R200 rebuild - Whitehead Performance?

[jnh-280z]

Hello Z Community,

Long time listener, first time caller!

I actually bought my 280Z from this forum in 2014. I've been slowly rebuilding it. LOTS of rust.

Eiji built a stage 4 motor for me and I'm getting close to putting that back in after years of work. I have a stock R200, 3.54 open diff and it will mate with an 83' ZX NA trans. I've been looking for someone to  rebuild the diff with 3.90 gears and an OS Giken LSD. Does anyone have experience with Whitehead Performance? Does anyone have another supplier that can do a great job? I had contacted JE Imports but they don't have the gear sets anymore.

 

Below are a few photos.

Thanks for any input!

Jason

 

[heyitsrama]

I remember hearing some people say that whitehead was taking a while to respond to calls/emails at the moment. I’ve bought ball joints in the past from them, no complaints here. But I would try to call them and see what a turnaround time looks like.

 

nice car BTW.

Edited February 1, 2021 by heyitsrama

[EuroDat]

I don't know anything about the lead time for whitehead performance, but I like what you are doing with your restoration. Ingenuitive rotisserie, the workmanship and colour looks great.

[Zed Head]

Might be better off to just find a 3.9 R200 and have the LSD installed in it using the old gears.  The gears seem to be very durable, I've never seen ruined gears described.  Probably why the gear seats aren't available, there's no demand.

MFactory produces a helical LSD for the R200, also.  Seems to be of good quality, cheaper, and easier to find.  There's a guy on Hybridz who developed it with them and I think you can get a discount if you go through him.

http://www.teammfactory.com/catalog/mfactory/helical-lsd/Nissan

[jnh-280z]

1 hour ago, EuroDat said:

I don't know anything about the lead time for whitehead performance, but I like what you are doing with your restoration. Ingenuitive rotisserie, the workmanship and colour looks great.

Thank you!

[jnh-280z]

1 hour ago, Zed Head said:

Might be better off to just find a 3.9 R200 and have the LSD installed in it using the old gears.  The gears seem to be very durable, I've never seen ruined gears described.  Probably why the gear seats aren't available, there's no demand.

MFactory produces a helical LSD for the R200, also.  Seems to be of good quality, cheaper, and easier to find.  There's a guy on Hybridz who developed it with them and I think you can get a discount if you go through him.

http://www.teammfactory.com/catalog/mfactory/helical-lsd/Nissan

Excellent! Thank you for that. I'll check it out.

[Jeff Berk]

I like that DYI rotisserie. Your design or did you find plans for it? 

[jnh-280z]

1 minute ago, Jeff Berk said:

I like that DYI rotisserie. Your design or did you find plans for it? 

Thanks. I found another gentleman online who made a wood tip-over jig. Based on his pictures I got out my tape measure and went to work. It worked out great. Another friend of mine in town now has it for his 240Z resto.

[grannyknot]

Jason, your car looks fantastic, the best colour.  Whitehead can certainly do everything you want them to, a professional shop.   I'm not trying to take work away from them but by the time you have shipped your unit up here, added the OS Gilken, freshen it up and ship it back to KY you are going to be looking at some serious outlay of cash.

The R200 is a simple diff and any reputable transmission/diff shop could handle it although it might be a good idea to order the correct bearings and seals yourself and along with the LSD unit and give the shop everything they need to do the job.

I have also heard good things a bout the MFactory LSD.

 

[jnh-280z]

14 hours ago, grannyknot said:

Jason, your car looks fantastic, the best colour.  Whitehead can certainly do everything you want them to, a professional shop.   I'm not trying to take work away from them but by the time you have shipped your unit up here, added the OS Gilken, freshen it up and ship it back to KY you are going to be looking at some serious outlay of cash.

The R200 is a simple diff and any reputable transmission/diff shop could handle it although it might be a good idea to order the correct bearings and seals yourself and along with the LSD unit and give the shop everything they need to do the job.

I have also heard good things a bout the MFactory LSD.

 

Thank you for the input Grannyknot, and the compliment! I agonized about the color for months, if not years.

Part of the reason for my ask was to find another supplier. The WHP quote was considerable but I'm sure the work is excellent.

I have contact Chip and will be ordering the MFactory diff from him. Thanks again everyone!

Jason