BlackBeaut

They look pretty good to me, nice and shiny anyway One thing though is that the pics in the ad might not actually be of the Datsun Z versions, as the seller is using the same linked pic in an ad for AE86 Corrola rods and also for the 510 version. I was thinking the bolt spacing on the bent end didn't look quite wide enough. http://www.technotoytuning.com/misc/TCROD1.jpg Any disadvantage to having the control arm end a fixed one piece rather than using a clevis joint like the Savage arms? Cheers, Rob

Thanks for the info guys. I've got an E88 and a N42 head to play with so these are fine. Also I'm going for an 88mm bore so I guess 38mm valves should clear those OK without extra notching? Cheers, Rob

Anyone know off hand which heads these suit? IIRC the P90 valves are shorter then earlier heads. His ad states these are 4.62" overall which doesn't work out to a very nice mm dimension. I never seem to have things I need to check measurements on to hand these days, dunno what's going on!! Cheers, Rob

That would be cool if you can Cary' date=' always interesting to see if it sparks some ideas. Little update at my end. I picked up the bushing caps I had a local engineering firm make for me. Thought I'd splash out on these rather than bodge something together myself. I'm pretty pleased with them! [center'] [/center] Also got the tubing for the rear section delivered today so it looks like I really need to learn how to weld PDQ! Once that's made up I need to decide whether or not to use the stock front crossmember or make something up, kinda tempted to home brew it as at least it won't be rusting immediately Cheers, Rob

Word I've got is 12-17ft-lbs, so not all that tight really. Cheers, Rob

Hmmm' date=' thanks for the info Cary, it's not something I'd heard about Delrin or Nylon. They're used quite a lot over here (where it tends to be cold and wet ) It might just be that the sort of people who use them, track cars etc., keep their cars in a better state of maintenance than ordinary Joe and accept the need to replace bushings on a more regular basis. Do you have a pic or link to what you mean Cary? I'm suffering a little from transatlantic misinterpretation on this. Cheers, Rob

Oh God and it's from the UK too, I frikkin' despair!!!!!

Delrin is quite a lot harder than polyurethane (at least the poly we get in our bushings) so there will be more NVH. It does make an excellent compromise material between poly bushes and full rose/heim joints (whatever you want to call them). It's also incredible easy to machine, so banging out a set of bushes on a lathe is a breeze. There are also various Nylon compounds that could be considered as well. Dave at Arizona Z is offering some nylon inner bushes for is control arms. Just another decision to make eh!! Cheers, Rob (carefully avoiding the R200/R230 debate again!)

Thanks Jon, much appreciated. Cheers, Rob

Hope you don't mind if I slightly hijack this thread but on the topic of adjustable bias valves, are these use in conjunction with the OEM bias valve or does it completely replace the OEM valve? Strikes me that it should just replace it. And... once in place how do you go about setting it up? Is it a matter of finding a quiet road and slamming the anchors on until the fronts lock just before the rear, or is there a more technical approach? I've currently got a homebrewed front set up (4 pot brembos on a 305x28mm disc) and I'm planning on using Z32 rears, 297x18mm. Cheers, Rob

Spooky, I came across this fancy thing at the weekend whilst trawling the web: http://nkondo-web.hp.infoseek.co.jp/Kameari_L6_2.htm Looks like a slight mod to something is needed to make it fit: http://nkondo-web.hp.infoseek.co.jp/kameari/L/L_Tw-Ag_2.jpg Think I could live with that though!! Cheers, Rob

Here's the rough idea: Final piece would have extra support webs on the two uprights, but it should work OK. The uprights are possibly a bit taller than they need to be but I did that so it would be fairly simple to change the angle of the diff to ensure good prop-shaft clearance over the front member by just using packing washers. Cheers, Rob

Hi all, Sorry for not keeping this up to date, erm well that's because not a lot has happened really, got my metal ordered so things should start moving again once that's here. I also think I've got the front diff mount worked out in theory, nicely bushed of course As for bushing things, I agree with all points made but like Jon points out my car will hit the roads and not just the perfectly smooth black top of the track. If you knew how bad the roads are around here you'd be questioning my desire to drive on them in anything other than a farm tractor Cheers, Rob

Great as they look, I'd be scared to leave my car on the street in case some numpty hit them while they parked up. I think crunchers rather than bumpers would be a slightly more appropriate name!! Anyone got some more info on chroming up fibreglass bumpers though? That sounds like an interesting, and probably cheaper, long term option. Cheers, Rob

I think you're absolutely right about the use of Alumini(u)m It's one of those materials that I always want to use because of it's 'good' properties but I always seem to end up with good old mild steel because of it's (ali) bad properties. Using steel will also mean that this project will be well within the capabilities of anyone who can weld to an acceptable level (worryingly that doesn't include me!) If I'd gone with the billet design then costs would no doubt have been silly and it could only be produced with CNC equipment putting it right out of the reach of most of us ordinary Joes. Once I'm happy with my design, which will most likely be once it's on the car, I'll post up the plans so that anyone can attempt it. In the meantime if anyone wants a rough plan just drop me an email, I've done all the drawing in Illustrator so the art is available in ai, eps vector files or pretty much any bitmap format you'd want. I have to say that even though my Z is (turning out to be) a bit of a mess, I'm really loving it as it's allowing me to experiment and stretch my mind a little which is something I would never have considered doing on my previous motors. It's nice to dust of the grey cells now and again and get them to do a bit of work Cheers, Rob

Hallelujah!! Votes are still being counted on whether I'm insane or not but at least I'm back on my own windy little track!! Thanks Tim!!! So in this pic I've raised the rear by 15mm which is what I get if I measure the height of the poly moustache bar bushing flange and washer and deduct 3mm. I've positioned a mounting point so that it's 1" (what's 25.4mm between friends?!! ) above LCA centre line and allowed and extra 7mm for a bushing flange (red bit). That puts the diff nose up at about 1.5 degrees which with an 80mm diameter propshaft should just clear the cross member. I think I'm going to take advantage of my extra space and raise it a little bit more. Hmmm, also need to redesign my minibar to get things back in stock-ish location Cheers, Rob

Thought I'd measure up the diff so that I can figure out the ground clearance issues with the side rails in my design. I now have a very perplexing situation that can be answered by one simple question. Is the diff installed at an angle to the vertical? If not then I seem to have a prop shaft going straight through the front cross member situation on my hands: This pic shows the diff mounted back in stock location, ignoring my cunning plans to shift it forward. Now it looks like there's room to shift the whole diff up about 30mm but even then things would be tight over the front cross member without lifting the nose slightly. I saw on this website that there was some issues with interference but that was with an R230 which I would've thought would be even tougher to fit: http://www.v8zcar.com/s30z/r230-2.htm Is the pinion shaft in a short R200 lower than in a long R200 for some reason perhaps? Think it's time to get under the car again and check the measurements another couple of dozen times Here's the offending article for reference: You'd've thought after all the effort I went to to clean it up, it would've had the decency to just fit right!!! Cheers, Rob

No need to be humble!!!! I agree, I just sort of bunged them in the model for a rough idea. I'm also not sure that I'll bother with the rear lower cross link. I think I'll just use one long piece along the top rather than having two separate uprights. Now I know all the critical dimensions (thanks again) I can figure out all the little details. Cheers, Rob

Thanks Tim, that's really helpful. Looks like my measurements aren't too far off the mark at all. I think I've seen the light though and will make something up from square section steel tube, cost and ease of production just have it all going for it. I've also realised that my cunning mini bar location has screwed up the front diff mount top runners so I'll have to go with something underneath the diff like you did. Think I'm pretty happy with the way this is all turning out, definitely like to thank everyone for their contributions and helping get my thoughts straight on this. I should end up with a really robust rear end that should last!! Cheers, Rob

What's happened to the pics of this mystery head? or is that another mystery? Cheers, Rob

That's true but it was never my intention to have toe adjustment at this end. How about this though for complete simplicity? 30mm steel tube and a few bits of fat pipe all welded up and ready to go. Lacks blinginess of machined ali but it could always be chrome plated Now if I could just learn to weld I'd probably be able to make that myself. Cheers, Rob

Yep I totally agree, excess material has been playing on my mind. I've been thinking that (looking at the above design) it could be split into 4 pieces. Main upright, moustache bar mounting bolt end and 2 struts between them. All bolted together would give in effect the same over all structure but without so much waste material. I'm not sure about removing the green link. Without it they'd be nothing tying the bottom of the uprights solidly together (the mini bar is bushed), they'd be relying on the bolts at the top for rigidity. OK I realise that they should be pretty damn rigid but why spoil the ship for a ha'porth of tar?! Perhaps ditching the green bar but linking the two lower bush caps would be a simpler approach. Cheers, Rob

Thanks for the pic Tim, looks like the rear of the uprights is only a couple of mm forward of the moustache bar/diff mounting surface, it would be awesome if you get another pic though. I like the idea of being able to flip the minibar over so that it would work for a long nose R200, that would be pretty cool and I can't see it being too hard to achieve either. Back on the 3D front, I've been fiddling with the design of the wings a bit: I kinda prefer this open design to the first. I have shot myself in the foot a bit though as it's made access to the outer upright bolt a lot harder. Longer bolt is probably the simplest solution there, back to the drawingboard Cheers, Rob