Midri Posted October 4, 2015 Share Posted October 4, 2015 (edited) So I got up early to go to our local Nissan dealership's car show yesterday, I'm not a morning person... almost did not go. Wanted to show off my Raty '78 280z. Hung out there for a few hours, got to chat it up with some other 280z owners. One guy helped me figure out why my '78 feels so anemic off the line (previous owner put way to big of exhaust pipes on it so no back pressure at all), and I started chatting with another fella (who had a really nice 280z almost restored completely to factory stock) about rust issues and how I was going to have to stop working on my Z and learn how to weld and figure out how to put some new frame rails in (passenger side no longer connects under the floor board to the car or to it self) and he just said to me, "I've got a complete '78 that's stripped down to the bones from Arizona (so little to no rust), you want it?". I thought to my self, "Yes, of course I WANT IT... but I can't afford it." and replied sheepishly, "How much you want for it?". His reply, "Come get it and it's yours." -- Over the moon, this complete stranger just offered to GIVE me a RUST FREE '78 280z (sans engine, transmission)!!! So I go over to his house with a uhaul car trailer and get ready to tow it and he points out he has another 280z, a '77 that also needs an engine and tranny. This one has a bit of surface rust on the top, but has full interior, 2 perfect looking seats, and the under body is almost as good as the '78 he's giving me. He says, "If you want that one too, take it." Needless to say, I spent all day yesterday hauling 280z back to my house. My birthday party was also last night (I turned 30 on Sept 30th) and I was not even mentally there, I was basically "shell shocked" for the rest of the day. Unable to process any emotional stimuli. Edited October 4, 2015 by Midri Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stravi757 Posted October 4, 2015 Share Posted October 4, 2015 The black 78 roller you got looks like an excellent platform to start building from. How does the interior look? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewZed Posted October 4, 2015 Share Posted October 4, 2015 One guy helped me figure out why my '78 feels so anemic off the line (previous owner put way to big of exhaust pipes on it so no back pressure at all), You did not actually figure out the problem. Those two things are unrelated. Good luck with the new/old cars though. Good to have a hoard of spare parts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midri Posted October 4, 2015 Author Share Posted October 4, 2015 (edited) The black 78 roller you got looks like an excellent platform to start building from. How does the interior look? Seats look good, carpet looks good, dash is shot (never seen one that was not unless it was refabed), center heater plate is good, console is good until ash tray where it's split. Just going to cut it after ashtray and custom fab an arm rest. You did not actually figure out the problem. Those two things are unrelated. Good luck with the new/old cars though. Good to have a hoard of spare parts. You say that, but I've got everything else on the engine tuned up and I had the exact same issue with a N/A Toyota Celica engine when I was a teen that I had totally forgotten about. When I put straight pipes on the Celica is sucked the bottom end right out of the engine. Technically you're right though, it's not back pressure -- that's just what all my mechanic buddies use as the general term for the stupid dynamics you have to account for with air flow and pulsing of the engine. Here's the best write-up I've seen on it: http://www.dsmtuners.com/threads/exhaust-the-straight-scoop-on-backpressure.168578/ -- and once again, you are technically correct that back pressure is not what I need, but the exhaust pipe has EVERYTHING to do with it. Edited October 4, 2015 by Midri Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewZed Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 Words and their proper usage are key to really understanding how things work. What I said can't be qualified with "technically, I'm right". You wrote something that is geberally wrong. There's no "technical" involved. It's just wrong. Thank for the link though. Here's a direct quote, just for fun. Although, there's no guarantee that the DSMTuner guy is completely right either. "There is a common misconception that engines need backpressure in order to run properly, generate low end torque, etc. That is simply untrue. Backpressure is a bad thing. Always." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graphitez Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 You Sir have just hit the Z lottery! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leon Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 You say that, but I've got everything else on the engine tuned up and I had the exact same issue with a N/A Toyota Celica engine when I was a teen that I had totally forgotten about. When I put straight pipes on the Celica is sucked the bottom end right out of the engine. Technically you're right though, it's not back pressure -- that's just what all my mechanic buddies use as the general term for the stupid dynamics you have to account for with air flow and pulsing of the engine. Here's the best write-up I've seen on it: http://www.dsmtuners.com/threads/exhaust-the-straight-scoop-on-backpressure.168578/ -- and once again, you are technically correct that back pressure is not what I need, but the exhaust pipe has EVERYTHING to do with it. Please read through this link before making further comments on exhaust dynamics... http://forums.hybridz.org/topic/81941-exhaust-tube-sizing-i-did-your-arithmetic-for-you/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewZed Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 That's a good thread. Lots of good references inside also. Manifold, head pipe/header, and exhaust system commonly get blended together and confused. Lots to think about. I'm not an expert, I just read a lot. Thanks for the redirect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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