LS1 / T56 Update #48

[Phantom]

Here is a summary of where I am now.  This is a continual project so there will be additions as time goes on.

 

1977 Datsun “California Edition” 280Z28

Daily Driver

 

Drivetrain:

a) 1998 Camaro Z-28 Aluminum block LS1 V-8 (390 HP) with K&N intake, custom headers
    with dual 2 1/2” exhaust through an ‘X’ pipe to a dual inlet/single outlet Dynomax
     muffler,

1999 T56 6-speed transmission with Hurst billet shifter with custom John’s cars
     modified torque tube transmission to differential driveshaft and mount with integrated
     driveshaft loop,

c)  CableX converter to drive the mechanical speedometer with the electronic T56 output,

d)  1988 Nissan 300ZX turbo 3.70:1 R200 LSD differential,

e)  Centerline Trident II 16x7 aluminum wheels with 225/50-16 Dunlop Direzza tires.
     

Suspension:

           a)       Eibach performance coilovers , 250 front, 300 rear.,

                  Koni fully adjustable gas struts,

           c)       Urethane bushings throughout the entire suspension and steering.

           d)       Nissan front and rear sway bars with urethane bushings.

           e)       Racetep multi-point strut tower braces, front and rear.

 

Brakes:

         a)    1981 280ZX master cylinder,

             Willwood forged Superlite calipers in front with 12.19” x 1.25” slotted Spec 37 rotors

         c)     240SX calipers in back with 300ZX 11.38”x .81” solid rotors

         d)    Adjustable proportioning valve.

         e)    Stock 280Z emergency brake

 

Exterior:

         a)    Motorsport Auto Type 2 ground effects kit including front air dame, side skirts , and
               rear valance,
             Motorpsort Auto one piece rear, hatch mount, spoiler,

         c)     Motorsport Auto Sentra window frame mount mirror kit

         d)    Chrome front grill.

         e)    1997 Cadillac Eldorado Pearl Red paint with white racing stripe and pin stripes.

         f)     Tinted windows by D&D Auto Tint.

         g)    Air conditioning: Stock Nissan except for s special high efficiency compact
               compressor and the use of “Freeze 12” rather than R12 refrigerant.

 

Interior:

         a)    Katzkin leather seats, door panels, headliner, sun visors, ‘A’ pillars, face of rear deck,
               and rear strut towers,

             Wavemaker “Chevis Regal” residential carpet throughout edged in Katzkin leather.

         c)     Autopowr 4-point bolt-in roll bar coated in black bed-liner.

         d)    Custom center console pad & cup holders – Motorsport Auto

         e)    Motorsport Auto White-faced gauge conversion with higher wattage dash bulbs and
               green lenses removed.

         f)     Bed liner coated ash tray with chrome trim.    

         g)    Cabin is fully lined in Dynomat for noise and heat reduction.

         h)    Original Dash with no cover.

 

 

Lighting:

         a)    Dapper Lighting HID headlight conversion.

             ZLEDslights LED conversions on the front turn signals, side marker lights, and
               taillights. Front and rear turn signals operate sequentially.

 

 

Sound System:

         a)    Alpine CDA 9851 CD/MP3/WMA Receiver

              Alpine CHA-S634 CD/MP3 Changer,

         c)     Alpine SDR-17LS 6 ½” component speakers in custom enclosures on each door with
                1” soft dome tweeters custom mounted on each ‘A’ pillar,

         d)    Alpine SPS 130A 5 ¼” side speakers,

         e)    Alpine SWR-1042D subwoofer in a custom, ported, and tuned at 32 Hz enclosure,  

         f)     Alpine MRV-F545 500watt amplifier,

         g)    Rockford Fosgate CPC-1003 capacitor.

 

 

This car is the first professional LS1 installation in the US and was the prototype used by John’s Cars in Dallas, TX to develop the conversion components he now sells worldwide. Throughout the development my guidelines were for the installation to have OEM appearance and daily driver reliability. The nod was always given toward reliability and ease of maintenance vs. extreme performance. The development took 14 months back in 2003/4 and resulted in this car and the kit components.

One difference in this car versus the components provided to others is that this car has no transmission mount.  Instead, it has a modified “torque tube” set-up similar to a C5 Corvette which hard connects the rear of the T56 transmission to the nose of the R200 limited slip differential.  It is unique, totally functional, and has been absolutely reliable over the past 12 years.

 

In the past 22 years the car has been driven over 140,000 miles, about 100,000 of it since it was painted in 1997.

[torqen2k1]

Congrats on owning and enjoying the z for such a long time. Can you please post some pics of the torque tube assembly?

 

Darek

[Phantom]

Sorry, I really don't have any good photos of it.  There's a lot of stuff going on with it which is why JCI opted to go with a standard transmission cross member.  They felt this set-up was too complex for the average guy. All I can tell you is that it has been rock solid since it was done.

[Phantom]

Things I'm still considering, not necessarily in this order:

1) T3 rear brake upgrade

2) Complete repaint with ZG flares and Rota RBR wheels

3) T3 lower control arm upgrades.

4) Going to CV's on the rear axles

5) Dyno tune to get engine optimized.

6) Repair oil pressure & voltmeter gauges.

[CableSrv]

number 2 4 and 5 please!

[Phantom]

Based on cost and immediacy of need it will probably be 6 and then 1.  After that we'll see where the cash flow is.