pparaska

Mike, I'd love to see your conversion. Not sure when I have any time open to meet, but I'll have my Z at the Laurel MD Lions Club Auto Show on 6 Sept. It's at the Laurel Race Course: http://216.37.219.29/district22c/llautoshow.htm You can email or call for info: 301-953-7053 , phil18bl@aol.com

Don't the viscous LSDs in the Z31 SS model have a tag that says it's viscous somewhere on the diff?

http://www.irondonut.com/personal/beefcakehotrods/beefprep.html Beautiful engineering and fabrication! I wonder what the effect on the car's CG placement is. I'm betting it raised it a bit, but may not have moved it forward.

Copying is a form of flattery - No secrets on my car. But try not to copy - find a better way to do it! I'm not a fabricator by trade, so there's probably simpler and stronger/stiffer ways to do all that. One thing I'd do is go for thicker wall thickness (more like .095 or .125) on the 2x3. The weight is down low, and the increased benefits in stiffness would be a boon. Also, I had some ideas to better tie the rear of the subframe connectors to more members at the rear to add stiffness in torsion and bending of the unibody.

Please don't beat me master....I was confused...I shall repent...long live the V8! James, your are just too funny!

Thanks for the comps, guys! http://mywebpages.comcast.net/pparaska/structuralmods.htm Yeah, the pictures aren't too clear. Remember I replaced the engine frame rail too, and cut the T/C rod bracket off the stock rail and welded it to the new rail (2.5"x2.5" tubing). The 2x3 subframe connector is centered below the engine rail, giving an overlap of 1/4" on either side viewed straight down. I tied the subframe connector to the firewall and the engine compartment rail by taking a 1/8" thk piece of steel plate and cutting it into a shape that sits on top of the corner of the subframe connector tubing, butts up to the firewall reinforcement I added, and lays along side (overlaps) the side of the engine rail. I had three one inch holes cut into the plate in the area of the engine rail overlap, so that these areas could be plug welded to the rail. I also added little extensions onto the front end of the subframe connector to extend it to the T/C bracket. I then added a horizontal piece of steel plate that is welded to the aft lower edge of the T/C bracket and extends back to the subframe connector, to have a place to put a jack stand. Then a bunch of tedious little pieces here and there to seal the area off.

James, it's pretty obvious - you'd be posting in the Turbo/Supercharger forum! BTW, it was 3 or 4 years ago that I emailed Derek SEVERAL times about the lame software they were using that didn't boil threads with new responses to the top. That alone makes that site almost useless. Sorry that you guys are feeling hurt. But this site was set up for V8 swaps to begin with. It was set up to get away from L6 purists. But lately we've had more than one or two purists come in and stir things up, so we are moving back towards our original intent, by taking some FOCUS away from the L6 stuff, the how-to-fix-this-niggling-stock-Z-non-performance-related-thing. GREAT places for that are the IZCC mail list (see zhome.com) and 240Z.org. Cruez, I'm all for someone starting an L6 forum somewhere, or using Zdriver.com. I'm all for someone starting an RB forum somewhere. Heck, start a V8Z forum somewhere, but it'll be hard to pull many to it. This place NEVER was and still isn't the place to find out how to get the last HP out of an NA L6 engine. That is not a hybridZ. It's not that I don't appreciate L6 Zs - I do. But we don't want to be the central point for that topic. Turbo L6's - that's fine, as it's a HybridZ as Rags points out. We're not trying to run off Z guys that run L6 engines. Many of them have found a home here to discuss plenty of stuff other than the L6. In fact, we have many top road racers that run classes that only accept the L6, and they provide incredible technical knowledge in chassis, brake, suspension, and other areas! That is definitely one of the things that makes this site the best Z site around!

Yeah, 10mm by 1mm thread internal thread is pretty small. I'm working with extremepsi.com to get a price on the GSL392. They sell tons of in tank Walbro pumps on Ebay for around $85-90 and they think the price will be around $100 for the inline.

Surely John Coffey will chime in. I believe the other issue is the difference in the method of welding the flange to the axle. Better in the later 280Z? Maybe the larger one also has less of a stress riser between the end of the splines and the middle of the shaft?

My Canfield 215 flow numbers: http://www.hybridz.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=181030#181030 Oh, and I agree - if I was to start buying valvetrain stuff over, I'd probably go for shaft mount at that price. Of course, after I went to a roller cam . And I also agree, doing shaft mounted rocker lash adjustments will be alot easier and more fun than if you are using stud girdles. That's one reason I'm not using a stud girdle. That and I don't think I need a stud girdle for my cam, rpm, etc. Sounds like it will be a sweet motor!

Luigi's "woes" thread finally got me off my duff to post these results. Summary: http://home.comcast.net/~pparaska/data/canf215flow_1_summary.htm Yeah, an 8" long pipe is probably gilding the lilly a bit. But still a minor amount of porting woke up those exhaust ports. Out of the box, the intakes looked great (better than quoted) so we left those alone.

U-joint half shafts are the same. The companion flange between the 280 and 240Z stubs are the same where the stub axle bolts up, only different in the size of the splined hole and the spline count. I think a 240Z with other than slicks or sticky tires, driven hard but not trying to kill it, and the 240Z stubs will last fairly long. Put 500 lbft into it, do clutch drops, with sticky tires and you'll eventually end up breaking the u-joints and/or the stubs. Counter point: A used pair of 280Z stubs with new bearings is probably under $200.

There's been alot of talk lately about trying to get the signal to noise ratio higher here at HybridZ. No, we aren't going to ban anyone for not searching . That's reserved for the real trouble makers. I know the search function isn't great, but it DOES work. Take the 377 post in the Chevy forum today. I used the search engine on "377" and got a TON of stuff to read. Why should anyone that's posted stuff have to keep answering the same questions? They probably won't do it for very long. Not using search is viewed as rude and lazy on alot of forums. Plus with google.com, etc., you could become the expert in days on these topics and actually HAVE something to add to the discussion. As far as anyone liking to be a hard-a$$, not any admin or moderators I know of. As far as being grumpy, not any I know of either - we're just enforcing the rules.

Yes, Now I have a 700 cfm 4D system (got it cheap). I also have some 85 lb/hr injectors for it, which I believe is the only difference between the 900cfm and 700cfm TBIs. Holley for some reason rated the TBIs on fuel flow/power potential, and made up the cfm rating to match accepted standards for carbs. I will have the answer to whether the TBIs are different sizes in a day or so. Someone is selling a TBI with 4 big injectors below the throttle plates - still bolts on like a 4bbl carb, nicer, and not cheap. I hope to go to an Offenhauser smokeyram type manifold with port injectors under the top. I'll probably use a Holley 4bbls (maybe 2?) on the top as an air door. Look old school, huge plenum, good runner length, port injection . This will all be custom.

Scottie, I'm probably going to use the Walbro GSL392 for my ~525hp V8 (if I maximize for peak HP). This is for a TBI setup that runs at 18psi max (15 recommended). That pump delivers about 80 GPH at 15psi and 13.5volts (http://www.autoperformanceengineering.com/pics/gsl392.jpg). 80GPH is about 500 lbs/hr, which ought to be plenty for 4 85 lb/hr injectors in the throttle body. Enough for this?

Tim, it's looking great! I can't wait to see it once it's painted - especially that tail light treatment - my favorite non-stock taillight setup from the mongo thread on hybrid is yours. What color?

Which Canfields did you get? The 220s? I got the new 215s, which, like the 195s, don't need offset rockers. But all the Canfields have a non-stock valve placement. Why shaft mounted? How much was that?

Congrats, Mike! We're very happy for you! I am hoping that you at least hold on to your street Z.

Try the search function, with even just "377" in the Chevy V8 Forum and you'll learn alot about it. The 400 siamese bore overheating thing is BS. If the heads are drilled like they should be, there won't be a problem. IMO, save some money on bottom end parts and valvetrain parts needed to twist the 377 up, and just do a 400. Sure, redline (using the 4000fpm average piston speed maximum) is around 6300, but in a street car, that's alot of rpm, IMO. Especially since you'll have torque from VERY low all the way to 6300.

BTW, we have our own resident Aerodynamics expert. Michael has a PhD in Aerospace Engineering and did his PhD dissertation in the aerodynamics field.

Jim, I'm using some brackets I designed and had made up. There are some pictures here: http://mywebpages.comcast.net/pparaska/brakemods.htm Alignment - well, it's all just a bit better than eyeballed. I used a homemade trammel bar for toe. I think I have 1/16" toe in at the wheel lip. Camber - leveled the floor with linoleum tiles under the tires, then used an angle finder against the rim - only good to 1/2 a degree. I'm at about 1 degree front, 1 degree rear (negative). Caster? No idea. I need to take care of that stuff SOMEDAY. I hardly ever get out to Manassas. I do get down to Mike's on ocassion, and Springfield. I'm in Crystal City every Monday AM and other times for work.

Jim, I just saw this thread. E-brake. Mine makes a bunch of noise once I slow down after driving. Screech, etc. The pads are too freaking hard, I think. I've been thinking about getting some softer ones made. Diff cover bolts loose: That happens when you throw a bunch of torque through the diff! Locktite them in. The cover takes the reaction loads of the diff. Or be really cool and safety wire them .

John, did I ever get back to you on this? He's now decided to keep the Daytona car and repair it back to usable/presentable condition to drive it. Just my opinion, but Carroll can take a hike. All he's done for the past 20 some years in the car's arena is piss and moan about kit Cobras. This article sums up how I feel about the grumpy old fart: http://lists.twistedpair.ca/pipermail/classic-mustangs/2000-July/023297.html In my youth, I looked up to him. Now I just shake my head when I think about him.

I have a friend with an old Daytona Coupe body kit on a 240Z. He did alot of modifications to the original kit to try and make the proportions closer to the original car. This kit was sold by someone in Virginia. I can try to get more info on it. Unfortunately, the kit is separating from the rusty Z. The owner plans to remove the panels and store them until he can get $$, another Z, etc.

Hceline17, great post. As far as what the OEs decide to build, they build what will sell. Thrust/Torque/Power delivery: Some of the US public wants easy to drive grunt. They want their 3500+ lb car to accellerate well, without having to listen to alot of rpm while doing it, or rowing gears alot, or listening to the automatic transmission shift down 3 gears to do it. It'd be interesting to see what other country's auto buyers would buy if fuel prices were similar to the US, and they had no displacement regulation. I bet it'd be similar. So, we have this situation: The US automakers CAN build larger engines, and have them turn very much more slowly in cruise due to their increased displacement (with respect to smaller engines). That's a fact. And that doesn't mean that the larger displacement engine will use more fuel at cruise (where fuel economy is usually most important). Anecdote alert! Looking at my mileage for my 240Z, the L6 got about 22-23 mpg. My V8 powered one gets 21-22 on a road trip, with a bad very rich carb. But look at the mileage figures between new large and small displacement engined cars and you won't see large differences - because the larger engine cruises at a lower rpm. PEAK power/displacement vs insurance cost The other factor in this OE power/displacement issue is this. The buyer wants grunt, and goes for the larger engine (in the US anyway). But if the automaker made the engine have the same PEAK power/displacement as the S2000 engine, many fewer people would be able to afford auto insurance. So the knuckle dragging 5.7L V8 Camaro driver just has to accept that his engine makes such an inferior power/liter number. I bet he doesn't care one bit, since he can out run (on a straight, from a light, etc., out of a curve) an S2000 without even thinking about it. To me, arguing about who has better engines or engineers, based on PEAK power/displacement numbers of OE engines is silly. If I gave you a 1 liter engine that made PEAK 200 hp, it'd be 200 hp/liter. But I doubt you'd want to have it in anything but a dedicated lightweight race car. What I'd really like to see the manufacturers and auto magazines start giving us is average torque (over say 2000-6000rpm) versus vehicle weight. Now THAT is a useful number. Better yet would be to have the actual torque vs rpm data as well. Maybe average rear wheel torque over mph in 1:1 gear over a range of mph (to take gearing out of the equation). But even better would be to give use the entire torque curve data and engine weight as well. Me, I'm very glad that fuel is not so expensive, and that my government doesn't tax on engine displacement or prohibit what size engines the OEs can build. I'll just take my high-tech-enough-to-get-the-job-done, "low tech" V8, and go have some fun.