nullbound

pete, you completely deserve those complements. i have to agree and admit that you and your car were a major factor in me choosing to go the hybrid route. izzy, no worries on using the weld wheels. the rodlites and draglites both look good on the cars, imo. i still think the pro stars would look good for someone wanting to do the 5 lug conversion. both mike kz and a local guy named tory with a 400 sbc 240Z also have the same wheels as i have. and my engine builder friend paul is actually considering a set of the same rodlites (same wheel size, offset, and tire size)for his 240 to replace his current draglites. you cant really go wrong with a set of wheels and tires that will basically bolt on and look good for right at $1000.

crazy... and STUPID!! i wonder what the driver said in court about what he did. poor jetta... i'm just glad no one was hurt. he could've killed someone.... and he deserves to go to jail as if he had.

negatory on the bumblebee tone. i think you would have plenty of ground clearance, but i'm just not a fan of sidepipes... but that has to do with wearing shorts while valeting a viper back in the day... note to self: next time, pay more attention to the label on the center console warning about the heat...

dude, you need to call paul. i'm betting he has the answer for ya. email me and i'll send you his phone number.... i have it on speed dial, so that'll give me time to look it up... i'm sure he'd be happy to help, especially since you hooked him up with that 4.11 diff.

greimann gave excellent advice on the dual 2.5" to y-pipe to 3" to dynomax. i'd recommend the hooker tip and the flowmaster y-pipe, but not the flowmaster muffler. i'm using one of the 40-series two chamber race mufflers. it looks good and sounds good from far away and has a deep tone... but it resonates really bad and it changed to some strange copper color after a little use. people know you're coming from a mile away, which gives them a little time to get to the front door before you pull in the driveway. dynomax would probably be a better choice, but the edelbrock mufflers are supposed to be really good, too. keep in mind that you need something that has a length short enough to fit in the stock location (~15", i think...) and have enough room for the 3" pipe to get to the inlet. i'm going with the edelbrock or borlas for my next exhaust.

hey, eric. you're more than welcome. my work is in the range of software, controls, and applications engineering. right now, i'm in telecommunications, but i previously have done work in internet/e-commerce (dead now...) and conveyor controls systems.

izzy, the th350 is a great and durable transmission. around town, it's great. but, even with the 3:36 diff gearing, i was having to turn the motor up to about 3000 rpms (~70mph) to keep up with traffic on the expressways. my preference is to be keeping up with traffic with the engine turning fewer rpms than that. along with the change in transmission, i'll also be changing my diff to a 3.70 (possibly a 3.90). even with the lower gearing in the diff, i'll be doing 70 mph at around 2200 rpms instead. i'll be getting better gas mileage to boot. as far as my reasons for the reconversion, it had a lot to do with changing my transmission, wanting to use s&s headers (though they can be used with the hooker/scarab kit), wanting a bigger cooling fan behind my radiator, and wanting the option of running a taller intake and retaining at least a 3" air filter. my waterpump pulley was touching the back of the electric fan as it was... plus, i was pulling the motor and tranny anyway to get the car painted. if it had just been a matter of changing the tranny, i would not be going this far. i was just going to turn the scarab/hooker motor mounts around (this alone would give me 2 or 3 inches to move the engine back). the mount on the 200-4r is about 5" aft of the mount on the th350, so i wouldnt be able to use the scarab/hooker tranny mount any longer. i had already decided to use the jtr tranny mount to install the 200-4r. i could have gone this route and been able to move the engine back enough to get the taurus fan on my new griffin radiator, with some room to spare. i would still have to cut the hood latch mount on the firewall off either way, as well as having to have the driveshaft shortened since i was sliding everything back some (normally you dont have to have the driveshaft shortened when changing from th350 to 200-4r). however, it just seemed logical to use the jtr setback plates and spacers since i was already going to be using the tranny mount and radiator mount. and the jtr kit would give me even more room between the fan and waterpump. plus, i was able to sell the hooker/scarab kit complete to make up the difference.... and i didnt really wanna be that guy with the scarab/hooker/jtr install. i'm an engineer, too, and completely consider wanting things done right the first time to be my mantra. when my car was originally done, though, it was right the first time. when i decided on wanting more power, that's when changes started to be made to the original plan. the red car you are looking at is a great looking car and looks like it was done well. listen to the little guy on your shoulder, as well as Pete, Davy, and Larry. i don't think you would notice much difference even if you did change kits later on. if you like the car, then go for it. if not, continue the search.

the shifter does just move the cable. it doesnt really matter where the shifter itself is mounted as long as th driver can reach it. i have a b&m pro stick in my car and am switching from the hooker/scarab kit to the jtr kit. my shifter will remain where it is. btw, i did have to cut my center console some, but that's because i wanted to use the b&m cover. other than that, my installation is like don's, with my shifter mounted to a plate.

thanks again for the complements. it drives and accelerates really well in my opinion. i drove it back and forth to work for three months, but it's really a bit much for a daily driver. however, the engine is on a stand right now so i cant say it drives well right now.... the transmission from those pics is a th350 that i no longer own. i have a freshly rebuilt 200-4r ready to go in with my re-cammed 377 when i get the car back from the paint/body shop. the exhaust from those pics isnt going back on the car. i'll probably reuse that exhaust on another car, but i have full length s&s headers and will run duals after installing a fuel cell. and while i'm at it....

ok, you're crazy. yes, they will bolt to the stock studs. the wheels are dual pattern and will also fit mustangs.

hey izzy, thanks for the complement. the wheels are weld rodlites, purchased from jeg's. fronts are 15x6, 3.5" backspaing with 205/60-15 bfg's. rears are 15x8, 4.5" backspacing with 255/60-15 bfg's.

yes, that's right. you'll have to make brackets to mount it, but it'll work with the jtr recommended radiator or an aftermarket radiator like the griffin or howe models. you can scour the junkyards or get a new taurus fan here: http://www.autobodypartswholesale.com/cgi-bin/autobodypartswholesale/F160912.html

the 'reconversion' itself is very easy, just time consuming. the changes that are necessary involve shortening the drive shaft, cutting the stock tranny mount ears in the tunnel, shortening the exhaust, lengthening tranny cooler lines and rad hoses, and changing to electic fuel pump if it was equipped with a mechanical fuel pump. shifter relocation and throttle linkage adjustments are possible as mentioned by Tomohawk Z above. it's not a weekend project. a plan, the parts, and all the right tools are necessary to see its fruition. as far as dollars and hours, that's up in the air depending on what all you want to do, but it can get out of hand. i have completely fallen victim to "while i'm at it..." and have spent much more than i originally planned to for the reconversion. i would have to agree with Davy Z, Pete, and Tomohawk Z in trying it first. fwiw, drive it, enjoy it, and get used to it. you can change it later if you want. i wouldnt discount it either becuase of the scarab/hooker kit. i had absolutely no complaints about how my car handled with the scarab/hooker kit. if you do get that car, you wont be thinking about the kit when you put your foot down.

i'm doing the 're-conversion' now... from scarab/hooker to jtr.

that's the hooker/scarab position

go to home depot and buy a roll of black rubber garage door bottom seal for $7.49. it has a nice edge that will wrap well around the 5" gauges. cut a section long enough to wrap around your gauge and test fit the gauges. the wrap alone will provide an interference fit into the holes in your dash. to make it more secure, however, use some black glue/caulk/sealant between the seal and the gauge, as well as where the seal makes contact with the dash.

part# 5205, from the S&S site:

yes, Andrew Bayley has them on his car. there are some pics available. check out this thread: s&s install

msa sells the s&s headers. you can also find them here , part# 5205 (pictured at the top of that page on the site). they will fit with either the jtr or hooker kits.

thanks for the reminder on the discount. i need to order some an fittings and hoses. and to get back off topic, yes, Alyson Hannigan has been in buffy all along. love that show... and, yes, she is much hotter than she was in the american pie movies. i think these are the pics you referred to from fhm:

i put my two channel orion amp under the passenger seat. seemed more secure there.

i got my 200-4r a few months ago in a similar manner: steel banded to a small pallet. it was around $75 for the shipping from a similar shipping company as listed above. i just had to be at home when they delivered it. it was sort of interesting watching the dude turn his semi around in the cul de sac at the end of my street.

i'm using 255/60-15's on 15x8 weld rodlites with 4.5" backspacing without coilovers. i have 280 rear springs on stock 240 strut housings. a friend of mine is running 275/60-15's on 15x8 weld draglites with 3.5" backspacing. you do have to use flares with the 275 series tire. his car: you can get about the same effect by using 240 lowering springs on 280 strut housings. you can run the 255/60 with this setup and it doesnt sit as high in the rear as my car or the car above. that was done here to my friend's drag car: it actually settled down a little after the engine, trans, and fuel cell were put in.

i'd say he'll be lucky to get $8K for it. i agree on the engine and interior criteria. and this car has been for sale for at least a year. i remember looking at it before and spitting out my wheaties when i saw he wanted more than $20K. the paint and body work is nice. i agree on the g-nose/flare package. they just go together.

radical certainly can be fun. that's why i bought the new cam, hehe.