JMortensen

Usually those kits come with instructions on how to apply, and it doesn't require cutting holes. For cleaning, I'd suggest you have a radiator shop clean it out for you, and then you can use one of those spot weld dent pullers to fix the dent.

Its pinch welded all the way around. I don't think you're going to get the whole pinch weld to release and then put it back later. You'd be far better off cutting a hole in the bottom and then welding a patch back in later (flushing it before you start cutting so you don't catch crap in the garage on fire, of course).

No kidding. I've seen several people say that they want to ditch the heavy stock tank over the years, but the stock tank has to weigh about 10 lbs max. The 12 gallon cell I just installed weighed 32 lbs. I think it's necessary for the dual exhaust crowd that doesn't want both pipes on the same side, and it's necessary for some types of racing, but people who swap out the tank for a cell that works with FI are making a mistake IMO. I'd put a surge tank in instead and save 20 lbs of weight...

If your springs are that short they're really too short. You need either coilovers and sectioned struts to run that kind of ride height, or some taller springs.

Nope, and that's why I didn't worry about having the entire frame rail absolutely sealed to the bottom of the floor. They didn't even attempt to do that the first time around... EDIT--Moving to Brakes, Wheels, Suspension and Chassis forum.

I really don't want to engage in an argument about why other sites are inferior or call names, etc, but I was responsible for that second guy getting upset. And as far as I can figure, an aluminum accessoried 350 IS about 40 lbs heavier than an L6. 550 lbs is the weight of an all iron 350. I don't have exact figures, but I was able to find one site that said 50 lbs weight savings on the heads. So figure less 50 lbs for aluminum heads, less 20 lbs for aluminum intake mani, less 5 lbs for an aluminum water pump, call it 475. Clifton weighed his L6/5 speed at 523 lbs. We know the 5 speed weighs about 75 lbs, so call that 448. Obviously this is a rough estimate, but 40 lbs looks pretty close to me. Might be less than 40 lbs. The problem is he wouldn't even research his answer. Instead he just kept being insolent. Maybe he thinks the L28 weighs 300 lbs. If so, he's wrong. At least Tony D clued him in that the V8's can be lighter than the L6, and lower, and further back, etc. I tried really hard to get him to stop and think before he responded, but he wouldn't do it, so out he went. No big loss as far as I'm concerned. Why the purists feel a need to come here and tell us how it is without any FACTUAL proof I don't know, but that's the way this particular one went down.

I think bj does professional video editing for a living, so we should be covered there, right bj?

Dry sump. Actually more than that I'd like a 2 post hoist in my garage...

Nope, I think it's something like 7/87-89 Turbo 300ZX's got them. I'm not sure of the month on the 87's but you can search and find that info. Anyway the 86 will not be LSD. Also 88 SS had a different viscous LSD. There is a lot of information about LSDs in the FAQ I put together. I think that all the pertinent stuff is covered. http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?t=116207

Actually she corrected me on the title. It's technically Melissa Mortensen, BS, MS, RD, CD, CSP. I forgot the BS and the clinical dietitian. Wow. As for replacing me, we're coming up on our 10th wedding anniversary in April, but we've actually been together since I was 17 and she was 16. I'm 32 and she's 30 now. Let's just say we work well together... Besides, at this point I could probably get some palimony out of the deal...

Yep Greg, the rain takes its toll for sure. I was just doing my taxes today and the accountant says "Seattle is beautiful 4 months out of the year" and that's about the truth. I don't know that I'd like a New England winter though... I guess I'm cold-blooded. Wheelman, my car is going to be a trailer queen when its all done, so even when it is done don't expect me to drive over in the Z. I don't really know how long its going to take. I've made a hell of a lot of progress in just the last 6-8 months though. If I had to guess I'd say it will be ready to drive in maybe another year. Don't know if I'm going to get a shop, but if I do it might go a bit faster. I'm really cramped in my 1.5 car garage now...

Without getting too political, I think we're in total agreement on this one. I am actually happier now than I've ever been in my life, I just don't like where I live at all. My wife and I did a lot of struggling over a lot of years to get where we are now. I think getting the Z going and doing some racing will definitely make it a more fun place to be. Anyway thanks for the encouragement. By the way I just looked up Newport, WA on Google. Looks like good fishing and cold winters to me. Good spot for a summer retreat...

I think those are the EMI plates. If not, they're basically the same thing. Search "biscuit camber plate" and you should find a lot of info. There is probably info in this very thread, I'm just too lazy to look for you. Question for the AZC and TTT camber plate owners: Did you paint the bottom of the strut tower, and when you adjust it doesn't it scrape the paint right off? I was thinking about this the other day and wondering if it might not be better to do some zinc plating on them before welding them in...

I can sympathize Justin. Figuring out where to move is a real bitch. We've spent a lot of time and effort trying to find a place that we'd both like to go, but it really is tough. I should probably roll this thread into my "Where should I move to?" thread.

The other thing about RC heights, at least on a Z, is that you really can't get them very high above ground in the front anyway. With my pivots moved up 7/16" from stock and my sectioned struts and camber plates installed I set my car on the ground with no engine in the car, and the control arms were just barely pointing up (spring perches all the way up). By the time the engine gets installed I think the RC would be underground, but now I've modified things so that I can move the control arms up about an inch from the previous spot which may again give me a slightly above ground roll center if I'm lucky. If you read the race car engineering books they all say that jacking is to be avoided, but if you look at a stock or mildly modded Z, the rear roll center is quite a bit higher than the front, but it's the front that doesn't grip. I'm not sure how this relates to your ZX Richard, but I'd venture a guess to say that you too won't be able to raise the RC much above ground even if you max out your relocation possibilities with the stock crossmember.

She autoxes in FP/L, and for what it's worth, I never did find dumb women attractive! This was what we were waiting for. Now the problem is moving. We looked at pretty much all of our options in the west, OR, ID, NM, CO, CA. CA was the most promising, and we were anticipating moving to Coarsegold, CA, which is just maybe 15 miles south of the south entrance to Yosemite. The job that she applied for there is no longer available, and while they offered several fill in positions for employees on maternity leave, that leaves us with no steady employment for her, and no benefits for either of us. So that was out. I really like NM, and we found a place outside of Albuquerque called Tijeras and I thought it was just perfect for me, but there were no jobs for her. Neither of us liked CO at all. Boise, ID was OK, but not so spectacular that we wanted to move there. So it looks like for now we're going to move out of King County WA, to somewhere in Snohomish County. Getting out of the county that Seattle is in means not having to pay for any more bogus Monorail projects or this stupid friggin tunnel they're talking about. Also cheaper home prices, cheaper taxes, etc. So that is the plan for the short term, and then we'll wait for that perfect job for her in a place that we both want to move to for a long term goal. I really wanted to get away from here, but the only other job option for her was Visalia, CA which is right in the central valley. That would be trading cold and rain with mountain views on all sides for insane heat and the third worst air quality in the country where you can't even see how flat it is because the smog obscures your vision, so I just couldn't bring myself to make the trade.

Well, it hasn't technically been received yet, but she defended her thesis yesterday and gathered all of the signatures she needs, now she just mails off the paperwork and waits for the diploma in the mail. This masters degree in Nutritional Science was supposed to take 2 1/2 years, or so I was told 4 1/2 years ago, but as with all of her education she did work her way through; I'm sure a full time student would have been faster. Her thesis had to do with homemade tube feedings for kids with gastrostomy tubes (feeding tubes that go straight into the stomach). It wasn't pro or con, just looking at the issue of HMTF and what affect making the tube feedings themselves has on the families, vs just using one of the formulas commonly available like Pediasure. Her review board said it was one of the best theses they had ever reviewed. Anyway, I couldn't be more proud. Mrs. Mortensen is now Melissa Mortensen MS, RD, CSP.

Dust boots aren't necessary on Tokicos, the shafts have their own dust seal. Bumpstops are. They are pretty durable unless you run them with ridiculously stiff spring rates or no bumpstops.

It's roughly 2". I'm figuring that because I know the strut insert and the strut housing is 1" taller, and I'm pretty sure the rubber insulator on top is also 1" taller than a 240. Don't hold me to it...

You could get a 280Z. They already have the strut towers raised about 2" from 240Z.

I'm not a welding expert, I've just been learning as I go, but I thought I should say something with regards to the 135 experience. If you just crank both knobs all the way up the wire comes out very fast, at least on my Miller. So fast that you won't get proper penetration and you'll end up with a cold weld that sits up really high on thicker material. I have found that it penetrates a lot more if you turn the heat up and the wire speed down, and then weld more slowly. Another trick to get better penetration with a 110V welder is to heat the tubing with a torch before welding. This is just not necessary with a 220V welder, but works for the little 110V units. 220V is the way to go in my opinion, but I know a lot of guys out there are like me and don't have a 220V outlet in the garage, so I wanted to pass along those tips for them.

Forgive my being critical, but it looks like the front tires are too narrow for the wheels and the rears are too wide for the wheels.

The accumulator has a valve on it. You rev it up, then close the valve. That locks in the oil at high pressure. Then before you start the next time you open the valve, that sends oil into the system before you ever turn the key. I don't have one by the way, but I'm tempted to buy one...

Yeah, it sounds like they really screwed up your car. I suggest you get a lawyer and sue their asses... :lmao:

If your stock vehicle locks the rears before the fronts you have a problem in the braking system. If everything checks out OK and it still locks the rears first (which is basically impossible) then I'd suggest adding an adjustable proportioning valve to the rear brakes which will allow you to adjust the pressure to the rear calipers down. Changing to drilled rotors isn't going to fix that problem.