Phantom

try http://www.junkyarddog.com.

Hans - you're the worst!!! Are you gong for the Guiness Book of World Records for number of tracks you get asked to leave? I love it!!

I think my opinion is obvious. anonymous - What are you asking for your Z32 convertible - PM me with some details.

I'm glad you guys are having Phun! Seriously - I really appreciate you guys. It's great to be able to go to a forum where we can not only discuss technical issues but have a little Phun - even if it is a the phamous Phantom's expense. I do hold the record with the first time I was on zcar.com in '99. I was their poster child for nearly a year.

You've figured out my plan!! Wait until I get my interior and sound system done and I send photos of the 280Z28 in again!!!!

Man - dig that awesome horn! I'll bet that one is heard when you use it!

Well - we sort of have another hybridz on http://www.zcar.com as Z Car of the Month for March 2005. My wife, Chris, got her Z32 convertible selected.

Me too. Gary has been teasing me with promises of photos for over a year now. I think I'll start calling it project code name "stealth" instead of Quicksilver.

I've had one of my posts, "Extreme Makeover, 280Z28 Style", disappear twice now. It was posted under miscellaneous tech and now I can't find it - even using the search button. ????????

I have to vote for the LS1/T56 combo - yet one more time. I've got over 15,000 miles on mine at this point and I'm loving it. My engine was pulled from a '98 Z28 Camaro with 3,500 miles on it. It is the 'weakest' of the LS1's but it has been starting and running every day for the past 20 months. It is, however, strong enough to take on C5 Corvettes and lesser street beasts and beat them at their game. It is a totally stock motor making 365 HP at the flywheel. The ECM was edited to eliminate the after cat O2 sensors since the age of my car in Texas did not require the cats and incorporate some of the 2001/2002 tuning refinements. The OBDII is great for trouble shooting the engine - just take it to Auto Zone and have them plug in the reader and spit out any malfunction codes that may be present. So far though, I haven't had to do that.

The original vinyl is being used to some degree as templates for the new leather. The original pattern in the stock seats is being used but is being "enhanced" with deeper pleats up the center and increased height of the side bolsters. The center sections of the seat will be red with the remainder in black with red double stiching and the 280Z style "Z" embroidered in red in the headrest. The seat is also being lowered over an inch in the rear to help with my head clearance issue (6'-4"). I'll post more as things develop. May get a couple in-progress photos up in the next 3-4 days.

All the 1st generation Z's (240, 260, 280) had black dashes so I don't have to do either.

One point I should make. With the above LS1 drivetrain the engine is turning 1,500 RPM at 60 mph in 6th gear and is very driveable. With a 3.36 it would be down around 1,350 RPM which would be fine for flat, steady-state driving but might require downshifts for hills or passing. Going to a numerically lower differential would require increased speed (and increased drag that would negatively affect MPG) to maintain driveability. The first generation Z's biggest enemy when it comes to highway fuel economy is aerodynamics - which is why a heavier but more aerodynamically designed modern car (C-5, C-6, F-body) will get better highway fuel economy.

Zack has gone under the knife again. This time his interior has been gutted - everything but the dash - which is original and crack free. The original '77 brown interior is changing over to black with red accents. I've already acquired all the hard plastic black interior parts - including the taillight cover - and the brown components are coming out and will be available to someone who wants a nice brown interior. The headliner, sunvisors, seats, door panels, and strut towers where there is vinyl now will be 100% leather - again, black with red accents. The roll bar will be padded in leather. The carpet is a high end plush - dark charcoal with deep red accents through it. While it's apart it's getting an Alpine sound system - 500 watts RMS - that includes the head unit, component speakers in front, replacement side speakers, subwoofer in the rear designed to reflect off the hatch, CD changer, amplifier, and capacitor. Oh yeah - and a new power antenna to replace the one that quit working about a month ago. The car will be heavily sound deadened and absorbed while it's apart and have the body seals replaced. I figure it will cost me .1-.2 on the quarter but the car is primarily a daily driver so I'll live with it - and happily. It should be back on the street in about two weeks and I'll post some photos at the time in my gallery.

I have a 2002 Suburban with the 5.3 Vortec V8 with the 4-spd overdrive automatic. It averages 18-19 MPG unloaded at 65-70. Pulling my car on a U-haul trailor (5,000 lbs) at 65-70 MPH it gets 12-13. The 6.0 vortec will handle the hills better but will get significantly worse fuel economy.

I have 13 years of fuel economy history in my '77 280Z. 6 years with the L28, 4-spd & 3.54 R200 - 5 years with the L28, 5-spd and 3.90 R200 and 2 years with the LS1, T56 and 3.7 R200. I reset the tripometer at every fuel-up, top off to the top of the filler pipe and record my fuel to the nearest tenth. Then I divide the miles on the tripometer by the fuel added and log my fuel economy to the nearest tenth. I then average each month to the nearest tenth. Yes - I'm anal about fuel economy. It's a predictor of impending engine problems. That being said. The first combination gave me ther worst fuel economy averaging 18-19 in combined city-highway driving. The 5-spd L28 and the LS1/T56 are very close - both averaging 19-21, depending on time of year in the combined driving and just over 23mpg on the highway.

Mine come on at 160 - unless my water temp gauge has altered itself. It runs right at the mid-point where the original L28 did.

Let's see - his father got a hail damaged 1983 Nissan Sentra with about 100,000 miles on it for his first car. Should have saved the '76 Olds Delta 88 for him. Obviously he survived, but through no fault of his own.

Thanks guys. It was touch and go Saturday morning with events ending in an emergency c-section and Connor in the intensive care neonatal unit with "wet lung". He dried out in 24 hoours and he and his mom were released from the hospital today. Yes -I'll make the meeting this Thursday. It's a really intense week. Grandson on Saturday and house guest arriving that day, Taxes on Sunday and Monday, Church meeting Monday night, Car into shop for extreme make-over on interior tonight, business trip out of town tomorrow, and club meeting Thursday. Lord, I get tired just thinking about it!

Depends on personal preference and intended use. Mine is a daily driver and I really like rowing the gears so I opted for the T56. If you're planning on some serious drag racing then you want an automatic. Whatever you do make sure it has an OD. For day-to-day driving the T56 starts in second, then 3rd, then 5th - unless you are in a real hurry. Plenty of torque. Only use 1st & 4th when I'm showing off. 6th comes into play any time I'm cruising over 50 MPH.

You can see the belt routing I used in a photo in my album. Good wrap in all cases.

First grandchild born 9:02 AM Saturday, March 5th. Connor Brian Davis, 7lb-14oz, 20" Mother and baby doing fine.

I'm curious - is this for a Z? If so - I guess you're not worried about road clearance? I tried to put a 3 1/2" exhaust under mine - which is not lowered - and quickly realized I'd be high centering on every speed bump and steep ramp in the area. I have even scraped my 2 1/2" duals a couple times.

Two things turn heads - a really sharp exterior, and lighting the tires up at 60 mph right next to the other guys window. It is such a great feeling!