Jeff G 78

I don't read that. Here is the description. As the name (strut mount) implies, it’s a component that attaches the suspension strut to the vehicle. In addition, it insulates the tire noise & vibrations from the vehicle. Many (front) strut mounts also contain a bearing or bearing plate that serves as the steering pivot. A strut mount is like a sandwich. One side bolts to the vehicle, the other side to the strut. In the middle is a rubber-like insulating material. So as the vehicle moves and goes over bumps, the up & down impact pushes and pulls at the mount. The mount’s job is to cushion the impacts to reduce the jarring effect, noise and vibration that could transmit into the vehicle. On many front struts, the mount also includes a bearing that the strut attaches to. With one on each side of the vehicle, these bearings act as the steering pivots. The bearing is a critical component that affects steering movement smoothness and response.

Pics of the Lexus mirrors on the car?

I believe there are two Z clubs in the phoenix area. Try asking on those forums. One is desertZassociation.com. I can't remember the other one.

I cannot get the strut out of my 260 without dropping the halfshaft and parking brake cable.

+1 on the jackstands. NEVER rely on a jack. They tip over and they are notorious for bleeding height. You don't want to get crushed by your Z. Otherwise, nice job. Be sure to add oil to the tubes. It is needed to cool the cartridge. Dampers generate a lot of heat and air makes a lousy conductor. Oil will carry the heat away from the cartridge to the outer tube where the air can cool it.

I would think it would be pretty hard to get coverage. Has anybody put zerk fittings in their suspension joints?

Is there a source where I can buy the special grease? I did my suspension many years ago and it now squeaks like crazy for the first 1/4 mile of driving. I need to regrease everything. EDIT: Nevermind. A quick search netted me this. http://www.energysuspensionparts.com/proddetail.asp?prod=9.11104

More pics please Greg!

Blue, like John stated, roll cage loading could come from any direction, so it's much more difficult to optimize than a bicycle. On a bike, there are only a few load paths. You have the rider's weight on the pedals and/or seat and bars, and loads going through the tires from various angles. In a race car, you could be hit from any direction and in infinite concentrations. If stiffness was the ONLY concern, it would be simple to model. If you are just looking at front end stiffness, yes, that could easily be modeled. Again though, it depends if you are building to a rulebook or just for personal use. Some sanctioning bodies allow the cage to be tied into the chassis and others don't. You also have ease of service to consider. In your options above, "A" sucks for stiffness, but it's the only one that can be swung out of the way to remove the valve cover. "B" requires very little modification to the car, while "C" connects to the rails, requiring more extensive mods. The car in picture "D" doesn't use the OE hood latch and the brace appears to diagonal down in front of the short V8, so it's not a fair comparison. If none of that matters, "D" would probably be the stiffest from what I can tell looking at small pictures.

Not a bad idea. My take on the BRE/BSR cage designs is that they are likely outdated and wouldn't be compliant, so I doubt you could gain much info from them. As for tube diameter vs. wall thickness, it is generally believed that the larger tube with the thinner wall is stronger, but I don't know if one is lighter than the other. The thing with cages is that more bars will usually increase the safety and stiffness of the chassis, so saving a bit of weight is usually secondary to making the car as safe as possible. That said, I'm sure there is room for optimization.

I have used lots of stands and hoists and the HF stand should be fine as long as you keep it stable. The L6 is very long and heavy and the stand can tip if you are not careful. Their hoist is fine, but the reach is too short for a Z. I always remove the engine and trans as a unit and the HF hoist boom is about a foot too short. I remove the front bumper which helps, but it is still a few inches too short. I used a "Goodyear" brand hoist from one of the chain auto parts stores and it was much better, but I still removed the bumper to get the hook directly over the CG point.

+1 Leave them alone.

Check out the Hankook Ventus RS-3 I have the older RS-2 and I love them. They are very quiet and super grippy. http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Hankook&tireModel=Ventus+R-S3&sidewall=Blackwall&partnum=055WR6Z222&tab=Sizes

I didn't make the long trek, but ChumpCar just ran this weekend at Daytona on the same circuit the 24 Hours of Daytona uses. I can't imagine trying to keep a S30 together for 14 hours on the banking! The fast cars in the field were seeing top speeds well into the 140's. I think my 260 tops out around 115 - 120, so we would have been a rolling chicane.

Guy, you are my hero. Congrats on the new addition. Can't wait to see the pics.

That's really cool! From people I know who have dealt with him in person, they say he acts like just another car guy.

Mike, the tractor trick sounds like a great idea. It would save lots of back breaking manual labor.

Google "POR-15 gas tank". Buy it directly from them online. Since you are in AZ, there is a chance that your tank is in great shape other than the crusty fuel. If so, try cleaning it first prior to resealing it. I have gone through several tanks and it's an extensive project to do it right. If you don't do it EXACTLY right, you are throwing a lot of time and money away and will end up looking for a good tank to buy.

Somebody just a week ago said to fill the hose with sand and bend it while heating with a torch. The sand will keep the hose from crimping and it will retain the form once cool. I haven't tried this, so YMMV. I soldered 1/2" copper elbows together to make the 180° bend and it has worked fine for three years. I've had it apart several times and it looks exactly like it did when I first installed it. The only downside is that the copper doesn't have any lips to keep the hose in place. After having the tank out and reinstalling it, I had the hose slip out of the fitting and spew fuel all over the place when I filled the tank with gas. I thought I had it fully seated and tight, but I must not have had it quite right. I had to drain 16 gallons of gas at the track and drop the tank to fix the problem. I missed the first practice session and was covered in gas, but once I got it on securely, it has been fine.

They do carry front S30 linings in R4, R4-S, and R4-E. I run the R4-E on my endurance racecar and they work very well. I can get close to two 24 hour races out of a set of pads. The rear R4-S last much longer.

Ahh, yes, I'll bet the cat bump came with the 260. I never even thought about that. Makes sense Steve.

Steve, did you have to cut the tunnel on the driver's side? I have tried two different 16" wide seats and neither will go down due to the catalyst/resonator hump. Every Z racer I know has had to do tunnel work to fit their seat. Take a look at my current seated height. Obviously, I'm too high, but like I said, even if the seat rail is cut out, the seat can't go any lower due to the width. Here is a shot of the back of my Momo Acropolis seat. It's very compact and is the same height and width as my Sparco Evo. Here is a pic of a Momo seat like mine I found on the web. http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads13/Momo+Acropolis1216221463.jpg Here is a Sparco Evo pic I found on the web that is similar to mine. http://assets0.saferacer.com/images/P/00856F_1_lg.jpg

Huh??? I've had a 2nd gen and two 3rd gen 4Runners and seven various gen pick-ups/Tacomas and I fit great. I have never heard anybody even mention a lack of space before.

That sounds pretty handy. As long as it actually works, unlike much of the HF junk, I might have to pick one up.

What's "fairly worn"? I have seen them wear down and create a ridge on either side of the rocker, but if the lobe is no longer smooth to the touch, something is drastically wrong. I can't tell what year Z you have from your avatar, but if you have a spray bar, I'd guess it's clogged. Metal shavings are never good in an engine, so I wouldn't drive it if the lobes are severely worn or if they are scored. Those shavings can and will destroy the rest of the motor. If they are simply worn, but smooth, you can chance it until you make repairs IF YOU HAVE TO.