Guest firebern Posted December 20, 2000 Share Posted December 20, 2000 Datsuns and swiss cheese... You are rigth, I wouldn't do it a second time, I had to fix the frame rails, wheel wells(rust in the rails means rust in the wheel wells), floor pan on the driver side(the under carpet was socking wet). Now I discovered the passenger shock tower as a hole behind the AC accumulator and then underneath the AC radiator the bar as started to rust. Amazingly the rear of the car is in great shape. I am tempted in getting another Z, this time carburated, but it's so much easier to get parts for American cars and cheaper. My next project is going to be a ford mustang mach 1. As a kid, these were my two favorites, the datsun cause it was small and fast, and the mach 1 cause it looked mean and made a lot of noise. I'll never get rid of my Z though, and I am intending to get it running by the end of Febuary. I'll have to wait till end of april for the roads to be dry. I am planning to change the interior esthethics. Saskatchewan cars: I did notice that these old cars didn't run very fast up there. Is it for the same reason as B.C., no salt on the roads? Later, Fire. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest scca Posted December 20, 2000 Share Posted December 20, 2000 FYI cars RUST bad in BC.. as seattle.. no salt- or minimal but the weather is so moist that when a car gets wet inside in never dries out and the rust just keeps coming. is saskawan or winterpeg.. wrong sp it gets so cold the water freezes and does no more damage till spring, in spring it dries out....hense there are lots of good old street rod material out there on the plains ------------------ Mike mike@fonebooth.com http://www.fonebooth.com/brakes.html raceparts and brake upgrades. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest firebern Posted December 20, 2000 Share Posted December 20, 2000 It really gets confusing with all these stories. Some people say that in B.C. cars last forever, then you are saying the moisture is really bad and I guess you are rigth. Next time I buy a car I will play it safe: "Arizona, baby!" I want two straigth pipes on my machine but I noticed the fuel tank was in the way on the passenger side. I thougth maybe it would be cheap to get a CIvic fuel tank or something smaller. Then I noticed the fuel cell on one of Pete's friends car. Do these cost a lot and are they crash safe? They are probably easy to make? Anybody made one in SS? Later, Fire. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drax240z Posted December 20, 2000 Share Posted December 20, 2000 BC cars are definately prone to rust! And actually, the do salt the roads a lot in most parts of BC. (I've had the luxury of living in the more snowy parts of the province) Vancouver, doesn't get much salt, because it doesn't get much snow. (check out the sea to sky highway to whistler sometime though, it gets salted like mad) My theory, combined with what SCCA said about the moisture, is that its the total lack of road salts in the prairies. Plus, out here on the west coat we get rain all summer long too, which can't help. ------------------ "Gimme Fuel, Gimme Fire, Gimme that which I desire" -Metallica Drax240z 1972 240z - L28TURBO transplant on the way! http://members.xoom.com/r_lewis/datsun.html http://members.home.net/drax77/newpage.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madmanadam Posted December 20, 2000 Share Posted December 20, 2000 Great, I have a 86 GT 5.0 with lots of dents I picked up for $400. I was chev 350 but it had to go back into the truck. Looks like I will be going ford. The 5.0/t5 runs great. I'm off for a week so it looks like i will be busy. Great site and lots of great info. Thanks You made up my mind. Adam of Washington st Happy holidays to all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drax240z Posted December 20, 2000 Share Posted December 20, 2000 hehe, there are members of this site with a 454 and a 540 BB in their z's. (not zx's mind you) ------------------ "Gimme Fuel, Gimme Fire, Gimme that which I desire" -Metallica Drax240z 1972 240z - L28TURBO transplant on the way! http://members.xoom.com/r_lewis/datsun.html http://members.home.net/drax77/newpage.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted December 20, 2000 Share Posted December 20, 2000 You'd be surprised what they can shoehorn in em. (not a ZX though...) Lone PS: From the looks of the manifold this is a early smaller Hemi (like a old Red Ram), A 426 is much wider and would definately require a BIG shoehorn I think. [This message has been edited by lonehdrider (edited December 20, 2000).] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pparaska Posted December 21, 2000 Share Posted December 21, 2000 Lone, you're right, that's a 392(?) old style Hemi. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest firebern Posted December 21, 2000 Share Posted December 21, 2000 Yiiihaaaa, we reeled another one in! Great buy dude. Just the rigth year, it will share parts with the 86 to 93 engines which is great. These are very cheap, it's amazing how cheap they can be found. I read some comments saying Ford engine parts were more expensive than Chevy, but I have looked it up in my magazines and they are pretty much the same. As for HP, I guess you can get more out of chevy engines but there's no way you will get a 454 Big block in there. I have compared a 305 vs a 302 and as far as I know these 302 have more power. Any comments on this. Later, Fire. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pauli Posted December 21, 2000 Share Posted December 21, 2000 i would really like to know what on earth the datsun engineers were thinking when they designed these cars i guess all that space makes it easy to work on the straight six... is there any engine short of a straight eight or an aircraft engine that won't fit?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest firebern Posted December 22, 2000 Share Posted December 22, 2000 What!? They can put these big blocks? Man! I had my eyes on a 428 CJ(cobra jet) engine with C6 transmission and everybody was telling me this would never fit. Then I had my eyes on a 351 CJ with C6 and same thing, I was told it wouldn`t fit. That's why I settled for a 5.0. Doesn't matter, it's cool to know it can be done, but does those 454 require lots of frame modifications? These are pretty big and heavy, no? I hope everybody is going to be in Kingston next year. I definitely want to see these hybrid Zs. Today I removed my 5 speed transmission. Then working on the engine, I had a small accident. The engine fell from a candle and the aluminium plate before the flywheel scared my left cheek. Result? 2 inch cut and 3 stitches. I got to take a break for a week so it can heal. I still need to get that small block out. Later, Fire. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest firebern Posted December 22, 2000 Share Posted December 22, 2000 Hi again, I was thinking about two things. 1st, what's up with your conversion madmanadam, did you begin something? 2nd, for those who have done the 5.0 cOnversion, i need help with the following: Do i need to modify my steering bar? Anybody has the dimension of the S shaped motor mount needed to set back the engine? Later, Fire. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madmanadam Posted December 23, 2000 Share Posted December 23, 2000 Hey, Yes, I have been busy. Been working on the bikes. The Z has been on hold, but I do have the interior almost done. Getting the sewing machine fixed. Now that I have made up my mind, I will start to play with the car. Have all the parts and some time off. Getting ready to ride as Santa, did a test ride in the rain and 40 degree, not bad. Got some waves and smiles and that is what it is all about. Sharing a Smile and being Happy. At lease for a couple of days I just got my tubing for my brakes and fuel line, thinking of using the mustangs gas tank and most wiring. It is nice to have a complete car to steal parts from, specially a car that will not need the motor back. See my truck needed its motor back so that is where my Z engine went, back home. I have 2 more 350 4 bolt, but to build one it would cost me to much, so that is why I'm using what I have. When I'm done I should be able to change out engines in a weekend and run 350 or 5.0 HO. Done the Chev ran great handled excellent. Never really like 302s but this 5.0 mustang was a kick. So 5.0 it is. Well got to go dinner time Take it easy all and have a Happy Holiday Adam of Washington Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest firebern Posted December 23, 2000 Share Posted December 23, 2000 What do U use this sewing machine for? Carpets, seats? Do you buy patterns? I could ask my mom to do some of my stuff. I am fixing the car in my dads garage and he is retired, so he likes it. He asks a lot of questions though, sometimes there`s too much I have to explain to him. He is the kind of guy who is always looking for a better way to do things. It can be good or it can be simply too much. So U are working on bikes too? Off road or on road(Harley`s, triumph)? AS for stripping parts, it is definitely awesome. I am thinking of using the rest of the frame(from the floor down + seats) to build a carburated hot rod. i found an old truck frame with a 302 that is selling for cheap. I am trying to figure out how much it would cost to get that on the road, but that's after I'm done with my Z. Later, Fire. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madmanadam Posted December 23, 2000 Share Posted December 23, 2000 It is a upholstery machine, I had a shop at one time in my life. It has been sitting around gathering dust, so I figured its time to get it tuned up and ready for the Z. Have dirt bikes and street, been playing with my CB750 automatic thinking of chopping it for the wife. Just got another CB750A which I'm restoring. 74 CB750 mild chopper and I have a 85 1300cc Kaw 940lbs. I always have at lease three projects going at all time, then I don't get bored. Hoping on driving the Z by summer Da-stang roadster later Adam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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