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sparegolfer

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Hello everyone out there in Z land. Ok, I will try to be short and sweet. I am in the process of starting to work on my 10/70 #11915 Datsun Z that has been sitting in my garage for over 24 years. My how time flies when life gets in the way. But by the grace of God, I think its time. I am going to start first on the front end rebuild. The car will have some new old stock Mulholland springs that will lower the car an inch with Koni red struts. I have a set of urethane bushings on the way and also new lower ball joints and outer tie rod ends. Since the car will be lowered, what else am I going to need? Do I need a adjustable camber kit, bump stops, strut insulators and bump steer spacers also? Is there anything else I'm missing? I am just trying to cover all my bases before I get started so I don't waste to much time and money making mistakes. 

Also, thank you to everyone for being so helpful on this forum. This is going to be a journey for sure and I will need all the help I can get. 

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4 minutes ago, sparegolfer said:

Since the car will be lowered, what else am I going to need?

Well that depends what kind of driving you are going to do, if it is a weekend car 1-2 track days a year then you can get away with just some bump stops (NOT hard poly, you need the stiff poly foam) and good tires. If you think you will be doing lots of track then you might want to get camber plates, caster adjustment and the rest that stuff.  Just my opinion.

Urethane bushings are great for track work but can be punishing for a street car.

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I would suggest not running poly bushings on both sides of the body where the Tension/Compression Rod attaches.  The common process is to run the poly bushings on the front side and use stock rubber bushings on the back side of the body mount.  Poly/poly is too stiff and won't let the TC rod articulate properly.

You didn't say if you have a full poly bushing set, but if not, be sure to install new poly steering rack mount bushings.  While you are at it, your steering rack boots are likely old and dried out, so when you do the tie rods, install new rubber boots on the rack.

 

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The car would just be used as a weekend warrior, no track days or anything like that. I plan on running either 15x7 or 16x7/8 wheels but nothing to exotic. I really like Jeff's idea about running poly in the front and rubber in the back. Sounds like my hair back in the 80s. Also, didn't I read something about a "upper strut bearing"? Is that a part that I would need to replace since the car has been sitting for so long? Also, what do y'all (yes we use that a lot down here) think about sway bar sizes? I had a 73 before with larger aftermarket sway bars front and back and I liked the feel of them but are they really necessary for a weekend warrior like mine? I'm thinking just start with the original sway bars and if I want to upgrade, then do it later.  I really do value everyone's opinions on this. I have been out of the Z loop for so long and now trying to get back into it. I've got so many cobwebs in my brain right now trying to clear those out and get back into the Datsun game. 

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Bigger sway-bars is going to give you stiffer body roll.  The poly bushings are going to give a stiffer ride.  I prefer the offset lower bushings in the front to help with alignment.  I also prefer the stiffer ride.  Sounds like you have a nice set-up going!

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With lowering springs you definitely want to add bump stops to the shocks.  I did poly bushings all around when I redid my car, quickly regretted that decision and switched out to OE rubber everywhere except the front control arms where I have eccentric bushings for a bit of camber adjustment.  You'll probably not find rubber bushings for the steering rack so be prepared for a bit of snap in the steering with the available poly versions.  For a street car there is little need for a sway bar upgrade since you are lowering the car.  Front strut mount bearings can be replaced if yours are dry or damaged in any way.

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1 hour ago, sparegolfer said:

 I am in the process of starting to work on my 10/70 #11915 Datsun Z that has been sitting in my garage for over 24 years. My how time flies when life gets in the way. But by the grace of God, I think its time. I am going to start first on the front end rebuild. The car will have some new old stock Mulholland springs that will lower the car an inch with Koni red struts.

What are you starting with?  A completely stock 240Z that was parked in 1994?  Or did it already have some mods?  Are the Konis 24 years old?  Have you been watching the conversations about values?  An old stock 1970 car might be worth keeping stock.

Got any pictures?

Stock rubber busings can often be found.  "Poly" is oversold and a bit hypey.  The poly guys just made replicas of every rubber part they could find and advertised them as a performance upgrade.  And colored them red.

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The car that I am starting with is a completely stock, very straight, practically rust free unicorn of a car. I am truly blessed to have found and kept this car around for this long. Well, I say car, its actually just a shell of a car. I do have the majority of the parts to put it back together again. I bought the car off a guy years and years ago that was going to turn it into a vintage race car but he never did. Bought it for $500. The Koni struts will be new. I am kinda in between a rock and a hard place because I know how much the car is increasing in value and this car certainly has the potential to so easily be a perfect 10, and I think about that and it drives me mad and puts a lot of pressure on me to build the perfect car, but nah... I can't do it. I honestly don't have the resources, time and know how to build such a car. More than that, I'm not into the whole stock original look with skinny tires and stuff. I want to have fun and just relax and have a good time with it car. 

As far as the stock bushings, I might have to look through my parts boxes. I've got so much stuff laying around I might actually have some already! Lol.  

 

  

 

 

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Zed wow, thank you for that, perfect. Just looking at the pic, I have a question about number 42, the kit seal strut and number 53, the bearing strut mount. When I order my Koni reds, will these come with the struts themselves or do I have to order them separately? It's all the little parts that drive people to madness and I'm just trying to minimize the madness! 

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3 hours ago, sparegolfer said:

Also, didn't I read something about a "upper strut bearing"? Is that a part that I would need to replace since the car has been sitting for so long?

Soak them in some thinners and wash the hard grease out of them, repack with fresh grease and they will be good for another 50 yrs.

1 hour ago, sparegolfer said:

More than that, I'm not into the whole stock original look with skinny tires and stuff. I want to have fun and just relax and have a good time with it car. 

Well just keep all of the original stuff so you can take it back to original if you change your mind.

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