Phantom

I'm running the T56 with the Gen III LS1. The shifter comes out about 1/2" forward of the original point but still inside the original hole. I have a 280Z, however so things are a little different. I assume you're going to be using the later model T56 that is used with the LS motors rather than the earlier, weaker, unit used with the Gen II LT motors?

Well, removed the grounding cable from the block last night, inspected all metal surfaces and saw no signs of any corrosion, sanded them both lightly for full clean-up anyway, and reasembled. Car still doesn't start. Tehn dove into the passenger side kick panel and eventually dug my way through to the starter relay and pulled it. I'm now looking for a replacement for it. If it's not the relay the car goes to a shop where it can be put up on a lift and the area around the starter accessed to check for wires with heat stress fromthe exhaust.

Just pull the connection off the TPS, blow it out good - both pieces - with compressed air. Put some dielectric grease on it and reassemble. YOu should be good to go. I can't count the number of times I came out of a car wash when I had the L28 and had to do that but using my lungs to blow it out. Got a wee bit light-headed each time.

OK - it's extremely easy to access. I'll undo the bolt, sand the two surfaces lightly and reassemble. Thanks for the persistence.

It's an LS1, there is no cast iron.

Thanks for the suggestion. Engine has huge grounding wire to battery and body so I don't think that is the problem.

I've been told that just because the starter relay goes 'click' that is not a guarantee that it is actually working so that might still be a potential problem area. Anyone that can either confirm or deny that rumor?

I'm running stock half-shafts but have now broken one universal. I attribute it to the beaating it has taken from the wheel hop I get with a full out launch.

FWIW - I've tangled with two of the supercharged Cobras. Both were stock as far as I know and I've beaten both of them. It was close each time but I pulled them a little in each gear.

How many times have you seen this one. LS1 won't crank over. Let me give you the symptoms. It originally began with the starter acting funny. It was almost like it wasn't fully engaging the flywheel. Sometimes I would just get a clicking sound. It started after a very heavy rainstorm where a lot of water blew in through the hood vents and drenched the engine. I've power washed the engine several times before with no problem so I don't know if this contributed or not. That's just when it first showed up. Anyway - thinking it was the solenoid acting up I had a new starter installed. Car started semi ok for a day but it still had similar symptoms. The last time it started it did it perfectly - then no more. My voltmeter indicates full battery voltage. When the car is running the votmeter indicates it's getting a full charge off the alternator. The headlights burn strongly and when I go to start they car they do NOT dim at all indicating no power going to the starter at all. When I turn the ignition switch I hear the fuel pump power up and come to pressure and then when I go to the 'start' position I get a 'click'. That's it - just a 'click'. It sounds like it's the starter relay under the passenger side dash engaging. I pulled my fusible link covers and my fusible links were in horrible shape. One - the black one - was burned clear through so I thought - OUTSTANDING! - I've found the problem. Ordered a complete set of links and link covers from MSA. They arrived last week and I got time to put them in this morning. I did that and hit the starter. Fuel pump whirred and came up to pressure, relay went 'click', but nothing else happened. Now what? To recap: Battery is good. Starter is new fusible links are new All the conversion fuses are good - checked them. When ignition key is turned to start the ignition relay goes 'click' but lights don't dim at all. Ideas?

FWIW - those of you that want to play around with the effects of lowered air dams & side skirts I would suggest the rubber trim molding you see around the base of the cabinets in kitchens. I used some years go on the first S30 I owned. I ran it from wheel well to wheel well on the sides and used it to 'extend' my spoiler to about 3" off the ground. Since it is very inexpensive and also fairly flexible it deals well with speed bumps, etc. I thought it had a noticable effect but really don't have any good substantiation as that was nearly 20 years ago. I would imagine the stuff would be obtainable at Home Depot or Lowes. On the side I mounted it upside down so that the lip curved between the underside of the car and the panel joint that is spot welded together down the side. I just drilled a bunch of small holes and used sheet metal screws to attach it. Easy to put on and looked pretty decent in black.

David, Congratulations!! My highest respect to Lisa for supporting you through this. It takesx a very special woman to do that - but after what she put herself through just to have the twinz this must have been a joyful walk thorugh the park! I am so happy for the both of you. Bill

The shape of a car is generally the shape of an airfoil - that is designed to give lift. THe distance from the front bumper to the rear bumper is further across the top of the car than under it. Air, therefore, must travel faster over the top of the car to meet up with its brother that went under the car. The higher velocity over the top creates a lower pressure area thus producing lift. Lowering the car does not affect this principle - the distances, and therefore the required velocities, remain the same. You lower a car foremost to improve handling. A secondary benefit is less air under the car and therefore less parasitic drag off all that crap hanging under the car - same reason for under car shrouds - smooth out the underside and reduce drag. The reasons for an air dam are to first and foremost create downforce based on its shape and, secondarily, reduce the amount of air going under the car - like lowering it - and thus reduce drag. The reason for ground effects that include side panels is to keep the air that the air dam has pushed around the car from re-entering under the car from the sides - again reducing parasitic drag but also contributing to a Bernoulli effect (vacuum) that actually reduces pressure under the car and helps offset the lower pressure above the car.

I have AC using the original Datsun, evaporator, condenser, expansion valve and drier. The compressor is a mini unit mounted high on the drivers side of my LS1 - where the power steering pump used to be. The rest is the custom hoses to hook it all together. I'm also running R12 rather than 134 as it works better with the stock componenets. Freeze 12 is a good alternative that has the R12 characteristics but is relatively inexpensive.

So what is the offset / backspacing of the wheels and how is the tire clearance with the fenderwells? It looks to me like it's all under a stock wheelwell but with the coil-overs?

Don't be cocky with him. Tell him how impressed you are with his car and that it must be really fast - that you probably don't have a chance against him but you'd like a run just to get a feel for how much quicker he is. Get him relaxed & complacent. If you can get 1/2 second on him in reaction time you'll really screw him up. Don't underestimate him. No mercy - use all the tools at your disposal to get him. Don't trash talk him - set him up for a "schoolin".

Well Clifton - I guess you must have a 1:1,000,000 Z. Aerodynamic instability of the S30 at speeds over 100 is a well documented behavior. Mine has new ball joints, new tie-rod ends, urethane bushings, 4-wheel alignment, european spec springs, and gas struts. It runs at stock ride height - not lowered. I've encountered the problem in both of the S30's that I've owned and the thing that seems to have made the most improvement it was the aero kit.

All I know for certain is that my '77Z, in stock form, got really light at around 105. With the MSA 4-piece Aero II kit and a small 1-piece rear spoiler it is now solid to at least 120. The Aero II front air dam is not closed in behind but it does direct a significant amount of air around the car rather than under it. Closing that area off, as Jeromio did, should yield some improvement by further reducing the amount of air that can flow under the car. Unless significant venting is done at the hood, however, any additional cooling air flowing through the radiator will end up going out under the car.

You might want to go read the P-90 head thread. They have quite a discussion on possible lobe wiping problems with Schneider cams.

One of the other photos hsows that he is using dual master cylinders for his brakes - one for the front and one for the rear. I didn't see it but I assume they have a balance bar? Also - I noted what looks like dual, in series, adjustable proportioning valves? Workmanship on this car is magnificent. Wow!

If you had the Patients you'd be a doctor and would have enough money to pay someone else to do it. You'd still need patience, though, as they'd probably be too slow!

I have one in my gallery too. It's a simpler unit I got from http://www.racetep.com.

I know exactly how you feel. I resisted the harrassment from my family for years for having dial-up. I just dcouldn't justify it in my mind for as little time as I spent on the computer at home. Besides - I like playing solitaire so the long downloads weren't a big problem. Anyway - SBC/ATT came out with teh 12.99 special and, since that was a better price than my dial-up I decided to give it a shot. I have been pleased with the results. One item, though. I've heard that it's a good idea to get a router to act as a secondary firewall to protect the computer form hackers. With dial-up they tend to ignore you but with dsl or cable you come on their radar.

Tyson, Sounds like you had an offer similar to one of those made to me. I grilled them first, however, and it turned out they only had possibly one full sponsor i would consider and the rest were just too nebulous so I passed. dr_hunt, SCORE!! I'm looking for something similar to that for my repaint. Maybe not quite so gawdy on the advertising. Along similar lines today I called the tint shop where I had my windows tinted - lifetime warrranty - on April 15, 1997. One of the rear quarter windows had an edge peeling back and I wanted to get the car in and get it re-adhered before it got worse. The guy I talked with , Bobby, is an old hot rodder and he said "No Way" - That I need to drop my car off for 4-5 hours and they are going to completely redo all the windows at not cost! Now that is a warranty! That is also a good company. I will be approaching them about a sponsorship before they do the work to see if we can strike a deal. I'll feel good about handing out their information. His shop has discontinued using the window tint material used on my car - Madico - because it fades over time so I'll get a higher quality film and the windows will be back to "drug dealer dark" in the back and darkest legal on the roll-up windows.

I started putting together lists last night. One of all the stuff that I've done to the car and another of potential sponsors as a result of what I've done already. I was surprised by how extensive both lists were. It also showed me where I need to do some more research and some other folks I may be able to approach. This will at least be entertaining.