Dan Juday

I think there is more than bling here. For a street/track car this makes rear supension adjustments much easier: ride height, spring rates, shock rates. With some modifications to the basic design you could also adjust camber and caster (caster in the rear?). I would also argue that the structural design is adequate since the loads are parallel to the main bar. I don't see any need to triangulate unless you are also using the device to reinforce the body structure. Just my observations. There are much more qualified suspension guys here than me.

"It's like throwing a body kit on a jag e-type to make it look modern.... " Sorry, I couldn't pass that up.

Well, I give you props for using the search button. But... Four plus old thread and a post about a motor swap into a '95 Buick? I don't know what to say except that I seriously doubt any one here (or anywhere) can help you with that question. Oh, and welcome to Hybrid Z (that's Z as in Z cars )

The SubtleZ and 280YZ front fenders are not good comparisons. Besides the obvious difference in overall width, the shape of the two designs are quite different. The YZ kit was designed for race cars with substantially lowered suspensions. The tires will tuck well up into the fender under compression without rubbing. The SubtleZ kit was designed as an subtle exageration of the stock fenders. The front fenders are basicly pulled out from the fender lip. From the top of the lip to the crest of the fender is mostly a straight line. So the design dose not allow a lot of tire room above the lip to tuck in under compression. So there are several factors to consider: ride height, tire size, suspension travel. My recommendation is that if you like the SubtleZ kit than buy it and mount it and design your suspension around it. Measurements alone likely will not provide you with enough information.

Miles, you can use a speedi-sleave on the driveshaft yoke. That may stop the tranny fluid leak if the yoke is groved. On the clutch, keep bleading it. I ended up doing it off the car and just submerging the whole thing in a bucket of brake fluid. Messy, but it worked. I originally had a 3/4" MC as per the old JTR manual. That never worked. Moving up the the 7/8" did the trick.

Jerome was a kid that worked at our local Ace Hardware. He had a nice looking third gen Camaro (it had a wimpy V6 in it though). He always kept it polished and looking nice. One day I pull into the Ace parking lot and there's a big ol' dent in the front right fender. I walk in and ask Jerome what happened. "The neighbor's stupid *** labrador runs right out into the road and clocks my car as I'm cruising by at like 35 mph!" The dumb dog walked away with a bad headache but left this big smooth scratchless dent in the Camaro. My wife has an '06 Mazda 3. Sheet metal as thin as a Coke can. Hey Alex, maybe a drunk chihuahua stumbed into the the side of your car when you weren't looking? Sorry buddy. Just having fun with you. But you always have the screwiest things happen to you. When are you going to learn that it's an exercize in futility sharing those experiances with us knuckle-heads?

What do you want for one in stainless?

The JTR kit comes with the pinon adapter to mate the Datsun differencial to a GM drive shaft u-joint. You will need a GM drive shaft. After you have the motor and tranny in the correct position you can measure to determine how much you will need to shorten the shaft. The manual will explain all this in detail so you should have no worries.

The Arizona part is correct. But the reports of John Washingtons demise have been greatly exaggerated. Those are 280YZ rear flares available from reactionresearch.com

Why not just buy them new? The used ones I have seen for sale don't carry much of a discount. Plus if you buy from John Washington you know what you are getting and you are dealing with an honest, trustworthy person.

Check out Terry Oxendales Blueovalz.

Actually, I think you would need 297 of them. Heck of a chore tieing them all to one drive shaft. Very impressive little motor. But really, does this guy have too much time on his hands?

I think Chelle meant "John" Washington of reactionresearch.com John does sell two different styles of fiberglass dashes for S30 based 250 GTO replicas (like his own Vello Rossa). Tom sounds like John, right?

My first new car was an '85 GLH turbo. It had a stock Omni wheel. FYI it was an absolute kick in the pants to drive. Reliability of a Fiat though (yea, I had a few of those too).

Dave is on to something with his "guides" idea. In commercial HVAC duct design we use turning vanes (like what Dave calls guides) to better direct the airflow through duct work and to keep the air attached for less static pressure. Perhaps a small vane near each runner inlet and maybe one or two others strategically placed in the plenum would help. The size and shape of the vanes would be critical for improving airflow over the relatively broad range of airflow velocity you see in an intake manifold.

You might want to check the steering shaft u-joint. It's at the bottom of the shaft just before it enters the rack. A bad u-joint will cause the problem you describe.

Welcome to Hybrid Filmjay. Let me start by saying I have not built or worked on a Z based 250 GTO replica. But I do have some experience with V8 swaps and fiberglass body mods on the S30 platform. Here in California we have a loophole that allows you to register a replica as a "Specialty constructed vehicle". The emissions laws follow the model year of the vehicle you are replicating. Hence, a 1962 GTO built on a 1978 donor would be held to the smog laws of 1962. I have a friend who has a TomahawkZ registered this way. I don't know if Tennessee has a similar system but I would research this if I were you. IMHO a '77 or '78 would make a much better donor for a GTO than the earlier cars. I have cut into these cars and I can tell you from direct observation that the latter bodies were built much stiffer with thicker metal and more gussets than the early S30s. On top of that is all the advantages stated by others in this thread. Pick your car wisely and start with a strong straight rust free foundation and you will have a superior finished product. I would go as far as recommending you buy a nice complete running car and drive it before you take it apart. Some problems only show up when you are behind the wheel at speed. You are going to pay a lot more to start with but you will know you stated right. If you actually finish this project and do it right (sorry to cast doubt, but the truth is that many start and few finish) you will spend many times the price of a nice driver 280Z. Good luck. I look forward to reading of your progress.

Thanks Bill, That's the most helpful reply to my question. You addressed two issues that most people wouldn't think about until they tried to do this for themselves: The limited space inside the hatch, and the inconvenient angle at which the mechanism operates. Anybody out there with any real-world success with an electric hatch release in an S30?

They triangulate in three planes. Accuracy depends on the number of satellites they are tracking and their location in the sky. The better the angle the lower the cosine error. Here in the California Delta, living so close to (or even below) sea level, we are very aware of altitude. I've noticed that sometimes I get very accurate altitude readings and other times they are way off. Getting a strong tracking signal is only part of the accuracy formula. I've been using a GPS speedo in my Z for years now. It's a cheap Garmin hand held unit. I just recently bought a complete set of Autometer gauges to replace my "high tech" speedo.

Just want to back-up Mike on this, yes, Sanderson makes a quality header. I resently replaced a set of Flowtechs with a new set of Sandersons. Far better quality for a marginal premium in cost. FYI, I have a tpi motor, not an LSx.

I think you guys pooh-poohed the interior panels too early. Since they are not structural they could be done in a single layer. They are relatively small and universal fit to all the S30's. I think they would have a better chance of being a commercial success than a splitter, JMHO.

Just wanted to pass along a heads-up. Autometer is currently offering rebates on most of their gauges and guage sets. http://www.autometer.com/media_newsarticle.aspx?yr=2008&mo=5&aid=92 I bought a set of C2 guages, speedo, tach, water temp, oil pressure, voltmeter, and fuel gauge. I sent the form in last week and got a check for $150 today. Much faster than the six to eight weeks the form said. They sent a very nice letter too (I'm such a push-over). This turns out be like a 13% to 14% discount. The rebates are over at the end of the month so if you want to take advantage you better jump.

Sleek Z's projects are more theorectical in nature then actual. He likes to think of himself as an "idea man". You're presuming that these projects are ever "finished". Chelle is working on a rear transaxle from a C5 if I recall correctly. And Auxilary has a turbo rotory in his 240 but it's a long term project (I don't think he planned it that way) but it's not running yet and it does stick out from the tranny tunnel a bit. Do a search on rotory Z and you should find a bunch of threads.

Yes. I've been reading this and thinking, " I don't need any stinking CF". But the interior panels? Replacements for those cheesy flimsy trim panels? Yes, I'd buy that! Also, what rsicard said about having four minor gauge spots, that's what I like about my Tomohawk Z dash cap. When Rory designed it he just shoved another hole in the spot to the right of the tach. Now instead of three across, I have four. A dash is a complicated piece though. Start with those trim panels and I'll send a check.

Any Crosley. They pop up from time to time on ebay. Still relatively cheap. Getting pretty old but they are light. The originals even had a sheet metal engine!