Guest Anonymous Posted April 11, 2002 Share Posted April 11, 2002 I've been looking at both kits. Does anyone have an opinion on which is better? It looks from the pictures I've seen like the MSA kit looks more "finished" and JTR seems to provide alot more information on how to do the conversion. Help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dsommer Posted April 11, 2002 Share Posted April 11, 2002 Good topic, either way you go get the JTR handbook to help out with the swap. I keep flip floping on which kit to use one day JTR next day MSA. Has anybody out there done a side by side comparison? I know the MSA tranny mount mounts in the tunnel where as the JTR mounts to the floor pans. Jury is still out for me, the headers are still my greatest fear since I'm going to be running angle plug heads. David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miles Posted April 11, 2002 Share Posted April 11, 2002 MACH5: I used the MSA V8 mounting kit on my son's 72 240Z V8 conversion. You can see photos of the installation on my picture site below. The advantage of the JTR kit is that it sets the engine in lower and further back in the engine bay. The advantage of the MSA kit is that it bolts in the car with no modifications except for drilling a few holes. The JTR trans mount requires pounding the floorboard flat and I have gotten the impression that some of the JTR installs have problems with driveline phasing i.e. getting the driveline and differential properly aligned. The MSA trans mount slips up in the tunnel. I put an angle finder on the output shaft of the trans and moved the trans up/down with a floor jack until I got the desired angle and then drilled and bolted the trans mount into position. I have zero driveline vibration problems with this set up. The engine mounts are easy to install with only one hole to drill on each side. By the way, the MSA trans mount is designed for a 700r4 auto trans, but I used it to install an 89 Camaro T5 five speed trans. The MSA mount bolted to the T5 like it was made to order-no mods. If you use the T5 trans be sure to hammer the trans tunnel (corner of floorboard just under the gas pedal area) to provide clearance for the throwout arm movement. I plan on using the MSA kit when I convert my 72 240Z to a V8 this summer. If you are going to run a lot of HP and want the engine in as low and far back as possible go with the JTR mount. The JTR engine and trans mounts are well designed and will probably take more abuse. The MSA printed instructions/pictures are unreadable, but the MSA phone techs helped clear things up. If you decide to go with the MSA mounts email me and I can give you some tips on the install. As an incentive for starting your project, driving a V8 Z is the second best feeling in the world. Miles Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Z-Dreamer Posted April 12, 2002 Share Posted April 12, 2002 Hey Miles, I see you're in Sac Town I would love to talk with you some time. Did you go to the Rio Vista Meet last Saturday? E-mail me at your convience. Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted April 12, 2002 Share Posted April 12, 2002 JTR and MSA transmission mounts both suck! There are better designs that members have came up with from my research on this site that I will incorporate for my mounts. I plan to fabricate my own trans mount shortly using a re-inforced tunnel application. MSA has the right approach from the tunnel as a mounting point but that flimsy flat bar hoop mount can be improved with some square tube or round tube mount for strentgh. I also paid close attention to the above writers angle finder trans /diff phasing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dsommer Posted April 12, 2002 Share Posted April 12, 2002 T Zee, Would you consider making tranny mounts for others? At what cost? Comparable price to JTR or MSA or within reason? If so I would be interested. I’m not a fabricator (wish I was) but I do see the short comings of both kits JTR being totally unadjustable MSA being a flimsy design. David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgia Flash Posted April 12, 2002 Share Posted April 12, 2002 David, I am with you bro on the fabrication skills! If I had the know how to make my own parts wooohoooo what a blast that would be. In the real world though I will probably go with the motorsports conversion. You are exactly right about the techs at msa being helpful, i do not know about the jtr guys. One question that I was wondering, can you run a full size air cleaner with the msa set up and can you run a strut bar? Is there enough room uner the hood for these? Oh one more thing, I saw and stopped a guy here in town with a "home made" 78Z v-8 conversion. It had a 307 sbc in it but the "home made" engine mounts looked like hell! I can't complain about his car though, sigh, at least his is running Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 1fastz Posted April 13, 2002 Share Posted April 13, 2002 lol well as for being flimsy or sucking the jtr transmission mouting scheme has cuased not one problem in my 800 horse Z wich runs as fast already as 9.70 at 147 with a r-200 rear so i seriously doubt its flimsy or in any way not strong enough for anyones normal street use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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