bjhines

Consider that most people think a 240Z has good brakes. What they fail to realize is that the 240Z weighs less than anything they have ever driven and even shitty brakes can stop a 240Z HARD! Once you learn to drive the car hard, the brakes are the most obtrusive issue. On a racetrack, the stock brakes are a constant source of problems for all who are FORCED to use them.

I Completely disagree with everything said so far. Modern cars are proof enough that the antique 240Z brakes design is ineffective. I consider the stock brakes DANGEROUS in hard driving situations. I have run an example of most possible upgrades ON TRACK!!!! Some of you guys answering this thread are probably fine boulevard cruising to show and shines with the stock brakes.... The rear drums will lock and are hard to modulate to unlock. The entire system is dangerously inconsistent under hard driving. The rear drums will heat expand so much that you have to partially set the handbrake to take up the slack until they cool off for a lap or more. There is a damn good reason that drivers of my skill level and experience would NEVER CHOOSE to use the stock brakes, we are forced to use stock brakes under some rules and that is a HUGE handicap for our cars. Midnight-280Z; You FUBARED the install is why. """""""" When I had the front upgrade I had to pump the brakes, first pump doesn't bite hard enough...second/third pump usually does it..."""""""""""""

The Scion FRS/Toy86/SubiBRZ is cheap, but it has the modern comforts, it is not so old that the plastic is disintegrating. My list of mods would include getting more grip and getting the suspension to handle more grip, upping the horsepower significantly, sweeten up the interior and electronics, and try to avoid the exterior mods. I am beginning to think I could make it an interesting project that could require a great deal of engineering skill and creativity to deliver the experience I want. I can imagine MORE POWER, lighter weight, lower CG, more grip, and a better electronics package would be one hell of a challenge.

My accusump only kicks in in straight line braking, and it works very well. I really needed the large capacity though from watching my in-car videos.

I am seriously thinking about the Toyota 86/ Scion sports car. I figure it delivers with light weight and a VERY LOW CG. I could make it thrilling with TURBOS and still come up WAYYYY shy of 50,000$$$$. Now all I need to do is wait 2 more years for them to go out of warranty and pick up a used one for cheap and start modding.

I am shopping for a sports car right now. I have been surprised by what many consider a sports car these days. I have been spoiled by my V8 240Z. I also have an E36 M3 sedan(4door). Most of the modern sports cars advertise huge horsepower numbers(400hp+). What many fail to realize is that 400hp on a 4000lbs car is shitty. 13"brakes on a two ton vehicle will cook-off on track. You simply cannot call a car that weighs more than 3000lbs a "sports-car". There are not many cars to choose from in that low-weight class, unless you go for small exotics like Lotus.

Thanks HybridZ for spoiling me forever. I was recently test driving a 2009 BMW E90 M3 with the 400+hp V8 engine and a manual transmission and I was surprised by it's performance... It has no kick-in-the-pants pull... It has low torque for it's power, and you have to rev the thing past 6K before you get strong "pull" in second gear. It is 1200lbs heavier than the Datsun, and it is 600lbs heavier than my old M3, but it has over 400hp. I would have thought it would deliver some kick ass pull in second gear. It does not, or maybe I have been spoiled by my 240Z V8 track car with 400hp at 2500lbs. I think I have been ruined forever and will never be able to afford a car that thrills me as much as the V8 Datsun. Woe is me....

ohh the dreaded AMP gauge. The AMP gauge is misleading as hell. It should tell you if the battery or the alternator is producing current to run things in the car. If it is way negative then the battery is doing all the work, when you start the engine the gauge should swing positive once the alternator is spinning. That all assumes you have factory circuits in full working order. If you add circuits near the battery positive then the gauge readings will become even more confusing.

ok.. I see your problem. There are 6 wires on this switch then. 2 main batt cables,a pair for IGN kill, and a pair for the alternator protection ground shunt through a resistor. You need to make sure you are using the correct terminals. DO NOT try to use the switch's small terminals for the ALT circuit. That is not at all what it is meant to do. The IGN kill is N-O and the ALT protect is N-C, the main batt terminals are N-O. When the switch is ON the main and IGN are ON. When the switch is OFF the ALT protect is ON. It sounds like you have the ALTERNATOR wired thru the terminals meant for the IGN. That part of the contacts is 10AMPs MAX.. No way can that handle the ALT circuit.

What condition makes the lugs hot... ???Just being ON.. not running at all???

Whoaa.... If you are throwing slag then there is definitely a connection issue.

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This is really cool. I am sure it would improve aerodynamics and wind noise. The sides of our cars, with the gutter and all is a big problem that this does not address.

The pickup may in fact be broken and rattling inside the tank. Many 280Zs have had the same problem. I would sell you a tank from a 280z junker but it had the same problem when last running.

sell that one-off piece and install this. http://www.speedtechperformance.com/index.cfm/page/ptype=product/product_id=287/category_id=-1/home_id=-1/mode=prod/prd287.htm

lol...driveline angle is the least of your worries.. well not the least...but there are soo many.... Miles has you on the right track for sure. Study the various systems in your car and understand that all of the various systems will change if you do this right. There are thousands of possible mods with quite a few obvious top choices. A Hot-Rod / occasional track toy can be put together with the JTR/SBC/WCT-5 kit, a bolt in rollbar and chassis stiffeners, Sport springs and struts with adjustable parts to get camber, cast, toe correct and lowered, moderate 4x disk brake upgrades and a lightweight V8(aluminum heads, intake WP, etc). Go all aftermarket on your gauges, and do all the wiring harness fixes and upgrades, relays, etc.

I will have to consider the exhaust issue. It is unlikely the exhaust tubing can transfer enough heat to cook the differential, but... exhaust heat could interfere with the ability for the differential to dissipate heat as it builds up. It takes a full hard session to peg the diff temp gauge. That is ~ 20 minutes to get to 350f. It takes 20-30 minutes for the diff to cool back down(<150f.) between runs. That is not too bad considering I run it in time trials and practice sessions. The engine oil and water temps reach a peak in ~6-8 minutes of hard laps. [[oil=240f. water=210f.]]. Engine temps cool down quickly when I take it easy on the cool-down lap [[oil=180f water=180f]]. The diff temp just keeps rising. I would have stopped if it pegged the gauge earlier, but it takes a full session to get that hot.

I found some pics This is the LOM-59 12 disk, 2 way, low ramp angle, low breakaway/pre-load, with a forged cross. Here is the prepped rear cover with NPT barbed vent, temp sender, and tapped drain connector. Here is a shot under the car showing the filter, hoses, and the vent can as high as it will go, with a road draft tube coming back down. ...

I put together a video of the oil pressure and accusump gauges at work on track. The oil pressure is the top left(3 cluster). The accusump charge is the white faced gauge on the lower right(near the stick). You can see the accusump discharging with teh white faced gauge dropping quickly. You might notice that the oil pressure gauge drops quickly but stays at least 25PSI. ...

I have run into that problem on track often. The mushroom vents will melt down eventually, I pull the plastic vent-remains and tap the hole for NPT threads. install a hose nipple and run the hose up to a metal fuel filter with the open end up. It is a catch can that drains back. I just zip tied it to the brake line to keep it up high.

I got some results back from the track on heat in the LOM-59 CLSD in my R200 3.54 rear end. I was really able to push it hard and the temps just keep climbing the whole time I am out there. It get's to 300f in about 6- 7 laps. It is pegging the gauge(>340f) after 10-12 hard laps. That is 20-30 minutes of hard driving, depending on the track. I am definitely going to add the pump for the cooler and get some new test results next outing.

One downside to the new high vol./ high pressure pump is that the safety blow-off valve on the accusump will squirt oil everywhere If you don't let the oil warm up before you blip the throttle.

I have test results back from the track and I LIKE IT!!!! Oil warms up fast and does not over heat. Pressure is good except under hard braking, but the accusump kicks in with plenty of reserve. I posted a video of engine vac, You can see it on the gauge the passenger is holding. It varies between 2" and 8" under ALL conditions.

You can make a plastic/lexan window that fits into the original frame/track. You cut 2 slots in the top of the window and use 2x 1" velcro straps to hold it to the top of the frame. You don't have to make the extended bottom of the window, just the upper part that fits the opening. You can easily undo the velcro straps and stash the window during an event. A stiffener rib along the bottom will keep it against the squeegee seal even without the inner shell of the door.