mario_82_ZXT

Hahahaha I guess it has gone a little too far. I'm going to price out the 302 with everything that I can get locally. The only thing I don't like so far is that this is probably not the best engine choice for a college student budget At least I have a daily driver ($750 SE-R FTW Woo!) What I was going to reply to you was that your 355 is "professionally balanced" and that sounds pricey to me, which is why I commented about the other engines. I too don't really care about being the fastest in town (I just don't want to be the slowest), and my Z has too much character and I feel like I'd betray that if I did a ho hum swap. Thanks so much for your support! Mario

Not only that, but if you control the bypass electronically (which most newer s/c have built in), you can accomplish the same thing. There's a twin turbo supercharged WRX that uses one of these electronic Mercedes s/c and switches it off once the turbos build like 3lbs of boost. Mario

I seriously wouldn't mind a higher rev limit. I just don't want something that turns slower then the motor it is replacing. I've read the 302 peaks power at 6.9k, which was originally why I was looking at it. Being as how a 302 is buildable on a jy budget (I've even located used pistons) I was wondering if something like this is doable with other SBCs. Or will a 327, or 350+, require expensive parts to spin +6.5k reliably? Mario

That's understandable. I also keep running across threads that are 302 vs 327 vs 350. The point of the matter is that I'd like something that rev's to about 6.5k comfortably like the stock L series, which is why I was thinking 302. I then looked online and found out about the 377, but I can't find any 400 parts locally. There's also the 327, and there's actually a large journal longblock locally for $150. What do you think about something like a 327? From what I've gather in the corvettes, the factory redline was set at 6k to 6.5k rpms. Can they sustain those revs? Thanks, Mario

Ahh ok thanks for that. There are actually a few complete 283s locally, so I think it might just be easier to bore it out and stick those special pistons on there. Do I need different rods as well? I figure I would also need an aftermarket cam/springs/retainers everything for the higher rpm. grumpyvette, I wanted you to chime in!. Would dependability be worrisomely bad? One reason for a peppy motor is because I currently don't have the money to flare out the car and I think I would find it very difficult to put power down. This car's primary duty is going to be road racing, not drag. I would also like to eventually build some 180 degree headers just for the sound (unless I could find a flat plane crank). Is there anything that can be done about the valvetrain stress that won't cost an arm and a leg? It's mostly an idea to be a little different Mario (currently reading those articles)

EDIT: Choice 3!!! Black centers to match the rest of your car. Then you should powdercoat the trim rings on the tail lights satin black to complete the look. Mario

With my Zs turbo engine slowly dying, I've been thinking about what to drop in it. I really like the idea of these high revving v8s. The basics are these right? 3" stroke Small journal block with 4" bore Now, to handle high rpms, would a stock 283 crank be able to handle them? A budget build would be a 327 block with a 283 crank right? So I was looking online and found the following: http://tucson.craigslist.org/pts/424688398.html I'm going to email the owner to get the block casting numbers or see if he knows if it is a small journal or a large journal block. If this will work, is it as simple as swapping cranks and replacing the bearings? If the 283 cranks can be used reliably, there's a few of them around the area for cheap! Thanks for you help, Mario

This has been done before but I think for good reason: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opel_GT The Opel GT is small, light, and I think further aerodynamic improvements might be easy. Mario

Guess what a cat does? Once it heats up it helps burn off excess hydrocarbons. Just throw one on to pass emissions then take it off afterwards. Mario

One of my friend's told me that the threaded stud for the oil filter is really common, and might be shared with some domestics, I think it was Ford. I don't understand why it was used, as the block is cast with NPT thread. Adapters are dirt cheap too. Mario

They made one from a kit on Extreme 4x4 on SpikeTV. They called it the Urban Gorilla or something like that because they kitted out the inside. Mario

I need to have coilovers before I can take my Z down there. I know of many places where I can end up like a beached whale enroute to the grandparents. Some of the toll roads are very nice and new, while others are terrible! Most of the time, if it's a higher toll, the road is nicer. The last stretch to Gomez Palacio, Durango, Mexico from the north is a dream to drive at night (which I usually end up doing on our trips). I think I've been to as far as Tepic. We go to (or try to go to) Mazatlan or San Carlos every year. Not this year though Mario

No money , I replaced the window with a JY one ($65, last one in town). It's ridiculous how easy it is to work on the doors of these Sentra SE-Rs. The biggest pain was vacuuming out all the glass shards. As for the blood, I did the baking soda paste (only thing I could find in our house haha), and you could see it start to be absorbed. Then with water and tide on a towel I got it pretty much all off. While working on it in the garage I saw a raggedy 1st gen eclipse with a fart pipe blasting some music with two "types" inside. As soon as I made eye contact they rounded the house and flew off. Wouldn't be surprised if they were scoping out the houses... Here's what it looked like: They cut themselves making the second hole. My car didn't go down without a fight! lol I've found a place I can store my Z at but it's 45 min away, and the damn thing isn't running right now (gave my MS box to my dad). Thanks for all the suggestions, Mario PS Pulp Fiction and Superbad are f'ing amazing!

Well, it was only a matter of time till it happened. There's been a huge wave of car break-ins in my neighborhood (you can see lots of shattered glass in the surrounding houses). I guess someone really really wanted my stereo, as they punched a hole in the corner at the end of the window, then realized the lock was in the middle (93 SE-R) and proceeded to punch another one out. (Last night was one of the few nights that I didn't put the face plate away...) Needless to say the passenger seat has blood splattered on it, and it's of no use apparently to the Tucson PD as they only get a sample if I knew who had done it. Or even make it out here only if I knew who did it. No report or anything, just some paperwork to do describing it so they have it "on file". Any suggestions? Mario PS I hope the crack-head who did it has a hard time pawning that radio off as it requires a code.

Looks really nice! Where'd you relocate to? I love the second pic, reminds me a lot of my family's drives down to Mexico. (I'm never giving up my citizenship because I want to retire down there) Mario

Absolutely mean looking Z! We need foggy burnouts! :burnout: Hahaha, is it going to stay flat black? It looks almost like a stealth car the way it sits and looks. Beautiful car, Mario

I think Grumpyvette might know as he talked about it in his anodes thread, and wouldn't it be pretty universal? Also, is the bypass near the #6-5 cylinder needed or can it be blocked off? (What originally goes to the heater core) Mario

Same with the Mazda crowd. Haven't seen them in person though. Mario

I thought the only difference was the spots for the turn signals. You'd have to get 240z turn signals or else you'd have those indentations. Mario

Didn't they try this with the spindle pullers? And aren't some missing? This would be a great idea in a Utopian society. Just my $0.02 Mario PS I'm a poor college student with limited tools so this would help me out a bunch... but in the end it's human nature that mucks it up.

Ahh gotcha. That makes sense. Mario

There was a Z just like that one here at the university driven by some young guy. Red and the same ASR wheels. I haven't seen it in a while, I hope it isn't this one Mario

Turbo with stand off injectors? How are you going to seal the plenum? Ooooh thats gonna be nasty! Mario

This has happened on 2 280z installs, one a 76 and the other an early 77. The tach only works over ~2000 rpms. It goes dead when you go below that and then jumps back above that, and is steady to redline. I never had this problem in 2 280zx's and one 78 280z. The ballast resistor was removed in these earlier cars but the tack resistor wasn't (at least according to the wiring diagram it wasn't). Ideas? Mario

I want to get an older naked bike (I found an 90 Suzuki GS500E, any other suggestions?) but my parents are convince I won't make it a month with the drivers on the streets here.... Nice bikes! Mario