240z buildup thread

[steve72z]

Looks Great, I noticed you used seperate bars from the main hoop to the front firewall. I saw a few other cages that use a "Halo" design and the front bars attach from the halo to the floorpan. Are there any structural differences or advantages between the designs? It looks like your design would be easier to fabricate and install.

 

I am in the planning stages of installing my cage. I have access to a bender with a 1 5/8" Die. I have read several posts regarding the cages and most recommend 1 3/4" .095 DOM tubing. However a few posts talk about using 1 5/8" .120 DOM tubing. My car will be used primarily on the street but I may want to put it on the track (SCCA or ITA) in the future. Can someone let me know if the 1 5/8" tubing will be acceptable?

[Mikelly]

1 5/8th should be, but make sure the wall thickness is correct. Go to SCCA's website and download their rule book in PDF....

 

Mike

[steve72z]

Thanks for the info, Looks like vehicles registered after June 1, 1994 weighing 1501-2200 lbs = 1.5 x .095 DOM. 2201-3000 = .120 DOM. I think I will use the .120 to be on the safe side.

[katman]

Is there going to be a diagonal in the plane of the main hoop?

[Mikelly]

One thing I'd do to mine if I had it to do over again is do as Katman suggested and get the dash bar closer to the trans tunnel...

 

Mike

[510six]

Are you going to use the AEM Universal EMS? or are you planning on building a custom wiring harness and using another comp?

[Guest vegard]

Im not sure about exactly which ems I will use, but I will definitely be building a custom wiring harness. I want to standardize parts as much as possible, ie moving to commonly found sensors. the L28 I bought came with no wiring, so using a stock setup is not really an option (Im glad).

 

As far as a diagonal in the main roll hoop, I am waiting on the seats before I finish that. I had to cancel my ultra shield seats order because it would be 8 weeks before they were ready. Im thinking about just getting some Kirkey economy seats from summit.

 

Basically my problem now is to get the the car into the garage (theres snow here in MD) problem being that I bolted the tube bender to the floor in the middle of teh garage opening. I was hoping to get all the tube work done before winter. Anyway, I think its time to start on the engine work.

 

- Vegard

[Mikelly]

You are required to have the diagonal on the main hoop for NASA and SCCA. Driver's side bottom to passenger side top, and run the rear harness bar horizontal into that diagonal bar.

 

Mike

[Guest speedallot]

I have 2 Monaco's in my 240, no cage yet. If you plan on doing any SCCA road racing, you will have to bolt the seat to the roll cage. That means a bar across the back, welded to the cage structure. Tha Monaco S that is.

[JMortensen]

You are required to have the diagonal on the main hoop for NASA and SCCA. Driver's side bottom to passenger side top, and run the rear harness bar horizontal into that diagonal bar.

I'm sure you meant that the other way. Driver's top to passenger bottom.

[Guest vegard]

Ok, I guess so far this thread should have been in the frame/suspension category, but I promise Ill get to the L28 soon enough.

 

For now, I plan to order/scrounge up the following parts. Please tell me if anything sounds way off base, or you have any suggestions:

 

Start with brakes:

 

front:

front hubs 5 lug from z31 84-89 turbo or 86-89 N/A with rotors

either toyota calipers 89-95 pickup or 4/89-91 4-runner

or 86+ RX-7 calipers

I will aslo need a spacer, which Ill make.

 

Rear:

Redrilling stubs to match the front bolt pattern.

85-88 FWD maxima rear caliper and brackets

z31 5 lug rotors

The caliper brackets will have to machined to fit.

 

 

On to suspension:

motorsport auto poly master kit.

Tokico Illumina shocks. MR2 rears for the front: BZ3099

240z fronts for the rear

I realize I will have to shorten the struts and rethread, or section them.

 

I will get a coilover kit from modern motorsports w/ 250lb rear springs @ 8" length and 200lb front springs @10" lenght.

 

Rear end:

I will be looking for a 300zx LSD 3.7, but will most likely settle for a Q45 90'-96' VLSD w/ 3.54 ratio.

 

I plan to get the halfshafts and driveshaft with it so I can adapt them to my car.

 

I will also be ordering the motorsport auto type 2 front bumper.

And seats, probably kirkey economy layback.

I think I have to call visa tomorrow so they dont think my card has been stolen or something.

 

Anyway, please give me feedback on all this. I hope this can get me to a rolling chassis. After that I will tackle engine work, wiring, and brake MC.

 

Please give me feedback on all this. I spent the last three days researching. Also, how complete is the bushing kit I specified? do I need any others?

 

- Vegard

[olie05]

I realize I will have to shorten the struts and rethread, or section them.

 

Ah I did not realize you could just cut the tops off the tubes and rethread, I thought it had to be done by sectioning. For some reason it seems that the cutting and reathreading method would be stronger than cutting and welding. How come no one has really posted about this method before?

 

-Oliver

[JMortensen]

It's not quite that easy. If you look inside the strut tube you can see that only the last inch or so is the larger ID that you can tap for the threads. Past that first inch the wall thickness of the strut tube increases. While it might be possible to cut the tube, turn the ID to the proper spec in a lathe (how you'd chuck that up I don't know), and then cut the threads, it's really not that hard to just do the alternative and section the struts in the normal way.