Pop N Wood

No, heat is energy. It is the expanding hot gasses that power the turbo. That is why high $$ turbo systems do things like ceramic coat the pistons and often run iron heads instead of aluminum. The more energy you can retain in the exhaust the more you have available to pump air. But like I said, this system might be sufficient for the guy who just wants a slight boost and who isn't worried about building an all out race machine.

That ststurbo site is kind of humerous. I don't doubt their kit does everything they say it does, but it is funny how they take drawbacks and try to spin them as positives. They brag about how much cooler the turbos run with a remote mount. Undoubtably true, but that just shows how much exhaust heat is being lost before it gets to the turbo. Guess if you are happy with the HP gain then it won't matter that things are being done inefficiently. It does have a lot of positives going for it.

http://www.zparts.com/ads/zspider/zspider_index1.html http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?t=96998&highlight=convertible+subframe

Good response about rear transaxles in this thread http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?t=97409

Z's with SBC's don't really have a weight distribution issue. Mount an aluminum head SBC in the JTR position with an R200 out back and the car will have a slight rear weight bias (at least Ron Tyler measured a 49/51 front to rear ratio with an LT1/t56 set up). I think a vette is significantly wider than a Z, so that will further complicate such a swap. I would imagine the engine-rear end separation will be fixed by the torque tube, so you had better hope the vette and Z are nearly the same length also. It is worth looking into, but I think it is quickly reaching the point that if you want a vette, why not just buy a vette. My 2 cents.

You aren't worried about trapping moisture and the resultant rust?

Do a quick search. The convertible frame rails come up all the time. The guy who sells them is at (I believe) Hollywood Motorsports. Last time they came up he posted so I know they are still available. Look to be bolt in units that run along side the stock frame rails all the way from front to back. Try searching on Hollywood motorsports, or convertible+frame and see what you get.

Dream Car Garage is always doing shows where they replace the floor pans on a classic Shelby or other car. They always advocate building a metal rack out of square tubing and actually welding the car to the rack. They use short, upright pieces of tubing to connect the rack to a half dozen mounting points on the car. They of course put oversized castors on the rack so they can move the vehicle about the shop (not a huge advantage with my 1 car garage). But the important thing they always stress is to get the car perfectly straight, then rigidly lock it into position before removing structural sheet metal. I admire these guys who build rotisseries and think they would be great for resurfacing the underside of a car. But I have often wondered how they can be sure the frame is within spec with all the odd forces acting on the car. Been done hundreds of times so manybe it is just not as big of an issue as I think.

Can't believe it is legal. Looks like a ticket magnet to me. Or a lawsuit when a 4 year old grabs a hot cat in the parking lot.

The job market for new engineers is smoking right now. It's OK if you don't want to work in defense cause all those defense jobs are sucking up graduates. It is all supply and demand and right now demand still exceeds supply. Even in the best of times getting a job takes time and effort. Put a few months work into it and treat every job interview as those it is the only job you have ever wanted and you should have no trouble finding a good job.

I don't. Go back and read JohnC's links he posted earlier. Also research the situation in Somalia. They didn't lack food, just the political will to distribute it fairly. Kind of hard to feed people when there is a total lack of social order. IMO stability is much easier to achieve in a country run by some form of democracy than one run by warlords.

Alright first off the Canada bashing that has occurred since the beginning of the war has depressed me to no end. It is off base and does nothing but foster ill will. So if you think I am bad mouthing Canada or our relationship with them then I am simply not making myself clear. Second, as for the 5500 deserters article, a 5 minute google search turned up this article which says there have been “at least 4†http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A22671-2004Oct10?language=printer Not to sing the praises of the Washington Post, but isn't the 5500 article from the same 60 minutes crew that brought us the Dan Rather controversy? Someone needs to tap into Pentagon numbers showing desertion rates. Guys go AWOL all the time (just like that North Korean guy). Undoubtedly the wars may have driven the numbers up, but I would be amazed if the desertion rates were anywhere near what that 60 minutes article says. My point on Quebec isn't whether they stayed or left. The point being made is that there is a difference in opinion. Can't argue that. Perhaps I should rephrase the statement to have read in the past tense? The point with the hockey players is that the high Canadian taxes relative to the US (especially for people making millions a year) makes them want to claim residency in the US. Might have something to do with the high level of government services? I am not trying to say one country is necessarily better than the other either. What I am saying is both countries have their problems and both countries have people on either side of the political spectrum. If these romanticist think they will go to Canada and find the whole country is populated with people of the same mindset as Ben and Jerry, then they are just setting themselves up for further disillusionment. And one other thing. As for the deserter covered in the news article. Kudos to him for following his inner conscience, but all I have to say is be a man about it. Mohammad Ali didn’t believe in the Vietnam war, but he had enough convictions in his beliefs to stand up and defend them. The guy in the article is another story. It is not like the US military has changed the ground rules since that pussy enlisted. If he really feels like he could not look down the sights of a weapon and kill someone, even in defense of his fellow soldiers, then something tells me no commander is going to put him in that position. A bad conduct discharge and maybe some brig time sure seems a hell of a lot more honorable than backing out on his commitment like he did.

Kind of hate to get into this, but people starving to death often has little to do with the availability of food but everything to do with politics. Look at Somalia. The country was more than capable of feeding itself. Even wonder why the people in the rural areas were dying but the people in the citys were not? Because the criminals who ran the country and stole the humanitarian shipments knew that if people in the cities are starving, they will riot. But when people in the rural areas starve they just die. Sudan is a more recent example. There are large groups of people who simply don't like other groups. Yet we as Americans are suppose to feel guilty about that? Want to solve world hunger? Maybe the first step is to spread democracy. The second step might be education.

I don't believe that for a moment. Would like to see a reference. And to all those people going to Canda, my guess is they will just keep moving. Canadians aren't exactly "one voice" either. Hell, they aren't even one language. If Quebec had it's way they wouldn't even be one country. The US expatriots will move to Canda and realize there are disenting opinions there also. Eventually they will see that their leaving the US has accomplished absolutely nothing. They might even begin to understand why Canada can't even keep there own hockey players. Nothing in this world is free. Government social programs just shift the cost from one person to another. And if they are really lucky, they might eventual realize that geographic fixes rarely accomplish anything because the one constant is yourself. You bring your problems with you. Good luck to all those leaving. See you again in few years.

I'm with Blueoval. If you "lengthen" the steering rack, you now have to "shorten" the tie rod end to maintain proper toe. What have you accomplished with all this?

Know my neighbors boat uses that motor. Probably doesn't help you any but nice boat.

You're 19 and already have an ex? Sorry, I know I am being rather blunt, but now that you have an ex and a love sick heart, sounds like you need to get a life. Too many daytime TV shows in your young existence. At your age you should be figuring out what you want to do with your life and not trying to live out a country western song. As Jack Nicholson said, you ought to be out riding around in a convertible bird dogging beaver without a care in the world. Believe me, there will be plenty of time in your old age for misery and depression. Just learn from the situation. Try to make things right with this girl. Not to get back with her, but just because it is the right thing to do. As Will Rogers said, good judgement comes from experience, most of which comes from bad judgement.

Anyone see Rides last night? They previewed a set of MHT Pimpster wheels. Some type of Neon wheels that can be controlled via PDA to display illuminated graphics or even text right on your spinning wheels. Suppose to premeir at the SEMA show. Muy Mucho Bling Bling

I use the Swargzenegger plan. 20 bicep curls three times a week. If you replace all the rubber pieces in the front end, especially the steering rack bushings and the steering coupler, with more solid pieces, the steering effort will be considerably reduced. Can't believe power steering is really needed for the early 240's. Just more complexity and more weight.

Sounds like one more thing to add to my Christmas list.

The first rule of project planning: There is never time to do it right in the first place, but always time to do it over. Another Will Roger quote: Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment.

MSA sells the quick steering knuckles http://www.zcarparts.com/store/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=23-4181&Category_Code=PSDC11 Not really designed for what you are asking, but if they make the wheels turn "quicker" with the same steering wheel movement, then they might increase the overall turn. Is this what you are asking? BTW, I have heard these are twitchy on the street. The one quy I knew who had them said one lapse in concentration and you will find yourself in the next lane.

MSA sells air dam kits that cover the crash bumpers and IMO look good. They also sell fiberglass 240 style bumpers for a reasonable price. You would still need to mock up mounting brackets. If you are interested I am sure someone can give you details. Buying a new set of steel bumpers is expensive. But since you are already going to be illegal in most states, might as well go fiberglass and save weight. There a lot of other subtle differences between the 280 and 240. Things like vent locations, door strikers, tail lights, dimensions of suspension parts etc. But I think most people would agree the bumpers are the #1 visual difference. There is a big difference in weight, but like said above it is not all bad.

Ever heard the phrase "turn about is fair play"? Guess if was trying to be a prick it would have been. We are all friends here. No reason to start a flame war. As it was I just misread your poorly worded statement. Guess I didn't grasp the relavance of reducing the load by 50# a person when even the reduced weight is more than 4 guys standing shoulder to shoulder can safely handle. Especially if they are walking sideways while trying to hold onto an exhaust manifold. One idea is to get a $13 come along at Autozone or Sears. http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=30329 Laying a 2x6 across the garage rafters and straping the cable hoist to it will lift the motor allowing you to drive your truck out from under it. Or you can go total redneck and tie it to tree. You could even construct an A frame out of some old pipe.

There are two different 4x4 calipers. One that fits the stock solid rotor without spacers and the one that fits a vented rotor but requires spacers. Do a search. This question has been answered a hundred times. Should get a list of caliper markings and years of vehicles.