XYZ

And here I was sweating buying one set!! :tapemouth :dead: :classic:

Hi Rick- Seems to me that if you like the panasports just go with it. They seem to be the concensous on this site, so far as I can tell. Style two seems to be getting a lot of negative response, though I like them myself. You should put on the wheels you like and think will work the best. The two things you seem to be considering are the heat build up/dissapation and what happens if a wheel is damaged. If you aren't going to race on a repaired wheel then why consider it? the Panasports seem to be open enough to address the cooling issue and you like them. I haven't seen any other issued raised except possibly cost so....? I know how you feel, trying to decide on a style of wheel. I went through this a few weeks ago and it took nearly a month for me to choose. My suggestion is go style one.

Style 2 would be my choice. I was looking at that wheel for myself but I couldn't find this wheel in the 15" size. Who's wheel is that anyway? There's a picture of an orange Z that an old race car driver uses to teach racing out in california. Unfortunately I can't remember his name but here's a picture of his car. I think this car looks pretty nice. I don't know if this is an option for you but Centerline makes wheels to fit the Z wheel pattern. They cost less than the Panasports as listed in the motorsports parts catalog. www.centerlinewheels.com. Any of the billet style wheels work on the Z, so I've been told and some of them have a pretty open style. The question would be whether you see anything that you like and if it come's in the wheel size you want. Good luck.

Sorry- just saw this post on the latest discussions didn't realize it was already categorized ie...in the rally forum. Don't know anything about rally racing so I'm not much help. I was hoping to help keep your thread alive. For what it's worth!

When you say modified springs on the front what does that mean? Are they stock springs that are cut down or are they aftermarket springs? Also, what are you using the car for? Maybe you don't need a setup quite so extreme. I personally am running non adjustable tokico's on Eibach springs. My car lowered about 1.5" from its original height and is running fine.

This site has a write up on the engine/car and has a picture of the engine. Pretty complex. www.forbes.com/2002/05/13/0513feat_2.html

When you heat up the inner sleeve, if you do it from below and to the inside of the sleeve itself it does a really good job of softening the rubber, which is what you want so you can lever the sleeve out with the vicegrips. After the inner sleeve is out, drilling with the paddle bid takes no time at all and the picture you see with the polished interior of the outer sleeve was with the drill bit. You can tip the bit sideways and clean the rubber right off. I tried burning the rubber out too and the propane torch isn't really hot enough plus it takes a long time and smells really, really bad. The techinque I came up with is fast and there is a minimal burning of rubber so it doesn't gas you out. The one other thing is to get rid of most of the rubber. The second time I did this procedure on my front control arms I didn't get rid of the rubber as well and it gummed up the teeth of my hachsaw.

I found a really good way to remove the bushing (front or back) quickly with simple tools and minimal heartache (once you get the control arm free of course). You need a propane torch like Mike's using, vicegrips, a drill with a 1" paddle bit, a hacksaw and screwdrivers and mallet. 1. Heat the rubber for a few minutes. 2. Attach the vicegrips to the metal bushing inner sleeve. As the rubber softens while being heated start to use the vicegrip as a fulcrum and you physically pull the inner sleeve right out of the rubber. The vicegrip may come free a few times and you'll mutilate the inner sleeve, but who cares (that is, so long as you re not trying to reuse it)? 3. Take the drill and 1" paddle bit and drill out the rubber interior to expose the outer sleeve. 4. Slide the hacksaw blade through the sleeve and start cutting carefully and level until you get through to the control arm. Make two cuts like this about 3/8" apart. Use your mallet and screwdriver (flat tip) and knock out the 3/8" chunk of inner sleeve and then remove the rest with the mallet and screwdriver. Once the smaller piece is gone the rest is cake. Once you do it, it should only take about 20 mins. per sleeve. 5. lightly sand/clean up control arm with a piece of emerycloth or fine round file. Works pretty well. I actually tried to use an air chisel on one control arm and just made a big mess and ended up doing the above procedure. I've never used and air chisel before so either I wasn't holding my mouth right or something. BTW, you need a vice on a bench to hold the control arm still while doing this work it's a gazillion times easier than doing this on the floor.:classic: pic 1 is stock bushing not yet removed. Then vicegrips to pull out inner sleeve. Drilling out rubber after sleeve removed. Outer sleeve cleaned up way beter than need be as at the time I thought I was done but then realized this outer sleeve still needed to be hacksawed out. Live and learn.

Very Nice!!!

The pictures aren't coming up.

Thanks M.

Someone posted a thread a while back with an mpg file showing a riced out honda racing a VW rabbit and a grasshopper crossing the road before the honda finished the race. Can anyone remember what that thread was or can that mpg be posted again?

Thanks for the lead Rick. I called them and it sounds like they have alot of OEM stuff like you said. I'm looking for some after market wheels like American racing outlaw 1 or Centerline Autodrag style. I'm just trying to get the best price. What sucks is American racing used to make the outlaw1 in a 4 bolt pattern and it cost right about 100 bucks. The centerline is right around the price you thought which is a big difference. Wheels america is going to price some stuff for me but they order aftermarket just like all the other tire stores.

I guess technically that right. The offset is the property of the wheel but the car is designed with a certain wheel in mind thus a certain offset. One car's offset will differ from another and if the offset isn't zero or near zero then it won't work on the Z without an adaptor. If some of the newer vehicles like the acura are front wheel drive they may require an offset of say +30mm which won't work on the Z without the adaptor. This list only speaks to bolt pattern 4 on 4.5 but not the offset. It's great to know all these other cars are out there with the same pattern but you also need the offset to know if you need an adaptor.

High Beams!

One thing missing off of that list is offsets for each of those vehicles which would translate into adaptors/no adaptors.

Driftmonky- Is there a web site(s) one could go to and look at these wheels? What is very expensive? Thanks for more options.

What would be a reasonable starting point for cost to have a Z repainted? I want a good job but not gold plated or anything with some minor body work for hail damage like dents, maybe a dozen or so and removal of some body trim. 1. Same color 2. Change in color I've got a couple preliminary over-the-phone estimates starting at $1,500 up to $6,000. Thanks in advance.

How about any women in any car could flash just like at mardi gras!! Show us your Zeds! :stupid: no offense ladies.:classic:

I've got before and after picks if you want to see the difference. I'm pretty sure you can tell but....? How much are you wanting to spend? I'm trying to decide what to do with my stock springs I took off. They're in good shape and I might be willing to part with them if your interested. Are your springs shot?

I just lowered my suspension with Eibachs and tokico non adj. and love it! My car lowered about an 1 3/4" in the rear and about an 1 1/4" in the front. Huge difference. It's a little weird the first few times getting in as I was used to the higher ride height, though (believe it or not!). I think mine lowered a little more than normal because my springs were still in really good shape (not much sag) but the car has leveled out to within about 3/8" front to back for the better. My front ran a little higher than the rear before the switch. San Fran would be a great place to run a Z, I'm jealous! The springs are a little firm on bumps but well worth the expense IMO. BTW, it's a little more difficult to slide the old lift in under the rear end but that's the price you pay. 59' - I'm curious, what did your measurements from centerline of hub to fender end up being? What size bar do you have in front? I don't think you want your rear bar to get equal or larger than your front.

I have been shopping extensively for wheels for my 74Z. I wanted 15's or 16's as well. The selection isn't really all that big. Your basically looking at SUV type rims because Z's are rearwheel drive and zero offset. The 4 bolt pattern, like 2many mentioned is the killer. There is a very limited market for our cars in the 4 on 4.5, 0 offset wheels. I talked with Centerline a while back and was told any of their billet style wheels will work, they are basically custom built and the autodrag style will fit as well. Your into a $200+ wheel at each corner for these. WWW.Eaglewheels.com has one or two styles available that fit and Unique wheel has one similar to American racing outlaw II series in 14 x 7 only. American racing can't help you so don't even waste your time with them. They told me to look at a custom made wheel. If you get Motorsports parts catalog there are a few mfgrs in there (centerline and panasport are 2 of 4 mfgrs). Other than custom wheels thats about it as far as I could find for RWD wheels on the Z. I've made 4 trips to two different tire stores and spent 30+ hours on the net looking at wheels and this is all I could find. There's a thread called 4 x 114.3 about the datsun 510 and all the wheels that will fit that car. The 510 has the same bolt pattern as the Z. There's a web site in this thread with wheels that would fit this bolt pattern but how many are available and if you like them is up for debate. The other solution is to go to an adaptor that changes your offset and bolt spacing but not number of lugs. You would still be in a 4 bolt pattern but with the spacer you can look at front wheel drive or positive offset wheels. I have asked for help via threads on this site in regard to adaptors and peoples experience but thus far haven't gotten much response. I don't know what to tell you about adaptors except there available. I've heard there perfectly safe and run on 10 second cars, duelly's and anything in between and I've talked with a tire store that won't even work on a car with an adaptor. If you can find something please post it! This has been a really frustrating exercise. I'm not sure if there is a new aftermarket wheel out there for $150.00 or less in RWD offset. Anyway, sorry for all the words but hopefully it will help in your search. BTW, this site will help you with various wheel diameters, widths and aspect ratios (ie 70, 60, 50 series) and what combinations will match a stock wheel. www.c5-corvette.com/tirecalc.htm

240z- Nice find! This seems to be a pretty useful site. I'm in the process of trying to find wheels for my Z. I've had a hell of a time finding something without positive offset. They're far and few between and this does help. Not sure how many of these are still available ie American racing stuff but good resource. Thanks. Cars... I don't know but I'm learning a lot about available wheels.

I have the same problem with my choke light staying on, Always. I haven't fixed it yet but I determined that the cable inside the black sheath was frozen and when I moved my choke lever nothing even happened. When I do get the light off from inside and hit a bump it comes right back on. I will replace my choke cable one of these days. I know this doesn't directly help you start your car but it might be worth checking your cable to see if the whole thing is frozen and cable needs to be replaced;that is, after Dumbledore fixes your car.

I have a question for the group regarding wheels spacers and adapters. Does anyone have experience with this type of modification? This web site would be the supplier of the adapter and has information about strenths and materials. WWW.performancewheel.com/adapters.html I'm seriously considering this option as I cannot find more than a handful of wheels that will fit an early model Z that look decent or don't cost tons of cash. My understanding (as explained at the above web site) is the bolt pattern remains a 4 lug pattern and the adapter is rotated 45 degrees off of the existing lugs. The spacing of the lugs can change to whatever you like and the offset becomes positive, 40mm. Instead of shopping for truck wheels and having a selection of maybe a dozen wheels the market is much larger. I know porsche uses a spacer on their cars and they seem to stand up to the performance demands so I'm thinking maybe this is the way to go. Any thoughts? Thanks in advance.