tube80z

There's another really good reason to get the car ready for the upgrade first. And that's by the time you get done with all that work and expense new engines or engine combos may have come onto the market and tempt you. I don't know how many times I have done this backwards only to find by the time I finally can get the engine in there are far better options, which are often cheaper and more powerful. Even if you don't change your mind as the LS platform ages better and better versions will be available. Just something to think about, Cary

I really don't think it would be too hard to create a new rear strut housing using newer car bearings and stub axles. Perhaps something along these lines https://afloresengineering.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/2010-rear-upright-design-report-1-2.pdf. Cary

That just robs Peter to pay Paul. Reduce scrub and you add steering axis inclination (SIA). It depends a lot on what tires you want to run and how you plan to use the car. With power steering you can increase caster to help cover some of this but you can't go too far. And I suck and have only made it about half the way into trying to make a dual-balljoint front end layout in the suspension software I'm using (Susprog3D). I can move points around but need to have a basic CAD model to make sure they'd actually be doable. For my small 13-inch diameter wheels I think it won't work unless steering lock were severely limited.

And don't forget the trick of taking the isolators apart so you can remove the gap in the rubber to make the top solid rubber. This will reduce the amount of camber loss from the rubber deflecting under cornering and can save you dollars that can be spent elsewhere.

There used to be a Z that autoxed with us in central Oregon (Eugene/Bend) that used a circle track system pointing forwards. He had to cut a clearance hole in the strut towers for the primaries to work. He was using a 400 small block versus an LS. We also used to have a Ford GT40 replica that ran a set so I know what you mean about cool sounds. You definitely will want to have good hood ventilation to get both header and radiator heat out of the engine compartment. The video headers are going to have some problems when it comes to removing or putting them on. There needs to be a sip fit or flange (like your second image) between sides or getting them on and off will involve a lot of effort. If you have studs (a good idea) I'd bet they may not work at all. If you have access to a 3D printer head to Thingiverse as they have header modelling blocks and LS headpipe (https://www.thingiverse.com/XeonDesigns/designs, https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2800881). Hope that helps, Cary

I'm probably just piling on info you already looked at but did you see these, (https://www.hotrod.com/articles/venting-to-cure-crankshaft-pressure/, https://www.yellowbullet.com/forum/showthread.php?t=609182&page=5)? Is that how you plumbed things? I saw a number of people claiming on road race LS motors you need half inch (-8 AN) or larger lines to deal with the problem. Before I did any of this I'd make sure you don't have excessive blowby/leakdown from a broken ring. I should add that all this disappeared when we dry sumped Kipperman's engine. His locost that had a wet sump LS2 had some vented breathers that ran to a catch can and it was always having some oil mist come out. If you do want to think more about the dry sump I did my complete system using NASCAR take off parts for around $1300. Cary

There's been a lot of good replies to your question of how to build your car. I wanted to share some hindsight from a number of projects I've been involved with over the years. In the end you'll decide if any of this is useful or not. 1. One of the toughest decisions you'll be faced with is do you want a street car that can tracked or a track car that's street legal. Those may sound like the same thing but they are from from it. The first involves adding performance using the Z chassis for the most part similar to the Green Hornet mentioned above. The latter is much more like building a chassis and dropping the Z body onto it. This gets you more to a car like the Fairlady Z06 mentioned above. This also determines if you start with a solid chassis or you use one that's nothing more than the roof and doors. 2. Research, research, research. I'm not trying to be funny but you need to have the entire build plan figured out before you start. Then create a checklist and start crossing of items. This research and list will help you build a budget for the car. It may end up being a lot more expensive than you imagine (nothing wrong there) and you may never want an SO to see this spreadsheet. But if you've done your research and stick to your plan you won't but parts two or three times to get the right item. It will also keep you from having to figure certain things out along the way, which really adds up time wise. And lastly it will keep you from having scope creep. The latter can be a real killer of projects. 3. Determine/buy the drivetrain parts last. This is engine, transmission, wheels & tires, etc. If your project takes more than a year to build it's often possible better items will come along or prices in scrap yards will get better. The only time I'd say you can break this rule is if you have determined their is a specific drivetrain you're going to use and it's not going to get any cheaper and in fact may be harder to get later on down the road (L28ET for instance). 4. For the things you can't do find a good professional that can help you. While it's often tempting to use a buddies buddy or someone doing this from their home I've seen a lot of projects get stalled this way. This is generally around body and pain but could also be around having a roll cage built. For any vendors you plan to use take a look around to make sure they have a good track record. I wish you luck and good fortune on building your car. In the end there's nothing better than something you built yourself, well at least to me. Cary

I'd recommend Susprog3D. It's nothing fancy but gives you all you need to solve the DIY pick-a-part suspension designs. That's what I'm using to see if we can figure out a simple approach to reduce scrub on Jon's car. Cary

This won't be no project Blinky, that much is for sure.

That's a really good thread to read through even if you don't decide to go into that depth of detail. It will help make you a much better purchaser of suspension and help with what to ask for. Inverted monotubes are nothing special really. They are just an upside down shock and what looks like the large rod in the top of the strut is really the insert body. Bilstein or a good example of this. They are often used/hacked to create one off setups. There are a number of good threads around using them as a base. Hope that helps, Cary

Since this is a racing car you should really not be thinking about some off the shelf solution. I would either work with someone who can help you pick a setup for your car based on sprung/unsprung weights and the available grip you expect to have or go through the exercise of calculating that yourself. I would look very hard at inverted monotube designs as they have a much larger shaft to bushing ratio that helps with not only how long things will last but the amount of compliance that you'll see in cornering. You may want to check the rules you race under to see if there are any issues you might run into on that front. Don't get in a rush and end up buying the same thing twice. A little work/research up front will help you save dollars in the long run. Cary

One thing I might suggest. If you look at a new car and compare the chassis to the Z you'll find a connection from the rocker to the frame well in the front wheel well. This is the same area that saw a lot of work in the B&W pictures you linked to previously. And on our race cars we often put tubing into the rockers to make the floor stronger. At the front wheel end this was connected to the TC box. Very similar to some of the photos you have shared. Props to all the work to save this one. At some point these cars will be rare enough this will be commonplace. I'm glad I live where they don't salt roads. Hope this helps, Cary

Did you notice this is a ten year old thread?

That could easily be solved with using an oversize bung and adjuster added so you can change length on the car. I never bothered with my set as they were made in a jig matched to the arms that came off the car.

Rather than weld the mustache bar to the drop links you can make a new setup that's one piece and bolts in. Here's some pics of what I'd do for the inner frame. While this does use a mustache bar I'd replace that with tubing that connected to the uprights out to the mustache bar outer mounts. Then some simple triangulation would make it very stiff. Rather than use the H style control arm I'd move to one of the toe-link style arms that have been built by a number of people. In case you're curious these are the rear suspension pics from John Thomas' national championship winning FP car. Hope you find them inspirational, Cary