datsunlover

In my exp. it's hard to find the GM T5's where as the mustang T5's are evrywhere... Depends on your area I suppose... I've heard the ford 5 gear can be made to work with a chev (swap bellhousings and use ford clutch disk.. or change input shaft to chev) but its a bit of mucking around. They call them 'World Class' but really they're not that strong.. if you go out and beat on them all day, they'll break. (Like anything really..) I know that Tremec (sp?) makes good tough trannys, but they are pricy. As for a 4 speed, you're probly thinking of a Muncie or Borg warner (T10 I think..) Those are great trannys too, but have the shifter mounted on the side and the linkage may cause you issues with the tunnel/shifter hole.

Well, mine DID run... then after the last 'run' trying to keep up with a mustain I guess I pushed her a bit too hard.. At this point it's got a masive coolant leak from little jumper/rad hose at the front of the block, a pretty bad oil leak from behind the crank pully, and a front frame that is rusting and ripping apart from the sway bar mounts... I'm pretty straped for cash right now, so unfortunatly, I havn't done ANYTHING to it in the last 4 months... except move it around in the garage to make room for the RX7. (Yes, I saved it from the portable shed colapsing on it) Not that I had much room to work to begin with, but now I have TWO cars in a 1.5 car garage. ???? yah.. Not much room to do anything.. I'm actually in the negative space I think...

If it's fubar, then thats that. I'd say just keep driving it as long as you can, cause you're not woried about keeping it right? The KA swap will require a bit or work, (machining of the bellhousing and maybe a driveshaft shortening) but I find that 240zx 5 gears are a lot easier to find, and IMO a better tranny behind the 2.8 than the stock Z 4 or 5 gear. (better gear ratios) A zx would be a direct bolt on as far as I know, but maybe hard to find..

Freakin awesome man!! I had an 85 s12 and I loved it.. great little cars.. We didn't ge the V6's up here, just the N/A and turbo 4 cyls, but they pulled pretty good. I wish I could find another one but they're getting few and far between now.. Gona be a crazy ride though.. does yours have the LSD rear end?

Yah, definatly stifen the mounting points. I slapped a 1.125" bar on the front of my 280 (got it used, unknown aftermarket manufacturer, sorry) and it made it handle great... unfortunatly, it's also ripped the front frame rails apart! The shear stresses on the sheet metal 'box' of the front rails is actuallly tearing the steal where the sway bar plates are bolted on. There are other issues with my car, so a complete front end teardown and re-build is needed, but if you're car is in decent shape right now, I'd put some re-enforcement in there if you do the heavy sway bar.

Oh yeah.. depending what year your car is, it may be another circuit.. I remember when I blew the rear brake line last summer in my 75 280z, the light came on. This was weird, because it NEVER works anymore when the hand brake is pulled, cause the switch is broken. Took me a few seconds to figure out why: then the brake pedel hit the floor and the car didn't stop!!! I think there's a sensor that detects the brake fluid being too low, and makes the light come on.. maybe just a fluke that you are low on brake fluid? (or you need pads/shoes, and all the fluid is in the lines, not the reservoir where it should be..) Or there's a really weird wiring issue somewhere else and something is shorting out...

Sounds like the switch on the parking brake is stuck.. (it's mounted somewhere on the handle, or in the 'pocket' in the tunnel iirc..) When you pull it up, the switch makes contact and turns on the light. It's suposed to break the circuit when you put the handle down, but sometimes they get sticky and it keeps the light on, even with the brake released. My 280z did this to me and it took a while to figure it out.. just a thought.

If you're looking for the better power, the 400 would be the way to go.. but if you want to drop in and go (IE; you're not going to go through it) I'd go with the 350 that you can hear runing, and pull out yourself. (it's always nice to take it out your self, cause you'll know where evrything went) As far as engines you can't hear run, I've been burned a few times in the past: "Oh yeah, it's only been sitting less than a year since I pulled it out of the truck, it ran great. I just wanted a 350 cause the 305 isn't worth putting performance parts into, ect, ect". So... I cleaned it up, painted it, and jamed it in the car. Discovered soon after that the cam was shot, and it had a serious oil burning issue... At the time I didn't have the know how to take it apart and check it out, and just assumed it would be decent. Sounds like you'd be able to lok it over yourself though, so I'd say the 400 is the way to go.

I don't understand wtf the first guy was doing?!?! Foot stuck on the gas?!?! Looked like a pinball game!!

Hell.. I could see a Corvette maybe.. but a CAVALIER?!?!? Oh.. and the bumper piercings? uh.. sorry, not cool. Actually... getting pretty close to GAY if you ask me..

edit..

Ahh yes.. I have been cursed before so you see... when I swaped the 4 gear for a 240sx 5 speed (using the original 4 gear front half/bellhousing and modifying accordingly) I took what was left of the old 4 gear, all the misc. nuts and bolts, and the old clutch and THREW THEM IN THE SCRAP YARD!!! Interesting tid bit, iirc the 240sx box has the same splines and nose as the 280 4 gear, so I just use a clutch kit/pilot bushing for a 75 280z. If/when I fry this 5 speed (the scrap yard car DID have 300k when I bought the tranny for $50.. heh heh) I'll swap to another 240sx tranny, or a 280zx 5 speed and again throw away anything left over. I hate getting parts mixed and matched..

I've seen a 240 that was converted years ago (done sometime in the early 80's from what I was told) to a built 350 chev pushing about 400horse and it had the origional STOCK R180!!! I'm thinking if the 180 could take it, and r200 should be good for at LEAST simmilar power.. I'm only running a camed 2.8L in my 280z (but I launch it HARD and really work through the gears) so I'm not much over 200 hp I guess.. but even at this low power, it's my u-joint axles I'm woried about to tell you the truth..

Well, I'm typing this from the comfort (well, relative comfort.. it's -30C outside and my house is poorly insulated..) of MY house! I rent a room to a guy (My boss's son actualy..) and he wanted the net. I told him to go ahead and get something set up, but I don't have the time to talk to people/wait for them to show up/set up evrything/ect. So today, he actually got it done! (this guy is pretty lazy, and it gets annoing sometimes.. but he keeps paying the rent so.. you know) I'll probly work a small deal with him on the rent, and we can have both our computers online through his router. On a side note, I'm still in the middle of reno's so there's junk evrywhere with the wires hanging accross, and draped over the monitor, a pile of drywall beside me, and my guitar/amp/gear in a pile on the other side... oh, and before I started the renos, this was the music room so the walls are half covered in egg crates (attempt at sound deadening) so as you can imagine, it looks like quite the disaster! I wasn't here, but apparently the internet install guy was a bit freaked out.... heh heh heh.. Oh hey... a buddy GAVE me his old digi-cam last week (doesn't focus in cold weather anymore.. ??) so I'll see if I can get a picture... it's pretty funnny. I still don't have any $$$ from unemployment, so going out to do things is pretty much out, but at least I can bum around on the net now!

I bought mine used, and can't say where it came from.. but it had 6 studs sticking out of the bottom to go through the hatch deck (two on each side, and two in the middle.) I marked and drilled them through the hatch, and used fender washers under the 10 mm nuts. Now, this just wasn't enough for me, and I had to feather in the top of the hatch anyway (as it was cut off a donner car) so I wanted it secure. Along the underside/edge, I drilled, and rivited about 10 large head rivits along the edge of the hatch, and another 20 or so allong the top (about 1" back from where I filled/feathered it in) and THEN fiberglass and bondo to smooth.

Well, it got worse.. but it's a little better now.. We had more snow, a slight melt and then more cold.. So the 'mass of ice' is now probly 4-500 lbs and the metal frame work is actually starting to buckle. I ditched school this afternoon and went to town on the garage/re-organizing project, and have 3 walls standing (real framing, 2x4's and plywood) in front of the garage door (at the front, in the driveway) so as soon as this guy brings the rx7's motor over, I'll wall it up, shove the Z into the 'alcove' I built, and roll the RX7 into the real garage nose to nose with the Z. I managed to move it forward about 1.5 feet today by prying it with a 1" square tube I had kicking around. Jamed it into the dirt on a 45* and pulled like a fool on the X-member... I think I bugered my back a little, but I'm in better shape than the piece of steel.. little bugger is bent on quite an angle now! Hopefully I will get the damn motor tonite, cause I currently have the back barn doors open a bit (wont close cause of the RX7 being there now..) and it's suposed to get really friggin cold for the next few days...

Heh.. you say that one's 'typical' rusty Z car?!? Wow.. wonder what you would have said about mine! (yes, it was much worse!)

I used a taurus rad in my first RX7 V8 and it blew up within 2 days. It was a STOCK 305 and a big electric fan going full out right from start up. I put in a howe racing rad and had no problems after that.

Well, I bought my truck from an old horse farmer. It's a 91 GMC 1 tone dually 4x4 with a 454. Pretty much a brute force and ignorance vehicle.. in 4 low it'll pull the arse hole out of the world... I'm not enjoying the gas milage at this point though, being broke and all...

Heh heh heh... never rains, it pours.. well, here it snows now.. Speaking of snow and ice.. I'm franticaly trying to put something together to cover the front of my garage.. Used (free) 2x4 lumber and scraps of plywood.. like a small extention into the driveway. In the back, I have a portable (metal frame, tarp cover) garage, right on the back of the house garage. (I put barn style doors in the back for access) It's frozen solid to the ground, and slowly geting crushed by the weight of snow/ice. ANYway, I have my old RX7 back there, waiting for a motor I SHOULD have had (and have paid for!) 5 months ago. The guy FINALY gets ahold of me last week, and sayid it will be ready this week. I went to see it, and it looks like it's about ready. (BTW, the motor may be for sale soon.. older 350 4 bolt main, .040 over, heavy duty internals and oil pump shaft, relieved flat tops, short water pump, all new gaskets/bearings/chain+gears, freshened heads, and a comp cam.. can't remember the specs.) I havn't done anythig else with the car, cause I couldn't justify spending $$$ on it.. not really a priority right now, just something I'd get to whenever right? Well, at this point (I discovered this last night) the roof at the right rear (the tarp) is saging down in between the metal rafters, full of snow and ice. Huge. I'm talking probly 300 lbs of SOLID ice and some snow, and the tarp is at the breaking point. Did I mention this ball of ice is DIRECTLY over the rear glass and quarter panel/tail light area?!?!?!?!? I put some plywood and a few tires on the car to hopefully deflect the impending doom, but I'm not hopefull... So unless I can wip something up really quick (and free, cause I'm broke remember), I get to sit back and watch my car get crushed. Welcom to the winter of my discontent..

Thanks.. but really, there's not much I can do except borrow money to survive the next 1.5 months. I have a job to go back too (and in reality, I could probly get better $$$ after I finish school) but I can't even work legaly right now, because I'm in the system as 'unemployed'. I really hate going to the 'bank of my mother' cause even though it's 0% intrest, I DO have to pay it back somehow... I guess I'm gona start trying too sell off some stuff.. I was hoping to get something newer, but it looks like I might sell the truck just to pay bills ,and buy an old beater ($500 junker or something) for now.. I'm FINALY getting a motor for my RX7 (been waiting for over 6 months for this guy..) but don't have the $$$ flow to put it in and finish the stupid car, so that's not even worth trying to sell right now.. I've toy'd with the thought of selling the Z, but it's in a bad state of repair too, and really, I'd loose my shirt on it..

So I'm a 3rd year machinest and just started my last 2 month training session. Assuming I pass, I can write the trade exam and I will be a 'real' general machinest. It's not going to make me rich, but it's a decent paying trade and fairly respected. Now.. here in Canaduh, under certain circumstances (sp?) you are eligible for 'Unemployment benifits' when you for example, get laid off, or if you work seasonal, ect. In my case, I'm in a registered training apprentiship program and therefore get laid off work for my 2 month's of school. Now, the first problem is they will only give you 55% of your normal wages. Yah, you are expected to live on HALF of what you're used to. On top of that, there is a 2 week waiting period before you are eligible. THEN (this is the kicker) I get a letter saying that because I took my vacation pay (4% held off every pay I believe) along with my last week's pay, that gets taken off my unemployment benifits, once I am eligible. It's great to be lumped into the same group as drug addicts, alcoholics, and people with gambling problems that can't hold a job and ussually don't even care too... Basicaly, it works out like this; I still have to wait TWO more weeks now (I've already been in school for 2 weeks) until I see any $$$. I don't have any savings left, and am close to maxing my credit card. X-mass hurt a bit, and I never really recovered, cause I started school. I can't pay the gas or hydro, and if I miss 2 morgage payments, I'm in danger of loosing my house. Actually, I don't know how I'm going to put gas in my truck this week.. It boils down to this; I'm trying to better myself. I am a law abiding guy, I'm doing everything by the book and the way you're suposed to, and I could end up going bankrupt, loosing my house, and destroying my credit... because I went to school. Sorry, just had to rant...

MAN... I got a good laugh out of that.. so did my girlfriend! I've pulled up on the wrong side once or twice, but NEVER stretched a fuel line over a vehicle... lol... I've worked at a gas station and I've seen all kinds of stupid crap.. one time a lady in a brand new Benz drove away with the filler still in her car!!! pop! (safety pop off worked, thank god!) She stopped and looked back.. "Oh dear... is my car ok?" WTF?!?!? People are dumb...

Dude!! If you can find out where they are, let me know! Most tilt&load trucks SUCK in any sort of mud, cause they're only 2 wheel, and ussually open diffs. Factor in all their weight, and it's a b!tch to get them out once stuck. I've driven my truck through mud and crap that has gotten tow trucks stuck, with no problem. Heck.. I even PULLED a fully loaded 5 ton cube truck out of the mud pit behind my work...(4 X 454 buddy!!!) I'm sure my beast would pull a couple old z's out of a barn... Maybe we could work a deal.. one for me one for you?

Yah, that sounds like what I've heard about the Rams.. I'm gona have a look at a few Durangos, but all I seam to find (I'm in Canada remember..) are 5.9l and 4.9l motors in the Durangos.. 304 and 360ci right? Also, I forgot to mention another one for the 'maybe' list, a 94+ GMC Yukon/Chev Taho. I say 94 because IIRC that was the changover year to the new interior and better FI/Vortech motors.. unless I'm mistaken? Thanks thus far for all the responces!