Modern Motorsports Ltd

Here's the 'edelman' fitting list a friend supplied me with, this was all he needed to put one in his 280zx and I doubt our fittings are very different if at all. Took him less than 30 minutes total....I only wish mine was as simple but fittings aren't available up here. 2 each 261320 1/8 ntp to 3/16 flare male. 2 each 270300 3/16 flare female to 10mm male. 3 each 274000 10mm female to 10mm female. The hard to find parts are the metric to imperial adaptors.....some UPA Napas (stateside only) carry edelman. I got all but one of the above PN's so still need to roust up the remaining parts needed. Hope that helps.

"when it comes time to remove what I've got should I simply not worry about where the stock stuff is pinned and zip it off? I know it'll trash the threads but is it very hard to unpin?" I'd like to hear others inputs on this as well. They can be unpinned with a dremel or die grinder but I'm not sure that effort is necessary. It'll trash the outer threads and not the inner ones within the nut exerting the clamping force. So if combined with a pinch type stub nut (ie. not pinned) then it shouldn't be a problem to zip off the old nut IMO. agree/disagree? (Jim, never ever have I had a bad CV axle, If the boots are good I hang onto them and they've treated me fine). You can make sure the tabs on the 'endplate' are bent over full/tight to keep dirt/crap out.

Lone, there's a ~280hp OEM subie motor in Europe......one was imported local and is running around terrorizing the unsuspecting

You need the flange on your hub side that the halfshafts bolt to, come of us call it the companion flange (hub flange is on outside that wheel bolts to). You may need to swap the hub and comp. flange from a turbo car (and keep the inner collars paired with them). If you do bearings at the same time you either need a press/bearing splitter or a machine shop to do that for you. Be sure to grab all the comp. flange bolts with the CV's (6 per side with washers and nuts). Your new CV shafts just pop right into your diff, no extra flange/connection their like on UJ shafts. The comp.flange is held on by a large nut torqued to some 200ft-lbs and often more.....take breaker bars if you can't get an impact on it......for the hub flange a slide hammer is best to remove it.....with the slide hammer it'll pop out in seconds once that nut is undone.....without the slide hammer it's a bear....you can pound on a nut on the end of the stub axle but you'll likely wreck the nut so slide hammer is truly best. PS might I suggest avoiding burnouts on wet pavement leading to possibly dry pavement...its shock loads like that which are hard on the whole drivetrain....trannies/diffs/shafts....one reason auto's can be friendlier on driveline is from a dragstart you can 'preload' the drivetrain so it doesn't see the same shock. [ September 16, 2001: Message edited by: Ross C ]

FWIW, if you're going to be using a spacer anyhow....might as well push them out as far as you can comfortably, or what your studs and available spacers will allow. A decent autox driver can notice a 1/8" spacer and we all know greater track width is typically better. So if you do go to the trouble of swapping in longer studs etc, I'd push your wheels out as far as is comfortable towards your outer fender lips......I'm not sure I'd be comfortable using slipons on OEM studs at all. 7/16's I'd feel better and 1/2" I'm very relaxed and enjoying the track width If you're just clearing coilover adjusting nuts with 205 or 215 treads you now have a narrower track width than an OEM Z....as 225's clear OEM perches/springs on 0 offset.

Search the archives. Congrats on busting them , just swap in 280zxt rear flange's (can't recall if I swapped the hub flange and comp. flange as a set or just comp. flanges, I did bearings at same time which I'd rec'd.....) and the CV's bolt back up, worked fine for my '80.

Omar, Your WC T5 will do just fine if you shift smoothly and avoid any powershifting. It just doesn't like abuse at all. Normal use it's quite happy with. It tolerated a bud's Camaro Z28TT350 for quite some time with smooth driving. If you're resourceful their might be a few 'hard' parts that you could buy for very reasonable $ and have installed into yours that would add some strength to your unit. Good Luck.

"The motor was missing the cylinder heads and a few items." Were you told why those items were missing? A bud bent his Z06 pushrods under normal use and it was found to be 'weaklink' that the dealer wasn't admitting to very readily. Seems odd they'd break up such a new motor. Have you priced the ECM and harness out? Their must be a few aftermarket heads available and possibly more to come out shortly for that motor I'd imagine. I'd be wanting some MTI tickled over ones myself Have you got motorsports in your blood......what are your intended uses...we all gain enjoyment from knowing each others projects I know of an almost new Lt1 4L60 but not an Ls1, good luck and Graham's Salvage (search for them, I don't have their info handy) should be able to help you out. Anyone have an aftermarket harness out for that yet or will it be a factory one you'll use? Good luck and we all look fwd to hearing about it

Victor Jr. rocks. Great intake for a V8 Z or ZX. I ran mine on my 350 pre EFI and as usual it could shred from idle at 750rpm out thru 1st gear no trouble. Did that with a milder 327 and weiand action plus as well. I still run the VJ with my EFI (proflo). I can't see a Z setup with a built V8 of any sort really feeling short on the low end in the first couple gears. And in 3rd gear + for power I'm not waiting for low rpms anyhow. Zfan, have you rejetted that carb much? Plugs look great? How long have you run the rpm's and have they see much higher rev's for short or long duration? My springs were shot on mine after a year, might want to pull a couple (or one at least) and have it tested, easy enough to do. Do your header flanges match the exhaust ports?? Most headers I've seen on the hybridz are a roundport and rpm's are a squareport header.

Those pictured are a fairly common 280ZX 14x6 mag. Those can be detailed many different ways and look VERY good. (ie. can look like a very good 4 spoke with the rest 'blacked out' and the inner 4 spokes brightened up). As Mike says, some turbos have 15's in snowflake and possibly one other style.

I'd appreciate it if you had those AFR's flowed by a respected local shop when you have a chance. AFR has a bit of a history of inflated advertising numbers. I flowed a set and my rpm's flowed very similarly (had both sets flowed a while back)although published numbers wouldn't have supported the local test results (above .500 lift the AFR's were climbing ahead, but I'm not running a lot above .500). They have various offerings but their were some basic design details including comb. chamber geometry/plug location/angle that were frowned upon by some respected builders. Some LT1 guys have disproven some of the AFR claims as well. Apparently they've changed some details in last couple years but I know the magazine results etc weren't quite right a year or two ago when I looked at them. For higher power building beyond 400hp I'd personally look at brodies/canfields and then AFR's. Others will support the same levels but will need a little more cleanup. Just my .02c and I wish I could recall more detailed info from the discussions on the AFR design specs, (on blown motors they haven't been lasting up here, I do recall that). If I come across my old comparison graph I'll post it up. (FWIW, edelbrock OEM rpm valvesprings are known to be weak and fatique rather early....mine tested out as dead after a year's use including some high revs but noone testing was surprised as they've seen them regularly, I put in all comp cams parts for replacement)

sounds sweet Zfreak, enjoy

Been BUSY but finally in on this thread: -you don't typically flow 400hp thru 'manifolds (ie. OEM style). -I've done my ZXV8 and helped on an Lt1Z, IMO Z's are easier....headers and oilpan/air filter all fit more naturally with decent 1-5/8's hookers clearing nicely -agreement with all others that $200 is pocket change on such a conversion NO MATTER what connections you have -was said 400hp is more suited to a ZX for chassis stiffness/R200 etc...if you pick a lighter car you can run a milder motor with same performance, ie. pre 280Z (280Z's are basically same weight as 280ZX, very close), you said $ is a factor so I assume a sweet decent economy 330hp 327 would be driven a lot more by yourself than a 400hp lumpy 327 chugging fuel would? might be a consideration....economy has always been one of mine as my ride gets driven LOTS... -lastly....you'll likely end up putting far more sweat equity into it than you'd ever planned so pick one you really like in the beginning...like getting married you'll be looking at 'er every morning so may as well pick a pretty one

Bob, $300US as listed on my web. New and in the original box. and for those who may not have seen how Nissan codes it's gears...they print the ring and pinion ratio on the outer edge of the ring gear 37/11=>3.36

"Scottie or Ross, Could these CV adapters be easily converted to accept the R230 CVs" The main potential restraint is halfshaft length. If the R230CV's are similar in length to 280ZXT shafts (ie. if they're a maximum length of 1/4" or so longer than 280ZXT's OR shorter ACCOUNTING for any extra width that an R230 centre section has over an R200 diff) then it should be doable. Basically it's the overall outer flange to outer flange compressed length of an R200 with CV's vs. R230 with CV's that you want to compare.

Got the pesky mounts changed out!! Got it done last Friday afternoon...took a lot longer than I'd planned. I'll post a pic or two of the mount when I get a chance....from above I thought it was gone but couldnt' tell if perhaps it was only sheared at the top (ie. like a slice of cheese off a brick)...once it was out it was obvious the entire rubber block was separated at the base for it's full perimeter AND the metal 'lip' at the bottom had a crack initiated at the bottom edge and propogated about a 1/4" upwards with a 1/16" or larger gap (this is in 3/32's plate!). Freaky stuff. Passenger side was more sedate with only the rubber block separated at the base perimeter. I used a 2x12 under my pan and it worked very well with the floor jack ONCE the dizzy cap was removed (no damage...figured I might get it high enough without removal). I needed to raise it a little over 1" to get my 3/8's socket in their with the 9/16's socket to undo the lowermost bolt of the 3 holding the mount to the block. I placed the socket alone in the hole first and it would stay in their (thankfully) and then I could just slip the ratchet in and mate it to the socket for removal without any fingers in any pinch points (except for the socket placement I stayed clear). One of my new OEM GM mounts had a buggered thread which was a real PITA as I didn't notice it until I had them all back in place....argggg, jacked it back up again and yanked it out...ran the tap thru to remove all the crap the general left for me and then it worked fine......no shudder now and it's nice'n'smooth. thanks again for the idears before...to do again I'd budget 1-1.5 hrs FWIW. I had my front brakes removed to crawling under the 20 x's was somewhat easier with less items to smack my head on.

"CV adapters - any ETA yet?" As per web update, just awaiting arrival of the prototype pair and then it's a quick dimension check and off to the CNC shop to be cranked out I have the committments I need to go ahead now just in the past few days so only awaiting their arrival/design check/then the CNC queue. Thanks for the referall Jim, depending on what brake stuff he has I might be interested in some trades etc... "Lastly, if we pull these CVs Sunday I might be able to take measurements of the entire ZXT setup - would that be helpful? Pics?" overall compressed length is of interest if we can gather data of the various shafts....I know the Z and 280zx shafts have been measured/documented somewhere(Pete?)......but overall R230 info I haven't seen?

quote: the most expensive is not always the best way. Davy Amen, I hope that's true Davy as I've been frugal! Jack, why not just get the correct slave and master for that trans by OEM application from an auto parts place? OEM master and slave for a T56 is only ~110US total for me brand new by memory, and the parts you need would likely IMO be cheaper. Or get a tilton setup as I'm sure many are using alternate setups in the chevy world. I try to keep my custom parts as few as I can (anyone else have a huge running list of PN's so they remember what to buy if a replacement is needed....throttle cables, valve springs/retainers etc etc etc...) Sorry for babbling in your thread I'd rather spend $50 for a custom master to slave line than roust up that bellhousing for which an OE bellhousing should be found without a great effort. Good luck and let us know what you find out.

Hmm, Jim, I assume it's just a typo that you have me saying to use ZX with the CV adaptor? above and on my web I state it's the 280Z (or 240Z) comp. flange that can be used with the CV adaptor, CV halfshafts, without binding concerns. Consistent with what the parts tester and master Scottie has prescribed

yeah, you want 280Z ones BLKMGK. (it's the 280ZXT ones that are longer and create binding with the CV's, 280Z ones and Scottie's piece work fine). I have it detailed on my web.

Jim, hang onto the measurements Rewarder gives you and I"ll find mine for comparison I've mentioned them before, found 6 matches under the search fxn. They seemed v. willing to do a few custom tweaks at no extra cost for me and I just haven't gotten to redrawing my geomtry neatly to send off to them yet. ~$310 for coated fine quality 1-3/4 tubes seemed to be the deal. My decision left was 2.5 or 3" collectors as my header to frame rail clearance might work with 3's but hard to know till it's all in their and built right. They will also send them to you uncoated for test fit and alterations if you like and then return to them to coat once you KNOW they're good to go....not perfectly handy but a good option to have IMO. I believe 'Jim' was the guy I talked to their a few times? good luck if you try them before I get to it.

Have you tired it with the choke wired wide open? or altering choke at all? are the plugs loaded up with fuel? timing sounds fine so IMO it's loaded up with fuel and stumbling. I'm glad both idle screws are responsive as that was a PITA for me. PS forgot to mention before I agree with Pete on using water/spray to check for vaccuum leaks....ether or propane etc can be used but obviously have their own risks associated with them!

Alsil, are you sure timing (mechanical and vaccum) are in proper range? On cold start is it ee choke kicked in and your rpm's higher? Have you played with idle screws to see how your vaccuum varies etc to know idle is alright when cold? (as I assume you can't set it hot). Does altering your timing when running make no difference? ie. you think it's at 12 degrees but if at -2 or similar it might fire up cold but as rpm's drop and it warms up it'd be less and less happy with engine speed dropping? Your hesitation off idle you describe is either timing or fuel. I did have a bad 1406 carb once with a numb idle screw. You mentioned another motor from which you could try that carb? After checking vaccuum/timing/plugs (when it's stalling itself I'd pull a plug right after) you may want to install your 1406 on the OTHER vehicle to see if it runs fine on that one. good luck

"BLKMGK has the 300ZX 5 lug conversion with 35mm offset 17X8 wheels. Since the ones you're talking about are 1/2 inch narrower, you could theoretically go to a 45mm offset and potentially clear the larger, stock spring perch." I think you have this reversed. Higher offset's (ie. 35->45) pull the wheel into your wheelwell. So if BLKMGK clears 17x8's with +35 AND coilovers. You want less offset to push your wheel out to clear the OEM spring perch. (perch being a good one inch wide). So the 1/2" narrower wheel gains you 6mm clearance per side so for ie. 19mm less offset would net you 25mm more clearance with a 17x7.5" +16mm offset. Looking at it from a different viewpoint: 16x7 0 offset clears fronts with 225s and OEM strut/spring/fender. 5 lug hubs of the more common Z31 type add ~20mm of offset so a +20 wheel would be placed in same location on which you can tickle that number to centre in the location you want. (If you have to buy before knowing exactly what will fit, choose on the higher offset number so you can at least add a spacer if need be). A +18 or +20 offset should be quite close to requiring a v. small or no spacer at all depending on if you use slip on rotors and OEM perches or coilovers etc for stock location. As coilovers gain you room on the inside then you can run less offset to add tire/wheel on the inside when going wider. I don't recall which strut has the greater angle, a ZX or Z strut. A 280ZX front setup fits with +12, to +18mm offset on a 16x8 wheel with 245's with coilovers on the strut. The tight point is the tire to strut clearance in this geometry.

Z-GAD, you can read up on the adaptor and purchase details on my web here: Modern Motorsports Ltd. As Scottie said, it's a 70-78 Z adaptor only. 280ZX's can use a ZXT rear flange set in their non turbo control arms, which is what I did. If possible I'd just swap in the 280ZXT control arms as then you get the slightly larger brake pads etc of the later ZX brakes. (I don't recall if all control arms are the same in 280zx's or not...).