Phantom

Neinburg.11 - Look in my photo album on this website or go to the gallery at www.cowtownzclub.org and look at "Bill's 280Z". The photos in the Hybridz album are more complete with several 'in progress' photos that show the cross-overs, the capacitor, and other details on the speaker installs - along with drive train and other interior photos. http://album.hybridz.org/showgallery.php?cat=500&ppuser=8281 Page 2 of the gallery has most of the stereo installation photos.

I had one in my 280Z for several years and just recently gave it away when I upgraded. Sound quality is pretty good if you put good speakers in it. The big downside is that you have to take it out if you want to access your spare tire or anything else under the deck. That is a real pain.

I'd look at the structural contribution before I started removing metal back there. The risers are one thing - just bolt-ins but the front facia which pretty much sets the height definitely adds rigidity to the body structure. I put a second piano hinge just in front of the strut towers so that the front of the deck could hinge up just like the rear. Then I framed around the 'compartment' areas so that I have front access storage space now. Some of it is taken up with a capacitor and some cross-overs for my sound system but there is still space available. It would also be a good area to foam if you're not going to use it to reduce road noise.

A flush mount 5 1/4" speaker in the door will be a very snug fit. Check everything (whole in metal part of door behind facia panel, armrest clearance & window crank handle clearance) very carefully before you start cutting. Mine has 6 1/2" speakers but they are in custom enclosures that make them more of a surface mount than a flush mount. It is extremely tight with them. The 6x9's in the back deck area behind the seats should not be a problem. Again - check out the underneath structure before randomly cutting any holes in the hardboard deck.

Go to my photo album and look at the Alpine stereo install done on my '77 280Z. The installation is very similar to what you have in mind and it has awesome sound. If you search under "LS1 / T56 update" You'll also find a summary of the actual installed equipment.

The 302 used in the '68 Camaro Z28 responded in the manner you're describing. I only drove one once back then but I remember that, although it took more RPM off the line, it had a very quick throttle response - both in and out of gear - and just never seemed to quit, rev wise.

A quick revving engine is as much gearing and vehicle weight as it is engine design. My 340 'Cuda back in the '70's was a regver - so were the Z28's with the 302's. My LS1 in the Z rev's very quickly - something about the weight, gearing, and gobs of torque!

Well, at least with the modified torque tube design, I don't have to worry about whether the mount is upside down or not. It is a bit spooky, though, to realize that the C channel is only about 3/32" from the edge of the U-joints on the drive shaft. 20,000 miles and no problems yet, though.

You might also check on the www.zclub.net site. Maybe the British cousins have done this.

Running LS1 with T56 & 3.70:1 LSD on 215/55-16 tires. First gear totally overwhelms the tires and second will also break them loose pretty easily. 3rd will walk the car sideways on slick streets. You'll never get enough tire to not have to learn to drive the car. THat is why newer cars have traction control. In a Z that function is performed by the drivers right foot.

What size pick-up and pressure fuel lines are installed? You may have to go up one size. That pump is rated for the pressure you need so there's a restriction somewhere or you have a faulty pump.

I think you'll need to run a set of low restriction resonators and then through a good mufler. I'm running mine wit no resonator through a single magnaflow muffler. It is relatively quiet at idle (definite low rumble) and cruise but definitely picks up when stepped on to very obvious not a 6.

My current daily driver is a '77 280Z, but I owned and drove an '83 280ZX for abaout two years. My wifes car is a '93 300ZX convertible. All three cars have very different personalities and all are Z cars. I have enjoyed each of them and have enough time behind the wheel in them to know their strengths and weaknesses. My only comment is "to each his own". Drive the one you got and enjoy it.

HEY!!! My LS1 Z weighs exaactly 3,000 lbs with a full tank of gas. Pick on someone your own size!

I'm using the Datsun radiator recored to 4 rows with the the fans & shroud that came off the Camaro donor. I have AC. Car will run in 100°F Texas weather with the AC running full blast on one fan without overheating. I know - I've done it when I had a fan realy failure.

Looks like it's time to contact Ross and get this rolling. I also need to replace all the struts plus probably a dozen other items ranging from minor to medium. No end to this project.

WOW!!! So what modifications do you have in the motor? - cam - heads, exhaust, etc?

Any preference between 280ZXT vs 300ZX CV's?

Well, so much for my second post on this thread. Turns out one of my Spicer 'Brute Force' u-joints had given up. The drivers side half-shaft had one missing a chunk of steel. Since they had only about 20,000 miles on them I have to attribute the failure to the severe axle hop I induced more than just a few times during that 20K. I couldn't see it it just looking at it - eveidently it was on a side away from me. The joint didn't rattle or appear damaged until rotated then it manifested a little abherent behavior which led to a closer inspection and the discovery of the missing piece. It was replaced with another half-shaft with a used Datsun universal on it so I won't be doing any extreme stuff for a while. I now have to decide if this was a fluke and just rebuild my old half-shaft with new u-joints, or do the CV conversion.

Training command plus S-2 & C-54 time. Multi-engine trained but ended up at a lot of desks due to end of Vietnam. Gald we were out but it cost me a seat.

Nope - ex Navy Pilot here with LS1 equipped 280Z. It will fly!

That clutch master cylinder looks like it's about half the size of mine. Impressive. Are you going to stick with the fly-by-wire or put a mechanical throttle control on?

I'd check out the offering in JEGs first. Theirs keeps the distributorless ignition.I just don't see the benefit of a carb'd LS2, though.

I've done both. The MSA molded carpet kit installation went more easily when I cut the front carpet in half under the console and put each half in separately. It lasted 7-8 years and then started to disintegrate. I've now had it replaced with a high end house carpet that is much denser and does a better job insulating. I got the entire weatherstripping kit from MSA. It installed fine with only a little adjusting here and there. Doors & hatch close very snugly now.