pparaska

IF I had any idea that my rotisserie was going to be seen or used by others it would have been alot nicer! I built it for my car quick and dirty out of stuff I had laying around (2x4s) and some steel from the yard near me. It's very crude and not adjustable at all. It was made for 73 bumper mounts. It used 2x4s on the stands and steel channel, black pipe, and angle iron on the parts that bolt to the car and the tops of the stands. I calculated the strength needed by the stands to hold up 1000lbs and two 2x4s (nailed and glued together side by side) was plenty to take the column load for the short length. It's crude but it worked. If you hit my site, you can see a picture of the rear one. Don't throw up looking at that monster! Oh yeah, I tacked the steel bits together and took them to a professional welder to do. I just didn't trust my welding for that! If I were to do it again, I'd design it to be able to adjust the height on the car at which it is rotating. The way I came up with the heights was to call Bill Reagan (who wrote a bood on how he restored a 240Z) and asked him for the measurements. I did it the way I thought he said, but the car ended up being bottom heavy and a bit of a chore to turn on it's side. It was still a huge help! One thing to note is that holding up the ends of the car with any kind of extra weight should be avoided, as it will bend the car. This is really an issue if you are cutting out floors, etc. I pulled EVERYTHING out of the car (including glass) before putting it on the rotisserie. [This message has been edited by pparaska (edited October 10, 2000).]

Yuichi, talk to me in 6 months. Then maybe I'll be there! When I do it, I will document it with pictures and measurements. Pete "the slowest moving mechanic in the world" Paraska

Stony, I saw that a while back as Someone posted teh URL on the IZCC list. I tried emailing the guy from the address on the website, but no answer. Anybody know any details on how things were done on that car? I know I'm no expert on parts available for the Z but I see some stuff on that car that I just never have seen or heard of before. Consider: (The larger version of this pic is at: http://www.geocities.co.jp/MotorCity/1147/FairladyZ/02142.jpg ) I've never seen anybody do an offset strut spacer before. I can see getting the camber increase this way, but I'd think it would steer very strange, as the distance from the spindle to the ball jint is increased, and the scrub radius is WAY big compared to stock. What really intrigues me is: (The larger version is at: http://www.geocities.co.jp/MotorCity/1147/FairladyZ/02148.jpg ) That's a pretty cool setup. I've never seen this kind of strut camber adjustment setup before. Anybody seen this or know where to get it, or details about it? A incredibly nicely done car. The owner must be proud! ------------------ Pete Paraska - 73 540Z - Marathon Z Project - pparaska@home.com">pparaska@home.com -

Tom, I've heard and experienced just the opposite. On the street, the vac sec can be made to do alot. It's the mech. sec carb that has more problems. In fact, there have been a number of articles in the hotrod/CHP mags lately heralding the virtues of the vac sec Holley. It's all in the tuning again. Those springs in your carb sound too soft. YMMV of course .

Back a few years ago when my car was in the bare form (EVERYTHING taken out/off) my 80 year old dad (who's in pretty good shape- looks like he's 65) and I picked up the entire 73 unibody. I had the rear (I was being nice to the old guy . It was heavy enough that we only held it up of the raised jack stands (car was 2.5 feet in the air) for a few seconds. I would guess 4-600 lbs. We ain't that strong! 800? I don't know maybe that much, but I doubt it. Note that Chris's car is a 280 and a good bit heavier I'd think. Darn, I should have tested it with Chris when I visited! Oh yeah, my car had the heavier subframe connectors and engine rails in it at that point. It was REALLY easy to lift the front when the rear was on stands near the seat belt pockets. It's pretty tail heavy in that form. ------------------ Pete Paraska - 73 540Z - Marathon Z Project - pparaska@home.com">pparaska@home.com -

Jim, I hear ya. I've wanted an affordable wideband O2 for years. Keep us informed! Thanks

Socal. Jim, I know what you mean. I was in Ventura/PT. Mugu, etc area a year or so and I was impressed by the fact that original 50s and 60s cars with original paint were still on the road, but really depressed by all the riceboys. 1 inch of ground clearance and the same or less of bump travel. Scary I tell ya.

Jim, I had the same concerns and questions about that Ram EFI setup. How'd they get it to work on the hotter motor? Maybe Chevy worked with them. I guess EFI is a true test of thre rule of pick 2 of 3: fast, easy, cheap.

Chris, small world indeed. He's been on the fence as to whether he was going to sell it. Pretty cool body kit!

Stony, what's the power band of this thing like? Do you have to wind it to 4000rpm plus get anything over 200 ftlbs or what?

Even though it's only 6% more diameter (15/16 vs 1"), it works out to 13% more area and volume. I've heard that the 15/16" 280ZX MC is plenty adequate for the Toyota caliper (non-vented at least, not sure about the vented) and Arizona Z car brake upgrades. It all depends on the area of the pistons in the calipers. What upgrade were you looking at?

Danno, seeing as that's 1-3/4" less than my stock isolator/perch setup, and I think I could lower the bottom perch 1/4" without hitting the tire, I'd think 10" springs would work. Especially if they were a lighter rate. I'd give yours a try. Keep us posted!

Danno, Dunno. What's the distance from the top surface of the camber plate (that rests against the underside of the strut tower) and the bottom of the TOP spring perch (that the spring top rest against) ? The stock 240Z dimension (using the center of the top perch with the 2.5" springs) is 2.95".

Ray, I have some measurements such as how far apart the bolt holes for the cross member are from each other and the firewall. Also, I have a Datsun manual for the 73 240Z that has a figure with alot of dimensions of the chassis on it. Hard to read. I'll try scanning it and see if I can clean it up and put it on my site. Remind me if I forget! ------------------ Pete Paraska - 73 540Z - Marathon Z Project - pparaska@home.com">pparaska@home.com -

Donna Welcome! I see you post on Zcar sometimes but I'm not over there often. I guess I just will never believe in Silver Bullet sparkplugs. Not a whole bunch of power to be had with any plug. I guess drivability might be improved with some special plug, but until somebody improves greatly on a cylinder head design or something radical, I'll stick with regular plugs. Pete "old curmudgeon" Paraska [This message has been edited by pparaska (edited October 05, 2000).]

Copper "spoon". Yeah, I made one one day out of a piece of copper pipe cut and flattened and a small pair of vise grips to hold it. It works great for filling holes.

Chris, yes, pool on the thick, go over to the thin, an inch or too at a time. That's what I found to work also. Lone, I'm using a cheap little Dayona Mini Mig with lots of hours on it. I have only experience welding on the car - I know stupid, but that's what I did. I got decen pretty quick though, since Mig is pretty easy to self teach. I really want a nice Tig/Mig setup. I don't know how to fund a $1500 piece of equipment for hobby use though . I'd LOVE to be able to TIG aluminum stuff, and Stainless.

Dan, Don't fret about those springs yet. I did get some pics late last night, but th ecamera locked up (I think Bill Gates is in league with Kodak) and it was later (1:30am) when I got that fixed. Anyway, the real deal is like this: - I shortened the struts 1.5" and used 240Z front cartridges in the rear - The stock Isolator and spring perch (including that little rubber donut that's between the two measures 2.95" in height between the top of the spring and the underside sheetmetal of the strut tower. - For now the Carrera threaded tube is at the top of the strut. With the stock isolator and upper spring perch, I have to adjust the lower collar to about the middle of the threaded tube to keep the spring from moving vertically. I have now idea whether this is where the adjustment will be for ride height, since the car is still not totally assembled. - With the spring perch in this location, it is near the top of the tire. It looks like it could move down amost an inch before it would get too close to the tire sidewall. So with camber plates and a short top perch, I think 10" springs might be a possiblity. If it's not, most places like Carerra let you return springs if they haven't been used or if it's been a month since you got them, etc. Plus, at $50 to $60 a pop, getting new ones is not the end of the world, as car part prices go. I'll try to get some pics together on my site tonight. BTW, the bottom of the Carrera tube wher the threads end is right next to the rim lip the way I have things now. There's only 1/10" clearance there now. I'll probably take the tube out and shorten it, since I can't use the lower inch of adjustment anyway. Then the clearance would be more like 3/16" from the rim lip to the strut tube.

Danno, for you anything . It was 1am when I went to the garage to take that picture, I'll do the rear tonight for ya. I need to do that as well as pics later of where the rear fender lip gets rolled to fit these tires. It's not much, as the car can come down over the tire and the fender lip just touches. I think if you used a camber plate with a short spring perch below it you'd be able to use a 9" spring. The problem is there doesn't seem to be much choice in the 9" length (somebody tell me who makes a variety in 9" if I'm wrong here. I'll measure the overall height of the stock spring seat and cushion tonight and see how big that is. That way you'd know if the camber plate and short spring perch (whose, I don't know) would be short enough to use a 10" spring, which would open things up for spring selection alot.

Hey, Chris, I did what you're not supposed to do - learn to weld on your project car! Butt welding 18 gage new floor material to the existing 22 gage tunnel bottom was LOTS of fun. Weld an inch, burn througout, let cool, weld to fill hole, grind, etc. Sometimes I could go 6 inches (not all at once) and not burn through. The stuff doesn't look pretty, but its strong, and the heat didn't warp anythng. I never would have thought that the sheetmetal on the Z was so thin. Talk about paper! [This message has been edited by pparaska (edited October 04, 2000).]

Mike, sorry to hear your rust story. I absolutely hate rust. After replacing TONS of rusty stuff on my Z, I have developed a credo: 1) Steer clear of overlapping steel joints. If the steel must overlap for strength reasons, etc., either seam weld both edges on each side of the overlap, or use a weld through primer (although in my experience these burn off) or use a very good seam sealer. My preference is to butt weld, or lap weld with a continuous seam and cut and grind back the unwelded overlap to the weld. 2) Use a rust eater (acid based) like Ospho or Eastwood's Oxysolv to eat surface rust and prep the metal with a zinc phosphate coating. 3) Paint with either an epoxy primer mixed into a sealer formulation or with a moisture cured urethane like Hirsch Automotive's Miracle Paint or POR-15's paints. Powder coating and ceramic coating are good for rust prevention also. I have been known to spray bomb parts though, but I prefer not to do that as it's not a great rust preventer. I used to use Rustoleum rust preventive paints, but the spray nozzles clog no matter what you do. Now that I've found Miracle Paint/POR-15 I try to do parts with that. 4) If I bolt two pieces of metal together, I slather antisieze or boat trailer wheel bearing grease on the parts where they touch, to keep water out. 5) If I drill a hole to mount something small like a cable clamp, etc., I use RTV to coat the hole edges. Damn, I hate rust. Ain't no way I'm going to let it come back if I can help it. [This message has been edited by pparaska (edited October 04, 2000).]

Al, Sorry you haven't gotten a response. The key is to have the imaginary line connecting the inner and outer tie rod joints and the imaginary line connecting the balljoint and inner control arm pivot parallel and of the same length. That's easier said than done. I'd say your rack placement is dictated by that constraint, or you'll have bumpsteer. I hope that helps.

1/8"+ at the spring to rim lip juncture and 3/16"+ at the tire to spring area. These tires (Michelin Pilot SX MXX3) have a wide bead protector that makes that closer than it might be on other tires. But that 1/8"+ is the kicker. The last time I had a fender on there it looked to have a decent amount of clearance outboard. You can see a pic of the clearance measurements at: http://members.home.net/pparaska/wheelstires.htm

FWIW, I have 17x8.5's with 142mm backspacing and a 1/8" wheel spacer mounted with 235/45-17 tires and I am able to run 10 inch springs without rubbing in the stock fender on my 73. It is close to the spring though. ------------------ Pete Paraska - 73 540Z - Marathon Z Project - pparaska@home.com">pparaska@home.com -

Chris, your subframe sounds great. Gonna put up some pics? I'd like to see...