V8_DatZun

in my mind that would help.. it would spread the load out evenly across a larger portion of the tube... but then experiment is where you really find out if thoughts are true or not... but like even at work.. we have pipe benders.. the dies on them are pretty big... i mean like longer... and the points the tube is pressed on are spread out a bit more... hope that helps.. it may still take the heat and/or sand idea too though... i know at work we oil the tube/die down pretty good too...

from the pic.. those black pieces that the tube gets pushed up against.. if you move them out a little farther from the actual bend by a few holes wouldnt it allow the tube to be bent a little easier? to me it looks like after it tries to go up to get the actual bend those black pieces are smashing the tube.. in my mind it would be like trying to push a flexible rod through a TINY opening... it would be pretty hard and crease it... but if the opening is bigger it would just bend it.. then allow it to pass through easily.. not exactly the same concept.. but then again it is... i'd try that... although yours may not be setup like the ones in the pic are.

i bought a diff type of truck header... they hug very close to the block.. and at the back slope down at a 45* angle. i believe they will work... if not ill have to modify them...

hmm... thanks for that info.. NEVER even thought of that... but you are right that is the only thing come to think of it that ties the two sides together... guess i'll have to weld in a bar to help brace, and support the steering column.. thanks for the insight.. never would have thought of it.. and that really would have made me mad had it happened..

an engine builder i know (i asked him could i fire it up w/o radiator etc in it) said that if you heat the rings.. and the block doesnt get to full temp (the engine doesnt have a full heat/cool cycle or two) the rings will glaze over because the block didnt heat to full temp, then the rings will not seal.. dont know how true that is either... just going by what he had told me...

well i just forked over $190 for a set of ceramic headers (almost made me sick considering i spent only $80 bucks for the reg headers which didnt work on my conversion) and when reading some info on it... it said you are NOT suppose to break in an engine on ceramic headers.. said it will destroy the ceramic coating because it is suppose to be subjected to serveral heat cycles before it fully cures... is this true? said run an old set of headers or manifolds for engine break-in. if this IS true should i break the engine in on the stand w/manifolds on first? and how would i exactly go about keeping fuel fed to an engine stand running engine? any insight would be helpful with either/and/or both questions...

im planning on it... i just had it set up in there for the visual to see how it looked, fit, etc. im working on the mounting portion now.. the top is kinda easy.. bottom not so.. you have to cut those 2 zx mounts off that are attached to the car at the bottom of the dashboard because the z dash comes down lower.. ill post all the instructions for mounting once i get it finished, although im going to take it back out so i can swap gauges when i order them. but i agree.. it does look really good in the car. especially since im doing the interior in black w/blue accents.

well i went to my buds and pulled the dash from his z, came home and mocked it up... it actually looks PRETTY DARN GOOD. The mounting points are totally different (as expected) BUT i believe i can make it mount up. The top of the dash will fit flush with some persuasion, the sides have a LITTLE bit of a gap, BUT im going to add a roll cage anyway, so no biggie. if you werent going to add a roll cage you could probably modify the zx trim enough to compensate for the little gap. here are the pics (with a long extension holding the dash in place) underdash the steering column route lines up almost perfectly. front view.. looks pretty darn good if u ask me. and finally the little gap between dash and trim ill post info on mounting etc whenever i get that far. i need to find another full dash cover to go on.. this one is old and brittle lol... sad when the dash cover is cracked.....

oh i see... i have access to the center console too... im going to modify or fiberglass over the console if i can get the dash to work... guess ill have to go ahead and hit my buddy up for his dash... or measure both first... thanks for the help.. just wondering if anyone had ever done it before.

im pretty intrested... how much "intrest" or how many "intrested people" does there have to be?

it wasnt hitting the shaft... it was hitting the little blue box that the shaft comes out of. i had the steering column out because im also in the process of making a new dash from the 280zx one... OR trying to swap in a 280z dash (i like the way they look better, and the dash im trying to make is almost the EXACT same as a 280z dash) i found a set of truck headers that hug the block.. and exit at the back of the block... let me see if i can find a pic... http://i4.ebayimg.com/04/i/000/78/2a/1cf7_1.JPG there... they look like they may REALLY fit with the engine at the zero setback position like i have... im tempted to buy them.. and if they dont fit just resell them.. they look pretty promising though.

ok so that idea isnt the best... guess ill go for the heater/blower units from summit or jegs.. thanks for the input

i dont exactly get what you meant from that post... but i was wondering if the whole dash assembly would fit... i'll be swaping the gauges out for more modern ones... but i like the way the 280z dash looks... my zx dash was unsaveable... and now i've cut it up because i was going to make a custom dash.. i still may do it depending on how hard the z dash is to adapt to the zx..

has anyone tried to use the auxilliary blower motor off the l28 engine to suck radiant heat out of the engine compartment and into the cab for a recycled heat type heater/defroster? i've been thinking about it and know i can get it to work... but my question is.. any drawbacks besides possible oil leaks causing smell... possible exhaust leaks... etc?

anyone ever tried to downgrade (in my opinion UPGRADE) a 280zx dash and use a 280z dash? are there major size or mounting differences? could the 280z dash be made to fit w/o cutting etc? i like the look of the 280z dashes and think i can get access to one.. (im not planning on keeping the original wiring or gauges they will be replaced) anyone ever tried this?

no i havent tried any manifolds... how much HP will i lose using reg manifolds over headers? 15-20 hp? i thought about manifolds... and have access to a pair i can use i believe... just dont want to sacrifice alot of HP Edit: here is a pic of the steering setup.. http://album.hybridz.org/data/500/10-30-2006_001.jpg see where the original datsun mount is on the driver side... the part of the steering that is directly behind that is what my header is hitting...

i have the 83 rack PS... the linkage for the steering is right beside the engine mount... and the header i have comes down right behind the engine mount.. i kind of didnt want to have to put it in the setback position.. didnt want to have to modify the hood latch. does your balancer clear the steering ok paz?

thanks for the post cole... when i started this project they didnt have a zx conversion kit... lol i made my engine mounts for the "zero setback position" which is... directly over the old mounts. i may chunk my mounts and buy the jtr ones since they now offer them for the zx. the headers i have may work then... if not ill auction them off and order a set of jtr's.. thats not a bad price for that radiator either... ill post the outcome either way i go.... thanks for all the feedback guys! ill post how it all works out w/instructions for anyone that may want to use this kit