Mikelly

Excellent points. I was hoping both of you guys would weigh in! Just trying to play around with all my matterial options... Mike, I think the TC Rod sees a lot more stress than people think, based on the TC Boxes I have seen seperated over the years. Keep the points coming guys... I have added more thread to the TC rod, based on feedback from Port City Racing on parts they have scene fail in similar situations. I also Agree that adding the steel vs. aluminum will probably be cheap insurance in the long run. Never sceen a TC rod fail, but I've seen some bent control arms... John, the control arm (I'll have pics up on my site tonight) will have a tapped steel block with a threaded steel unit coming out of it. Thread length will be two inches internal, and two inches exposed. The adjuster rube will be bored and tapped 3/4 16 right on one end, 3/4 16 left the other. Thread will be 1.5 inches each side depth. This allows a minimum 3/4 inch of thread (Heim joint or threaded rod) to remain within each end at all times, more for less negative camber. Mike [ April 26, 2001: Message edited by: Mikelly ] [ April 26, 2001: Message edited by: Mikelly ]

This is a good case of typing before I have had my first cup of coffee for the day... Other responses and my overlooknig the critical points you made in your initial post are spot on. It IS that little bushing at the steering linkage that is causing you problems...I had one of those Break off in a car once, first Z I ever owned. I couldn't drive the car the 6 miles to my house because the steering was basically gone. Thank God it gave way while I was in a parking lot. On my crossmember I plan to do a stepped approach with the unit Jamie has in Richmond.. Drill several holes. I won't be moving the point outward since I'll be running the adjustable control arms I'm selling.. Bumpsteer has caused many people to lose hair over the years, particularly in the Zcar arena! Mike

Havok, It was all one piece and then I cut the hood out. The plan is to use NASCAR type hindes at the front and Dzues style fasterners at the rear for the hood, and to have the whole front end bolted on with Dzues fasteners. BTW, I don't have access to a machine shop either... That is my home garage attached to my house... I have a nice compressor and a mig welder, and some power and air tools... Mike

OK guys, I need help... I need honest feedback from the racer types out there. I bought some T6061 aluminum stock and started playing around with it for making mockups of my control arms. Stuff is strong as hell, and Coleman can cut to my specifications any length of the tubing in either aluminum or mild steel. The new contorl arm design has a threaded rod coming out of the contorl arm box just past the Sway bar end link point. That rod will screw into a 4 inch long threaded tube, of course threaded right on the CA end and left on the inboard end (Towards the Rodend). It is my believe, based on the fact that I drove on the old Zdr control arms for 7 years with aluminum rod ends in them, that using the T6061 may be all I need in this design. What do you guys think? There is no performance gain, or (About $.62 price difference) price break going aluminum or steel. Obviously the aluminum comes anodized and would look sharp. I'm just trying to get your honest feed back and thoughts.. The new design does away completely with the female heim joint and turnbuckle. This newer design uses high stregth threaded steel (Grade 8 or higher), and based on the lack of load on the part, I think this new unit will be bomb proof even with aluminum. Feedback please... Mike

Guys, Hotrod Magazine did a tech article a while back on making a RamAir kit with an existing triangular Edelbrock air box, some simple stuff from the local Lowes Applience department (i.e. Drier ducting and bends) and it looked as good as that unit I bought. As for the holes in the radiator core support, remember, those are for your fresh air ducting into the car... as Donna and I found out last year... Unless you have A/C (And we don't), plan to sweat a Lot in the summer time. I'm planning to run a big Dual NACA Duct ALA new Vipers right at the rise on the new fiberglass hood. I'm planning on getting the twin hose unit and glassing it in, and then running short ducting to my box. BTW, I had to give up an inch on the filter, as I don't have enough room under hood for a 4 inch element. Did it hurt my performance? Maybe, but it helped in the sense that my motor isn't huffing in all that hot Under hood air. I guess the other choice would be to glass in a shelf for one of those cone filters to sit in at the snorkle and run a single 4 inch tube to the air horn Pete Mentioned... Ideas Ideas... Mike

Brad, If you look at my car in featured rides, and look at the stance, that stance was with Motorsport springs (1.5 inches shorter) and Koni inserts. Mike/SCCA is correct, no need to go to all that work unless you want to put REALLY wide tires on the car, which would require smaller daimeter springs and relocation of the perch. I'd look for a set of Eiboch springs and some Tokico Premium struts, and s[pend the rest of the "Savings" from not having to do a sectioned strut/ Coilover and spend it on good bushings throughout, and an upgrade on the brakes! Mike

...Can be seen at: http://photos.yahoo.com/dat74z Scrole to the end to see them! Mike

Yup, it sure is subjective... I have a complete MSD setup on my car, form plugwires to coil and ignition box, to distributor. But, as Mike points out, the Hi6 is a well built, digital unit that has nice features... Mike Kelly ------------------ http://hometown.aol.com/dat74z/myhomepage/auto.html "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk

Well I used to think they were the most notchy trans ever made, excepting maybe the Jerico. However, My "Soon to be Brother in law" just put a Richmond 4speed in his ws3 Olds 442 and that trans is the smoothest shifting trans I have ever thrown a hand on. And that thing is pushing a 4000# car around. Also, Richmond transmissions are bullet proof. They aren't cheap, but you do get a WIDE selection of gear choices.. However, those external linkages would most likely give you fits I'm sure! Mike ------------------ http://hometown.aol.com/dat74z/myhomepage/auto.html "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk [This message has been edited by Mikelly (edited April 23, 2001).]

Pete...Shame on you.... You can't Put Biondo's 5 speed in with the rest of those T5s.... Jim's 5 speed was gutted and had custom EVERTHING done to it, which explains its survivability in that car!!!! (I'm just bustin' chops!) Anyway, I think that using a World Class T5 or a Tremec would be fine for anything less than 400Ft.# of torque, which is the real killer on T5s... Also, as someone else pointed out earlier... those T5 failures you hear about, those were in Camaros and 'stangs that outweigh the Z by 400-500#! Put a T5 in a 2700# Z and you might just be fine even with 400ft.# of torque. In my opinion, and I have one in my car, the T56 is overkill for most of the guys out there, but does add that "Cool Factor" that everyone loves! Mike ------------------ http://hometown.aol.com/dat74z/myhomepage/auto.html "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk [This message has been edited by Mikelly (edited April 23, 2001).]

Yup, I have the solid front bushing and poly rear mustach bushings and I don't notive a difference. Mike ------------------ http://hometown.aol.com/dat74z/myhomepage/auto.html "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk

OK, here is one big concern... You tightened up the front suspension bushings, threw new struts and springs in all the way around, and lowered the car... You have old worn out bushings on the rear... The reason your car is twitchy could be because of the new High Zoot V or Z rated tires that are also taller, and tend to hunt for the groove in pavement, but I'd also suspect that all your torque and load is finding the week link which is those worn out bushings in the rear... You also might have a toe out issue. Other opinions??/ Mike ------------------ http://hometown.aol.com/dat74z/myhomepage/auto.html "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk

This is a day job for a competent shop and shouldn't cost you more than $500-750 for a shop to complete. I've had other shops do several for me, but just make sure they do what they say they will. You don't want them to trap rust in. BTW, for my money, putting a set of subframe connectors in a Zcar is the biggest suspension/ Chassis bang for your buck! Mike ------------------ http://hometown.aol.com/dat74z/myhomepage/auto.html "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk

Dave, I have checked into it an that stuff seems to wear well on the cars I have seen it on. I also tend to agree that it helps mask blemishes in the engine bay. I used a Satin black paint from Kmart on mine, but will likely shoot something else over it with my new paint gun. Mike ------------------ http://hometown.aol.com/dat74z/myhomepage/auto.html "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk

Not all the V8 guys here drag race... My white 260 is not set up fpr drag racing (See Members rides) and the stance was important with the setup in those pics... I have since undergone the conversion process to coil overs, but as Terry mentioned, ground clearance will become an issue. You should be able to get any ride height within reason though, just plan to spend a few extra bucks in the area Terry mentioned! Mike ------------------ http://hometown.aol.com/dat74z/myhomepage/auto.html "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk

Ellobo, Do a search here for it. I posted it in this section about a month ago! I'm at work now and don't have the number... Mike ------------------ http://hometown.aol.com/dat74z/myhomepage/auto.html "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk

I just finished roughing in the passenger side front fender flare on my fiberglass front end tonight... Check my post with info from MAS racing products.. their flares are half the price of the others offered. I think the quality was good, and I hope to hang the drivers side unit tomorrow night. On the rear flares on my car we cut the fender out to give more clearance. The metal flares would work much better on metal body panels as I think it was Terry that mentioned before, bonding glass to metal is not as ideal as glass to glass... BTW, it took me less than 3 hours to trim the lip on the front fender, basically removing the lip all together, mounting the flares, sanding and then glassing in the seam, and sading it down to where I can apply skim filler. Glass is so much more forgiving than metal!!! Mike ------------------ http://hometown.aol.com/dat74z/myhomepage/auto.html "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk

Mike, Go out to: http://photos.yahoo.com/dat74z There you can view the wheels on the car, but advise your customer that a 1/2 inch wheel spacer is needed to clear the strut tube/ spring assembly on the rear, but I also have 12 inch springs! No problems at all on the front of the car & No spacers needed! Mike ------------------ http://hometown.aol.com/dat74z/myhomepage/auto.html "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk

Yes, grinding the ribs off does, and I need to update my tech article, because there are other mistakes in it that have been borne out here. The reason I did was because Back in 1998 Matt Millen was the only guy I knew that had done this T56 conversion and he ground his off for clearance, and advised me to do the same. I have stated here and in e-mail replies to others NOT to grind those off, as the trans fits just fine, and NOT to cut the speedo sensor Matt, a GM Technician and I identified as a Skip Shift Soleniod. Again, it was 1998, and I couldn't find anyone with a diagram on how the damned clutch assembly went together... So mistakes were made.. However, after try number 8 I got real good at pulling the tranny out of the car... Thank god this swap has become much more popular. Mike ------------------ http://hometown.aol.com/dat74z/myhomepage/auto.html "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk

HOLLY COW.... I just pulled my filter and filter relocator after watching the oil presure surge on my morning commute yesterday...Oil gauge was pulsating.. I swapped in a PURE1 Purolator and took the truck for a drive and I gained 15 pounds of oil presure... Tha filter relocator or the lines must have been causing some problems... Something was screwy... Mike ------------------ http://hometown.aol.com/dat74z/myhomepage/auto.html "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk

Jeromia, You are correct, the rears.. no way, no how... can't squeeze them in...I was just stating that with my current setup with the 17X9 wheels and 255-40-17s you could fit them easily up front, no problem. Rears have a much bigger problem clearing the fenders..I'm still using the 12 inch coil springs, but I have to use wheel spacers to get the tire to clear the strut assembly. Mike Mike ------------------ http://hometown.aol.com/dat74z/myhomepage/auto.html "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk

Funny this topic came up... found something of interest last night while changing the oil on the truck...My oil fitler relocator loosened up on me and oil had started "Mysting" out around the housing... Not good. So I had to drop the whole assembly, clean it up and put it all back together. I noticed that those oil filter relocators trap an amount of dirty oil in the lines between the filter and the block..That doesn't make me happy... Anyone had to deal with this before? BTW, I cut the FRAM filter I took off appart and low and behold, this guys research was SPOT ON. Cardboard end caps, evidence of leaking between the bypass valve and the main chamber, pretty much everything the guy claimed he found I saw in my own filter... Mike ------------------ http://hometown.aol.com/dat74z/myhomepage/auto.html "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk

Well this is all interesting... Actually, If you do coil overs without rolling the lip, but using a five lug conversion, and the offset wheel I used, you don't have to raise the spring and perch above the wheel. I am using the 12 inch springs GC sent in my kit and No spacer up front and I have 1/8 inch clearance from the spring.perch assembly and my 255-40-17 front tire. Tire is at the outer edge of the fender lip, but it honestly doesn't look bad at all. However, the front hub on the 5 lug/300zx Hub and the wheel combo (CobraR) is probably the key combo here... As for struts.. I'd go ahead and do the coil overs... struts and the kit will set you back about $700 total and that includes Tokico Premiums. Mike ------------------ http://hometown.aol.com/dat74z/myhomepage/auto.html "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk

Pete P. Chris C. and I were in a junkyard last fall and we all commented that an LT1/4 in one of those would be sweet... And quite honestly If I could get Donna to fall for a 90-96 model Z, I'd buy one tomorrow and wait for a deal Like Myron got for his LT motor and just do it.. As long as I keep it the same year motor or newer than the car.... Now I just need to get Donna into one of those 2nd gen 300zxs! Mike ------------------ http://hometown.aol.com/dat74z/myhomepage/auto.html "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk

I know what that is like... Got "TOUCHED" by a car in 1995 and went down on pavement going about 25mph and I had road rash on the whole left side of my body. I still have some scaring from it. Funny thing was, I had the SCCA SOLO2 season opener the next day. I got all hopped up on pain meds, had my girlfriend drive me and the car to the track, I got in the car, did my runs, took first in my class, and then had her take me home...to this day I don't remember that event, I just know I won it 'cause I have the trophy! Road rash is like being on fire... most unfomfortable feeling in the world, except for the stiff bristled brush we used to did the rocks and dirt out of the injuries... Mike ------------------ http://hometown.aol.com/dat74z/myhomepage/auto.html "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk