Which CV kits are best for an R200 240Z?

[JMortensen]

280Z stubs are 27 spline vs 240 at 25 spline. 280Z stub axles are far from unbreakable. Even the 37 spline ones can be broken, especially with drag strip launches.

Rather have mtnickels's weld on adapters than adapters bolted to the stock stub which bolts to the CV, so move that one up a spot from "the rest" and it falls behind MM's billet Z31 adapters, which have a thicker, more nicely radiused flange than the stock companion flange.

[NewZed]

Don't mtnickel's adapters remove the requirement of shorter axles?  Flipping the cages, adjustable control arm length and all of the other possible "fixes".  The other big expense to that conversion.  I seem to recall that some of the early adapters pushed the flange surface inward.  Maybe even the one that Joe makes now.  

 

I'm just focusing on the OP's project, not the super duper drag racers.  SUNNYZ and RebekahZ were doing hard core racing.  Pretty sure that SUNNYZ was trying to break things.

[mtnickel]

16 minutes ago, JMortensen said:

280Z stubs are 27 spline vs 240 at 25 spline. 280Z stub axles are far from unbreakable. Even the 37 spline ones can be broken, especially with drag strip launches.

Rather have mtnickels's weld on adapters than adapters bolted to the stock stub which bolts to the CV, so move that one up a spot from "the rest" and it falls behind MM's billet Z31 adapters, which have a thicker, more nicely radiused flange than the stock companion flange.

Ya, weld on adapters aren’t an ideal solution, and we are at the mercy of stock stubs. But all in all, it was the cheapest decent solution I could come up with. 

 

Newzed

With my adapters, it’s still a close fit at full droop and I would recommend flipping the cages. But that only takes about 10 minutes to do. Saves the 3.5 odd mm. 

And they are maybe a little more outboard of Joe’s since they even require to grind the stub axle down a shade. 

Joe may have been able to make his even more outward provided you could trim more of the stub off.  You’d lose the staked portion, but the newer ZX nut is a locking nut that would alleviate it. 

 

Edited June 21, 2018 by mtnickel

[NewZed]

We neglected to abuse the OP for using the word "best".  Best depends on the goals that have been defined.

[primaz]

3 hours ago, NewZed said:

We neglected to abuse the OP for using the word "best".  Best depends on the goals that have been defined.

Wow, you guys go deep, very deep   I will clarify, I just want the "best" meaning kit that requires as close to zero modifications to install and be very reliable.  To me a well engineered kit should just bolt in and work well?  Is that too much to ask?  For my two street 240Z's they both have R200's, coil over suspension, one is about 200 HP the other is about 250-300 HP and both will be just daily driven street cars.  If you have to modify, cut, weld, machine, etc. to convert it to CV's to me then it really is not a bolt on kit.  

 

Sorry to get a bit off topic but many of the great responses on this thread got me thinking about my 3rd Z car and what are the options for both differential and CV's for a more extreme street Z, my Primadonna Z car?

 

 

Separate from the CV's for the two street 240z's I am considering upgrading the higher HP 240Z R200 rear end internals to the M Factory R200 Helical LSD; based on what some of you have implied I wonder if going with the Z Car Garage CV kit, upgrading the diff mounts using the Techno Toy parts and with the M Factory R200 LSD what kind of HP could that handle?

 

 

When I get these two cars done I will finally be able to focus on my street storming 240Z, the famous Primadonna Z that I plan on putting in a RIPS Racing RB34 Skyline that will put down 750-850 HP.  On that car I am not sure what to do yet for the rear end as I did contact Techno Toys and they said their Z32 TT will work up to 700 HP and they did not think anything but a straight axle would handle more?  I think what they have converts the 240Z to use a Q45 or Q50 rear end with those rear end factory CV's, unless the Z32 TT is something different?  For that car I would like to know if there is any kits that have a strong enough rear end that keeps the car independent suspension that will not likely break?  Maybe the Techno Toys or the Arizona Z kits that convert it to the Q45 or Q50 might hold up since that car will be more a street supercar not a quarter mile car?  I also have been following the threads on the Ford 8.8 rear end but it seems like there really is no kit available but people are trying to fabricate their own way to use that in place of the R200?

 

I  Right now I just want to finish these more daily driver Z's before I get into my more extreme build.

 

 

Edited June 21, 2018 by primaz

[NewZed]

11 hours ago, primaz said:

the famous Primadonna Z

 

How did it become "famous"?  I had to Google it and the stories seem to be from somebody talking about their own car.  I'm not sure you're allowed to claim your own fame.

 

Your description of wanting bolt-on only is why I tried to clarify.  That's not what most people here would call best.  They weld on a whim.

 

I guess that you bought the black one?  Or are you Jack?

 

https://www.engineswapdepot.com/?p=19345

Edited June 21, 2018 by NewZed

[seattlejester]

The use of the word best is actually written into the forum rules, actually qualifies a post for the shed off the bat, but people are being very nice and informative with their responses.

 

Just like your definition of best is quite different, like NewZed says a lot of members on here can weld and use a micrometer so best may be a matter of function rather than ease of assembly. 

[primaz]

No, I am not Jack but I bought Jack's own car the Black Primadonna Z car and am currently updating it with a lighter body as well as bringing it back to show quality.  That car was in numerous publications such as Z Car Enthusiast and others.  I have never posted any website on the car but I have seen a number of people whom I have no clue whom they are, that have created website stories of the car, etc. which is a little weird but I guess cool?  Jack won Oakland Roadster car show with the black Primadonna and after I bought it I put more money into it and it used to be on the car show circuit for a few years winning most shows.  I have driven it pretty hard over the years so too many chips on the lacquer paint job so now after I finish our other two 240 Z cars will go a bit extreme on the Primadonna Z putting a ton of HP with a RIPS Racing RB Turbo 3.4 to be able to go over 200 MPH as well as be back to an ISCA car show quality car again.

 

NewZed, that link you shared is the white Primadonna with the non boxed rear flares that Mike sold to Hoover Chan whom sold it to a guy in Florida and I guess sold it again. It looks in rather sad shape in those photos as the rear wing is missing a section that makes it complete.  That car was never really a finished car as Mike designed that version with the extended windshield that goes out to the edge of the cowl and never had a finished interior to make it look clean since when you extend the windshield about 1 foot out you then have a bunch of unfinished sections that are now in the interior of the car.  The black Primadonna was Jacks own car which was built a lot better in my opinion and uses the box rear flares so there is no bondo or filler to hold any of the panels on the body as every section bolts in and looks like it could have came that way from a factory.

 

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Getting back to my original post, I was trying to clarify what I was looking for.  While it seems using the term "best" gets everyone emotional?  Sorry for using "best"   All I want is a completely well engineered kit to convert the car from half shafts to CV's that will bolt in.  I commend you folks that are welders but I just want to know which one to purchase that is already engineered to bolt in.  I am converting at least two 240Z in the very near term so I just want to avoid issues and do not want to buy something I regret.  I greatly appreciate the responses that everyone has shared as each one is very informative.  For me I do want to find what will just bolt in that will work well and be reliable.  Both cars are just about complete so I really want to get both of them back on the street soon which is another reason for focusing on a bolt in upgrade to covert to CV's.

[NewZed]

The black one was mentioned in the link, as one of the three.  Three show cars.

 

Should be interesting to see how the pieces hold up to 200 mph.  It's hard to tell how well built the cars really are.  The odd "I'm a 240Z story" seems to have been copied to many sites, like somebody building a brand, but it's hard to read.   I couldn't finish it.  I think that it might have been famous in a small community for a short while.  Good luck with making it a performance car.  

 

The Modern Motorsports package is probably the most effective bolt-in product.  Already tested and proven.  That's what you're paying for, hence the cost.

[primaz]

1 hour ago, NewZed said:

The black one was mentioned in the link, as one of the three.  Three show cars.

 

Should be interesting to see how the pieces hold up to 200 mph.  It's hard to tell how well built the cars really are.  The odd "I'm a 240Z story" seems to have been copied to many sites, like somebody building a brand, but it's hard to read.   I couldn't finish it.  I think that it might have been famous in a small community for a short while.  Good luck with making it a performance car.  

 

The Modern Motorsports package is probably the most effective bolt-in product.  Already tested and proven.  That's what you're paying for, hence the cost.

 

 

I think you are right the Z Car Garage kit looks like what I will likely buy.  The Primadonna Z body is very stable at high speeds compared to any other Z I have driven.  Most Z cars float and even if you have the power it is not very safe at high speeds but this body is totally a different experience as it is so smooth and stable at high speeds.  The old motor would only propel it to a top end of 165 mph but at that speed you could drive with one hand with barely any force, the car tracked and did not float at all.  I was able to do a two lane turn just about as hard as you could yank the wheel and the car would track easily.  I raced and beat a lot of much faster cars because of how well it handled those higher speeds.  The only problem was my engine was maxed out so I could not go any faster but when a Ferrari tried to keep up they gave up, little did they know they had me on power   but when I am done the Primadonna will finally have the needed power to then race other supercars on the street.  I raced the car a lot on the street and the body is well built and rock solid.  After I bought it from Jack I have added a 9 point cage and soon it will have way more performance than it ever had.  I cannot wait to finally have that kind of power...

Edited June 22, 2018 by primaz

[Richard Oben]

J Mortenson, I agree the set up we have is far from perfect, it is a compromise.  It allowed us to build the car and then upgrade, as time went on.  We had the 8.8.  We chose the 280Z outers because we had them, we also had extra struts and we can always go to billet stubs if necessary.  With whopping 205 wide tires though, I doubt we will need it; street car period.  We basically built the entire rear strut from the adjustable control arm to disc brakes to strut top outside of the car and just swapped the whole thing into the car.  If building a turbo LSx, for drag racing the breakage will be just be a matter of when not if.  As to bolts:  Mtnickels still has four bolts, we have four bolts so not a ton of difference in the mounting.  We tried to do everything bolt on without having to go custom, weld this, machine that etc.  PS we built a GTM from Factory Five and used the Porsche stuff on it with an LS and did not have issues.  We were familiar with it and like it.  The other options with different strut mounts, bearings, intrepid hubs,  etc. all have upside and of course the down of cost and complexity.  Great discussions though, from stock to way away from stock.  Richard.