Jay Hitchcock Posted November 4, 2007 Share Posted November 4, 2007 Well the build up was long but she didn't disappoint. I broke in the diff on Sunday..figure 8's for over an half hour. I was so excited I barely slept. Got back on it Tuesday night to adjust the suspension, change the rear end fluid and to raise the coil-overs a touch. A couple of buddies came by to go for a spin the next evening before the Holloween festivities. I took it around the airport, found some nice corners and a few open areas to stand on it. The car is incredible!! It is like a big freakin go cart. It pulls like crazy and the tires have so much grip not to mention the braking. Just when I was getting warmed up the unspeakable happened. You won't believe this, but the HALF-SHAFT POPPED OUT AGAIN!!!! I got the car stopped quickly...no damage but the shaft. I don't think that I have ever been soo angry. My wife might have been in the Z and got hurt, the car could have wrecked, or spun out, or any number of things. Anyway I cooled off and contacted the A-holes that built them for me and it looks like it is going to get handled. I built every inch of the car and not one thing broke, or didn't hold up, or leak, fail etc.. When you put trust into a thing or worse somebody that doesn't know what the hell their doing, YOU better make sure that it's right. I'll keep you guys posted. Take it easy. jh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ihavearustedz Posted November 4, 2007 Share Posted November 4, 2007 that sucks, but how about some full car pictures Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted November 4, 2007 Share Posted November 4, 2007 When you fixed the shafts the last time did they put a longer center section in, or switch the shafts side to side? I don't remember reading what fixed that situation. Regardless of that one issue, that must have been a hell of a test drive. Seems to me that on a build like yours having only one issue pop up should be considered wildly successful. Congratulations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Hitchcock Posted November 4, 2007 Author Share Posted November 4, 2007 Thanks Jon. Minus the shaft mishap, I'm definately pleased with the Z. My buddy Chris was with me before it failed. I found an open S-turn and I took it flat out in second gear. It's a sharp left followed by a sweepng right and I couldn't believe how it stuck to the road. Chris looked over at me and said "Jesus Jay, this thing is nasty". This coming from a guy who is building a 95 240SX full chassis car, 600hp inline turbo. I can't wait to get the monster on the open track. As for the shaft I did end up swapping the sides but they were only 1/2 inch difference. I measured the total length and they are for sure too short. They will both have to be rebuilt. I have a quick video of the drive that I'll post tomorrow. Talk to you later. jh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 280ZForce Posted November 4, 2007 Share Posted November 4, 2007 sorry to hear about the continous half-shaft problem... hopefully it'll be settled once and for all this next time around. BUT... can't wait to see that video. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Hitchcock Posted November 5, 2007 Author Share Posted November 5, 2007 Here is the video of the carnage...you can hear it clunking as it goes by. P.S. the lighting sucks. http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=lrN1zBYucuw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
v8dats Posted November 5, 2007 Share Posted November 5, 2007 man that car sounds and looks good! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thehelix112 Posted November 5, 2007 Share Posted November 5, 2007 http://www.twinturbo.net/net/viewmsg.aspx?forum=general&msg_id=2057491 Whole lot more pictures there for the fanboys. I love the look for the car, but I do have some criticisms (all based on the assumption that you plan on driving/racing it). 1. Those tyres (if sticky) are FAR too wide for struts. You will bend/break/wear them at an awful rate I fear. 2. http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t139/kirkwoodloyal/DeckJays240023.jpg That is some serious angle on the LCAs. I fear you're going to be getting some serious camber gain and roll centre dropping through the ground as it stands. Aesthetically that is top notch, and reaffirms my own dreams of a black 280YZ. Great work. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted November 5, 2007 Share Posted November 5, 2007 2. http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t139/kirkwoodloyal/DeckJays240023.jpg That is some serious angle on the LCAs. I fear you're going to be getting some serious camber gain and roll centre dropping through the ground as it stands. Dave is right. Terry Oxandale had the same problem with his Z, it has to do with having very tall tires and trying to get the car as close to the ground as possible. This was his fix: http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?p=688085 If you were to do the same modification, it might change your CV lengths too, so watch out for that... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heavy85 Posted November 6, 2007 Share Posted November 6, 2007 I've long wondered about the vents on top of the fenders as you see them on many competition sports cars ... and even back to the soon banned Nascar Superbirds of long ago ... maybe something for aero testing part duex. Cameron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vintage Posted November 6, 2007 Share Posted November 6, 2007 The vents on the fenders of Superbirds were there solely for tire clearance. My guess is the modern race/sports cars with vents on top of the fender is both for cooling brakes and getting rid of the high air pressure area that is the wheelwell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Hitchcock Posted November 6, 2007 Author Share Posted November 6, 2007 Thanks for all the info guys. First of all I checked out the thread on Blue Ovals' Z (nasty car) and I can definately see a need to fix the roll center in the rear. I have since raised the Z because it was so low that the car drug over the 3.0 inch exit ramp to the street. Not Good. The pivot is only a little over an inch now from the hub. I'm running high spring rates, I have hand built both front and rear sway bars, custom 1.25/ 0.83 wall chromoly front arms, bump-steer spacers, and Arizona Z car rear contol arms. I can honesty say the car is INCREDIBLY stiff and the suspension articulation is minimal. I'm going to run this set up and see how it acts, but if it needs to be fixed Jon and Terry are going to be on my speed dial. As for the vents, they are only a piece of the entire aero package on the Z. I do plan on running my rear foil, in conjuction with a diffuser, and a front splitter. Not much on my car is not purpose built. I'll keep you all informed about the shafts. Wish I had a longer drive. Thanks again for all the useful pics and info... I couldn't have done it without you. jh 'm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thehelix112 Posted November 6, 2007 Share Posted November 6, 2007 Congrats, it is a beautiful car. I can't wait to see it with airfoil/diffuser. Please include underbelly shots too. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark Posted November 6, 2007 Share Posted November 6, 2007 Jay, On those rear axels, the one that pulled apart in the pic, If I remember correctly when I assembled mine, once assembled the tripod will not pull thru the housing like that. The housing is tapered to prevent this from happening. To assemble the axels I had to place the housing over the shaft, then put the tripod on the axel (the other end was alteady assembled). Check and make sure the housing is not deformed before you have new shafts made. What lengths are you shafts? I just had two made. They were around 14 inches long. Don't ahve the exact measurements with me. Sweet car! Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Hitchcock Posted November 6, 2007 Author Share Posted November 6, 2007 Yea Mark your spot on about the shafts. They do have a lip on the inner egde to keep them inside. What I didn't show in the pics is the damage to inboard cv cup. The knuckle hit the back of it so hard that it punched about a one inch impression in the steel. The entire assembly will have to be rebuilt. The builder will have to asses the scope of the damage...but that is too soon to tell. I think my length was closer to 15 inches and yet it is still not right. I hope they get on it quickly. Take it easy. jh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thehelix112 Posted November 6, 2007 Share Posted November 6, 2007 I must've watched the start vid 4-5 times now and each time the `SCCA Road Racer' comment rings true and makes me want to see it on a track, without those pesky bloody mufflers. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heavy85 Posted November 7, 2007 Share Posted November 7, 2007 The vents on the fenders of Superbirds were there solely for tire clearance. My guess is the modern race/sports cars with vents on top of the fender is both for cooling brakes and getting rid of the high air pressure area that is the wheelwell. We're getting off topic but the story I read stated that the vents were there for getting rid of high pressure air above the tires which is why they were quickly banned. Maybe the 'official' stated reason was tire clearance to try getting around the rules? Either way this is the first time I've seen them on a Z and am interested on their affect to the overall aero package. Along the same reasoning I wondered why the race Z in the wind tunnel had the engine bay ducted to the side vents as it seemed to me you could better use the vents to exhaust both the engine bay and fender wells. By the way this is a killer car! Cameron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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