80LS1T

Not sure about the 70'-71' dash but Motorsports Auto ("MSA"/ www.zcarparts.com You can order a catalog on their site) has a 72' listed for $705.89. Not sure if they are interchangeable though. I have a ZX so I don't know much about the 240Z,260Z, or 280Z other than the fact that I really want a 240 or 260 in the near future! Guy

Well if you go electronic gauges in the Autometer Phantom Gauges... 5" 160 MPH Speedometer $200 5" 10,000 RPM Tachometer $126 2 5/8" Water Temp. 100-250Deg. $50 2 5/8" Oil Pressure 0-100PSI $55 2 5/8" Voltmeter 8-18 Volts $38 Total..........................$468 You will also need a dremel if you want to do it my way. Guy

Ok I would have finished tonight but I broke one of those trim pieces on the 3 center gauge pods. So if anyone has one of those in blue or 3 in black let me know!!!! I am also waiting for my new speedometer to arrive. It should be here Monday for sure. Then I will finsih that atleast. I know this isn't a pretty pic but "you gotta do what ya gotta do!" I had to cut that circuit board in half because I am still using my fuel gauge for now so I need the piece that was connected to the fule gauge for mounting purposes. I rewired the fuel gauge and it actually works! Infact it worked on the first try! Some times I really amaze myself. Now here is one of the front. I had to also trim the hole for the tach because the tach was just a little too big for the hole. I must say that I think these gauge will really make the ZX dash look quite nice! Here is some pics of the center pods. They were very easy to install. I just had to take out the old gauges, remove the plastic lens on the front of them and trim the fronts of the gauge holes on the old mount. Then put these in the holes. They even fit in the actual old pod! Now I just need to locate either 1 blue trim piece or 3 black ones! Since I broke one Heres a pic of those... What do you guys think so far? Guy

If I had the money, I would offer whoever owns this whatever they wanted for this car!!!!!! Guy

Hey livewire have you checked your timing or location of the distibutor? Cause lets say your 180 degrees off on the timing...that would make your plugs fire when your on the exhaust stroke not on the power stroke. The injectors would still fire on the intake stroke but all that gas would just go out on the exhaust stroke when there is no compression. You kinda get what I'm saying? Before you go out and buy parts, I would check your distriutor location and set the timing as close as you can with out the car running. You HAVE to close to base timing for that engine to run! Let me know if you need some help with that! Guy

Ok heres what you have to do to get the timing close... 1. Get #1 cylinder up to TDC on the compression stroke. To do this take out the #1 plug, put your finger over the spark plug hole and have someone crank the engine(by the way disable the fuel pump and ignition sytem), when you feel the pressure start to build wait for it to peak out, now turn the motor with breaker bar and socket till it is exactly at TDC (stick a screw driver in the cylinder to check this) 2. Now that it is at TDC look in the manual to see were the distributor should point when the #1 is at TDC. 3. Set the distributor in and tighten it up so that it doesnt move when you try to start it but loose enough so that you can still turn it by hand. 4. Now set the timing with a timing light. Let me know if you need more help with that! Guy

Ok well heres an update on my gauge instalation situation... I started tonight with the Tach. First I had to take out the dash and remove the main console with the speedo and tach. Then I proceded to take apart the main console and take out the speedo and tach. Then I had to "shave" some "extra" plastic off around the edge of the hole that the old tach was in. Then once I got the new tach to fit I had to trim the white plastic center piece that goes between the face plate and the printed circuit board. I had to to a lot of trimming there!!!! Now the printed circuit board will not go over the back because the tach sticks out too far! Since I am not replacing my gas gauge (right now anyways) I am going to have to cut the circuit board down so the tach fits and then wire up the gas gauge individually so it works! I am not to happy with that one! If only the tach housing was like 3/4" shorter!!!!! Then It would have fit like a dream. I am going to finish that tommorow. So I will update you guys then and have some pics too! After that I will probably start on the 3 center gauges since I had to order a new speedo cause I order a mechanical and not the electronic one I needed. Guy

Have you had this car running before? (not the 2 seconds before either!) Or did you buy the car like this? Guy

Nope I'm still lost on this one!??? Does somebody have a pic? Is this on the 280ZX's and ZXT's cause this isn't ringing a bell here! Thanks, Guy

Well I got both bearings out of the old one and the seal along with the stub axle! Gotta love those 55 ton presses to remove bearings! Gotta go work on the other one now! And what strut pin are you guys talking about? Guy

Never mind I found it on Summit. I just ordered the wrong one! So now I will have to wait another 3-4 days for that to arrive! That's ok cause I'm doing my CV and R200 swap this week anyways. Guy

Ok I got my Phantom Guagues today but the Speedometer is mechanical. I thought the Phantom was electrical? Can someone tell me what autometer speedometers are electrical? Thanks, Guy

Here's a pic of Dan H.'s Autometer gauges! I posted it in the Chevy Forum too under "Autometer Gauges for my 280ZX SBC project" What do you guys think?! Guy

Yeah I went through the same thing when I upgraded my suspension this summer. I could not get the old bushings(metal part) out of the lower control arms so I used griders, hack saw, torch, hammer punches, and a press! I will do whatever it takes to get the job done!!! What can I say, I don't like to screw around! Guy

Oh I got it out but it wasn't pretty! I finally got so mad that I got out my 5" hand gridnder and went to town on that nut! That wasn't working like I planned so I took off the lower control arm and then went at it with the grinder again and then it popped off! I would not recommend doing it this way! Very frusterating thats for sure. I will try to be a little more carful on the other side when I remove that notch. Thanks for the advise though! Guy

Ok I've got the notch out but it still wont come off. It hasn't even budged! What should I do next? I dont have a torch to heat it up. Maybe I will take it to school tommorow to heat it up! If you guys don't have any other ideas. It's not a left hand thread is it? Guy

Ok well I see why the nut wont come off! It's notched on the end of the bolt! How did you guys get that notch out and the nut off! SOMEBODY PLEASE HELP ME! Guy

Ok I am borrowing my buddies Snap-On THUNDER GUN! It is rated at like 600ft lbs of torque!!!! If this don't take them off them I'm not doing a CV swap! LOL Wish me luck! Guy

Ok here it is! What size are those gauges that are in the main console that you used for the fuel gauge and the A/F mixture guage? Also did you have to cut anything on the old cluster to make these fit? Did you have to make a special bracket to make any of those fit? Oh and one more question, did you use the housing that the guages came in or did you have to take that off to make it fit? Also how did you get your fuel gauge to be accurate? Thanks for all the help, Guy

I could be wrong but I thought the ZX were over 3000lbs stock? I can't remember since the last time I looked at the tag on the door! I thought it was more like 3200lbs actually. I will have to look tonight. But I would deffinetly say over 3000lbs easy unless you really shave some weight somewhere and it doesn't really sound like your going to! Guy

Well I got the pic but since I am at school(Tech College) I can't post it right now but I will do it first thing when I get home tonight at 6:15pm Central time! Guy

Do you have a website? or some where you can host them? If not send them to me and I will post them...ggrenfell18@yahoo.com Otherwise heres the directions... 1. First click on "Image" (right below this box) 2. Open a second window on your computer with the webpage that has the pic. 3. Right click on the pic and go under properties and highlight the web address. 4. Select "copy" 5. Now come back to this page and paste in the address in the box that popped up for the image buttom you pressed in step 1. 6. Click ok and continue on typing whateveryou have to say! Oh on step one I am refering to the post reply page where it says "Instant UBB Code." That's what I ment by "right below this box" Hope that helps! Guy

Ok I am swaping in CV's and an R200 from and 82 ZXT into my 1980 ZX. I tried to take the stub axles out tonight but I can't get that nut to come off! I have an impact but it is only rated to 250 ft lbs. Do I need something stronger? Also before I put everything in should I grease up the bearings or do anything else? I don't know much about CV's so any advise would be helpful! Thanks, Guy

I think what you should be looking for are Honda rims that have like a 38mm-42mm Offset? Right Geirmann??? I thought that is what was important? Guy

Actually putting an LT1 or LT4(96 Vettte motor) in a early Z 70-78 would probably be much easier than putting in a carbed engine. Since the disributer is on the front of the engine behind the harmonic balancer you dont have to move the hood latch. Also you have a much better hood clearance! Though the cost is a little higher, I think in the end it is a much better set up for the early Z's. Plus you get alluminum heads and intake and it's Fuel Injected! Now if you go LS1 or LS6 you are talking some BIG bucks to swap that. Those engines aren't nearly avaliable as the LT1's are. Plus the mounting is different from the old style mounting. However with an all aluminum engine you will probably be close to weight with the L6's or L28', which for most of us that is important. I can't remember the name of the guy who is swaping an LS1 into an early Z but search the Chevy Board for "LS1 Swap" and you should find LOTS of info on that. That's just my $.02! Guy