johnc

Do like I do, use 3/4" conduit to build your tubular structures with the outside of the conduit forming the outside bends and forms of the structure. Take the conduit templates to a place that has a good mandrel bender and have them bend the real tubes for you. Saves a lot of time (re-work) and a lot of money in the short term.

Ack! What I said was for the rear - stupid me.

Only one seal and that goes on the inside next to the companion flange. The bearings only go in a specific way and hopefully you either looked at the old ones as you took them out or you have a shop manual handy. The bearing and race basically go in and out as one unit. Use a good synthetic grease (Mobil 1 or Redline CV2) and don't overdo it. Have the outer bearing pressed over the stub axle and carefully tap the inner one into the hub using a brass drift and hammer. Tap the seal in place too. Put a little grease on the inside and outside of the spacer and slide it over the stub axle against the outer bearing. If there are any thin copper spacers that came out of the hub, they usually go between the spacer and the inner bearing. Insert the stub axle in the housing being careful not to damage the seal. Slide the companion flange onto the greased end of the stub axle, slip on the big washer, carefully tighten down the NEW stub axle nut while checking how the outer bearing is seating in the hub, and then torque to spec.

A cold saw works well but cutoff saws don't make square or perpendicular cuts. The vices are not accurate and the abrasive blade flexes as its going through the cut. I have used cutoff saws in the past but then I spend a good 20 minutes with a file and a machinist square getting the cut ends absolutely perpendicular to the tube centerline. The tubing cutters I have are pretty stout and I can buy blades that are good for stainless and CroMo. Ultimately I'm saving my pennies for a nice cold saw. KBC tools in Fullerton has one of their showroom floor for $1,750. I've been talking them down in price and, hopefully, they will get tired of me and let it go cheap. FYI... With the Tokico Illuminas or most other inserts you don't have to be as precise. Their OD is smaller then the OD on the Koni 8610s.

Hoerr Racing Products 2003 Catalog Page 123 Clamp-On Mirror Brackets Part # LA22538 for 1.750" tube - 2 for $36.50 Part # LA22539 for 1.500" tube - 2 for $36.50 (309)691-8796 http://www.hrpworld.com

The 8610s will work in any of the 240/260/280 struts. The 280 strut tubes have a larger OD and ID then the 240/260 struts. My instructions above were specific for the 240/260 struts. BTW... Amir discovered that the Ground Control threaded tubes won't slide over the supplied Koni 8610 gland nut. Slide those tubes onto the strut before installing the gland nut. BTW2... You'll have to source a different gland nut if you're going to use the Koni 8610s on 280 struts. The ones supplied by Koni only fit the 240/260 strut tubes. Koni may have an alternative gland nut for the 280 but I've never checked on that.

For Koni 8610 Inserts, other inserts (Tokico, etc.) require different lengths. FRONT From the dished bottom center of the strut to the top lip the overall length should be between 12.875” and 12.938”. The perch height measured from the top of the spindle casting (opposite spindle) is 5.250” assuming a .250” thick spring perch. The strut tube is cut at 5” measured the same way as above. Approximately 2” is cut from the bottom of the top half of the strut tube but measure first to be sure of the exact length. REAR From the dished bottom center of the strut to the top lip the overall length should be between 14.938” and 15”. The perch height measured from the top of the hub casting (opposite hub) is 7.250” assuming a .250” thick spring perch. The strut tube is cut at 7” measured the same way as above. Approximately 2.250” is cut from the bottom of the top half of the strut tube but measure first to be sure of the exact length. PROCESS The Koni 8610 inserts are a very tight fit inside the strut tube. The inserts typically have an OD of 1.725 and the strut tubes typically have an ID of 1.730. All cuts must be precise and perpendicular to the strut tube centerline. Use a lathe or a tubing/pipe cutter. Bevel both cut edges at 45 to 60 degrees leaving a flat of .030 to .060 at the bottom of each bevel. Physically remove all paint and chemically clean (with Acetone) 3” to either side of the weld area. The strut tubes must be clamped into a large piece of angle and a tube (simulating the insert) of 1.720 diameter and 18” in length should be inserted into the assembly to help ensure straightness. Tack weld the assembly in at least 6 places making sure the inserted tube still slides in and out easily. After tack welding, alternate 1” beads back-stepping around the circumference. Make sure no weld bead extends inside the strut tube and frequently check to be sure the inserted tube moves easily. Be careful not to weld the inserted tube to the strut tube. Slide the spring perch over the strut and tack weld it to the strut tube on the underside of the perch. This tack weld should be on the back of the strut with the top of the perch 5.250” from the top of the spindle casting on the fronts and 7.250” from the top of the hub casting for the rears. Measure down from the top of the strut tube to 3 places on the top of the perch. Make sure the perch is perpendicular to the strut tube. Tap the perch into position with a hammer before adding 3 more tack welds. After tack welding, alternate 1” beads back-stepping around the circumference on the underside of the perch. INSERT INSTALLATION Try installing the inserts into each strut tube. They should slide all the way in with nothing more then a light push. Most likely they won’t. Using any or all of the following, clean out and open up the ID of the strut tube: 36 grit 1.750” diameter flap sander 36 grit 1.5” diameter drum sander Christmas tree shaped carbide bit 1.735” diameter reamer 1.750” diameter wire wheel You can also sand the paint off the Koni insert and you will probably have to slightly grid down the weld at the bottom of the insert. When you can easily slide the insert into the strut all the way to the bottom, make two spacers for the rear struts that are 2.250" tall and 1.5" in diameter out of .125 wall steel or aluminum (6061 T6) tube. Drop in and center these in the bottom of the rear strut tubes and install the inserts. Measure to make sure the inserts site at the correct height. You'll probably have to shave a bit off the spacers. Once the spacers are correct, pour a little synthetic oil into the tube, install the spacers and the inserts, tighten the gland nut down, and torque to spec.

Or the Roadster, Pickups, early Maximas, 710, and 810. I just bought Ernie's 1977 Datsun 810 and it came with a 2.4L L6, 5 speed, and R180 diff.

We've all been noobs before. Until you get your HybridZ on the road you'll still be a noob - right Tim?

Sorry guys. I originally moved this thread to the Announcements Forum. Unfortunately I just found out (by paying attention of all things) that only Moderators and Admins can post in that forum. Again, sorry for playing hide-and-seek with this thread.

And would you like fries with that?

One of the Formula Atlantic 4A-G engines with a Quaife Sierra 6 speed. 240hp @ 10,000 rpm.

> - will there be valve interferance with the -1mm deck height? Most likely but it depends in which cam you're going to run. > - will there be problems with the top piston ring actually > coming out of the bore? The top piston ring coming out of the bore is ALWAYS a problem! I don't think that's the case here but you'll have to measure you're specific assembly. > - can the L24 block even be overbored .120"? The most I've ever heard of is .060. > - will the L24 block have any internal clearance issues with > the larger stroke? Sometimes the bottom of the cylinders need notching to clear the crank counterweights.

Make them yourself! Buy a double flare tool, a tubing bender, the fittings, etc. Practice a lot with the flare tool until you can reliably make a good double flare. Then start on your car. Expect to screw up a few lines but eventually you'll get them done.

This one triggered my BS detector. No changes to pistons, compression ratio, etc.? This technology isn't new and, so far, it doesn't last. Its a great idea but no one's been able to execute.

If you're looking for that Euro sound you sure can't beat the Monza. Borlas tend to be loud but they are (IMHO) the best performance muffler available. As stated above, a 3" exhaust won't help a street car unless its got a lot of engine work done. You're best bet would be to purchase the 2.5" exhaust system sold by MSA. Very few muffler shops have the equipment to do mandrel (constant radius) bends so you end up paying for a 2.5" exhaust system and actually getting a 2.25" ssytem.

The Gleason/Torsen diff is pretty rare for thre R180 and a little more common for the R200. They haven't been made for years. Quaife in England makes their ATB diff for the R180-200 which is very similar to a Gleason/Torsen. I own 2 and they work very, very well.

Tune into Speed Channel tonight, Friday Aug 22, at 10pm EST to watch Paul Mumford lay the wood down on some of the world's finest racers in World Challenge GT at Road America. FYI... Erik Messley (EMI Racing) did the suspension tuning on Paul's Viper Comp Coupe and on Paul's Viper GTS that won the SCC Ultimate Street Car Challenge. He also did the suspension on my 240Z and Mike's (Mistress Motorsports) 240Z.

That would most likely be a 240/260/280Z because lots of folks have done exactly what you want to do. Everything is figured out and its almost just a matter of following the instructions (JTR book). Fewer people have done the work on the 280ZX chassis so there's more "figuring & fabrication" involved.

Take the inserts out of the struts and inspect the threads in the strut. If they are not damaged, breath a sigh of relief. Inspect the threads on the replacement gland nuts. If they are damaged you either cross threaded them (easy to do) or they are bad parts from Autozone. If the threads in the struts are damaged try one of the stock gland nuts without the insertss and see if it might thighten down. If not, new strut time. If it does tighten down, the Autozone gland nuts are wrong. Take them back, along with the inserts, and ask for a refund. Then go shopping at a better place.

I was working with a friend trying to resolve a rear toe out problem on his ITS 240Z. Using offest aluminum bushings we could only get the left rear to 0 toe at max inboard offset. In frustration we pulled the left rear strut/hub assembly and separated the control arm from the strut. After measuring and checking we found that the spindle pin holes in the strut we not drilled perpendicular to the hub centerline. The holes themsleves were on-line and on center so it doesn't appear the strut was damaged. This got us thinking, so we dug out a bunch of other struts we had laying around. Of the 5 others we measured, we found one that was also drilled off by just a little bit (not as much as the problem part). Seems that on some days in the 1970s, Hiro at the machine shop back in Japan didn't get the struts in the jig correctly before pushing the button! Probably too much Sake the night before. I've always been skeptical of the value of adjustable rear control arms but this might make me change my mind - if I didn't already have a few extra struts laying around.

The drivetrain of both cars are basically the same, except the 280ZX probably has a R200 diff which is better if you're pushing over 300hp. The 280ZX chassis is stronger then the 240Z chassis but it also weighs from 300 to 700 lbs more. depending on which 240 and which 280ZX you're comparing. Ultimately, you're trying to base an emotional decision on logic and that never works. Buy the car you "like" the best.

The condition of the specific vehicle you are looking at is of more importance then whether its a 1970 240 or a 1980 280ZX. Rust, the enemy of all these cars, is your biggest concern. Purchase as rust free a vehicle as you can afford.

Brake calipers normally go through heat cycles while bolted to the car. 550F is a pretty high caliper temperature and is something I've seen only after a hard session on the track. You'll see temps over 1,000F at the rotor and the pad but temps drop quickly once you get into the caliper itself. That 550F caliper temp would boil most brake fluids (except Motul, Castrol SRF, etc.)

FYI... early Zs do not require hub centric wheels.