Mikelly

If the body is in good shape, I would grab it. Look for rust in the bad areas, and if the car is reasonably clean, regardless of the conversion, I'd buy it as long as it isn't butchered. If it is a hooker or Scarab conversion, don't sweat over it as converting the conversion to the JTR is cheap ($350) and can be done much quicker when a V8 has already been installed in a car. Mike Mike

Over the weekend I got most of the unit welded up in the Jig and I'm probably gonna finish up the test unit tonight and test fit it to the car again for a final fit. The only issue is that buyers may have to remove a bit of material from the diameter the poly bushings on the outter half of the unit (Where the strut housing mounts to the arm). I'm gonna contact a source of Pete's today for some Metric Tubing, but I'm not sure I'll have much luck. If not, I'll go with smaller, rather than larger ID tubing to machine for a snug fit. Pete saw my workhorse when he came to my bachelor party Saturday night and can comment to the design. I'll get picks up this week I promise. I had a worm that got into my harddrive and took my machine down for two weeks and I could only get on from work, or once in a while on the kid's machine at home. Anyway, Lost a lot of pics and data, but I now have my machine back up and running and I'll take some pics and get them out on Yahoo... Now, the reason this process has taken so much longer is this: When Chris and I came up with the front units, and then our partnership broke up, I had examples already created to use as templates to make the front units. That is not the case with the rears and I had to go out and re-design them. These work like the front units but have two threaded blocks instead of heim joints. Now, here is the big issue: One of these control arms (Not one pair, but a single unit)takes about 3 hours to make. So after the initial sets that have been pre-paid are completed and sent out, the price on the rear units will have to go up. I'm not sure how much just yet, but it will have to to offset the amount of additional time it takes to make these units. About the rear units themselves, I can tell you this much: They allow about 1/4 to half inch of toe adjustment at the turnbuckle, which increases substantially out at the tires edge, and you will gain about 3-4 degrees of negative camber (Probably more) with these arms. The units are made of 1.5 inch boxed .125 steel and are heavier than the factory unit, and much more heavyduty. Thats it for now. I'll have some pics up hopefully by tonight! Mike [ September 10, 2001: Message edited by: Mikelly ]

That is probably the wing I will end up putting on my car. It works well and is highly functional. The 1st example isn't my bag at all... Sitting to high on the deck lid...although Pete is right, might be very functional. Mike

I tried to launch the link to view the pic, but it didn't work... Can someone provide the pic??? Adjustable is GOOD. My static wing cracked it the mounting seems when I hit the 155mph test run... I suspect it would have come off the car at above that speed or at that speed over a period of time... Mike

Cerberus, I use S&W regularly to supply me with roll cage gussets, tabs, Dzues fasteners, steel stock, and I have seen several of their cage kits that were fine quality. If you had issues with their kit, you should have called them as they have EXCELLENT customer service. Mike Kelly

Well as you know Jim, I too am searching out as much info as possible on which ECU/ software is the best way to go. I'd love a THOUGHTFUl and MATURE dialogue about which systems work, how well, how complex, and how reliable... and of course at what cost. I'm not a Ford guy, and I'm certainly not a Chevy guy. Last time I checked I was a CAR GUY and I don't have thin skin, as anyone who has met me face to face can attest. So what do you say guys... Can we continue with the original thread without whipping out our peepees to see whose is smaller? Mike Kelly Administrator

Well I'm gonna weigh in here... I know this Guy JR that Cerberus is refering to. The guy IS A GOD WHEN IT COMES TO TUNING... And Jim, One of your old buddies now WORKS for JR Over in Colonial Beach. This is the Same shop Brian Mandelay and Barry Brickner were going to for a few weeks to get data for their respective builds. They went elsewhere 'cause the guy is out in the sticks and isn't quick to jump on a project, and his schedule is tight... Guy tunes some very EXOTIC cars. Cerberus may need a lesson or two in Post edicate but he is stating what I know to be fact...JR has been setting up EFI systems for two decades and pretty much guarantees your tunning sessions not to go beyond 3-4 pulls. Now, from an ADMIN point of view, You guys need to tone it down PERIOD, and Cerberus isn't the only one who needs to cool it, Get it? Not everyone has the cash to dump into their projects the way some of us do and making fun of their tuning numbers is PATHETIC. KNOCK IT OFF. This is not what we are here for, and I'm a bit taken aback by some of the responses here. As for the comment about Chevy guy Vs. Datsun Guy... It defenitely said something 240Z Turbo, but probably not what you intended. 240Z Turbo, you are skating on VERY thin ice. I suggest you change your tone and do it quick if you plan on playing in our sand box. Mike Kelly Administrator [ September 06, 2001: Message edited by: Mikelly ] [ September 06, 2001: Message edited by: Mikelly ]

225-50-15s should fit with the right backspacing wheel... Which means you got yourself some tires. Unfortunately the backspacing on that wheel is your problem. On an 8inch wide wheel the ideal backspacing should be 4 inches, or zero offset as some refer to it. Zcars work much better with a zero offset wheel, so keep that in mind the next time you go to purchase wheels. You can get spacers for your ride, but that may require upgrading to longer wheel studs as well. Mike kelly ZF Racing Products LLC

Jamie T. and I did a little horse trading a while back and I gave him BlKMGKs old ITS Zcart shell and he agreed to do some poder coating for me. I picked up some of the stuff the other night and all I can say is WOW! That royal blue powder and the clear over it... I can't wait to get those parts bolted back up to the car. My official Kickoff for picking back up on my project is October 1, so I'll have plenty of motivators with all these beautiful parts sitting here staring back at me! Thanks a bunch Jamie, they look awesome! Mike

UPDATE On the control arm construction... I ordered the round tubing for the final sections on the rear control arms this past week... They sent me the wrong size tubing, so I had to re-order (They won't take back contrsuction material...so I'm stuck with some 1.25 inch tubing) the right size stuff and it came in on Friday. I'm gonna work on the stuff today and tomorrow, and hopefully get somepics up on the web so you guys can see the units. If all goes well, I should have a set or two completed by the coming weekend. I figure that once I get the first set done, the rest should come much more easily. More to follow... Mike Kelly

Sorry Tim.. I missed your reply to this post.. Yes I think the unit would be solid and hold shape, but it would require some serious time to clean it up and get it paint ready. Mike

Yup, used to use them as a vendor for my other parts a few years back. Another good source is www.stockcarproducts.com and www.colemanracing.com They have LOTS of very usefull stuff! Stock car Prodcuts is located in Richmond, Va. which usually means I get my orders within two days for regular ground shipping!!! Mike

A bunch of guys are trashing the Holley Commander ECU, which goes exact opposite of those few articles that have been written about it. On paper the unit is full of features and looks like a no nrainer purchase. I have e-mailed Holley and asked for some more info and have gotten some info, but mostly from their marketing folks. I'm waiting until December/ January timeframe to purchase my computer and Harness, as I hope more data will be available by then. Mike

Something that has been missed in all of this... Check your dipstick for a smell of gasoline immediately. If you pumped the pedal that much, most likely you have added a bit to your oil pan. This will hurt your rings and your bearings if you run the motor with a bunch of gas in the oil... What I recommend is that you check for this, and if you have evidence of gas in your oil, I'd strongly recommend not starting that motor until you do the following: A: Change the oil and the filter B: Pull the plugs C: Pull the coil wire from the dizzy D: Crank the motor repeatedly to blow any additional gas out of the cylinders E: Add a few Small drops of oil into each cylinder to help the rings re-lube/ seal F: Re-install the plugs and replace them if they were fouled. G: Replace the coil wire H: Take Ross' advice and buy a fire retardant filter and put it on I: Check the carb as it may have a stuck float J: Restart the car remotely with a starter switch that you can buy at any parts store. This will put you outside of the car where you can see if the carb is hanging up and flooding the motor. The reason togo through all these steps is to avoid washing the rings down so much so that you loose way to much compression in that motor. After having this happen on me several times I lost 10% on my leak down numbers from what the motor previously had shown. Gas is the rings worst enemy... Mike

JIm, I have a set out of the convertible I parted, but couldn't see a single screw last night... I'll start pulling the rubber gasket material off it tonight and see what I come up with! Thanks for the offer! I'm gonna try to make a run to Richmond this week and Swap Jamie some parts that are coated for some more parts that need to be! Mike

I'm lost... I cannot for the life of me figure out how to remove the trip from around the 1/4 windows so I can have the trim poweder coated... Any tips would be great... Mike Kelly

Tim, Go to http://photos.yahoo.com/dat74z and you can see pics of the MAS products front end... I have one, and I will only say that is comes VERY ruff. This isn't a Cervini quality piece. It requires a lot of finish work, but can be done. Not sure what we're gonna do with this one, but it wlil likely end up on Jamie Ts 71Z! Mike

Traction. As for motor... Nice aluminum heads, port matched, Victor Jr. Intake, decent roller cam, overall compression of 9.5-10:1 and rear wheel HP of 350 would be a REAL GOOD START! Back to the traction issue... These cars are light, so don't go building stump pulling torque. My car reacted well to a broad flat torque curve. Wide tires also help, which explains my fender flares on the rear of my car. Mike

Justin, Go to the Drivetrain section and search on rearends. If you get an R200 equipped car, I htink you will be fine for the power range you are shooting for. I'm running a 383 stroker with 490+Ft# of torque and I'm doing fine with my R200 LSD Rearend after many years of autocrossing with the L6 motor and now two years with my V8/T56 combo. Mike Kelly

I love White Wine.... Actually SHE is a convert as well, and I have turned her into a full blown Wino! Got the square tubing and the right sized washers, now locating the 1 3/16 ID Tubing for the outboard side of the arm. I'm still calling around, but I think S&W will be the right place... I got 50 ft of 1.5 inch .125 wall square tubing in Friday, and I suspect that a set of these control arms will east up about 6-8 feet of square tubing. I should have pics of the mock up later this week if the round tubing issue is sorted by Tuesday (And it should be). I plan to take this Friday of and work it all up to completion and start knocking the 1st five orders out. The Jig is done and it will make centering the units true to factory form pretty easy. Then all I have to do is take the welded up unit and cut it to insert the adjuster blocks, welded them in, and thread it up. THESE UNITS WILL NOT SHIP PAINTED!!!! I might prime them for rust prevention, but that would be dependant upon time. Mike [ August 27, 2001: Message edited by: Mikelly ] [ August 27, 2001: Message edited by: Mikelly ]

Actually I'll have to disagree with you Jim on the point of location... I've done my homework there, and in Spotsylvania County (In Virginia. where I live) I can rent a shop in an industrial park around the corner from my house with a lift already installed for $475 per month for the unit + buying the lift outright for $1300(1400 Square ft.) and figure another $625 per month for utilities, phone and computer connection. Now all thats left is insurance, employees, and supplies/materials. However, making ends meet with orders for such a small group of buyers is the gamble. I'd love to see this superstore located on the east coast. It would certainly help pump some more life into the east coast scene. Mike Kelly

John brings up several great points. My own concern with those molds is the volume of product produced from each as well. I also heard that many of those molds are not in the best of shape. Having bought fender flares from MSA, I can speak to the ill effects of change on a mold... my right side flare in the rear sits about an inch higher from the top of the tire, than does the left side. This was in the mold, not the mounting of the flare. Also, as John has pointed out, and as I have found myself, packaging and mailing parts can be VERY expensive, not just in materials either. It takes a lot of time to sit down and box up 5 sets of control arms... tagging disclaimers to each product, including written disclaimer info in the box, wrapping the product, boxing it and then getting it to the shipper... not to mention locating the right size boxes... I'd bet that you could get the molds from Dave for less than the above mentioned price, but I'd still be very concerned about the condition the molds are in. I hope someone les expensive than MSA buys the molds, and I'd agree, one large "Super Vendor" would be great! Mike Kelly

Well several of us knew this was looming in the distance (For almost a year now). In his defense (But not taking uo for his less than professional attitude with customers) It is a royal pain to box up and ship out products. One big issue with shipping large fiberglass is that there is almost 100% guarantee that there will be some sort of damage from the shipper. Dealing with the packaging, then the shipping, then the claims that will follow, then the cranking customer that didn't read the fine print on parts needing to be installed and finished by a body shop... I personally don't blame him for getting out of it. What is sad is that he hasn't been selling much anyway over the last 4 years for those reasons. Mike Kelly

My reverse is not hard to get into either... strange, but it never has been... My ears are open though.. Mike Kelly

...Well timing is everything... I just recieved a box with parts, did accountability and realized that I got HALF my shipment in... I have parts enough to make exactly 5 sets. I've got a call into John to get me double what he sent me, so hopefully I'll have the first 4 sets (Tsumner I didn't get your payment, but I did get Mark I's) plus the prototype set. Stay tuned, I start work on the mockup as soon as the square tubing arrives. Mike Mike