cygnusx1 Posted March 1, 2009 Share Posted March 1, 2009 After a long two months of Jackstanding, my Z hit the ground today. I timed it in between a rainstorm which washed away salt and a Noreaster snowstorm that will ruin the roads once again. I had a small window of opportunity today to test the new parts. I installed a 81 ZX 5speed, Fidanza Flywheel, a 240mm ACT street performance clutch, a really really short shifter, the OBX torsen LSD, and rear camber bushings. The front of the diff is now solid mounted. EvilC and 280ZForce helped me wiggle the trans into place. Thanks guys! I stalled on my first launch...no surprise first time on a light flywheel. LOL. The shifter is too short. I can barely reach it in 1st 3rd and 5th. I need to either bend it back or make it a bit longer. The OBX diff works well, nice posi rubber on the road. Coming out of corners, I can feel the car biting. The solid diff mount would sound great in a race car and it gets muted by open windows, but on the street with the windows up, it's a bit too loud. I am probably going to get one of the RT mounts. When I snap-decel, I can hear the OBX banging off the bellville springs. It's no big deal and only happens if you really snap off the throttle in lower gears. Overall, I like the changes a lot. The higher 1st gear and close ratios feel great with the turbo. OK back to fuel up the snowblower and park the Z for a while again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gnosez Posted March 1, 2009 Share Posted March 1, 2009 I'd be one to remove that solid mount at the first opportunity and either go back to the stock mount or a Ron Tyler version (as you mentioned in your post). You're likely just a few launches away from a cracked front diff cross member. That snow you (and I'm) getting might have been a sign..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
proxlamus© Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 roostmonkey just made a ton of R/t mounts.. $62 shipped is a great deal I thought you were converting to a Z32 transmission? I may be mistaken. The fidanza flywheel is soo weird to get used to .. but you'll fall in love with it soon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cygnusx1 Posted March 2, 2009 Author Share Posted March 2, 2009 Technically it's not a solid mount. It's worse. My dad, trying to be helpful one day, drilled through the stock mount and the crossmember putting two large bolts through the whole thing! He was only trying to help but I think he went too far. He is retired and always asks if he can help out while I'm at work so I came home to find that one day. Oh well, at least I keep him busy. The Roostmonkey mount is the one I was going to order too. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffer949 Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 Hey if it is solid mounted that way you might want to try to go to autozone and get some swaybar end links from energy suspension. Then you use those on the bolts to make it not a solid mount. Make sense? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cygnusx1 Posted March 2, 2009 Author Share Posted March 2, 2009 I've seen it done that way but my dad drilled through the original mount tabs horizontally, front to back. I think I'm going to go with the RT mount. It just seems so clean and "factory" or at least how it should have been from the factory. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m1noel Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 I'll second (or third) the Roostmonkey R/T mount. Makes a fantasic difference. Like you said, the way it should have been out of the factory. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EvilC Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 Well with todays snow storm, it gives you another few weeks to get the r/t mount in. Can't wait to see/hear the OBX unit in action. With the r/t mount and shifter done, it will be like a "new" ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cygnusx1 Posted March 2, 2009 Author Share Posted March 2, 2009 Thats why I wanted to test drive it in between snowstorms. Now I can "debug". I ordered the RT mount and the Energy Suspension bushing. I think I am going to make a secion of tube that fits over the shifter shaft with a threaded rod in the top of it. This way I can slide the tube to the right height and lock it in place. Sort of an adjustable short shifter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cygnusx1 Posted March 9, 2009 Author Share Posted March 9, 2009 OK So today was the day! I re-welded the short shifter to be a little bit longer and a little bit further back so that it sits dead center in the console in neutral. It was too notchy before, but now with its 1.5" extension, it feels fine. The RT Mount came in with the ES Poly mount last week. Today I set out for a long drawn out install. Well, it was such an easy install (<2hrs) that I highly recommend it. I dropped the front diff crossmember and let the diff sit on the sway bar (280Z). Then I unbolted the ridiculous strap hold down thingy. I fished the RT mount over the top of the diff and bolted it into place. I opened up the holes in the ES mount with a file and ground away some of the poly to make it sit a little more flush on top of the diff. Bolted it all up and returned the diff cross member, but this time without the old diff mount. I ended up with about 3/4" clearance between the crossmember and the diff bottom. It looks fantastic. And the diff seems very solidly mounted. As I took the car off the stands and fired it up, the rain began to pour. My luck. Rain for the next three days! Oh well, bye bye salty roads. I can't wait for the test drive later this week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DuoWing Posted April 16, 2009 Share Posted April 16, 2009 I know this thread is a month and a half old, but I was curious as to where you got your 240mm ACT clutch? I'm doing a very similar setup. I found an older thread of yours linking to a site where I was able to get my Aluminum Fidanza flywheel much cheaper, and I was wondering if you found any bargain's on the ACT. I also was wondering if you encountered any issues in bolting the clutch up to the flywheel? I found another thread where a person mentioned that not all 9 holes on the clutch pressure plate would line up and it was said that using just 6 bolts was fine. Did you come across this issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cygnusx1 Posted April 17, 2009 Author Share Posted April 17, 2009 Yup I used 6 bolts. I have no issues. The car has been EXCELLENT. Not sure if this is a bargain but I have dealt with this company a few times and they are reliable. NX2-HDSS/1 ACT Clutch Kit – Heavy Duty Pressure Plate with Performance Street Disc $385.00 1 $385.00 http://www.importrp.com/home.php Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DuoWing Posted April 17, 2009 Share Posted April 17, 2009 Thanks for that. Saves a little compared to MSA mainly due to free shipping. I can't wait to get my 76 going now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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