pparaska

Yep, Vizard's the engineer's engineer. Always thorough. I'm re-reading his book on head porting now - great book! I hadn't fully thought through the double whammy of unsprung weight before - taking it out of the wheel/tire/brake-rotor takes dead weight out the car, reduces resistance to acceleration for and aft (off corner and braking into corner) as well as makes it easier for the spring and shocks to work (side benifit.) Hmm. Lightweight wheels, tires and only enough brake rotor for your need would make alot of sense to go after this double whammy weight trimming.

Am I going to have to lock this thread? I went to the 5th page and saw Dan's post (actually the 6th on that page - but who's counting) Dan said :"Once more for DAW and those with short attention spans" If that can get your feathers ruffled, you need to take a breather before you post. BTW, I have a short attention span when scanning threads. I appreciate people every once and a while summarizing the FACTS like Dan tried to do. I'm not sure that Dan was actually trying to jab you ribs, DAW. And if he was, it was pretty gentle.

One of the hotrod type mags (maybe PHR) recently had an article about the loading of different chassis dynos. I recall the dynojet put less of a load on the car than a Mustang dyno, which was pretty close to real road loading for the car in the test. I'm wondering if the dyno didn't load it enough whether you'd get into more knock on the road and start to hole pistons.

So how much is an R180? Also, is there much difference between an LSD (clutch) and an open R200?

BTW, my Z is off the road now for TBI installation (including new fuel lines), and up in the air. I'm going to put 8" 250 lb/in springs on the rear and I'll instrument it to see what the max bump travel used is under normal and spirited driving to see if the coils bind. If not, I may opt for even less spring rate (maybe as low as 200). 300 is too much for me. I did drive from MD to AL (SEZS#1) and back with those and the Tokicos on 5 in the rear, and believe it or not you do get used to it! Even my 40 year old, 220 lb body! But I've gone back down to a 4 setting on the shocks (3 up front with 225 lb/in springs) and it's much better. 3 is too low on the rear, lots of pogoing. Even pogoes a slight bit on 4. If 250 is still to stiff and 200 or 225 lb/in in the rear would bottom, I'll do something to gain length up top, like shorten the strut top isolator or maybe a urethane isolated top mount. BTW, I shortened the struts front and rear by 1.5" and use stock 240Z strut isolators.

I just got this email from the communications director of the National Motorist Association. I had emailed my state senate and house reps to vote against it, but the leftist weeners voted for it. Tax and spend democrats - we have way too many in this state! And this was another "road tax" they were trying to level on us, calling it a "safety" issue. BS! All it would do is send you a bill through the mail if a vehicle registered in your name was photed speeding. REAL speeders are reckless and should be ticketed IN PERSON. Somebody on this site turned me on to the NMA - can't remember who - maybe Mike C? Anyway, I thank you. And I never wimper when my dues to the NMA come due.

Phantom, you're preaching to the choir, now that I'm reading this thread . One of the things that really irritates me about STREET driving my Z when it had an L6 and presently driving my Eclipse GSX (turbo 2 liter) - especially with A/C running is the almost complete lack of grunt at what I prefer for cruising rpm - no more than 3000 or so rpm! Yes, call me a lazy, knuckle-dragging, 'merican redneck, but I like my car to be able to GO when I punch the go pedal at cruise. Lots of cubes is the easy way to do this. Can be done with a super or turbocharger if set up for it also. But a high winding NA motor that's dead below 4000 rpm is not such a fun street car, to me anyway. Jim, Power = Torque * (some constant). If you say you need HP, then that's the same as saying you need torque. The issue is (like Mike K and Mike C point out) is the power (or torque) BAND - how flat is it and how high. And of course, how the car is geared/tired.

Duh. My bad - reading too fast! Sorry

Wow, the front of that black convertible is beautiful (to my eyes anyway)! The fenders look great too!

I think it's more foolproof to put the yoke all the way into the trans, measure the center to center distance between the u-joint holes on the tranny yoke and differential adapter, and then subtract 3/4" or so. It's easy to bump the yoke while making the measurement, so why not put it all the way in and subtract 3/4" later? BTW, Corzette is in Japan, so shipping would kill you .

Ditto - what Denny said. Mike, I've met your dad, but we didn't get a chance to talk much - he's a very quiet guy - just like my dad. From what you've told me about him, I do have alot of respect for him. He taught you alot of good qualities to emulate, and because of your parents' passing on wholesome values to you, you've gone from having nothing to having alot (and I'm not just talking about money, income or goodies). Yeah, Donna is one of those women that ought to be cloned. You waited a long time and found the RIGHT one. Oh - I agree with Donna completely - you've done it and I can guarantee you that if your dad ever does open up about this topic, he'll tell you so as well!

<sigh> Missed this too. I need to call you guys tonight. Really sorry to hear about this. Yeah, I wouldn't think of your brother-in-law as a heart attack risk - he looked to be in good shape last time I saw him (your batchelor party). Hang in there bud. If you need something, just call. Pete

Wow, I've been super busy lately and haven't been on the site. Missed this - and you never mentioned it in emails. Very sorry to hear about that. Your family's hearts and minds have hadd too much of a work out lately. Best Regards, Pete

Thanks, John (jt1). I was going to post the same thing. This was NOT a Chrysler stylist thing - it was done to dominate the Oval tracks. And it did-until the aero stuff was banned. Thankfully, the homologation rules meant that they sold them to the public and we now see them from time to time. Me, I'd take one. Loved the 1st gen Camaro (69 being my favorite pony car body style), with the 70 Cuda VERY close behind. I had a bud with a yellow/black AAR - built up. Loved that thing. I don't typically like the big (68+) Charger, but a 426 Hemi or 440 Superbird - yeah, love to have one of those! Same thing for the Chevelles - too big for my taste, but a 454 LS-6 SS would be just fine . Same thing with the larger Fords of that era. Torinos - a bit large, but with a 429 SCJ and a 4 spd - sure! My sister's 1st husband had one with an auto and 4.88:1 locker rear w/ the 429 SCJ. Also had buddies with GT500 Shelby Mustangs - Sure would like to have one of those. So many cars to love, so few dollars and so little garage space!

Had a blonde moment - 3 clicks.

I'm thinking my only bought-new car (which is 12+ yrs old - Eclipse GSX) will be replaced by something used. Used 3 series BMW? Used 5 series? Z32 2+2 with an LS1 conversion? I like the EVO and STI performance numbers, but both are too boy racer. I'd take the wing off either of them if I bought one. But I can't see putting that much money into a daily driver either. I could afford the payments, but I won't do it.

(Megasquirt comes with a programmed chip. You only need the Willette programmer - boutght that too - if you need to totally reflash the chip with a software update that isn't able to be loaded with the bootloader.) I haven't gotten around to assembling the megasquirt. Actually, my dad is getting ready to start doing that for me (retired Elec. Engineer/hands on guy). It doesn't look that hard. I've done some electronics assembly and I'd say if anyone has soldered before, follows the "deployment guide" written by John De Armond (see the files / Documents folder on the Yahoo group - after you register) you'll be fine. My dad finished the Megasquirt stimulator board (for checking out the Megasquirt after you build it). I put him off doing the Megasquirt until he builds the DIY WB-O2 unit and display. I need that first, as I'm starting out with a Holley 700cfm TBI 4D system and want to use the WB O2 to tune the 4D computer first. Adapting the Megasquirt to the Holley TBI is not plug and play - it will take some tweaks (using the dual table code, adapting the Megasquirt IAC output for the Holley's stepper motor IAC). The Holley Commander 950 is enticing, as it has all I'd think I'd want. But $900 is too rich for me, especially if the MegaSquirt works out for me and the MegaJolt effort comes out with a better option (I don't want to depend on a JY Ford EDIS ignition module that's hard to find). Simple Digital Systems unit is neat and fairly cheap. But I really WANT laptop control. I have ZERO experience using or tuning these things. But I look forward to not dealing with carbs.

Darius, Those Flares look AWESOME!!!! (and that's coming from someone who's not a big fan of flares on a Z - for looks anyway.) But those flares keep the flowing lines going nicely, don't look like an afterthought, etc. 280YZ? I agree - with all that power, I'd go for no more than 17s. Heck, I might go with 16s. A shiny wheel on a black car will make the wheels stand out. No need for rubber band tires to make that car look awesome.[/b]

Check the Circle Track mags and vendors.

HI Peter, Wow, it's been a long time since I saw you post. Did you change the pinion flange when you installed it? I'm wondering if the crush sleeve and pinion bearings didn't get pre loaded correctly if that's so. I've heard this can be a problem when changing a flange. BTW, do you have any pics of your car?

I'm thinking about looking for a 300ZX 2+2 (need room for the 2 kids!)! I think a JY or crate LS1 with a T-56 or auto would be a fun daily driver! How's the exhaust working out on the swap? Driveshaft u-joint angles? BTW, did the 300ZX TT (Z32) have a viscous or Torsen diff? I heard the TT got a torsen from the factory.

AOL - there are so many reasons NOT to use it, and only one reason I can see to use it - it's plug and play. But if you can modify a car, I'd think dealing with a phone modem, cable modem, or DSL ISP and using native networking apps in your OS (MAC or Windows, Linux, etc.) and a mail program and browser would be pretty trivial. My dad, being 84, frugal, and pretty computer clueless, uses juno.com. They have an AOL-like "browser" that is annoying as well. But he's patient and can wait for the phone modem and the software to FINALLY give him info - I can't stand it. BTW, for a while there were places on the net (forums, mail lists) that wouldn't accept AOL members. Mostly because of the juvenile makeup of alot of the AOL members and the BS they caused on forums, etc.

Guys, check this out: http://www.ai-online.com/issues/article_detail.asp?id=61 Well, the April issue came out and they said they got over 400 responses to tell the author he WASN'T crazy, that they agreed (this is an auto industry magazine, so were talking people involved in the auto man. business saying this) and only 4 negative responses. HELL YEAH. Build me an exact looking copy of a 70 Cuda, 69 Camaro, 65 GT350 Shelby, (many others), with a copy of the original interior (but better quality fit and finish inside and out), redesign the structure to add stiffness, take out weight, add crumple zones, other safety stuff, and put a modern V8 drivetrain in it! A real (5.7L) Hemi Cuda! A 69 Z/28 with a Z06 drivetrain (well, go ahead and add the Vette's IRS, etc.). If they were $25-$30K they'd wouldn't be able to make them fast enough! I agree, the Monaro/GTO will be a fine car. But the GTO name just isn't right.

Mike, I'm really sorry to read this. If it weren't in the wee hours of the morning (when I just read this), I'd be on the phone. Please give Donna our best - we'll be praying for her. If you say her grandmother is like her in demeanor, then I agree, she'll be losing a very kind, sweet person. Denny, very sorry to hear about your brother. So young to get cancer! I'll be praying for a quick, full remission for him. Cheers, Pete

Stony, looks great! I moved this to the Brakes, Wheels, Suspension and Chassis forum, but a "shadow" thread remains in the RB swap forum. That o.k.?