blueovalz

3 pints???!!!. If the garage floor is still dry, that's one of them there enigmas. Even my hydraulic throwout bearing didn't use that much. Terry

now's the time for a plug check to see whats on the magnet. Terry

Intuition (plus observations of rain and oil smoke behind various air handling devices) tells me that a wing would work in this sense, but not a spoiler (i.e NASCAR). The wing is designed (help me out here if I'm getting too far off base here) to force the air up (thus pushing the car down), and keeping drag to a minimum (considering the application), whereas a spoiler is designed to create a high pressure center over the back of the car to help eliminate (or push) the low pressure over the top of the car. But the result is a big low pressure area behind the car, and a "rolling" vortex of air (axis parallel with axles) behind the car, thus allowing the exhaust gasses to pass back into the car. Anybody else??? Because I've seen some good air research out there before. Terry

being I am always having to do stuff alone, try this. Set the emergency brake to lock both wheels, then take a pipe wrench (or if a big one is not available, then use a big screwdriver wedged into the driveshaft U-joints) and twist on the driveshaft to immitate engine torque (tranny in neutral). I found that if I hold onto the piece in question (halfshaft), I will "feel" the pop as I apply torque on the driveshaft. Be sure to have the car's weight sitting on the tires to keep drive train geometry the same as when you are driving it. Sometimes a few degrees difference in the U-joints will mask the problem if the suspension is unloaded. Then just work back toward the engine till you find the suspect part (if indeed it is a joint). Terry

I did notice when I was doing this mod on my street Z (second one done) that the pinion seal from another manufacturer was slight larger than the first one I used. I went back and got a duplicate of the first one (orginal parts house), and it went in better. It appeared after looking at it that more rubber was on one vs the other. With the tight fit that these use, just a couple of thousanths (metal or rubber) can make a big difference. Cleanliness is also very important as Pete pointed out. Terry

Hi Tony One other thing I wanted to say about this is that I am using a grade 8 1/2" bolt through the steering arm, through the appropriate spacers (bump steer), and lastly, through the rod ends. A 9/16" rod end will screw onto the rack ends, but I did not want to enlarge the hole in the steering arm to accomodate a 9/16" bolt (cannot find a 9/16" rod end with a 1/2" head). In hind sight, this is not a big deal, and would do it this way instead of using the 1/2" bolt. It's just that the smaller bolt fits real good into the steering arm, and with grade 8 washers on either side of the arm boss, it was worked very well. Terry

Bearings will be the same (short and sweet). Terry

my guess would be to say 'not likely'. The reason is that the amount and shape of the material for the "hook" that passes over the rotor is insufficient to make it rigid with sandwiched material screwed together. I would more likely carefully weld a section of necessary width in there before using fasteners. This section of the caliper is prone to a great deal of tensile and shear loadings, and rigidity is of the utmost importance. Terry

Heads up! Be sure NOT to include the period (.) at the end of the above URL, or you will get an error message. I'll be a little more tidy next time. Terry

Just put up some of my pics of the fiberglass work just after I laid it up: http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumList?u=1541023. Check out "fiberglass work". I've got more to put on this list, but they will come later. The photo quality is not real good, but it gives you an idea of how ugly it is before it gets better. Any time you need any help on this let me know. Terry

You guys are too kind, and thanks. Newbie78 and Drewz; you can find the info on a January 16th posting under "Paint and body" titled "Terry Oxandale re: body styling". Also, www.carolinazclub.com has just put out a more detailed text of this same posting where I expanded on some of the details. Just click on the "Car of the week", and read it. Once I got the routine down with smaller parts, I have found fiberglassing to be within the realm of even the most inexperienced hobbiest. You can do anything you set your mind too. I'm a perfect example of this. Think it, and be it (kinda corny, huh). Anyway, thanks again. Terry

Unfortunately, it (well it was year before last) is E modified. You basically run against anything other than the formula cars. My competition was mostly spitfires with high HP Toyota engines in them, and the occational turbo Rx7's (radical). On the long courses (Air Force bases and some road course cut-in's), I didn't do too bad. The really tight courses where the Z couldn't stretch it's legs were tough. Terry

I did not draw up any plans, but this was one of the more simple things that was done to the car. Basically it started out as a rectangular plate held on by 4 bolts (original upright bolts). And this would have been quite sufficient, but at the last minute I added the end pieces so that I could use the mustache bar bolts too (not necessary for strength though). Very, very, simple, and the neat thing was that all the stuff that bolted up to it was perfectly aligned. But, I did have the differential mounted perfectly horizontal, just like the transmission output shaft centerline. It is important to have the centerlines of the diff and trans parallel. Terry

I bought my wheels from Billet Specialties. If memmory serves me correctly, the wheels were $425 per wheel (17 X 11 custom made on ANY or ALL of your dimensions you send in, with steel inserts for the lug nuts). They weigh about 22lbs. Then I bought 315/35R17 "blems" (cosmetic only, and have yet to see where it is) from the Tire Rack for $175. Total for a wheel and tire assembly was $600, which was far cheaper for this set-up than I could find anywhere else at the time. Terry

http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumIndex?u=1541023&a=11690373&p=41549393

http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumIndex?u=1541023&a=11690373

Sorry guys, If I copy and paste the URL, it works fine. If I freehand type the same URL or use the URL in the above reply, then I get an error message like I would guess you are too. I'll try to get this thing fiqured out. Terry

Well, I guess the image did not show up like I thought it would. Any you can use this URL to get you to the picture. http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=1541023&a=11690373&p=41549393.

imghttp://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=1541023&a=11690373&p=41549393/img

Well, here goes. Pete and BLKMGK both have been a tremendous help in getting me to a point where I could send this photo of the rear plate. Hope it works. (img)http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=1541023&a=11690373&p=41549393(/img). Terry

Also, the toe-in may change once these are put on so don't forget to check the alignment when done. The steering effort will be increased slightly with these, and I found when I went slalom racing, that I needed the extra help with the power assist rack, but that was mostly because of the 10" soft compound slicks, 7 degree caster, and a smaller diameter steering wheel. It was 2.25 turns L-to-L (very twitchy on the road course, and the steering pump belt was removed to fix that).

Back in '76 whilst I was beginning life as a young man in Tulsa, I came across a performance shop that had a Z in it with a 289 Ford V8 in it, with one of these scoops on it. He had the Cobra oval air cleaner under the scoop. This then was the spark, that 25 years later, manifested itself into my monster in the garage. It's amazing what one item can do to an impressionable youth. I'll not ever forget that vision and feeling in seeing that car. Terry

I'm not sure how to respond here. If you have more pedal free play, it would indicate to me that the clutch has nothing to do with the power at launch. I say this, because with more free play, you then have less ability to disengage the clutch from the flywheel. If you had no free play at all, then I would say that maybe the clutch could be slipping causing the engine to "feel" strange. IMHO you have a separate problem other than clutch. If you can let out the clutch (without adding gas) and it stalls the engine, In general, again, in general, the clutch is most likely ok. Terry

In reference to Trevors reply, he is correct in the improvement in handling with the increased caster. I increased the caster on my Z to about 7 degrees by moving the crossmember forward 1.25 inches. I found with this set-up that the wheel has a favorable increase in negative camber as the wheel is being turned vs the OEM 3 degrees. This allowed me to only use 1/2 degree of static negative camber, which allowed better straight line braking verses the 1 degree (plus) I was running previously. Simple job of welding an 1/8" steel plate over part of the crossmember that makes contact with the frame rails. Then re-drilled the holes 1.25" rearward, adding a short lip all the way around the un-reinforced (exposed) part of the new plate (for strength) , and then mounted it up. Obviously the T/C rod had to be lenghened too. Results: dramatically improved turn-in, and resetting up the car due to the increased oversteer. Terry

I'll try and get a pic or two of the plate I use out here. I've had several requests for this, but am unable to paste one on these replies. I sent a note to Pete to see if he could help me. Terry