My first week with the Z car

[70 Cam Guy]

Even though I've had my 240Z for a couple months now, this is the first week I've really had to drive it around. I drove it to work a couple days and went to my first Datsun meet tonight at Dublin Nissan. I haven't had a chance to install the headers and exhaust yet so I am putting up with a rusty muffler and ticking midpipe. All that aside I love the sound of the engine and it seems to get better every time I drive it.

The power has a sneaky way of coming on, almost like a small turbo engine. It has decent torque down low but the power really comes on above 3K. I've definitely driven faster cars but this has a major fun factor. I still want to do triple Webers for that old school cool factor, and the sound of Webers is awesome. I've also really been inspired by Arne's recent exhaust thread to try and recreate the Clifford exhaust when funds permit as that is the header I bought (somewhat unwittingly if I'm honest)

The handling was unexpected. This car has sat since 1992 in a garage and has 51K miles. The stock suspension does very well when you get used to the soft struts. It leans a fair amount cruising through a turn, but throttle on, and it starts to shoot through. It has a touch of oversteer but nothing side ways. Overall, a very pleasant surprise and lots of fun. It needs that spook for the freeway, I couldn't believe the difference the air dam made for my 70 Camaro. It's more than just looks people!

One thing that I started joking about was the Buick squat when you nail the gas (or like an Oakland scraper if you know what that is ). As I've been told, that's completely normal for these Z cars. I have all the parts to convert to coilovers without cutting my stock struts so I'm very much looking forward to trying out some solid springs and struts.

I think with this, it's not so much a single thing that has made me fall for this car but a number of the intangibles that I don't always communicate as eloquently. I don't miss the fancy stock stereo that my 07 Civic coupe has and it's odd, that I almost feel compelled to listen to classic rock instead of the metal I normally have on

All in all, I'm very happy with the car and hope you all enjoy yours

[Zs-ondabrain]

add a 25mm front sway bar and a 19mm in the rear and she'll rock right thru those corners. New KYB struts are about $50 a corner and well worth it. KYB's are great fro stock applications but if you lower it, go with the Tokiko's.

I love my 70' beyond words, so I totally understand where you're coming from.

enjoy,

Dave

[70 Cam Guy]

add a 25mm front sway bar and a 19mm in the rear and she'll rock right thru those corners. New KYB struts are about $50 a corner and well worth it. KYB's are great fro stock applications but if you lower it, go with the Tokiko's.

I love my 70' beyond words, so I totally understand where you're coming from.

enjoy,

Dave

Thanks! I actually have Illumina's and Eibach 2.5" springs, courtesy of JMortenson and a fair price. The next step is the Prothane bushing set so I can replace some things when I do the tear down

My friend gave me some yellow sway bars fr and rr to use but I don't think they are 25mm. I haven't measured them yet so I could easily be mistaken. He also gave me some sectioned front struts he had already so I only need to clean them up and weld on the collars.

[ChrisZ]

For bushings, go here: http://www.suspension.com/nissan240z.html there is also a link to some sway bar informations.

Chris

[Zs-ondabrain]

All 240Z's came with 17mm ?? front sway bars. Increasing that to even a 19mm and adding a 17 or 19mm rear bar will change thing dramatically. When I added a 19mm to the rear of my 70', the difference was night and day. No more sloshing around. and increasing the front to a 23mm was even better. I personally wouldn't go any larger than the 25 / 19 combo. But that's just me.

And don't forget to add just a thin film of the Urethane grease to each peice as you install it. Especially the sway bars.

Dave

[70 Cam Guy]

I finally grabbed my calipers and measured the sway bars. Looks like they're 19mm front and rear. I am definitely ready to make this thing a handler. I just have more ideas than money

I've heard the Mulholland sway bars were painted yellow? Can anyone confirm that?

That suspension website is top notch! Their prices aren't great but they seem like they'll be able to provide the best customer service. Thanks! (it's nice to get some links back since my desktop computer took a **** last week)

I think I jinxed myself because I think I had my first taste of vapor lock. I was less than a mile from home and the car just died on me. I was able to get it started again but the fuel pressure gauge didn't even register. I had to tow it the rest of the way home. It started up tonight and ran fine again with normal pressure. ....I think I realize now why every Z car I have seen so far has the insulation on the hard lines mounted to the head. I think I might drain the tank too and make sure there's nothing ugly in there too.

It's definitely a project but it sure was nice this week!

[ChrisZ]

If you have a link to a site offering better prices, please put it up here.

Chris

[gogriz91]

Insulation may help the vapor lock but I ended up putting a mechanical fuel pump in the engine compartment.

[70 Cam Guy]

If you have a link to a site offering better prices, please put it up here.

Chris

I was thinking Summit Racing was cheaper but they seem to be in line with suspension.com pricing. The Prothane kits are $142 and I have heard they are good products. That's my mistake

I'm not sure who I'll go with yet but your link seems to have a better knowledge base behind it for our cars. I get the impression from reading their page that they are better equipped to answer my application specific questions and help me get the parts I need.

[70 Cam Guy]

Insulation may help the vapor lock but I ended up putting a mechanical fuel pump in the engine compartment.

I am assuming you meant to say electric pump? My car has only the mechanical pump on the engine.

I heard an interesting trick today from my friend's dad. He said they used to put the old wooden clothes pins on the fuel lines to absorb heat, and wrap the lines in tin foil. He acknowledged that there are better insulators now but I thought the clothe pins idea was interesting to say the least.

[Carl Beck]

Actually the cloths pins were there to hold the metal fuel line out away from the metal on and heat of the engine block and/or intake manifolds. Wood doesn't really absorb heat nor conduct it away very well.