Whittie

S14 Silvia Box. I have a knock-off C's type short shifter that has the bolt patterns for an RB20DET box that I'm trying to sell. I wanted this more than the NISMO shifter in the car, but it doesn't fit my gearbox. Easily better than the NISMO shifter given the super short thow and the heavy weight arm giving a really solid feel. Send me a PM

This is what I did. It has the added advantage of not being $200 and also reduces the E/W throw as well as the N/S shift length. FWIW, I've now got a 71C box with a NISMO 'Solid' shifter and it trumps anything I've tried on a 71B box, mostly due to the more advanced shiverfing mechanism and synchro's

Good to hear you got your toe sorted! From a technical stand point, the Z Force Production rear arms are actually a FAR better geometry. His are not yet for sale tho and there is a very long thread on Hybridz about the legitimacy or not of this guys business and the quality of some of the products. For my application, the TTT arms are well over engineered and I decided that for the cost and potential pain of non-delivery or a poor product that I would just stick with what I know. If you read the Hybridz thread there is a lot of discussion about the arms and the thread collectively designed and built proto-types of that A-arm setup, as opposed to the H-arm that is the standard arm and like all the other aftermarket zed arms for sale at the present. Ultimatly tho, if you wanted the best possible rear suspension you would go with an A-arm something like the one in that link

I used those derlin bushes bout found that after about 7 or 8 track days they had worn out due to rubbing and binding. The bushes are straight holes and are really only designed for camber. Putting the rear control arm on an angle other than directly in line with the two bushes by adjusting one bush more or less further outwards than the other bush forces the control arm to swing inside a tube on an angle different to it and wears out the inside and outside edges as the suspension moves through it's range of motion and then once it wears you get a 'banging' noise like metal on metal coming from the rear of the car under acceleration and braking. Hopefully you can get a picture of what I am trying to describe. I eventually opted for these: http://www.technotoytuning.com/productdetail.php?p=864 about $500 delivered to your door and you can play with toe and camber and they come with polyurethane bushes. For the price of 2 sets of derlin bushes, you'll never need to replace anything on the control arm again and you are afforded WAY more adjustment than the bushes can provide. Just my $0.02

In a 260z, with an R200 long nose it's 22.5 inch's. What's that, 571.5mm, give or take. **To clarify, from memory that measurement is centre of the pivot on the "U" on either end of the tail shaft. So, centre hole of the uni to centre hole of the uni either end of the tail shaft.

Cheers Lurch, First post updated.

Hey Hodgo, No, this is poor man's "Launch Control". It probably shouldn't really be termed that at all, I just think it sounds cool The MSD simply engages the second stage rev limit when it receives a 12v signal on a secondary wire. In this case we have wired it up to the clutch so that when the clutch is depressed, the limit is 4000 rpm and when the clutch is released it stops the 12v signal and the MSD reverts back to the original 7000 rpm limit. It will basically just be used so that when you launch at the drags/hill climbs that you don't have to use the throttle to control the revs, you can just hold the throttle at the percentage open that you want to get the best launch and the MSD will keep the motor at whatever rpm you set it at. I find that having to 'mash' the throttle off the line can cause severe wheelspin if not done properly and is a bit hit-and-miss. The snapped moustache bar will testify to what happens without enough revs at the drags and the outcome of axle tramp, this just makes it a bit easier to get off the line consistently. I'll adjust the rev limit until I get the best launches but I suspect holding the throttle at around 50% with around 3500-3700rpm limiter will give great results. Unfortunatly, there is no wheel sensor to limit rpm or any fancy electronics, just simply an on-off switch.

31 July 2010 Well I'm offshore again and whilst this would normally mean no progress on a car build, Dad has been leading the charge! Dad picked up a new battery and a 70amp 300zx alternator during the week to finally hit the stupid flattening battery on the head! Soo sick of batteries going flat on me! The tacho stopped working and in typical fashion I get an email AFTER the dash has been pulled out telling me that the dash does NOT in fact have to come out to remove the alternator... I had a bit of a chuckle Turns out there was nothing wrong with the tacho tho, I suppose that is a good thing, but a bit strange. While the dash was out tho Dad thought it would be a good idea to finally fit the second stage rev limiter from the MSD as a launch controller. A bit of soul later, literally shoe sole, this was rigged: The MSD takes a 12v signal, triggered from the brake light switch on the clutch pedal, and engages a second rev limiter. In this case it's 4000rpm and Launch control!!! This could save some serious times at hill climbs because it will mean that I won't have to worry about balancing revs and throttle as well as handbrake and the timing light, just have to literally sidestep the clutch at the green light and be off. Just to make things sensible, it also has a kill switch mounted in an empty spot on the centre console so that it can be disabled for on the track so that it doesn't affect ability to double clutch down changes properly: This amazing little contraption should also mean it's possible to flat change at the drags without risk of over-revving the engine! I'll have a crack when I get home next week but I'm told that the car sounds pretty awesome banging on the limiter at 4k, imagine that, Launch Control in a 33 year old car!! It was also my birthday yesterday and because I’m stuck offshore feeling sorry for myself I indulged in some retail therapy. I have these two little baby’s on the way from the states  I also ordered the Alcantara for the interior on Tuesday in solid black which is on its way from Germany as I type this so I’m hoping the suede steering wheel will tie the dash into the Alcantara trim that will be débuting in a zed for perhaps the first time in Australia! (Can anyone quantify that?!) I also got a lead on getting spray-on suede for the plastic panels in the hatch area. Still undecided on the dash, but I don’t want to over-do the whole suede thing so I’ll probably leave the dash and the centre console as they are, with maybe just a suede gear boot and gear lever cover. Tomorrow is the first event since EASTER for the car, Dad is competing in the Regularity at Wanneroo Raceway in Perth. It's also the first event with the new suspension and radiator. Dad had a shakedown day yesterday at the track and the previous owner, who now has a 351 GT Falcon rekons the car is doing sub 70 second laps and given this guys experience at the track I have no reason to doubt him. Dad had nothing but amazing things to say about the new suspension setup right until he plowed it into the dirt at about 100kph…. He didn’t damage anything and I’m glad to hear that good sense and driving prevailed so he just went in in a straight line to avoid rolling the car after pushing too hard coming down the back straight into the last corner. I have heard from him that there is sand EVERYWHERE in the car tho and that it has taken most of the day just to clean it out. So, I'm really hoping for good things during timed runs tomorrow at the event! Our current PB at the track is 71.7s, the same for the both of us. If we can take 2 seconds off just in suspension that would be mind blowing! I'll keep you all posted with the results, but if a little over $1500 can have a 2s reduction in lap times I would recommend the suspension mods to everyone.

He's bang on the money there, I was just suggesting that if you are considering an STi diff swap that you might consider an R200 for simplicity and cheapness if you weren't required to run an R180 such as in group Sc, no other reason. If you are happy with an open diff (you wont be for long with 240hp, let me tell you now) then it is a total non-issue.

Wow, unless you want the weight savings or require an R180 (Sc racing) I would go for an R200. Can grab a viscous R200 for $0 (Literally, both mine were free) from a silvia and rebuild them into a zed R200 with the crown and pinion you like for around $600-$800. Then it's a matter of cutting and welding stub axles from the zed onto the silvia stub axles, i.e. take the 'rods' from the silvia diff and weld on the flange from the zed so that the shafts botl up. Mine cost about $800 ready to go in the car for a 'brand new' diff. Those flanges and studs after shipping (assuming about $80US here) would be roughly $700 alone, plus the cost of the STi diff..... **EDIT** I just realised you could also just use the 'rod' from the stub axle off the STi diff and weld the zed flange on to that, same as what I did but I used a silvia diff. It cost me $50 to get them cut and welded, beats the crap out of $700 and the quality of the welds, nothing is going to break. I don't really see the need for such expensive stub axles to be honest, but that's just my opinion.

The local mechanic in Perth here has seen a few of these boxes on Z's he has wrecked. At the time he never thought anything of it and it the gearboxes were rubbish just threw them out. When I was doing the 71C gearbox swap he swore blind that he had seen a box come off an L series with the larger bearing hole and skimmed face, good to know he wasn't mad cause in the last year he hasn't found another anywhere despite looking. Does anyone know if it's possible to buy these bellhousings? Would save some pain instead of modifying them.

The 3.9 is an AWESOME ratio, good choice! I have a 4.4, 3.9 and 3.5 and the 3.9 is by far the best for the road in an N/A motored car. It has good accel without silly revs on the freeway. For the local track where it is not possible to go more than 200kph the 4.4 is the best with it's top speed of 220 (Silvia gearbox with longer 5th gear). I would go a 3.5 with a turbo motor tho, the extra speed would require it and the low revs on the freeway would be superb. It sounds like you're going to have a pretty hot motor in that thing, is it going to see the track? I would also recommend the Silvia gearbox swap, you can see my tutorial posted in the sticky in the gearbox section http://www.viczcar.com/forum/index.php/topic,3210.msg69672.html#msg69672 It's very simple and you won't go munching boxes everytime you drive the car. Extra length in 5th gear also helps on the freeways without being too big a difference to the standard 5 speed For the diff, I just swapped the internals from an R200 out of a silvia. For an R180 I've heard you can just take the LSD out of an STI and buy adapters from the states for about $200 to get the drive shafts to bolt on. Also, have you thought about CV's? . I know, a million questions but it's worth thinking about all of this now before buying anything. I would recommend CV's, I've busted too many shafts at the drags to want to do anything else again if I was building a car ground up. Which CV's you use (if any) could alter what you can and can't use in terms of LSD centres, so no point buying something now to have the hassle of buying again or retrofitting to get stuff to work. Do it right and Do it once, is my motto.

For everyone who asked (and even those who didn't) here is apic of the car back in WA in '08 at the Albany Hillclimb

Welcome! It's a pity such a nice car had to leave the hands of the owner/builder and WA, but great to see it getting put to good use! I don't really like this trend of cars leaving the state, but I suppose it makes mine more valuable right, so not too bad If I can say, watch out for the rear drive shafts. I've been at more than one hillclimb where the previous owner blew a drive shaft on the line Have you guys tickled with the idea of turbo charging it? When I last spoke to the PO, probably about 2 or 3 years ago now, he had had the suspension tower modified to allow placement of the turbo, had the manifold and everything ready to go, but decided he was scaring himself enough in it as it was so never progressed with it, it would REALLY be a monster then!!

I dunno what the mount is like on your car, but on mine it's just a thing bit of sheet steel wrapped in a circle, so not such a good spot. I've mounted on the suspension arm succesfully. I put the stand all the way back on the 'rod' that goes between the mounts on the inboard sides. Careful not to take paint off tho cause the stand could be on an angle. Not ideal but I honestly can't think of anywhere else to mount a rear stand!! **EDIT** Just to clarify, it doesn't damage the sway bar or diff just the vibration from the diff turns into a really horrible vibration noise as the stabiliser bars rattle against the diff and transmits the noise to the cabin.

I'd advise against rear sway bar. I've done that twice now and while stable have managed both times to bend the mount and push the stabiliser bar into the diff. The noise it makes stopped me half way out the drive way enroute to a race day and caused me to miss the event Be warned if you hear really bad rear-end noise after jacking car from said location

There is a link in BenZed's thread

It's amazing the sort of money people will spend on cars. It would be nice if there were more people in Perth so these displays would have more variety, they tend to just be the same guys and cars every show which is dissapointing.

If you want to see a contingent of zeds, go and check out the regularity at Wanneroo on the 1st of August on the way home/before the cruise. Actually scrap that, the cruise will go all day as racing is about 10-4 so you won't make it. You should organise a cruise to the next one! The 1st is not, but you usually get about 7-10 zeds at the regularity championship rounds. The next championship rounds are: 12 September I am pushing and should hopefully get the club to run a regularity trial at night under lights on the short track. Now THAT would be worth coming to see. I'll let you know as it progresses, it depends on track availability at the moment but I think a sat night opened up later in the year due to a cancellation.

Cheers Dazzed, I absolutely love the new arms, everything is just super tight now, no play, knocks, bangs or movement anywhere in the rear end now. Makes a nice solid 'wheels loosing traction' noise when dropping the clutch instead of a 'about to leave the rear-end behind' noise I'm not sure what they did exactly to get the pin out but it does look that way. I know it was REALLY stuck and took quite a bit of force. I think they may have sanded/tidied up a bit after pushing the pin out so that would have taken a bit of paint off too. It's a pretty solid bit of metal so I'm not worried about it. I'll be powder coating it all soon so it stays as it is for now.

I had mine explode, I mean literally explode, at the drags. Twice. In two trips.... Both times they lodged in the suspension and bound up, so to find the positives of a bad situation at least it didn't lock up as you were driving along! I second the wolf creek cv's, but make sure you put nyloc nuts on the outside of them and lockwire EVERYTHING as they come loose all the time otherwise. Here is what I've done to keep mine tight:

Thief!! Welcome to the forum. Eccentric sounds pretty appropriate to me. Mind mentioning who you bought it from?

Hi Rayray, thanks for the encouragement! Nice to see another Perth boy on the forum. I rarely drive the car on the road, mostly to and from events and the odd Sunday but it does still have normal registration, yes. The headlight covers i purchased from warren at AllZparts in Sydney. They were 120 or 140 and then add probably another 20 to ship them. I'm not sure how that compares to ordering from the states but i was at his shop and it was much easier to just pick them up than order stuff from America for the minimal difference. I don't have his number on hand but if you call him he'll be able to help you out.

19 July 2010 Well, HUGE success with the tie-rods today! I made a new thread over here: http://www.viczcar.com/forum/index.php/topic,7436.0.html That details the whole procedure. In short, it works a treat and fits with standard suspension AND wheels, even with TTT Roll Centre Adjusters. Here are a couple pics showing the final product. Old vs new: On the car: Massive thanks to Dad for following this mod through after I had given up on it and was convinced it couldn’t be done!

Hi Chartoo, I also think there would be demand. I would MUCH rather have bought a kit. Unfortunatly I do not have the resources or equipment to make Kits. I have, However, been in contact with a company that I feel SHOULD be making these kits and I'll let you know of any results. On a side note, you still in asia? If you're in town, you want to come look at my car before I pull it to bits in about 4 weeks?