Z-Dreamer

I can't speak for others here, but I've been working on and collecting parts for my Z-project for almost two years! I am not "RICH", though I do have a job and I am married (stay at home wife)with four kids aging between 4-11 years old. While my Z is a labor of love, it places a distant last when compared to God and Family! Doing a HybridZ can be as cheap or expensive as you want to make it! I'm cheap by nature and necessity, but that doesn't mean you can't find great deals. Let me stress the word find as to look for, search out, comb the wrecking yards and search on the web. I've found many deals and payed little and sometimes nothing for my parts. Decide what you want to build BEFORE you start and then let the hunt begin! Mark

Thanks for the info Pete, the wheels I want to run are three piece IMSA from the early 80's. Thats why I'm considering Pirelli P7's since they are one of the few companies that make a Z-rated tire in a 15X12. I am trying to work a deal with one of my accounts to get them. In addition to 14 point cage, I'll need to strenghten the unibody and fab some subframe connectors similar to yours. By the way Pete, this car will have a manual trans and after speaking with some Ford racers they suggested a Tremmec TKO. I questioned their recomendation, having heard that Tremmec's are "notchy", they told me to use GM synchromesh trans fluid and a Pro 5 shifter. Has anyone heard from Lone lately? Mark

Ok, I'll reveal my master plan. I am atempting to build a fair weather/weekend only road car that will be very QUICK and FAST with great handling. Body wise, I want what Dan Juday has with a Gnose and aggressive rear spoiler. I'll need BIG fenders to run the 15X10 fronts and 15X12 rear wheels with P7's. That is my Z-Dream... Mark

Fear not guys, I'll be making all the appropriate upgrades to the brakes and suspension, not to mention a full 14 point cage and five point harness! Vented rotors, four piston calipers up front and solid discs at back( I got Maxima brackets ). The car already has Eibach progressive rate springs ( I don't know what the spring rates are). I will need Urethane bushings everywhere and larger sway bars front and rear. As to the motor, it's a SBC sportman block thats been bored and honed 30 over, decked, line honed and has ARP stud kit. The heads are Pontiac Motorsports part # 10033867 these are the same heads run by Nascar for the West Coast Series. They are fully machined, ported and come with 2.100 intake valves and 1.625 exhausts. The heads have been surfaced to yield 60cc and prior to porting they had 196cc intake runners. Since porting my engine builder says they're around 210cc now. I don't have the actual flow numbers for these heads, so I used AFR's numbers for their 210cc Competition package. (My builder says my heads are as good, if not better than the AFR's). These heads will require the use of an Edelbrock Victor High Port with raised runners or similar intake. With these heads and my Manley pistons the Comp ratio should be about 10.2 to 1. Camshaft is still up in the air, but I'm leaning towards a solid street roller with a 282' intake and 292' exhaust @ seat to seat and a 560" lift with 112 Lobe center. I'll need atleast 1.75" long tubes headers with dual exhaust. Is there anyway to post Dyno 2000 files or specs on this site? If anyone has any more questions or comments, please feel free to offer them. Thanks Mark

Paid avisit to Bob Johnson of Johnson Racing in Sacramento to discuss this summers engine buildup. Having run many a sim with Dyno 2000 for over a year now, I showed them to Bob. After listening to his suggestions, I re-ran my sims and almost filled my pants Running a solid street roller cam, single plane intake, 750cfm carb and long tube headers, this future motor should produce, drum roll please.... 570 HP @ 6500 RPM and 495 Ft lbs. of Torque @ 5000 RPM. From 3000 to 7000 RPM torque is at or above 400 Ft lbs. So what do you think? Comments are welcome... Mark P.S. Lone are you back in town?

Ross C, the CV's are the 300ZX Turbo's that came with my $45 LSD . I was hoping to use these axles by either shortening them ( retaining the inboard and outboard CV's) or using the "Daruis Solution". I'm atempting to build the strongest and most effective setup I can afford! With my head/cam/intake/exhaust specs I'll need it! Mark

Hey that's what I want! I got the CV halfshafts with my LSD R200 and since the axles would have to be narrowed to work anyway... I really like the CV/U-joint combo. Can anyone tell me how it was done? More Darius PICS please!!! I'm gonna need it with a projected 550HP flywheel SBC in the mix! Mark

Thanks Grumpy! Hood clearance is going to a issue since I'm going for the sleeper look. Mark

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My engine builder suggested using the New Holley 4500 Dominator HP Pro Street 750cfm carb and a Super Victor with the Pontiac Motorsport heads I've got. So what do you think? I see in the Jegs catalog that it has no choke! Will this by a problem? My Z will be a fair weather/weekend ride only. Thanks Mark

I'm getting a 14 point cage from Alston Chassis for $300 and since they are about 4 miles away I don't have too pay shipping! Mark

Hey Mike, my engine builder gets jobber pricing and usually charges 10% above that when building an engine. I'll ask him if he would sell for that, so let me know exactly what you're looking for! I'd sell you my New Forged Manley pistons but you're building a stroker right? Mark

Well, I won't blame anyone for getting a deal on any part. But I do think its lame to agree to sell someone something and then sell it to someone else without saying something! Mark

Hey Leonard, whatever happened to that aggressive rear spoiler you were going to sell me???? You said you would send me some pics? I hope it is not the one you're selling to Jason! Mark

Guys, the T56RETRO has a Torque Rating of 400ftlbs. That is because of the first gear ratio of 2.97. The T56 out of a 94-97 F-BODY has a 2.66 first gear ratio allowing a 450ftlb rating. Depending on your application, you could use the T56RETRO with a high torque motor IF you launched your car in second gear, because of the 1.94 ratio. Aside from the gear ratio's and speedo hookup, both transmissions are the same. Mark

Here's my "Good Deed" for the day. Call Weir Hotrod Products 800-633-9869 They make a T-56 adapter for early SBC and BBC. Mark

Does anyone know where I can get the flow numbers for these Pontiac Motorsport heads? I'd love to punch them into Desktop Dyno and see what I can come up with! Thanks Mark

WoW, I was hoping for an honest 450HP! I'm starting to think this project is going to turn out rather NASTY when I'm done with it. I'm going to have to but a 14 point cage in this First! Hm... I know where I can get some WIDE IMSA three piece rims from a early 80's 280Z. Mark

Thanks guys, I still can't believe how I stumble into these deals. Bob Johnson (now my engine builder) said the same thing about the cam and intake choices. Critical is the Word, Bob swears by Crane Cams and sugguested a solid street roller and a good single plane intake design. I want to run long tube headers, at least 1.75", but the heads are angle plugs and I don't know if the S&S long tubes will work or if I'll have to have customs made. Any ideas? GrumpyVette, do you know where I can find the flow numbers for these heads? Thanks again guys. Mark

It will go in my 72 240Z, along with a T-56 (that I'm shopping for) along with my LSD R200 with 3.70 gears. Life is good! Mark

Yes I finally found what I've been looking for . What's that you say? A killer deal that's what ! Let me explain, as an Automotive Rep with Safety Kleen, I deal with hundreds of accounts and many of them are speed shops, engine builders and such. Well, awhile ago I mentioned to Bob Johnson of Johnson Racing my Hybrid project and my desire for a SBC deal. Well, as it turns out, Bob had a customer that stiffed him for major machine work on a NASCAR West Coast motor. So... Bob calls me with a "DEAL". Are you ready? Ok, here goes 1. NASCAR SBC four bolt 350 fully machined ( bored, honed, line-honed and decked) new ARP studs. 2. Pontiac Motorsports Aluminum Heads # 10033867 ( 2.100 intake valves, 1.625 exhausts, 62cc ). The heads are bare, but are fully machined, ported and ready for assemble. 3. New! Scat 9000 series crankshaft 3.48" stroke. 4. New! Forged Manley pistons. 5. 6" Forged H-beem rods. 6. New! Clevite bearings. Ok, how much? How about $1500 I'm sooo stoked! This combo will give a 10:1 comp for the street. I plan on using shaft mounted roller rockers and a solid roller cam. Sorry I got so long winded, I'm just so happy P.S. All cam suggestions are welcome Mark

Gary75z, you can use the WCT-5 bell housing from the V6 Camaro and it will bolt to the FWD block, (I've seen it done). The DOHC motor is no longer made and thus hard to find and requires alot of maintenance. The aluminum head 3.4 SFI would be a better choice, but you are stuck with using the OEM SFI or an expensive aftermarket EFI system. I recommended the Camaro V6/T-5 combo because it is complete and you can convert it to a carbed system using an Edelbrock Performer intake manifold. According to the Chevy Power Manual, the iron heads used on the Camaro motor are capable of producing 1.5HP per cubic inch! so do the math. The aluminum heads are a splayed-valve design like the BBC and do have more power potential, but I know of no one who makes an affordable and streetable performance intake for these heads. Mark

A 60' V6 swap would be easy and fairly cheap. Look for a 95 Camaro with the 3.4/T-5 combo. The cast iron 3.4 motor weights in at 350Ibs. Thats 225Ibs.less than an all iron 350 sbc. If you wish to build it for performance purposes, I recommend purchasing the Chevy Power Manual. 250HP N/A is easy to get and as much as 350HP N/A is possible, but requires major mods. Surf the web and you will find other sites dedicated to the V6. Check out www.s-series.org/htm/firestorm/firestorm.htm Mark

Thanks for the info guys, I appreciate it. Mark

Ok folks, the owner of one of my accounts has a brand new set of Edelbrock Performer Aluminum Heads complete still in box. They are Pre-87 64cc straight plugs and he wants $700. Is this a good deal? Are these good heads? Thanks guys. Mark