Bartman

I was hoping you would jump in Jon. Maybe I should just cut along the red line in the image I posted above.

No I don't think they are 280Z frame rails as I believe the 280Z frame rails are one piece and don't have the flanges on them. Aux, I saw your thread and I will have to do something similar with mine, but it won't resolve the iisue at the front. If you look at the pic the existing frame rail actually arcs down while the Bad Dog units are flat. I don't have the exact measurements, but the Bad Dogs rail depth is around 5/8" while the stock frame rails is around 3/4" at the deepest section. I thought the bottom of the stock frame rails would be flat like the Bad Dog units. I put a red line on the image to show what I expected ( may not be exactly level, but hopefully you get the idea).

So I'm preparing my car for installation of the Bad Dog Frame Rails I purchased a while back. As you can see, it looks like someone went four wheeling with my car: Anyway, they're actually cleaning up pretty well and the existing rails look rust free! The issue I have is that the stock frame rails are deeper than the Bad Dog rails around the front of the floor pan. You can see in this pic how they are much deeper in that area: So you guys that have already installed your rails, did you run into this issue, and if so what did you do about it? I could slice off the bottom of the stock rails, but I thought the Bad Dog's were made to just slip over the stockers.

I'll have finished pic's soon...but I'm waiting for the 5" sleeves on the rear before I can put the weight of the car on the wheels.

My gills are from a 78 Camaro http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?t=119955. My plan is to cut holes in the fender wells to allow hot air to escape, but I think it can be done without compromising the strength in those areas. I'm also planning on using sheet metal in the back of the wheel openings to connect the outer fender area and the inner fender. This will allow air escaping from the engine compartment to flow through the openings in the inner fender and out the fender vents without additional air flow being introduced. I believe closing off the area behind the front wheel openings was discussed in the windtunnel section as a possible improvement to the Z's aerodynamics. I can't seem to find the link anymore, but there was someone that actually put holes in their inner fenders and installed small electric fans in them to force air out from the engine compartment into the inner fenders. I'll keep looking... edit: I found it - http://www.georgiazclub.com/tips/ztech/v8cooling.htm

The 240Z strut tubes are approixately 51mm OD and 280Z strut tubes are approximately 56mm OD. I believe Ground Control will sell you the proper sized support ring (for the threaded sleeve) to weld on to your strut tubes for around six bucks each.

Here's a pic of my 'gills' and I plan to make them functional as well.

I purchased the entire rear end and and drivetrain from another member and he used the 280Z strut tubes for additional strength.

I received the longer sleeves from Ground Control...and they won't work. I called them again and they said it was a misunderstanding and they don't have sleeves that will work for 280Z rear strut tubes over 4" long. So I placed a new order with A-1 Racing for 5" sleeves and coil over nuts.

I think your custom one off hood is going to stay that way...unless you can make it in acrylic orange move the left scoop back, move the right scoop forward and two inches farther to the right and change the center scoop to be made out of gold. Obviously I'm joking, but it sounds like you have a design that will work for what you want; but probably isn't going to work for anyone else. No matter what you change, someone else will want it different. I think the nicest looking aftermarket S30 hood out there right now is made by 280Zone http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?t=101130, but I don't think he's sold very many of them. This board has had very bad experiences with people taking deposits claiming that they can make a specific product, and then they don't come through. It nevers gets completed, poor quality, takes too long, etc. I've been burned myself. I recommend you make the hood for yourself and maybe afterwards think about making more based on demand of the final product.

I too like the look of the LT1, especially in a Z...but I may be a little biased.

I'm sure there are a lot of different opinions, but in this case I think you are mainly paying for the name. I have the complete Accel unit and I think it is just as good if not better then original GM or MSD Opti's. I believe the MSD unit has some adjustment capabilities, but I don't know if you could take advantage of that feature.

Really...Do you have any data to support this? If you do some searching, you may find out that they don't provide the functionality you may be expecting. I am especially suspicious of your so called 'Engine cooling air intake'.

I think it would like much better with just the GTO hood scoop...but that's just my opinion.

I talked to A1 Racing and it sounds like their sleeves would work, but I would need to purchase their adjustable lower spring perches as well (threads are different). So I called Ground Control and they have the longer sleeves and are sending me out a new pair today. Thanks for all the help.

I'll give Ground Control a shot, that's who made the coilovers I'm currently using. I think it would be much easier to get a longer threaded sleeve than trying to fabricate a spacer, but we'll see how it goes.

It looks like the biggest ID from them is 2.08" or around 52.832mm which is too small. I need approximately 2.2" or 56mm.

So I was just about done with getting everything ready to install my larger wheels when I ran into a snag...the threaded sleeves for the rear coilovers are too short! The sleeves I have now are 4" long and putting the lower perch at the top is still interferring with my tires. I have the 8" springs, but I need longer threaded sleeves to go with them. I have 5" long threaded sleeves on the front, so I tried to swap them out, but the Inside diameter is different so it won't work. Anyone know where I can find longer threaded sleeves (I'd like to get just the sleeves, and not a whole kit)? I could probably get them from Modern Motorsports, but I don't feel like starting another thread looking for Ross to find out. I'll call Dave at Arizona Z car in the morning, unless someone knows another source to use. I believe I'm having the problem because I have the larger 56mm 280Z strut tubes on the rear and the smaller 240Z struts on the front.

This is a good indication that you do have an air pocket. The air pocket would likely be in the head allowing the gauge to indicate high temperature while the PCM detects the actual water temperature from the water pump. I think as you get more and more of the air out, the gauge is going to shoot up slower until you eventually get it all. It's difficult with only one bleeder screw. Do you have the heater hooked up? You should have that on if you do as that will have air in it as well. I think your gauge sending unit is fine, but we'll see.

Why are you assuming there was a malicious intent? If they wanted your car, or wheels, or some part from it, they probably would have just taken it. I know I've looked under other peoples car's before...and I had no intention of messing with it or taking anything from it.

Guy, do you have the bleed screws on your coolant system? In order to get all the air pockets out, you generally need to bleed the system. If you're shooting up to 250 relatively quickly that's generally a sign that there's air in the system. It happened to me when I upgraded the top end of my engine, and once I got all the air out it went back to normal range. edit: http://shbox.com/1/4th_gen_tech2.html#radflush

Great story David. It really does sound like a once in a lifetime experience. I'm sure it was quite an experience for your son as well. I know I really appreciate the things I am able to do with my daughter. She's getting to the point where she isn't into doing things with her father anymore, but we did have a chance to make a couple of small road trips and a couple of nice hikes (Half Dome in Yosemite, and Havasupai Falls in the Grand Canyon). They grow up so fast...