baddriver

Hey guys, my seat has always been a little uncomfortable, and I wanted to replace it, but the other day it actually broke! so I guess the time has come. I'm not that big of a guy, but I guess these seats just weren't ment to take a lot of abuse. Anyway, I was sure I'd seen some writeups on putting miata seats in your car somewhere, but my search came up pretty empty, so I've got a few questions 1. Where are you getting your seats and what do they cost used? 2. How much trouble is it to install the miata seats? 3. I know some miata seats come with speakers in the headrest, do they all have speakers? 4. Didn't we used to have an interior forum for this stuff? Or am I getting my Z sites confused? I figured this or the non-tech board was the closest fit. my car's a 260z, and I have been looking for a place to put some front channel speakers....... EDIT: I found what I was looking for here: http://www.hybridz.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=22230&highlight=miata+seats Looks like there is nothing to it, Thanks!

Where are we going? And what are we doing in this handbasket? Really, some great stories here, but I'm sure it's nothing new. Kids are kids. They don't know how much life sucks until you teach them, and even when they should know better, they do stupid things. I know I've done my share too!

Actually, Kawasaki has a whole line of motorcycle engines with rotory valve heads, been makin em since the 60's. This is a cool application for a V-8 though. I wonder with modern oils and materials, if we won't see a major manufacturer put out a v6 soon with rotory valves! from Amazon "Kawasaki 80-350Cc Rotary Valve, 1966-2001 (Clymer Motorcycle Repair) by Clymer Publications Staff, Jeff Robinson (Editor) List Price: $28.50 Price: $19.95 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. See details. "

The JTR stuff is specific to the earlier Z's. Motorsport auto has mounts for the ZX's. Typically prices are around $3000 if you already have the car. If you already have the engine too, figure $1000 or more to do..... Exhaust $300 Driveshaft $100 Radiator/fan $200 Fuel System $100 Mounts $200 Misc $100 to $1000 depending on what comes up. Things like getting the guages working, buying tools and renting a hoist, Factory service manual, sensors that were not included, air cleaner ducting, it all depends on which motor you use, FI or carbs, horsepower, etc. This does come up about every 2 weeks, so search and you'll find a lot of opinions on it. Many will be more informed than mine.

You're probably right that the horsepower is under 200, however that's still a good step up from the six and will make a fun, fast, and inexpensive V8 z conversion. If you are looking to build a good car thats a lot of fun to drive without spending a fortune, this would be the way to go. If this is a four barrel, than it probably has 1.94 valves, and decent heads. It will have a high-torque, low horse cam. You could install it as is or change the cam out and have a little more RPM. I wouldn't use a 2 barrel, as the performance is lower, and the fuel consumption is worse, plus 2 barrels usually had the smaller valve heads.

I would say you can probably get more money out of the camaro as is, and then buy an LT1 from a yard, but if you've already put a lot of money into the camaro, using it as a doner makes sense. You'll want an R200 in that 260 for the kind of power your putting down. The FI install is no big deal. If you don't already have it, I recomend the JTR TPI/TBI swappers guide. They have a nice section on converting carbed cars to FI, and they cover the reasons you need a fuel tank from a FI car, or a small resevour, to keep the car running when fuel in the tank is low. However, if you don't want to buy the book, its enough to say that you should use a fuel tank from a 75/76 FI car. You can use the driveshaft, but it will have to be shortened. In fact, you will end up using about half the driveshaft. The earlier (80's) camaro radiators will work, but I don't know about LT1 rads. You should only need a tape measure to find out for sure. I don't think there is any advantage to buying an aftermarket wiring harness, just take some good notes when you take the camaro engine out, and use the factory harness.

If I was putting a fuel injected V8 into the car, I'd use a 280z. If it was carbed, I'd start with a 240. Actually, I would probably start with the 280 either way, since it is a little stronger, and has the R200 Rear. (Assuming it's a manual) It all depends. Is light weight the most important priority for you, or do you want a less expensive conversion? If cost was my main concern, I would go with the 280 w/ an R200. If weight was my concern, I'd go with a 240. Currently I'm having more trouble with the cost, and I suspect this is true of most conversions. I started with a 260z, so I have neither fuel injection setup nor R200 rear, and it is not quite as light as a 240. However, I bought my Z to be a project, and so, the more I have to do, the more I am getting out of my Z. I Guess. Sure do think it'd be fun to drive it instead, though.

The biggest difference is that you need to remove and re-engineer the hood latch on the JTR conversion. This step is not neccesary for the scarab. This step is also not needed if you use an LT1, since the distributor is located in the front. The only other major difference is the shifter location in the car. The shifter will be a little too far forward with the scarab, but is in just the right spot with the JTR. So both setups have some advantages and some disadvantages to the install. Personally, I think having the shifter in the right spot is a better option, since once the hood latch is done, you'll never think about it again.

So for my 3000 mile street car oil changes, am I better off just cutting open the filter? Or would I really rather not know? BTW, I have a great source for high-powered magnets out of computer hard drives. They are incredible magnets and I can get them for under $1 each. Would they be good for this application? Or am I just trying to be ridiculously cheap?

There is an easy way to get the electric pump to operate when cranking, assuming you have a 240 or 260z. If you are using the existing wiring, just remove the 'crank' fuel-pump relay, connect the black and white wire to the green wire (these are the wires that the relay controls, basically eliminating the relay) The yellow wire has power when cranking. Connect a diode (Polarity!) to the yellow wire and then to the black/green wires you just connected (stripe on the black/green wire side.) There, now you have power when cranking. Don't forget the diode, or your car may crank itself. I just eliminated the mechanical pump on my Z and put in a full-time electric. Less than $30 at the farm/fleet store, and plenty of GPH.

The real price of rebuilding a motor is the machine work. The $450 rebuild kit is only the start. Boiling, magnafluxing, boring, honing, turning the crank, decking the block, etc. may be needed to fix the engine. All that can add up to the price of a new motor. If it's a low-cost conversion your looking for, I'd wait and get a running engine.

I have to agree with the folks telling you you'd be better off painting the car yourself. Get some inexpensive paint, and a nice paint gun, sand a fender off, reduce the paint by about 50% (I wouldn't use automotive paint to practice, get some rustoleum and thinner. You'll end up sanding it off when it runs anyway) and see if you can teach yourself to paint. It's really not too hard when you get the hang of it. The trick is not putting too much on. Even though it might not look fully wet when you spray it, let it sit a minute and it will flow out. Once you've got the technique down, get some good paint and do a few body panels at a time. When you get pretty good at that, prepare the rear of the car and finish it off. The paint will match fine if you are using an off-the-shelf color. Single stage is less work and probably a better choice for a beginner. Otherwise, do the prep work yourself, go to earl sheib, and take your own paint.

In my Chevy TPI and TBI swappers guide, written by the Jags that Run crew, they note that they don't find any difference in the fuel consumption of the 305 cars vs the 350 cars, even though the 350's have significantly more power. I think you will find that this is the case. Even though the size of the engine does have some effect on the efficiency, gearing and aerodynamics play a much larger role. I think that it is possible for the 305 and 350 to both efficiently drive a z car. As long as the gearing is appropriate (i.e. overdive) the engine developes the power needed, and very little energy is wasted. I have a long, drawn out theory as to why, but I am having trouble putting it down in coherent form today, so I'll simply assert that I am correct. Jeff

I believe all chevy small blocks, except those using the 400 sb crank, are internally balanced. The 400 crank is too large and heavy to completely balance internally (it can be done, but was not done by the factory) and so the flywheel and harmonic balancer both have weights in them to offset the crank weight. I beleive that the internally balanced, 2 piece main seal flywheel should work on a 68 327

Don't forget to re-torque the bolts after you've driven around a bit. check them after 50 miles, or about an hour of running time. Larger cams have higher volumetric efficiency at higer RPM's, but lower VE at low RPM's. Torque is a good indicator of VE. At the torque peak, generally the engine is operating at the higest VE. Any engine combo has different VE at different RPMs, high-torque motors generally have the highest VE, but it occours at lower RPM. There is no Ideal VE, greater than 100% is possible, but only for a limited RPM range. The trick is to get the broadest RPM range you can, thereby providing a broad range or RPM at which the motor produces good power. Roller lifters can do this by increasing the rate of lift and closing, allowing the valves to open farther in less time. Higher ratio rockers also do this, but at the cost of inreasing the stress on the valvetrain. If the heads aren't built to handle the stress, problems can result. Oh yeah, why is higer comp needed for a larger cam? Because generally the VE decreases with greater valve duration, and higer compression offsets this effect somewhat.

I've seen the optima batteries, but I don't know much about them, Can somebody give me the scoop? Are they lighter than conventional batteries? By how much?

Love the interior! The body-color halfcap and trim make for a nice custom look. Very nice looking Z all around. /jealous Jeff E.

Hey, everybody, thanks for the input. Hearing from a lot of people who are using the T5 is encouraging. I probably should have mentioned that I'm working on a 260Z. I searched the archives a while, but I knew you guy's all wanted to brag about your transmissions, so I posted my Q. The additional $75 for the speed sender is much easier to swallow than the $450 mod to drive a speedo cable with the t56, and I like my speedo with the high-beam indicator and brake-warning light that I only just got working. With the Transmission question out of the way, I only have to find a good design for an AC mount. I almost went with a TPI just so I wouldn't have to spend $$$ on new AC brackets, but I am convinced that I will find an inexpensive way to keep my AC, even if I have to weld the compressor to the block. Has anyone had a close look at the brackets for the LT-1 caprice with the towing package? I saw a picture and it looked like the AC compressor was mounted high like the S&P brackets. Are these available anywhere? Thanks again, Jeff E.

This has already been discussed quite a bit, but I am still on the fence about which tranny to use. My plan is to install an LT-1 350 from an F-body. The logical and recomended tranny is the t56 that came behind this engine. However, for half the price, I could get a t5, which weighs less, and will drive the speedo cable (an additional $200 savings because I don't have to buy a new electronic speedo) However, the t5 is rated to 300 lb-ft of torque, while the LT-1 is capable of delivering between 310-340 lb-ft depending on the year. (or is it ft-lbs....?) I might take the car to the drag strip once or twice to see what she'll do, but I mostly autocross and I won't be buying drag slicks. Could I get away with the T5, or will this be a mistake?

v8 guy: are you going to buy a car from a dude around fort dodge? If so, I think I know who is selling it. What it's worth is up to you, but if you decide you want to part it out, I can come by and buy some parts from you, I'm in Cedar Falls, IA. I have a long 'wish list' and have been looking for some parts. Drop me a line if you get the car or just want to talk shop. There is also a good import salvage yard in Homestead, I've been trying to find time to plan a trip. Jeff. england@uni.edu

Most paint companies do offer a flat black. Get out the color book and look for something you like. The color you want will most likely be in the trim/detail area of the color book. Look for something like 'Bumper Black' This is a flatter version of the high-quality topcoat that companies make for auto refinish shops. I am sure that PPG has something you could use. If cost is a concern, go with a single stage, much less expensive. Not only is the paint cheaper, you only have to buy one variety of reducer.

If you are planning a v8 swap with fuel injection and an R200, you might want to consider just getting a 280Z. They are a little heavier, sure, but that is because a lot of weak points were upgraded. Engineers do not add weight to a car without good reason. The 280Z would already be set up to run fuel injection, plus you could get one with an R200. The small additional weight will be more than compensated for by the V8 power, plus save you some time and money. If you really don't like the old bumpers, you could replace them with the earlier bumpers from a parts car for a lot less than an R200 plus fuel injection mods. I bought a 260Z, and while I like it, by the time I add the R200 and get it ready for fuel injection, I will have spent a lot of money that could have gone to other things. Just another point of view to consider while planning your swap.

Well, there might be a few more details,.. I've been looking at this swap as well. In addition to what you've mentioned, I think you should consider the possibility of needing New headers, the LT1 has D-port heads. Or get the manifold with the LT1. Or the headers you have may work. The T56 will not drive the original speedo, so you might need an electic. The fuel cell will work, or you can have a sump welded to the bottom of your tank, or use a small resevoir. If you want AC, you need the brackets mentioned in the post a few subjects down from this. I think the T56 is a different length than the 350, so a new driveshaft may be needed (someone else here might know for sure) You may need to change your tranny mount, as well. Sorry I can't be more definate, but it really depends on what you have and how much of a perfectionist you are. If your engine compartment isn't already spotless, you might also have to consider the 'while I'm at it, i could just clean up a little,...change some bushings...add some power steering...little chassis stiffening....gee, that's a cool strut bar.....

This post and the one on the AC for LT1 have me a little confused. If I put LT1 heads on an older small block, will I still be able to use the original accesory brackets, or do the LT1 heads have to be used with LT-1 accessory brackets? If that's the case, the low price for the heads seems to be offset by the price of all the new brackets needed. If, on the other hand, the brackets from the old small block will still work with LT1 heads, why is it so expensive to get an AC bracket that works? Won't an old camaro bracket from a junkyard work to mount AC? I am currently depbating between a TPI and an LT1. The LT1 gets points for being newer, more powerful, and having aluminum heads. It is also far more expensive, and the AC and speedometer issues (with the t56) add quite a bit to the cost. The TPI would be far cheaper, and the t5 will run the speedo, I can keep the AC, and if I could add aluminum heads for $300, I think this would be the way to go. I don't drag race, so I think the t5 will hold up to the kind of driving I do. Thanks for your help! Jeff E.

A motorhome engine is going to be a heavy-duty engine, small valves and a torque-making low-revving intake manifold & cam. To make it perform, you'll need heads, intake, and whatever fuel system you choose. The shortblock is probably worth using, but once have it rebuilt, add heads, cam, and a new intake, you'll be getting close to crate-motor prices. Crate motors tend to be priced a little high, but it'll save you a lot of work and time. it's really up to what you want to do.