L8 apex

theatriks, what wheels are those?

Rebekah! It's you! Haha what do you run in the back of your car? Gabe at TTT keeps saying I won't break the q45-r200 with his axles...but I'm nervous

Yea I was considering flares...that decision would be a whole lot easier if the quarters were rusted haha. But they are original and solid. I can't seem to find if flares would help without cutting the wheel openings. I'm not trying to slam the car, so I'm not sure if I would need to cut. I am also mildly considering putting in a narrowed solid rear axle, then I could stick some fat rubber UNDER the car. (I realize tubbing the car is way more destructive to the body than cutting wheel openings haha, but it would be bulletproof) I don't know what it would handle like with that big of a change though. Would be a great drag car, but I don't know how the manners would be in the twisties. Also, update- I'm building a 408 LQ4 stroker instead of the gen1 383 now. Got a killer deal on a core, so I'm building a fuel injected torque monster fpr the street, nitrous for the track.

Thanks sleeper, btw- those are absolutely not my wheels for the build! Haha, they are just what was on there when I bought the car.

Hi everyone, I've been using this site for research along the way gearing up for my build. I just created an account, and this is my 1st post. I'm excited to interact and share my experience as I go with those I've mooched off of for so long! I've done a trial fit to check that the motor/oil pan/trans all lines up ok- so far so good! I'm now in the process of the final build on my 383, and about to pull the trigger on my suspension/brakes/hubs/axles etc. I figured I'd give up some info for critique from the experts (that's you guys!). I think I've ironed out most of the kinks of the build in my head, but maybe someone can catch me before I make stupid and expensive mistakes. 1st, a little history on the car/theme- I moved to san diego 5 years ago from Philadelphia, and I never knew such fun roads could exist! So I decided I needed a car that was more fun to drive, and after test driving a lot of cars, I bought an rx8. This was not even on my list of potential vehicles, but the salesman offered a fun test drive, so I bit. After driving such a light car, I can vow to never have a heavy "fun car" again! The rx8 was a hoot, but it didn't scratch my hot rod itch. After some digging, I came across the z cars. Amazingly lightweight, awesome weight distribution, ample underhood room, ginormous transmission tunnel, manual rack and pinion, strut suspension- I'm so in!!! Ok, now all I need to do is find one, being from philly, I've barely ever seen one- salty roads and weather wiped them all away long before my time. I figured I'd save up, and find a good specimen even if it took months. It took a day...I found a clean 69k mile, 1 owner, original orange county car for $1300 an hour from home- done! Ever since I've been reading and researching for the proper combination of parts that will satiate my "requirements" as a driver. It needs to be fast- stupid fast. It needs to handle- and not make me wish I had something else. It needs to look great- which Z's do!. It needs to be affordable- I'm not a "rich guy". (I could have bought a restored 63 corvette with a 9000rpm 302 or something if I were rich!) In all honesty, I'm really happy about the path I'm headed down with this car, and it really seems like a no compromise plan for not "classic muscle car" money, and it will be faster, handle better, and in my opinion, even look better. I can't decide if I really liked the 240 that much off the bat, or if I fell in love with it after staring and dreaming...I think it was both! Ok enough blabbering about why I'm doing this, and onto the technicals- This will be a street/strip car. Street because it would be a sin to build a drag car with the roads in san diego. Strip because theres no point of a car (imo) that you can't let fly. So the plan is as follows, 383, 11:1, brodix track1 heads, solid roller cam, single plane, holley 850hp carb (I build engines, that's the easy part). Should be about 550 horse on motor and pull to 7200 rpm, coming in around 2300rpm, trying to make it a canyon carver and a strip terror is tough for a cam designer, but my man says he has it covered... T56 6spd trans with aluminum flywheel and Ram powergrip hd clutch, good to 650hp as per Ram, and thats for a 3600lb car. R200 from q45, with techno toy tuning backing plates allowing q45 hubs, eliminating stub axles and flanges, while using q45 cv's with chromoly axles, and q45 brakes. Techno toy coilovers all around with tokico illiminas, 5 lug front hubs, and 300mm 4 piston brake kit. MSA sway bar kit, and quick ratio bump steer spacers. Possibly "zpowersteering's" electric steering assist kit. I have a shop on board to do the roll bar. For wheels I'm thinking 16x8, 5x4.5, 0 offset American Racing Torq Thrust II's polished. For tires, 225/50r16 front and 245/50r16 rear, maybe 45 series, not sure on that yet, need to do some measuring. I'm planning to use vintage air's system for AC, because the last thing I want is to get the car done, and loathe driving it because I don't want to stick the the seat. Soooo, what do you guys think??? I'd like to call out rebekahsz on this one, she always seems to have good input on stuff I've read before, plus the front tires are off the ground in the signature thumbnail Sorry that was so long winded everybody, I guess I've never had a chance to say all that to anyone that I thought would care before... please feel free to tell me if I'm barking up the wrong tree with any of the parts I've chosen, or if you have any better ideas, all I have so far is the motor, transmission, and car. The techno toy order is ready, and I'll probably order it next week after I build the car in my head 10 more times haha. (Ps- the body isn't as bad as it looks, just red paint flaking to the original yellow beneath. I think that's why I got it so cheap, in the craigslist ad, it looked like bondo everywhere!) Thanks to all who have any input or recommendations in advance.