pparaska

Oops. If you go to the link to Jim Biondo's car on the main HybridZ page, you'll see that they are : "The taillights are Callaway Vette in custom housings"

Now you have me thinking about my favorite Vette - the C2. Just think what that gold chained crowd would do if you put a mini-C2 body on a Z chassis! Man, they'd freak, and I don't mean they'd love it!

Aren't those Corvette ZR-1 tail lights?

Night, that's a really good point. I'd bet they use the mechanical gages - that's the way I'd go next time. I don't much care for the sport of Nascar racing (it bores me) but I do very much respect the technology. That's the reason I have a Stewart Components water pump on my engine!

Damn, that's haulin'! Is there much more room to tune the engine? You and Scottie seem to be having a bit of a battle . You are both so close! Congrats!

BLKMGK, that's pretty much what I thought too. A mini C4 Vette would be an eye catcher to those that know cars. And if the car had a 400 hp SBC, the weight difference would mean it would spank all but the very modded C4s in a straight line and in the curves, I'd think.

Guys, I really do think the stock Z body looks tons better - Davy's right on that one. Heck, I didn't really change anything on mine but an Air dam, body color bumpers and door handles, a Z432 rear spoiler, and blacked out stainless trim. But I'm really getting into the custom / rod scene as I get older - stock cars, even muscle cars, get old to me after a while. I like to see good creativity and skill, not paint-by-numbers. I really don't get much enjoyment going to a Z convention or show and seeing a bunch of totally stock Z's with only the paint color different between them. YAWN! (IMO) I am just trying to be open minded. I agree if I were to put that much effort or less into doing a body kit, it'd be a C2 or C3 vette (if a vette at all) or even better, a GTO 250, Daytona Cobra, or a 280YZ body kit. I just like seeing somebody do something different, when it doesn't end up distasteful. Yeah, the C4 was the least good looking Vette IMO. But the guy looked to do a good job. And lone's poijt of the C4 bringing performance back to the Vette is very well taken - I remember when the C4 cam out and the mags were gushing over it for just that reason - it was SO MUCH better than the previous years. The Vette died in 73-74 as far as I'm concerned, and was reborn with the C4. Of course, the Z06 C5 is SO MUCH better. Peace.

Jim, I thought about it but once I discovered how good the regulation out of the CS-130 alternator is (it's within a volt or less from what I've witnessed) and the small change in the reading in that range, it wasn't worth it.

Funny, when I was in highschool, I wanted a 65 Fastback Mustang with a 327 in it ... Yeah, it's just a C4 vette body - I'd rather have a mini C2 myself. But at least its DIFFERENT. And a whole lot lighter!

Someone on Zcar.com said, just buy a Vette, what's the point, I replied with a few points, namely, 1000+ pounds less, no one else has one, emissions exemption. Some people just don't get it...

Saw this on Zcar.com - a baby C4! http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/aw-cgi/ebayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=592682738&r=0&t=0

Yeah, I was the one moaning about the Autometer ELECTRIC temp gages being out by 20 degrees F. 4 of them I tested. That and their sensitivity to supply voltage (a regulator chip inside would add less than a buck to each gage!) But I'm pretty particular. If the gage reads 200, I want to know if it's 200 or 220 or 180. Easily fixed though, a few resistors and it's accurate (in a useful range anyway). But the service was great - a liquid filled gage I had bought USED was low on the silicone oil inside. I emailed Autometer tech about another issue and mentioned the oil asking for a part number for some more to put in it. The guy sent it for free, no questions asked. THAT's service! [ June 22, 2001: Message edited by: pparaska ]

Guys, I agree, get a gas setup. Anybody know how hard it is to get the MIG set up to do Stainless and Aluminum? I know I need different gasses. But is a gun reel feeder really needed for AL? Can't you just use larger wire to keep it from buckling between the feeder wheels in the welder and the gun? What gasses and equipment do I need for Stainless and AL? Thanks, Pete

I have pictures, and a drawing of subframe connectors I built and installed on my site under "Structural Mods". I agree subframe connectors, and an 8 point cage that ties the connectors, rocker boxes, top of the rear strut tower and door bars is a good way to go. I just went without the door bars for practicality - plus I don't have 450 hp (wimper).

If you search around on Zhome.com, you can read a story about the first BRE Z's having a crank problem. Nissan found out about it on their own and fixed it. I think it was only the first year, if that long that the cranks had a problem.

I probably don't give my dad enough credit. He has helped alot on my car over the years and is always on hand if I need assistance, advice, etc. He's usually the one saying do it the easy way - problem is I hardly ever listen . Building this car with my dad around has been alot of fun. Hey, how is the power band on that 385 motor? I heard it was all over above 5000 rpm with that engine. Any comments? Congrats! That is going to be way cool having matching appearance V8Zs with your dad!

Paul, thanks for that piezo buzzer idea! I have two belts to the WP, AC and ALT, so maybe this won't be as much of a problem. Hmm. I've been thinking of some lights to show when the oil pressure safety switch (7psi turn off) for the fuel pump circuit and the one for the ALT idiot light. Now I'm thinking of hooking both lights to a piezo buzzer. Thanks for the idea! I know the oil pressure beacon/buzzer is common on race cars, but I had not thought of using the buzzer idea.

Weight - heh - you must not be talking about 240Z bumpers! They are so ridiculously thin, they weigh nothing! I totally agree that the Z looks better without bumpers and the mounting areas smoothed. Especially in the rear. I put and early 240Z bumper on the front of my Z since it doesn't stick out like the 73+ ones. Ground the chrome off, welded the holes shut and had the body guys smooth and paint it body color. At the rear, I've used 280Z 1/4 panels (no indent for the bumper, taken the L-shaped ends off the center section of the bumper, cut 3/4" out of the "depth" front to rear of the bumper (tin snips!) and made little tapered ends that I welded onto the ends. The ends come just to the corner of the rear panel and 1/4 panel. It'll be painted body color and mounted within 1/8" of the body. I decided to use bumpers to get even some small level of protection, even in parking lots. At the rear, I'm making heavy duty mounting brackets (the stock ones are a joke) and putting a length of 1" ID sched 40 iron pipe in between the brackets. So the modified rear bumper is no more than a bumper cover. Hopefully, with it being body color, and of reduced depth, it won't "stick out" to the aesthetic eye. I may do something similar to the inside of the front bumper. I hate adding weight at the extreme ends of the car (not insignificant polar moment of inertia impact), but it's a compromise to the TONS of bucks I have in the body and paint work.

Isn't that typical of some alternators? I mean, they need to be spun up with engine rpm of about 2000 to "turn on" and after that they stay on. I've heard the one wire alts do this. My GM CS-130 alt (90 amp) kick out lots of amps at idle. Something like 45 amps at idle! And no "turn on" rpm either. Dontcha love that charge light? I'm running no ammeter, a plug in the cig lighter volt meter (need to get or build one) and a charge light. Simple to hook up and lets you know if something is wrong with the battery, wiring, or alt. Or if your alt hasn't turned on yet . I think what you are seeing is normal for some alts - I'd just spin it up to the turn on rpm when you start it and forget about it.

Don, as usual, we're on the same wavelengths I had to open the hole that the cage goes into, space the motor mounting plate on the ford blower back about a half inch (and sealed this area) and made a new "inlet duct" in the box. The inlet duct is just that short lip that is in the hole in the box that seals the inside of the cage to the other side of the box, where the inlet air enters the cage. A strip (about 1" wide of sheet was bent into a piece resembling angle iron, with a 1/4 and 3/4" leg. Lots of snip cuts along the 3/4" side, to be able to bend the 1/4" side into a circle. This created a short 1/4" long "duct that I tack welded into place. One reason for this is that I moved the center of the fan a bit to get it to work a bit better (to keep it from recirculating the air). I also had to rewire the fan with larger wire to it, added relays (you probably figured that!), and made a new speed selecting resistor (that coil of wire in the outlet of the fan box) out of some 19 gage nicrome wire. Trial and error there to get the speeds I wanted. BTW, I have that same MSA unit, only I bought the R134A version from them. Damned expensive it was. And I totally agree that the reason these systems didn't work was that the seal between the evap box output (where that foam makes a gasket in your pic) and the fan box opening is hard to get right, AND the fan was too wimpy to be able to pull enough air through it. I'll know later this Summer, I hope, whether my (our) theory is right. [ June 20, 2001: Message edited by: pparaska ]

Looks Mean! Now for the transformation to a pavement ripper!

Al, BLKMGK, are the Hyundai lights at all smaller than the stock hole? My car is going through the final blocking next week and if I need to close up those holes any, this would be the time to know... Thanks,

I found Eric Waiter Assoc. book page at: http://ewa1.com/cgi-bin/webcartb/webcart-frames.cgi Racecar Engineering US 1st class /yr is $116.00 US 2nd class is $79 /yr Ouch

The 240Zs had 3.36:1 unless it was an automatic. I don't think a 4.11:1 was ever offered from the dealer, although NISMO has/had them.

quote: Originally posted by Will240z: Very intelligent and well thought out comments here. Thanks! ...snip... Incidentially, I am impressed that on this forum nobody treated this question like it was from a dumbass. I posted a similar question on another web site forum -- and nearly all of the replies were along the lines of "why would you want to do a dumb thing like that?" I like the fact that people here seem to have a more open mind about modifications! I bet I know what forum that would be . We don't allow that here. Open minds are what this place is about - heck, alot of us are using non-Nissan engines! That's how we got started (Thanks Owen, then Dan!) I'm probably going to do what BLKMGK said - just go to a Hyundai dealer and get the parts for an 89 Excel. I saw a Lexus SUV that had some nice small front ones - I may check around.