TheMission

Hey all threw HybridZ a bone in my thanks section... Check out the Z in June's Modified.

Sorry, I've been in hibernation mode for the last few months due to having another child and storing the Z for the winter... I pulled the Z out as she'll be showing at the Portland International Auto Show next week in a special exhibit. The Splitter is 3/8ths ABS from TAP plastics, with longacre racing spoiler support rods. I took the front valance off and laid it on cardboard and used a 5 inch circle with a hole in the middle to run along the edge of the valance and make my template... I transferred and cut the plastic from there. It's reinforced underneath with aluminum supports you can see in the following picks if you look in the grill area. Here's a few more recent pics and the last one from www.natehasslerphotography.com, that's an outtake from a shoot that's slotted to run in a major magazine in the next few months. Credit: Nate Hassler Photography

So I am finally to the spot where I got to weigh her and can update this thread with my results. I've got the SR20DET all pretty much finished, at least weight wise, and this is my outcome. I have no fans/heaters/etc..., full rewire with painless, fuel cell, auto power bar, corbeau seats, but stock dash, full carpet/trim inside. FG Bumpers. I'm 2300 with a full tank and me not in it on a truck scale. ~1100 front / ~1200 back... With a full to the top tank. I'm pretty happy so far. I plan to get her corner balanced when I get my LCAs and TCRs on, as I don't want to mess with the suspension too much until I can truly dial it in a bit. Then I'll know where it really stands, with incredible accuracy. All in all, I'm pleased with the results. I will change to a FG hood and hatch later down the road, as well as change out my super heavy wheels with some lighter ones and I believe I can cut another 50-100. There isn't much more I can take off the car of significant weight, other than really aggressive actions like lexan and undesirable mods that make driving it on the street altogether lame.

I just picked up front and back for 10 bucks locally after seeing them on a few Zs at the Canby show. I was on my fourth glueing try with the black dragon ones... The BD ones are just too plain thick.

Took it up the Gorge today and got some great shots...

I see 180-190 on the street on hot days and my first speed kicks in at 183 and the second speed at 193 and I rarely ever see over that. Oil temps are consistently 200-210.

Yesterday I spent a few hours throwing in a 4.11 rear diff, as the 3.56 was not the right fit for the SR20DET and Vildini and other shops suggested getting closed to the 4.09 that came in the Silvia. It's a whole different beast now. Boost builds quick, as the rpms hop up super quick... It means I'm shifting out of first really rapidly, but it makes it up in 2nd and 3rd with really strong pulling. I was cruising at 65 in 4th with my old diff and it felt luggy, now it feels natural on the freeway and the ratio feels much more balanced to the engine. I also finished up the front splitter and supports - Attached is a dirty pic, but shows my good first shot at it.

^Agreed. a Linelock solenoid after the switch and before the T will do the trick just fine.

I just did this mod... used 3/16th abs sheet... cost about 46 bucks at TAP Plastics to get cut in 17x60. I used a plastic 2.5 inch disc with a hole in the middle and ran it around the outside of the lip on cardboard to make the template. I also used some 2'' wide aluminum about the same thickness to bracket it up in the middle, going straight down from the horn mounts. Took a lot longer than I expected and isn't the easiest to do, especially getting the edges right.

I've been playing with the idea of a splitter, just for kicks really, so got this finally worked out. The pictures are horrible, as I finished too late tonight and it was raining outside, so I just took some garage pics, but I like how it turned out, especially for a DIY setup.

Thank you, sorry, I had a kid and haven't had the time to spend on the car... sleep is a priority! There are the Diamond 15x10 4.5 BS all around and fit just fine with the Flares... They weigh a ton though, so be warned. I've been hitting up some meets and such, so here's a couple pics. I'm doing little things here or there, but nothing radical for a while.

I'm looking for a 4.11 R180 rear diff for my '72. My current setup is way to high and I'm looking to get to as near a stock ratio as the engine/trans had on it originally. I'm in 97233.

Finally took it out to some meets this weekend... it went well. Lots of guys liked it and it's great encouragement to keep building.

If shauns kit is the same I picked up, is '85 300zx non-turbo rotors. I've got the prototype of my attempt at the bracket completed. I've found a machininst and am going to source, cut, and drill my aluminum myself to save cost, but need the machining to spec done by him... Here's a pic of my test fit prototype. It's rough, but all that really matters is hole spacing and the machining specs of the inner and outer cuts on the bracket. It looks nifty.

I had problems upgrading my braking system, but I'm really, really close to having the wilwood 1 inch M/C on and having my rear maxima caliper swap finished. I'll get the M/C on this week I hope and be driving around next weekend if the weather is nice. RebeccaZ inspired me to run a dual caliper system in the rear, so despite not really needing it yet, I have been working on prototyping a similiar bracket myself. I have it finished in plastic and am going to pick up some aluminum here soon to take to a machinist I've found to have him cut it and machine it to specs. When I install my rear disc swap, I'll use my prototype just to check fitment, then put the standard swap bracket on till I get my custom bracket machined and then swap that in later.

Edited.

Got brake issues to hammer out now, but ordered the one inch wilwood to be able to run the toyotas up front and maximas in the rear... Once I get that in, I should be good to go to drive around... Took some great pics today of the look now... (Some Artsy Shots Too)

Shipping is super pricey, but I run them and the only needed a little fit work.

I started with a MIG and agree... there is little car stuff that ever necessitates a TIG and it's a whole different world. Save some cash and start with MIG first with a bottle and once you've got that handled and have a few projects under your belt, invest in a TIG. I still don't have a TIG and don't see the need to get one at least while I'm working on cars and don't see any Aluminum fun on the horizon.

Much respect to RebekahZ for the response. I'd take that up Sunny. With a little research and some small encouragement, you'll be fine.

Mine is Laguna Seca Blue - Color is hard to capture right, it always looks different in person...

Shaun in Vegas isn't making them anymore I guess. He states frankly that he doesn't have anymore and he doesn't know when he is going to make any... So anyone else don't waste your time, (Despite him still having a CL post up regarding)... Datsun Parts LLC has the same bracket, although much better milled, so I've ordered that bracket and am going to sell it after I try to do the same as you RebekahZ. Someone will get a discount bracket once I'm done. I'll source the maxima calipers junk locally and rebuild them to save cost and get new 300zx rotors online. The idea is sound and I think there are others who will follow in your footsteps... It's just the brackets that make the swap tricky. If I can get them made cheaper, I'll see if I can pick up a few other guys to go in on it. If only I had a milling machine...

You've got me intrigued. I'll call up the guy in vegas and see if I can get a kit headed up this way and see what he'll charge to throw in another set of calipers with it. You may have something here... It's just the crazy cost you paid to have the bracket fabbed up that gets me. There has to be a cheaper way. If I go this direction, I do like the unit with the master built in - I found a great one here, but where to mount it will be the issue I'm sure. - http://asdmotorsports.3dcartstores.com/ASD-Universal-Hydraulic-E-Brake-10-Pull-Back_p_10.html Great thinking!

Well, she started right up today. I had to bleed the cooling system, and still have to bleed the brakes, but it runs and idles just nifty after sitting all winter. Once I get the brakes bled, I'll check the boost levels of the turbo and see if I can drive around a bit to ensure everything is solid. Hopefully by the next few weeks I'll be able to hit up some meets and take some pics of the dropped setup. I've lowered the back a bit more, and cambered the front in a bit, all I need to do is lower the front, but got behind and ran out of time today. The dual rear caliper setup for the hydraulic rear hand brake has me intrigued and I may try to emulate it, as it just looks fun to fab and a riot to run someday. I'm also back and forth regarding jumping into the Megasquirt PnP v2 for the SR20DET that DIYautotune just released. It's essentially two weeks out now and I'm hesitant to run it, but all the older miata guys really dig the setup and I've been playing with tunerstudio with the project and base tune they've built and the unit looks solid. I'd like to convert to MAP and have my braking system done by the end of the summer...

I've read that pulling both the handbrake and pressing on the pedal at the same time is weird with the inline setup, but technically, if the setup is correct, when the handbrake is not actuated, it should be fully flow through and not effect braking in any way. 4X4 Guys use inline cutting brakes all the time. This setup is a great workaround for the issue, but as I've thought more about it, and read more about the inline setups, this seems like more money, weight, and complication to workaround that specific problem... Although the bling factor and the fact that formula drift and others use this setup is sweet. Other than a workaround to the misgivings of the inline system and it's issues to adjustability, what would be the additional advantage of seperate calipers/brakes on the same rotor? Maybe if I can find a much much cheaper bracket solution, it may be tempting.