MrFancypants

God the sound of the #4 car is phenomenal - Greg -

Only the early 240Z's need to change to a longer driveshaft. I know youre new here, so I'll nicely suggest you read the FAQ's. Here's the one on differentials to get you started: http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?t=114798 - Greg -

My Z has seen maybe 50 mph on the way to the MVD to title it Fastest Ive driven was my turbo G20 - about 140 mph (indicated) before I chickened out. At 300 whp she had much more room to go, but would have run out of gear by 160 Im sure. I see a lot of stories kicking around about these speeds at night. Are you guys nuts? Not only are you going silly fast, but youve got crappy headlights and surely couldnt see a thing! When I start outrunning my headlights I get extremely nervous, and I was doing that at 45 mph in the Z with stock bulbs. - Greg -

From what Ive read, the real problem with the R180 is that it's an open diff and the spider assembly blows out. Install a PowerBrute LSD and you should be fine. Although it looks like youve got a R200 lying around already so it probably wouldnt hurt to just convert "while youre in there". - Greg -

I have the same brake setup (in the works) as you. I guess the advantage I see of these calipers is they allow you to run the large variety of Wilwood .81" (and 1.00") vented rear discs. Not sure if there's a readily available top hat that will work, though. - Greg -

Double nope.

Yeah I noticed that too. Depending on the cost of the calipers it might be worth designing a new bracket, though. - Greg -

Not sure how new these are, but just noticed them on their website. Anybody used these in a custom front suspension? http://www.wilwood.com/pdf/fl193.pdf I also saw these new rear brake calipers with built in mechanical parking brake: http://www.wilwood.com/pdf/fl191.pdf - Greg -

Over the years my perspective has really changed. I used to be all about the "I can beat you if I spend X", but then I realized that any car can be made to beat any other car given enough time and money. Never forget that you are assuming the other car stays the same in the process. So then I came to realize that it's more about building something with your own hands, being the "artist" as someone put it, that gives the real satisfaction. Yeah we all love speed and we all want to spank someone from time to time, but I dont think thats what drives us to modify our beloved Z cars (or at least, thats not what drives me). The points about safety are very important. I often think how painful it will be, not just physically but emotionally, if I crash my Z after spending all this time and money on it. Unfortunately that's the risk you take when you go down the road of modifying cars. You have to understand the limits of your car and shouldnt push the envelope unless you accept the risks. Weight is also important to me, and one of the reasons the Z was so appealing to begin with. If I find myself creeping over 2500 lb I will be very concerned too. Going 200 mph isnt something I care about -- 150 will be plenty! Getting the Z to modern aerodynamics would be a challenge. Don't get me wrong, though -- it would definitely put a smile on my face to pass a 100K car, and Im sure I will do it on a few occasions - Greg -

www.swaintech.com Look specifically at White Lightning. - Greg -

http://www.granberry.com/default.asp Looks like LA is the closest for you though. - Greg -

Yep, this is the key. Get a good monkey wrench and you are set. Works great on the control arm bushings too. The hole saw method also works but after a lot of trial and error I recommend the wrench method. - Greg -

Which MM's? They have 3 different compounds: Deluxe, XBG and Ultimate. http://www.importrp.com/product.php?productid=54156&cat=0&page=1 http://www.importrp.com/product.php?productid=54157&cat=0&page=1 http://www.importrp.com/product.php?productid=54158&cat=0&page=1 I had really good experiences with the Ultimates specifically. Driven very hard on the track they didnt fade like I would expect for a "street pad" and were easy on rotors. Never warped a rotor with them. I have heard negative things about the regular MM's, but Ultimates have always gotten great reviews. - Greg -

Is this primarily for the street with the occasional track use? Ive always found the Axxis MetalMaster Ultimates to be good everyday pads. They can also handle the abuse of the track. Their only downside is they dust quite a bit, but that comes with the territory. Not sure how they rank in your coefficient of friction comparison, though. - Greg -

You know, I never considered this in our little debate here. All of my work is done on a flat, smooth, concrete surface. I would definitely not try a three caster engine stand if I didnt have the "luxury". - Greg -

Hmm thats a warning I'll be keeping in mind. There was some guy that posted a couple of weeks ago about a company that did tank reconditioning -- I'll probably just go to them when the time comes. Here's a story for you... one time I was getting on the freeway in my turbo G20, easing into boost. The car just seemed to hit a wall, then would barely rev. I was really concerned I blew something up (but heard no weird noises), so I pulled over and then the car died and wouldnt start again. Half tank of gas, no leaks up front, I was totally confused. I had to get the car towed home, then started checking the 3 main things - air, fuel, spark. Well when I pulled off the feed line to the rail it was dry. Figured I better check the tank. Lo and behold, the feed line blew off the fuel pump inside the tank. The cause? A shitty worm drive clamp couldnt keep the hose on and over years the hose finally worked itself off. Sucked that a $1 part cost me a $100 tow and an afternoon. At least I didnt have gas spewing all over my exhaust - Greg -

Those are the same two that I have (guess the stand was 750 lb after all). Ive used the hoist to pull a SR20 and to hold up the L28 in my Z while I pulled the crossmember. The stand has only supported the SR20, but will eventually support the new project motor. Both worked fine for my needs. In retrospect it probably would have been a good idea to go with the less tippy 1000 version with the fourth caster, but like I said, they work fine for my needs. - Greg -

Awesome.. thanks for the help. Since this is a gas tank modification thread, I thought I'd also post up that I just got an email from Eastwood today. They are having a sale on gas tank sealer kits (approx. 25% off). Check it here: http://www.eastwoodco.com/shopping/product/detailmain.jsp?itemType=PRODUCT&RS=1&itemID=382&keyword=10165 Just add the car kit to your cart and it should show a $10 discount. - Greg -

Cmon Grumpy, every one of those stands is radically different than the other. Youre comparing a 500 lb stand to a 2000 lb stand. Of course the latter is going to have more steel in it and cost more. I agree that a three wheel stand will be less stable than a four wheel stand. But next time, please compare an American made 500 lb 3 wheel stand to a Chinese one. Then it's worth comparing. - Greg -

Pop - can't seem to find these pics youre referring to... Got a link? My 260Z is a late model (60000+) with the 280Z frame. Even though it was carb from the factory, is there a chance Nissan put the sumped tank in it because they were transitioning to EFI? I know it's a longshot -- a pic would really help so I know what difference to look for. Is the baffled tank from a 280ZX or a 280Z? - Greg -

The key to HF is to wait for their sales. I got my HF cherry picker for $99 from HF, but "regular price" was $149. I think my 500 lb engine stand was regular $50 and I got it for $30. - Greg -

Be careful with that... if the oil level in the pan is above the drain (as is common), it will not drain. Thats why stock turbos drain to the block. - Greg -

Works fine... I mean it's not a particularly advanced piece of equipment. The casters arent the greatest, but it does roll -- mind you, it only has ~500 lb on it. Dont get their automotive dollies. They suck balls. The casters are so cheap the car is impossible to roll. It's just too heavy with a 2000lb load and the casters bind. Probably the one thing I have bought from HF that I wish I hadnt. - Greg -

You talkin oil drain from the turbo back to the block? I cant see you needing anything more than -6 for that. Should all be gravity fed and the feed should be less than -3. - Greg -

Generally speaking I dont buy anything with moving parts from Harbor Freight, unless it costs less than $25. I find their big equipment like hoists, presses and stands are a fantastic value. You cant beat their die grinders for $5. Just throw them away and buy another if they break. The quality isnt that great but they get the job done for my limited use. I dont think I could get myself to buy a drill press or lathe from them, though. - Greg -