HS1370

Yatsen, Katech builds 4.3 performance motors. I don't have any contact info, but you should be able to find them by doing a web search. Be prepared to spend big $ though. Any competent engine builder should be able to build a 4.3 for you. As I mentioned above, many of the speed parts that fit a small block chevy will fit this engine. This engine was used years ago in the Nascar Busch series. Some parts are a bit harder to come by. Aluminum heads, manifolds, bow tie blocks etc are available from Chevy performance, Brodix also has a head and intake manifold for this motor. MSD has a distributor, electromotive a crank fire ignition system. Sanderson makes headers. Edelbrock has a manifold. Cams are available from the usual sources. If you are willing to buy used you can pick up many of the high dollar speed parts for a lot less than new retail. I picked up a complete motor with High Port aluminum heads 2.1/1.65 stainless valves, the chevy performance manifold, roller rockers, melling pump......for $1,000. I also have a set of the 18 degree heads and a Brodix manifold sitting on the shelf in case I want to get real serious. David, Hot Rod magazine a year or so ago put a Vortech Blower on a 4.3 that was slightly built. 501 HP was the result. The felt they could have made more but they blew a head gasket. A good copper head gasket would fix that. This with with stock chevy 4.3 heads. The 4.3 has good potential at a lighter weight than a SBC. However, the same horsepower with a SBC is cheaper to achieve than with a 4.3. If you want to go a slightly different route than the crowd and put a 4.3 into a Z like I do then it is a good option.

190 HP out of the box, although the Mercury Marine version is rated at 205. Many of the parts that are used on a SBC fit the 4.3 except the obvious things such as crank, exhaust, cam etc. as well as connecting rods. Pistons, flexplate or flywheel, timing chain, front cover, pulleys, oil and fuel pump, rockers, harmonic damper, +++ are interchangeable.

Tomo My understanding of the C rating is that it is the amount of non conducting extinguishing agent. As you mentioned probably not a problem for automotive electrical fires.

Halon not Halogen, unless you want to see in the dark and not put out a fire. The A rating means the extinguisher puts out fire such as paper. The B is for flammable liquids The C is for electrical fires. Most car fires are going to be either flammable liquids (type or electrical (type c). You want an extinguisher with a high number before the B C rating. Halon is good so is CO2, less mess to clean up. Dry Chem works well but it makes a hell of a mess and is very abrasive. As someone above said bigger is better. Don't worry about how it looks, worry about having enough extinguisher to put out the fire. If you have a serious gasoline fire the little 5 pounders may not have enough umpf to put out the fire. Then you get to watch your car burn to the ground before the fire dept get there to put it out. Whatever extinguisher you choose make sure you know how to use it. If you use a Halon or CO2 extinguisher keep hosing down the fire area even after it looks as if the fire is out. Whatever you do make sure you have a bracket that secures the fire extinguisher properly. The plastic one that come with the cheap extinguishers are no good for vehicles. In an accident the extinguisher could come loose and bounce around the inside of the car. Having something that weighs as much as a bowling ball bouncing around loose is not my idea of fun. And don't mount the extinguiser on the roll bar behind your head. Hit another car at 60 and that extinguisher may be hitting you in the back of the head at 60.

I'm interested in either a CF or glass dash. Count me as one.

ON3GO Try a book called "Competition Car Composites" by Simon McBeath. It will get you started. Scott

DrewZ You might try a book called "Competition Car Composites" I think the author is Simon McBeath. If that not right I'll repost after I look at the book tonight. Covers everything from mould making, different material from CSM to pre-preg carbon fiber, techniques etc. It's written for the DIY'er not the professional. It helped me a lot. Scott

Carlo raised a good point. I ran into a bridge abutment on the freeway, right side of car. Everything on the right side of the engine was pushed back to the firewall. In my crash, with some of the bracing above, I bet the brace would have been forced into the passenger compartment if it wasn't braced from behind. Tbuck, Carlo was right, great looking engine compartment. Scott

Terry, I didn't get your message, just noticed I haven't rec'd an email at home in 7 days. Try me at my work email, scott@weststarfinancial.org. Thanks, Scott

TBroZ When were you looking to replace the dash. I have a one out of a 70 240z that is not cracked, at least it wasn't 5 years ago when I took it out and put it into storage. I haven't decided whether or not to use that dash, build a new one, or use another that I have that is cracked and put a dash cap on it. From memory the only thing that was wrong with the one I had was that the glove box door had a hole cut in it for some reasons. A glove box door would be easy to replace. Also, don't know what shipping would be to you from Seattle for such a bulky item. I had an engine shipped from Tucson for 224.00, but they charged a minimum of 500 lbs. If you are interested you may force me to make up my mind one way or another. Scott

I would think that a small lip, perpindicular to the airflow, right above the hatch should disrupt the airflow enough to reduce the lift. It usually doesn't take much to trip the boundry layer, maybe 1/2 to 1 inch at most. It would be pretty easy to test with some angle aluminum and string taped to the rear hatch glass. Similar to the fences that run parallel to the airflow on NASCAR cars. When the car gets sidewase on the track, those fences disrupt the airflow over the top of the car, helping to keep it from taking flight. Scott

I'm shooting for <2200 for my 240z. That will be with a Chevy 4.3 v-6, aluminum heads and manifold which I already have and a t-5 which I don't have. I'll try to shave weight where I can. Some possibilities are fiberglass hatch, hood and bumpers, speedglass instead of real glass for the hatch, and side windows. Although I'll add weight back in with a roll cage. I think 2200 is possible but we'll see.

A good place to start would be to get the conversion manual from JTR. You can order it online at www.jagsthatrun.com. Even if you go with the MSA mounts and with it being a ZX and not a Z there is lots of good info in the JTR manual to get you started. Scott

I'm no engineer but it seems to me that that is potentially a high stress area of the unibody. The front frame rails, firewall, front suspension tower all adding to stress in that area. I would think that a properly welded patch would be the best solution. Also, you should check the firewall and frame for rust damage. Scott

Correction to above post. The book is called "Competition Car Composites" by Simon McBeath