R180 vs R200

[carlosrowlett]

Hello,

 

 

I have a '70 240Z begging for a V8. Unlike most people here, I've decided a Ford 302/347 is the way to go.

 

I have a question about rearends. I couldn't find just the right forum for that, so I decided the almost all encompassing "Tech Board" would be the right place. Hopefully...

 

Part of my quest is in keeping the car very light. I'm shooting for a finished empty weight of under 2200lb.

 

That in mind, how many of you are successfully using R180s (with LSD) in V8 swaps? My car will never be launched on slicks, but it will be auto-xed and (probably) open-tracked on race compound radials.

 

I'm also a bit worried about the effects of speed on the drive train. When I dynamo my car, I decided to make the pulls in 3rd gear because I'm not too comfortable with the general condition of the car yet. We've already had a vintage car destroy a drive shaft on our dyno at 120+mph, and it was a very scary experience.

 

Ideally I'd want a car I can safely take to 150mph whenever I want to. Will the stock half shafts, hubs, etc take that sort of speed? If not, what should I do?

 

Thanks very much for any and all comments

[johnc]

Will the stock half shafts, hubs, etc take that sort of speed?

 

Yes, but you will need to inspect them regularly. Regarding the R180, it will work fine at around 300 ft. lbs. of torque if you install a good LSD and change the fluid frequently. A diff cooler helps.

[V8INtheZ]

You will need to look into some aero sheet metal mods if you want your car to do 150 mph. The S30 cars lift in the front at those speeds, so you will need to address that. There are many solutions on this board.

 

Take plenty of pictures of your car and its progress. There arent enough 302 Z's being built!