enthusiast. Who built their primary tube diam and length headers to the exact head flow, cam profile, engine RPM...or did you settle for something else? Custom grind your cam to match your head flow #s? My point is I'm want to end up with what I hope is the best choice with what I can afford. I just don't want to be way off base. Like anything, $1000s can be spent perfecting any element of a Hybrid. I don't have unlimited time and funds to design a street car, I'd rather learn from someone who knows with experience than my trial and error. We have some incredible talent on this site. Any recomendations for choosing spring rates for a V8 high hp near 50/50 street Z? John

So...what determines spring rate for a given car that is 50/50? Why are the "lowering" springs from MSA, Tokico ect. so drastically different in front to rear rate? We can simulate our engine components, gear ratios,shift points. Any tips on choosing springs? Not talking race here as the majority are going to see plenty of street time on street tires. The range of spring rates in use, from low 100s to 300, leaves me pretty cluless. John

With the MSA springs, the shorter ones go in the back, at least according to tech I talked to yesterday. 1z2c-how does the car sit? Front higher or lower? Level? I'm considering running rear springs all the way around. What year is your Z? John

If anyone does go with the Eibachs, buy them from Ground control or Summit(call order) and save $50. I like the guys at MSA, usually, but 50 bucks goes a long way for me these days. I'll throw out a crazy question: What would happen if you ran the rear springs from MSA in all 4 corners? When I placed my V6 in the front of the car was about 1" higher than the front due to rear weight bias. The V8 looks dead flat. I know the MSA rear spring is a tad shorter, but 184 lb in all corners might be better for my application. Never see track, dedicated streeter with no regard for ride quality, but don't want to bounce off road due to over stiff. I'm going to have a buttload of torque and hp with the 383. Really went for the lightweight assembly from light crank pistons rods pulleys radiator...everything. Hoping for a pretty good weight bias. Don't know squat in this area, so comments, tounge lashings, admonitions welcome. John

Suspension techniques tech girl said #60135 for 240 is 112#/182. MSA springs 129/184. Tokico 140/165. I've ben using the MSAs, but would really like to find a stiffer set. Anyone with more info? Who's using Eibach progressives? 68-148/85-306 Whats the gripe with those? I see springs in the Jegs/Summit with lengths and rates. Anyone know what the stock free length and diameter of a 240 spring? I want a max for the street set up, don't think the rates we're talking here will do. I remember 250/275# rates for one of our ex-V8Z members and successful racer David Spillman. John John

Hmmm.....don't think my (detached) garage has ever been outside of the 60 to 75 degree range!....Gotta love at least that part of living in SoCal. Don't know how you guys do it. I've lived in South Central PA and NJ, and I can't imagine trying to work on a car in that weather....how do you get your hands to work Tim I work as a concrete contractor. Pretty much year 'round. Get used to the extremes of 100 degrees to minus 0. I'm starting to hate the hot and cold as I get older. Groan! In fact about to give up the business. Need to run an ad: Obsessive HybridZ fanatic prefers self employment, but plays well with others. Rick- don't want to hear about your toasty garage. 62 degrees too nippy for fence work. HAH! Send me a bunch of bananas when you can John

Honestly I can't be sure. Annika moves so fast. In a matter of minutes she taged everything with a magic marker, toys, dolls, highchair, walls, doors including a big stripe down the dog. My wife works as a speech pathologist, I keep trying to get her fiber endoscope just for instances like this. "Look! Gummi bears in the oil pan!" I can here her next patient. You aint puttin' that up my nose. It smells like Vavoline! ...Ahh a heated detached garage...my dream!...Keep pacing around my car. Checking wires, bolts, hoses. John

15 degrees in the garage this A.M. Yesterday it was a tropical 20 something. I'd been working for 2 hous doing the final wiring, plug wires ect. when my wife posed the question. I had to look at myself. No shoes, t-shirt, and no heater. Yep, obsession is an incredible driving force. I'm to the point of finally starting this thing and now fresh snow is on the ground and waiting for a warmer day. Had to laugh. Annika, my two-year-old is a great garage rat. Loves the car already. Anyone care to guess how many packing peanuts a sparkplug hole can hold? How about drill bits in the flywheel bolt holes? A complete box of washers dissappeared into the slot in my mitre box. One of my centerlines has a funny coating of wheel grease smeared on it. Hand cleaner all over her new pink outfit. I'd say, with a little training, she'd make a good pit boss. I'm going to sit by the fire and try to be patient. Drag radials and snow probably not a good idea. John

Funny how these questions reappear. I had mine with the Procharged V6 up to 5600rpm, .7 overdrive converter locked Corvette 700R4, 225 50 16 tires, and 3.55 rear gears. The math says well over 160. Felt pretty darn stable, no aero mods except a nose down attitude from shorter front tires. Engine was getting into some good boost and had LOTs of pull left. 7000rpm was good for 16+ psi. Which brings up the point, lots of these cars will probably go way faster than they should. Looking at the rpms and power output of a healthy 383 of Mike's car its easy to see well into the triple digits in a blink. Personally , maybe its age, though I'd prefer to call it maturity, I'm now believing the top end games need more than horsepower, but a well designed chassis, areodynamics, tires, brakes, and sanctioned location. I'd guess you're going to splatter just about as bad @90 as 200 in a Z if something does happen. I confess I had to do it...just to see. My tension rod came loose the next week due to a inept idiot who worked on installing my struts/springs a few weeks previous. It could have been ugly, my car was all over two lanes at 60 mph. Not to dampen the spirit of the post, just be careful. John

Dan, what spring are your running, i.e. brand, rate, part #, where to buy, ect? Also, what setting on the Illuminas do you use for street driving, for track? Thanks!John

My engine hoist died on me 1/2 way through a trial fitting of my headers. Lifted to a point then handle felt like it was pumping air. Has oil, purged air from system as recommended. 24-30s degrees in garage, but has always worked before. It was hit and miss during the final stab, finally recovering some pressure. Home alone with the transmision and engine dangling above your pride and joy and the hydraulic craps out makes for a nervous afternoon. Ideas, anyone? John

iskycams.com...I'm not real impressed with their tech help. The Isky wasn't my idea, especially in a single pattern, but the Pro1s had a better exhaust to intake ratio. If I could choose again, I think the AFRs would like a 244/248 585/600, 108, possibly 110 lsa. The 1.5/1.6s I'm using will help some. There are plenty of great cam companies to choose from, and they're all going to tell you something a little different. Average out the dozen or so recommendations and do your best guess. On the street most of us will never know if that 2 degree duration or couple hundreths lift will make a lick of difference. Personally, I've had really good success with Comp Cams. Have your homework done to the letter when you start your upgrade. We'll need to talk. BTW..its in Just finishing up lines, wiring, ect. Made a really simple radiator mount out of 1/8 aluminum angle I found at Home depot. 24 degrees in the garage has been miserable, nice and balmy in the banana belt of CO, I suppose! John

Hey Rick, good timing. The headers just arrived today. I used the Rewarder 1.75, added a nice radius bend and exits just below oil filter/starter. (I have some really nice pictures of the headers, just no way to post them.) After many trial fits, had the whole shebang coated. They look great! I decided to add another steering u-joint to gain a bit more shaft clearance. Really simple to do. Surprised more of us don't attempt this when headers are causing minimal interference. (Thanks MikeKz) Took a few minutes to do once I had the joint from Borgeson. They make a nice needle bearing joint in 5/8 diameter, close to the 15mm shaft. I used a 5/8 rod end for support. Harder to find in metric, but located Durbal rod ends that carries two 15 mm ends. Not sure how critical, but the 15mm would provide a tighter clearance on the shaft. Everything will be done but the exhaust from header to muffler. Short update of parts: AFR195 straight plug, Isky solid roller 244, .585/614 108 lsa, 11:1. Demon carb. Victor Jr tip: use March alternator mount (or better yet, Summit clone) for long water pump. Drop base aircleaner KN 4" filter and PLENTY of hood clearance! Bow tie aluminum valve covers, alum water pump, pullies. Almost too pretty to cover up. I have tomorrow off...Keep your ears peeled, maybe you'll hear it fire within the next few days. John

Apparently the powers of moderating still are mine, so I moved it to the Admin. They will deal with it properly, and perhaps return it here. Arguing a point is fine. When it gets to name calling, bashing, foul language ect. then the topic is beyond the scope of our site. Get each others e-mail, phone numbers, and addresses and take it up there. If you like this kind of banter, there seems to be plenty of other sites more to your taste. Its never been tolerated here, and I doubt it ever will. Nearly 3000 members and a few give it a black eye. John

I haven't been a moderator of this or any forum for many months. Not sure why my name is still on the list. In any event, everyone needs to chill out and think again befor posting. Try to raise the maturity level and clean up the language. I guarentee if it persists you will be banned from the site. HybridZ has enjoyed being one of the cleanest, most professional car sites around. Lets get it back in shape. John Scott, Member...Former Moderator

Mike, THANKS! Its these little tips that make this site worth a million. I owe you one! I wouldn't have believed the Victor Jr would fit. Ricks first gen shipped the cleaner base. A little trimming to sit on my carb (notched for q-jet(?) and it works well enough for a 4" cleaner with no problem. Amazing! Anyone with compromised hood clearance needs this base! John