Guest MikeSam Posted February 6, 2001 Share Posted February 6, 2001 Hi all, I'm new to the forum and have just purchased a 1982 280ZX Turbo. I'm planning to do a V8 swap in the future. At the moment, I'm going over the brakes, wheels, suspension and chassis. I'm planning on 300-330HP at the flywheel, and I don't plan on racing the car. So, given that - Do I need to upgrade the brakes? Do I need to stiffen the chassis? Thanks, Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavyZ Posted February 6, 2001 Share Posted February 6, 2001 Mike, Welcome to the Forum! You will find this one of the friendliest places on the web for V8Z information. With regard to your questions, here it goes: The brakes on the ZX are o.k. but not great. Since you won't be running a lot of horsepower, maybe the only thing you'll need to upgrade are the pads. But then again, there are those who believe you can never have enough brakes--well, it's your butt to be sure! It sounds like you are going through the car system by system and upgrading the important things first. If you do go with larger brakes on the front (not a bad idea), look up one of the recent posts with scca (Mike) and plug in to his url--he most likely can help you. Next, as far as stiffening the chassis, the question remains: are you installing a roll cage or at least a 6 point bar? If you are and you won't be racing it, then no, probably not. The ZX is better, IMHO, in terms of stiffness then the 1st gen cars and will not likely need stiffening. If the car is rusty and you are doing a wopping amount of work on it anyway, then take the extra time and do more. Hopefully others will chime in as well. David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MikeSam Posted February 6, 2001 Share Posted February 6, 2001 David, Thanks for the reply. I have seen scca's brake upgrades. I felt they might be overkill for my application, although, like you wrote, it is my butt I'm trying to protect. I was planning on a roll bar, but the only one I have seen is a 4-point from MSA. Where can I find a 6-point bar? Or should I just have one fabricated? As for the body and chassis, it's very solid. Thanks again, Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest scca Posted February 6, 2001 Share Posted February 6, 2001 for daily driving you wont need to upgrade... but if you drive it hard the ZX stuff just wont do the job.. personally i think most people do the "go fast" and forget the "gotta stop" part. the car manufacturers engineer the car with brakes for average use installing anything to improve performance should really de dealt with as a overall package... Ask RossC he's got a ZX with a V8... Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavyZ Posted February 6, 2001 Share Posted February 6, 2001 Well, nothing wrong with the MSA stuff, but you can do MUCH better. I don't have the urls, but definitely look at S&W race cars and also Chris Alston Chassis Works. Look for the threads in the archives and you'll find what you're looking for regarding opinions--eg. Craig (I think it was him) had put in a 6 point cage and was astonished at how much it stiffened up everything. I'm going with an 8 point cage myself with removable side bars. Maybe for your car a 6 point might be enough. From the sound of it, you are starting with a good solid chassis and that will make a world of difference at the beginning: no surprises! You'll want to call these places and talk to someone about your particular application, but these guys know what they are doing and should give you sound advice. Hopefully RossC will see this thread and chime in! David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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