Gollum

The 2000 Honda S2000 was rated at 20/26 The 2007 Honda S2000 was rated at 20/26 Most people, from what I've heard, average around 22-24mpg. But when you realize that the car isn't all that light for being a roadster 2800+ and that it's getting 120hp per liter in 2000, that it's not that bad on the efficiency front. You'd be hard pressed to find ANY production car made right now that gets 240+ hp NATURALLY ASPIRATED that gets better MPG. But that doesn't mean 24mpg is good.

I noticed this before and just didn't say anything yet... ...but I love that exhaust tip. Very deceptive. It fits in so well and is hard to realize just how large it is.

I knew someone from the UK would speak up. I really feel for you guys over there. I couldn't believe the price of everything when I was in England in 02'. I'm thinking right now that unless I see an insane deal on a gas sipper for well under $1k I'm just gonna plan on the megasquirt. I've got a spare L28ET in a car going nowhere. I can find a flat top piston motor cheaply enough around here, I can build a NA compression turbo motor. Not sure if the hydrolic valves on the P90A will help any, but it should be fine since I don't plan to rev it to 7k anyways (or even much past 6k). 35mpg might be a tad optimistic, but when I see guys like garret getting 30mpg I know there's probably hope for someone like me driving mostly highway and purposely tuning with mileage in mind. Maybe I'll also offload one of those 3.36 R200 diffs off of rudypoochris's hands. I can also start driving my spare 280ZX once I get it running right, and get it as lean as possible, and just be careful with the gas under load. Shouldn't be too hard to get at least 28mpg out of it, which will easily save me $30 a week out of the shoot.

I don't think so, but I can't say I've measured. I perfer the S130 rear suspension anyways. I just don't like the packaging of the seperate spring/strut on the Z31. Main downside to the S130 is the control arm design doesn't allow for maximized tire usage. Me and Rudypoochris just fit the group by 9.5 wide rims on one of my S130 cars and the tire actually FIT under the stock wheel well with stock suspension. It stuck out a tad, but it tucked in nicely with travel. With the 9 inch wide I have no doubt it'd fit no problem. But... There was about 2+ inches of wasted space inwards. It was a good fist width away from the strut and spring peach, but it was a mere knuckle width away from the control arm. If you could eliminate that issue with custom control arms you could easily fit a 275 wide tire under the stock wheel well, maybe even 295 with it looking a pinch outside the fender, but with sufficient clearence when it tucks in under travel. And with stiff enough shocks (read: springs AND struts) to limit travel the negative characteristics of trailing arm is limited. That just means a rough street ride. With adjustable struts a compromise can be found though.

Ok, so gas prices are higher than ever, and right now I'm spending about $16 a day I think on gas. (around $4,500 a year if I'm getting the MPG I think I am, which is hard with no speedo working) I might not be at my job for long, as I plan on going to a trade school this next year which will mean I can't work until around 1pm on the weekdays. I currently commute 27 miles each way, and end up driving about 60 miles round trip a day. If I go to this school my commute might dissapear if I get a place near the school and a job up there, but I'd still be driving down to the bay area at least on the weekends, a 35 mile trip each way. With my calculations, getting a 45+mpg car under $1500 will pay for itself under a year, if not a bit less. If I could find a CRX HF for under $1000 it'd pay for itself under 6 months and would easily pay for it's difference on insurance. But... I've also been looking at the geo metro, and neither the CRX nor metro really excite me. I think I could live with a Civic VX, but they're fetching AT LEAST $3,500 lately, and that'd take YEARS to pay itself off. No matter what I'm keeping the Z. So here's what I was thinking, let me know if it sounds like it's doable. Get my free 280ZX registered and insured. It'll get at least 25mpg I think. Sure beats the sub 20 I've been getting (i'm not an agressive driver on my commute, and I keep under 70mph now, my car just isn't running well). While I'm driving that I can pull the 83' L28ET out of my project car, get a NA bottom with flat tops, make a higher compression turbo motor, and add megasquirt. Once it's running on a stand I can drop it into the 280Z and start commuting in that once it's tuned. I figure if I get about 35+mpg when driving mostly highway the megasquirt will pay for itself in about 8-10 months (budgeting abuot $1k for the megasquirt). The main downside is that I'd still only be getting 35mpg, but at least I'd only have a single car on my insurance once it's done. And also once it's done... I have megasquirt, and what's not to love about that? The upside to getting a fugly commuter is that I could get something with heat and AC and make the Z a bit more weekend warriorish and strip out nearly everything and do whatever I want to as budget permits. So what do you guys think? 1) Get a commuter car and let the Z remain a toy 2) Try to make the Z do everything Keep in mind I'm comming from almost strictly a budget mindset. I don't for see making 40k+ anytime soon. Right now I'm making about 25k, I have super cheap rent and still struggle.

Looks wicked. Unfortunaly I just don't trust myself, others, or my pocket enough to own a bike. Too many things to carry with me everywhere, not enough money to invest in a nice bike. The main thing, is that I just don't trust drivers around here. I'm sure aux can share my sympathy. South bay drivers are BAD.

I was thinking the same thing... I barely got a turbo motor and in with the radiator pulled...

No problem is ever too small to be annoying. Though a single wiper not working is a heck of a lot better than neither working. If a single one is working then it HAS to be a linkage connection issue on the other. They both run off the same motor, so it's simply impossible for it not to be a linkage issue. Glad you found the issue so easily though. Easy fixes like that on my car always make my happy.

My mom went through almost an identical incident on our way to school in the morning when I was about 11 years old. After the insurance company didn't want to admit fault, we took detailed picutres of: A) The hill just down the street you can't see down from our driveway. The stop sign RIGHT IN FRONT of our house C) Where her car stopped in a "totaled" state With the pictures provided it was obvious that she RAN the stop sign and was going at least 35mph - 10 over speed limit. If you can get some proof it was HER fault, you can have a case against her. If you can prove it's her fault I see no reason she shuoldn't pay for your car damage, medical thearapy (at least a checkup), and pain & suffering. How old is your little brother. These things can be tramatizing. Don't just sit by and let insurance companies take advantage of you because of your age.

Oh my gosh, the seat ate his legs!!!

There's a hole in my bucket, dear aux, dear aux.

The VG30E is NOT a heavy pig, in fact it's very light. Don't let the VG30DE or VG30DETT weight figures throw you for a loop. From what I've seen the VG30E should weigh around 350 pounds with just a block filled with rotating assembly, and complete heads on it. Consider this, an IRON V8 block won't weigh over 200 pounds. High end aluminum DART V8 blocks weight in around 60-100 pounds depending on block. So you're looking at a maximum gain in the block of around 90-110 pounds AT BEST. So for a tiny 60 degree V6 the difference will be even smaller. And the VG has smaller heads, and is overall a tad smaller if you ask me (though I admit to not having measured them side by side). There simply isn't enough weight difference in the motors to see NEARLY a 300 pound difference. You'd be lucky to see a 70 pound difference in my opinion. You'd get quite a few more HP though... Take a complete door off and weigh it. It's probably about 60+ pounds, possibly a lot more. Getting a minimal 4 point cage for side protection and completely cutting the doors can actually result in a loss of weight in some cars. Even the 280Z doors are pretty dang heavy. The 280ZX 2+2 doors are insanely heavy, probably over 100 pounds completed. Forget carbon fiber if you're on a budget. Fiberglass can be found and made just as easily, and costs a few pennies less. It won't be as strong, but it'll be nearly as light when compared to steel or even aluminium. Fenders, hood, hatch all in fiberglass shuold cut out a good 100 pounds. The bumper is structural and needed in a crash, but you could probably have some tube steel welded in that could do the same job for less weight. Replacing the back, corner, and side glass with lexan should cut out another 100 pounds. Interior is minor, and you've already removed the AC. I'd say 2600 is achievable, but beyond that you're going to HAVE to look at replacing unibody sections with tube steel until you eventually end up with a full tube chassis.

Looks great. Though I've got what seems to be a pretty logical question to me. Will the floor boards go over or under the transmission? Looks like seats will be a bit cramped. I'm sure you'll make it work.

Even on the high 3.9 rear diff 6500rpm would be 165mph. Tough to believe if you ask me. On the other common ratio, 3.545 6,500 rpm would be 181mph. Now, if you were running a 185/60-14 6,500 RPM is now 152, but the speedo would read about 165mph. So maybe your tires were a tad smaller than stock? I've take a couple 280ZX's up to their top stock speed with as much safe highway as I had, and once it gets to 4,500 it's a tough climb to about 5,000 when it really feels like the engine just doesn't want to keep going. That's about 130mph, granted I was using a slightly larger than stock tire size.

Werd! I'm glad it all worked out though. Insurance companies can be a real pain sometimes. I'm a male, 20 (21 next week) with 1 point on my license (my fault for not fighting), and I've been quoted $90 a month from progressive for a 75' 280Z with a declared value of $2,000. I've been on my parents insurance since I got my license and plan to change soon as I can afford that now, but here's the list of cars I've owned and had insured: 89' Integra 80' 280ZX 81' 280ZX 91' CRX 75' 280Z There were also spans of time I didn't have any car insured, and was just on my parents policy. That was costing them about $30 a month. Never once has my insurance been over $200 a month, so there IS hope for you parents worried about kids (like JSM). Just keep them in CHEAP DISPOSABLE CARS, not a 2001 Jetta Turbo (no offense in any way to the parents that do, I hope to have that kind of money when my kids are driving some day). As long as the car is cheap, you're just paying for the unknown liability factor. Statistics show that 1/2 of all new drivers will be involved in an accident in their first 2 years of driving. New drivers are a risky business for insurnace companies. There's no real way for them to guage who will be a good driver, which is why the good student discount exists. Obviously if someone in their 40's with a perfect record was insuring a car that was only worth $2k then their monthly insurance would be next to nothing.

Well if you or Eric happen to have a driver side indicator shoot me a PM, email, or just call me. Did I ever give you my number?

I hadn't noticed that. In that case just get a photobucket account. The images won't dissapear on you, and you'll keep your images organized a lot easier.

Easy way to post pictures: 1) Go to: http://imageshack.us/ 2) Click Browse 3) Find an image you want to share 4) Click resize if you havn't already downsized them, I recommend 800x600. 5) Click host it It will then upload it and bring you to a page with a bunch of different links for the same image. Near the bottom of the page will be the "direct link to image" link. I usually use that one. Copy, then then paste it into a post with image tags on either side. You can also use the insert image feature built into the site at the top of the post window section. Just don't close the imageshack website until you've got the image posted online. It's rather hard to go back to that page once you've left. A more complicated way to do it would be to get a photobucket account. With their system you need to upload it, and on the page showing an image, right click the image, and under the address on the properties window copy from the begining up until the end of the .jpg. Then you can use what you just copyied to insert into a post using the same methods mentioned previously.

It's almost a british racing green with metallic flake. It's a bit too light, and has a hint of blue in it, not so forrest green like BRG. Carfan: I like my airdam quite a bit. Just because I don't need the 240Z turn signals now doesn't mean I don't want a 240Z style bumper. and I was very happy to be practically given a fiberglass airdam in such good shape that was exactly what I wanted. I don't need a hood that bad bro.

Speaking of headlights. Did I mention I got headlights now with intergrated turn signals? Before my urethane dam got pulled off it lost a turn signal on the highway. I'd bought my new dam THE DAY BEFORE. I was irked. So instead of finding another 240Z signal I just bought some headlights on Ebay with turn signals incorporated into them, and then tied in the side marker lights when I did up the wiring. Turned out pretty cool. I might be able to use the holes left for the signals for brake cooling if I block of the front. Here's how that came out. Sorry for the blurry pic, long exposure with no tripod. And here's my new Air Dam. Not bad for $30...

Vauge enough for all of you? Expect an update wednesday or thursday.

Not much would be needed with the SR though really at those power levels. We're only talking about 300hp, easily obtained on tons of stock parts for a ST20. Add boost controller and fuel and you're there.

Turbo'ing the L28 would definately be cheaper, until you get over 300 wheel HP or so, then power becomes hard to come by. Know how to weld? I'd recommend either making a custom exhaust manifold, or having one made if you can find someone to do it for cheap. This will allow you to get the turbo a bit lower and run a straighter down pipe, and also allow you to run any turbo you want, just match the flange. So lets add up the parts Exhaust Manifold Turbo Fuel Rail Fuel Pump Fuel Pressure Regulator Intake Manifold Injectors Downpipe Full exhaust Intercooler Air Piping Blow off valve Boost controller Throttle Body Throttle Linkage Stock EFI: Cylinder Head Temp Sensor Air Flow Meter O2 Sensor ECU Throttle Position Sensor Megasquirt: ECU Quite a few sensors, don't remember them all That's a lot of parts, and unless you find a turbo motor and just pull most of those parts off that motor, it's not going to be an easy task to figure it all out. If you were to individually choose and source every part then I think the cost of the L28 turbo conversion would be just as expensive as getting a stock SR20DET put into the car. Main downside is that you'd be loosing all the work put into the L series already.

That was a tough first post to read. A little bit of punctuation can go a long way. Welcome to HybridZ though. The L series engines max out around 300hp and are not cheap to get there. So no, 400 is quite out of the question. So when you say you want an engine "where it's STRAIT HP, not bolt on" you mean you want an engine that can do around 400hp right out of the box right? You never really specified this point. LS2 has 400hp stock. LS1 can reach 400hp with a cam Small block chevy (like a 327, 350, etc) will only be reaching 400hp with a bit of work. Ford 5.0 is about the same in HP potential as the small block chevy except the blocks have been known to crack when pushing more than 500hp and you abuse it with NOS or high RPM. 351W Ford is nearly bullet proof when built right. Unless you buy a crate engine you won't be near 400hp though. Which brings up a good point. Almost any of the old american V8's can have 400HP "out of the box" if you're buying a motor from a place like summit racing. How much potential it still has will vary a lot though between engines. Very few V8 engines come with 400+hp stock, so it's not like you'll be able to find a CHEAP 400hp engine you can then start bolting parts to. And before you start shooting for 400hp, do us all a favor and go dyno your car. Sure, your engine was rebuilt 20k ago, but I'm betting it'll only put down around 100hp, and that's being generous. What year is your car? 75-83 had the L28E, so that's quite a window we're looking at here. If it's an earlier S30 car, the weight should be around 2800 in full trim. If it's a later 280ZX S130 chassis, then it's probably closer to 3100+. If it's a 75-78 280Z, then you'd be amazed what 200hp would do with some minor weight reduction. My engine only has around 200hp and I could easily put down a mid to low 14, possibly a 13. Until around 80mph I can almost keep up with my friend's STI... Not bad for a stock engine from the 80's. 400hp isn't fast in a Z. It's silly. At 2600 pounds (which should be atainable easily enough in a 280Z 2+2) with 300 WHEEL HP you'll be doing the quarter mile in the high 11's. That's enough to slaughter almost any production car, and hang with exotics. 400 crank HP would put you around 350 wheel HP, and put you well into the 11's. I suggest doing some light modifications to the current engine, then drop some coin into redoing the suspension, brakes, wheels and learn to drive the thing. That'll pay off with much greater rewards in the long run. Once you have a different engine in there you'll already have the suspension, brakes, and grip to match the output of the engine giving you a well balanced car.

I'm not personally having issues. It's more about the fact that ATI has been working at making sure they're compatible with features that most of the industry isn't ready for, or just plain not using. If someone made a game to actually use all these features then their best cards would be luck to maintain decent framerates. You can check this article here for a brief overview of the new ray tracing on ATI people are talking about: http://www.tgdaily.com/content/view/38145/135/ The software in question is mady by a company called JulesWorld. This is their site: http://www.otoy.com/site/start.htm WAIT: Reread the article. He said it can be made to work with the new 8800 cards, it just needed more work on the software side. So I guess Nvidia won't need to be doing to much to stay compatable if a developer decided to go this route.