5foot2

Search the page for "datsun". http://www.sportcompactcarweb.com/features/0212scc_speedweek/

I'd support it at the front and rear of the forward frame rails, then the trans tunnel (if it's solid) and 2 spots each side for the rear subframe. I might weld in temp bracing door jam to door jam from the drivers to the pass side (3/4" square tubing or the like) if I was going to cut out the bulk of the floor all at once. It would suck to have it shift with the floor out. Bad luck with the 260. Was the chassis done in by the rearend hit?

I've just started stripping down my 77 280, but it's going to get a 454/th700r for power. Looking at the few pics of BBC zcars I've seen online, it looks like you either go with a power robbing uber small air cleaner or mod the hood. I'm going to try and mod the stock hood bubble into a cowl scoop. A little wider and taller. I'd like to get a 14x3 filter under the hood, a 14x4 would be great.

wow, your my hero.... Can you fit a larger air filter underthe hood?

So hows the texture of the coating? Some of that bed liner stuff is pretty rough. Could be tough on the knuckles.

I've got a line on a r230 out of a early 90's q45. I'm curious to know if all the q45 diffs are LSD? Thanks.

Johnc, thanks for the links. The Currie arms look nice.

I guess if I follow your logic pop-n, everyone else here really wants a vette. Maybe you should read this page: http://hybridz.org/nuke/index.php. Pete Paraska's post pretty much covers it. By boxed frame rails, I was talking about welding in a solid retangular peice of steel tubing from the front subframe to the rear of the car, not "boxing" in the current framing.

I meant to post this link of this 4 link: http://www.progressiveautomotive.com/triangul.htm

I've got a 77 280z that has been in So Cal since new. We shipped it to Maine in 2001. the car is very solid, no rust in the floors, under the batt. tray, etc. There is a spot under the drivers rear quarter window that is rusted and pitted, and at the rear hatch area on the body (not the hatch). It's the hatch area that has me a bit stumped, it at the bottom of the seams where the body and hatch meet, above the tail light panel. The hatch framing is solid but both sides at the points are rusted through and fixing them will require cutting and welding. I was wondering if this is a normal spot for the Z to rust, or if this is just some oddity of my car. I'll try and post some pics tomorrow. Also, does anyone have a clapped out Z they're parting that they would be willing to cut some sheet metal off of? It'd be much easier to repair that way than fabbing new sheet with the tools I have at hand.

So I'm in the planning stages of a 77 280z. Power is going to be a BBC in the 468cid range with a goal of 450 HP (aluminum heads, intake, water pump, etc will help with the weight). I'm not sure if I'll use a 4L60E or a T56. In the rear I'm not sure if I'll go with an r230 and new shafts/CV joints or a solid axle (9" ford or 8 3/4 mopar). I don't want to run huge tires in back (8"-9", no fender flares), and the car will see far more street time than strip time. If I go the solid axle route, a traditional 4 link seem overkill since it's primary use will be on the street. While I was searching the interweb for chassis stuff I ran across some street rods that used the trianglated 4 link setup. It looks like a nice way to go for a car as small as the Z. Anyone here know about the pros/cons of this type of 4 link? Anyone seens this type of setup on a Z? The one thing I'm worried about is if the Z is to narrow to go this route, but I've not measured anything yet. FYI: The car will have boxed frame rails from the front subframe to the rear with the solid axle, or subframe connectors with the r230 setup. The motor/trans will be plate mounted and I also plan on doing a 4 point bar inside.

Thanks for the reply BBCZ. Great set of wheels by the way. Installing the motor all seems pretty straight forward. I'd like to hear about Your suspension mods (spring rates) and what your doing for a rear end. Do you know the weight distribution, front to rear? How is the cooling? Are the fender flares hand made? Thanks again.

Thanks Sparky.

jap_tin: I guess a cowl hood is the only real option with a carb. A tbi ducted to a filter in front of the radiator support may work. Thanks for the info.

jap_tin: how was the hood to aircleaner spacing with the stock intake?

*sigh* I was looking for a link or something about a car in the hybridz gallery, not a sermon, but whatever. I've looked into the weight differences and off the top of my head the std. BBC is around 200lbs heavier than a std. SBC (std. meaning iron heads, manifold, etc.). Aluminum heads, waterpump, intake, etc. offset most of that. Both motors share the same rough short block dimensions, the heads are larger so the engine set back will not be as great as some small block installs, but pretty close. As for torque turning the car into a pretzel, I'm not worried, subframe connectors are a given though I'll likely not install cage. I'm going to build the engine as per the Edelbrock power package specs: http://www.edelbrock.com/automotive/chevy_2c.html. I'd expect to see 400-450 HP out of that setup, torque should be in the 450-500 range. Not an insane number IMHO. Now I know I can get numbers like that out of a small block without much trouble, but I think I'll end up with a more drivable car building that kind of power with a big block. My initial plans also include a tremic retrofit T56, R230, coilovers and Wilwood calipers and rotors. Looking at the pic I posted originally it looks like under hood clearance is an issue. cutting a hole in the hood is not someting I'd do. I was thinking I'd follow the lines of the bump in the stock hood and modify it into a cowl induction hood.

Does anyone have any info on this car: http://hybridz.org/nuke/modules.php?op=modload&name=coppermine&file=displayimage&album=3&cat=0&pos=32 http://hybridz.org/nuke/modules.php?op=modload&name=coppermine&file=displayimage&album=3&cat=0&pos=30 http://hybridz.org/nuke/modules.php?op=modload&name=coppermine&file=displayimage&album=3&cat=0&pos=31 I've got a 454 core and a straight rust free 78 280z sitting in the garage. I've been thinking this would be a fun project and not radically different from a SBC swap, but I'd love to hear from others that have done it before I start.