pparaska

jeromio, I just put a Pro 5.0 shifter on my Tremec 5spd and it is forward and wider than the stock shifter, so I too had to trim the tunnel 3/4" inch or so on the sides to clear the shifter. I'm considering getting a Mustang 5.0 inner shift boot and ring, as a picture I've see shows it to probably fit fairly well, except for the aft portion of the stock hole in the tunnel. This I will fill in with a piece of sheet metal screwed and caulked down in the aft area of the OE hole. Maybe this would work for you? ------------------ Pete Paraska - 73 540Z - Marathon Z Project pparaska@home.com Pete's V8 Datsun 240Z Pages

How did you adjust the side clearances? Seems you need to have that done at a machine shop, or use a piece of emory cloth on a piece of glass to make the big ends of the rods thinner. You sure you don't mean the bearing to journal clearances? ------------------ Pete Paraska - 73 540Z - Marathon Z Project pparaska@home.com Pete's V8 Datsun 240Z Pages

It looks to me like the collector and flange would be inside the firewall/interior. The head is only 3 or 4 inches from the firewall in the JTR setup, and this header looks to have the collector too far back to fit.

Nion, thanks for that tip. I have shortend my strut tube 1.5" and I've not gotten the chance to try my newly acquired MR-2 strut cartridges in the struts yet. I'm glad to hear they'll fit. ------------------ Pete Paraska - 73 540Z - Marathon Z Project pparaska@home.com Pete's V8 Datsun 240Z Pages

If you're looking for plans for an example of some subframe connectors, I have some at: http://members.home.net/pparaska/structuralmods.htm

Dan, I think it's a drag racer thing, and I'm not going to try to debunk it. I think the theory is that the larger diameter tire will have a better SHAPE for putting power to the ground - a longer patch for/aft. ------------------ Pete Paraska - 73 540Z - Marathon Z Project pparaska@home.com Pete's V8 Datsun 240Z Pages

Lone, you crack me up. great use of the "rolleyes" graphic. I dare not mention building a more powerful engine for my Z - I might end up in divorce court . Of course, a set of heads here, a cam there, some EFI here, who's to know . ------------------ Pete Paraska - 73 540Z - Marathon Z Project pparaska@home.com Pete's V8 Datsun 240Z Pages

Scottie, you have the ultimate gear head/computer geek tool there. I want one! Just to be able to play with all the cool datalogging/tuning is a big reason I want programable EFI - just for the fun of it. 0-61 in 2.85, 11.20s. I need to get down your way somehow and get a ride!

revac, no problem - I just used the calculator on Windows to do that. I have a few old K&E slide rules around too, but I'm too lazy to get up and dig them out . Regards, ------------------ Pete Paraska - 73 540Z - Marathon Z Project pparaska@home.com Pete's V8 Datsun 240Z Pages [This message has been edited by pparaska (edited March 27, 2001).]

Ahh. I couldn't ever get a connection on that web page until now. Of course, you're right. The curve that peaks at the lower rpm is torque and it's units are on the right. The one that peaks at higher rpm is horsepower and peaks on the left. As Norm says, yeah, they look to be about 137-ish at 5252. Mystery solved - thanks Norm! ------------------ Pete Paraska - 73 540Z - Marathon Z Project pparaska@home.com Pete's V8 Datsun 240Z Pages

There are a few tracks, I'm sure. I just haven't looked into that angle. There are a few drag racers I know locally that have connections. It'd be nice to find a shop that did road race stuff though. Most of the stuff around here is dirt and drag oriented, that I know of. I should do just taht though, although I do 95% of my own work. I was really referring to Dave being a knowledgeable and very approachable fellow in the Z fabrication field. Not too many Z modifiers around here that have a business. The only Z oriented shop is a guy that is really only into restorations and hates V8Zs. Plus his prices are astronomical. ------------------ Pete Paraska - 73 540Z - Marathon Z Project pparaska@home.com Pete's V8 Datsun 240Z Pages

Wait, 0-60 in 1.17 seconds? Ron, I want a ride! Just tie me to the roll cage on the passenger's side! Of course my 225lbs might bring it down to 1.4 seconds, but I'll settle for that! If I get south of 4 seconds 0-60, I'll be happy - for a while . ------------------ Pete Paraska - 73 540Z - Marathon Z Project pparaska@home.com Pete's V8 Datsun 240Z Pages

Depends on money, torque, and use of the trans. And whether you want manual or auto. A gear vendors on the TH350 doesn't make sense to me. If I wanted an overdrive auto, I'd get a 700R4 or a 2004R. The T-5 will work if you're nice to it (don't speed shift, etc.) and don't have tons of torque. But the T-56 has great shift quality and can take more torque and abuse. See this site's and Zdriver's tech articles for Mike Kelly's write up on the T56 install (not sure if they are different or if one is more up to date). You can do the Tremec 5spd, but I only know of one person who did that, and he wished he'd just done the T-56 (that's me, by the way). ------------------ Pete Paraska - 73 540Z - Marathon Z Project pparaska@home.com Pete's V8 Datsun 240Z Pages

quote: Originally posted by Tom Scala: ...Note also that some auto transmissions have a rpm limit on how high you can shift,even manually. You can put it in low,floor it and it will shift automatically into 2nd at a factory predetermined point without you moving the lever. I had a Camaro with a TH400 that had that "feature" I don't know the RPM it happened at (didn't have a tach), but I seem to remember it was 5800rpm or something (per a Chevy manual). Pretty damned hard shift too. It would definitely squack the big tradials I had on the back (327 Chevy with the 327/350 cam). One guy I street raced asked if the car was a 4 speed, after I beat him . I used to blow out the rear u-joint about once a week (bad pinion yoke as well) do to that "feature". I was a young high school kid, and didn't mind spending every Saturday morning replacing a u-joint - neither did my girlfriend. Thanks for the memories - those are twenty years old. Pete

To have an experienced person section strut tubes, even $80/strut is not outrageous, IMO. I usually don't mind paying a little bit more for experience. I wish I had places like Dave's near me! ------------------ Pete Paraska - 73 540Z - Marathon Z Project pparaska@home.com Pete's V8 Datsun 240Z Pages

O.K. I got the spreadsheet done and put up a page describing how I calibrated the lame Autometer gages. It's at http://members.home.net/pparaska/gagecalibration.htm On the temp gages, 20 degree low is not acceptable to me. I was able to get them to read very accurately. The fuel level gage (for Ford application) does read E and F when needed, but I don't know how it will read in between. Enjoy, ------------------ Pete Paraska - 73 540Z - Marathon Z Project pparaska@home.com Pete's V8 Datsun 240Z Pages

One 2.25" pipe has a 3.97 sq. in. cross section (neglecting wall thickness) Two 2.25" pipes have 7.94 sq. in. cross section (neglecting wall thickness) Two 2.5" pipes have 9.81 sq. in. cross section (neglecting wall thickness) One 3" pipe has a 7.07 sq. in. cross section (neglecting wall thickness) One 3.5" pipe has a 9.62 sq. in. cross section (neglecting wall thickness) Granted, there will be less actual area for two smaller pipes due to wall thickness (pipes are measured as O.D.) and there is more frictional loss in two pipes versus one of like total area. ------------------ Pete Paraska - 73 540Z - Marathon Z Project pparaska@home.com Pete's V8 Datsun 240Z Pages

My Tremec came with instructions to only use GM Synchromesh fluid. FYI, the Tremec takes 3 quarts. ------------------ Pete Paraska - 73 540Z - Marathon Z Project pparaska@home.com Pete's V8 Datsun 240Z Pages

Kevin, my apologies. I am an engineer, and equations are a way of life for me - I should have carried through with the thought. Drax pointed out the important issue, that HP is derived from torque and if RPM is 5252: HP = RPM * torque/5252 HP(@5252RPM) = 5252 * torque(@5252RPM)/5252 The 5252's on the right hand side cancel, so HP(@5252RPM) = TQ(@5252RPM) Again, if the dyno sheets don't show this, it's round off error, software error, or user error. ------------------ Pete Paraska - 73 540Z - Marathon Z Project pparaska@home.com Pete's V8 Datsun 240Z Pages

Try torquing the rods on the crank, without the piston in the hole. See if it still is tight. I don't know if you know this trick, but here it is: When tightening rods, put feeler gages between the rod pairs, wo that the parting line of the cap you're tightening has a feeler gage at each parting line, making the fit of the gages tight. Use similar or same size feeler gages. to assure that the the cap and rod are aligned at each parting line. Personally, I hate plasticgage. I found a set or good 0.0001" outside micrometers and snap gages used and I much prefer them. I had too much variation in readings when I tried plasticgage. Too "funky" for me - I like direct measurement, no a smashed piece of wax to back it out from. ------------------ Pete Paraska - 73 540Z - Marathon Z Project pparaska@home.com Pete's V8 Datsun 240Z Pages

I know this is going to freak a bunch of people out, me saying this, but if they were replaced in the mid 80s and feel fine, AND you have no reason to take the stubs out (say to drill them for 5 lug), then JUST LEAVE THEM IN. I'd think whoever is working on the parts wouldn't mind that much. ------------------ Pete Paraska - 73 540Z - Marathon Z Project pparaska@home.com Pete's V8 Datsun 240Z Pages

I haven't been able to get that link to work, but what's the possibility that someone applied a correction factor and that's why they didn't line up. Maybe the HP had a correction factor applied and the TQ didn't? Maybe the dyno operator was clueless or made some kind of mistake with the software? BTW, if one were to have an engine tested, can one get raw data from these dyno runs, so as to check the plots? Anyway, yeah, HP=TQ (ft-lbs) at 5252 rpm I don't think theres any room for argument on that, since HP is a derivation of TQ that follows that rule - it's a defined unit. BTW, ft-lbs = lbs-ft, any day of the week, unless you're living in different universe, multipliction is communitive, so you can say it either way and you're correct.

Two ways to go: Get one made that has a Ford and Datsun end on it and use the Datsun Speedo. Get a standard Ford speedo cable (80"?) and get an aftermarket speedo (5") and put that in. The Datsun speedo turns a mile in 1024 revolutions versus 1000 revolutions (per JTR). HTH, Pete

quote: BLKMGK wrote: Okay, I've got to point this out. There's what 10mm difference between a 245 and a 255 tire? It sounds like Pete really had to work hard to get that puppy squeezed in there! Pete, if you had to do it again would you sacrifice the 10mm of width and be satisfied with a 245 series tire? Jim, very little trouble for me (except for writing the check for all of it). Jim Biondo did all the leg work for me, as he had this set up on his car. All I had to do is go with the 8" coilovers, and that's a sacrifice, as your tied down to stiff (275lb/in+) in the rear, unless you use something that's a good bit shorter than the stock upper spring perch and isolator. Agreed, 10mm isn't much. But getting anything much wider will not work in the stock wheel wells unless you take the strut out or locate it further inboard (and do something about the severe camber that would give). ------------------ Pete Paraska - 73 540Z - Marathon Z Project pparaska@home.com Pete's V8 Datsun 240Z Pages

Ron, Lakewood make a straight up (of course), and a Camaro canted bolt pattern blowproof bellhousing, FYI.