TomoHawk

You remembered right! I haven't seen a trans blanket since the last time I was browsing summitracing.com. OTOH, even F1 cars are now using what you could call an automatic trans, but with a fully-manual shifting system. BTW, Mid-Ohio also has defensive Driving schools ($350) using Honda Civic EX coupes :sick:

Sometimes all you need is long pants, shirt&shoes, an approved helmet and to pass the tech inspection, but just having the experience of so many runs (low speed or not) will be to your advantage. Mid-Ohio Performance Course: http://midohio.com/school.aspx They seems to emphasize speed-shifting, braking & shifting, etc., so I wonder if they would let you use a car with an auto trans? Maybe I should look into that full-manual shift kit to go with my 4-speed shifter...:beard:

I got an email from the Corvette club that invited my Z club for racing, and this is what it said: "If you are a NCCC (Corvette Club) member, then you need a High Speed License (run 10 low speeds over 3 weekends). If you are not a NCCC member, you must show a competition license (SCCA, NASA, etc.), completion of a performance driving school (Mid Ohio, Track Time, etc.), or results from 5 previous auto-x event days." Mid-Ohio is about an hour away. The Performance Driving School )PDX) is probably the most acessible thing for most people, since you can use your own car. There isn't a PDX school session happening between now and the next race event, so I will be there for support. I'll be needing new brake pads and such any way.:surprised HTH

thanks Steven, but that's only the general forms for getting into regular racing. Nothing on high speed license there. Maybe I can contact the race course to see what they recommend.

SCCA has no info on "high speed license." and I can't tell what class you'd call local club racing ( like Corvettes or Porsches).

Air pressure? Tires inflated with higher pressure are usually biger than the same ones with less pressure.

Some race courses require you to have a license to get on the track. A flyer would say something like "members must be High Speed Certified" or "All SPORTS CAR drivers must show proof of prior high speed experience or training." What does that mean? Can you get something like that for a Z? Can you get one by driving a Z around some race course, or do you just take a written exam, or both? From what I've read, you take some desk cours(es) and some driving instruction, using real a race-prepped car. For local races, like with Corvettes or Porsches, I rarely see anything that's race-prepped. The drivers just have jeans & long-sleeve shirt, and a helmet. thx thx

To begin with, your 16 inch rims are 2 inches bigger than the 14s. everything else being equal means the overall diameter (or height) is more too. the height is calculated by adding the diameter of the rim, plus twice the sidewall, which is a percentage of the tread width. for example, if your tire is a 245/45-16, then the treadwidth is 245mm, and sidewall is 45% of 245. You'll need to convert that part to inches either first or after. total height is (245/25.4) x .45)*2 + 16 = 24.7 inches compared to the other one which is 23.0 inches height. fwiw

here is a web page that will calculate all the particulars to compare tires: http://www.discounttiredirect.com/direct/brochure/info/tmpInfoTireMath.jsp

I'm looking at getting some sportier tires for the 280Z. The ones on there are great for touring (s-rated), but I think I rolled one during autoX.:hurt: and I wasn't even pushing it (first time out.) The OEM size is 195/70-14 On the fronts I'd like to put 195/60-14, and on the backs 205/60-14 (Fuzion HRi, which is aFirestone/Bridgestone composite) The front diameters would be 1.5 inch smaller, which will help with a clearance issue, and the backs should be the same diameter, so the speedo is still correct. I bfigurethat the front might be a tad lower, but that would be a good thing, andthere shouldn't be a difference in weight distribution, balance, etc. opinions? thx

Are you putting it into the lawnmower gas tank or directly into the carb?

Yeah, it's on the can, but on the first time you do it, when you see the thick smoke coming out you suddenly start wondering what's going on:eek:!! :paranoid: !! I would add that you probably shouldn't use the brake vacuum port because it probably doesn't get all 6 cylinders in an L6, onlt the back few. Instead, use the vacuum port just behind (OK) or in frontof( better) the trottle body valve, to geththe valve itself and all 6 cylinders.

Do you still have those two videos? thx

I used some Seafoam today. It went in through the vacuum port just ahed of the brake booster vac tube, using a thin vacuum hose ( so it goes in salowly). Almost immediately, I saw the dirty gray smoke. I let about 3/4 can go through, then I shut off the engine and put on a door/windowframe weatherstrip piece. The rest of the Seafoam went into the gas tank. Then went for a drive. It smoked in the driveway (and smells bad), it smoked on the way to the freeway, and it smoked a short time on the freeway. I was wondering why some "expert" didn't chase me down to 'inform' me that my muffler was smoking; maybe they all thought my "old car" normally smoked. I kept it under 3000 RPM (60MPH) on the freeway for about 10 minutes, then up to 3300 (65 MPH). After about 20 minutes, it wasn't smoking any more. I haven't noticed anything different in the engine (yet?) It bogged a little while sucking the Seafoam in, and then smoothed out after I stopped the treatment. No increase in horsepower or acceleration. Possibly the engine needs another treatment, or its clean enough now, and the horsepower problem lies elsewhere (like low fuel pressure). fwiw

Thank you.

Yeah, what do I care about 4 speeds? My car was a/c equipped, but not any more, and the 3 speeds seems to be adequate. Except for those strange days when you need the windscreen defrosted/defogged NOW, so any speed is too slow. I would like another 2 or 3 weeks to be really prepared for show season tho.

Ok, I opened up the front and I looked to see what there is. I could see the switch lever arem, and some of thte teeth on the arm that drive the gear, but the gear itself was inside a little metal housing. After I get the car back ( and after next Saturday's car show) I'll see if I can get that gearbox out. After that, I hope some JB Weld will help fix things. I want to vacuum out the blower box too. I hear some tinks that I don't recognize. thx.

Thap picture in #11 looks familiar to a certain Italian desgn from the back, and like a certain Japanese design from the front....

I would probably have the hood, doors & hatch off. The hood would get media blasted ( undercoating on the bottom side), maybe I would have the windshield & hatch glass removed, and everything then painted. Do you think they would paint the inside?

IMO, it was economics, and too MUCH engineering that caused the 350 to look like it does. Some guy decided that the wind tunnel wants a blunt nose, so they gave it one. The accountants said it has to be lighter, so they took out the metal, and made it shorter(so the blunt nose will fit).Throw in some guy that keeps saying "This is the 21st century! Make it look, feel & drive like something else, not something "OLD.":(

Thx Arne. I'll see what here is out there.

I found out that the spark plug wires I bought from NAPA for my Ford Escort really aren't the same as the OEM, because the resistance was way off! It caused the idle to be a little rough, less power, etc. Is that normal? I got the wires for my 280Z from NAPA too, so now I'm wondering if I should pitch those and order a "correct" set? The NAPA ones weren't what I would call the correct length, either, and the boots (esp. # 5 &6) weren't bent correctly, from all the photos & cars I've seen (stock class cars). I think the same for the ign coil too. My L28 seems to have (less power than I would think). Who should stock the right spark plug wires & coil for a 280Z? MSA? thx

Yeah, since I don't know exactly what's going on inside the lamp, andit's not a filament-type, I could only speculate. It would probably be good to install new lamps, anyway. IF I can get inside there. The inner liners are pretty fragile, and 'glued' in with undercoating. thx

I lost the low beam on the right side on my 280Z. Both Hi beams work tho. I checked the wiring using a test light and the circuits seem to be good, so I checked the lamp itself via the connector behind the rad support. the VOM shows (continuity) meaning that the filaments are good. My lamps are the Koito type, do those have filaments? I can look thgrough the glass, and I don't see any filaments, just some things that look like a ball on a stick? BTW, I bought some halogen lamps from the NAPA to install, assuming my one lamp was out, and the book says it's got MORE candellas, with LESS wattage! thx

Join us for the 7th annual Midwest Z Heritage Show in Kent, Ohio. On July 14-15, 2006 Car Show is at Summit Racing...this year's event offers the traditional ZACO "Keg-N-Clean" parking lot social Friday and Saturday night and a new optional car museum tour in Canton, Ohio following the car show. The Hampton Inn in Kent, Ohio is hosting us this year and we're expecting a great show (hopefully, great weather...) and alot of Z cars. 8) Download the form and preregister for this year's event. We're looking forward to seeing the folks from ZROC, CincyZ and other local clubs in attendance to show their cars' best in battle for the Midwest Z Travelling "Club" trophy. Registration Form Download: (right-click & choose "save as") http://www.clevelandzclub.com/MWHeritage_2006_RegForm.pdf