Matthew Abate

Does that go on top of primer or under it? I've never applied my own and I won't be painting the car myself, so if I can lay it down after I strip the car, great, otherwise I would have to get the car back from the painter to do it or have them do it for me.

Thanks for the pro tips Captain! Pistons & rods update coming soon.

I think the image link of your car broke because I'm not seeing it (although I see it in your signature when I use my laptop), but yes that's the same car. I stumbled upon that series of photographs when I was looking for a 911 project can and it pretty much convinced me there and then to drop the Porsche hunt and go find a Z. I really wanted one when I was a kid, but somehow I totally forgot until I saw this.

Is that because the alternator would just connect directly to the battery and not the harness? I think of you go with a 2-wire solution to get the low rpm charging you are connecting to the harness. im following you on the various items pulling from the battery, though. I think. I'm not up on the wiring in these cars yet.

Whoa. Yeah. I hadn't thought of that. I hadn't noticed anyone even broach that subject in any of the alternator upgrade conversations that I've read. Something else to add o the research. Thanks.

Please keep posts productive.

Not sure yet. Just doing research at the moment. Sent from my iPhone using Classic Zcar Club mobile

I think one can be excused for not owning a $2,000 to $6,000 work surface in their home workshop. We're Datsun owners after all. I also think we can discuss precision and ways to achieve it regardless of the tools used as long as we achieve it, right? We will show our work from now on, though, because you are correct that if this is going to function as an accurate resource for others it needs as much information as possible. --- So, I made some more progress on our build choices today by choosing and ordering my camshaft! We talked to and researched tons of places: Isky, Colt, Delta, Comp Cams, Web, Schneider, etc. etc. etc. Here are the highlights that led to my decision: Isky: I found lots of really great information, including a huge history of the firm's background in developing Z cams in the 70s, on the various forums, and was 100% sold on them. Initially Ron was quick to respond so we sent three cam shafts to them for evaluation last fall, and then... nothing. Silence. They had them for months and we just could not make contact to get the work done nor the grind profile chosen. We finally got through and after trying to move it forward felt like they just didn't want to do the job, so we requested the cams returned. Supposedly they went into the mail today. So then we looked at the others and I dug around on the forums. After talking to a ton of people about the right numbers for this engine I landed on either the 260 or 280 grinds from Comp Cams. Then I started digging into that and found a LOT of negative feedback in various Datsun and other forums, specifically that the metal is really soft and tends to fragment. Since it seems all of the new billets come from one supplier, this put me back on the regrind path. In the process of finding this out I had found out about Colt. I called them up and had a weird conversation that was dismissive of my project. I've read that people have had great results but I just didn't get a great vibe, plus the guy's insistence on switching to roadster springs put me off. He might be right, but he just wanted me to take his word for it. I couldn't find enough information about their product to do that, other that it's a solution to get around the coil bind his high-lift causes with factory springs and in-machines heads. The same day I started talking to Delta and had a great experience. John was always available to talk to me (when their phone system wasn't crashing), answered all of my questions with tons of detail, and even discussed how I might go with other grinders to get what I was after. The fact that he wanted me to have the best grind for my needs whether it was his or not meant a lot, and after looking at his grind against several other ones I was considering I felt that if his numbers are right then I will be in good shape. The open question is that last bit. The only negative criticism I've seen of Delta (other than other grinders talking trash) is that the numbers don't match what they advertise, possibly due to being based on a 1.6 rocker ration rather than the 1.429 I've seen as spec. This feedback was about 12 years ago, and it seems that they've figure it out since. The feedback I've seen more recently seems to be really positive. Oh, and they supplied the cam. I didn't have to send one. So I ordered the 268 grind with .430 lift. I don't have the rest of the specs readily available but I'll post them when I get the cam, provided it is correct and we don't have to adjust anything. I have good feelings about this. Great service (so far), great price, no mailing cams around, and a profile I feel good about. Now we wait to see how it turns out. If it isn't 100% awesome, I'll run it to break in the engine and upgrade after the car is done if I'm bored.

Okay, so the tone of this has taken a pretty sizable turn and I'm going to ask you guys to get it in check. I'm not questioning the substance of what's being said, rather the way it's being said. Yes, @Takhli needs to show his work if he's going to make statements about precision, as well as explain how he's verifying that precision. Captain Obvious could have been a little less snarky with the surface plate post, so maybe explain yourself instead of crapping on my thread. @Zed Head, it doesn't matter how right you might be. If you're going to make comments like that in my thread I'm going to have to call you out when you come off like a prick, whether it's to my builder on anyone else trying to add value to the conversation. I had respect for the advice you've provided both directly to me and generally across this forum, but that post was out of line. Your advice isn't 100% pristine either. We don't know any more about your background that you do ours (expert mechanic, 40 years of experience building high performance domestic engines AS WELL AS 20 MAINTAINING JET F'ING ENGINES AND THE GD STEALTH FIGHTER, working out of a home garage on a modest budget, so excuse our lack of obnoxiously expensive equipment that only belongs in pro shops, all of which was outline early). If you don't want to start a pissing match, don't. If it continues I'll have to shut down my thread and stop participating in the forum, which would be a shame.

Very bold. I like that orange a lot as well. The thing about the original paint is that I always wish it was a little milder. I see pictures of 432s and Zs in yellow, Mexican Orange, Red, and that weird in-between red-orange all over and I have found that I can't land on which one I like best. All I know is that sometimes when I go into my garage I am not 100% in love with the orange that is in my door jambs and inside the engine bay. My ferret picture of an orange Z is this one of the 432R, which feels much mellower than what is on my car (but it's probably just the lighting): I think the Anrancio Borealis kind of captures that subdued tone better than other things I've looked at , such as the 2017 Nissan Monarch Orange.

Hope so! That's why I picked a military jet aircraft mechanic to put my tiny 6-banger together. He's way more precise than anything I would be doing

Oh yeah! I have this saved in my how-to bookmarks.

Thinking of going in this direction with my paint: Lamborghini Huracan Spyder in Arancio Borealis 4-layer paint ($267,545 MSRP)

Mark, That link keeps bouncing me to the first post in your thread. What's the individual post number you were trying to share?

@/profile/23457-captain-obvious/" id="ips_uid_3816_8" rel="" style="text-decoration: none;" title="Go to Captain Obvious's profile">Captain Obvious Dude. Super helpful Thanks! So while I figure all that out, here is an update: Ready for rods and pistons!

Great info. Thanks for clarifying his description for me. Right now I'm leaning toward the 90 amp one on Z Car Depot if I can find out what the wiring situation is with that one.

So is he assembling something bespoke to our needs from parts out of other alternators? Sent from my iPhone using Classic Zcar Club mobile

So I stumbled upon this 125 amp alternator at Datsun Store while researching the various alternator upgrade options out there (GM, Pathfinder, Maxima, etc.), and I am really curious what exactly they have here. They claim that it's bolt in, doesn't need the T-plug, is internally regulated, doesn't require any diodes or new wire looms or bracket modifications, and the pulley it comes with will work if you get a particular fan belt. They also claim 50+ amps at an idle around 550 rpm. Is it just me or is this too good to be true? I've seen other options that make some of these claims, but nothing with this much juice that doesn't also have at least one thing you have to modify or fabricate or some kind of drawback like not charging the battery under 1,000 rpm. The main reason I haven't just pulled the trigger is that it's double the cost of other options at $289.000 (although not as much as the things they have at RHD). Up until now I had been looking at the bolt in 90-amp one at Z Car Depot for $139.00. What do you guys think?

I was wondering what the little tubes on the N36 manifold we for. I'm guessing there are no holes to connect them too on the round tops, and I don't want to be drilling them out.

I realize the bolt pattern is the same on all of them, but the surface they mount to is not six sided on the N36. There is no water routing, so we'll probably use the early-style round tops unless there is an advantage to using the ones with the water channels even though they wouldn't be used. In all of my research on the N36 manifold I never saw anyone discuss the lack of water circulating through the carbs and whether or not the impact of that offset the advantages of the larger intake. I assume Nissan was trying to make these things perform as well as possible under the legal circumstances in the US that year, so the potential is there and we can make it work out. Just need to look into it deeper. More photos if you want to see the rest of it:

A couple of updates: Painted one of the oil pans Looks pretty great for rattle can in a garage. We're going to use the turbo pan because the non-turbo one we have is way to rusted and I am not dropping $500 plus shipping on an Arizona Z Car cast aluminum oil pan, no matter how rad it might be. We'll plug the tube with a nice looking plug until I think of a use for it (catch can return?). --- I also decided it's time to sign the DNR on my L24. I feel a teensy bit uneasy about this. I had intended to keep it intact until after the cars was driving under it's own power and then figure out what to do with it, but we need to scavenge parts because both my furnace and water heater failed in December, and I have house insurance and property taxes and federal taxes all hitting at the same time, so time to say goodbye. Bummer. --- However! In the process of disassembling the manifolds and such in order to get the various parts we need to make the L28 work, I realized I needed to get educated on some details about the carburetor systems for each year Zs didn't have FI. As many of you probably already know, the 260Z intake manifold we have in Arizona has square attachment points and does not route water into the carbs, the same as the early, 4-screw SU round tops. The manifold on my E88 head above has 6-sided attachment points with water routed through the 3-screw SU round tops I have. I can't speak to the 73 manifold or the flat tops since I don't have any. Luckily, I picked up a set of early 240Z SU round tops at the Imports show in Pennsylvania last year for $60. At least I think they are for a Z because the dude who sold them to me said they were and threw in a voltage regulator identical to the one in my car, but who knows. They could be off something British. So it's all going in the mail to AZ, along with various heater tubes and the stuff that started this whole process in the first place, and we will work it out later.

I made this table back when we were thinking about using a diesel crank in my 280z block and thought I would throw it up on the forum in case anyone wanted the information. It doesn't tell you anything that you can't find through reading all of the threads on which rods are best for which combinations of parts, but it was helpful in understanding what the overall options are when it comes to finding rods from different Nissan engines to make funky changes. The color coding was to help me figure out what clustered together. Given that you can get whatever piston dimensions you want these days, you can do a lot with this. We went with the non-standard-but-common L28 block + crank paired with L24 Rods and custom pistons. Part Description Cyl C-C BE SE W Dia. W Dia. W OA BE NIS-218-430-1430F NISSAN SPL 4 143 43 18.97 21.79 21.79 NIS-180-430-1206F NISSAN CG13DE 4 120.65 43.01 19.76 17.98 19.76 410 299 NIS-190-430-1405F NISSAN GA16DE 4 140.49 43.01 21.74 19 21.74 454 319 NIS-190-430-1374F NISSAN E15 4 137.41 43.01 21.84 19.01 21.84 NIS-200-470-1390F NISSAN MR20 4 139.07 47 20.45 20.02 20.45 531 375 NIS-190-480-1330F NISSAN A15 4 132.99 48.01 24.18 19 24.18 NIS-190-480-1364F DATSUN 1200 4 136.4 48.01 24.18 19 22.86 NIS-200-480-1370F NISSAN A13 4 137.01 48.01 24.31 19.99 22.86 NIS-200-480-1330F NISSAN CA18DET 4 132.99 48.01 24.21 20.01 20.83 568 407 NIS-200-480-1430F NISSAN QR25 4 143 48.01 22.76 20.01 22.76 580 407 NIS-200-480-1490F NISSAN CA20 4 149.2 48.01 24.18 20.02 23.37 NIS-220-480-1475F NISSAN VQ30DET 6 147.52 48.01 20.75 22.01 20.75 560 397 NIS-210-510-1215F NISSAN RB26DETT 6 121.49 51 21.74 21.01 21.74 535 371 NIS-220-510-1450F NISSAN SR16 4 144.98 51.01 22.73 22 22.73 NIS-220-510-1361F NISSAN SR20DE 4 136.14 51.01 22.73 22.01 22.73 565 390 NIS-210-530-1330F NISSAN L24 6 132.97 53 26.72 21.01 25.4 550 407 NIS-210-530-1330FL NISSAN L24 LIGHTWEIGHT 6 132.97 53 26.72 21.01 25.4 NIS-220-530-1399F SKYLINE DR30, FJ20 4 139.95 53 27 22 27 667 468 NIS-210-530-1302F4 NISSAN L18/L28 4 130.2 53.01 26.77 21 25.4 538 396 NIS-210-530-1302F6 NISSAN L28 280Z+L26 260Z 6 130.2 53.01 26.77 21.01 25.4 542 399 NIS-210-530-1460F DATSUN L-20B 4 146 53.01 26.72 21.02 23.88 569 418 NIS-210-530-1524F NISSAN RB30 6 152.43 53.01 21.79 21.02 21.79 651 443 NIS-210-530-1650F NISSAN KA24DE 4 164.97 53.01 24.77 21.02 22.86 703 480 NIS-220-530-1540F NISSAN VG30 6 154 53.01 20.75 22 21.79 642 438 NIS-220-530-1540FL NISSAN VG30DETT LWT 6 154 53.01 20.75 22.01 21.59 531 379 NIS-220-550-1470F INFINITI 4.5L VK45DE 8 146.99 55 21.97 22.01 22.86 649 455 NIS-220-550-1440F4 NISSAN U20 4 144.02 55.01 28.6 22 28.6 613 429 NIS-220-550-1440F6 NISSAN VQ35DE 6 144.02 55.01 28.6 22 28.6 631 434 NIS-220-570-1658F NISSAN VQ40DE 6 165.86 57.01 20.78 22 25.4 710 475 NIS-230-590-1650F SKYLINE GT-R VR38DETT 6 165.05 59.01 22.71 23.01 25.4 689 473 NIS-230-600-1635F NISSAN TB48 PATROL 6 163.5 59.99 32.77 23.01 26.16 859 615 One thing I just noticed is I din't include the LD28 info, so maybe someone can add that to the thread.

I have been thinking of doing my sound control with lizard skin. I didn't realize doing the hood would make an impact. Sent from my iPhone using Classic Zcar Club mobile

Thanks. I'll check it out. If I decide I want a stock balancer, I'll go that route, but right now I'm leaning toward the Powerforce ines, once I verify that they have fixed the supply chain issue that was leaving people with the ones that didn't fit. This should cost less than the rebuild. Too bad the BHJ ones cost so much! They are easily my favorite as far as looks go. Oh well. Hmmm this is an interesting option when you combine it with the rebuild option mentioned above...

Thanks! An important side note on that screen topic: I may have mentioned before that I picked up a brand new screen from Courtesy Parts. Well it turns out that the guy I talked to was incorrect when he told me that the L24 in a 1984 Maxima has the same screen as a 1983 280ZX Turbo. The Maxima screen is smaller and trapezoidal whereas the ZX screen is rectangular. So we restored the ZX screen, which was not easy given the 34 years worth of baked in sludge. Maxima ZX