Phantom

Tire size is limited by rim size. Edge of tire is located by wheel rim width and offset. Unless you know all that plus where the tire fits on the car now and how much offset the ZG flare adds - how can you figure it out? Need to get some numbers.

Go to http://www.tirerack.com and check out the tires you would like to run and see what wheels they will work with. Shop to your hearts content.

I came off a stop sign full bore in my 340 'Cuda one night, grabbed 2nd going through a T intersection, finally reaching 85 (in a 25) before shutting down for the next stop sign. As I came to a stop I saw a set of headlights (from the side road at the intersection) do a bob as if under heavy accelleration. Oh-oh. Flipped on my turn signal to indicate a right turn and the red flashing light came on. After pulling over and getting out of the car to walk back to the patrol car (you could do that in those days) the officer walked up to me and said "I guess you know you're a had Dad." I said yes and some more discussion ensued. He then said"That's a beautiful car, I'd hate to see it get bent up. Be careful" He then turned around and got back in his car without gining me even a written warning! In my hometown we had a sergeant detective that drove a lime green Chevy Impala SS with Cragar chrome wheels. Had a souped up '57 Chevy next to me at a lioght one night in the 'Cuda that really wanted to run. I saw the green SS slide up behind him so I revved my motor a couple times and slipped the ca into 1st. When the light went green the '57took off smoking while I eased forward at a normal space. Officer Bisterfelt (AKA: Officer Blisterfoot) got a big grin, flipped up his pusuit light and pulled the guy over. I'm soooo bad.

Guy is more likely from Massachusetts. Nobody from CA would be that pasty white. Z-dreamer - better be careful Ford boy. An don y'all fergit it!!

Well - the way I look at it right now - I need to do something about the single 2 1/2" exhaust before I worry about the MAF or TB. That's going to take a while though because I'm not about to give up what little ground clearance I have now. Currently I'm streetable but a larger diameter exhaust will reduce the clearance by that much and that just wouldn't be a good idea.

Yeah - an don yew fergit it!

Yeah - and don y'all forgit it!

Actually I've looked at "squashing the 3 1/2" down to 2 1/2" high by about 4 3/8" wide. Would work better from a flow area to do that with a 4" though. Finding someone that is that talented and can fabricate elbows and round to oval transitions is the challenge - not to mention the cost. Rectangular is another option but the flow characteristics are not as good as oval. It would be a bit easier to weld up though. That all leads back to putting a 'X' pipe where the current 'Y' pipe is and running parallel 2 1/2" to behind the R200. Easy size for any muffler shop to work with and maybe just one funky transition to get to the muffler. It is a very close fit (what isn't on these cars) but there might be room for a magnaflow muffler, a sharp 3 1/2" 90° elbow to a dual 2 1/2" to single 3 1/2" Y pipe. I just need a muffler Arteest that will rise to the challenge.

Forget the idea of a 3 1/2" from the current 'Y' pipe back. I dragged my 2 1/2" exhaust slightly leaving a Uhaul parking lot Tuesday evening. Fortunately I saw the problem and went over it very slowly so no damage. I'm going to have to find a way to run 2 1/2" to aft of the R200 and then either find a dual inlet muffler or transition to the single 3 1/2 or 4 inch there and turn straight into the muffler.

And that is what makes America as great as it is. Stay involved and only believe a fraction of what the media says. Dig for the real truth - you won't like it - but at least then you are informed.

Wow - that's some pretty nice fuel line work! Obviously not OEM. Are you running shrouds like on 'Vettes or just leaving the top of the engine open?

OK guys - I am absoulutely anal about recording everything that is done to my Z cars - and that includes logging every gallon of gas I have ever put in them, filling them to the brim with each fill-up, and calculating exactly the MPG each time based on the reset tripometer. My totally stock NA 5-spd. 83ZX averages 19-22 mpg in combined city/highway driving with the variation based on the season (lower in the winter) and the number of highway vs. surface street miles. I also found that if I use 2,500 rpm as my shift point and maximum speed in each gear, that I can nurse another 10-14% in fuel economy. I deliberately ran a two month trial to determine that. I'm an engineer. The numbers are based on controlled variable conditions and are accurate - Not guesses based on what the fuel gage said after a certain number of miles. My NA '77 280Z averaged about 18-21 and the LS1 conversion now averages 18-21 under the same conditions. These are not guesses or estimates. They are numbers derived from 12 years of data and precise calculations.

So Tim - How many people have to gang up on you to make you take the Goose to the show?

MAS280 - Who am I to argue? Just repeated what I read that I thought was reputable. You go guy! What's involved with porting the TB? Did you actually open yours up or just clean it up and match it to the intake? Has anyone heard about "removing the screen from the MAF"? I haven't even pulled mine apart to look at it and determine if I even still have one. Just too busy working on other things that it hasn't gotten on the radar screen yet.

DaleMX, Sorry guy - didn't intend the "go to LS1tech.com" for you. It was meant as a friendly suggetion for ac260Z to have a source to get a lot more info on the engine. You're obviously versed on the engine. Also, if you go to the the thread started by Savage42 on the article in Superchevy Magazine on Do's & Ddon'ts for building up the LS1 you'll see there was no recommendation to port the throttle body - I assume you mean 'match port'? - unless you are going for 600+ HP. It also recommended not porting the MAF - just to go to an 85mm one. Interesting read. That is the reference I was using for my comments.

Joey - I've had the same problem. After you log back in use the "Back" arrow until you bet back to your posting and then hit the "submit" button again. It will submit your post and you won't have to do it over again. Good news on your progress. Keep up the postings!

Served active and reserve from '72 to 94. Vietnam to first visit to Iraq. What we need to be careful to avoid is what happened to the boys in Vietnam. They were sent to do a job which they generally did to the best of their ability under the conditions and rules they had to operate under. There are always situations that politically motivated individuals will exploit - generally at the expense of innocent people. We have to continually think our boys are doing what they thought was right under the current conditions and let the local authorities investigate and handle. It is not up to us to judge because we really don't know the true story - just the part someone wants us to know. How many of you guys have taken photos of your car that made it look better than it really is? It's easy for an amatuer to do, how about a professional? We need to support our troops. We need to tell them that we are pulling for them. Those men and women are in threat of their lives every day by an enemy they can't clearly identify? How would you deal with that? Personnally I'd have a tendency to shoot first and ask questions later - but then I am from Texas, right, and we all know how all Texans are? I saw too many really good guys serve their country during the Vietnam "police conflict" and then get spat upon by the very people they were serving. Let's not be one of those. We need to give them the benefit of the doubt and let their commanders and those that know the true facts of the situation take the proper corrective measures. If those troops were out of line they will be punished - but don't let it transfer over to the hundreds of thousands of others that are doing their job well.

F-body - Yup - you can get a nice WS-6 used for about $14,000 - or one that needs a lot of work for less. Any way you look at it though, to have a good running AND good looking car, it is going to cost you $15,000 - $30,000. The Z, however, will be hundreds of pounds lighter - and faster. Z32 LS1- It's been done. There is a manual available and conversion parts are being worked on. Do a search on the Chevy V-8 forum. Z32 LS1

Considering all the aspects it will run $7,000 to $15,000 depending on what you do and how much of it you do yourself.

Scott, I had Binswanger do mine too and it leaked the first time - between the glass & the seal - like a sieve. Took it back & said "fix it". They used a sealant between the seal & the glass on the outside and so far no leaks. We'll see after a few months. Tim. So is Optispark made by Lucas?

And to add on to it: I remember when we left the back door open - just the hook on the screen all night in the spring and fall to cool the house That we didn't bother to lock the car and left the windows rolled down in the parking lot so it wouldn't overheat in the summer sun. I remember when we played a game of tag - at night - all over the neighborhood - and didn't get attacked, shot at, or arrested. I remember only having two television stations and a B&W TV, no video games, no stereo, and no walkman - still had tubes in the radios and they had to be plugged in - and we still had plenty to do - like a baseball game in the back yard. I remember hanging out at the Frost Top and the A&W and cruising the strip on Friday and Staurday night - and not getting arrested or shot at. I remember when the worst discipinary action in the school was for chewing gum in class - or being tardy. I remember when we actually respected our teachers and looked up to them for the sacrifice they made to help prepare us for our future. And best of all - I rember the '57 Chevy, the '63 split window Corvette, the '65 Mustang, The '66 Chevelle SS 396, The new '66 Olds Toronado, the 426 Hemi, and best of all, my brand new '70 340 'Cuda.

Been absolutely paranoid about this but drove the 280Z28 to work in the rain this morning. Here are the things that did not happen: 1) I never got the car sideways 2) The notoriously leaky windshield - didn't 3) Oops - the rear hatch defogger didn't work. Oh well, there's always something. Here are the things that did happen: 1) The wipers worked fine on intermittant & low. Tested them successfully on high but never had to leave them there. 2) The windshield defrost worked great - maybe too well - and the climate control system cycled through all its different modes flawlessly. 3) The crappy Yokohama S306's stayed hooked up and actually delivered credible wet weather performance. Hope the Kumho Ecstas are as good in the wet.

First of all - go to http://www.LS1tech.com and ask the same question. The LS6 intake and a good set of heads with an oversize throttle body and good exhaust will pretty much get yo what you want. My car is runny 365 HP and 325 TQ at the flywheel - essentially stock except for K & N and headers - and not very good headers. If you get a 2001/2002 LS1 - it comes with the LS6 intake. If you read a previous posting by Savage42, the experts on the LS1 do not recommend porting the throttle body - just go ahead and buy an 85mm one.

Scott - read Dual 2 1/2" - Y'd into SINGLE 3 1/2".

A new, uncracked, dash for a '72Z is over $1,000 from Nissan - except you can't get them from Nissan anymore. If nothing else, you could buy the car and part it out and make a profit.