ecp48

Harry Gershensen (sp), who owned (recently sold) the "Z Shop" in Kendall (south of Miami, Fl.), had a 77 or 78 running twin turbos in 1980 or 81. It used a two step enrichment). I watched him run in the modified class at the Bay Bottom Crawl. Extremely quick. He was also an SCCA/IMSA racer at the time in a 2.8 powered 240. I later saw him using a twin turbo 3.0 in what was to be a 240SX for SCCA (about 93 or 94). He felt that he got a much more responsive power curve with the twin turbos. At the time he would only smile when asked about peak HP. The car recently came up for sale on ebay and the seller said Harry had retired and another guy bought the motor. Very knowledgeable individual and might part with the knowledge now that he has retired. ecp48 Ed Palmer

Xtra Large for me, but how about a small/XS as well for the peanut sized 5' wife. In her case a Men's medium is a night shirt! What logo are you planning on using? ecp48 Ed Palmer

If I'm not going brain dead (memory), 10mm x 1.25 x 40mm long (10.9 hardness). These will fit both a 240Z Hub and the later 280. They are a hair long on the 280, but the best compromise I could find. ecp48

The question really deals with money and how much you want to spend. I am doing the late maxima brackets with 240sx calipers and 1984 300ZX rotors. The late 280 ZX calipers will also work with these brackets, but there is a lot of negative comments floating around as to there durability. Several companies including Ross Corrigan/Modern Motorsports, Motorsports Auto and fonebooth. com all have versions of this. They use a fabricated bracket (Aluminum) and either the 240sx or 280ZX calipers. The Maxima brackets (Cast Steel) are hard to find and harder to remove. modern-motorsports@shaw.ca http://www.zcarparts.com/ http://www.fonebooth.com/auto.html Check the "Z Car Homepage". Home of the Internet Z club, there are a couple of tech articles. The Hybrid Z search engine is down at the present due to band width issue with the host. Soon to be rectified. Good luck. ecp48

Chloe, (8) 10mmx1.25 with 14mm Hex at 26mm long. (25MM ok) (8) 10mmx1.25 with 14mm Hex at 35mm long. (1) 10mmx1.25 with 14mm Hex at 60mm long. thanks, Ed

Does anyone have a source for 10MMx1.25 replacement bolts for fastening the Maxima brackets to the rear hubs (14 MM longer than stock) or the bolts to fasten the 300ZX rotors to the hubs on my 280Z (need to be .375 longer due to spacer) All the local sources have a larger head size (not 14MM) or a flange and there isn't space for the larger heads. The only local source, Athens, GA, would not break a box. A source would be greatly appreciated. thanks in advance, Ed Palmer/ecp48

Hey, I am looking for an input shaft for a T-5 Tranny. Presently has a V6 (L31) input shaft installed and need to convert. I have the correct bell housing. Thanks, Ed Palmer/ecp48 Athens, GA

I am looking for a 4 Point competition (cross-brace) Roll Bar for a 1978 280Z. Preferably in the South East. Thanks, Ed Palmer/ecp48 Athens, GA

Zvoiture, Go to the Hybrid Z web site and use either Maxima or Rear disks in the search engine. You will find more infor than you can use. http://www.hybridz.org/ Also, Internet Z Car Club Site, in the tech library information you will find a complete article. http://www.zhome.com/ I am installing the rear brakes using the 82-84 maxima brackets, 93 240sx Calipers and 84 (US) rear rotors. You have to pull the hubs to use the Maxima Brackets. Two different Brackets, 80-81 and 82-84 (from memory). Also, most of the brackets are welded & bolted on. I suppose you could cut the weld and use the brackets, but a lot of work. I found three 82-84 cars and all were welded, other have had better luck. The brackets sell for approximately $100.00 a pair if you can find them at a dealer. They are in very short supply. Watch ebay, Zcar.com (classified ads). I have heard a lot of bad press on the use of the 81-83 ZX calipers. Harder to connect the emergency cables and poor longevity/hard to rebuild/costly. The 240SX calipers are generally more functional and cheaper. You must get the caliper brackets with the caliper, not provided when purchasing rebuilt from Autozone or Advance. Note: the rear brake line use a banjo fitting, different from the Z with the tubing to hose. Modern Motorsports has the 240SX package. I am also installing the 4Runner Fron Calipers with the '84 300ZX Rotors and spacer on the front. Good Luck, Ed Palmer ecp48

Thanks Guys, Appreciate the help. All the strings and the various sites gave dimensions, just the local parts houses said "canadian or US" without dimensions. Thanks again. Ed Palmer ecp48

Paul, I assume the dimensions you gave were for the front ventilated rotors, what about the rears? It doesn't seem like to much to ask to have this kind of data in the parts books, but...... Thanks, Ed Palmer/ecp48

Just went to buy my new rotors for the Toyota S12W Calipers and the 240SX rear calipers on my '78 280Z. The parts man asked whether it was US or Canadian? What is the difference between Canadian and US Rotors. The 1984 US were four lugs, were the Canadian five Lugs? Is this the difference? A little help please. Thanks in advance. ecp48 Ed Palmer

ZmeFly, I thought the same, but picked up an L6 Bell Housing and put it on the V-6 T-5 and the pilot shaft sticks out 2 or 3 inches (from memory, I'm in Chicago and the tranny is in my garage at home), anyway it was a noticeable/substantial difference. Ed/ecp48.

The V-6 and L-6 use different bell housings. When using the T-5, from the L-6 Turbo, you would need the V-6 Bell housing and a new "shorter " input shaft. Hope this helps. ecp48

I'll take some pictures. It's a simple steel channel section which I bolt on to the bumper shocks in place of the bumper. Ed

I have a channel section (steel) which I have fabricated to bolt to the bumper supports (shocks) on the 280 and 260. I then bolt a tow bar to the channel using the standard 1/2" bolts and clevis. This unit has enabled me to tow two 280s and a previous 260 home. My present 280 was towed from Fairfax, VA to Athens, Ga. with no problem. Yes you have to inspect the shock mounts for rust, but you should do that anyway when purchasing one of these cars. I also use a safety chain, connecting the tow points on the front subframe to my frame mounted hitch. Works like a dream. I also use remote lights, similar to trailer lights, which mount on the rear hatch. I always wanted a tow dolly, but never found one at the right price. Total towing distance, probably a total of 1800 miles between the three cars. Ed Palmer ecp48

I have not used the complete floor pans, however I have used the rail which is attached to it. In my case I laid the new rail over the old one, which moves it back about 1/4" of or so. The rail was a hair short of where the frame rail kicks up to the thrust rod mount (280Z). I would guess the floor would be of about the same length. I have found Charlie to be very forthright and not in the least misleading "in the interest of selling his products". I had a local shop fabricate a channel section to reinforce the support for the thrust rod mount (continuation of the rail) and the local shop (industrial fabrication shop), was highly impressed with the quality of his product. Can't say any more. He provides an excellent product at a good price and the service has been super. I just bought a replacement Driver's side rail for insurance, the old one felt thin. Ed Palmer ecp48

The one thing not being discussed, is that most muffler shops are incapable of producing mandrel bent piping. My system is welded and I am fabricating the segment from the header to the duals, cutting off the collecter which starts the duals like Zedguy. Just buy the prebent segments and weld it up. ecp48

I have the twice pipes, they look the same, but were made by Thunderbird. The pipe size is 1 3/4". My 5/1978 280Z, bought in Virginia has no cat and according to the book, only the California cars had one. I am looking for a substitute muffler for the glass packs, but haven't found one. I want either a turbo type with dual inlet or two mufflers which can be stacked in that space. ecp48

Hey Guys, I have a good copy (clear) of the late 280Z schematic. It has the split fuel injection solenoid, ie: pump solenoid, separate from the main fuel injection solenoid and located under the relay bracket adjacent to the battery. I am told this is build dates May '78 and later. I will see if my scanner still works this Monday, when I return home. If so I will post them . Ed

The racks throught the '73 240 are the same and the rebuild parts are generally available. (see Victoria British) The '74 260Z (early and late) and the 280s all use the same rack. Supposedly the bushings and rebuild components are not readily available. Either rack can be used on any Z, 240 to 280. when the first rack went bad on my 75 280, i put the early 240 rack on it, simply for the ability to repair it. 2ManyZs is correct, you must send out the newer rack and spend about $350. However, on one of the Z sites there is an article about rebuilding a 280Z rack. The author failed to give part numbers or part sources however and his link is dead. He does discuss the manual filing down of the end bushings to allow the rack to fit! ecp48 The article was by John Downing www.zhome.com as follows: The steering on my '78 280Z had gotten a bit sloppy, so I replaced the outer tie rod ends (OTRE). That helped some, but I then installed new inner tie rod ends (ITRE). This also gave some improvement, but there was still a little play. Also, I was using up Moog and TRW ITRE's at the rate of about 1 every 6 months - what a pain. A knowledgeable listee suggested that I bite the bullet and get a new rack. Best price was about $850 (I forget exactly - it was beyond reality), so I got a rebuilt rack from a national auto parts wholesaler, the inexpensive kind. This part cost $250, plus core. When I put it on, it was worse than the one I took off. Gimmee my money back. The local Nissan parts dude, into Z's and very knowledgeable (I know lots of smart people) suggested a rack rebuild kit. Got it shipped in overnight prepping for a track event, about $60. Here's the process. I was a little misleading - there is not a "kit", but rather a group of parts you may need. In order of importance (on mine, anyway): Rack end bushings Pinion adjustment bushing Input shaft bearing Grease seal All of this assumes new/excellent tie rod ends (inner and outer) and lots of grease on every surface in the rack assembly. The key is taking your time in honing the end bushings - as soon as the rack can be inserted into the new bushing, STOP HONING! Most of the wear on the rack itself will be just inside the point of resistance (the fat end of the rack, right by the threads for the inner TRE). Also, it seemed to work well to lubricate the hone with light oil (3 in 1, WD 40). 1) Remove the old rack. I won't bore you with the details, but do 2 things: a) set your steering at center and note the position of the bolt that locks into the spline, and remove the front sway bar - makes exit and entry of the rack a breeze. Also, be safe and use jack stands - we want to hear how it ended. 2) Disaasemble the rack according to the instructions in your Haynes manual. Again, note the rack/pinion/bolt alignment, and the location of the pinion on the rack (count teeth as they go by through the pinion opening or the adjustment opening). 3) Clean all of the parts and slide the rack back in. Check for lateral play in the end bushings. If the rack rattles around in the hole, you need new bushings. 4) Extract the old bushings with a bearing/gear puller. There is a small lip on the inside of the bushing. 5) (Optional) We managed to scar the mounting surface of the rack housing while pulling the bushing. We did a quick re-surface with a brake cylinder honing tool so the new bushing would be snug and comfy. 6) Tap the new bushing into place. Easier than it may sound - the bushing has a cut in it, so it WILL go in without a ton of force. 7) Take the appropriate end of the rack and try to insert into the new bushing. It probably won't fit. After all, they don't know how much wear is on your rack, so they machine the piece for a worst case scenario. 8) Take a drill and a brake cylinder hone and start honing the inside of the bushing. Check the fit often, because the very end of the rack is larger than most of the shaft (no wise cracks) so when you get past that point, it should slide easily all the way through, unless you haveput a new bushing in the other end already (not recommended). We only did one end, so I would do them one at a time. That way, you can check the amount of play by inserting the rack all the way into the housing. 9) Reassemble the rack, using synthetic grease LIBERALLY on the bushings, the rack, the pinion, the adjustment bushing, the bearings, ITRE's, EVERYTHING. 10) Reinstall the rack, making sure that the steering wheel and spline bolt are back in their original position. Also, go slow enough that you don't forget things like bellows and lock nuts unless you want to do it twice. 11) Get an alignment within the first 50 miles of driving. If you got off on the rack/pinion/bolt position, your wheel won't be straight when the steering gear is. Don't fret - pull the steering wheel (Haynes manual again) and position straight. On mine, this operation took about 4 hours. The results are beyond expectations. There is ZERO play in the steering (new inner and outer TRE's, also) and the car tracks beautifully with a fresh alignment. Questions? Post me . "John Downing" {jdowning@ci.durham.nc.us}

After reviewing anumbe of catalogs, the 1" front bar seems almost universal. The rear 3/4" is common with the 7/8" rear only being shown on 280Zs. I would guess due to the higher stock ride and increased weight/drop in Horse Power. I have a 1" and 3/4" combination going into my current '78 280, with Energy Suspension bushings. ecp48 ecp48

Eric, Unfortunately Athens, GA is too far away, but a couple of questions. What size are the tubes you are running. I have an uninstalled original Thunderbird dual exhaust, which has 1.75" tubes. It seems to be a copy of the original NISMO racing dual exhaust with the removable glasspacks. Also, do you still have the original MSA collector, mine got crushed in a wreck. ecp48

mperdue, for some odd reason energy suspension only puts the tranny crossmember bushings on the 74.5 to 78 kits. I was begining to think the early crossmember was different. Another oddity in the ES kits are the instructions for saving the sleeves on the front and rear control arms, both of which I found out the hard way (after removing the rubber) have to be removed. The arm is the sleeve. They do work! ecp48