PurePontiacKid

now that I finarry have some new/decent pics after getting her back on the road, I thought I'd post my car in here again: and the mandatory frame rail clearance pic:

This is how my intake looks after I shaved/filled it (N42 intake on a NA '79 with stock EFI) sometimes my car will do the same thing when I'm coming up to a stop and I let the revs drop. I can usually mostly fix it by either adjusting the TB a tiny bit more open (higher idle) and/or leaning out the AFM a bit (but messing with the AFM is a PITA and I don't recommend it for a novice lol)

Just a fyi, the wheels I test-fitted on my car had about 3.75" backspacing... so if you wanted 4" backspacing, those wheels will only tuck under the car another quarter inch. Now, since you're probably not slamming your car as much as I am, it should be no big deal if you run 245's on them, especially with a roll/pull. I would think that 245/45 would be alot of stretch on a 17" rim... Maybe go with 4.5"-5" backspacing and run even larger tires? For the front, I have coilovers, so I can only fit about 3.75" worth of backspacing safely. If you're not running coilovers, I think you'd be able to fit some 9" wide wheels under there with 4" backspacing without any big problems...

hack the muffler off? lol nothing quite like the sound of a straight pipe L-series

So does it basically sound like this? I personally don't think it's ricey, but I don't like the way it sounds. I've got a 2.5" exhaust with Cherry Bomb mufflers and no cat with my header... it's loud, but I love the way it sounds: I had alot of exhaust leaks when I made that vid, I fixed most of them now (along with altering the header quite a bit), but it's up on jackstands so I don't really want to make a vid with the car immobile lol

So what poor, un-thoughtful modification did I do? I got the idea to section my strut tubes from these forums, so I could have more suspension travel (apparently I didn't have any before, so this 2.5" should help, am I right?) I had the tubes professionally TIG welded because I am incompetent and couldn't get enough penetration on them with my welder. I got and modified a 1/4" thick 2" diameter exhaust flange and welded that to my strut tube for my collars to sit on using some new methods I learned. And from what I get, isn't most of what I did what some S30 guys do anyways to lower their cars more than they were able to previously? I admit (for the third time now) that my first iteration of my coilover setup was wrong in all ways possible, but it worked for me, I didn't reccomend that anyone do it, it's just how I did it because I didn't have the resources to weld to the strut tubes at the time. So please enlighten me on what is unsafe about my CURRENT configuration, because besides some strut spacers and other various small details, I see nothing wrong or unsafe about it. (and besides being "too low")

I understand that, I guess what I was saying wasn't coming across clear, I'll try to re-word it: I drove on my car daily for a few months with my suspension set at that height. When I set my ride-height, I made sure that I still had some suspension travel with the springs seated, which I did. Those springs are ungodly stiff, and only droop 1/4" to 1/2" with the full weight of the car on them. When I drove them, the only side-effect was that the car bounced alot when on bumpy roads, but rode just fine on a smooth surface. I never tracked or autoX'd it in that condition, but on the curvy roads that I took the car through, she handled them just fine for my needs, didn't understeer, didn't oversteer, just went through the corner. (I think there was more in it, but I'm still a n00b when it comes to corners). And I realize that the exhaust tubing wasn't the most brilliant idea, but it held up just fine, the only "damage" was at the very top where the threaded tube sat, it got slightly "mushed" down, but looked just fine when I took everything apart. Just a fyi, Yasin did used exhaust tubing as well, but he just used a small piece and welded it to the tube I know that they're waaaaaaaay too stiff, but I haven't gotten around to getting new ground control springs just yet, but they are on my list. I know my bumpsteer and everything else will be way off on my car, but with my n00b skills and 195/65-14 tires, I don't personally think I'll need anything more specialized than a set of bumpsteer spacers.

Hey now, don't be jealous of my ghetto skills lol at least now I fixed the problem, and yes I did drive the car DAILY with that much suspension travel (the car basically sat on those springs they're so stiff). it's what I had to do to get down low, and this is the reason that I had my strut tubes sectioned, so I could be really low, and still have suspension travel I'm surprised you guys haven't ripped into me for not using bumpsteer spacers lol

^The owner of that is a member here, I can't remember his username, but he was just recently selling/parting out a black '83 slicktop Fairlady 280Z

The only part of that I wasn't sure about was the "Deluxe model" part, since most people don't call them by that name. Also, I should add: S13/S14/Z32/Q45/whatever else of that era are all Short-Nose differentials, and therefore do NOT bolt-in. And have you actually checked for yourself under your car? Your car is probably a GL, so it would/should have an R200 anyways

ugh so much mis-information... late '87-'89 300ZX Turbo came with R200 and 3.7:1 gears, with CLSD --Bolt-in for 280ZX '88 300ZX Turbo Shiro edition came with R200 and VLSD --Bolt-in for 280ZX as well, but need different/custom axles 280ZX's that came with R180's: Non-Turbo Coupes 2+2 with auto trans Deluxe models with Manual trans 280ZX's that came with R200's: Turbo's Non-Turbo GL with auto trans 2+2 with manual trans (Now, I pulled that stuff straight out of my Haynes manual, so I have no idea of it's accuracy) R180 280ZX gear ratios: '79 Auto- 3.545:1 Manual- 3.364:1 '80-'82 Auto- 3.545:1 Manual- 3.545:1 R200 280ZX gear ratios: '79 Deluxe model: 3.364:1 GL model: 3.70:1 '80-'82 non-turbo: 3.900:1 Turbo: 3.545:1 mmmmkay?

just my opinion, but if the car you're building isn't going to be a super competitive track car or something, I think you're waaaay overthinking stuff...

^Or adapt an S13/S14/Z32 rear subframe in and get rid of the semi-trailing arm design lol

What are you planning to do about the camber? I believe the camber on the Z31 spindles is different (more positive) than 280ZX's... I don't think the camber plates will allow for enough adjustment? idk... something to think about. Also, your car looks like it's the same color as mine, am I right? light blue ZX's FTMFW. lol

^what! do you still have to use a rear sump oil pan?

none of it is neccesary. I removed all of the stuff on my motor, including the EGR (switched to an N42 intake) Basically, all you need on the intake manifold (speaking with the early EFI with the screw for adjusting the idle on the Throttle Body itself) here's an example of what I had done: And this was using the stock EFI.

^I'm not sure what you're trying to say there? 2+2 280ZX suspensions are EXACTLY the same as the coupe suspension... maybe you could run a little heavier (stiffer) spring in the rear to offset the little bit extra weight, but even that's getting a little anal. And yes, I just put my adjusters on there for show lol that's anything but permanent (I had run those before I cut them up to make them shorter)

He kinda just said that... They are basically a bolt-in, except you have to either reuse you're stock upper mount or drill a hole in the chassis (240SX only has two mounting bolts compared to the 280ZX's three) or create an adaptor like Project Car Mag did on their M30 Project. And this is what I've accomplished most recently: they're welded now, but this is the only comparison shot I have of the two...

very sexy. lol are you going to use them?

You thought about Falkens? You can get Azenis' for less than $151 a tire on like discount tire direct or something lol and I certainly hope you don't mean a 60 series sidewall with 245 or 255 tires... mosnter truck much? to be honest, if you get really nice tires to begin with, you don't need very wide tires at all. I've got 195 wide Falken 912's on my Z and I could barely get it sideways unless I REALLY tried. Of course, maybe I'm just a Falken ***** now lol

What type of tach is that? I know it's an autometer, but what model?

I'm selling my super nice ones for $200 There are alot of nice tires available, I was running Falken Ziex912 195-65-14 tires on them. Falken even makes an RT615 Azenis in 14", but it's only a 60 series sidewall, which would look kinda short on our cars.

-45 those are the same wheels I posted pics of earlier you're Kyle, right?

HOLY ****. the center console emblem, DO WANT!

I've got a pair of legit ones on my car, here's a couple pics I have of them... I don't have the one for the trunk though, since my car didn't have an emblem there when I bought it lol I'd actually prefer not to have repros made... sooner or later it'd end up like the Fairlady 240Z emblems, where you can't tell what's real and what's not, when you're getting ripped off or not...