Louiem Posted January 9, 2004 Share Posted January 9, 2004 We've been working on my 260Z for quite a while but the project had been dormant since April due to sevral other projects. I decided to start the year right and finish this car soon. Every day we have been working at least a few minutes and getting little things done. The engine is a early (60's) 4 bolt 350 block. According to the numbers it's also the same block as the 68-69 302 Z-28's. It went through a low buck re-built and we used the early 327 "camel-hump" heads and a Camaro 5 speed. Nothing high tech and all low dollar. Even so we probably have 2200-2500 bucks in it. (the entire car) Patience finally went out the window and we decided to take a sort drive in it even though it still has a few bugs. The clutch may not be adjusted right or it needs more bleeding but we do not have a good pedal. We used the recommended master cylinder but later I read here that most of you were using a bigger one. Oh well. I still had to go for a drive. We turned the starter and it started up immediately. It ran lousy and it took a while to figure it out. Turn out to be a bad rebuilt quadrajet. We had a edelbrock laying around so we installed it and everything smoothed out. The cam has a fairly mild lope and overall the engine sounds great. We have a home built driveshaft with the little ujoint that will be changed soon but I still had some fun. It could spin the skinny tires in second gear with ease. Overall it was fun and easy to drive. I wondered about the lack of power steering but I don't think it will be a problem. I will take some time now and iron more of it's bugs before I take it out on a real drive. I'm quite happy so far with the results. I can imagine you guys with the LT1's and stronger engines must really have a ball but I am quite happy with my results so far. Louie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kc6wfs Posted January 9, 2004 Share Posted January 9, 2004 Congrats!!!! Ahh the first drive.. It's a great feeling....... I took mine out for the first time with headers only. hehe and a few other parts missing... but she ran... Don't knock the camel hump heads.. they are good!! My car is only around 250'ish hp.... just wait till ya ROMP on the gas when ya get all the little things done. It will bring a BIG smile to your face..... Good luck.. Keep us all posted. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustorbust Posted January 9, 2004 Share Posted January 9, 2004 When i first put my first z together it had a, ummm i guessing maybe a little over 300 horse small block. The first thing i did was take it up to a 100 from a rolling start with the open headers. You counldnt have wiped the smile off my face. Congrats man! James B. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chaparral2f Posted January 9, 2004 Share Posted January 9, 2004 Envy Envy Envy Congrats!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim240z Posted January 9, 2004 Share Posted January 9, 2004 I know exactly how you feel....it's fun and kinda anxious at the same time.....good for the blood circulation though.... Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavyZ Posted January 10, 2004 Share Posted January 10, 2004 Congrats!! Davy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
80LS1T Posted January 10, 2004 Share Posted January 10, 2004 Congratulations !!!! 8) Gotta love the first drive.....and 2nd......and the 3rd......and well you gotta love'em all but the first is deffintely the best! Gives you satisfaction that you just cant beat! Has everyone run their car with out an exhaust and just headers!? I know I did Man that was FUN!!!!!! Nothing like a 400HP 355ci LT1 roaring down the road with open headers! I felt like I was in NASCAR for like 2 minutes LOL Guy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strotter Posted January 10, 2004 Share Posted January 10, 2004 Yep, that's a great feeling. And it doesn't go away, either. I've been driving my conversion (a 327'd '72) on and off for a year now. I remember one morning before dawn I was sitting in the car warming it up to go to work. I was just sitting there, waiting for the gauge to show some heat, looking down the block at all the houses, the motor was just rumbling quietly and smoothly, the car was waxed, the interior cleaned up and nice, and in the back of my mind some part of me was thinking "This car is bad-ass." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V8ZRACER260Z Posted January 10, 2004 Share Posted January 10, 2004 The 1st time is always good. I remember picking mine up in Titusville and driving back home. It was a drag only car so I had to hard wire the lights and had my friend follow me. Well he tried to keep up anyway. It was cold and the car had no heater but you know I did not even care. There was a 327 under the hood and power to spare. It was alot of fun shifting the ratchet shifter with the race trans. The was absolutely no way to shift into second without some tire smoking drama. Life was good that night. Congrats on the first time and to many more!! Please fix the drive shaft though as you will soon find out a healthy SBC will find any weak spots in the driveline. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louiem Posted January 11, 2004 Author Share Posted January 11, 2004 We still have plenty of work ahead. I do have the new driveshaft flange so I'll have a new driveshaft made in the near future. I found out the day after the drive that the driveshaft bolts were only finger tight. Luckily they held. The clutch was adjusted and we are now able to shift. I haven't been back in it but one of my students took it down the road and he came back with a huge grin. He adjusted the clutch some more and then ran out of gas on his next run. he did manage to coast back in. We got into some minor troubles at work so it will be a few days until we can get back to it. I'm hoping to make it a daily driver. We have pictures. Maybe I can figure out how and where to post them sometime soon. Louie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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