Modern Motorsports Ltd

Damned work browser won't grab your pics Paul! You coming up in September for our show? Wish I was at Pt. Townsend this wknd to shoot of a bunch of pics of your monzter I got extra camera 'ram' enroute for our autox/boundary bay/West. Van show. I'll be able to shoot 1080 pics same res as those Mt. Baker pics , if I stop racing and drooling long enough to shoot 'em I can't see your pics but I love that wheel style......no comment from you on how well you're spinning 'em up now..let's hear it

quote Thanks ! Anyone want to go on design retainer? I'm still TOTALLY open to all new ideas but immediate 'leisure' time is occupied with current ideas. Logistics on coatings for rear caliper brackets/rotors/production, 11" bolt on killer front upgrade , amongst others on the backburners waiting for Z/designers (Z guys cause then parts can trade for service/no $ for actual money now...with the research efforts on this forum their are many prime candidates). PSS just learning about water jetting which opens up some new arenas in fabrication to myself. It can do up to 6" thick

quote: Originally posted by Kevin Shasteen: Ross, I wouldnt leave it to chance...all it takes is the right set of circumstances & one drop of fuel on the exhaust to ignite I'll figure something out, just a safe exit for it perhaps. One drop igniting doesn't concern me at all as their is nothing else flammable to get going/ie. no supply to feed it along. Although it's just best to now play with fire as you've said

quote: Originally posted by BLKMGK: IMO, if the pickup for that "vent" is at anytime below fuel level it CAN put gas up the pipe. NOT cool, I would at least vent it someplace where there's no exhaust to be found... I think it's clearer to me now......gas tank was completely filled up and then the fun continued so unfortunately it likely sloshed in/not too happy about it either way.......should be purged now so it doesn't laquer up that line I"d guess....

Their was two V8Z's in the buysell/local cars last week, quite a rarity. Is this one of those? For $4k the motor etc should be running quite fine and rust free IMO. Rust free and nicely done as a 305 isn't hopped up near as easy. Much/any bondo on it? (magnet tests, fridge magnets can work well as they're not very powerful so not easily fooled, penknife beneath in floorboards/rails etc.) spare tire well...... Whereabouts in Vancouver are you? and is the car local? Previous repairs I don't mind, the older the better as that lets you know if it was done right if the repair has tolerated the test of time (assuming the car's been driven reasonable often). If the combo is good to go as is and to your liking then it sounds OK, if you see lots of mods it might be a lame duck as only the rust free part has significant value unless it has numerous other valuable parts. This is likely my most occupied week with some work deadlines and 'honey-time' but Saturday night or Sunday I might be able to hook up for a look see if interested...or come on down and help with the beer in my fridge so it doesn't expire [ August 14, 2001: Message edited by: Ross C ]

Forgot about this one....coming home from Mt. Baker I stopped at a friends place and as can happen the hood gets popped , another friend with a wicked 442 was their and wanted to check out the Chevsun. We both 'just' spotted a drop of fuel crest out of my vent line and run down it! What's up with that? I opened my gas cap and it had vaccuum, I'd filled up about 50 miles previous if that and it was a hot day but the driving should have kept pressures OK (ie. no excess expansion? unless exhaust or something heats it up??). I've had no carbon cannistor since it was converted to the V8 and vent line is just bent up in my engine bay so it's end is just above or enar valve cover height with tape on it's end and a pinhole in that tape. Can slosh in any way get up the vent line (it was a lot of agressive lower speed driving, or excess turbulence in EFI tank with my newer high volume pump shooting out the narrower return line into the tank?)? When I did the EFI install I flushed the fuel line and the return line but 99% sure I never touched my vent line....this was the only time I've seen it do that but I"m v. leary as it's not so far from headers etc if driving/engine bay air movement....a buds car (Charles Sterling) had a engine bay fire the other week involving a fuel line so I don't want to ignore it... Thanks......

careful using prelubes with newer hydraulic roller lifters and rockers etc, the needle bearings bearings don't always like it I've been told as they can clog -I prefer to just soak/store them in oil until it's time for install, I've come across others that store parts in oil, rockers/lifters etc.... -and naturally prelube lots as suggested nice choice on the Chromolies, their price has really come down and they're a great value IMO for what you get, I run those mixed with crane golds (intake/exhaust), all rebuildable should it ever be needed [ August 13, 2001: Message edited by: Ross C ]

I think those bright colours can be great, their's a pic (low res) of cad plated hubs on my site/products/brakes and right at the bottom. I just last week saw some wheels powdercoated on the BACKSIDE which I thought was very kewl considering you can have almost any colour done in powdercoating..and 'new' colours are just out in ceramic I've heard, really opening up the options.

quote: Originally posted by zfan: Go for the spintechs! Which ones did you go with Mike? how loud/quiet are they & what's your combo again? thanks

"As for the TV cable hookup...a good trick shown to me by Gene at AutoRite transmissions in Burbank CA (He has had articles issued in the hot rod magazines), was to put a spring on the cable, forward of where it mounts to the carb. This increases the shift point." Can you explain further? a spring on the cable? how is this different from adjusting it one notch tighter/shorter? Do you mean like a throttle spring....thanks PS noone explained how to set minimum TV cable. The above adjustments hold/work AS LONG AS when you just start rolling with minimum throttle when it shifts out of first FLOOR IT, if it doesn't downshift your TV cable is too loose/slack and you don't have enough pump pressure. Tighten it a notch or 2 and retry....you should ALWAYS have minimum TV. Beware not all carbs give proper travel/swing arc for TV cable so shifts can be funky (ala qjet etc..) with only low throttle or high throttle shifts correct..

quote: Originally posted by BLKMGK: Mike, are you sure there are cars on the road who's REAR disks are larger in the back than the front? That's insane... quite common for rr diameters to be larger...Z31's and others... I'll have to get my 13" pics up this wknd of Z & ZX to allow some to correct this excessive rear balance , I'm kinda bumbed that many of you already have and more soon will have better rear brakes than my old/small OE ZX brakes another project to look fwd too....plan is 11 or 12" vented out back calipers and rotors on hand/but no bracket yet with the CNC project occupying some time. (I can't justify the vented .8's out back but need to fill out that wheel ID like the fronts do)

Is that an LS1 unit? or did that start in '99?

"As for the cv/u-joint topic...why didn't chev. use them on the vettes?" Nissan/Datsun's require telescoping halfshafts, Vettes actually use the halfshaft as a structural susp. pieceA-arm (ie. it's got large U-joints/fixed length) so have no need to telescope. It's the telescoping issue that stops many from bolting in a vetteb IRS as the skill of marrying halfshafts/custom ones is beyond the typical DIY fabricator/modifier looking to do it cheaply. Grayzee: to know how much you can gain by a mod I've found it's best to experience the next closest thing in another car...any car with that system as strong suit of the car...I rode in a 928S modified porsche at an autox a few years ago and loved it all and thought/yeah this is my car in fuction EXCEPT for the brakes/this cars unreal! I swore every corner he took I thought he was going to blow thru it...NOW I have a step up on him (ignoring his ABS & driver skill ) Autox's/lapping days etc are great places to ride with as many other drivers/cars as you can & can give you a great concept of what you'd enjoy for your own ride. Our BCZR event on Sept. 8/9 in Vancouver has an autox on the Saturday held on a local airport runway that's quite a safe and fun area...great time for rides...British Columbia Z Registry

"..ugly SX brakes..." I think early ZX is ugly and SX quite standard for appearance in modern rear brakes, just IMHO. You're the first to call it ugly/hopefully that's not a v. common shared viewpoint or it might not fly? In any event the rotor looks kewl at 11-3/8's. Anyone used cad plated rotors? Does the cad just wear off fast in pad area and then stand up fine to the elements in the remaining areas? I'm looking at cad plating in silver or gold as option on the rotors [ August 10, 2001: Message edited by: Ross C ]

OK, now if one 'jet coated' a caliper (ie. ceramic coated) it would now be insulated correct and that's not so good? or a non-issue for overbuilt rear brakes that might not get hot anyhow? I've been trying to find out what might work for coating calipers.....

"I just stuck with the r200 u-joints...if cv is so good, why is it not used on the drive shaft? " negligible angularity on your driveshaft vs. your halfshafts which are involved in suspension travel/greater angularity etc... HTH

quote: Originally posted by Mike C: I agree that the money is better spent on different heads rather than the cam swap. AFR. Dave's motor is a 2000 model Vortec so his heads are fine, just needs room for the lift, Ray's got the ticket above/offset keepers can gain you room as well (I think that info I sent you a while back Dave detailed that). I agree on most older OEM heads that new heads are a great spot for an upgrade.

Dave, your valves with stock keepers won't clear that lift AFAIK (quite certain!). ZZ4 cam/motor at 355hp can hit 400+ flywheel hp&tq with 1.6 rockers with vortec or 90's Lt1 heads/v. common Impala mod if they've bumped all else to support it (ie. fuel/exhaust/intake etc). The ZZ4 has the old-tech/lazy L98 heads which are it's main inhibitor/that's why the ZZ4 cam is so staggered at .509/.521 or similar... to make up for the lazy L98 exhaust ports. bump to 1.6's on intake and use 1.5's or 1.52's on exhaust and it's almost a dual pattern cam which is fine IF you have great heads like vortecs or Lt1's etc which flow to match that new 'profile'. Dave's stock vortec cam is v. mild and a great setup to make the power it does/100+hp from a sub .400 lift cam to a .520+ lift cam is easily done assuming all else supports it (your heads are great/just make sure you have the valve lift/spring bind issues clear). Generally Sallee is v. good at technical info. PS I'd be leary of bumping compression on your iron-headed vortec too high Dave. 9.4:1 on iron is pretty good.....ZZ4 likes that and I saw the dyno from an impala with both corrected at 400+flywheel. HOT cam has a nice attitude if you like that aspect

That's a local 'garaged' car. The front 'snorkels' were quite small, that air filter housing was also ducted with 3" OD or larger mandrel ducts to his firewall/cowl which was sealed off from his cabin (that's typically a fresh air inlet). It didn't look that difficult but all his work (was it a red car/all custom suspension etc...) was done with stainless/top quality sheet material etc. I'd like the same but fully duct from leading edge of hood right up that bulge/open up that crossbrace on hood above radiator (reinforce hood elsewhere) to a similar setup.

The Z31 front brake setup does not bolt on as a complete assembly...otherwise a few of us could have saved hours of R&D joys That's not a bad rotor though, same one used in the vented 4Runner upgrade available in 4 and 5lug detailed in Mike Kelly's tech article.

quote: Originally posted by Ross C: we can all agree to disagree on spacers...porsches run up to 2"+ slip ons'... "Zs are 4 on 4.5, so the holes are okay, but you'd have to go with the Evan (with it's own studs) style of spacer" "I'm sure, regardless of this current wheel situation), you need to replace the bearings and the seals which are not cheap - between $150 and $200." Really! Maybe I should bump up my rear bearing kit price at www.modern-motorsports.com $90US for your rear inner/outer bearings and seals AND a tube (400ml?) of Castrol Syntec grease. Not cheap bearings either. One tube has lasted me countless bearing installs so far. As well , if you plan to work on your rears, you may want to do a rear disk brake swap at the same time. And you DON'T need to yank your stubs to replace/change studs IF you remove your drum brake setup in preparation for rear disk brakes. Just some options anyhow. more info on my web, I'll have to get some 'spacer' info up soon as well...anyone collected any info for a FAQ on this?? PS I can get ARP's or anything else easy enough for you as they are stocked locally. Know any machinists? Have 4 spacers 1/2" thickness made with a lip to match your wheels (lip is just extra/not mandatory but comforting) plus 2 -1/4" spacers. Then if needed you place the 1/4" spacers behind your 1/2" to give you 3/4". The lip is always facing outward. If the spacers are machined well/tight lug holes/nice lip I'd have no concerns with running them on 7/16's or 1/2" studs (1/2" won't always pass thru all wheels). I run 1.25" slipons up front with 1/2" ARP studs. Out back 1.5" bolt on's that I'll be changing in a while....bolt on's are just extra fasteners to come loose IMO. NO decently made bolt on spacer is going to have lug's pull thru it, it's all in compression so where is the lug pulling thru to? It's simply compression and side/shear force on studs/knurled area as long as all is kept torqued up to spec. http://www.martelbros.com/arp/49.htm 7702's are the likely choice

we can all agree to disagree on spacers...porsches run up to 2"+ slip ons'... "Zs are 4 on 4.5, so the holes are okay, but you'd have to go with the Evan (with it's own studs) style of spacer" "I'm sure, regardless of this current wheel situation), you need to replace the bearings and the seals which are not cheap - between $150 and $200." Really! Maybe I should bump up my rear bearing kit price at www.modern-motorsports.com $90US for your rear inner/outer bearings and seals AND a tube (400ml?) of Castrol Syntec grease. Not cheap bearings either. One tube has lasted me countless bearing installs so far. As well , if you plan to work on your rears, you may want to do a rear disk brake swap at the same time. And you DON'T need to yank your stubs to replace/change studs IF you remove your drum brake setup in preparation for rear disk brakes. Just some options anyhow. more info on my web, I'll have to get some 'spacer' info up soon as well...anyone collected any info for a FAQ on this??

Powdercoated?? Either I'm misinformed or...but isn't powdercoating applied at ~400deg.F?? Anyone pushing their brakes HARD will see that easily! And more on a solid rotor. I went to 13's to avoid 1000+ F. Buy them/melt it off and take him up on his warrantee Anyone wants powdercoated pistons and hex head bolts I can offer that quite cheaply!

Sure, aluminum doesn't 'prevent' problems, just raises handling a notch if you drive it that hard. You'll still have no more than 52% weight on the front. A gasket/camkit could be worthwhile but you can do all that after install if you want more power and have dough at that time. I had same aluminum you do and was ~52% front and now with more aluminum and other alterations I've got a rear-weight bias and lighter than OEM. But I"ve driven at lapping days etc in all V8 configurations and always enjoyed it let alone the other 365 days a year it's been driven your find is a great way to get it converted and have it driveable....as $ or interest allows you can then alter anything PS did you ever get to drive or experience that motor and trans running? Be a bummer to do all that work and have it be a total dud if their's no budget for big surprises... [ August 03, 2001: Message edited by: Ross C ]

"Measure b/t lines drawn on tires" sounds simple..can you elaborate, I raised my ride a bit during my EFI install as I noticed my inner tire wear was higher than I'd like...it's VERY unstable on ruts in a corner...anyone ever use the MSA adjustable ZX camber bushings?