silicone boy

I'd be interested.

Tonite, I was doing one of the the dirtiest and least pleasant jobs in all of auto mechanics, replacing suspension bushings (in this case with polyurethane ones). As I was trying to take off these ten million year old pieces of rubber, two thoughts came to mind: 1)Why am I doing this... does it really make that much difference in handling, 2) Those heim jointed rear suspension units of Arizona Z's are starting to look a lot cheaper right now. I used various combinations of penetrating agents, C-clamps, a shop press, all with varying success. I have nearly every tool imaginable for suspension work since I've been more of a suspension person rather than an engine person over the years. I soon rediscovered one of the oldest tools known to man: fire . I don't mean heat the bushings so they can be pressed out. I talking about taking that blowtorch to them and burning them to a crisp (actually, they burn on their own after a while). Never underestimate the utility of a good flame. It sure smells (not all burnt rubber smells good) but it works. Just thought I'd save you all some time if you decide to undertake this chore. Next time, I'll get a fully adjustable, heim jointed number (if the racing class allows).

"I've got a 78 280z that I'm putting an LT1-4L60E in and I'm wondering how much of the transmission mount area I need to remove." I was just wondering, is the clearance more of a problem with a T56 in a 240Z. I'm willing to do it if necessary in my 280 (got the chisel blades ready to go), but I thought there was enough room in the later cars.

I'm actually glad to hear these experiences. It was the worst stuck hardware I have ever come across in all my years working on suspensions. I wonder why they made it that way?. Makes you almost think that Arizona Z's fully prepared rear control arem with brakes, springs, and struts is worth it.

Same thing happened when I used it. The next time I use it, God forbid, I'm going to use a slide hammer set-up or a shop press (there's my excuse to get one-Harbor Freight has them for as low as $60). I like the tool. It's ingenious. It's just that I have the worst luck with stuck hardware and I'm likely to end up with the stickiest strut pin on the planet. I guess some come out easy with the tool and some do not.

From the last 2 posts, there is hope for the next generation.

Grumpy, John, thanks for the suggestions. Yeah, you have to be reasonable about what the car is being used for. Just the other day, I was driving to work on my 3 mile commute in bumper to bumper traffic and I just happened to have my Z with me(which I rarely drive to work). A Viper pulls up next to me and blips his throttle. Even with my mildly warmed over 355, I thought, "I could stay with you". Then I realized we were both stuck in traffic! Some good all that horsepower did us. I agree with John, you have to be honest about what you really are going to use the car for. My racing VW GTI became a racer because I put on 450 lb/in coil over springs. No problem I thought. Now, I was 20 at the time (a long time ago) and didn't know any better. My brain was rattled to mush over the next year until I got another car.My definition of streetable just meant getting around town and all the other stuff John mentioned, so the ability to go LA to New York sounds great.

It's amazing to me that anyone born after 1980 has absolutely no clue what the car is. I mean, it was the car I always wanted when I was in high school, just like a lot of guys a generation ahead of me lust after a 69 camaro (at least I know what one looks like. Heck, I even want one)

Harbor Freight rocks. They sell stuff so much cheaper than anyone else. Sure the quality may not be as good as brand names (and that is very questionable because I found their tools to do the job just fine), but the savings more than justifies the difference.

Getting back to the original posting about the Car Craft 383 in the June issue, just how streetable is the cam they used? It's the Comp Cams 294 Magnum, mechanical lifter. I assume the answer is: not very. I have very similar components, including the AFR 195 heads, ready to go together, but I was planning on a milder hydraulic roller (any suggestions for a street car that will not be seeing any time on the dragstrip?). I will also be using Electromotive's TEC3 fuel injection rather than the Holley 750 they used, but everything else is the same. It's the first V8 I've put together (I've built several VW performance engines) and I have you guys to thank or curse for it. I knew very little when I started lurking on this board a couple of years ago, and because of all the brainpower here, you've all made me feel like I can get the job done. Thanks.

Ross, thanks. I read in another posting that most people take them to a machinist, and considering that I would probably spend a small fortune in drill bits, I'm going to take them to a machinist as well (I've only done two so far). I agree with welding it up on those thin ones. I'll do the same. If I mess it up, I'll contact you about purchasing a couple of finished stub axles. I didn't know you sold them. How much are they anyway?

Ok guys, I was just now drilling out my rear stub axle (280Z) for a 5 hole bolt pattern. I used an old rotor (300zxt) for a template and I'm doing it off the car on a drill press, so it's about as accurate as you can get. Obviously, on the squarish shaped flange, 4 of the 5 holes are going to be close to the edge of the flange. I have about an eight of an inch of metal left on the edge. Have you found any problems with this? It seems like it would be kind of weak to me, but I guess it's OK since many people on the board have mega HP cars. Right now, I wished I would have stuck to the 4 bolt pattern, but I'll feel differently when I'm done. By the way, you mentioned you used ARP wheel studs for GM cars. What diameter? The stock ones look to be just over 1/2" and I don't really want to drill it any bigger because of the above problem. Thanks in advance.

Anything for you Grumpy. You've been a great help since you started posting on the board. I think we should all take up a collection and buy you a V8 Z.

Grumpy, I did it, I opened the link like you said to. All I can say is OHMIGOD!!!. You've done it to me. Screw the new T-bird. Screw any Cobra kit car. That thing is a beauty. The price of the kit isn't too bad either, considering everything. Guys, you have to click on the "interior" page. Now, I really don't care what a car looks like on the inside (or outside for that matter), I usually only care how it runs and handles. Did you see that beauty. I wannit!

I think the question has to be asked again, what class are you going to race it in? Then build the car, not just the engine. Otherwise you are going to lose no matter what engine you build, and that's not the name of the game. (Remember the book titled "Engineering to Win"?--that's the important concept here, adapting the machine to the conditions.) I was originally setting up my car for E-mod autocross, thinking that 400 hp in a 2700 pound car would do just fine. It's a great setup--for the street, as I soon found out. One day, a "whimpy" small block Spitfire showed up--try taking that on in a road race. It was engineered for the conditions and rocked. Another thing I don't see mentioned here is improvement of the most important component if you actually intend to road race--the driver. No matter how well you prepare your car, your best investment will be in your own driving skills (I don't know your level of experience, you might be Michael Schumacher for all I know, so forgive me for thinking you might need a tune up if you don't). I just know from IT experience that there are people who could beat me with a Yugo. That's when I start thinking that the money I spent on car parts might have been better utilized by sending myself to another driving school (a lot more fun too).

Agree about the distracting nature of this board. It's driving me into the poorhouse. I started out with a nice, simple conversion for not that much. Over the past couple of years, I've been talked into gigantic brakes and a killer suspension, EFI, more displacement, and the list goes on. I'm not even going to hit Grumpy's link. It's going to open up a can of worms and make me want to start a new project. A friend of mine has a 67 Vette with an LT-1 conversion. She says she can't drive it because of back surgery and that I can drive it any time I want. I'm hoping that no one tries to talk me into buying it.

______________________________________________ Grump, you are the undisputed King of Links. I salute you. Wonder if Silicone Boy recognizes anyone? ______________________________________________ First of all, I have to agree that Grumpy always comes to the rescue. Second, how could I recognize anyone--none of them are my patients and from what I see, it's all natural bodywork (just kidding, there are a few that have had some customizing). By the way, a question for Grumpy. That one girl is sitting on the intake manifold. Isn't she going to heat it up and hurt performance. How many HP's or seconds do you think it's going to cost? Just a thought.

I have to agree with the Georgia Flash (except for the louver part--I'll get to that in a bit). Every man lusts after the car he couldn't afford when he was a teenager. For me, it was the Z, the only decent car they made in the 1970's. I still have to say that those louvers were made famous by the Z as opposed to other cars and were probably the start of the ricer thing.

I don't think adding an air dam to the front of a Z is posing at all. It's actually functional and adds stability on this particular car at speed. I think Pete hit the nail on the head for me when he mentioned "performance car". My goal is to make the best accelerating, best stopping, best handling street car I can. I had to borrow parts from the American parts bin, as well as the Japanese. It wasn't going to happen with any German car I had available to me (Porsche's are way too expensive to hotrod, and you can't put a V8 into a VW), and the American cars that had handling potential close to the Z's were too heavy. I think that when you cross the line and put a V8 into a Z (a crazy thought when you look at it objectively) you can't be called a poser or ricer or whatever.

"I'm a plastic surgeon specializing in breast surgery " sounds like a lot more fun than building engines!!! building your own set of double (d) cups sure must be a satisfying way to spend an afternoon , compared to grinding clearances for stroker crankshafts and degreeing in cams You know what Grumpy, I've been on vacation this week, looking forward to working on my car, but after a few days of grinding away at my strut housings, wrestling with dirty suspension parts, etc., I'm ready to get back to the office!!!

That's it! You've just given me flashbacks to the 70's. The Z car became the original rice car when those stupid louvers came into existence. Then came the stupid Kaminari rear spoiler. Are we, as Z owners the origin of this evil that has darkened our land? Is this a pestilence of our own creation?

Awesome link Grumpy! I gotta get me a Vette some day. The one thing I don't like about the Z is that it's not exactly a babe magnet. Most chicks under the age of 30 don't even know what it is ('cause they were in diapers at the time they were new). Now I'm being a hypocrite. I started this subject trying to be all sensitive to women and all and now I'm treating them like pieces of meat!

BTW, this isn't really a topic for this section, this should be reserved for tech. stuff (please don't take this as preaching). Tim You're right, I got them mixed up. Wrong forum. Thanks Tim.

On the subject of girls and cars (first raised in the 400 vs. 350 thread), did anyone see the lastest issues of Hot Rod and that other Chevy mag with the girl on the cover. I had two reactions at first. First of all, feed them, they're in need of nourishment (just kidding--I think they're just right. Second of all, I don't think either of them have ever turned a wrench. Do you all agree with me that they don't belong on the cover. It makes it hard for me to 1. Buy the magazine without looking like a jerk and 2. Bring it into a public place to read it and actually look like a serious car guy. What do you all think?

That's carbed with a Quadrajet (750 cfm)