dav_it Posted August 11, 2013 Share Posted August 11, 2013 (edited) Time to start up a build thread I guess. My 83 280zx was the first car I bought with my own money and was my daily driver for quite a few months. It was great, but since I was commuting 50+ miles one way to work I decided to get a subaru for the winter months. Which allowed me to start turning the 280zx into my autocross car. I did wheels, suspension, switched to turbo, and changed the front end. Edited August 11, 2013 by dav_it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dav_it Posted August 11, 2013 Author Share Posted August 11, 2013 After one full season in the Rocky Mountain Region I decided I wanted to change to SCCA Club Racing and really step the cars capabilities. So began alot of work with Jeff Winters at Rallye-Sport in Denver. We switched back to NA because of rules and made as much power as possible. Jeff redid my suspension to make everything wider and fully adjustable. I also switched to a complete fiberglass body. I ran it for one test day at Pueblo Motorsports Park w/o the bodywork before moving to Alabama (and running out of money). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dav_it Posted August 11, 2013 Author Share Posted August 11, 2013 When I got to bama I did almost nothing on the zx besides get it painted, add a splitter, and rev it up to impress people. It does look good though. So after several years I moved back to Colorado - with my southern belle. Since coming back I've realized that SCCA Club Racing, while fun, it is ridiculously expensive with no exposure and incentive for sponsors. The Pikes Peak Hill Climb however is right in my backyard, relatively cheap, with HUGE exposure. Its a one week commitment verses a 9+ race season. So with those thoughts in mind my long time friends and team members and I started turning the car into a Hill Climb car. I would like to run the car at autocross and track days again to be able to enjoy it! The 280zx was originally going to get a vq40 that my friend had laying around - but the 4.0 is actually a really really tall motor that won't fit in the space we had. In order to make the power we want on the budget we have with are taking the L28 back to turbo again. We already have awesome engine internals with a highly developed head, so we should make some good HP numbers. More to come tomorrow... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leon Posted August 11, 2013 Share Posted August 11, 2013 Wow, helluva project! Nice work so far, you don't see a lot of race-prepped ZXs around here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dav_it Posted August 12, 2013 Author Share Posted August 12, 2013 In order to do things right we have stripped everything out again and are taking off all the undercoating, cleaning up any rust and stitch welding the whole chassis. So far things are going really well. We picked up alot of supplies this week to change some of the body work and improve the aerodynamics. Here is some of the CAD work for our front splitter design. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dav_it Posted August 12, 2013 Author Share Posted August 12, 2013 Here are some pictures from this years Hill Climb... good inspiration! I'm just glad these cars won't be in my class! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
240zphilly Posted August 12, 2013 Share Posted August 12, 2013 What a bad ass build! I wanted to go watch the pikes peak race this year so bad but i had a bunch of conflict at work! Saw a bunch of awesome cars cruising tejon, looks like alot of fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dav_it Posted August 12, 2013 Author Share Posted August 12, 2013 (edited) Oh yeah, and here are the designs for the front end. We are making molds of all the new body work if people are interested down the road. from Edited August 12, 2013 by dav_it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluDestiny Posted August 22, 2013 Share Posted August 22, 2013 Sweet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roger280zx Posted August 23, 2013 Share Posted August 23, 2013 I really like the splitter design. Do you plan on venting the box behind the wheel out the fender or routing it out the side skirt? My zx has fender vents, but they are much higher on the body. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dav_it Posted August 23, 2013 Author Share Posted August 23, 2013 I'm planning on taking it out the side skirt since that will be the easiest. It'll be interesting to see how everything fits once its all in place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trevor_280ZX Posted September 29, 2013 Share Posted September 29, 2013 Nice!!! It's great to see someone racing an S130. PLEASE post some numbers once it's all sorted Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HowlerMonkey Posted October 1, 2013 Share Posted October 1, 2013 (edited) Some guy named Sanford Silverberg holds the SCCA ITS track record at milwaukee with a 280zx........at least he used to. Edited October 1, 2013 by HowlerMonkey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dav_it Posted October 5, 2013 Author Share Posted October 5, 2013 Got the bottom finished and painted. Onto the engine bay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dav_it Posted October 8, 2013 Author Share Posted October 8, 2013 Next we got approval from our "official" Mishimoto mascot. Then replaced the front suspension support with a piece alot stronger and slightly less bent then the original. Added our moch up L28 and started fitting the radiator and our new mishimoto intercooler. Our oil cooler isn't going to fit where we had planned so our oil cooler location and splitter/under tray design are going to be changed quite a bit. Details on that coming soon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Z-Monster Posted October 16, 2013 Share Posted October 16, 2013 dav_it, That's an awesome built thread. I am learning a lot from the pictures you are posing up. I have an issue with my RB30/26 being to otall and i have had to omit my strut tower bar which goes across from left to right. I am planning to fabricate bars like yours which goes around the engine bay and connects the frame rail to the suspension tower joint by another bar to the firewall. My car is a street car therefore all these bars need to be removable for accessibility, hence the only difference is that it will not be welded on. I hope your Hill climb campaign pays off. I will be routing for you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
260DET Posted October 18, 2013 Share Posted October 18, 2013 .................................................................................... So far things are going really well. We picked up alot of supplies this week to change some of the body work and improve the aerodynamics. Here is some of the CAD work for our front splitter design. splitter2.jpg skidpan2.jpg skidpan3.jpg This is an interesting project, some good work being done. On the splitter design, why are the trailing edges that face the wheel wells turned up rather than being left flat? The strakes there would be to guide air to the wheel wells but I don't follow the reason for the turn ups. Any explanation? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dav_it Posted October 19, 2013 Author Share Posted October 19, 2013 I'm am still studying the "why" it is a good idea. From what I know now it acts like a diffuser for the front of the car helping to add downforce for the front of the car. I'm still learning, but while I was working on the plans I figured I'd copy a few le mans prototypes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
260DET Posted October 19, 2013 Share Posted October 19, 2013 OK thanks, must do something good then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Watson Posted October 28, 2013 Share Posted October 28, 2013 Wow! Great work! Your build is very inspiring. I wish there were hills to climb in Florida... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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