jhm

Hey all- Most of you probably know all this, but for those that don’t, here’s some useful info on Grant and APC steering wheels. If you’re a fan of Grant steering wheels (as I am), APC offers a range of additional wheels that are compatible with Grant hubs and mounting kits. They are also super cheap! Yes, they’re certainly not as well made as the high end wheels; but they’re hard to beat for the price. I recently ordered this one from eBay: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/steering-wheel-hotrod-ratrod-custom-apc-grant-w-horn_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem2a03be7224QQitemZ180451439140QQptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories I’ve had several Grant wheels in the past, and I’ve always liked the D-shaped Formula 1 styling, so I thought I’d give this one a try. Pics 1, 2 and 3 are show how it came to me (3 day shipping, by the way!): Pics 4, 5 and6 show my old wheel with the Grant 5-bolt mounting kit: If I wanted to, I could have even used the Grant horn button, but chose to use APC’s horn button and center pad for a more finished look. Even the horn buttons are pretty much interchangeable between Grant and APC. See pics 7 and 8. Pic 9 shows the wheel mounted for initial test fit... ....and pics 10 and 11 depict the final installation. I should mention that if you choose to use the APC center pad and horn button, you’ll quickly learn that the horn will NOT work unless you solder an additional lead from the button’s spring contact to the mounting hub. This additional step is necessary in order to complete the ground connection that’s provided by the black ground wire on the Grant mounting hub. No biggie, especially considering the low, low, low purchase price!! Feel free to ask questions and happy motoring!

http://www.xenons30.com/reference.html

HILARIOUS!!! Thx, Roger!

Some guys swear by the stuff....personally, I've used it with mixed results. You can put it in your tank when you fill up, or dump it straight into the intake system with the engine running. Best result I got was putting 2 cans into a full tank on my 2000 4Runner (110,000 miles). It improved the mileage by 1-2 mpg.

cmbromme- Don't know if you've found the info you're looking for....but I just did a quick search on "turbo" and "twin turbo" in the Chevy V8 forums, and got several hits. Here's one (excellent) example that may help you get started on your project: http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?t=143571&highlight=twin+turbo As jc052685 stressed, it's *really* important to decide on your goals for the car before embarking on a project of this magnitude and expense. Good luck whatever you decide, and be sure to keep us updated as your project progresses! jhm

Yep...like Stravi said, just pull 'em out. They are neither threaded nor notched. They're held in place by an expansion fitting....they pop in and out by hand.

Yes, all gauges are mounted from the rear. BangkokZ- You can try using thick double-sided tape to build up your original dash where it was trimmed down....might be enough to fill the gaps between original dash and dash cap. Don't know if you still need photos, but here's a few of mine (Half dash cap with original gauges). You can see there's a small gap (approx 1/4") between the dash cap and the leading edge of the gauge bezels). Good luck and happy motoring! jhm

Sounds like the timing might be off. Did you adjust the timing when you were putting the new parts on.....or did the vacuum advance somehow get messed up with the new intake?

I can't even begin to imagine how much he's got sunk into that thing... Beautiful car.

Sweet find...looks really clean (especially for a snow-belt car)! I'll bet that was a chilly ride home with no heater and the window stuck down!!!

I'm a big believer in their vinyl and fabric dye: http://www.duplicolor.com/products/vinyl.html I've used it to dye brown door panels black, as well as "freshening up" my black center console, carpets, and interior vinyl....all with great results.

Post some pics when you're done please! Where did you decide to mount the push-button? Thx!

Sounds like you got your wipers working....but just FYI, another source of wiper failure can be a poor connection in the wiring plug in the engine compartment. The plug is mounted high on the firewall (passenger side), and the connections can often get corroded. Easy job to open the plug and clean the connections.

Just so you know, the 280 panels can be made to fit your 260. It requires some cutting, drilling, and fitting; but they will work. I had access to a free set of tan 280 panels a year ago, and snatched them up. Dyed them black and mounted on my 260. They look great and they've worked fine for a year. You can see more at: http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?t=153661 Good luck and happy motoring.

ktm- Super clean look...love it! What kind of steering wheel is that? And was the "Z" horn button an off-the-shelf purchase or a custom fab? jhm

Yes, it should work. My late '74 260 has similar combination switch (operates the lights, wipers, and windshield washer). I believe this switch was used for several years on the S30's....only difference might be on late 280's, which had an intermittent wiper feature if I recall correctly.

Sold! Pleasure doing business with you, dhp...thx for the quick turn on this. John

http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?p=1098068#post1098068

Need a working clock for my 260. Prefer a quartz clock, but willing to consider anything as long as it works and is in decent shape. If you've got one, please PM me with price (shipped to 23602). Thx!

Kirk- If you decide to stick with an auto tranny, check out the 200-4R. While many people may prefer the 700-R4, it will require a driveshaft mod (the 700-R4 is longer than your TH350) and has a different gear spread than the 200-4R....which may or may not work well for you.....depends on your goals for the project. The 200-4R was popular in 1980's Chevys and Buick V-6 turbos, if you decide to go looking on Craigslist or other auto websites. Check out Bowtie Overdrive's website...they have a ton of good tech info for someone considering automatic overdrive transmissions. http://www.bowtieoverdrives.com/index.shtml Good luck and happy motoring. jhm

mbell- See recent thread on this exact subject...may have the info (or at least some of it) that you're looking for. jhm http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?t=156826

Thanks for the kind words, Sean. Sorry to hear about your front end damage....that's a real drag. Hope you're able to get her back in shape soon! Is that a plug from a block heater I see peeking out of your front grill? We (fortunately) don't have to worry about such things down here in Virginia...just bugs, heat, and humidity (oh yeah...and hurricanes!)

I believe the correct answer is "it depends". It depends on whether you have a 260 or a 280. If it's a 260, it depends on whether it's an early '74 or a late '74. It depends on what kind of mounting hardware you're using to install the 240 bumpers. It depends on whether the bumpers you're installing are compatible with the current body contours of your car. It depends on whether you want a "stock" look, or a "custom" look, on your front end. Not trying to be a smart-aleck....it all just boils down to your particular project, and your particular goals for it. Do some searching in the "Body Kits and Paint" forum to see what other members have done with their front ends. Lots of good ideas to plagiarize! Good luck and happy motoring.

Here's JTR's page on Datsun Z cars -- STRONGLY recommend you buy their conversion manual if you don't already have one. http://www.jagsthatrun.com/Datsun_Order.html You can also get some good tech data on all their headers from Sanderson's webpage. http://www.sandersonheaders.com/ "Nullbound" was recently selling some nice Hooker block hugger headers at a great price here on HybridZ -- they may still be available.

I second the recommendation on block huggers. They should fit fine on both JTR-type and Scarab-type V8 installations. If you're looking to economize, eBay has a bunch of decent block hugger headers -- I bought these and am really happy with both the quality of construction and the customer service. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/SBC-Chevy-Ceramic-Coated-Block-Hugger-Headers-305-350_W0QQitemZ220500631394QQcmdZViewItemQQptZMotors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories?hash=item3356dc9f62 I think most people would agree that ceramic coating is well worth the few extra $$. Regarding shipping, most major shippers (like UPS, FedEx, and DHL) have international distribution....so you shouldn't have to rely on the local mail system. Good luck and be sure to post your results after the conversion is finished!