(thanks for the compliment) i guess it might be an urge to test my abilities as a fabricator. See how well i can make new brackets...will they look pretty (confident i can)... will the bar shape well... thats the question... If not, I could totally see fabrication from fresh molly in a tri-pod style. Maybe its an excercise in futility. Maybe this is all mental masterbation. But maybe it'll work great, look great, and I can have a little pride in it. :laugh:

Or itll look horrible and Ive wasted 25bucks and a few hours i would have spent watching TV. Hey, whatever keeps you busy, right?

Stay away from the electronic lotus flower, and the phosphorescent soma-work on the Z, as long as you use proper safety equipment and procedures, you are guaranteed to grow brain cells even if the parts you make don't work out!

Will

Does anyone have any idea where I can find one (for less then $200) or has experience in fabricating one? I'm more interested in the fabrication.

-Patrick

can make you one mate...

180 bucks

Costa Final Lap Engineering.............

0409018123

sblake01, dont give up on me man:)

I'm not giving up on you. When I read the original thread, I tried it. A guy down the street from me that is into Hondas had a Civic bar in his garage and he owed me a favor. I got the bar for free and attempted to install it on my 78. Being fuel injected, the bar has to clear the auxilary air valve or air regulator as Nissan calls it, and for that reason, the hood wouldn't close. Maybe you won't have that problem since you're carbed. Hence the comment, 'if he wants to build his own brace, let him.' Didn't work for me but it might for you.

unfortunately the curve of the bar is to broad and does not fit the curve of the hood. I dont know how this rumor that the Civic strut bar would fit ever got started. At least the end links are useful if I deside to attempt to fabricate my own (non-Clampett style).

-Patrick

.......... I dont know how this rumor that the Civic strut bar would fit ever got started. At least the end links are useful if I deside to attempt to fabricate my own (non-Clampett style).

-Patrick

IIRC, someone found a post on zcar.com that claimed that it worked on Z's. (probably started there by the eBay seller of these thangs)

I just put the MSA strut bars on my 280Z, front and rear. I found that on 280Z's, a bracket that supports the breather tube to the valve cover prevents the front brace from sitting competely flat, and must be bent down or removed to accomidate the brace. I also found that the brace touches the underside of the hood, and can dent it if the hood is slammed a little too hard. Using a file on the hood bracing and on the very top of the brace ends remedies this. Unfortunately, I learned the hard way and have a small reminder in the hood that I do have a front strut brace.

Dang I hate to hear that. I wanted the MSA braces for our car......

Anybody beside MSA make a decent front strut tower brace? Seems the MSA one dents the 280Z hood..... See Pennyman's post above.

Yep.. it does indeed dent the hood...

i tried installing mine about a few weeks ago.. i ended up tryn to make the part fit the car... and i literally grinded down the strut bar soo far, it is structurally unstable now... and no point in even using it now.

I dented my hood, and all for nothin.

At least I got the strut bar for free

Dang. Anyone know if the PDK Fab version fits w/o damaging the hood on a '78?

Here is the response I got from PDK on their brace.

There is a possibility that this hood issue could be a problem. Our brace sits lower than the MSA brace, so it shouldn't as much of an issue....With any older Z there are fitment problems, because of the age of the car, and lack of consistency in the build up of the original cars. Please feel free to call us for any additional questions 1-760-295-1033

Marc

PDK Fabrications