Savage42

Then you are expecting a very large settlement? I'd say a good $20k should at least get you started. Welcome to the beginning of a long road, my friend. "Been there......am there!"

Nope, the ring gear is matched to the pinion gear. You CAN NOT just change the ring gear and call it good. If you could do that, the ring gears would vary in size due to the number of teeth. If you change the ring gear ratio, the pinion gear has to be matched to that specific ratio. Hope that helps.

What you heard is correct. When I ran bias ply slicks, I'd only run -1 degree of camber, but -2.5 w/ radials. The easiest way to explain it is that radials are like stiff blocks and hard cornering will allow you to roll the car onto the outer edge of the tire and beyond, thus more negative camber puts the tire at an angle where you have full contact patch under hard cornering (at the sacrifice of less braking power). A bias ply slick will flex and will basically mold itself to the ground. Here's a visual: It's the difference between having a stick with a block on the end and another stick with play-doh on the end. The one with the block will need negative camber to optimize traction under cornering, where the "gumball" stick w/o it. I know that's a very basic description, but I hope you get the point.

Here's a reply from Phantom, who has one of the nicest LS1 Z cars: Lone Star 1 and I both have done the LS1 swap. He lives in the Mesquite area and I live in Arlington. Kit parts for the conversion can be purchased from John@johnscars.com (214) 426-4101. Cost is purely dependent on the parts you use and how much of the work you do yourself. All inclusive, I doubt if you can do it right for less than $7,000.

Just because you add displacement doesn't mean you'll again HP. There's no doubt that you'll gain torque and we know that "Torque is King". My buddy has a built 400 SBC in his 240 w/ ported heads and such. It's only putting out 300HP but nearly 500 ft lbs torque. Having a stroker is great for a driver, as the torque makes the car quick and very driveable. The only downside is that the 400 will redline at 5500 rpm, so the right rear end ratio is needed to take full advantage of the torque. HP is rpm related and the 400s don't rev all that quickly, but with that torque and a 3.36 rear diff, it doesn't need to! Just my 23 cents.

Oh, if you think that car is cool (and nuts), just wait until you see my hybrid Z, due out early '04. 8)

Well, the car is "one of a kind", and I don't say that lightly. The front of the car was mostly cut out and double aluminum A-arms used attaching to a custom sub-frame. The lower arms and uprights are RX7 with the upper arm from a Supra. Coilovers w/ remote reservoirs complete the setup, along with a custom sway bar. This allowed the turbo to be mounted very low, basically where the stock steering box & frame rail used to be. Here are pics with a detailed list of mods: http://kmhafer.datsun510.com/march_2002.htm Drivetrain: Engine: Nissan Leopard VG30ET Long Block: Stock, Euro camshafts. Throttle Body: 1990 Nissan Stanza (60mm) Turbo: Stock T3 (oil & water cooled) with modified intake housing (90 degree bend) Turbo downpipe: Custom 3" with provision for stock Nissan 02 sensor. Wastegate: Applied Technologies Blow Off Valve: HKS Sequential Boost Controller: Extreme BC, billet aluminum w/ manual adjustment Exhaust: Mandrel Bent 3" with Flowmaster muffler. Crank Pulley: 1987 Nissan Maxima (early) (smaller diameter than ZX unit) Alternator: 1990 Nissan 240SX (70amp) Radiator: Volkswagen VR-6 (part number 1HM-121-256-H) Intercooler: 1987 Mitsubishi Starion Overflow Bottle: 1993 Suzuki Swift Clutch: Center Force Dual Friction (ZX turbo application) Flywheel: Stock 1984 300ZX Turbo Transmission: 1985 Nissan 300ZX NON-turbo. Driveshaft: Shortened 510 unit. Front Suspension: Upper Forged Aluminum A-Arm: 1988 Toyota Supra Turbo (Front) Lower Forged Aluminum A-Arm: 1987 Mazda RX-7 Turbo (rear bushings turned 90 degrees to mount to Upright (Spindle): Modified 1987 Mazda RX-7 Turbo (upper mount modified to accept the Supra ball joint) Lower Ball Joint: 1988 Mazda RX-7 Turbo Aluminum Hub- 1987 Mazda RX-7 Turbo (Note: use Mazda spec lugnuts!) Aluminum Brake Calipers- 1987 Mazda RX-7 Turbo Brake Pads- Performance Friction Springs- Eibach 2" dia. 440# springs Shocks- Suzuki GSX-R w/ remote reservoir Front Swaybar: Hollow 1" diameter with custom bars- heim joint ends Steering Rack: Modified Datsun 240Z. Tie rods are modified Nissan B13 Sentra mounted to a stock Z steering rack. Front Wheels: 1993 Nissan 300ZX (16x7.5) Front Tires: 205/40/16 Kuhmo Ecsta 712 Brake Master Cylinder: Tilton Dual setup Rear Suspension: Rear Crossmember: Custom Penultimate using ZX trailing arms Rear Control Arms: 1980 Datsun 280ZX Rear Brakes: Stock 280ZX Rear Hubs: Stock 280ZX (Re-drilled for 5-lug and uses MAZDA studs) Rear Shocks: Tokico 5 way adjustable (1980 Datsun 280ZX) w/ adjustable ride height Rear Springs: 2" dia. 370# springs. Rear Swaybar: Modified Quickor Datsun 510 application Rear Wheels: 1993 Nissan 300ZX (16x7.5) Rear Tires: 225/40/16 Kuhmo Ecsta 712 Rear Differential: Subaru 3.70 Limited Slip Interior: Chassis Stiffening: Custom, fully integrated roll cage w/ easy access (painted black) Seats: '93 Madza RX-7 R1, black suede (front), stock rear seat Other: new windshield and gasket, new window channel felt, new door hinge bushings Safety: Pair of Momo 4 point harnesses, WINK mirror 5 panel, Chrome 10 lbs fire extinguisher, Vitaloni side mirrors Accessories: Momo Steering wheel with Datsun horn button Momo Carbon fiber shift knob Custom VDO cluster (6-gauges): Water temp, Oil temp, Oil Pressure Volts, Boost/Vacuum, Exh. Gas Temp Tach: modified 510 factory tach Speedo: Z car 160 mph w/ trip meter Switches & controls: 1973 510 headlight/wiper/heater controls that are lit up. Spare tire: '88 RX-7 space saver w/ aluminum wheel, aluminum jack & crank Euro tail lights and functioning Euro front marker lights w/ city lights Straight bumpers: Standard (front), Seamless (rear) Other: Headlights: European Specification BMW Projector Beam, 5-series BMW. Wiper Motor: Early 80s Mazda 626 on modified 510 base plate. Fuel Pump: 1984 Nissan 300ZX Turbo in-tank unit. Battery: Optima, mounted in trunk Paint: all original (except fenders) 831 factory off white Grille: Factory 1968 Datsun 510 w/ Datsun badge, polished & rare Misc. Engine was freshened up w/ new water pump & timing belt (only 12k miles ago) Synthetic oils in engine, transmission, and differential Performance: ** Horsepower: 325+ @ flywheel / 250+ @ rear wheels ** Torque (ft. lbs) 380+ @ flywheel / 295+ @ rear wheels ** - These numbers are based on dyno numbers and do not factor in a 5-8% increase due to intercooler efficiency while actually moving which cannot be simulated on dyno. 0-60 mph: 4.8 seconds 1/4 mile: 12.8 seconds (on street tires) Record Holder: 2001 Larison Rock Hillclimb Record in OSP-O (Over 2.5 liters) w/ 1:56.4 run Beat existing record by over 2 seconds set previous year by 2000 Mallet Corvette that runs the Silver State Classic in the 185 MPH and over class. Sport Compact Car: This car was featured in the November 2000 issue and has been improved since then w/ both suspension and engine mods listed above.

Well, here's a fact to just how strong those R160 LSDs are. As mentioned before, every diff I've seen blow up was an open diff and the spider gears blew apart. I've run the Subie (R160) LSDs for over a decade. Currently, it's in my 510 that I sold last year. My 510 has a VG30 turbo that was putting out 300 ft lbs at the wheels, putting engine torque at nearly 400 ft lbs. HP was 325 at the flywheel. The car has Z32 16" wheels with 245s in the rear and is a 5 speed car. I've run the car hard for 2 years, set a hillclimb record here in Oregon, ran autocrosses (those events on race tires) and daily driven. When I first got it, I did a 2nd gear, 150 ft power-brake burnout on video and done all this since. It's has several track days and a total of 4 years later is still fine. I'm working on getting hybrid on the road and would go with it as the V8 torque is the same, but will have an automatic. I'm going with an R180 because of the CV conversion, nothing else. So, there you go. If you can get a good deal on that diff, I'd go that way. I can usually find them for $150-225. Just put some Amzoil or Redline in it and you should be fine.

The general concensus is that an LS1 conversion will cost you around $7k to do right. The engine itself costs twice what an LT1 costs, with the LT1 & older SBC coversions being time tested and proven. (off the shelf, as previously mentioned)

Dang Bill, you better get some help!

I'd seriously look at a factory unit before going with a custom setup like Vintage Air. A friend went that route with his '71 510 and it is very extensive with wiring, routing, hoses, etc. let alone the $1500. He's a master at building and wiring cars and it was a project for him. Hope that helps.

Does switching to a 3" exhaust make a difference? Definitely!! Of course, the whole engine is a system, so depending on other things, it can really make a big difference. Here's a dyno chart from the VG30 turbo in my 510. The motor is stock, stock turbo (T3) & injectors. Custom headers, JWT ECU, headers w/ 3" mandrel bent exhaust, Starion intercooler, HKS blow-off valve. all bolt-on stuff! This was on pump gas at 15 psi. http://www.datsuns.com/Tech/engines/vg30et_dyno_savage_510.gif It had considerably less power before switching to 3".

You are right. You can get Wilwoods for $125-300 (each), depending on model & # of pistons, where the equivalent Brembo is $500-1000+ (each). Brembos are supposed to be better in regards to seals for street cars, but I can't justify the price.

SOLD!!

Actually, we've played around with that stuff around here. We have the second largest autocross club next to the Oregon region SCCA in Portland. I've got 2 friends that have done both setups. One has the motor set in the Scarab position, the other went back and low with his LT1. Technically, the weight is still sitting on the motor mounts, and actually has proved to have little affect on how the car handles. A little higher and forward actually gets the car closer to the 50/50 balance. The car that is setup that way is one of the fastest autocross cars in the state and hasn't been beaten by the other with the set back setup, although they are very close. So, in my decade of autocross and car building, I've yet to see any real advantages of one over the other. If there is, it's trival at best. Just my 2 cents. One final thought......I don't think 99% of the Zs out there are so sorted (handling wise) that a change in engine placement way way or the other would make for any real affect. I can see playing with it in a full-blown race car that is just dialed, shock valving and spring rates are perfect, adjustable sway bars, etc. Unless you run the car at 100% and are a top amateur or pro racer, I don't think 98% of Z owners would even be able to feel any difference. It's like when I ran our '70 Cuda factory Trans-Am car at Sears Point and it's at a point when 5-10 gallons of gas significantly changes the handling of the car. Now that's fairly dialed.

The best way to go is to make a setup that allows you to run Wilwoods on ZX struts with the stock ZX rotors, basically just replacing the "boat anchor" ZX calipers. Being a 510er for over a decade, I can tell you that setup would be popular, along with your Z conversion that also works on 200SX struts that many 510s use. Did I ever mention "You are da man!" ?

The rears are completely different beasts between the '79-81 and the '82-83. I've had both types on different cars and they aren't even close. As far as OE stuff goes, the '82-83 stuff is better, has a nicer caliper (looks like a mini version of the fronts) and the rotor hat thickness is dramatically different. Hope that helps.

I guess that depends on what you define as "better". The LS will run a couple grand more for the motor & trans, and just about everything is different in regards to mounting, install, wiring, etc. The LT1 is "tried & true", so there's no mystery in getting it go in. I think the verdict is still out on whether you can say one is "better" than the other. Is the extra cost worth a little weight savings? I guess that's the true question. Just my 2 cents.

Juan, you are the man! I'll never think of you as a saleman, you goofy-wacky fabricator you!!

The only pad I can recommend 100% are the Porterfield R4S pads. I ran them on my built 510 w/ 280ZX brakes and was always impressed with them. I ran went with the street compound and never had them make noise, work very well when cold (which is good for auto-x or living in cold places), and very rotor friendly. Even on track days, I couldn't get the brakes to fade and I am considered a master "late-braker" going by people under braking. It's the best $79 (per set) I ever spent and made the biggest difference in braking. Hope that helps. Oh, my sets usually lasted 2-3 years with daily driving, including 8-10 autocrosses, 2-3 hillclimbs, and a couple track days a year.!! Obviously, a 2200 lbs 510 won't use ZX brakes as quickly as a heavier Z, but I ran 2 sets on the same rotors because they looked so good.

Propane torch and make a mess......then I used to do the old hacksaw trick until I just decided to use a sawsall (slowly) with the piece in the vise and do basically the same thing..... but with power. Took less than 5 minutes to do the pair. Just thought I'd pass that along.