Phantom

Let's think it through. Do you know how many miles are on the clutch? If you have been doing normal driving it should be good for at least 70,000 miles. Have you checked the fluid level in the master cylinder? Is it low? Have you had to add fluid regularly? Can you pump the clutch pedal and get it to work better - kind of like pumping your brakes? That could indicate a leak and air in your clutch line. Have you looked at the area around your slave cyclinder to see if it's wet indicating a leak? Have you looked at the area aound your master cylinder and proportioning valve to see if there are any leaks ther? Have you run your hand up on the inside of the firewall to see if it is wet up by your clutch pedal? That would indicate a failing master cylinder. Have you checked the vacuum to your brake booster? Any holes or leaks in it? Now assuming you still need to change the clutch do you want to be able to do it yourself or do you really want someone else to do it? If you want to do it yourself find a friend who has a good flat spot where you can work and buy the necessary parts, jackstands and hand tools and rent a transmission jack. For the difference in just the parts and what that guy is asking you could still save money and end up with a bunch of handy to have tools & stands. If you want someone else to do call about a dozen shops in the yellow pages. You'll find one that will do it for less. Just make sure they realize you have a RWD car, not a FWD.

So, other than a PCV valve, what emmissions controls did the 240Z have in CA? I know the catalytic converter didn't come along until the 280Z. Currently, as long as the car meets the emmissions requirements and has installed the same control equipment (PCV) doesn't it conform? Or does CA evaluate based on engine year rather than chassis year?

So, if a car is smog exempt and not subject to inspections, what is the problem? Can't you just renew your registration as a 240Z? I know California is much more complicated than the rest of the union so there obviously is more here. In Texas, once a car is 25 years old (based on the chassis, not the engine) it is exempted from emmissions testing and I can literally stick anything in it that I want. Back to the clerk. If you have a conversion that includes all the sensing points an OBD II normally pick up (fuel tank pressure, 02 sensors, etc.) then he has just contradicted himself. I don't think that's necessary though. One more item. HOw many thousand street rods are running around CA with either recent LT1 or LS1 motors. I know there are plenty of them here in Texas. That guy just doesn't know what he's talking about.

Consider this: T56 1st = 2.66 :1 2nd = 1.78:1 3rd = 1.30:1 4th = 1.00:1 5th = 0.74:1 6th = 0.50:1 The odd ratio is 1st. Forget it as a 6-spd. and consider it as a 5-spd. , ignoring 1st gear. Select differential gearing based on that assumption and evaluate the numbers. It ends up with a great, close ratio, transmission that would keep most V-8's in their sweet spot. Then you always have first gear for the burn-out competitions.

Just to chime in - My LS1 / T56 has dual 2 1/2 into 3. Don't have pics yet but should by next week. Guess the Texas boys are just better than the California ones. Either that or it has something to do with red cars.

I think what is really coming out is that for the 1/4 mile you want a torque & HP peaky engine that gets as high as possible through a fairly narrow range that can be covered by gearing to keep it in that range for the duration of the run. Conversely, the daily driver / road race car will be willing to sacrifice the peak some in order to broaden the band and improve response over a wider RPM range. This is one reason why advertisers will refer to the width of the 85% peak torque range - especially on boosted engines. They know the advantage of that range for regular driving. That is kind of the curse of the diesel - it has tremendous torque, and frequently very good HP but it is across a narrow RPM band so you wear yourself out shifting to get it going. Do I hear CVT here? Too bad they currently can't take the torque & HP we want for our cars. It was earlier stated that this should probably be on the high tech forum - maybe. Having driven an NA L28 for 17 years and now stepping into a V-8 again I can tell you which I'm going to prefer - the one with the higher HP & torque that is across the broader band. I want to come off the line easily without having to rev the engine way up. I want the car to respond well in whatever gear I happen to be in without having to move it down 2 or 3 gears to find the sweet spot, maybe down one gear if someone really gets me going. And I want to run the quarter in about 3.2 - is that asking too much?

You bet Johnathan. You think I'd let you be impressed by Christy's turbo 240? Also got news that the exhaust is back in so, as of Tuesday night, it is down to just the AC and speedometer. Suposed to have a good idea by Wednesday PM if it will be inmy hands for this weekend. Pros & cons there as the ZX will probably not get its oil & filter, fuel filter & spark plug change if the '77 is back in the driveway.

Know the feeling. It's a toss-up at this point but I'll be getting my LS1/T56 280Z either this weekend or next. I'm keeping the '83ZX for a while as a back-up / weather car but the '77 will turn into my daily driver.

I am all the time seeing weight-to-HP comparisons between vehicles but never see weight to torque comparisons or real discussions about troque curve comparisons. I know the torque curve on the L28 moved significantly between the 280z and ZX models resulting in a car that would accellerate faster with no more HP and a bit extra weight. I also know I can hammer a ricer if i have close to the same HP because of the gobs of extra torque. I also know that if it is taken to the extreme stage I'll end up with the accelleration of a diesel. So where is the balance? What are the factors that limit one vs the other?

What year is your ZX? What a lot of people don't know is that the late model ZX's had an improved head design that moved the torque curve from 166@4,500 to 163@3,000. With the torque coming on that lower down the NA L28 became a much more potent street racer. I have embarrassed more than a few ricers in my '83Zx because of that low end torque. They'd get me in the quarter, but not in the eigth!

I remember one time I did a valve job on my 340 'Cuda. I was extremely anal about laying all my parts out in removal order so it went back together pretty easily. Got it done, climbed in the car and cranked it up. It ran like crap! Barely idled and was rough. Immediately shut it down and went to front of car to have panic attack. While I was standing there staring at my poor engine I went - DUH - hooked up the four plug wires on the drivers side and then it ran just fine. We won't go into the time I did an oil change on a FWD Sentra and drained ther tranny oil and put 5 more quarts into the engine. Occaisionally the brain goes completely dead. It's a learning experience for us all.

Differential mount has been moved up one inch. Exhaust needs to go back on in order to test and see if it helped. Original Datsun oil pressure and water temperature gauges are working as well as the Tachometer. Only items left are AC, Speedometer and reinstall the exhaust. Exhaust reinstall is an hour. Ac plumbing working tonight and tomorrow. Speedometer last. Strut tower braces from Top End Racing have still not delivered. Turns out front brace is still at the powder coaters. Due back by tomorrow and then will ship UPS. Hopefully will arrive by this weekend. fingers are crossing again in hopes for this weekend.

Thanks Tim - didn't realize I could do that. Changed it to GMT-5. but it is still 25 minutes off. Tat doesn't sound right. It should be an even hour off, not a partial hour.

Sounds like some good times! What are you running for tranny, differential & tires? Give me a few months to get the LS1 sorted out and we can have some fun. Hopefully I'll have my hands on it in the next few days - but then I've heard that before.

I notice that a post I made at 13.24 Central (Texas) time was listed as being made at 18:49. What time zone is 5 hours and 25 minutes ahead of me. I think GMT is about 6 hours so that would put it somewhere in the eastern Atlantic?

I think if I was building an LS6 for the quarter mile I'd get one with the 4L60E like Lone Star 1 has, modify the stall ocnverter, flare the back fenders to allow for some 300 series tires, and just put it down. Sounds like you're going to a lot of extra work - unless, of course, you just want to. That, I understand.

Call him. John at (214) 426-4101. The motor mounts are pretty well set but the rear transmission mount/modified torque tube concept is still in developement/trial.

Spiirit, 29 Palms is location of large Marine Corp Air Base. Ex Navy pilot myself. You wouldn't be out there serving Uncle Sam?

Try this website: http://www.geocities.com/z_design_studio/ It has an option for the T56 as well as tire sizing and differential ratios.

Maichor, Great to see the progress you're making on the Vella Rossa. That is going to be one sweet machine when you get it done. Big time Kudos to your wife for hanging in there with you on it! Cyrus, Well, redline is 6,200 which would give me 124. Maybe an occaisional 6,500 won't scatter things all over the landscape? Anyway, this car is being put together as a daily driver so my only reason to take it to the track is to just get an idea of what it can really do. Same rational as putting it on a dyno and truck scale - but a lot more fun. This car will probably never see more than a half dozen runs down a track. Besides - I dont want to be Too Fast, Too Furious. he he.

Thanks for the words of wisdom spiirit. My combination of tires, tranny & differential gives the following speeds at 6,000 RPM: 3.70:1 Other option of 3.07:1? 1st = 45 54 2nd = 67 81 3rd = 92 111 4th = 120 145 5th = 162 195 6th = 240 289 I was thinking that a second gear launch, assuming the clutch holds, would get me through the quarter with just two shifts and I'd be at redline in 4th as I crossed the line. The weak link in my accelleration is the tires so this is going to take a lot of skill - which I don't have at this point - but it will improve with practice. The 3.07 rear end would require a 1st gear launch and three shifts through the quarter with the engine lower in the power band at the end.

I don't think you want a 4-spd standard. No overdrive. If you have a stock differential it is either a 3.54:1 or a 3.36:1 depending on if the car has a standard or an automatic, respectively. Either way it is an open differential. If you are going to go the 700r4 then find a 3.36:1 R200. It will help keep your rev's down. If you go with a five speed manual with an overdrive the 3.54 will work but again, the 3.36 will probably be better for overall gearing. You will want to investigate a quaiffe unit or finding an R200 LSD and changing the ring & pinion gear if you start making any serious HP. Use the search function onthe forums. You can read until you're cross-eyed on these subjects. Good luck!

I have a coworker with a 3400 lb., 345 HP C-5 Corvette. He can squall his tires in second gear if the traction control is off. He is running 275 wide tires. I am far from being expert ont his but I would think that with a 2800 lb car it is going to take 15" drag radials at least that wide to have a chance. To get 275's you'll have to either tub the back end or put some serioous flares on. Maybe some guys that frequent the suspension forum can help out? THe old addage continually proves itself true - more HP = more $$$.

Cyrus, Yup, your math is correct. Thats why I said I was going to try some second gear starts. 1.78*3.70*340=2239 lb-ft axle torque. May actually be able to come off fairly well. Any way you look at it though, unless the T56 has some special gearing, one of the gears, either 1st or 6th, is going to be basically useless. Now, if I could get a T56 with a custom set of gears, life would be large. I just really don't think that is in my budget, though. 1SickZ, Checked with Airlift. Their application only works with leaf or coil spring set-ups. My '77 has struts in the rear. Thanks for the suggestion but it looks like it's not an option on this car.

Cyrus, I've got the 3.7:1 R200 LSD. When I get a chance I'me going to try some second gear starts and see how that affects things. Also, I've got the strut tower braces from racetep coming. The front braces back to the firewall and the rear has a second member that comes down on one strut tower to form a triangular brace that should be much stiffer than a normal rear brace. May want to consider that.