JMortensen

We used to have a REALLY fast EP Ford Fiesta in our autox club. You don't know how many Vettes and Stangs I saw pointing and laughing when they came in, and crying when they went out. Another case in point is the 2 separate Vipers I beat in my Toyota P/U. They weren't too happy either... Our club rented a track and I passed that Fiesta at about 40 mph faster than him. I thought he was broken!!! Sleeper is right, autox is definitely not a hp game. Jon

Dammit! Now I gotta clean up all those icons on my desktop so I can see the dang car! Jon

Good one!!! Turbo and V8 guys can take a joke or two or three, can't they??? We'll soon see... Jon

Good to know utvolman99! Finally a law that makes sense! Jon

Were you thinking like a NACA duct or something? I had thought about that for awhile, and came to the conclusion that it would be easier to do something routed to the radiator support (also high pressure area). That way you don't have to worry about sealing against the hood scoop, which needs to open and close. Jon

I think he WILL be able to buy his way out. I think most parents if given the choice to see him rot in jail for 3 years or get paid $20M would take the $20M. That's a pretty nice college fund!!! Sad, but I think true... unless the cops have physical evidence that they can prosecute with regardless of the victim's lack of testimony. What freaked me out was the story about the movie theater with beds instead of seats, and 2 separate bedrooms in a balcony like position with windows into the movie theater. Makes my skin crawl. Jon

I was waiting for that. I'd take the Pepsi challenge with a turbo Z too, on a road course or at an autox. They did specify "highway" driving though. Jon

Having bought Z's in CA, I can honestly say that I would go to AZ. My ex roommate worked in a Z junkyard in Phoenix, and he brought back cars and parts to CA. The parts and the cars that he brought back were unbelievably rust free. Made my stuff look like I bought it from MI. Jon

My old boss had a side business making Delrin bushings for 944 swaybars, because the power steering leaks right onto the rubber bushings and destroys them, especially passenger side. He and a machinist made an aluminum mold and injected the Delrin. It was a low pressure deal, not a high pressure mold. The problem they had was determining the correct hardness of Delrin to use. I would think that you would have the same issue. They figured it out through trial and error on the boss's car. You might have to do the same. Jon

I don't mind my G Machine solid steering coupler. Someone here got inventive and used a hockey puck. I don't think there is much practical difference in feel between a solid one and a poly one. Neither one is going to flex much. Jon

I get about 20 mpg on the highway... Jon

"It's like jello on springs!" Can't remember which Marilyn Monroe movie that's from, but I'll never forget the line. Jon

Remove anything you don't want painted, trim on the windows, the rain gutter trim, hell I'd even remove the door handles and locks, headlights, emblems, etc. Those places are notorious for doing a bad masking job, so you've got the old color creeping out from every corner where they did a poor tape job. Sounds like it won't be too noticeable considering the color of your primer is pretty close to the color you want to choose, but still, it is annoying (trust me). I always liked the black or dark air dam, flares, and tail light panel myself. Jon

You can mark the input shaft and the output shaft, stick a shifter in it, and check the gears to find your ratios. I would bet that it is the same as a 280ZX transmission. Another thing to check is for reverse lockout from 5th. Put it in 5th, then try to put it straight into reverse. If you have to put it in neutral and wiggle the shifter back and forth before it goes into reverse, and the ratios match, then its the same as a 280ZX. 1st gear should be right around 3:1. OD should be right around .8:1. Jon

OK, finally got this figured out. That is a spacer, not a crush sleeve. Pinion preload is set with a shim. Thanks again to Steve Golik who was patient with my long list of questions, and my second-guessing of his post which occurred because I was given incorrect information by an "expert". Sometimes it's hard to tell what to believe, especially when someone who is universally appreciated as an expert is wrong, as in this case. Experts don't know EVERYTHING, and it is the mark of a "good" expert to admit when they are incorrect, and an even better one when they say "I don't know the answer to that question". The expert in this case told me to stop asking him questions as soon as I challenged his "wisdom." Take that for what it is worth... Jon

Sorry to burst your bubble. Jon

Pull the cover and measure the ring gear. Just hold a ruler up next to it. Should be like 6 1/4" diameter if it is a 160. Jon

They use 160's in the WRX, the XT turbo, and even the big Outback wagon. I'm not aware of any 180's being used on stock vechicles, although I did hear that they used them in the WRC cars. I think you've got a 160. Sell that puppy to a 510 guy. They love em. Jon

That should be an R160... Jon

My buddies favorite IT story. There was one woman who asked him about 20 dumb questions a day. Here goes: phone rings... "Yes, can I help you?" "My computer won't boot up. It says something like non system boot disk." "Is there a disk in the disk drive?" "No." "Is there a disk in the disk drive?" "No." "Is there a disk in the disk drive?" "NO." "Is there a disk in the disk drive?" "NO!!!" "Is there a disk in the disk drive?" "NO Goddamn it!" "Is there a disk in the disk drive?" "NO!!! There is no disk in the disk drive." "Is there a disk in the disk drive?" "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRGH! Do I have to call your supervisor?" "Is there a disk in the disk drive?" "Why do you keep asking me that?!?!" "Is there a disk in the disk drive?" "................................Oh, thanks." click... I love that one because I know the woman involved. Sharp as a marble. Jon

I think the Z Therapy kit uses a ball type valve instead of a needle and seat. Jon

If that's anything like a Ford 9" you should be able to buy the other cross pin shaft, the other pinion gears, and the thrust washers and convert to 4 pinion. Do you know if that is correct John? Jon

John C, I wanted 13x7's for a long time with a cantilevered 10" slick. How does Ian do with that setup? Is he running cantilevered slicks or just an 8" regular slick? Pretty quick or no? I know the footprint is shorter with that smaller diameter tire. I figured I could get lower with a 20" tall tire without compromising geometry or travel, could have decent street gears for the drive up, and lower gearing when I got there. When I started doing POC events and track days I figured out that I had to run bigger brakes, and bigger wheels to fit them in so I've pretty much given up on 13's. But I'm still curious. Jon

I was being a little sarcastic there Bastaad. The 240 always had good handling, but it was good for the day. A stock 240 could whip on MG's and Triumphs, as others have noted. A stock 240 will have its ass handed to it by most sports cars today. Go to an autox and you'll see what I mean. A stock Miata or M3 will BLOW AWAY a stock 240. It's not even fair to try and compare them, really. They are in different classes because of this fact. But, you do some poly bushings, stiffer springs, good shocks, sway bars, lower profile tires (back then stock was like 87 series, I think) and now it handles much better. Not to mention all of that stuff is way past worn out on a 30 year old car if it hasn't already been replaced. Don't get all hung up on what the stock Z did. Just figure yours out. Get the GTech, go to some driving schools. Get some GOOD TIRES! You'll be happy. Jon

I for one don't doubt that you can make a box and save yourself $200+ Nismo. I just wonder how much engineering went into the shape. It really doesn't look like much. Maybe they just went with some standardized taper, if rc240z has one he could lay it down on a table and use an angle measure to help you. Jon