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What is the most important upgrade - sway bars, springs???


Guest mattrp

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I have a 240z which I put a 305, but have done relatively little in the suspension area. I have limitted funds after the v8 swap, but want to improve handling. Urethane is a given, but what of these is the most dramatic a change:

 

Sway Bars - front and rear

Springs & Struts

Larger rims, smaller tires

Lowering

 

I will be autocrossing and doing a little racing at thunderhill, so I want to work towards a quick car. I am not so concerned about ride quality as performance (I run dual glasspacks, now thats LOUD).

 

Thanks all

Matt

72 500z

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Matt,

What size tires and rims are you currently running? Will you plan to go to slicks? If so, how wide do you plan to go? How new are the struts and springs on your car? Does your car currently have sway bars on it?

 

Limited funds cause a problem, however this is what I would do and in this order:

 

If the car has a farely firm ride now, I would buy a front 1inch or larger sway bar 1st. I got one with urethane endlinks and mounting blocks for $160, powdercoated. I forget where I got it, but it was a company in Zcar magazine. I can look through reciepts when i get home. If you don't have one in the rear, I'd go to the junkyard and get one off a 77 or 78 280Z and put it on yours with new mounting hardware. Use urethane bushings from Energy or Gmachine.

 

Then later, when you can afford it, I would convert the car to coilovers. They cost between $80-100 per corner for the spring and perch assembly. That will help with ride setup and also help to get you around the road course much better. New struts are also in order and I'd get a set of Boge's fom MSA, or Find a set of Tokicos or Konis, but you will pay premium for them. Unfortunately you can't use the units that Arizona Zcar is blowing out because they only fit late model Z's, not the 240-early260.

 

Then once all is said and done with the suspension, I'd decide on what tire & wheel combo to use. I don't know how hard it is to get tireson the west coast, but I know that here on the east coast you won't get any used slicks for 15 inch wheels cheap. I'd check your local supplier for used "Test" slicks and find out if he gets or keeps 14inch tiresinstock. If he does, then find yourseld a nice set of 14X7 or 14X8 wheels and put a 9X23 slick on that car in the softest compound you can get. For the street, get a nice set of 15X7s with some V or Z rated tires on hand and you will notice a ride difference! Keep the back spacing to Zero offset on the rims and you should be OK with clearence in the fenders.

 

Hope this helps, but thats what I would do!

Mike

 

------------------

 

"I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!"

mjk

 

[This message has been edited by Mikelly (edited February 23, 2000).]

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Thanks a lot Mike,

 

I am currently running some 14" rims with the webbing sort of look and the A in the center cap. The tires are Americas Tire 195 70R14 crap. I was thinking about getting some panasports from MSA, but have no intention of drag racing. In the rear I have a pair of KYB gas struts with springs from a 280 which I have cut (nice and stiff). In the front I have the original struts and springs (very flat, and squishy with the V8).

 

You say I can put the sway bar off of an older z onto my 240. I grabbed one when I did my rearend from a 78 z and thought about mounting it but I thought the rear was different. I guess I will give it another try, that's a cheap addition.

 

I was leaning toward a sway bar kit like hte one from MSA, but that is now my definite first choice.

 

thanks for the advice, I'll let you know how it turns out when I get the money.

 

Matt

72 500z

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