Phantom

Yep - exact same reactions that I had when I parked next to one n an Albertson's parking lot.

Alan Proctor was a member of the Z Club of Texas. Pull up their website and look at their member email addresses. www.zcluboftexas.org

I think I'd by the new Bugatti.

Actually an sbc version of the older and more easily race prepped 510 sedan would be a real blast. It was quite the little war horse in the '70's.

Back to what started this all. ZR8ED's 280Z stinks of exhaust fumes, like nearly every other gen one Z out there. The fact is, they didn't when they were new or they would not have sold. So what has changed (failed)? Need to address hatch seals, tail light seals, and emmission control hose seals. My 280 stunk in its original stock configuration and later with the MSA Aero II kit on it too. I really think it's seals, not so much aerodynamics. The totally stock 83ZX I drive right now doesn't have the problem at all. So what is the difference between it and the '77Z? Are the aerodynamics all that much better or does it have a better seal design? Any ZX drivers out there with the "Stinky Cabin Syndrome"?

So I would folllow the time honored racers tradition and cheat - put the 4.11 gears on the 339 lb-ft torque engine and use an overdrive transmission. It's all in the gears.

Aaron, As a retired naval aviator with time spanning from Vietnam to Desert Storm I thank you.

Lone Star 1 has a nice "dual snorkel" set-up for his LS-1 that draws air from either side of the radiator just behind the grill.

I was thinking about the Pontiac WS-6 and other cars over the years that have ram air induction and the resultant horsepower increases. Then I added in the data I collected in my senior level lab I did on ram induction and they correlated. Back in the early '70's Ford was touting a ram air system(shaker hood) that added about 15 HP to their Mustangs and Torinos. Pontiacs system took the T/A from 305 HP to 320 HP. In each case the net HP increase was about 5%. My study indicated that the ram effect didn't become apparent until speeds in excess of 90 MPH - BUT - a 100°F reduction in intake air temperature was worth about 5% due to the incresed density. That is about the difference between underhood air drawn from behind the radiator and cold air drawn from in front of the radiator or above the hood. Bottom line - a cheap way to increase HP by around 5% is to get an unrestricted intake that draws fresh, cool air rather than the heated underhood air. This is intuitively obvious but how many guys out there are running carburated cars that are sucking their air from right above the engine exhaust manifolds?

Does the "Clunk" occur each time you shift? If so it is the rubber isolator on your front differential mount. It's shot. A common thing on stock Z's. I've replaced two of them so far on my '77. If your suspension is stock, and you've got over 150,000 on the car then you need to literally replace everything. New springs, new struts, new bushings, new bump stops, new differential mount, etc. You're looking at around $600 in parts. Now might be the time to consider coil-overs. If you are ever going to look at doing that don't rebuild your current suspension and then get into it. The coil-overs will be more work but not necessarily that much more money. All you coil-over experts jump in here and help him out with some good suspension advice!!

Spend the extra money and have new ends put on them. You'll just end up with a leaky system if you don't and it will cost you more in refrigerant than you saved. As far as the grease on the o-rings - ask the folks that are building up the hoses for you. I would be careful of using anything that isn't 100% compatible with your system so, at most, I'd opt for the compressor lubricant.

Chrysler is running some prototype engines now that have solenoid controlled valves. Allows for infinite combinations in lift and duration. I wouldn't be a bit surprised if the prototype Cadillac V-12 that's supposed to have 750 HP at 9,000 RPM and 450 lb-ft of torque, 80% at 1,500 RPM, doesn't have them too. Put that in your Z and smoke it!!

Why - what is to be gained?

First - use the search engine above to look up all the currently existing documentaion on your subject. Second - Become buddies with Greimann. He has a sweet 280ZX conversion.

Doodyhead - I think your buddy was filling you full of BS. Most marine steam plants run 600 psi while the 'high' pressure systems run 1,200 psi. Ask any ex 'snipe' and he'll tell you all aabout it.

Are you running the stock spring/strut combination or are you running coil-overs? I thought I was at the limit with my 225/50-16's in the front.

I had a '49 Cadillac once that the old airplane type shocks went soft on. I aded STP to it. Wouldn't recommend that. The Caddy was a special situation and it actually worked. Sometimes - but rarely - you can survive ignorance. Personnally I'd replace the springs with new ones and then do the same with the struts. If you want to do the oil substitution as a stop-gap until you've got the $$ to do the other I understand but there is no substitue for good equipment.

Jeromio, Here's the deal. My stock 280Z can handle 245/50-16's in the rear but only 225/50-16's in the front because of clearance problems. That does not match up with what you are saying. I know this because I've tried it. What I am trying to find out is the actual tire/rim combinations that will actually work on both ends. I know that 225's will work on both ends with my current set-up and I know that 245's won't. With coil-overs what can I actually run???

Z Meister - Since you don't have a car yet - watch this site & others until you find a running car with either the turbo or the V-8 that you can get for around $2,500. Then fly to where it is and drive it home. That is the cheapest way to get what you want. It does, however, have the element risk since you'll be getting someone else's conversion and, unless you really know your Z's, could inherit some real problems. Do your homework and acknowledge the limits of what you can do. I have seen several cars on this forum for sale because the owners got in over their head, had their priorities change, etc. and they're unloading a partially completed to fully completed conversion.

Lot's of room for what? 225's, 245's, 275's?

Interesting, my '98 Camero Z-28 donor has an LS-1 with cast iron exhaust manifold. Sounds like some conflicting information.

What are you trying to do - and why? Both processes have specific applications for specific shapes. The cryogenic process is an excellent process for eliminating deep stresses in a large shape - like your engine block. It will keep it from changing shape as it heats up. Shot peening would be more useful for like connecting rods - non "bearing" surfaces. You would not use them together but separately for different applications.

I agree with Jeromio. I've owned two gen 1'sa and they both got light at about 105. Any kind of a brisk crosswind at speeds above that and it would be easy to lose control. Conversely, I've modified one with the MSA Aero II ground effects kit and it is solid at 125. Once I get the V-8 in it I'll find its limits.

I'm not positive Cyrus but I think they only came on the 'vette. Go back to your monumental LS-1 posting. Maichor talked about some exhaust manifolds that he got from Performance Products. I've seen them - mandrel bent stainless steel - looked pretty nice. You might jump on www.hotrodlane.cc and look at what they have.

Also - if you do a search you'll see where ar weights are discussed. The weight of your ZX depends on how it's equipped. I have an 83ZX, normally aspirated, 5-spd., & T-tops - totally stock. With 3/4 tank of gas it weighs 2,880 lbs, 1,430 front wheels, 1,450 rear wheels.