dozer171

here in the states it's called an 'end link'. i'm not sure if it's the same in the UK or not...

dude, this world is too friggin small, i just graduated from IHS last year! this'll be a bummer for you though... they changed the name to "irondequoit eagles" because them there dern in-gins been bitching so much. i was the last class to graduate as an indian ... pretty much the state school commissioner said "it would be awful nice if all the schools with indian names change them to something else" and we bent over and took it in the arse like a bunch of sissies! yet, east high is still the orientals... politics suck!

over here in good 'ol ra cha cha we're paying about 1.75 for regular, and around 1.93 for premium. definatly not looking forward to working to pay for gas this summer! not expecting the best of gas mileage out of those dell's...

i like naming cars, i think it's a semi-healthy, and fairly normal thing to do! although, lady folk don't especially like it, especially if the car shares the same name as an ex girlfriend :stupid:

the dist. isn't doing anything other than controlling when the plugs fire, not making it all that much more efficient. you best bet would be to take a gander through motorsports cataloge at their ignition section... they are online at www.zcarparts.com you can also call them and they'd be able to help you out. i'm willing to bet that's why your coil took a wizz on ya. don't mean for this to sound like a bummer... anyone out there think i am mistaken? if i am, i appologize. but, after thinking about it a while, that's all that really makes sense. that coil you put in is pretty powerful. it's designed to be controlled by an ouside device (such as the crane ignition box), and not just by points or the stock ignition module.

the crane coil should only be used with the full crane ignition system available from motorsport. it adjusts things such as dwell, current, all that good stuff. ignition is another one of those parts where you kinda gotta do it all at once, and not just bits and pieces at a time...

you are also going to need the transistorized ignition unit from the 280's as well. they use a magnetic trigger that runs into the box inside the passenger compartment (passenger side). unless you use a 280ZX dist. which has the module mounted on the side of the dist. i'm confused, are you using the hi-po coil with or without the ballast resistor? also, what brand of coil are you running? just the accel super coils you pick up at pep boys or advance???

that ballast resistor is there to protect the points and the stock coil. since you put on an aftermarket coil, that'll be fine. but, you'll burn up the points in a hurry. upgrade to the electronic ignition kit that VB sells, about 90 bucks. my friend did it on his 240 and it was an INSTANT difference. it only took about 20 mins to install too!

damn! hit the wrong button! ok, here's a nice pic of me racing...

pictures, of course i have pictures! the color is one used by GM in the 90's.. dark cloissone blue pearl. sharp looking color, even without being rubbed out yet!

thought maybe i should attach a pic of the airdam....

i have the motorsport airdamn (urethane) on my 78 with the brake ducts.. i like it, made a world of difference at 90mph.. here's the story about how the 'spook' got it's name.... way back in the day, when BRE racing first got ahold of the Z's, they all noticed the front end lift too, and some other aerodynamic tendancies of the car. but, back then, there was a rule that in the class they were running, they couldn't use any front mounted aerodynamic modifiers. so, to bend the rules, they made that little chin spoiler thing and cut holes in it. they ran ducting to the brakes. to justify its placement, they said it was simply to cool the brakes, and that was it's sole purpose. they also didn't call it an airdam (which they knew it really was..), they called it a spook!

I met up with a guy coming onto 390 while i was in my Z. i sped up and caught up to him, beeped my horn, and he looked at me shocked as hell! some big cheeZy grins and tumbs up later, we both took off doing indian runs and playing tag for the next few miles before he had to get off! that was fun, just about a week after they were released! i had a grin on my face all night... so, that's another type. a guy who obviously knows another Z when he sees it, and LOVES to play

My real name is T.J. Vieira. i havn't hooked up with the club yet, waiting to get the chance to goto a meeting may/june for sure i'll go active! beam me an email at dozer171@yahoo.com! would love to go out cruising once i get my triple dellorto's running!

AxtellZ, you are right near me! i goto Alfred State college! about, oh, i dunno, 20-30 mins from you! small world!

mine is pretty simple... people here in the states, remeber the kids show "fraggle rock"? well, i always liked the dozers (maybe doozers, i'm still not sure how it's spelled!), the little builder people. i've always liked building things, getting dirty and the such, so that's where it mainly came from (after a discussion with a friend). the 171 isn't for a 71 Z (i wish!), it was my weight class for wrestling during highschool, 171 lbs. so, put the two together, we get dozer171!

hope it works out!!!!

that 'clamp bolt' i guess that's what you could call it (the bolt that runs through the split piece of metal that clamps the balljoint pin to the strut assembly) is another torque spec that should be read as 'tight'. don't tighten the living wizz out of it, but, don't leave it loose... know what i mean? the pin coming out of the balljoint as i remember has a detent in it for the bolt, so even if the bolt is slightly loose, the assembly isn't going anywhere unless the bolt falls out.

oops, just reread your post.. you odn't need any special tools to take care of the control arm, just a socket set and a breaker bar! heat helps too... a propane torch is all you need.

put your jackstands on the front crossmember (under the steering rack) as far apart as possible, and keep the back end on the ground to keep things stable. the T/C rod isn't under much tension with the suspension decompressed, it isn't a real safety issue. the real safety issue is the the springs if you are replacing those too (i used the motorsport springs, again, VERY COOL!). be careful taking them off, when you start compressing them, allot of energy is stored up. if the compressor lets go, we'll just say the human body won't stand up well to the abuse... but, if you do it right, ie. the compressors are 180* from eachother, and you compress them at an even rate, you'll be all set. just keep an eye on the little arms on them when you start compressing them to make sure that they are holding onto the spring nice and tight! there's really no reason to not do the springs and struts while it's all apart.. it's an easy process. i did my entire suspension in just under a week, and that's including the 1 day each to take the rear spindle pins out... that sucked... i just used monroe struts for now, even with the motorsport springs. sometime (read when i get the money! college bites!) i'll upgrade to adjustable tokico's and maybe eibach springs along with some beefy swaybars. (*drool* )

if your seals are as shot as the ones in my dad's fiero, yup! ! man, he gets a nice healthy puff of blue smoke every time the motor starts and a james bond style smoke screen every time he romps on it... i spotted him about 50 yards up the road, so i downshift and took off after him, well, he did the same and gave me the pleasure of expiriencing first hand how much oil his car can burn! my poor Z stunk all afternoon! i would replace the seals and see what happens. also, while you are at it, replace the PCV valve, because if this is metering excess blowby into the intake, it very easily could be allowing oil to see up. did you put the baffle back in when you built your motor? there should have been a metal plate on the side of the casting inside right under the outlet. that holds in a folded up wire mesh with the purpose of blocking oil and other contaminates from making their way into the intake...

i replaced my suspension with the urethane bushings from motorsport, they are GREAT! they didn't make the ride overly stiff, but the handling difference was NIGHT AND DAY!! i had a nice big cheeZy grin on my face that entire first right flinging her into corners like no one else's business with that said, be sure that you use the included lube between the bushing and the metal sleeve, or they will squeek. if you do it right the first time, you shouldn't have to do it again. and, all the torque specs are fine. most of the can be read as "tight" instead of an actual reading. also, be VERY carefuly with the spindle pins taking them out. the small locking wedge they use on mine caused a slight bur on the shaft, which took a day per side to get out, complete with grossly mushroomed heads, even after using an oxy-acetaline torch to get the assembly glowing. luckily, my father is a machinist, and simply took them to work, turned new threads, lapped the shaft for me, and voila! didn't have to pay 60 bucks a side! wow it went together easier than it came apart :stupid:

my 78Z did the same thing. if you look at the GM f bodies of the 80's and early 90's, a simmilar thing happens to them in the same spot. that is where the flexing causes a break in the seam. DO NOT WELD THERE!!! they are joined with lead body solder, which is probably why they broke to begin with.. i simply used a soldering iron and reworked the led in the area. if you weld it, you're going to make a BIG mess... also, be careful sanding as the lead is very soft and will start scratching real bad if you start sanding. do just enough to smooth it out after you reflow the lead.