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ANOTHER Datsun Z/LS3/T56 Swap Thread


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Just a small update...

 

I got the front brakes plumbed.  I elected to skip hard lines altogether and I am going to plumb the entire brake system with AN-3 teflon hose.  I know in theory that using hard lines as much as possible is supposed to give a firmer pedal, but in practice I have driven several track cars plumbed without any hard lines and the brake pedal in those cars felt like I was stepping on a piece of concrete.  I have also seen photos of several high end racing cars....including German DTM cars....wherein the brakes were plumbed entirely with teflon/braided steel hose...so I figure if there is a performance/"feel" loss in doing it this way...it must be minor.

 

In addition, using hard lines would require more transitions (possible leak spots) and just be much more of a hassle.  Hard lines are also actually less "bulletproof" than the braided steel lines.  If not adequately secured, subject to vibration and/or allowed to move, hard lines can possibly fracture wherein braided lines cannot. Plus in my case, the pedal box I am using allows the master cylinders to move slightly when the brakes are applied, to keep a straight angle on the pushrods.  So they would have needed to be plumbed with flex hose anyway.

 

 

I figured I would put my rationale up front since I know the general consensus is that it is best to use hard lines.

 

Thanks for looking.

 

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Edited by Ironhead
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  • 4 weeks later...

I've been procrastinating buying these large components since I started on the car....mainly because I didn't want to plunge and spend the money.  But at the end of 2017 they substantially raised the prices on these parts, and I am also getting to the point that I need these items to progress any further with the build....so I bit the bullet and did it.

 

Engine is the 525 HP model, hauled it all home from Summit Racing yesterday.

 

For the output, I am truly amazed how compact these LS engines are.  One huge advantage to the pushrod design.

 

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  • 3 weeks later...

I haven't been updating a ton lately, not because I haven't been working on the car....but rather because I have fallen into the trap of having several portions "in progress" without finishing any of them.

 

I did manage to finish restoration of the headlight buckets.  They were just in general crappy condition, rusty, plastic and rubber parts cracked and breaking, and worst of all covered in over-spray from past cheap-ass resprays.

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Since "originality" is not on my list of goals with this build, I just had the metal parts media blasted and powder coated black.

 

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I found a source on Ebay for the plastic female threaded inserts into which the adjustment screws thread.  They had to come from Thailand IIRC, but they were inexpensive and I couldn't find them elsewhere.

 

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Here they are assembled.  The old springs were still OK, and probably would have been for another 50 years, but they were rusty and looked like hell so I just had to replace them.  I found some stainless springs from McMaster-Carr that look and function the same and cost a couple of bucks.  Part number is 9433K43 if anyone cares.

 

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One job down, several hundred to go....

 

 

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14 minutes ago, ZHoob2004 said:

Do you have a link for those headlight adjuster clips? I'm just finishing up painting and will likely do something similar to my headlights and it would be nice to have parts on the way.

 

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/HEADLIGHT-ADJUST-SCREW-WHITE-PLASTIC-FIT-DATSUN-FAIRLADY-240Z-260Z-280Z-S30/162684278544?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649

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Another job I just finished tackling are the taillights and trim parts.  I ordered the CF surrounds from Retro Spec, and JDM spec taillights from Whitehead.  These parts on my car were cracked and in terrible condition.  I am not necessarily a fan of all things JDM, but the taillights were available used for about the same price as a good pair of US spec taillights, and I do think the amber lower light does look a bit better than the all red US lights.

 

That just left me the smaller trim rings to try to refurbish.  Mine had been rattle-can sprayed black at some time in the past, and the paint was chipping off with chrome showing through.  The paint came right off with some paint remover, but the underlying chrome was all bubbled up and lifting off.  I was initially in a bit of a quandary as to how to remove the chrome.  It was much too hard to sand off, and trying to media blast it off would have for sure destroyed the much softer underlying plastic.

 

After some research (thank god for YouTube) I found that a strong bleach solution will dissolve chrome from plastic.  This does work, but be forewarned it is a slow process.  I had the parts soaking 24/7 for almost two weeks before the chrome was finally gone.  During that time I also changed the bleach repeatedly, because after a couple of days of soaking the dissolving process seemed to slow down.

 

Finally, and after light (very light) media blasting to give them a key for painting, this was the result:

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The screws holes in the backs were cracked and broken...just from age...and also did not line up with the holes in the carbon parts, so I filled in the backsides with JB Weld, then drilled new holes for the screws after it hardened.

 

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I am deleting all the chrome and bare stainless from the car, so I never considered re-chroming the parts, but I pondered for a bit how best to paint them.  I wanted something more durable than rattle can paint, because of the light colored plastic the slightest chip that appeared down the road would really look bad.

 

I had some air-cure Cerakote left over from an unrelated project.  This stuff is incredibly durable, and in particular the air-cured variety is supposedly extremely UV resistant, so I figured I would try it on the parts.  If you are not familiar with Cerakote, it originated primarily for use on firearms.  There is an air-cured and a heat cured variety.  The air cured is designed for plastic parts and anything else that cannot be subjected to the 400 or so degrees needed to cure the heat variety.  I was happy with how it turned out.

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For those considering trying them, I thought the Retro Spec carbon parts were pretty good.  They look nice, no obvious flaws, and the fit is acceptable if not perfect.  One thing that really bugged me though, is that the threaded studs attached to the back for attaching the taillights use a 12/24 thread.  This is a really weird thread size, and I have no idea why they chose it over 10/32 or M5 or M6 or whatever.  Try to find a 12/24 nut anywhere local to you and you will see what I mean.

 

Just one more small detail sorted.  Thanks for looking.

 

 

 

Edited by Ironhead
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1 hour ago, LLave said:

Awesome work! Who the heck uses 12-24? 

 

Good question...I encountered something a couple of years ago where the threads I was trying to match were smaller than 1/4 or M6, bigger than 10-32 or M5, and I was wracking my brain because at that time I didn't even know there was a 12-24.  I finally figured it out.

 

The only place I have found hardware in 12-24 is at McMaster-Carr....whom I consider the greatest retailer on the planet...at least for most of the things I tend to buy.

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Yet more good work.

 

My Retro spec tail light trims looked great but the mounting tabs were barely on there and at least half came off when attaching, I think I shall be scrapping them and just carbon skiining my original panels myself. They will look as good but be strong, won't be as light, but we are taking grams here so it doesn't matter.

 

Hope your fare better.

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1 hour ago, EF Ian said:

Yet more good work.

 

My Retro spec tail light trims looked great but the mounting tabs were barely on there and at least half came off when attaching, I think I shall be scrapping them and just carbon skiining my original panels myself. They will look as good but be strong, won't be as light, but we are taking grams here so it doesn't matter.

 

Hope your fare better.

 

Thanks Ian.

 

When you say "mounting tabs" are you referring to the threaded studs that are bonded to the CF parts?  If so I had one come off already and I reattached with JB Weld...time will tell if it holds.

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On 1/4/2019 at 11:53 AM, EF Ian said:

Yes, mine were all bonded on very poorly, almost like an afterthought. Hopefully the JB weld holds up.

 

The JB was hardened today, and I got them all to bolt up without any more failing...

 

You have to be really careful though.  The back of the CF parts are not even, and if you tighten the nuts too tightly, they pull the low studs out.  I just barely snugged them, and used nylon stop nuts so they wouldn't back off over time. 

 

I certainly agree with you though, they definitely could have engineered this better.

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I got the engine ready to drop in the car and see how everything fits.

 

The motor comes with the "Corvette" spacing for the accessory drive, which requires a high mounted alternator, and by my measurements this wouldn't fit in the Z.  So I converted the front of the motor to Camaro/GTO spacing with a low mounted alternator.  Even this led to some interference, as the OEM parts were designed to use a high mounted power steering pump, and with a shorter "alt only" belt the belt rubs on the OEM alternator mount.  An aftermarket alternator mount solved that problem.  Basically it was all solved through a lot of parts being ordered then returned.  It all seems squared away now and uses a stock belt tensioner, which I wanted.

 

The engine has a scavenge only dry sump system, that uses the OEM oil pump for pressure.  The two stage scavenge pump did not clear the Hoke passenger side engine mount, so I had to modify the mount by narrowing it .5" or so....but this was easy even for a hack like me.  The valve covers are designed for dry sump engines and delete the oil fill.  Since the engine has no sump I was concerned about oil inadvertently being put in the normal fill port....although I don't know how that could happen unless I did it myself.  Mainly just trying to clean up hardware that I won't be using.  And yes, they add a bit of bling too....

 

I have been taking measurements and there are several places where the fit is going to be close...mainly between the steering rack and the hardware on the front of the engine, and between the oil hoses and the braces for the Apex cross-member.  It is also going to be challenging finding a place for the oil tank...unless I want to put it in the passenger compartment...which I don't.

 

Time to drop in the motor and find out for sure...

 

Thanks for looking.

 

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2 hours ago, grannyknot said:

Very sweet,  where are you going to find room for the oil reservoir?

 

Good question...

 

My hope is that I can cut some of the sheet metal and fit it into the space where the battery originally was.  I have to get the engine in and just see how everything fits up.

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