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280ZX mounts


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Well, I had a set of motor mounts made up just like the JTR manual says, except for the setback plates. 60 bucks at the local machine shop. For some reason, they don't fit. In my test fit yesterday, the oilpan hits the crossmember long before the mounts line up. Has anyone gotten this to work, and if so, what thickness spacers did you use with your mounts? Thanks a bunch!

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Guest Anonymous

I wish I could help you, I too am going to put a v8 in a zx, but you are ahead of me. I'm still building the engine. I've been reading posts here for awhile, and it seems like if you are working on a zx you are pretty much on your own, as not as many zx conversions have been accomplished. How thick is the spacer you are using? I believe I read somewhere that it has to be a little thicker on one side than the other. How far off are the holes before you hit the pan? Maybe you can add another inch plate or so, so you can still use what you have. Wish I where there to see for my self, but Idaho is a long way from TX.

George

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Labrat:

Can't help you with the JTR moounts, but I used the MSA mounts in an 83 ZX that worked well. They come with new Datsun mounts and the Chevy adapters as well as the transmission mount. The engine sets back as far as it can against the firewall. I had to trim one side of the hood latch plate on the firewall for the HEI distributor, and massage the oil pan slightly on my GM "ZZ" series crate where it was almost touched the power Rack & Pinion housing in 2 places. I'm using a medium high rise intake manifold with a Holley and a 3" K&N filter, and ended up putting a cowl induction type "scoop" on the hood. Believe you would be O.K. with a low rise intake manifold but I'd think about some method of getting cooler air into the intake since it is so close to the hood anyway. Sorry I can't help on the JTR, but this is one solution I've used recently that worked well. The JTR manual is an excellent source of info, but some of the specifics do not apply on the ZX. Couple of examples is you can use any standard starter as well as a manual fuel pump. Only thing I needed to do on the fuel pump inlet side was use a 3/8" nipple that had a gradual 90 degree bend. Good luck

Dan

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Guest Anonymous

i made my own mounts using the stock zx and the stock 350 mounts. WOrks great, and puts the engine as far back and as low as you can go. I have some pics somewhere I can get you if your interested.

 

sean

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Well, to be more specific, i used a 1" thick spacer on the pass. side and a 1.25" on the drivers side, and the motor mounts come about 1" from the crossmember when the motor is centered. I went out and bought some more aluminum stock, 1" thick, and made yet another spacer. I hope when i get the longer bolts that it will be enough. Ellobo, please send me those pics! If this doesn't work, i will need an alternative method! I might just use your way if I don't like the looks of all those spacers. 2" on each side is more bolt than i really want...

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Guest super280z

Labrat,

 

are you talking about the aluminum spacers in the motor mounts or the spacers for the frame rails? i've heard that if you dont use the frame rail spacers and the jtr 2.25" and 1.25" motor mount spacers you wont have a problem. let me know if im doing more harm than good. also, do you have the rack and pinion steering or the gearbox? im thinking im going to have to have the rack to make my swap feasable. im allmost to this stage as well and im getting a little nervous. it'll get done though. keep us posted.

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Labrat...it's ~2.25" of spacer on each side that I run.....they SHOULD be staggered for correct offset but I haven't gotten to correcting that...(they were staggered correctly at one time....last install they got put on 'even'). Don't fear long bolts....as long as items are torqued properly they all work the same. I 'flattened' the manual R&P 'lips' of the steering rack top clamps/brackets to gain 1/4 more room as well as had my oilpan modified. The chevy mount literally bolts right to my ZX crossmember....chevy mount is first bolted to chevy block with ~2.25" spacer and then set in position and single bolt from underside into chevy mount (check chevy mount threads FIRST to ensure all are well before working from underside).

 

good luck

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Thanks Ross, that was exactly what I was looking for! I'm gonna try 2 1/4 on drivers side and 2" on the pass. side to start, and work from there. Is there any danger to "dimpling" the oilpan all the way across, like oil not returning to sump? Just wanna make sure and not blow something up...

 

Bill

 

ps already got the mounts made, but finding bolts is a pain!

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Is there any danger to "dimpling" the oilpan all the way across. You'll only dimple it to aid clearing the 'u' retainers on steering rack bushings if you have R&P. one can't dimple it fully across in any functional way that I can picture..you need to alter the pan completely by moving the diagonal 'drop down' rearward on the pan to gain that much more clearance

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