Forces Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 Hello all. I am doing a little research into doing a SBC Z car project. I have a 383 stroker SBC that was for a different project that was I scrapped due to emmisions requirements in Oregon. It's pushing estimated 450HP at the flywheel and near the same in torque. I'm guessing that a Z frame without any modifications will not be able to handle that (suspenssion set up aside) . My other concern is the read end won't hold up. Are there any aftermarket set ups that are ealisly swapped out, or am I gonna have to get a 10 or 12 bolt and hack the axles? I'm guessing some others out there are running either a 383 or 400 SBC in your Z, what did you do? Any suggestions? Seann Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustinOlson Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 No worries, the rear end will be fine. With that power I wouldn't even worry about subframe connectors. Check out JNJ: http://www.jnjdragracing.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
COZY Z COLE Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 First of all what year and model do you have and people can direct you from there or are you also asking what Z to get??? LARRY Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piston Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 the rear ends on the z depending on the year, i dont think the r180 will take the beating unless you have the newer r200 but the joints wont hold. constantly get traction and im sure the joints will snap. the easiest swap will be the 280zxt cv swap with the r200 or the z32 cv swap. besides that, search q45 and it should teach you alot. either one of these swaps, you will still have to buy adapters from modern motorsports. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jnjdragracing Posted August 17, 2006 Share Posted August 17, 2006 You can check out our website www.jnjdragracing.com. I did not think the Z frame would hold, but my brother Jerry proved me wrong. He did finally upgrade to cv joints and we are running a r200 cv joint upgrade / adapters bought from Modern Motor Sports. John Hello all. I am doing a little research into doing a SBC Z car project. I have a 383 stroker SBC that was for a different project that was I scrapped due to emmisions requirements in Oregon. It's pushing estimated 450HP at the flywheel and near the same in torque. I'm guessing that a Z frame without any modifications will not be able to handle that (suspenssion set up aside) . My other concern is the read end won't hold up. Are there any aftermarket set ups that are ealisly swapped out' date=' or am I gonna have to get a 10 or 12 bolt and hack the axles? I'm guessing some others out there are running either a 383 or 400 SBC in your Z, what did you do? Any suggestions? Seann[/quote'] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dr_hunt Posted August 21, 2006 Share Posted August 21, 2006 I think the z frame can handle that HP without much trouble from what I've seen, not like the chevy vega's that would pop the windshield out or crack it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mario_82_ZXT Posted August 21, 2006 Share Posted August 21, 2006 A friend of mine split the frame at the seam between the wall behind the seats and the hatch. This was a long time ago in a Z with some rust, a 350, and a 4 speed manual. But... he really beats the crap out of cars... Mario Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dr_hunt Posted August 21, 2006 Share Posted August 21, 2006 Well, the z certainly isn't like the chevy Vega, which I had one that I put a 327 in and managed to pop the windshield out, but the z, from what I understand is prone to damage with high HP levels. I have searched and I have not seen a definitive answer to the question, but certainly I believe that 450HP is probably the threshold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pop N Wood Posted August 21, 2006 Share Posted August 21, 2006 Well, the z certainly isn't like the chevy Vega, which I had one that I put a 327 in and managed to pop the windshield out, but the z, from what I understand is prone to damage with high HP levels. I have searched and I have not seen a definitive answer to the question, but certainly I believe that 450HP is probably the threshold. Whew. That's a relief. My motor is only rated at 446 HP. Should be good to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Posted August 21, 2006 Share Posted August 21, 2006 I think the z frame can handle that HP without much trouble from what I've seen, not like the chevy vega's that would pop the windshield out or crack it. My 390 flywheel HP LS1 flexes the windshield frame on my '77 280Z enough that I can't keep it sealed. No big deal on a track-only car but a royal PITA for a daily driver - especially if you live somewhere it rains more than occaisionally. The R200 should hold up fine up through 450 ft-lbs of torque but I'd start to worry about the half-shafts and their universals. Under good conditions they'll hold up OK but the Z is prone to severe wheel hop when digging off the line and that will break them. I know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
COZY Z COLE Posted August 21, 2006 Share Posted August 21, 2006 My 390 flywheel HP LS1 flexes the windshield frame on my '77 280Z enough that I can't keep it sealed. No big deal on a track-only car but a royal PITA for a daily driver - especially if you live somewhere it rains more than occaisionally.. You better start sealing, the move is getting closer........ LARRY Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted August 21, 2006 Share Posted August 21, 2006 I had problems sealing my L6 powered 240's windshield. In fact just about every 240 I've ever been in has had a leaky windshield. Most of them were driven hard. As has been said in many threads in the past, hard cornering should flex the chassis a lot more than 450 whp. I've also torn up radiators on my car from front frame rails flexing. I don't know that the two issues of torque and windshield sealing or radiator failure are necessarily that directly related. If you're just going straight, I wouldn't bother with a whole bunch of chassis strengthening. If you plan to turn, look out! There are TONS of threads dealing with chassis rigidity and handling. If you want to get some tips on how to strengthen the chassis, you need only look for those threads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forces Posted August 22, 2006 Author Share Posted August 22, 2006 Thanks for the advice. I have done a bit more reading and I am thikning of just stregthening the frame rails and adding in some monte carlo bars at the firewall. I'm not building a daily driver, but not building a drag car either....it's a project to be driven when weather permits. Its not going to be driven by an 80 year old woman, so I want some extra security, But I'm not one for taking a rear wheel, high HP car around corners at 60MPH. I have also heard of people damaging the frpm from putting TOO stiff of suspension components in. Is that just dependent on how the car is driven (i.e. like a bat out of hell)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted August 22, 2006 Share Posted August 22, 2006 I have also heard of people damaging the frpm from putting TOO stiff of suspension components in. Is that just dependent on how the car is driven (i.e. like a bat out of hell)? No, it has more to do with the flexy chassis the Z has. The chassis on a stock Z will flex in a corner, or when the ground becomes uneven. Pull into an uneven driveway at an angle and listen to all the creaking of the interior pieces and you'll see what I mean. If you get over about 250 in/lb springs the body starts flexing when the car hits bumps in the road. In order to prevent this you need to start installing strut tower bars and other chassis stiffeners. All those aforementioned chassis rigidity and handling threads will show different ideas and implementations of solutions for those issues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Posted August 22, 2006 Share Posted August 22, 2006 Its not going to be driven by an 80 year old woman' date=' so I want some extra security, But I'm not one for taking a rear wheel, high HP car around corners at 60MPH. quote'] Hmm - I do that every day going back & forth to work. THat's what makes the commute something less than totally boring. Jon's right about the Z being a Flexi-Flyer. I have the stiffer 280 chassis with strut tower braces front and rear plus a 4-pt roll bar and it still creaks and groans when I turn into driveways and I'm running stock Nissan euro-spec springs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deMideon Posted August 23, 2006 Share Posted August 23, 2006 From my own personal experience I have to say that it makes a huge difference when you stiffen the chassis. I had a 73 240 and was starting to get cracks in the rear pilers. When I got the 280 I did drive it for a little while, then I added my "frame rails" (lol check out my photo album I went a bit extreme!). I did it because I knew I would be going with a lot of hp. I can't tell you how much of a difference it made. The chassis feels very solid now. a night and day difference! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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