Guest mattster03 Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 I've been making low mount alternator kits for V8 RX-7's for a while and thought I would move over here post on the V8Z forum to see if there's any interest. These kits basically relocate the alternator from the upper left position to the lower left position, in the process, the power steering and AC systems are deleted. This reduces weight, increases HP due to less accesories, and of course makes for a nice looking engine bay. I suspect there may be some interest because i know that not all of you are probably running these accesories and my kit makes for a very simple install. The kit is being run on all sorts of swaps and so far there there have been no clearance issues... I cannot imagine a Z car would have any issues. Kits are $80 + $6 shipping and that includes: Laser cut bracket Serpentine belt spacers nuts/bolts/hardware Install instructions PM me or post here if you're interested. I've attached a few pictures so that you can get an idea of what i'm making. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danno74Z Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 Nice product but your low mount alternator kit for the LT1 engine will not work in the Z car. From the pictures it appears you delete the AC compressor and relocate the alt. to this position. No room and guaranteed to hit the frame rail. Danno74Z Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deja Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 I've been making low mount alternator kits for V8 RX-7's for a while and thought I would move over here post on the V8Z forum to see if there's any interest. These kits basically relocate the alternator from the upper left position to the lower left position, in the process, the power steering and AC systems are deleted. This reduces weight, increases HP due to less accesories, and of course makes for a nice looking engine bay. I suspect there may be some interest because i know that not all of you are probably running these accesories and my kit makes for a very simple install. The kit is being run on all sorts of swaps and so far there there have been no clearance issues... I cannot imagine a Z car would have any issues. Kits are $80 + $6 shipping and that includes: Laser cut bracket Serpentine belt spacers nuts/bolts/hardware Install instructions PM me or post here if you're interested. I've attached a few pictures so that you can get an idea of what i'm making. Oh sure now you come up with something, LOL. I just got finished gutting my PS pump, buying a Bower AC relocate mount and putting the whole thing on the engine. If this really works on a Datsun I think it would be awesome. But to make it more marketable a mount on the driver's side for the AC would be almost mandatory. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pop N Wood Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 Oh man. Nice looking product. Danno74Z, are you sure that would hit the frame rail? Looks pretty high up to me. From your sig I see you have an LT1/T56 so I guess you would know better than me. But when I was trying to mount an alternator on my LS motor that was one of the candidates. I ended up mounting it head height on the drivers side. Either way I would imagine mattster03 would want to check this out before he sells them for a Z application. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest mattster03 Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 thanks for the replys and input... i had no idea that there was such little clearance. 3 things to note: 1. the relocated alteranator is higher than the stock AC location 2. i will have to double check, but i believe the kit will work on either side of the engine. 3. i would be willing to send a kit for free to keep to anyone who would be willing to be my "Zcar guinea pig". Let me know! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deja Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 thanks for the replys and input... i had no idea that there was such little clearance. 3 things to note: 1. the relocated alteranator is higher than the stock AC location 2. i will have to double check, but i believe the kit will work on either side of the engine. 3. i would be willing to send a kit for free to keep to anyone who would be willing to be my "Zcar guinea pig". Let me know! I really like the idea, but my concern is how to hook up the AC on the passenger side. It doesn't look like you are using a tensioner for your setup but adding the AC I would think you'd need a tensioner. This is the AC setup I have now. If the belt would line up with the new alternator location without interferring with the water pump hoses it might work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wheelman Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 Pop, It's not that it will hit the frame rail but the mount tower. I tried to go this direction with mine and there is really no way to do it and use the JTR setup at the same time, at least without using 3" to 4" long spacers to move the alt and harmonic balancer forward far enough to clear the mount tower. Wheelman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danno74Z Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 Deja & mattster03, Perhaps I spoke out of line on the new alternator location hitting the frame rail. One can't be sure until one tries it out. I just looked at the first picture with the yellow alt. bracket and what other's have tried over the years and just assumed it would not fit. Deja, could you measure how close your small red pulley (the one you got from Bower's as an A/C delete pulley) is from the frame rail. If one used a smaller alternator it might fit but there is so little room down there it will be real tough either way. I bring this up as only a suggestion. If it is real close to working one might try notching the frame rail just a little, just remember the Datsun frame rail HAS to be very strong (and remain so). Datsun74Z Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Juday Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 When I did Steve Camerons LT1 swap into his 280Z Tomahawk (AC Cobra-ish body kit) The motor had to go in with all the accessories off due to the small hood opening. After the motor was bolted up I tried to set the alternator into the spaces on either side low on the block. There just wasn't any room. The frame rails really incroch on the sides of the block. This is with the JTR kit that sets the engine low and aft in the bay. There may be enough room with a Scarab kit that mounts the engine higher, or maybe the MSA kit, but not with the JTR kit. There is room in front of the block, and I pondered fabing up a reverse alignment alternator mount but the complications are several. I managed to get it in the stock f-body location by triming the right hood hinge (not the stock Z hinge) so I left it there. Tight but no touchy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deja Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 Deja & mattster03, Deja, could you measure how close your small red pulley (the one you got from Bower's as an A/C delete pulley) is from the frame rail. If one used a smaller alternator it might fit but there is so little room down there it will be real tough either way.Datsun74Z That red pulley is a standard AC delete. Not sure I can get in there to measue but I'll try tonight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danno74Z Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 deja, It sounds like there just isn't room down there to mount the alt low per Dan's reply. Probably not worth your time and effort to get a measurement. Now if someone could come up with an alt. bracket that cleared the frame rail and put it above it then we may have something. Danno74Z Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pop N Wood Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 Now that I think about it I had to go with a Nippon Denso alternator because at 5 inches in diameter it was the only thing that would fit. So even if mattster03's mount puts the alt above the frame rail, like wheelman says it might still hit the tower. I would imagine the LS and LT engine widths are similar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deja Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 Now that I think about it I had to go with a Nippon Denso alternator because at 5 inches in diameter it was the only thing that would fit. So even if mattster03's mount puts the alt above the frame rail, like wheelman says it might still hit the tower. I would imagine the LS and LT engine widths are similar. Now that I think about it when I replaced the Datsun alternator with the GM one on my Scarab setup I had to use a small GM alternator because the 100A and larger ones hit the frame mount tower. Given that with the JTR setup there's no way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danno74Z Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 LT1 in an early Z. (Borrowed picture from Tim's LT1 - nice car!) Zero room over there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest mattster03 Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 WOW, guys thanks for the very useful input and discussion. to clarify, this kit can only be used if you're planning on running no power steering and no AC in your vehicle... it is an alt only kit. in the V8 RX7 world that i'm coming from, this is a fairly common thing to do, it's what i did with my LT1 RX-7 to keep away from having to speed the time integrating AC and PS... I really had no need for those comforts. deja, i would like to say that if that picture that you posted fits, my alt kit will fit as well. i'm going to have to do some research on what mount tower you guys are talking about... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wheelman Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 Mattster03, The mount tower we are refering to is the Datsun motor mount tower that is part of the crossmember. The JTR (jagsthatrun.com) mounting method uses plates that move the GM motor mounts forward relative to the engine mount points about 4" and spacers. This places the mount right about where your alternator is located and also means the alternator will hit the Datsun mount tower as well. The other popular mounting method (Scarab) uses 2" spacers (I think) to move the GM mounts out from the block (not forward) so they contact the Datsun mount towers. This method places the engine much further forward and higher so your kit would probably work fine with it. I looked very hard at doing something like you have because I wanted to eliminate the accessory bracket (no PS and no AC) but couldn't get it to work due to the mounts interfering. March makes a bracket that mounts the alternator right in front of the passenger side head but you have to use a small alternator and clock the housing so the plug is accessible. That along with the price of the brackets helped me decide to go another direction. Wheelman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bartman Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 Search for "LT1 low mount alternator" and you will find a bunch of discussion regarding this issue. Many people have wanted to do this and it appears that no one was able to make it happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest mattster03 Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 hey again. i'd did a search and came up with this very nice thread http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?t=107232&highlight=LT1+low+mount+alternator it makes sense now why no one has successfully run a low mount kit, the engine cradle is truly a FAR forward! i appologize about not researching this before posting, i have just been having so much success with these kits fitting (sold about 25 by now) that i made the assumption they would work for z-cars as well . i will make sure to modify my eBay listings to say Zcars are a "no fit". i am looking forward to being a part of this forum, seems to be a lot of good info. here's my LT1 swap page, many find it useful, or at least a fun read... http://www.cardomain.com/id/mattsterrx7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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