datsunlover

Well, if I'm not mistaken, that's exactly what the toyota caliper/300zx front brake swap requires; Spacers behind the front rotor. I can't see why it would not work for the rear. I'm running spacers on the front for my rims (FWD offset) that I made at work. 1" thick and 6" dia iirc, and I made them so I had to tap them on with a hammer. They are aluminum yes, but they are on the outside of the rotor. Been on there for 3 months of hard driving and I havn't had problems. For the rear, behind the rotor, I would recoment steel however.

I'd say this guy culd be right, sort of.. The only way I can see the slave rod becoming 'overextended' is because the fork it's pushing on may be bent/worn. IE it has to travell further to disengage the clutch. IS your car a zx, or a Z? I'm not sure, but would guess the older 4 gears have a diffrent throwout fork.. just a thought.

Well, I got my hands on a haynes book (87 chev truck, but it's pretty close as far as the FI system) and my eyes went buggy for a while trying to read and follow all those little lines! I think all I will need is key on power to the distributor, and assuming all else is hooked up proper, it should work. I'm still fuzzy on how the fuel pump is going to work, but I'm hoping a solution will present itself.. perhaps the mazda pump wiring will work without too much hacking..

Um.. thanks, theres some good info there.. the problem I have, is that this is a throttle body FI system and NOT a newer LT1 or LS1 system. I'm working on it, but thought someone may have already done some of the 'leg work' on this, and save me some time/frustration. I pulled the chevy ecu and dash harness out today, and tomorrow when I pull the motor/trans I'll get the engine bay harness. I can't see why it wouldn't work, but I'm at a loss as to where/how to power the computer.. and I don't like the thought of wiring it all up, and something frying or catching fire.. I NEED to know exactly what wires are what.. Guess I'm off to search the net for a 1989 Caprice wiering diagram..

Well, I did a search, but all I can come up with is LS1 stuff, or vauge references. This isn't a Z, but an 86 RX7 project btw...I figured you guys might be able to help me though, this site is awesome. I have in my posesion a 1989 caprice, ex police cruiser. 350/700r4 runs/drives great. Covered in oi, and a bit dirty, but what do you want for $160 (was $200 yesterday, I noticed the oli leaking as it was going on the flat bed today, and dickered with the seller some more. ) l I want to pull driveline and whole FI harness, to 'drop' into my mazda. (to get it going, I'll pull it this winter and rebuild maybe) Really my question is.. How difficult is it going to be to pull all the wiring and ecu/modules/ect that I'll need, out of this old tank intact? I'm not up on my chevy stuff when it comes to FI/electrical.. I don't know where evrything is, what it does, ect. Oh..and I've got 1 week to get everything I need befor the car gets towed to the J/Y. (it's on my bosses property right now) Is this even feasable to use the stock chevy electrical, and 'splice' it into another car? I know of a guy who did just this in an s10 a few years back, but thats chev to chev, and besides, he's not around lately.. I figured there would have to be at least a few people here who have done it. (Z car or other) Anyone?

Yup, nice lookin ride man.. just can't get into the color/scheme. At first, I thought there was something wrong with my video card. I was going to apolagize for what I said in the previous thread, but it got out of hand and locked before I could get the chance. I honestly didn't intend to be rude, I was just joking around. Peace man,

Well, ixnay on the fordney (sp? ) I found a better combo for my RX. Ex police issue 1989 chev caprice. Good solid 350/700r4, high miles but runs great, oil wasn't black, and it's FI. I figure for $200, I'm in pretty good shape. Besides, my boss has decided he can get $1000 out of his van out on the front lawn.. good luck.

Heh. Try a 90's 3.0l Ford Aerostar minivan. I helped a friend do them in his a few years ago, and did my boss's last summer. What a huge PITA!!! Go in through the 'doghouse' cover (inside) and hold your face just right as you snake your hands around evrything. Curse occasionaly when you drop the ratchet, or it pops off the plug socket.. remember to mark evrything in blood, ect. Took about 3 hours.

Well I've got some info after searching the web for a while.. Stock RX7 (13B) > Horse power; 160 @ 7000rpm, Torque; 140@4000 Stock 92' 4.0L Ford> HP; 160@4200 Torque;220@2200 Not as much horsepower as I would like, but I think this is a good start, as I'd be adding almost 100 foot pounds more torque right off the hop, at a much lower RPM. I think some better 'breathing' would free up a few more ponies.. I've discovered there is a world of hop up parts out there for the ford 4.0 (lots of guys using them in 4x4 rangers/broncos and the like) from cams to headers and ecu chips. Oh and if it's set up for a 4.0, at some point I could theoreticaly swap in a 97+ motor from an explorer. (and the 5 speed auto) HP; 205@5200 torque;245@3000. I have to check my bosses rearend tag to see what gearing ihis Aerostar has though. From what I've found, it may have anything from a 3.27 to a 4.11! Either way, it would apear the engine/tranny combo would be a pretty good match to the stock RX7, and it'd definatly be diffrent!

Ok.. this isn't a Z, but this place is full of knowlege and I'm hoping I can tap into it.. maybe.. Car: 86 Mazda RX7, auto, mint body/interior, no motor/tranny (was removed before purchase) Rear gear is a 3.93 from what I can tell, and I will be keeping it auto. Main reason for that is the girl will be driving this one. So I thought 305/700r4, OR 302/c4, both do-able. (I can find either, running in vehicles around the $200 mark) FI may be a bit tricky, but I'd like to have it. Then a silly though hit me.. my boss has a 92 Ford Areostar minivan he's not driving anymore. 4.0L V6, 4 speed auto. Recently replaced tranny, and the engine passed the last emision test with flying colors. I've drove the thing a few times last summer, and I was impressed with the 'umph' the thing had. (problem is it don't stop well, and it's a big BOX on wheels, so handleing is awefull! ) Aside from being ugly, rusty, and full of stinking garbage (kids.. ewww...) it NEVER left my boss stranded. Amazingly reliable vehicle.. Anyway, I can have this van for next to nothing, and I think it would fit quite easily in the engine bay, and push the 2700 pound RX around pretty good.. while getting decent milage and being cheep to run/maintain. I'll have to do some digging, but I'm gona guess the V6 will be somewhat lighter than a V8, and with some minor exhast/intake work, could make decent power. I have a good friend working for a Ford dealer too, so parts at cost and specs/info are easily atainable. What do you guys think?

A man after my own heart..

From what I've seen, that's what they do for all the police cruisers. I think that has more to do with 'easy to clean' though, than weight reduction.. A buddy of mine used to work at a car cleaning place, and he said some of the cruisers that would come in were.. really awefull. Imagine trying to clean various bodily fluids, blood, coffe, ect out of carpets...

Wow.. that's going to be like a tank in a crash! Really nice work there.. Out of curiosity, any guess on how much weight it's added? Not that it'll mater much with evrything else striped out and a 383 under foot..

As for 'junk oil' , thats what I called it in a previous post, although I wasn't talking about old used oil. What I think he ment (as I did) was NON synthetic oil. (I just used cheep wallmart brand oil for startup, changed it after heat cycle, and again after 500 miles or so. Running synthetic now) If you use synthetic on initial startup, the engine won't break in properly. My .02$ (canadian though.. whats the exchange rate today? )

Heh.. you're lucky then that that crowd is cool in your area.. all (but ONE I've encountered) the 350z owners in my neck of the woods seem to have no idea of the heritage of the z car, or even give my old car a second glance.

Some may remember the post I made a while ago, ranting about this kid who I figured had rich/stupid (you pick) parents with too much money. He was driving an amazingly well done 1st gen RX7 with a V8. Well, I was able to get a close look at it last night. The reall owner, the kids father was at a coffe shop, and is a.. well, 'aquaintence' of a friend of mine. So I ask him what really under the hood. He says "well, I just picked it up and don't know much about it.. It's a 355 I think.." Holy crap.. he pops the hood, and there sits the growling 355 all chromed and perty' lookin. Nice custom aluminum strut bar, evrything done proper and clean. Interior is all stock, factory guages all work.. I'd love to meet the guy who built it and shake his hand. Unfortunatly, the guy driving it now is a bit of a tool.. hmm.. wonder where his kid gets it from.. Anyway, he's got the big 'look at me, I'm so cool' grin on as he backs out... (this is a fairly big parking lot, with a few light polls down the center) In a lot full of people/kids/dogs/cars, he proceeds to light up the tires and do a big right hand drift around a poll, (almost looses it) which would have been kinda cool, except for where we were! He then pulls straight out (big no no, big drop off/slant.. you have to go out on an angle or) BANG Sccrrraaaaap.. moron... and THEN!! He gets out of the lot, on to the road and tears off again. Going into 3rd, the rear gets loose and he fishtails side to side, almost ditching it.. and off into the night he goes.. I looked at my friend, who is also laughing while shaking his head, and tell him to give me a call when he crashes it or blows something, I'll give him $500 for the wreck.

Actually, that means I HATE you! J/K

Just a FYI, the 240sx clutch, pilot bushing, and clutch bearing are all identical to the Z's from what I can tell. Sometimes the same part is cheaper, depending on what car you say it's for. I would think the 240xs starter would even work, although I can not say for sure.

Actually, I'll bet the 220 mark would be attainable.. I've heard of some people taking serious amounts of material off the head.. (like .060"!) the p90 (turbo) is the best flowing head as far as I know. . Then some good working of the head and a nice cam, combined with flat top pistons and say triple carbs.. you'd be making some good power, but it'd be expencive and a little hard to stay 'streetable' I would think..

I likey!!! Gota give it to them, they designed a great looking car.. too bad it'll probly never be produced as it is there...

Ahh yes.. but if your spedo *happens* to stop working, well.. the milage doesn't add up quite so fast.. (I actually pulled this stunt a few times back when I was a kid driving my moms car.. she'd check the milage, to make sure I hadn't driven all over gods creation. I'm a bad man, and I know I'm going to hell.. not for this alone, but it's on the list I think..)

Went out cruising today, ended up pulling out on to a road right up to a red light; beside a verrrry nice Porsche 911 convertable. (late 90's I would guess) I look over and say "Nice car." The guy (who is already looking at my Z) looks at me and say "Hey, you too!" I told him this is alright, but it's only because I can't afford a reall porsche yet. He comes back with this; "Hey man, back when I was about your age EVERYONE wanted a 280z including me!" (I was a little blown away that he figured it was a 280, as I have a 240 bumper and no emblems anywhere.. only way to tell is the dash board really..) So the light went green, and we both took off.. not racing, but driving sports cars as they are ment to be driven. Wound out 1st, got into second hard, but the next light was going yellow so we had to back off. (not to mention the mini van in front of him) He gave his 911 a big rev, and I followed suit. As I rolled past him, we gave eachother 'the nod' and a thumbs up. I thought this was really cool, seeing as most 350Z guys would just turn their nose up, but the guy in the 60K porsche was into my old Datsun!

Man I WISH my Z was that rust free!! Just my experiance, I find the flux core wire (no gas) welders do a really good job for this sort of thing. I pretty much put my whole Z back together with my 110V Lincoln. It has the capability to use gas, if I buy the kit, but I probly won't bother. Besides the Z, I've done so many 'odd jobs' now that the thing has paid for itself. Skidoo suspensions/frames, body work, old iron tables/chairs, ect. It's great.. I just plug in in a back yard or driveway, and it goes. If I have any serious welding to do, I use the 220V mig that my boss has. (.045" wire, lots of current, the thing just goes like crazy! ) Don't worry man, upside down welding is always a PITA.. God I hate welding over my head.. I have the scarrs to prove it..

This may or may not help.. On my 75 280z, I had the original starter and 4 speed. I swaped a KA 5 speed on, but that swap retains the stock 280z bellhousing. Then, the stock starter decided to fry. Local parts store couldn't get me a replacement (discontinued) so I got one for an 83 280zx. High torque model, 2 year warenty, and it fits right on. My guess is that you're alright with whatever starter you have, it'll bolt up.