Mikelly

Danno, To answer your question I didn't section my struts and don't think I will need to. As for the rear, no, there is no bumpsteer issue in the rear to worry about. As for the other question on removing the motor, My answer is no. Get the car up on stand high enough to get under it with a drill and mark and centerpunch the holes and then drill them out. Mike ------------------ http://hometown.aol.com/dat74z/myhomepage/auto.html "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk

Ross, My perches have been welded, but I haven't assembled the springs yet. I'll get to that this evening or over the weekend. Interesting side note, I mounted the camber plates I got from Randy in the rear since I already have adjustable control arms up front. I'll keep the aluminum camber bushings in the rear only to aid with toe issues. Mike ------------------ http://hometown.aol.com/dat74z/myhomepage/auto.html "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk

Evan, Per Jags That Run you take the bolt hole on the front crossmember where the control arm bolts in and you move it 7/8th inch straight up. This allows better geometry for the front control arms and cures some of the bumpsteer issues! Mike ------------------ http://hometown.aol.com/dat74z/myhomepage/auto.html "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk

Welded up the perches for the coil overs last night and started to put hte assemblies in the rear back together when I found a broken adjuster on the right rear strut was broken... Looks like I'm gonna be ordering some rear struts... I'm selling one "Like New-low mileage" Koni D series adjustable rear strut if anyone needs a spair. If you currently have these, Koni doesn't make them anymore (As I found out) so you might want to think about an extra... Moving onto doing the bump steer mod and the rest of the welding... I ordered up some straight tubing from S&W for $2.28 per foot, total of 40 Ft. to do some more structural support. Mike ------------------ http://hometown.aol.com/dat74z/myhomepage/auto.html "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk

Funny thing about time management... I made clear before I started this redoing of the project that I would stop for 45 minutes in the evening and eat with the family, and I would also take one night during the week and do nothing with the car, watch a movie, play a game, something interactive with the family. Last night, 9:15 and Donna has slipped into something more comfortable for the evening...I need a third hand.. She comes out into the garage after putting on some sweats and she helps me finish bolting the cell in before the sealer dries! We spent 10 minutes at the sink with hand cleaner, getting the sealer off our hands... She was laughing and loved it. I'm so lucky. Make a plan, and set a timeframe for completion and then get "buy in" from the rest of the folks in your life... Then as NiKe says... Just do iT! I'll have coilovers done tonight! Mike ------------------ http://hometown.aol.com/dat74z/myhomepage/auto.html "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk

Took about 1.5 hours to complete the installation of the camber plates. Man you really have to open up the strut area a bit to install them. I lined them with 1/4inch thick rubber to isolate the noise factor. Also welded one of the collars on the rear strut tube. I'll finish those up tonight and hopefully will get the rest of the coil over parts form Ground COntrol today and finish the coil over conversion. Mike ------------------ http://hometown.aol.com/dat74z/myhomepage/auto.html "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk

Cell is complete. Now I just have to plumb the lines and I'm done with the process... Interesting side note... the camera with some of the pics in it fell off a work bench and opened up...exposing the film for the article... Guess I'm gonna have to do up some additional pics. I sealed the deck mounting surface last night and bolt the cell in place. Today I'll trim out the sealer overlap and start plumbing lines! Mike ------------------ http://hometown.aol.com/dat74z/myhomepage/auto.html "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk

...Again, it shows the price differences between Ford and Chevy! My buddy paid about $400 for his (near idenytical) SBF pan... Pete, I might have to get me one of these! Mike ------------------ http://hometown.aol.com/dat74z/myhomepage/auto.html "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk

They are 24# and 9 inches wide. The factory CobraR and the aftermarket copies are close in their sizing and weight as well. 24# for a 17X9 is not bad at all! They are also known to be very durable! Mike ------------------ http://hometown.aol.com/dat74z/myhomepage/auto.html "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk

I have to echo what Ross said about Canton oil pans... My buddy has one on his 426 stroker motor and it is a piece of artwork! They are pricey though...$400+ for the pan, dipstick tube and pickup! I use the canton Accusump and canton filters at the oil and fuel locations...Good stuff, and I highly recommend them! Mike ------------------ http://hometown.aol.com/dat74z/myhomepage/auto.html "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk

I have a Moroso Tsump pan with WIndage tray, and 4 trap doors and the baffles installed... I have noticed no trouble at all with oil presure drop. The pump is a hivol pump. I've also heard nothing but bad from the split TCs...... Mike ------------------ http://hometown.aol.com/dat74z/myhomepage/auto.html "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk

The cell preperation is complete. I have completed the weld in frame I created, primed, painted and sealed! I have pics taken and I have started to work on the article. I'll have a finished product and gas back in the car and all lines run properly by mid-febuary! Mike ------------------ http://hometown.aol.com/dat74z/myhomepage/auto.html "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk

Guys, Here is the scoop on the control arms: I am the $$$ Source for the parts to make the control arms. Chris and I did a little design work, then he and his father redesigned it and have made the jig for the fronts. The rears are going to be simpler, but the jig had not been made as of New Years eve. Spoke with Chris night before last and he has been out sick for two weeks, his wife, kids and his parents all have apparently had some nasty viral flu bug(You'll notice he hasn't posted in weeks) and he and his dad have both been to sick to go to their regular jobs, let alone do anything with the control arms. I know this process is taking longer than expected, but when done, the arms will be well worth the wait. Hang in there. 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 January 17, 2001).]

Yup Frank, the measurements are correct. I centered mine to give the exhaust plenty of room. I'll be able to turn my mufflers up on end (Like the Zmuffler kits sold by Dynomax) and run them out each side with plenty of room! No spare... If I get a flat, its rollback time! I do carry a tire plug kit & plug in compressor! Mike ------------------ http://hometown.aol.com/dat74z/myhomepage/auto.html "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk

I had sent the same question to Terry as well (About a week ago), as I'm very interested in the hood modification... the car is simply a work of art... Mike ------------------ http://hometown.aol.com/dat74z/myhomepage/auto.html "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk

Dan, The Cobra R knockoff is a 5 on 4.5, and it requires a 5 lug conversion. I still need to get over that hurdle, but I'm getting some 5 lug hubs this coming week, so I'm half way there! Mike

Silly me, Mike you are right... Hadn't seen a camber plate in a while... I just remembered that ... Just got off the phone with Tony @GC and I need to see the Camber Plates to tell what type of bearing they need and which size top cap to send me. As for the springs, I spoke with him about those and it seems for the longer spring, you need to weld the collar on lower, which means I bet I'll be grinding off the spot welds of the one I installed last night... Oh, and guess whose strut pistons aren't staying up on their Koni D series struts now? Guess I'll be buying struts while the car is appart... Mike ------------------ http://hometown.aol.com/dat74z/myhomepage/auto.html "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk

I'm running my exhaust to each side of mine as well, and it will fit well with the 22 gallon cell, no problem. Muffler clearance is not an issue.. Mike ------------------ http://hometown.aol.com/dat74z/myhomepage/auto.html "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk

My coil over kit arrived... With no top perches and with 12 inch long springs... Now I've bought Randy's Camber plates for the front of my car, so I won't need the top perches for the front...but I will for the rear. I also didn't want a 12 inch spring... Awefully damned long! I'll get that resolved today, hopefully... I already got one of the collars welded on and painted, and the hardware is really nice, but I don't think a 12 inch spring is gonna do me any good... Mike ------------------ http://hometown.aol.com/dat74z/myhomepage/auto.html "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk

Check out American Eagle Wheels... They have a Cobra "R" "replica" with slightly different specs. from American Eagle Wheel. It is also 17" X 9" with a 5 7/8" backspace and a +23 mm offset. It weighs in at 24 lb., and is available in silver, polished, or chromed. If you want to look at this particular wheel, click on WWW.AMERICANEAGLEWHEEL.COM and then click on FWD/ +OFFSET along the bottom of the page and then it is style #168. I also checked and they do have some nice looking front driver and SUV wheels in the Nissan 4.5inch four lug pattern.... Interesting thing about thwe Cobra Knock off, it has the same specs as the speedware wheel, and some of the other popular cobra R wheels! Mike ------------------ http://hometown.aol.com/dat74z/myhomepage/auto.html "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk

Kevin, I had the chance to run some 275-?-15 BFG drag ETS the only time I made passes in the 1/4. I don't know how tall they were, but the times were impressive. The tires hooked real well at the time. Now I just roll up to the line in whatever I have on the car. Funny thing was that about a year after I did the 1/4 mile times posted, I went and did an 1/8th mile track and I was in the high 8s!!!! Motor has beeen washed down a few times with sticking flaots, and my compression isn't what it was during those 1/4 mile runs! Mike ------------------ http://hometown.aol.com/dat74z/myhomepage/auto.html "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk

Screw the fact that it is NISSAN, The fact that the 'Yota motors eat Headgaskets is enough for me not to want to do one, unless you plan to Oring it. Of course, my view there is that ANY Forced induction motor should have the block or head Oringed anyway, That is just good and cheap insurance! As for the L series motor being the "Cheaper" solution, I'd have to lean towards Morgan's thinking here (Did I say that?) and say that they are cheaper to setup with a turbo and run with "Safe" boost and relatively smaller expense compared to most of the other options... However, The fact that it is NISSAN shouldn't be a factor... H-Y-B-R-I-D.... Mike ------------------ http://hometown.aol.com/dat74z/myhomepage/auto.html "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk

Actually that is not a bad size or a bad price! If you plan to upgrade anyway, I'd jump on it! Mike ------------------ http://hometown.aol.com/dat74z/myhomepage/auto.html "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk

Kevin, I'm into 4th gear when I go through the traps in the 1/4... And it was just over 129mph when I did it. ------------------ http://hometown.aol.com/dat74z/myhomepage/auto.html "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk

Well my car is "Detuned" due to the loose nit behind the screw driver (Me) but I currently don't have issue with wheel spin, and my buddy with the 426 stroker mustang (and lots of wheel spin) drove my ca rin the 1/8th and he noticed the same thing I did...get the car rolling in 1st and then when you shift into 2nd, go to the floor and hold it, shifing @ 6000rpms! My setup is with 26inch tall tires (265-50-15) and a 6 speed, with a 3:7 lsd in the rear. Car hooks hard and just goes fast...gives the exact feeling of being on a motorcycle (GSXR, CBR..) ! Mike ------------------ http://hometown.aol.com/dat74z/myhomepage/auto.html "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk