Shan's 1976 2+2 Project...

[luvemfast]

Nice write up Shan.
It seems what you are doing is very nice and stylish. With mods beinig practical and functional, rather than way out there.
Keep it going 

[Shan]

Since I had all the suspension out, decided to have a looksy into brake options as well.

All sorts of options out there (mentioned frequently on the forum), but I was lucky enough to come across a guy selling it all as a package.
Was track proven, but he had decided to go bigger.  Suspect brake fade on hot track days, but since I am not using the car for track - seemed like a good deal to me.

Front Calipers - Toyota 4 pot, Front pads EDC yellow racing compound, Front ventilated discs 280zx with spacer. 
Rear Calipers - R31 single pot slider with hand brake mechanism (keep it legal), Rear disc Skyline R31 rotors, rear pads Ferodo Excel pads.

Ready to bolt on basically.   The hard work was already done to the R31 brake bracket - original mounting holes were welded shut and new one's with 260z offset were drilled.  Centre hole (where the half shaft goes through) had also been widened to match Zed.  Also came with braided hoses and some custom brake lines - so was happy with that.   
I decided to beef up the master brake cylinder as well with the 1" from Nissan Patrol.  Guys on the forum mention it here and there (PBR part no: JB1419).
Not sure about brake bias?  Will have to wait and see.  Hopefully not too bad though.

Had to do a little grinding with the dremel to bottom of strut where custom R31 brake bracket bolts on.  If you look at the corners in "small brake2" image - you can see where corner needed an edge off it.
I could have modified the R31 bracket, however there was more metal to play with on the strut and I felt that taking anymore from the modified bracket may compromise the integrity. 

Decided to clean and paint the calipers since they were in my hands.  Will post up some more photo's when I have them.  Below is rear setup....will post front when I have a chance....

[Shan]

I know I keep smashing these posts up - trying to do it while I am on a roll though.  Catching up on what I should have posted earlier basically.

Engine stuff......

Normally aspirated, turbo, fuel injected, V8, etc, etc, etc.   Plenty of options if you have the cash and time. 

I was thinking of going a V8 and was well aware of the engineering costs.  Looked into the engine mounts from http://www.rodshop.com.au/nissan/nissan_datsun.htm, giving it all some serious thought.
Was also thinking about a possible RB conversion.   Plenty of engines around once you get the engineering done.
However, depending on the power you choose engineer may make you look at brake options.  Additionally, they may also make you get some sort of chassis "stress" test done which is more $$$.   Depending on the outcome of that they may make you reinforce the chassis to their specifications.   The list goes on.

None of this was cheap though.  Decisions, decisions....

Finally I read a comment that struck a note with me.   Why not keep it simple?  The L Series engine is a solid platform to begin with.   
Whether it be triple carbies, factory fuel injection or even factory turbo - the L Series already has a heap on configurations with PLENTY of bolt on bits available at low cost.
Gearbox mod's are easy enough as well, so my final decision was to keep engine more original and NOT complicate things (well not until later on anyway  )
The L Series was going to be my starting platform.

Configuration?  Sat down and thought - what was important to me?   
Decided that "driveability and simplicity" were important factors.
I wanted easy cold starts and did not want to worry about having to balance carbies/tuning - so fuel injection was the only way for me.   
I waited a little while and decided to purchase a complete L28E on the forums.

Only had some very mild work and low k's done according to the previous owner and I was inclined to believe him as he had a good reputation and history on the forum.
Came with standard ECU, Electronic disti, extractors, intake - the lot - all very clean, neat and tidy.

I got a little lazy with pictures around this point of the restoration, but have attached a picture of old engine and new engine in the car below.

One thing I was not really taken with was the fuel injection and intake manifold.   What a mess!  Did some research and discovered there is another type of L Series manifold without all the anti-pollution rubbish.   You add a nice fuel rail to this and you go from one extreme to the other.

Pic's below...

[RB30X]

One day I am all for chopping the guards, getting some ZG's and going some fat 17's, then the next I am thinking I do not like ZG's and want to keep the lines if the car original.
Bit like my girlfriend trying to figure out what dress to wear 
Hmmmm....
 

I'm hearing you mate.
Its a tough question that has tugged at the heart strings of many a Zed owner since the early 70's.
You see some real tough looking zeds with 16 x 8's but on other zeds that size looks too small. But then you can't argue about the stance and the way flares transform the look of the whole car.

You are on a roll though, I'll give you that. Those struts look amazing and I bet you can't wait to have them installed. What are you doing about the strut tops?

[Shan]

I hear you RB30X - I am still leaning towards 17's and ZG's.   Although that being said - I reckon some 16" RS wats would just maybe squeeze under the 2+2 guards with some rolling.....mmmmmm.....wats... 

Strut tops?  I should have mentioned that.   
At this point in time I have the lower 240z/front strut tops (as mentioned in Lurch's sticky in suspension forum) on all 4 corners.

If you are meaning what I am doing about camber adjustment etc - have not quite decided yet.  Pretty sure I will use the Otomoto HSD Universal Camber Tops.
As for the rest of the steering and wheel alignment stuff - thinking of installing the TechnoToy bits AFTER I get the roadworthy.  Some things I can get away with for RWC (got a friend helping me out), however really concious of not pushing that arrangement too far.  Rocking up for RWC with upgraded brakes, coil overs AND technotoy upper/lower control arms may stretch that friendship! 
http://www.technotoytuning.com/productlist.php?vehicleid=11
Anyway - not cheap though....need to work some extra hours to pay for that kit...

HSD camber adjustment for sure though.

[RB30X]

I was talking to Otomoto about my little predicament and the adjustable camber tops they sell will not fit Zeds. 

[Shan]

Serious???
Should not call them universal camber tops then should they??

A little misleading!   

Will have to find something else then I suppose.....will keep you in the loop RB30X.
Technotoy make some weld-in units....bit of work to fit them though....

Will look around - see what I dig up.

[gav240z]

Hey Shan,
The NON-EGR F.I manifold, did you have to import that from the US or was there a local version of it? I much prefer the look of the simplistic manifold. The good thing about SU's is that they are fairly simple and polish up real good. However you don't get the smoothness of the F.I.

Good work.

[RB30X]

Not sure about his one but I found the hybridz thread the other day where a bloke gets a normal manifold and grinds out the webbing and makes it look like that. I'll see if I can find it again.

Ahh, there it be. You have to scroll down a bit to intake manifolds.
http://forums.hybridz.org/index.php/topic/95316-braaps-l6-efi-induction-advice-and-tips/
The info there is somewhat, extensive.

[Gareth. J.]

If I was getting wheels again I'd definately go Watanabe's, you can't beat them but they are quite exy. It's all coming together very nicely mate, keep up the good work! K-mac do strut tops for Zeds with camber and castor adjustment, I looked at them a while ago and they were around $470 a pair i believe.

[Shan]

I got the non-EGR manifold from the USA.  Pretty sure they never released them here.

As for the K-mac strut tops.....yeah - I recall them being a bit pricey.

Will see what price I can dig up for them.

[Shan]

My project - to remind anyone who is interested....http://www.viczcar.com/forum/index.php/topic,8350.0.html

Well.  Interesting times....

My car has been in hibernation at the mechanics shop for some time.   He was supposed to be hooking up the fuel injected L28 we dropped into it.  This was also supposed to include wiring up the L28 CPU, connecting the new fuel pump, welding some of the exhaust, PLUS some other bits and peices.   Was also going to get R30 brakes past RWC for me as well.  Anyway - he was taking his time with this, so while the engine was out - we pulled out the dash, suspension and I started working on all that stuff.

I recovered the dash, new gauge faces, worked out the suspension.  Got my R30 rear disc brake kit sorted out.  Everything I was committed to doing - for this part of the project - was finished and ready to go back on the car.

Mechanic on the other hand....pffffft....

Guess who is out of business now?   One hint - it is not me.

That's what you get for being INFINITELY patient with someone you are paying to do a job.  He got some of my money, but not all of it (fortunately) and was kind enough to leave me with a car that is unfinished and undriveable.
Worst thing is I am living in a townhouse at the moment, so cannot park a car that cannot be started and moved.

Business across the road from said mechanic has kindly allowed me to store the car, but they have only allowed it to stay for a VERY brief period.  Days.

So yeah - not sure what to do!

I got to get this sorted somehow and get the car to a shop and have it completed - at least so it is driveable.   Frustrating thing is I know a lot of the hardwork has been done, just needs skills I do not have to get it running.

Auto Electrician or Mechanic?  Even better - a mechanic with a bit of electrical expertise thrown in!   Can anyone provide me with a recommendation?
Just need a place who do not mind an odd job and know what they are doing.

I am not some 17yr old kid with no clue and no cash either.   I am a 35 year old bloke, just discovered I got engaged to bridezilla  , planning a wedding  , working stupid hours  and unfortunately have no time and no place where I can work on the car to try and figure it all out myself!  This unfortunately has happened at a VERY bad time for me.

I cannot park the Datto where I live without it running and I need arrange a tow and move it (quickly) from where it is currently being stored.

So yeah - need some help and do not expect anything done for free.   

Any recommendations?  Melbourne based of course.  I live northern suburbs and work in the south east suburbs - so either or anything in between will work for me.

Other option would be a place to store said vehicle until I get my game together.   Offers? 
Happy to provide some form of payment for any kindness offered in that regard. 

Would prefer to get her up and running though.

Thanks guys.

Shan

[Sirpent]

Shan

For what you are doing try Ivan at TIK Motor Engineers & Repairers

63A St Albans Rd, St Albans TEL: 9366 7131

I know Ivan and he does all sorts of work, used to be into Nissan's in the 1980's, does ECU work and genrally an all round good mechanic who does performance and modification work etc.

Cheers

John

[benny]

PM Sent!!

[Michael]

Can Highly Reccomend - Brimbank Automotive - In slater parade in East keilor,(Right  off a Ring road exit)  Good Guys good work, They do all our Company cars, And just generally do good work. ( seem to have plenty of room aswell ) If you Give them a Call, Let them know Mikey from Digigraphix Referred ya,

Hope it all works out mate, - Mikey