jt1

Best of luck to you, Mike. Running your own business is a special challenge, but I'm sure you're up to the job. My best advice is that when things are going good, don't get too high, cause there are challenging times ahead for sure. Conversely, when things aren't going very well, don't beat yourself up too much, the situation will get better. All businesses are cyclical to some degree, but when it's your butt on the line, it's easy too take it too seriously and crash on the highs and lows. Re Jody and CMP: The C5 guys were well represented, about 7 or so were there. Several of them were on full race slicks, and they were fast. The C5's have so much grip anyway, then throw on slicks, and they really turn well. I hate you can't make it to VIR, but I fully understand work has to come first. After all, it's what supports our car crack addiction. John

The HybridZ shirt does bring some interesting comments sometimes. At the second day drivers meeting at a track event this past weekend, a guy notices my shirt and says "Are you the guy with the white 240Z?" I replied yes, he shakes his head and says "I don't see how you drive that thing". I didn't really know what he was meaning, and said "It takes some getting used to, but it's a lot of fun to drive". He shook his head again, and said "You're insane". Still trying to figure that one out..... John

Bingo. I've got a 3970010 that is hecho en mexico. John

ramairbox.com has some interesting stuff, but packaging under a stock hood is a little iffy. What kind of setup is that? A 1st gen with coilpack ignition? Awesomely clean engine compartment!!!!! John

It depends on the weak link in the braking system. The "radiator-insulator" will prevent as much heat from being transfered into the fluid and caliper, so if the weak link is boiling the fluid, it probably will help. But, it's not going to help cool the rotor, and if the rotor disapating heat is the weak link, it won't help. So far as the pads, I guess it depends on whether the "radiator" part can dissipate more heat than the caliper and fluid was absorbing. If so, it may keep the pads a little cooler. If not, that's more heat going to the rotor. Interesting idea, though- I would like to hear some real world feedback. John

Mike, I ran some with a C6 at a track day at CMP last month. It didn't appear to be much faster than a C5, if any. BUT I didn't know the guy driving it, so there's always doubt if he was getting all that was there. Beautiful car though. John

There's usually some small particles and trash on the first fireup. If you put in a new double roller timing chain, they generate a good bit of visible particles. By 600 miles, everything should have settled down and only a few particles visible on the paper. Cutting the oil filter open and inspecting it tells you a lot about what's going on in the engine. John

Tom, please stop by if you're coming that way, It would be good to see you. I'll tell them at the gate you're coming, just tell them you're crewing for me. Motor is doing better since bring freshened up, last month at the T1 event a corner worker said he caught me at 3 consecutive 44's. Driver still sucks! John

Awesome thread, Aux. Anybody posting a question that's covered here should be banned for a month. John

Just finished up putting a new set of rotors on the car for a track event next weekend, and for kicks I decided to try out my new magnetic indicator base. Both rotors showed about 12 thou radial TIR. Lateral TIR was almost zero, barely moving the needle. In the past, I've simply bolted rotors on and run them until they were blue and canyon sized cracks with no thoughts of runout, and have not had a bit of trouble. But since I now knew about it, I had to try to correct the ? problem. Several attempts at loosening the bolts till just snug and tapping the rotor with a dead blow hammer proved one thing- it's mighty hard to move something only 0.006" with a hammer. I wasn't able to show any improvement, so I tightened the rotors down and called it good. So this begs the question: How much is too much? Has anybody else checked the runout and what results did you get? John

Looking great! It's always nice to see progress. You are a better man than me to drop in a motor+trans with the radiator and distributor in!!!!!!!! John

If it's a stock appearing pan, approx 7 1/2" deep with no kickouts, then 5 - 5 1/2 quarts including the filter is a safe bet. You won't have to worry about blowing any seals, excessive windage, or starving the engine. Canton makes a real nice stock appearing pan with some baffles if you want to change it out. For street use and the occasional drag race either will do fine. John

David, there's a fellow here in NC with one, I met him at a track event. His is also a "factory" car, and looks very similar to your except it's a 76. It also has a 4 piston brake upgrade from Brian. I don't remember the column lights on his, and his has the emblems like yours, but his is a 327/T10. It's cool yours is an early car, it's the lightest of the light! John

Very nice. Must be an early 71 to have the hatch vents. Are the emblems on the c pillars the "scarab" emblems? What are the lights on the steering column? Any spring/strut/brake mods? John

Are you absolutely sure it's going into low gear? When I had the 700R4 in my car you had to be just right on the shifter and TV adjustments or it wouldn't shift into first, and acted just like you describe. You should be able to blow the tires off the car in first with that setup. John

The lobe on a solid lifter cam has a slower ramp right at the beginning to take up the lash gently before the ramp really takes off. Since a hyd lifter has the preload and the hydraulic "cushion" to absorb the shock, the hyd lifter doesn't need the slow ramp right at the beginning. You can mix and match as long as you're aware of what's going on and how to deal with it. You need to keep a close check on the lash, if it gets excessive the impact forces will accelerate valvetrain wear very quickly. John

But the burning question on everyone's mind is: How many coats of Zaino does it have? :biggrin: :biggrin: :biggrin: :biggrin: Just joking- I felt the same way after getting my motor back together, in the car, getting back to the track after a 4 month hiatus, and running it all day with no issues. When you've worked on something a while and it finally comes together with good results, the feeling is fantastic. Great job. John

????? I've used the Valvoline Syntech Dot 4 in my McLeod HTOB for 3 yrs now with no bad results. When I first installed it I had a problem with the banjo o rings, they were cut during assembly, but since then it's been trouble free. (knock on wood)!!! John

Ignition timing is determined by the flywheel keyed to the crank. Sounds like the crank key may be sheared. This is pretty common when a motor stops quickly. The gap from the coil to the flywheel is also a possibility. It should be 10-12 thou. Loosen the coil, insert a 12 thou brass feeler guage between the coil and flywheel, slide the coil down till it's snug, tighten and remove the guage. If you don't have a guage, 5 or 6 pieces of paper work pretty good. Also check valve clearance, something like 16 intake/18 exhaust. John

If the cam's lost a lobe, usually it will change the exhaust note a little. I missed the part in your post about still running smoothly. Like Mike said, possible flexplate problems- maybe the front bushing in the trans is damaged from the convertor bouncing around, another possibility. Also check the fan and water pump. One time I lost about 2" off the tip of a fan blade, and it made the motor vibrate like crazy. John

The spacers won't affect the balance any. It's pretty hard for an engine to get out of balance. About the only way that can happen is if the engine has an externally balanced damper or flex plate, and the ring on the damper turns, or a weight comes of the flexplate. Sounds to me like he has wiped a cam lobe. Pull the valve covers, spin the motor over and see if all the rockers are moving the same amount. John

It would be hard to mod an original Scarab IMO. They have a lot of historical/collector value that any mods are going to reduce. I say keep it the way it came from Brian. It's kinda like my vintage Z, I all the time think of something to do to it, but don't since I think it should stay as it was built. A guy here in NC has a original Scarab. It's a really cool car, there are a lot of little unique things about it that are interesting. He drives it some, and even brought it to a track day, but hasn't changed anything. John

It sounds like the spacers will do the trick. Hit Hillsborough street a while and give it some thought!!!!!!! (NCSU BS CE/ME) John

A straight, clean, rust free body is worth where it's at now. I don't think he knows a lot about the car. His add says "domed 9.2 comp pistons, but will throw in flat top high compression pistons". No way that's right. Look the body over closely and then decide. John

It depends on where the wheel's hitting the caliper. If the outside edge of the calipers hitting, it will help; if it's right in the center it may not, unless the wheel has some taper to it. Did you try the washer trick? John