redneckz II

:pirate: Yes, the price isn't that bad. I cracked three valve seats in a E31 head and it cost me that much.

Yes, the stock brakes are good for everyday driving. But as a BSP (SCCA) racer and canyon racer, I can tell you. It gets to be pretty exciting out there, when your brakes go to the floor and you need to slow down. What also was bad, I use to belong to the Colorado Z club and ran with them on the race track at Second Creek (moved back to NC now). It would only take one time on the track to boil the brake fluid. Talk about your pucker power. I have gone to the 300ZX brake rotors w/toyota calibers upfront and 280ZX brake package in the rear (it took me out of the BSP class). I still take it out on the track and haven't had that problem in some time now. Look over all of the sites, most have some pretty good info on them on several brake systems for our car. Just pick the one you like and go for it. Also look into info on brake cooling. Depending on your money situation, you can do it several ways and still get better brakes. I am currently working on a rear setup using a 1989 Olds. grand touring sedan front rotor on the rear. Still looking into what type caliber and mounting bracket, do I want to use. Also working with the 300ZX turbo brake system to see if I can mount them to a Z. Got the rotors off of a car at a pick-and-pull in Greeley, CO for almost nothing. The HybridZ.org site is a real good site for more info on such a subject. Good Luck with what you are looking into. If you decide to change it. Please post it here and tell us all about it. Rich:)

You may need to count the links between the spots on your cam chain setup. An old racer trick is to put a wire from a wiring harness wire (that you have laying around, do not cut from the harness) (most everyone has extra wire sitting around or in tool box) that has been stripped and one wire removed. Place it around one link (this will be the crank starting point) and count 42 links (go to the right counting), place another wire around the 42 link (This is the cam timing spot). Count it again at least three times. After that place it on the engine. After making sure that the 42 links wires line up with the marks on the crank and cam, tighten down the bolts. Again check the links and marks, to be sure all still line up. Then remove the wires from the timing chain. The valves should not hit the piston at all. I had it happen to me. I was one link off and could never get it to start. Jeff Winter, Ralle/Sport in Denver told me about this little trick.

:knockedou If you are doing the 280ZX rear rotor change as the disc package. you will need the early model caliber and later model year disc (smaller hat, four hole). But you should be able to use the later model rear disc on some of the other kits out there. The 280ZX conversion uses a flat mounting plate. We are trying out a three hole plate this year. We have seen a two hole mounting plate run by a GT-2 car. But we liked it as a three hole better. We are now using a four hole split mounting plate. It was easy putting it around the axel shafts and mounting it. But it's cost was a little to much to make. So we came up with the three hole mounting plate. I will be testing it on my car this year and hope to report some thing good about it soon. Good Luck, check out HybridZ.org site for some good info on the other rear disc brake conversions out there:classic: .

:bandit: You can check out Kirk racing products for a prefabed cage. Their web site is WWW.Kirkracing.com . I have used the cage and liked it a lot. It isn't that higher priced then some I have seen. I am now using a S&W rollbar (don't have the site address) in the current 240Z. A little on the heavy side, but not bad. You can also check out Autopower (619) 297-3300. Also check out I/O Port racing supply - WWW.IOPortRacing.com . Most of the sites list here are used by the SCCA crowd. The S&W rollbar is a 8 point bar and at this time I am adding the rest of the front cage to it. The car is at Young's welding right now. Hope to have it back by Monday. Good Luck with the one you pick out, Rich.

If my memory serves me right. The 280Z shock housings are both longer and wider then the 240Z's. With the sectioning already done. It may not be that bad. I do know the springs are longer and the shocks are wider on the 280Z. Don't know if they moved the mounting points for the spring on the shock housing, when they sectioned the struts. Get or borrow some 240Z shock housings and compare before you do any thing.

You can mount any bumper to the Z. From the 240Z bumper to the 260 bumper (early). All you have to do is make your own brackets from 1/8" bar stock that you can get from places like Home Depot. The best way to do it, is place the bumpers in the location you want and bend the bar to fit. You will have to drill some holes for mounting. But other then that it is mostly a bolt on. You can do this to the 280Z also. For rear bumper mounts on the 280Z, all you need is the mounts off of a 240Z. Place the bumper in the location you want and weld on. Only holes you will have to drill are on the sides. I have removed the shocks from both the 260Z and the 280Z. The fronts are easy. The backs, you have to drop the gas tank a small way to reach up inside it to remove some bolts. Then you can turn them and remove them. If you can get the brackets for the 240Z from an old Z or order from a parts house. They will work just as good. Take care, Rich. :beard:

:dead: You can recess the bumper. But I did it another way. Took off the bumper shocks and replaced them with a hand made bracket made from 1/8" strap metal I got at Home Depot. I had to drill hole to mount it and had to do a visual on where I wanted to bend the bar. I placed the bumper where I wanted it to fit. Then bent the bar to work. It will place the bumper real close to the body if you want it to. Good Luck, Rich.

:beard: The car was at the 2000 Las Vegas Z convention. It came over with the boat load of cars (Z club of Japan) (Nissan payed for them to come over) from Japan. Don't know who it belongs to. It was a very nice car to see. Check with their club and go from there. :rambo:

Yes, there are a few ways to go. You can do a search and find info on it on this site. Or go to HybridZ.org and do a search there for a lot of info and sites to go to. The most common is the 240SX conversion. The other is a 280ZX conversion. The last one is the custom kits conversions (big bucks). It all depends on how much money you have to spend and or time on hand to look for parts. All, will help the Z car come to a better stop. But don't forget to do the fronts also. They have every thing from better calibers for the solid disc setup to the easy 300ZX conversion. You can also go with the custom kits (so far up to 13" disc). So how and what you go to is up to you and your money. The 240SX is a special mounting plate conversion that they sell on the net. You have to find the rest in the auto yards. Not to hard to do, if you have the skill and time to do. The 300ZX conversion is a flat plate mount (this is the one I have on my Z). You can make the plate with limited skill. All the rest of the stuff you can find in the auto yards. I can help you if you go this way. There are a few sites that sell the custom kits. You can find most of them on the HybridZ site. If you need any more questions answered after doing your search feel free to ask. Good Luck, Rich.

:stupid: You may want to think about it, before you change the system. I have had both systems on Z's that I have owned and liked the spray bar oiler side better. Most of the book on our motors will tell you to keep it. Most of the problems with the cam oil system is that it may have problems put into it by the people who made it. I like doing both together and not worrying about losing the top end to no oil. The spray bar oil system is good, so much so that they recommend it for the L-16 to L-28 racing engines. The cam oil system used mostly in the L-28 engine with the new heads. They have been known to wipe out cam lobes and lifters from no oiling. It seems the cam makers didn't drill the holes into the cam in the right location and ended up not getting the oil in the right place. It has happened to me in a 280Z. So now I add a spray bar if it doesn't have one on it. You make your choice and go with it. Good Luck, Rich.

:bandit: From the looks of it, you have a early 260Z model. If it came with the thin bumpers on it. You share parts with the early 240Z. If it came with the big bumpers. You share parts with the later 280Z. The info about getting a parts book and comparing parts will help. Most parts will change over. But because of mid-year changes to the bigger bumpers they may have put a few parts in it from both models. So check both ways if it doesn't look right one way. Take care, Rich.

:cross-eye For all of us, common people it is 4 by 4 1/2 bolt pattern with a normal zero offset. But you can order up to 40 mil offset (front wheel drive wheel) and make it work. You just have to get wheel spacers or adapters to make it work (normal back spacing will give you, the size you need to order). I run a 16X7" rim with a 1" spacer to make it work. I do have flairs on it and they fill them up just right. So you can get almost any size and back spacing you want. Just remember to get the same size spacer as your backspacing on the wheel. Normal back spacing (max) for bigger wheels are without coilovers are 4" up front and 4 1/2" out back. With coilovers it is 4 1/2" up front and 5" out back. Hope this can help you in the future, Rich.

Check this site WWW.HybridZ.org and do a site search for info on longer studs. They have a lot of info on most subjects on how to modify a Z. Great help for us, who do things to their Z's to make them faster. good Luck with it, Rich.

You can contact Performance Wheel & Tire in Denver, Co at 1-303-934-2929. They can make the spacers you want. It cost me $200 for a set of 1" spacers 4 1/2" by 4 1/2" to fit my car in 2002. They can make almost any size and pattern you may want. They use 6061 aluminum in their spacers. I can testify that they are great. I use them for racing also. They also came with new lugs in them. Had to buy new lug nuts, as they were for a 1.50 pitch, not the 1.25 pitch that is normal on a Z. Their E-mail address is WWW. performancewheel.com . Their address is 1096 West Hampden Ave., Englewood, CO 80110. Hope, this helps you find a good set, Rich. :knockedou

:pirate: Check out WWW.ReactionResearch.com for body kits. they have a 280YZ kit I am looking at to put on a 240Z V-8. Also look at WWW. Modern-Motorsports.com for every thing else. For what you may need, first look at what Org. and what class you want to run. Get their rule book and read what you can or cannot do to your car. Like, if you want to run with the SCCA Solo II in B street prepared class. You can run coilovers with shorter struts, poly bushings can be used, any kind of shock you want as long as it fits in the struts. The engine can use any type intake system you want, as long as rest of engine is left stock. You can put in the L28 engine in the 240Z, as a whole unit (same block and same head). So get the rule book and read it well a few times. The gray areas are were most winners get their advantages from. Good Luck, Rich.

:stupid: You need to check with the Org. you plan on racing with. Some places require you run a solid axle after you reach a set speed at the track (mostly drag racing). The R200 will take some heavy horsepower before breaking. I run a Chevy 383 small block in one Z and have the R200 under it. But I also mostly road race with it. It has held up well here. I would first find out what you need at the track you plan on going to and go from there. Then go to WWW.HybridZ.org to find out most of all the info you will need to help make it work. They have the best site for info on any thing needed to make changes (performance) to the Z. Good Luck, Rich.

:beard: The best way to use the the carbs are with the L28 block. If it is for street use, use the dish pistons. If it is going to be a track car, then use flat top pistons in it. I am running a L28 (dish) block with a E-31 head on the street with mild track time. We are now building a engine for the track. It will be a 40 over L28 block with forged pistons (14:1), the head will be the E-31. The head has been ported and polished, big valves and big cam. the carb setup I have is the 45mm DCOE weber triples. I have been using this setup since I got the car. I love the sounds of them at full speed. Good Luck with your choice, Rich.

:bandit: You can use the 240Z vacuum system with the early 280ZX MC 15/16"(should have the same mounting bolt system). It is a bolt-up and the only thing you have to adjust, is the rod that runs from the pedal into the MC. You can adjust it to what ever feels good to you. Just make sure you bleed the brakes good after putting it on. The 280ZX MC is backward to the 240Z. You have to bend the brake lines into the MC a short amount. But move the front to the rear and the rear to the front. If I remember right, the 280ZX vacuum system is bigger and will hit the clutch MC. Good luck with it, Rich.

:hurt: Need to know what calibers you are using? Does it say S-12 or S-12W on it. The S-12 Toyota caliber will work with the solid disc. The S-12W and S-13W will work with the early 300ZX rotor. You will have to put a spacer in between the rotor and hub to make it work. They will work even under racing conditions. Only down fall is that you will have to go to 15" or bigger wheels. The drilled rotors have had a few problems with cracking under racing conditions. But I not seen any crack under normal street conditions. I have only used the cross drill rotors once and had them crack. But I also was able to use my 14" wheels on the Z. After that I went with the 300ZX setup and have loved it. My Z is now mostly a track car. Good luck, Rich. :nervous:

:beard: Before you do any thing, go to the following site and do a search on the site for info on subject. www.HybridZ.org this is great site for info on improving your Z. I have done the early model 300ZX rotors with the S-12W Toyota calibers on the front (mostly bolt on, spacer needed to bolt rotor to hub). Also have the 280ZX late model rotors and early 280ZX calibers on the rear. It was a low cost part replacement for better brakes. Have drawing of low cost flat plate mounting system for the Z, if you are into making your own parts. Good Luck with it, Rich.

:beard: Try going to a 37mm Venturi and 4.5 aux. The 37mm will help in the upper RPM range. Also check out the HybridZ.org site and check out the the info on the L-6 engine file sticky. It has some great info on jets for the carbs on it.

:squareeye The site to check out is called HybridZ.org. It will give you some great info on any V-8 engine you may want to use.

:bandit: Try using semi-metal pads in the front. Most are pretty rotor friendly and you can get good life out of them. Do at least two good heat cycles to them before using them on the track. Good Luck, Rich.

:pirate: You can save a lot of money by getting the parts for yourself at a pick and pull junkyard. I have done this setup for around $150 with stainless steel hoses. Go to HybridZ.org site and look around. Several sites sell the spacers for a lot less. Don't know your area and can't say much about prices. I just moved from Greeley, Colorado to Fayetteville, NC. They had a great site in Greeley, but not here in NC.