GAZRNR

I've seen Z's in the junkyard with rust up near the hood hindges in addition to all the usual spots...strange!

Cool! I just ordered one!

Mike, Why not the edelbrock rpm air gap intake?

Is anyone using stock struts with 17x7 rims and 215/45/17 tires on a 78Z? Any problems with tires rubbing on the sway bar on full lock turning or any other issues?

I am at the point of making my wiring harness for my carberated SBC/T56 conversion. I will be using the stock GM HEI distributor. Got the L6 & trans out and like everyone who has already done this on a FI Z wondering what I will do with all the wires on the left side of the engine bay. These appear to be the FI wire harness. The wiring for alt, temp switch and starter seem straight forward. The fuel pump, distributor and A/C system seem to be my points of concern. 1) The wires that went to the coil are colored Blue for - and Black with White stripe for +. Can the Black with White stripe be wired to the Red + wire from the GM HEI dist and can the Blue wire be wired directly to the Neg terminal on the dist? If this is done will the tach work after the 15K resistor is installed? Do you keep the stock in line resistor and run the 15K resistor or pull that resistor? 2) After unplugging the computer can this wrie harness be removed as 1 unit by unplugging anything else connected under the dash? Is there any part of this harness that is needed to keep the other circuts working properly? 3) I marked the wires in disassembly and it appears that what is needed is on the right side of the engine bay. I plan on installing the fuel pump cut off pressure switch as JTR recommends, do you retain the fuel pump control relay and fuel pump relay that are in the relay bracket box on the fender? Is there a single wire that needs to be isolated that I can run from the oil pressure switch to the fuel pump? 4) The Z has stock A/C but the system has expired, at some point I want to run A/C using a GM pump and would like to use as much of the stock control setup as possible. I believe that I need to retain the A/C relay & other A/C related connectrors but should be able to eliminate the remainder of the relays on that bracket. Has anyone done this successfully? I would like to avoid using the "wire snips" until I am sure that what I am snipping is not needed and will not mess up another circut. Am I heading down the right path on this or is there a better way approach this part of the project? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

I am installing a SBC and T56 out of a 95 Z28 using the JTR kit in a 78 Z. The T56 shifter looks like it comes almost straight up from the trans like a ZX shift lever and looks like it will hit the lower dash pannel. A fews years back I installed a ZX 5 speed and could not use the stock shifter from the 82 ZX and had to modify the 78 shifter for that trans. The Datsun 78 stock shifter has a good bend towards the rear of the car and the ZX unit is straight. Does the T56 shifter need to be modified of is there an aftermarket shifter that will correct this? I noticed that the Ford shifters are offset towards the rear of the car, anyone used a Ford shifter in a Z with the T56 or had to do any other mods to the stock unit?

dhans I am installing an HO 350 using the performer RPM airgap and performer 600 cfm carb w/electric choke. Sweet looking package but not ready to drop it in. Right now trying to figure out the conversion from EFI in my 78 Z to a carb setup and have everthing work as intended.

Welcome to the board. The RamJet 350 is a marine engine that can be used on the street. I was going to go with this motor but thru research found that everyone using had to deal with it running rich and the fix was to send the computer out to be reprogramed. While I wanted EFI I didn't want a system I could not map using a laptop. I went with a HO 350 $2200 from Scoggan-Dickey and added the parts I wanted. GM parts direct is another good choice for crate motors. For trans I went with T56 and you can't go wrong with that selection. The flywheel is $350 and the clutch is $300. Do your research and stay the course once started...you will save time & money by planning out your swap. Rusty

Thanks Guys, I sent him an email and will post his replay as to kit, parts, price. Rusty

John, Sweet set up! Have you had a chance to try out the stopping power and brake balance on yout car yet? Can you tell me how you found Design Products Racing? Do they have a web site or phone numer I can call to get some more information on the setup and pricing? Thanks, Rusty

Z-dust On my 78 I am using the tokios, suspension techniques springs and msa sway bars. My advice is to use the front bar from the kit and retain the stock rear bar. I found that using both bars with my springs & struts causes the car to "push" in the turns when driven hard. The car seemed a little more balance when I was using the stock springs & struts and did not experience the push until I changes springs & struts.

Mudge, I used Suspension Tech springs on my 78 - NOPI PN# 591+0845 60145. The springs were tagged for the fronts only. Neither the front or rears touched the perch out while of the car. Tech support said that was "OK" but it seemed all wrong to me so I used 7 or 8 washers to push the perch lower and put some tension on the spring while at full extension. If you have your struts out and dissasembled you can see the second shoulder that the washers will rest on. The stock replacement struts were not up to the task and had to upgrade the struts, I used Tokio Illumina stuts on all four corners to keep the car from bottoming out. I have to run the rears on setting 4 to keep the rear from bottoming out crossing bridges at normal highway speeds. I am really dissapointed with these springs and would have put the stock springs back in with a coil & 1/2 cut out if had not already tossed them out BEFORE I test drove the car. Lesson learened! When I get a chance I will install coil overs and then be able to tune my suspension. Good luck with making them work for you.

If you can determine what you have and swap it out with a like part would be the easy way out for you. Does your setup have a fuel pressure regulator? If not then you want a pump that puts out 6-8 PSI. I have seen posts that claim the holley pumps are loud but have never used one. A carter PN CRT-P4594 should work for you but I would verify what was in there before I spent any money. My edelbrock performer carb calls for 6.5 psi fuel pressure.

I have a GM HO 350 crate motor with the long water pump & tried using the univeral "boomerang" and did not like the way it fit or looked. Then ordered the TD Performace Alt Bracket PN TRD-9317 from Summit-$16.95. Just make sure you use the top hole on the head and it will fit just like you want it to. Also used a dynaflex alt belt #15445 from PEPBOYS and it put the adjustment right in the center of the adjustment slot. For the spacer between the alt body & cylinder head I used the stock spacer off a 1980 malibu that was in the salvage yard. I know you didn't want to hear that but setup fits like a glove. You could buy the universal tube and cut it but why go through the hassel,IMO. Also used the summit billet pulleys too. Nice fit and looks sharp!

You are going to need the part off a 76 thru 83 - just make sure you get one that was mated to a manual trans - I got one off an automatic and had to go back and get one off a car with a stick. Breaking the 27mm nut loose is a challenge witout an air tools. Good luck!

One more thing to look at is the distributor cap...pull the 2 snap clips and look under to see if there is carbon scoring - if yes then repalce the cap & rotor. Then make sure you have all the plug wires going to the correct cylinders. Also check the wires as the probally are tired. If you can swing it I would go ahead and replace the wires, cap & rotor at the same time. If you get it running check for vacume leaks as they will have to be fixed before you can tune & adjust on it. Good luck & thanks for your service!

I used the code to save almost $100 - every little bit helps! Thanks

Chr{i}s I chased an AFM problem for a long time too. I could get the car to idle terrible but pull hard or idle good and run like a lame dog. I later found that the vacume hoses going to canister were reversed. Fixed that and got idle & drive ability back. If you have already gone through the process of checking hoses/connections/sensors then it's time for a trip to the Pull-A-Part yard for an AFM. One more thing to check is the cold start sensor on the intake - the shutoff may be bad allowing fuel to drip into the intake causing your low speed rich condition when the engine is warmed up. The pull a part yards are cheap and an afm out of a donor car should be close to where it will run in your car - just pull the cover to verify everything is as it should be under there. Good luck!

Car purhased 1997 with dead motor, & rear end $500 replace L6, r200 & radiator $900 correct "repairs" done by previous owner $1000 convert automatic to 5 speed $900 suspension mods, struts, springs, sway bars $1200 all bushings replaced $350 refresh/upgrade brake system $400 header & custom bent exhaust $500 big throttle body, MSA intake, injectors... $600 5 yrs later the realization car is a still a slug, find this web page, follow for 12 months, like what I hear and decide to start V8 conversion & start sourcing parts: 1995 T56, new clutch & flywheel, master cyl $2300 JTR kit parts $228 350 crate motor $2200 Still need fuel/air system, exhaust, cooling, ignition, charging, driveshaft and other related/unanticipated parts. I have tracked all purchases in an excell spreadsheet since start of all this 5 years ago. The investment was at $10K when I realized that the L6 would never give me the performance I wanted. My V8/JTR conversion begins in December and plan on my first test drive some time in May 03. Project will be at $18K and still looking for big brakes, tire/wheel package to allow big brakes, interior refresh and paint. Keep the faith...it's a hobby!

I have the suspension techniques springs in my 78 Z. The front springs were tagged out of the box so it was hard to mix them up on the install. Both front and rear were signficantly shorter than stock and the rears are way to soft. The rearend often bottoms out crossing bridges at normal highway speeds. I am using Tokio Illumina adjustable struts on all 4 corners and need to keep the rears set on setting 4 or 5 to keep my fillings. IMO these springs did not lower the car or stiffen the ride as advertised. I plan on changing them out first chance I get

Hickl, I used both the front & rear MSA fiberglass bumpers on my 78Z. Save your money and fab your own front & rear brackets, you cannot use the 240 mounts without doing extensive work on them. The front installation was real easy with minor trimming on the corners where they meet the fender. The rear was A LOT more work but looks great on both ends when you are finished!

I'm at the front end of the fuel guage delimma too. Has anyone tried to fit the Auto Meter universal sending unit PN 105-3362 into the datsun tank and mate it to their guage PN 105-4316? It's 240-33 ohm and should be a slam dunk if it fits.

Thanks for the input an the help with the part #. After getting your input I spoke with tech support at Centerforce to verify the PN 700107. It is the correct flywheel for my application and their price was $445...OUCH! PAW doesn't carry the part. JEGS wants $383.99 and Summit wants $345.99. Is this thing gold plated or what. Anyway placing my order and sorucing the parts for my conversion this winter. Thanks again to all!

I have been searching the message board for the part number for the centerforce flywheel to be used with a T56 on an early (pre 85) sbc? The engine I will be using is the GM crate motor 350 HO. It looks like there are a couple of possibilities on the centerforce home page??? Also, are there any places where you can purchase the part for less than $300? Thanks!

I'm trying a 3 piece spoiler to create a different air flow over the back of my 78Z. My only problem with exhaust fumes in the car is under deceleration with the window either partly down or all the way down. If this doesn't work I'm going to try some kind of turn down to redirect the exhaust.