blue72

What!!??!!!?!?! Pulling out an L series motor to swap in a small block Chevy? That's blasphemy! Is there a smiley that just denotes sarcasm?

This was in a recent issue of Four Wheeler Magazine that I picked up. The basics: Custom built rock buggy designed and fabbed by Jeff Friesen, a graduate of Cal Poly. All square and rectangular tubing, laser cut from flat sheets and hand TIG'd. L28 engine from a '78 280Z is rear mounted, propane fueled and drives the hydraulic pumps, alternator (to drive winch, electric fans on hydraulic fluid and engine coolant radiators), air compressor. Suspension has equal length a-arms, monotube shocks, and airbags on all corners allowing individual corner leveling over most any obstacle (up to two feet of adjustment). Two hydrostatic pumps, one for each the front and rear end. Fluid is pumped in series through two Eaton drive motors. Front and rear hydraulic steering rams with separate pump. Even if rock crawling and / or rock buggies aren't your thing, anyone can appreciate the engineering and ingenuity that went into this build. Plus, even though the wheels are driven hydraulically it still has the heart of a Datsun. Here's a link to the 4 wheeler article: http://www.fourwheeler.com/featuredvehicles/129_1007_hydrostatic_hydrodynamic_rock_buggy/index.html His build thread at pirate4x4.com: http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=763311&page=7

Picked up two today at the Costco in St. George, UT. They only had yellow, and no 350Z either. Still, not a bad price or piece.

Vintage Vinyl. It's far cheaper than even a digital download. Plus, when you buy new, contemporary vinyl these days it usually comes with a CD or digital download code for the entire album anyway. Formula 1: Mid eighties turbo era cars or current V-8 cars?

Yes, I would like to get my hands on some of each eventually. I've currently got a line on some cheap used L18 pistons. L20a will be a little more difficult for me here in the states, but I'll keep an eye out for a set. I'd like to have one of each if I could. L20 (1965-1969), L20a, L20aE, L20ET (early and late), L23, L24, L24E (early and late), L26, L28E (flat and dished), L28ET, LD28. Then the fours: L13, L14, L16, L18, L20b, LD20, LD23, Z16, Z18, Z20 (E and S), Z22 (E and S, early and late), Z24, ZD30, etc, etc... There are still plenty of gaps missing in the info I've gathered for the above engines. Thanks for the measurements on that L20ET setup ozconnection. If anyone else has info they'd like to share about weights and measures then feel free to help dispel the rumors and myths.

A 35 minute long movie called "Cutter Mantooth P.I." about a man, some other stuff and a Z car. Car can be spotted starting at 1:16 in this trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63nPL-6I09A&feature=player_embedded

Okay, I 'aint got none of them.

Will this one work? I've still got it, from this for sale thread: http://forums.hybridz.org/index.php/topic/75658-heads-intakes-dizzys-carb-pulleys-and-more/

They might not be 133mm rods then. There were two versions of L24E, early and late in the U.S. The early style, like what I posted above, are the same as a late L24 from a Z car. Same 133mm length, same 21mm wristpin, same 9mm rod bolts and the same rod bearing big end diameter of 53mm, etc... The late style came with 135mm length rods which have 20mm wristpins (or possibly 19mm), 8mm rod bolts and a rod bearing big end diameter of 50mm. The same, or very similar rod was used on late L20E and L20ET engines as well. I don't happen to have a set of either to tell you for certain, but if you've got the measurements of the piston pin diameter I sure wouldn't mind adding it to my collection of definitive figures. I'd love to weigh a flat-top piston (I assume you mean L28) and / or rods. Does someone have a loaner or a very cheap used set for sale?

At least you weren't this guy.... http://jalopnik.com/5620572/why-you-dont-tow-a-sailboat-with-your-mustang

There was a Rock Auto head gasket on my Z when I bought it. Looked quite similar to a Fel-Pro. Either way it sealed well.

I don't know... I'd be worried about anyone trying to sell a Fram for more than $10.

And just in case anyone out there is curious, the compression ratio of an early E88 (not a late E88 with 3.1cc larger chambers) or an N42 would be the same as throwing an N47 on this theoretical flat top engine.

Here's a timeline of L6 heads for 'ya. http://datsunzgarage.com/heads/index.htm You can find L-series engine calculators on the internet that allow you to throw together different combinations with a reasonable calculation of the static compression ratio too.

I don't think the problem is the carbs. Plenty of Z cars are running around with stock SU carbs on L28 engines. In fact, I had the exact opposite problem in my Z @5800 ft elevation, I was running way too rich. All I had to do was turn the fuel adjustment knobs up a bit and it cured that. You didn't mention where you "feel" is is running lean. At idle? At the top end? Are you experiencing any sort of symptoms that lead you to believe this? Has the car even run yet, or is this a hypothetical question? If you think it is / will be running lean at high rpms we just had a member trying to diagnose this and suggestions ranged from the fuel pump to the floats to the needles.

I'm wondering if any solid offers showed up in your e-mail inbox, what with all of those NP votes. Always been curious if a feature on NPOCP would actually help sell a vehicle.

Differences between the blocks? Not much except for the size of the bore. The advantage to switching out your L24 for the L28 are those extra 400cc of displacement. This swap can be done, and very easily. About the only modifications I had to do to my F54/P79 in order to run SU carbs involved providing the right fuel pressure and drilling some extra holes in the intake/exhaust gasket so my intake manifolds could bolt up to it. That's it. There's nothing fancy at all about this swap.

What does your owner's manual say on the subject?

You could always custom taper your own needles. It takes a bit of dedication and equipment to measure each adjustment though.

I have one of those Grumpy and I loooove it. Just recently I used it to verify the block numbers on the 454 in my Suburban. The engine and firewall are so close that there was simply no other way to do it unless I pulled the engine back out again.

http://forums.hybridz.org/index.php?/topic/61139-tape-for-wrapping-wire-harnesses/page__p__562605__fromsearch__1entry562605

1983 movie called Vigilante. Car chase with a 280Z 2+2 Some NSFW language at the very beginning.

I don't have a 4bbl, but I do still have a JDM 2bbl I6 setup: http://forums.hybridz.org/index.php/topic/75658-heads-intakes-dizzys-carb-pulleys-and-more/

'92 XJ 2 Door w/ HO 4.0 and auto trans - 208K miles and it still doesn't burn any oil. Almost stock except for intake and exhaust. Not lifted, but then again I can still get 20mpg out of it on the freeway. One of my favorite things (aside from the turning radius) is that as a 2 door it doesn't even weigh 3000 lbs.

Ah, I think the only way to one up that is to try Brian Regan's tactic and say "I walked on the moon!" "You know, you mentioned driving a DOHC Z car, which reminds me of when I was once driving on the Sea of Tranquility......"