landmizzle

Hi 2ManyZs, I couple of weeks back I posted the results of this swap, including my impressions of the Maxima flywheel. Try this link; http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=11142 Since this post my gas mileage has continued to get better as the transmission has loosened up. It's now up to a solid 25 MPG during my commute to work. That commute consist of about 30 miles of freeway and 15 miles of twisty mountainous backroads (fun stuff!). Anyway, I'm still very pleased with the actual swap and the results. Not so pleased with the attention to details on the part of my mechanic..... Best Regards, Landmizzle '72 240Z

Hi all, As you may recall I recently had the automatic transmission in my '72 240Z swapped out with a 5-speed unit from a 77 280Z. I am absolutely delighted with the swap. After the work was done and I got the car back a few minor issues had to be addressed ( instument lights couldn't be turned on without blowing a fuse, choke light no longer worked, etc.). My mechanic took the car back and fixed them free of charge (which he should since these items worked prior to him working on the car.). This morning I went out to do a tune-up on the car. So I put the car on ramps to change the oil first. While underneath the car, I noticed that I can clearly see my freshly installed 810 Maxima flywheel! In other words, the shield that normally sits between the engine block and the transmission bellhousing is not installed! This can't be good! I've been going to my Z mechanic for almost 15 years and I respect and trust his work. However, this last job has had so many little things forgotten about, it's begining to shatter my confidence in his work. So, first off, with regards to the transmission shield, am I making a big deal out of nothing? Do cars normally run around with this plate missing? I would find that hard to believe as I can see all kinds of grit, dirt, and road debris finding it's way in there. If nothing else, with the flywheel exposed as is, I can see it rusting in short order. I'll talk to my mechanic tomorrow, however, I wanted to get some opinions first. Any input would be greatly appreciated. O.k., my venting is over, we now return you to your normally scheduled "chit-chat"....... Best Regards, Landmizzle '72 240Z

Hi Kats, Nice job on the hose clamps. I appreciate your attention to details. Nice! Where were you able to get those braided radiator hoses? From your profile, I assume your in Japan. Maybe it's easier there but, I'm having one heck of a time trying to find them in the U.S. Any suggestions? Best Regards, Landmizzle '72 240Z

Hi all, Just in case someone is interested in doing this, here is what I found out from DMV (CA). They won't reissue the original plate unless you actually have it. If you found or purchased an old plate in a junkyard or swap meet you could have that plate assigned to your vehicle, for a fee of course. Best Regards, Landmizzle '72 240Z

Hi all, Last April I bought an original owner '72 240Z. The car was originally registered in CA but spent the last ten years, prior to my purchase in the state of Nevada. I have complete records on this car including the original sales invoice, window sticker, loan paperwork, etc (it's really pretty cool!). Anyway, I came across the information displaying the original CA license plate(blue with yellow lettering). This got me to wondering if the state of CA will reissue the original plate to cars returning to CA if you have said information. I'm pretty sure I've read elsewhere that some other states will do this (Texas comes to mind?). Sooo......does anyone know if CA will do the same? I'll check with DMV tomorrow but, I thought I put some feelers out on this. Best Regards, Landmizzle '72 240Z

Hi all, I posted this same message under "General-Chit-Chat" but, it's probably more appropriate here. Below is a repeat. I was reading this months Hemming's Muscle Machines and they had an article on ignition timing and A/F ratio adjustments and such. Anyway, they mentioned various tools to get the job done. For measuring the A/F mixture ratio they mentioned Innovative's LM-1 Wide Band Digital AFR Meter. Looks really cool but, I'll admit I'm a total novice when it comes to tools like these. I did some web searching and came across several positve reports on this meter. I was wondering if anyone in this forum has used an LM-1 or other meters like it and what your opinion is of it's usefulnes or at the very least, it's "coolness" factor . Here's a link to Innovative's web-site for those interested in checking it out http://www.innovatemotorsports.com/lm1.php Best Regards, Landmizzle ' 72 240Z

Hi all, My Christmas gift that my wife gave me finally came in from MSA; a BRE front spoiler. So I'm wondering what is the best way to prep, paint, and fit it. I've never dealt with fiberglass body parts so this is completely new to me. I'm assuming that I'll want to trail fit it first and drill the necesary hole first before prep and paint but, that's about as much as I know. I do have the "240Z tune-up" video from Ztherapy and I believe in the later half he discusses fiberglass body panels but I've yet to get that far in the video. Any suggestions? Best Regards, Landmizzle '72 240Z

Hi Frank13, A couple of weeks back I posted the results of my swap in the "General Chit Chat Forum". Below is a "cut 'n paste" of it. Sorry, I don't know how to link to it.... "You may recall my inquries to auto tranny swaps and lightened flywheels. Well, I just got my car back from the shop with the following modifications; 77 5 speed, Maxima flywheel, and a 2.5" exhaust with a Dynamax muffler. I left the rear differential from the automatic tranny in place (3.54 gearing). All I can say is WOW!. It's a completely new car! I've already put a hundred and fifty miles on her today just driver her around and enjoying the new feel. It's amazing how different she feels after losing the automatic tranny. Here's some observations; Engine really revs freely and pulls strong with the lighter flywheel. No issues with stalling or revs dropping too quickly between shifts. I really like the gearing the with the 77 5 speed and the 3.54 rear end. The car accelerates very briskly and the 5th gear drops the revs down nicely at freeway speeds. Prior to the swap, at 70 MPH, the engine was turning just over 4K. Now she's doing about 3.2K at the same speed. I kept the stock exhaust manifold and with the new exhaust and muffler she sounds very throaty and burbles nicely. My prior 240Z had a Flowmaster muffler with a 2.25" exhaust. I like the sound of the Dynamax better. It still sounds nice and throaty but doesn't have the raspiness of the flowmaster. Oh, you can tell the exhaust has been tweeked, and it is diffently loader than stock but, it's not annoyingly loud and now has a wonderful charector to it's exhaust note. Tomorrow, on the way to work, I'll take her on my favorite twisty moutainous road and I'll really be able to row through the gears and test out how the ratio stacks up. Should be great fun! So far I'm extremely pleased with the results. The next week or so should be interesting as I really give her a run-through and see how living with her on a daily basis is. I'm really courious to see how the gas mileage will be affected by the changes. Prior to the swap I was getting about 21MPG. I expect the 5 th gear to help here as most of my commute is freeway driving. The lighter flywheel may take away some of the mileage I would have gotten had I stuck with a stock 240Z flywheel but, even so, I expect that I'll still see some improvment. Anyhow, that's about it. I'm just so excited about the results I thought I'd share my experiences so far and maybe it'll help others who are contemplating the same thing. If you currently have an automatic tranny and would prefer to shift, you absolutely have to make the swap! You most diffently won't regret it. " End of "cut 'n paste": Since the above post, I've put about 2000 miles on the car and love everything that was done. The shifting was alittle stiff at first but is loosening up nicely now. Gas mileage only went up a little bit from 21 MPG to 23 MPG. I'd probably get better but I wind the engine out from most stops 'cause I like the acceleration and hearing the engine sing!<grin>. It really is incredible the changes that this swap has produced. As I mentioned in my original post, it's just pure pleasure now driving a real sports car ( manual shifting......no offense to those that prefer automatics.) Anyway, thanks for inquring about my baby. Best Regards, Landmizzle '72 240Z

Hi Jeff, I got the idea of using the Maxima flywheel from several suggestions on this forum. The Maxima flywheel is approx. 17 lbs. as compared to the stock 240Z flywheel of 23 lbs. I could have gone with an aluminum flywheel (many are 11 or 13 lbs.) but because of the expense ( they are a bit pricey) and my fear that those flywheels would be too light ( could produce excessive rpm drops between shifts, reduces engine braking, easier to stall and more difficult to get off the line; at least this is what I've heard....), I went with the inbetween choice of the Maxima flywheel. I didn't remove any weight from the wheel based on the fact that I liked the idea that it was about mid-way between the to earlier stated extremes. Best Regards, Landmizzle '72 240Z

Hi all, You may recall my inquries to auto tranny swaps and lightened flywheels. Well, I just got my car back from the shop with the following modifications; 77 5 speed, Maxima flywheel, and a 2.5" exhaust with a Dynamax muffler. I left the rear differential from the automatic tranny in place (3.54 gearing). All I can say is WOW!. It's a completely new car! I've already put a hundred and fifty miles on her today just driver her around and enjoying the new feel. It's amazing how different she feels after losing the automatic tranny. Here's some observations; Engine really revs freely and pulls strong with the lighter flywheel. No issues with stalling or revs dropping too quickly between shifts. I really like the gearing the with the 77 5 speed and the 3.54 rear end. The car accelerates very briskly and the 5th gear drops the revs down nicely at freeway speeds. Prior to the swap, at 70 MPH, the engine was turning just over 4K. Now she's doing about 3.2K at the same speed. I kept the stock exhaust manifold and with the new exhaust and muffler she sounds very throaty and burbles nicely. My prior 240Z had a Flowmaster muffler with a 2.25" exhaust. I like the sound of the Dynamax better. It still sounds nice and throaty but doesn't have the raspiness of the flowmaster. Oh, you can tell the exhaust has been tweeked, and it is diffently loader than stock but, it's not annoyingly loud and now has a wonderful charector to it's exhaust note. Tomorrow, on the way to work, I'll take her on my favorite twisty moutainous road and I'll really be able to row through the gears and test out how the ratio stacks up. Should be great fun! So far I'm extremely pleased with the results. The next week or so should be interesting as I really give her a run-through and see how living with her on a daily basis is. I'm really courious to see how the gas mileage will be affected by the changes. Prior to the swap I was getting about 21MPG. I expect the 5 th gear to help here as most of my commute is freeway driving. The lighter flywheel may take away some of the mileage I would have gotten had I stuck with a stock 240Z flywheel but, even so, I expect that I'll still see some improvment. Anyhow, that's about it. I'm just so excited about the results I thought I'd share my experiences so far and maybe it'll help others who are contemplating the same thing. If you currently have an automatic tranny and would prefer to shift, you absolutely have to make the swap! You most diffently won't regret it. Best Regards, Landmizzle '72 240Z

Hi Frank, Well, if I go the easy route, I have the engine and 4 speed tranny from the 72 240Z I wrecked from last April that is still being stored with my mechanic. So.....I could use the flywheel from that car. My thought was to either use the flywheel as is or have some mass removed from it. As far as clutch, I was planning on using a dual friction CenterForce clutch. My mechanic found an 82 280ZX 5 speed up in Sacramento (about 70 miles from where I live.) and is checking on it's condition now. This tranny should have the following gear ratio: 1st-3.062, 2nd-1.858, 3rd-1.308, 4th-1.0, 5th-.745 Compare this to the stock 4speed ratio: 1st-3.549, 2nd-2.197, 3rd-1.42, 4th-1.0 As you can see the 5 speed has a little taller gearing in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. Which would slow acceleration, however I'm keeping the 3.54 differential from the automatic (vs. 3.364 from the manual equiped 240Z) so this should make the final gear ratio closer to the manual stock setup with the benefit of a nice 5th gear overdrive. In my 71 240Z that I sold a few months back I had a 3.54 rear end and a stock 4 speed and really liked the combination with the exception that 1st was probably geared too low and at freeway speeds the engine was spinning too high (about 4000 RPM @ 70MPH.). 3rd gear was absolutely wonderful on curvey hilly roads and 4th pulled nicely at freeway speeds when needing to pass. My thinking is that the 5 speed mated with the 3.54 rear should give me the best of both worlds; a more usable 1st gear, 2nd and 3rd close to the combo I had in the 71, and a nice 5th gear overdrive to drop the RPM's at freeway speeds and improve on gas mileage. Well, that's the plan at least..... Thanks for all the replies so far. I'll look into the 810/Maxima idea too. Best Regards, Landmizzle '72 240Z

Thanks for the reply. The reason I was asking about "how light" to go is that I've heard that for street purposes, removing too much mass increases engine breaking and can cause too much of an RPM drop during shifting and thus create undesirable charectoristics. Since I've never driven a Z with a lightened fly wheel, I'm pretty much coming at this blind. I appreciate you sharing your experience with me. Best Regards, Landmizzle '72 240Z

Hi all, I'm about to begin the process of swapping out the automatic tranny in my 72 240Z with a 5 speed unit from an 82 N/A 280ZX. I'll be keeping the 3:54 rear end in my Z. Since the tranny will be out I'm considering lightening the flywheel. I've thought about an aluminum one but I think that may be too light and am concerned about the longevity and reliability of it. Does anyone have any suggestions about how much weight can be safetly removed from the stock flywheel. The car will be used as a daily driver with a good amount of spirited driving. I commute daily 100 miles with a good portion of that commute in twisty hilly areas (fun!!!!!) the majority of the commute is highways. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Best Regards, Landmizzle

Hi all, I'm looking for a for an 81-83 280ZX 5 speed transmission that is in good shape. Would prefer one that it located in CA or a nearby state to reduce shipping cost but will consider further out as long as seller is willing to ship. Willing to spend up to $500 or so. PM me on this forum or shoot me off an email ( check my profile for email address). Best Regards, Landmizzle

Howdy, I have a rear bumper that could stand some rechroming and the front one I have I've considered having the holes filled also. Do you have any pictures of this gentlemen's work? You can count me in as a potential customer. Best Regards, Landmizzle '72

Hi all, I'm looking for the original braided hoses in the engine compartment to include radiator, heater, and vacuum hoses. I would like to get NOS parts but really good condition used ones might be worth discussing. I realize this items are extremely hard to find but, hey, can't hurt to ask. Additionally, I'm trying to find original AMOCO black floor mats. I have the passenger side with the "Z" emblom and am looking for the matching driver side. I've also seen these with the "240Z" logo and would be interested in those too as a complete set. Again, NOS would be sweet, but I'll definetely discuss used ones with you should you have them. Please feel free to PM me here or email me at clendenin1@fire2wire.com. Best Regards, Landmizzle '72 240Z auto

Hi all, Wow! Thanks for all the input. Looks like the consensus is "don't expect much" with the rattle can. I've painted smaller parts ( likewise, many of you have too.) with good results. I define "good results" as it appears that someone with experience actually did the job <grin>. All kidding aside, that's not far off. I suppose I could go into depth of gloss, no runs, orange peel, etc, etc,. Essentially, though, a job you wouldn't be assamed of having your name attached to. The largest item I've painted has been the upper fairing of Kawasaki GPz 550. That turned out great. It did take a whole lot of time though and a lot of wet sanding through the various grades of sandpaper upto and including 2000 grit and finishing off with rubbing compound. That being said, I'm not confident that anything larger would come out o.k. I didn't consider the fact that some of the agents in rattle cans assist with quick drying-good point. I had in my mind the difficulty in maintaining a good spray pattern on larger objects, especially considering that rattle cans are frequently inconsistent in this area. I guess I'm begining to rattle on myself. Again, thanks for all the advice! Best Regards, Landmizzle '72 240Z

Hi all, Has anyone had good results with painting moderately large areas of their Z with a rattle can? I'm thinking areas like door panels, valances, spoilers, and maybe even the hatch. Assuming one had good quality paint in a rattle can ( stuff like that provided by www.paintscratch.com ) are good results possible? I keep hearing that painting is 90% prep and 10% spraying. So if one did good prepping, could you get away with ol' marble ball spray gun? Best Regards, Landmizzle '72 240Z

Hi Victor, Nice implimentation! I think I'll try that myself! Best Regards, Landmizzle '72 240Z

Hi all, Based on the quote below, would one derive any benefit by routing a large diameter hose from say the grill area to the opening of the stock air cleaner? When I say hose, I'm thinking something like a clothes dryer vent hose (the type that have about a 3" diameter).The concept here is routing cooler air from the grill area to the air cleaner rather than having the air cleaner opening gulping heated air from the engine bay. Best Regards, Landmizzle '72 240Z

Hi PrOxlaMuS, I found a place at www.akhwheels.com that looks promising. I've got a call into them right now and there checking their stock to see if they can help me out. I've seen the caps you mentioned at MSA but I'd prefer to match the tri-arms that I already have. Thanks for the heads up. Check out the above site to see if they have your Western Mags caps. Best Regards, Landmizzle '72 240Z

Hi all, As you may or may not recall, I have put my old Minilite wheels back into service on my 72' 240Z. I love these wheels and really like the look of the the tri-arm knock-off center caps. I have a slight problem though in that I could only find three of them. Sooo....I'm in need of a fourth one and have quickly discovered that these kind of center hubs are difficult to find nowadays. I've done some searching on the 'net and found a few places that might sell something similiar but I have yet to contact them. Before I go a make too many phone calls, I was wondering if anyone here might know of a source where these center caps might be procured. Just so you know, my current three caps are configured as so; Center ring that is held onto wheel with three hex allen bolts. The diameter is just a hair over 3" or 75 mm. The actual tri-arm knock-off, screws onto the center ring. In my gallery is a picture of one of the Minilites with the center cap on. If anyone has some knowledge of a wheel place that carries these kinds of center caps, I'd appreciate any information you might have. Best Regards, Landmizzle '72 240Z

Hi PrOxLaMus, Thanks for the compliments. No touch ups, what you see is what you get. The car is not without it's faults. It has numerous door dings and some slight paint checkering along the rear quarter windows. Cars almost always look better in pictures. The bumbers were replaced about 25 years ago. The rear has a small spot the size of a quarter where the chrome has come off. It's tough to see but it's located just under one of the supports for the bumper over-rider. I just bought this car from the original owner about two months ago. It had 77K original documented miles and hence one of the reasons why it's still in such good shape. Thanks again for your comments and I'll put you down as part of the "no bra" party. Best Regards, Landmizzel '72 240 Z

Hi all, Just uploaded some pictures I took today of my 72'. I've done a few things to her since I got her two months ago; Front and rear strut bars. 1" front sway bar and 3/4" rear. Tokico struts and Eibach progressive springs. Dragged the Minilites out of storage and polished 'em up. 215/60/14 Cooper Cobra GT all around. No rub, yeah! Polished the carb domes. Sweet! Single point dizzy replaced the dual. This is an auto tranny car. But the biggest question I have is based on the ancient relic I found while rummaging through the garage today. I cleaned it up and it was in fine shape, so I thought what the heck let's deck the girl out. Should you be so bold as to go to my gallery, you will find pictures of my 72' with all the previously mentioned items gathered center stage for you viewing pleasure. Now, I like all the changes and think they look great. But the last item, the object I found in the garage....the vinyl bra. Hmmm. It's a definite 80's look. And I am trying to keep the car "period correct" looking. But that bra, I just don't know......What do you think. Good, bad, indifferent? Well, it will keep the stone chips at bay at least. Best Regards, Landmizzle '72 240Z w/ a grandmatic tranny