DavyZ

Dawson, If the tire sits just behind/under the fenderwell, then rolling is the thing to do. However, since we can't see your tire, wheel, and fender, this is just guessing. Rolling the fender will get you 3/8" to nearly 1/2" if I remember correctly. Tire Rack rents out a tool for the purpose--check online. Also, this topic has been discussed time & time again. Someplace here there are some GREAT threads on this topic. Davy

Today I had the great opportunity to drive Mike D's (73BOTIZ) V8Z car at the Blackhawk Z show sponsored by ZONC. Mike must have been feeling really good because he didn't hesitate throwing me the keys to the car for spin. Shocked and bewildered, I asked if he would please go with me (how often do you get to drive some else's car without them there?). I just thought it would be Kosher to do it that way--plus if the police pulled me over, it would be MUCH better to have him there OK, we jumped in and I strapped myself in with the 5 point racing harness, "Golly these Recaros feel nice," I kept thinking to myself. Fired the sucker right up; love the sound of a built 355 sucking through a big carb. We drove out the parking lot and onto the main drag (get it?) to 'test' the car's ability to break traction on the street. Well, I kind of played the stop light grand prix and DID NOT want to race anyone, but just get the blood flowing a bit. Mike had just put in the Hurst Shifter and all... I was able to really give the thing some serious gas on the way back on a 1/2 mile loop. Yes, it does break traction easily! The 355 at 6000 rpm makes it presence known with a good exhaust and all 8 cylinders spinning the rear wheels. HooooooHaaaaaa! That is FUN!!! Ahhh, got my adrenalin rush and my inspiration to finish (start?) my V8 Z car project. Many thanks to Mike D for the ride of the year!! Davy

Not everyone has the tools/time/money to build an engine. Having one custom built is fine, so don't short change yourself! Good luck with handling all that power Davy

Was this an engine you built up yourself? What cam are you running? Congrats on getting it fired up! Davy

Jackal, To get the whole setup to be legal, swap a smog equipped V8 from 1973-1976 into your Z with and don't leave off any smog stuff. You can get the refs to buy off on this as long as the motor is in good shape and the smog stuff actually works. You'll get a special plate identifying the car as a V8 legal car. Once that happens, tear out all the smog stuff and go for it--no more annual inspections. Keep in mind that the smog is supposed to stay on the car, but no one is looking IMO with no biannual inspections... In the rare event you happen to get caught, slap the smog equipment back on. Just my opinion and food for thought. BTW, I'm SERIOUSLY considering moving to Texas--no lie. I can buy three times the house on acreage and have it PAID OFF 100% if I do it.... Davy

No, you are correct--what was the bottom of the manifold now has the cross-over tube attached to it and exhaust come UP the manifold and ALL exhaust goes UP through the top of the manifold. Kinda neat, eh? I have those manifolds, but I have to get an adapter machined to fit the turbo (Buick turbo 3 bolt flange...) I am thinking about upside down block huggers instead, but that is theory at the moment. I just have not decided. I think a cowl induction hood would be in order to fit under the hood. I like turbo V8 stuff despite some of their dinasaur carb setups. If there is any way to convert a carb setup to efi, it would be worth it to go there... Just my $.02. Davy

Stock springs will work fine and give the most comfortable ride, if that is what you seek. Davy

Welcome to the forum! Good deal on the Z and hopefully it has little if any rust at all. Another good book about the Z and 'restification' is Wick Humble's How Restore Your Datsun Z-Car. The book is available through Classic Motorbooks or probably even Amazon.com. I post the above book since you don't know the exact condition it is in. The book shows where all the 'weaknesses' of these older cars are and how to fix most of them, except the power...and that's where the JTR book comes in Davy

I think it is great that some of you guys have taken an interest in him and send him reading materials. I'm sure he appreciates it and will be joining us again once he gets out. If any of you have info on his parole date, make sure you post it!! Davy

John, I completely concur. Great sources BTW!! I love The Economist when I can get my hands on one. A subscription is beastly expensive! BTW, guys---keep in mind that not everyone agrees with you that the war was a 'failure.' Sounds like you have been listening to my congressman again Davy

Ouch, sounds like that really hurt, Mike. In fact, it sounds like many guys have suffered from self-inflicted pain too. I once was using a rockbar to dig a hole in my construction job in college. I went to go jam the 7.5' bar into the hole when I miscalculated and hit the side of the hole near the top---the bar hit me square on top of the forehead so hard I could feel the bones in my skull flex from the impact (I still had both hands on the bar) which nearly knocked me out. Hard to see for a few minutes... Davy

Sorry to hear about it, Mike. Too bad that no matter where you live, there's always some scumbags that live there too. Bummer, man. Davy

I'm looking at the same thing only new from the ricer magazines. I figure I can get them cheap for a Honda and make them work for the Z car. I have not done it yet, but I have been thinking along the same lines as you. Davy

Jamie, if it is Cermacrome, it should be able to be polished out with some good polish and lots of elbow grease. Davy

http://www.zhome.com/rnt/Scarab/Scarab.htm Keep reading. Keep in mind that this was a 'tuner' conversion. Davy

Heh, a wise thing to do--but you dated yourself: the young fools would have done a burnout regardless and taken the ticket just to look cool. You are THE man! Speaking softly and carrying a BIG stick! Davy

Nice looking house with an even nicer looking garage!!! Davy

Use used parts and get a basic motor with a home fabbed JTR kit to do the swap. Buy everything on sale or wait for bargains begin sold by members, then go from there. $5000 is doable if you keep to a very basic conversion and DON'T get fancy. The minute you decide to start modifying anything from a stock Chevy, you have broken the rule and it just gets worse from there Stick to a BASIC plan and swap per JTR---you'll be money ahead and can modify AFTER you do your swap. Davy

Kyle, Looks mighty strong. Hmmm. If you think you can get that sucker to run better then the ZXT swap you were going to do, by all means--more horsepower is always better Davy

Auxilary and I were in Pep Boys yesterday and I'll give you my take on them: 1) They look decent and are made of either smooth vinyl, dimpled vinyl 2-tone, or cloth. 2) They seem to come in 3 models, the cloth one being the widest at the butt (felt roomy, but not that I really needed it) 3) They are reasonably priced and can be mounted universally 4) But the biggest concern is this: you had better be short or have a short torso, because the holes for the seatbelts are WAY TOO LOW for me and in the event of an accident, you are talking SPINAL COMPRESSION INJURY. Of course you guys would never have an accident, right? Track only stuff fur sure. Be careful when you look at them for that last reason above. It looks like they were made for 'short people' as my compadre noted since they are made in Japan(?)... Davy

You are going to have to dig up information on this one. I would also call Ross C at Modern-Motorsports to get the real info. The 280Z strut is bigger around AFAIK by a very very small amount. That makes getting the aluminum threaded sleeve on difficult going from a 280Z to 240Z. The sleeves are not expensive BTW. I would buy the whole shebang if I was you. Davy

This site is supposed to be an automotive website. True, the non-tech forum and announcements have off the wall kind of stuff now and then, but we need to stick to our roots and purpose. If you are into giving SuperDan sums of cash to keep the website going, then by all means email him. Aren't there enough sites on the web that feature girls and other stuff??? Let's keep this a Z/automotive technical website as possible. Davy

I corrected it to Zhome.com, but the page must be down since I can't get into it either. Try it later. Davy