sopwith21

Hi all; Questions about my 1974 260z race car... 1. 206z REAR BRACE PHOTO. When I decelerate quickly or when I shift gears, I hear a big metal-to-metal "clunk" sound that is clearly from the rear end of the car. I thought it was a drive shaft issue or perhaps a rear diff mount, but upon examination those seem secure. Please look at the rear frame bracket (first photo) that holds the rear end to the frame. The joint holding that piece to the frame is circled in red. Note that the photo was taken with the car on a lift, so the suspension is relaxed and extended. Is there a name for this bracket? Is there perhaps a gasket here that could be worn or missing? Could that account for the big "clunk" described above? 2. 260z HALF SHAFT PHOTO. This is a picture of the rear drive shaft/half shaft. The passenger's side has no play it in whatsoever. The tire will not rotate when the car is in first gear, with the car on a lift, attempting to turn the tire by hand. However, the driver's side has a bit of play. With the car in gear and on a lift, I can slightly move the tire and see the tiniest bit of play in this half shaft joint. Can you tell me the proper name for this joint? And can you tell me if a slight amount of "play" is acceptable, or is that cause for immediate replacement of the joint? We had to replace this part several seasons ago and I am concerned that it might go out again. When answering, please bear in mind that this is a race car. Many thanks. You guys are the greatest!

Well then what do I do with this thing, guys? It's a royal pain and I need some parts from somewhere. Ideas? Tx!

Yes, I use brake ducts big time. I think many of the stock mounting points were taken out by the original racecar builder because like you said, the valance sags. Looks awful and can barely get it on a trailer. Plus, the grill has been gutted. The front end is not tweaked. The car has never been wrecked. If my front end looked as good as yours, I'd leave it alone! Are you sure we have the same valances?

My 260 is an early production.

Just to clarify visually... Here is the front valance that I have. Generally speaking, this is the type of front valance and grill that I want, or maybe this.

Hi all; Please take a look at the nose of my '74 260z. It has been heavily modified for racing, but it is so low to the ground that I can't load the car onto a trailer without tearing it up. And since this car races at less than 125 mph, the aerodynamic advantage isn't that great. I would like to restore the front end to a stock appearance as inexpensively as possible. I just want the car to look like it did from the factory; nothing more. Can anyone tell me where I can find these parts? The basic grill and lower valance is (I think) all I need. Is there a source of used parts that I should consult? Thanks for any direction you can offer.

Hi all; I need brake lights on my car! I have a '74 260z racecar that has been stripped for competition. During the car's original race preparation ten years ago (before I owned the car), the brake lights were disconnected. The light fixtures, lenses and bulbs are still there, as is some wiring, but the brake lights don't work. We're now switching to a class that requires brake lights. But I learned long ago not to do anything to my Z car without asking on this forum first! Soooo... any help in figuring out where to start, how to trace the wiring, where the sending unit might be, etc., etc., would be most appreciated. I'm starting from scratch here. Many thanks!

test test

Other than weight savings, is there any other advantage? Also, Rxsleeper suggested that we ventilate the rear drum backing plates. Where's the best place to get air to do that? The front is easy... just steal air through the headlights and fog lamp openings. Is there a tried and true way to get air to the rear drums, or should we just experiment?

Just a note to say that you guys are AWESOME. We just placed third in our latest race, and if the second place guy hadn't rear-ended me while passing for the lead, we would have won both events going away. We set fast lap in our class for the day, too. BE SURE TO WATCH THIS SUPER SHORT VIDEO IN HD - IT'S GOT GREAT COLOR AND QUALITY AND TURNED OUT REALLY WELL. We don't run many club races, but with a new set of tires (the ones we had last weekend were 5 yrs old and showing cord) I think we'll smoke the field next time. We did everything you guys suggested in this thread. We took a computer out to the shop and blew up the photos from RXSLEEPER so we could see them better. Then we used the headlight openings and the lower valance fog light openings to run two air ducts to each front wheel. We tried to shorten the distance and use as little hose as possible so as not to slow down the air flow. We also went with aluminum hose for heat resistance and durability. We then turned the steering wheel until a tire crimped the aluminum. Then we would adjust the hose to a safe place and repeat the test until no hoses were touching the tires or steering system when full lock was applied. Then we converted the front to Hawk Blue pads and kept the Porterfield drums on the rear. Then, with some help from our racing pals at the track (I can drive like a bat out of Hades but I'm a horrible mechanic), we flushed and bled the entire system just an hour before the race. PRESTO! We had the best brakes on this car in the last five seasons! No fade whatsoever until the last lap in a 25-minute event. I'd still like for them to be a bit better, but we had full pedal until the very last lap when the brakes started to fade just a bit. So I'm super happy. Many thanks to everyone who responded to this thread. We read every post here 30 times or more and studied every photo thoroughly. Just wanted you all to know that your time and effort to respond wasn't wasted, and your knowledge is appreciated.

Any recommendations on brake fluid? FRE or Motul 600 is what we've used in the past. What think ye? Thanks.

Last time I needed racing rubber I sprung for a sticker set of Hoosier 275/50zr15 DOT road racing tires. They are very expensive. Pause for effect. However, after having raced gobs of tires for ages, it's been my experience that Hoosiers are just plain faster. My last set lasted 6 races and produced 1 win, four 2nd places and two 3rds. So if you want to win, you pay the price and buy 'em. And I want to win. I have 15x9 rims (which limits my options on sizes considerably) and I'd really rather not pay Hoosier prices. Can anyone suggest any cheaper option? This is your shining moment. Please... give me any suggestions. Thanks! PS - BTW, this is a full size road course with top speeds around 120 mph.

Once the filter fills up, does it have a 6 quart capacity?

No pic, but they are not dark grey. They're black and I can wipe a small amount of residue off with my finger.

Yes, twin SU carbs. Don't know beans about tuning them. I can barely get a Holley 600 to run right!

Howdy all; I have an engine from a 79-83 280zx, used for racing. Here are some basics on the build: o Bore: 86.75 mm (+.030”) o Stroke: 79 mm (stock) o Compression: 11.9:1, or so the builder tells me o Camshaft: .560” lift at valve, 300 degrees duration o Valves: standard o Bearings: standard o Cylinder head is an “N42” from 1975-80 280zx The engine only has about 100 race miles on it but the plugs are fouled. They appear dark with and covered in soot. The plugs are NGK BP6E S. The motor runs very well, but I'm clearly not getting peak performance from it. I've checked the ignition cap and it has no cracks. The rotor is not fouled and is firing cleanly. All six plugs appear to be fouling at roughly the same rate, so I don't think it's a cylinder issue. The air filters are as old as dirt, but they seem to be flowing well and not overly restricted. The motor is so smooth at hi revs and at idle that a carb issue seems unlikely, but ??? I'm running a typical two-carb Datsun setup. Could these plugs be too hot? Any advice is appreciated. Thanks!

You sending it to my inbox here on the forum? Also, who has any other options for me? I need the skin only for a passenger's side door on a 74 260z. Thanks!

How not cheap is it? Just need passenger's side.

Hi all; My 1974 260z racecar's passenger door got dented beyond repair in a recent race and I need a new one. Note that I need only the outer skin for the door. I don't actually need a full "door" at all. There are no traditionally opening doors on this car. But we still use original body panels on the outside. What years will fit a 74 260? Anything that's dirt cheap and in reasonable condition will do. Any ideas on where to find such a part? Many thanks for your advice.

I'm trying for the checkered flag award.

Very helpful. Many thanks!

Hi everyone; Running an L28 in a Z car (1980 engine block, I believe) for road racing. Any recommendations for type/weight of oil? I don't know what the previous owner ran in the car. I'm considering going to Valvoline 20w/50, but I'd like your thoughts first. I'm also considering adding zinc if I can find it on the aftermarket. I believe the earlier cars preferred zinc and heavier oil weights. I know oil debates are largely opinion based, but still, your opinions are welcomed. Thanks!

HA! Perfect! Thanks, found a Glass Masters near me and I'll try them as soon as we're past the holidays. And yes, that needed to be said because I didn't know. Tx.

Hi everyone; Got an early 74 260z with a cracked windshield. A local glass specialist will install a new windshield for me at a reasonable price (don't wanna do it myself), but he cannot find or order the actual windshield. He says it's not even listed in his book. Where can I find a windshield for this car? Will a 73 240z windshield fit? I want it to look and fit properly. I've got the guy ready to install it... now all I need is to find the right windshield at a decent price. Any help, parts sources or advice would be appreciated. Starting from scratch here. Thank you!

Cancel that. We're answering all our own questions every time we take something else apart. Cars run better when the only thing I touch is the steering wheel.