Animefun Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 Hi I have a 77 280z with shocks that are shot and some springs don't do is hard as stone. Because of the roads in Norway i can't lower the car even an inch, im also putting on the MSA type III body kit, so anyone got a upgrade idea for me? Would've been nice with a street kit that handles fast curves well. Thanks for all future help! -Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffGarcia77 Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 Yes, the Nissan stage 1 European springs. I have them on my 1977 coupe, and I bought them from Motorsport Auto. The front spring rates for 280Zs are 122 pounds per inch, and the rears are 142 pounds per inch. They only lower the car slightly, if any. The amount of lowering depends on the weight of your car. For your information, the 240Z Stage 1 Euro springs were 101 pounds/inch front and 112 pounds/inch rear. The 260Z Euro springs were 120 pounds/inch front and 141 pounds/inch rear. This spring rate information can be found in the old Nissan Motorsports catalogs. Sorry, I don't have the stock spring rates any more, I wrote it down somewhere, in the 1980s, but now I can't find it. Jeff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Animefun Posted August 23, 2009 Author Share Posted August 23, 2009 Thanks! I just sent a mail to my contact at Motorsport Auto, and we shall see what he says about a package deal. Need good supension when your going up towards future 260hp you know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffGarcia77 Posted August 24, 2009 Share Posted August 24, 2009 Boknal (Nynorsk) Tom, I've never driven a 260 horsepower Z with these European spring rates, so I can't say if they're stiff enough to control the squat (weight transfer). Your contact at Motorsport can probably advise. Or maybe someone on Hybridz wants to chime in. Jeff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnc Posted August 24, 2009 Share Posted August 24, 2009 Euro springs are NLA. Someone did a custom run of these springs a couple years ago and sold out almost immediately. The Tokico HP and Illumina spring and shock kits for the 280 come with 185 lb. in. front and 200 lb. in. rear linear springs. While they will lower your car about an inch (depending on how much your car weighs) dynamic ride height will probably be higher then what you have now or with the euro springs. Your suspension won't compress as much given the higher rates and better damping. You can also machine a small spacer for the upper spring perch or run a spring rubber to get some of that 1" drop back. I sell the kit and have shipped them to Denmark and Norway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffGarcia77 Posted August 25, 2009 Share Posted August 25, 2009 Thanks for the spring specs and the historical insight, John. I've often been baffled as to why there aren't more spring rate choices out there (in the "stock diameter" type springs). Some folks don't want to lower their Z more than about 1/2 inch, but yet they'd like to increase the spring rates into the 180-200 lb./in. range. Or even 140 fr., 165 rr. on a 280Z sounds good to me. Would those 240Z springs from Tokico work on my '77 280 (still has stock strut tubes and spring perches)? I like your idea about machining a spacer to fit on top of the strut-top isolator. I'm just not ready to give up my rubber isolators and the way they reduce NVH. I suppose the thickness of that spacer would be limited by the length of the mounting studs which go through the strut tower? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnc Posted August 25, 2009 Share Posted August 25, 2009 Would those 240Z springs from Tokico work on my '77 280 (still has stock strut tubes and spring perches)? Probably not. I think there are overall spring length differences between the 240 and 280Z. And since the front Tokico's are progressive they will probably be next to useless with the increased weight of the 280Z. I like your idea about machining a spacer to fit on top of the strut-top isolator. I'm just not ready to give up my rubber isolators and the way they reduce NVH. I suppose the thickness of that spacer would be limited by the length of the mounting studs which go through the strut tower? If you use thin nylock nuts you can use a 1/4" spacer above the insulator. You can also put a small spacer between the insulator and the upper spring perch. Forgot how thick that one could be, but it depends on how much thread is available on the shock shaft. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffGarcia77 Posted August 25, 2009 Share Posted August 25, 2009 OK. I didn't realize the front Tokico 240Z springs were progressive. But hey, this could create a niche for a whole new product! Stock-type upper strut isolators with long studs, plus machined aluminum spacers! Tom, I hope this discussion helps you in solving your suspension puzzle and achieving your goals. Jeff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Animefun Posted August 25, 2009 Author Share Posted August 25, 2009 Yeah it helped me alot Jeff, i just got a mail back from my contact and he said as John, that the euro springs are NLA. But he also said that the MSA type 3 kit lowered the car about and inch too, so i measured the car height and the insane speed bumps here, and it should work with a 1/2 inch to spare! I just have to bolt the exhaust system higher up to the frame, it's way down to the ground, because the previous owner bolted on a very funny looking system with a heat shields on it. Thanks for all your help so far! -Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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