JB_BA

I was wondering if there was a good way to strengthen the frame of a 240z (sbc350) AFTER the motor was in and the car was up and running. It already has a 6pt roll bar, can I add frame rails without having to drop the tranny? A friend of mine knows a guy that will do the work for fun, IF it can be done...I'd rather not take it to the performance shop and have all kinds of stuff poked at if it isn't necessary...any suggestions? Thanks

I'd take a 5.0 over any Chevy anyday...

I hope someone buys it that knows what it's good for... DRIVE THAT MUTHA. JB

Around here, when farm animals see a line of about 15 cars heading down the highway, they tend to get out of the way. Besides, I said a country road, not out beside a farm. The "Foarmer John" bit was just a bit of an exaggeration to emphasize that there was NO traffic on the road at all...even during the day you may only see 1 or 2 cars. 50 feet wide? Naw buddy, these are two lane roads. Straight, narrow, sweet...perfect for racing, and with no one for miles...the drag racing "hooligans" are the only ones that risk getting hurt. I guess its a risk we're willing to take to have a little fun. At least we take precautions, the guys in that video just floored it down the interstate. (I'm sure most of us here have too, except those with strctly drag cars.) But the traffic was a little dense for what they were trying to pull...(obviously...) See ya.

I street race on occasion with friends that I know and trust. We like to mod our cars and run them, you know, to see how much faster they actually are. I DON'T however do it in the middle of town or on the interstate, i.e. the video. I could care less for that. We take our races way back in the country where Farmer John long since pulled the only traffic on the road...his '76 John Deere tractor off into his barn and retired for the evening. (We do try to get as far away from Farmer John's house as possible, I'm sure he doesn't appreciate the sound of headers/exhuast blasting through the air at midnight. I'm saying that I'm only 18, but I love to drive, and I love to mod, and I love to goto the strip, but if my buddy says "Hey let's go out in some back country and see what they'll do." I'll say OK. That doesn't make me some punk street racer. As long as we aren't endangering anyone else, there isn't any wrong being done, and we keep it very safe. Later, JB

The back hatch looks like something off of a Delorean or a Countach. Just my opinion... JB

We keep it safe. We wait until later in the evening, and have people on both ends watching for cars. i'm not big on racing like that though. I've talked most of them into coming to import day at the 1/8th mile strip with me. Once they do...I'm sure they'll be hooked to. See ya.

Well I'm 3 and 0 since I put on the racing stripe. Maybe it added some hp to the old n/a 280zx? lol I raced a Grand Cherokee (auto) with the 4.0L in-line 6...got him by a few car lengths. Then I raced an Acura (Manual) Integra...an older model I'm guessing, as I just totally blew him off the road. Had to be the 1.8L. I tried bragging over at zcar...but they just picked on a typo I made, so I brought my bragging over this way. I like racing the ricers that put on their mufflers and think they've turned into a drag racing machine. The Acura had some nice 17's on it...lol...and a muffler...and I'm sure he enjoyed the tail light display I gave him. 8) Haha, until next time (or until I find some silly kid in a Civic with euro tails...) JB

I took my 280zx n/a to the 1/8th mile strip the other day. (Yes, I know they aren't fast, shut up.) It was import day. (Horah.) <---Exagerated. It was quite a site. They also had a car show there. Some great rides...domestic mind you, and some nice looking Porsches, and a nice Mustang GT or two...there were also some nice looking ricers out there to be honest. Anyway...the funny bit is the first run of the day I line up against an Integra. Riced out. Exhaust, dual over head cam (yes he had his hood up) ram air, and a few other bolt on mods. My stock n/a beat it. No lie. Only because my r/t was quicker, but I won. His time was about .15 faster... Fun, JB

Wow. I wanna DRIVE! JB

Anytime on the weekends or during the summer is good for me since I'm a student...how about everyone else? My car is completely stock except the K'n'N filter. (Yeah yeah, I know, but I get a 10 year warrenty...haha.) However...new carpet, motor #2, new paint, 14 inch tear drops, Alpine CD player, tweeters, used (but great looking, and new to me) t-tops. I've put about $4,000 into it so far, plus the $2,000 I paid for it. Now I'm looking for a roller, a 240 or a 280 that I can build a hybrid out of. I like the '83 zx mind you, it's a great looking car, and I love the body lines...but a stock zx n/a just isn't quick enough. I'll keep it and restore it, while I drive a hyrbid or turbocharged Z. Anyone know somebody selling a roller? I can spend about a grand on it at the most, so it definatly doesn't have to be in tip top shape, just decent. Thanks, JB

I can probably deal with that. Sinistar rules. Later, JB

Well I'll check out some rollers then. Don't actually have one at the moment. I'm restoring an '83 zx n/a, and I'm gonna get another z (hybrid hopefully, but at the least turbo...) to drive during the restoration. Anyway if I go with the hybrid I'll be here alot. JB

Say I have a 240 chassis and $1200. I can get a 350 for $400, so now I have $800. Don't know about the tranny, and don't know much about them. T56's seem to be the way to go from the looks of things in here...? So, with my remaining $800, can I come anywhere close to a complete conversion. If not how much more do I need? How much do all the parts in the JTR...nevermind I'll just go look. Has anyone done a conversion for a g and a half before with a rolling chassis? Thanks, JB

I actually live in Americus now, west GA. I need to update my profile. Where are you at? JB

Anyone here from GA drive their Z(s) on the weekends? If you do I'd like to catch up with you sometime. Later, JB

Pics are comin'...I gotta get a camera from a friend so I can take some...hopefully I can get some up soon. JB

A buddy of mine is trying to take the Civic route, and I'm trying to talk him out of it...so I found this great looking Z near where I live. A '78 280z, loovers, original rims, great looking silver paint job, MSA billet racing mirrors, and an awesome looking interior. The previous owner had obviously done...something...to the motor, it had the chrome oil cap with the "Z" on it, and the chrome head cover...but I don't know if that was all he'd done or not. To the point... so we jump in for the test drive...and the drivers side armrest falls off. I frown and say something like it's 25 years old, if that's all that's wrong I'LL buy the car. So we pull out of the parking lot, and head down to the bypass. He's driving along, tickling the throttle, talking about the throttle response when I spot this old CRX with some kind of funky exhaust setup stopped at the red light in front of us. He's got this little blonde in the passengers seat, so we figure it's time for him to prove his car to his girl. We pull up next to him, and Jeremy gives him the "Eat this" look and revs the motor. While Jeremy is staring at this guys girlfriend and talking about girls and Civics, the light turns green. I start yelling "GO GO GO" at the top of my lungs, and the CRX's back end drops an inch or two and I hear the infamous weed eater sound. Jeremy steps on it but he's not used to a stick, so the burn for a second and then we're off. He's already ahead of us by two car lengths. Jeremy drops to second and the Z pulls hard. That's what I'm talking about, we're right back next to the CRX. By third it's over, we smoke him and jump back into the right lane before it ends and I reach over and hit the emergency lights...just to mock the CRX. Unsportman like...but...he had a blonde and he was driving a piece...I just don't understand. Haha. Anyway, Jeremy tries to get the guy to pull and talk to us, but he hauls ars, so my idiot buddy chases him all over town to talk to him...I'm telling him the whole time the guy doesn't wanna talk, and finally the guys pulls into a tint shop and hurries inside. So I talk him into heading back, but it was still fun smoking the Civic...even after that...he still wants an EX...what a loser... JB

I've pulled the in-liner, purchased the 302 and the T-5, taken the drive shaft to be shortened, had the car repainted, ordered a new hood ornament, ordered those pieces of molding between the quarter glass and the drivers side glass...and now I've gotta get someone to make me a set of motor mounts. Oh, I got the radiator out of a parts car I got for $250...and get this, the motor, tranny, and radiator were all in excellent shape...anyone want to by a 302 with a little over 77k miles on it? If not I'll rebuild it and make a drag car with it when I get the time. I'm going to put straight pipes on this job with 3 inch tips, and I'm going to tint the windows @ about 15% and put a 22 inch Z on the back glass. Then "In The Wind Racing" across the tint strip, and ITW on the front quarter panels for decals. Pics as soon as the motor is in. JB

Stock '83 280zx (na)...left the Dakota standing still...he was pegged between 115 and 120...it was a buddy of mine. I figure 125...maybe a little better. We were on a good stretch of road. His tires were stock, so I don't think his speedo was off too bad. JB

I need a tranny that will fit a 5.0L 302 I'm putting in an 83 280zx. I've seen where several of you mentioned the Borg Warner T5...then I talked to a a buddy of mine who was a mechanic, and he basically said that they sucked. What tranny should I get...I have an automatic off of a 302 5.0, but...I GOTTA have manual. Anyone know which I should go with? I'll just see if I can find someone who will swap me the auto for the standard. JB

Can I put a 5.0 v8 in a 280zx? How much $$$? How much time? How difficult? Is there a tranny kit, or will I have to buy another one? If I have to have another tranny...what kind will fit my z? If they have a tranny adaptor kit, where can I find them? JB