jmortensen

Why don't you just turn the idle down?

Search here, search www.hybridz.org, search www.zcar.com. You'll find so much info on strokers and destrokers and camshafts and heads that it will make your head spin. Once you've read for a couple days you'll be able to ask better questions. There are lots of resources and information is readily available online. You'll be amazed at all the crap you find. If we just hit you with a whole load of info I think it might be hard to digest. Might want to order the book "How to Modify Your Nissan/Datsun OHC Engine" by Frank Honsowetz.

I thought period correct would be to run something around 14x10 slicks on the ZG race cars, but admittedly I'm not that well versed, so maybe I'm off base. Did they run tires that fit under stock fenders on the ZG cars? What was the point of the flares then? Good luck with your project.

I don't know what you messed up, but the solution is to pull the oil pump, pull the shaft and reset it so that the rotor points where you want it to point. Much easier if you have a helper up top so you can keep repositioning it until you get it right without having to climb out from under the car over and over.

I agree with what SteveK has to say, particularly regarding the camshaft. 270 is not enough duration for 8000 rpm. I don't think 270 is enough lift for 7000 rpm really. You'll get there sure, but you're wasting time waiting to hit 7000 rpm with a cam that small. 300 degree cam is a much better idea for turning rpms above 7000. 8000 rpm is going to sacrifice the longevity of the engine, as the L6 crank has some vibration issues at 7500 (which Big Sam probably avoided by using a custom fully counterweighted crank). Search for "stroker" and "destroked" and you'll find threads about both options. I'd pay particular attention to Dan Baldwin, who argues pretty convincingly that the rpm limit of the stroker when measured in piston speed feet per second is something like 150 rpm less than the 2.8. The best argument against the stroker is cost. The increase in power should be proportional to the increase in displacement, so if you go from a 2.8 to a 3.1 you're looking at gaining 10%. That's nothing to sneeze at, but when you figure the ultimate streetable potential of a 2.8 vs a 3.1, then you might have a more difficult time justifying the several thousand US dollars in return for 25 or 30 hp.

What's the point of installing flares if you don't cut up the fenders? The purpose of the fender flare is to cover a larger tire, and the correct installation requires that you make room for the larger tire, so that the suspension can go through its travel without the sharp edge of the fender cutting into the tread of the tire. The fender needs to be cut and the wheel well needs to be modified and welded back to the fender again because this is a major structural area of the car. Not doing so is the equivalent of slapping on a hood scoop without cutting a hole in the hood, or running one of those dual exhausts that has the 2nd pipe attach after the muffler at a 90 degree angle, then run over to the other side of the car and stick out the back IMO.

There are M (motorcycle) helmets and SA (Snell Approved) helmets. If you go to a motorcycle shop, they usually only have M helmets. M helmets are usually OK for autox, but generally on a big track they want you to have an SA approved helmet. SA is generally more money. My understanding of the difference is that the SA is designed to be more fire retardant, and also to take multiple hits. Check out the online race stores like www.racerwholesale.com and http://www.behrents.com and www.pitstopusa.com. The ratings come out every 5 years, and they JUST released the SA 2005 helmets. You'll find sales on the SA 2000 helmets because they're trying to get them off the shelf. My suggestion is to buy a 2005, because as you've already found out, after 10 years you'll be required to replace them by most sanctioning bodies. It kinda sucks, but unless you live close to a big parts house that has a lot of different helmets, you really have to buy a helmet, try it on, and return it if it doesn't fit right. Be prepared to try a few before you find a keeper. I haven't figured a way around that problem yet.

I'll drop it because you are right, this isn't the time or place. Ideally everyone should read the history from as many points of view as possible and decide for themselves.

Point taken. We should put our good deeds in context. Now think hard, and try to intellectually divorce yourself from the Japanese half of your family before answering. How do you suppose the Japanese would have treated America if we had surrendered unconditionally to Japan? The only evidence we have is their treatment of the Chinese who they conquered: http://www.geocities.com/mustsellsoon/maruta/maruta.html Or you could examine their belief in the idea that death was preferable to surrender (part of the bushido code of honor), and their application of that belief on American POWs during the Bataan death march. We gave them a new system of government and propped up their economy. They used our captured soldiers for target and bayonet practice on the side of the road. In that light, yes we were "kind hearted". A hell of a lot more kind hearted than they were to those they conquered.

Bilsteins, Konis, and Tokicos with DETAILED info: http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?t=106354

On that note: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060303/ap_on_bi_ge/dana_bankruptcy;_ylt=AgRnlyhhLXn..UUQJsKa.Xlu24cA;_ylu=X3oDMTA5aHJvMDdwBHNlYwN5bmNhdA-- [sarcasm]You're right. Carl totally forgot about the US's gulags and slave labor camps in Japan. We're such bastards.[/sarcasm] Now let's try some truth. We wanted Japan as an ally against Russia in the Cold War (same with the European countries). So we boosted their economies in order to prevent the spread of communism. You may think that makes the US a bunch of self serving assholes, but whether we were acting in our own self interest, fighting communism, or trying to keep the seeds of another war from taking root by providing these countries with the ingredients for a successful economy, the US did a very very good and generous thing in Europe and Japan after the war. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_post-war_economic_miracle http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Marshall_Plan

I think Matman has every part you need, and he's nearby. Maybe PM him too.

I get kinda belligerent when people try to give me a right of way that I don't deserve. I've seen way too many accidents caused by overly courteous dumbasses. If they got to the 4 way stop first and they wave me on, I wave right back at them. If they stop for no reason and wave me in front I'll do the same. People need to worry about driving in a manner that is predictable to all of the people on the road, not about being nice. Now if there was a pedestrian in the mix, and that's why the person stopped, then I think you've got something. Otherwise, I think the other person told you to do something illegal and you did it. The one who hit you also did something illegal, so as Arne says, probably all 3 were at fault to some degree.

If that's Solo that would be E Prepared, which would fit in with 510s, Fiestas, Rabbits, etc.

One of my friends sold #472 about a year, maybe a year and a half ago. Sounds like similar condition. Had been repainted in factory color once nicely, good weatherstripping, ran nice, had hole in muffler and needed complete exhaust system from the manifold back, and had a rusty spot in a door and in one floorboard. Other than that it was bone stock, had original hub caps, original engine, monkey motion 4 speed, etc. Wallowed on ebay twice IIRC, sold once for $8000 but it fell through after the auction, second time no bids. Ended up selling to a private party for $7000 or $7500 I think. It didn't bring what it should have. Unfortunately from what I understand my friend wasn't willing to drive anywhere to show it to anybody and really made it hard for locals to look at the car. I know she can be difficult sometimes and I'm sure this hurt the value, but I really thought it would bring more. Just beware, because the people here who say it's worth $15,000 are the people who won't be bidding... ;-) Start it low, reserve it where you won't be disappointed, and cross your fingers. Good luck.

Big hammer. One good hit with a 2 lb sledge should knock each lug clean out. To install the new ones, put the stud in the hole, put a washer coated in anti-seize over the end of the stud, coat the rest of the threads in anti-seicze, then put a lug nut on. If you have an impact it will help, because basically the next step is to pull the lug stud into the hub by tightening the nut. Quick and easy with an impact.

Also, you can run any number of modules with that EI distributor. I run mine straight to an MSD box with no module, but my understanding is that pretty much any module will work, including the GM HEI module which is something like $20 from any auto parts store. Alternatively, you could also recurve the 240 distributor if you wanted.

Actually all of the distributors with the E12-80 distributor have 17 degrees of mechanical advance. The 240 distributor has something over 20 degrees - 24 rings a bell but I'm not sure. So if you're not running vacuum advance (better not to on a hipo engine), then the E12-80 distributor will have a preferable curve, allowing more advance at idle, which gives better throttle response.

Should work, but it's overkill. Why bother when the silver works good enough.

Yep, autoxing with 250mm wide slicks. No cage was a problem I'm sure, had a triangulated strut tower brace for the 2nd one, but the first one didn't even get that. Spring rate was 200 in/lbs front, 250 in/lbs rear. They both just started weeping coolant near the corners of the top tank after a while. 1st one was old, 2nd was new. I did have the first one soldered, and I'm sure I could do the same on the 2nd, but I'm just going to get an aluminum one and soft mount it instead to save weight.

I bought Power Stop drilled rotors and they were drilled Brembo rotors. They held up very well to quite a few track days. If I had it to do again I would go with slotted rotors, which are in general a better alternative than drilled.

Am I remembering wrong that 75's don't have catalytic converters? Never had a 280, but I seem to remember reading that somewhere. That would seal the deal on a 75 for me... I wouldn't buy a Z because it had a 5 speed unless I was trying to get the 5 speed out of it. 5 speeds and different diff ratios are so easy to change out that those things shouldn't be a deciding factor, unless the owner doesn't have the tools/wherewithal to change those parts out.

I had no idea WTF I was doing so I documented it pretty well in an attempt to help the next guy. Here you go next guy, I hope this helps you: http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?t=102470

I've seen a weird situation where the Z transmission will go into two gears at the same time. The issue has to do with the shift rods moving on their own. Mine went into 2nd and 5th and brought the car to a skidding halt, the a friend's was fine when the car was shut off but when she tried to drive home it was locked up solid. In the case of my tranny, my friend was driving at the track when it happened. Came around a corner and just suddenly went skidding off the track very narrowly missing a concrete corner workers' stand. He just monkeyed with the stick a bit and all of the selectors luckily moved back into place, and off he went. We continued running the car for another 5 or 6 sessions that day. On my friend's car the transmission had to be removed, then the little plugs that hold the springs and the detent balls were pulled and the shift rails were manually put back into the right spot. This happened to hers twice, and twice the trans had to be taken out of the car to fix it. Your description isn't exactly the same, but it's weird enough that the transmission is in gear when the shifter is in neutral that I think it could be the same thing. Unfortunately you'll probably have to pull the transmission to find out. One solution to the issue is to replace or shim the springs on the detent balls to prevent the shift rails moving on their own.

I honestly don't see the big deal about plastic tanks. I just replaced the radiator on my 93 Toyota P/U two years ago. It was aluminum with plastic tanks. It only lasted 10 years and 200,000 miles. I always hear plastic tanks or epoxied tanks as a criticism, but IMO 200,000 miles is a good bit of service for a radiator.