Rick

This an awesome site. If only we had the same availability in Australia! Rick

Definately were all MPH on Australian delivered Z's up to 74 I would like to change mine to KPH. So if somebody in Oz has got one please let me know. Rick - Brisbane

I have heard you can get the guts out of a Subaru diff. What i would like to know is how you identify the diff and ratios. If you hear of any please let me know. You can get a purpose made geared format from a Company in Melbourne - sells for about AUD1450 Rick Brisbane

Alfadog as I remember you were based on the Gold Coast. Do yourself a favour and get yourself up to the Z Shop in Underwood/ Brisbane. Alan Stean has been involved in rallying Z'ds for 25 years. He wiill look at your suspension setup and advise according to your budget and use. He recently replaced my 71 z springs with King 200lb progressive type, fitted adjustable Koni shocks and changed front swaybar to 22mm and rear to 12 mm with urethane rubbers. With 16x 6.5 Simmons wheels and 205x 50 series sticky Falken tyres this car can be thrown into most corners flat out. I race this car at Willowbank and hold off some expensive historic machinary purely because this car handles so neutrally. Regards Rick

You cannot listen to everyone you gotta try things yourself. The standard carbs that come with the 240Z do a good job of supplying fuel all the way up to 6500RPM, then the engine starts to become breathless. I run my car in sprint events with a standard 240 block, N42 head and free flow header with two and a quarter inch exhaust (+- 160 HP) and stay within two seconds a lap of the guys with 260 motors and triple weber carbs. I load the car with spare tyres, tools and camping gear and travel 300 km to events, unload everything, race, and drive home again. the next weekend I will be taking the car down the coast road for a within the speed limit relaxing drive. Thats what I call flexability! Rick

Hi Mike, The "Australian historic car racing category" I am talking about is track racing. CAMS state that the wheels may be a maximum of 6" wide but must retain the original manufacturers wheel size which is 14" for the 240Z. They have recently changed tyre size to 60 series which would theoretically allow one to use a 205/60 x 14 tyre. However only 195/60 x 14 road race tyres like Yokohama ADVAN are available which reduce rolling dia to 589 mm. Good for sprint work but not for top speed. What Subaru model had the R180 diff? By the way one of the most informative guys I have met on 240 Z's and especially rally cars is Alan Stean of "The Z Workshop" in Brisbane. He has rallied Z's for 20 years and is currently campaigning one in NZ and Aus. His website is www.zcarworkshop.com.au and email address is zcar@iprimus.com.au Rick

Wow! I have read so many replies to your suspension request that I thought I should add what I run on my car. My car was originally purchased to run in the Australian historic series which has strict rules on what you can and cannot do to your suspension. You can lower the car using stiffer springs and use non adjustable telescopic dampers. add sway bar to rear and not change camber angle by any remodelling of turret. All cars to run 14x6 wheels max with 60 series tyres allowed. Very limiting to say the least. I opted for street sprints as I did not want to fit a welded roll cage and came up with the following suspension setup that allows me to drive the car on weekdays and race on weekends. Shortened 230lb progressive springs with Koni adjustable inserts in modified struts. New rubbers in front suspension with urethane in rear. The front must be more flexible. 14mm swaybar at rear with 20mm in front. This allows the independant suspension to dive and bite for grip on acceleration out of corners. This road setup provides awesome handling when combined with 16x 6.5" wheels and 205X50 sticky tyres. Now does anyone know where I can find an R180 LSD Oh! you also need to brake harder when slowing from 180 kmph so I fitted twin pot calipers from a hilux 4wd and high temp pads. The corner speeds are already frightening and now I do not have enough power so guess what happens next? Rick - Brisbane

Hi Cuong, Mind boggling engine swops! My choice would be the RB26 but what diff would take that power. I suppose the LSD you advised me you had put into your car will take the power. Make me envious just looking at the pictures. We have a few similar conversions in Brisbane. These guys spend a fortune on tyres, parts and of course traffic fines. Rick - Brisbane

I like you have only recently purchased 240Z with the sole purpose of doing sprints. My car is currently getting Koni struts, lowered firmer springs and uprated swaybars fitted so that I can do the Leyburn sprints in August. There are street sprints at Pittsworth, Leyburn and Gatton and track sprints at Morgan Park Race track at Warwick and Qld Raceway. Great fun and well organised. This weekend there is historic racing at Qld Raceway where you can see 240z's racing against Xu1's and other exotic,s. Z Club of Qld and Alan Stean at The Z Workshop, Underwood, Brisbane can help you with all the info you need. Attached see my beast before suspension work. Rick - Albany Creek, Brisbane.

Definately contact The Z Car Club of Queensland or Alan Stean at the Z Car Workshop. He knows more about Z'S and Z activities than any person in QLD. Rick - Albany Creek, Brisbane

Keep me informed as I have not purchased replacements yet. I would love to see them fitted to your Z rick

Thats exactly what I was thinking yesterday. Mazda M5 in this country has perfect mirrors for 240Z. I enquired about new ones. Wowwwww!!!!! nearly worth as much as my car! Rick

I am a new Z enthuisiast having owned an "E" type Jag, an MGA Coupe, a Triumph TR3A and a Triumph TR4A. Parts are all too expensive for these cars and you really would not want to wreck one in any competition work. Hence the Z which is a perfect format to drive in the week and race on the weekend. So I now need to find the right bits to make my car handle better to start with. Now how do I attach the photo to this message? I have gone to browse, opened the file, now what? You got to remember us Aussies are not too bright! Rick

I found a nice set of Simmons wheels in 16 X 7 to fit my 71 Z. Current tyres of 205 x 55 have OD of 24.88" The original standard 175 x 70 series was 23.65" I will be fitting 205 x 50 Falken ZE 502 tyres which have OD of 23.7". Rick - Brisbane

I have been looking for jap replacement seats and find that the seats from a Nissan 180 or 200SX will fit with new brackets. Honda CRX seats are good as well. The problem is the seat needs to be very narrow at the hip and backrest needs to taper towards top. However they are cloth and are usually buggered when you find them at a wreckers. The best bet is an after market format which gives great support and look good. Rick - Brisbane