sopwith21

Okay, module is here. Now... there are two wires that plug into it. One of them goes directly to the coil and there is only one option on how and where to plug it in. The other wire is a small wire coming from the distributor itself. But there are two possible female receptacles on the back of the ignition module where it could be plugged in... which one do I use? Thanks.

How can I tell if it's an E12-80? I pulled mine off the distributor and it has "C B" stamped into the plastic, and a silver sticker that reads "482 US."

Need one for a 79-83 280zx. All the salvage yards are out of stock, and the best price I can find to order one is $135. Any ideas? Many thanks!

Yes, but not due to airflow. When it was originally installed by another owner, it sagged in the center. We tried to bolt it up again after the plastic had developed a memory and it deformed it a bit.

We're at 2,213 lbs and legal.

We're not getting any of that. The car turns in with slight understeer, then sets and balances in the center quite well, then slowly and predictably transfers weight and slightly oversteers coming off the corner. Everything you would expect with a welded diff. The car does not snap from under to over steer. It's slow and predictable. I will, thanks. And now I know what to look for. We set the fronts at 3 and the rears at 2. We've tested them at all settings and this seems to work best on a technical course that averages right at 75 mph. I suppose we could change the settings to something more extreme, but if you have to go 5 at one end of the car and 1 at the other, to me that's just indicative of another problem somewhere else on the car. I don't think you can over-adjust struts to compensate for another issue... we just need to solve the root problem to begin with and let the struts do their job. So 3 and 2 seem to work okay.

I agree! My only point was that they appear to still be working. And yes, they are BZ3099's. But if the rebound is shot, I should be having rebound problems under acceleration out of a turn. I'm pretty experienced and can't feel any such problem???

You could be right, but the suspension was not a random design. Pro Shocks of Lawrenceville, GA specializes in racing suspensions and they did the work. Of course, that doesn't make them perfect... but in late October we ran the quickest lap the car has run since the summer of 04 and finished 1st and 2nd in our events, so they must have done something right. Very slight push in, slightly loose off. Perfectly balanced in the center with good weight transfer and constant, predictable and controllable handling at the limit. I'm all for making it better, but the 19 cars we beat that weekend unanimously agreed that it's not junk. Good thought on the diff cooler. Oil cooler is already in the plan. And thanks for the temperature levels and fluid recommendations - we'll use them. Already ducting 4 inches through both headlight holes to no avail. We'll look at the Hawk Blues upgrade, but I don't think anything short of a serious system upgrade is going to do the trick. Granted, we were running a very tight track that's murder on brakes, but we were boiling fluid within 20 miles of racing. And it's not the driver. I think I'm going to follow your advice on the pads and the previous advice on new rotors/calipers as well. It's a total system upgrade, I'm afraid. Excellent way to put it. Good thoughts. Thanks!

Yes. Dunno yet. Yes. Temps were awful until we dumped a lot more fuel into it. Now it peaks at 230, rides around 220-225. Would sure like to drop 20 degrees or so.

I misread your post... thought you typed "lb." I didn't put the tranny in but can find out if it's an early or late edition. I'm sure it's not a Borg Warner. Either way, the question still remains. I would think that the 4-speed would be preferable to an early 5-speed, but the B 5-speed would be preferable over the 4-speed.

Additional notes: Triple SU carbs. Was cutting out in left hand corners at the last race. Hmm. Holley Blue fuel pump. Will send carbs in for service, including bigger jets, and replace all rubber fuel lines. New engine. Two races on it. L28 with N42 head, +.030, 11.9:1. Ran hot until we poured tons of fuel into it. Now it peaks around 230 degrees in a 30 minute event in 65-degree weather. I'm still worried about long distance races. 15x9 wheels with Hoosier DOT's. Good combo so far. Stock brakes. Porterfield pads. Upgrade already planned. Suspension is good. Coilovers and Tokicos. 350 lbs in front, 250 lbs in rear. Handles very nicely. Slight push in, loose off, due to live axle.

Very helpful, guys. Keeping notes on everything. Keep it going. Tx! Already have the MSD box linked to standard ignition. Of course, that may be the electronic equivalent of pushing a bowling ball through a straw, but we're halfway there. We're not. The question is whether to use the close ratio 5-speed and risk a missed shift and blowing the tranny, or use the 4-speed with the wider ratio and eliminate the concern over missed shifts. Never heard of a "280 lb" tranny. I'm talking about the close ratio 5-speed that had a smaller gap between 2nd and 3rd. Used on ZX's from - I think - 75 onward. Already using Porterfields. The caliper change must be the key. Next post. Tx again.

We've never opened the rear end of this car, so give me some basics... do we want the 180 or 200? Do all 200's come as LSD's?

Here's what we have: 1974 260z early production 1983 L28, N42 head Not sure if we have an R200 or 180, but it's a live axle (welded diff) Coilovers Crummy stock brakes soon to be replaced Close ratio 5-speed Hi guys; For some years we've raced our 260z on off weekends at local and regional club events with some success, winning 21% of our events. But now we want to take the same car endurance racing in long distance events and that's a whole new ball game. So the million dollar question is... What weaknesses does this car have that should be addressed prior to an endurance race? These are the problem areas we've had with this car so far: Occasional broken half shaft Dead ignition module every few races Weak 5th gear that we're afraid to actually use in a race If I pick up one extra half shaft, will the same one work for either side? Is there anything we can do to permanently fix the recurring ignition module failures? What else fails on these cars, and how should we prepare for it? Many thanks for all your thoughts!

AHA! Thank you! That's just what I needed. Yes, I'm racing the car and yes, air trapped against the firewall is a concern. We'll be doing 130 mph or so at some tracks this year so the louvers are probably a good idea. Thanks again.

By any chance are these parts properly called "inspection lids?"

I'm not sure exactly what these are called... we always referred to them as "battery covers." I'm talking about the small, removable covers that allow access to the battery and master cylinder (IIRC). About 10x6 inches, they install on each side of the hood into the top of the fender, very near the base of the windshield. I took mine in for engine work and some brainless dingbat lost them. They swear they'll find them for me, but by that time cars will be replaced by hovercraft. The local junkyards aren't providing much... anyone know where I can find a cheap set? Thanks!

Wow. Really helpful stuff everyone. Many thanks. Regarding the above - was that with stock brakes?

Got issues with my 260Z racecar. Currently the car has stock brakes with Porterfield's best race pads, fabricated vents on the front end, and Motul 600 fluid in the system. This combination is barely sufficient for short sprint races of 30 miles or less. Near the end of the race I have to pump the brakes 5-7 times before I get any stopping power... not a good thing since we're hitting 120 mph on the straights. Eek. I am getting ready to switch to stock endurance racing, which places new demands on the brakes and also limits my ability to use aftermarket upgrades. I know that AZ Z Car has a nice Wilwood setup, but that's clearly not stock and would result in a penalty. Is there another system available? Does another Datsun/Nissan car have a 4-wheel disc system with bigger brakes that would bolt up? There is a bit of leeway on the rules for using other stock parts from another vehicle, but I hate to try and get a new Wilwood system through tech. Any ideas you might have would be appreciated. Thanks!

I'd like a set of blue Lemans stripes for my 260Z racecar... you can find Lemans stripes all day for American muscle cars, but I can't find anything for a 260Z. Any ideas on where to look? If I can't find a kit, I'll just take the measurements and order the next closest thing I can find then modify them. But it would sure be nice to find someone who manufactures them specifically for the 260Z. Thanks for any ideas.

I remember that car... man, it was a last second, knee-jerk call. That car was thrown at me with about 40 seconds notice (literally) but it was still really nice to see a Z on the program. At the moment this car was on air, I was actually thinking of some of the people that I yack with on this forum and wishing some of you were here to talk more about it. Some of the people here could have spent the entire 4-hour show talking Z's, and I certainly could spend 4 hours listening to them. Still, I was delighted to finally see a Z on the show at all, especially a 60. We'll get the occasional 40 or 80, but that's the only 60 we've ever had so it was a treat. I wish you guys could have seen it in person. The people on this forum would really appreciate it more than a general muscle car audience. As you can imagine, I don't get many opportunities to promote Z cars on the show. Most of the Japanese sports cars don't get much respect (and Bill Stephens still jabs me mercilessly for daring to praise the Z), so it's fun to try and make a few new Z-car converts every chance I get. Maybe next time we get a Z, I can squeeze in a some quick props to all the cool people on this forum before the producer yells at me. Stephen Cox Mecum Auto Auctions, HD Theater www.SopwithMotorsports.com

Dan Gurney was one of our first candidates but he does not qualify. He was unthinkably great, but won on only two types of racing surfaces.

No disrespect meant to anyone else, but we are researching American-born drivers only. It is already difficult enough... broadening to a worldwide search would be nearly impossible. This is a tough question, but limiting our scope makes it somewhat possible to find the answers.

It is not a trick question and no, we don't already know the answer. We are researching this from ground zero partially out of personal interest and partially to help someone else with a project. So please, keep up the ideas! You are actually helping tremendously with a research effort. And we know of one driver who fits - Parnelli Jones has done it. Robby Gordon also qualifies if you include Mickey Thompson as a dirt series, which literally speaking, it is. We have had to slightly revise the criteria to make it specific and more clear: we are after drivers who have won on dirt ovals, asphalt ovals, road courses and desert courses. But that is a minor adjustment and the question remains. Many thanks!

I think Roger would be a better candidate, but we can't find any asphalt oval wins. I may call the Mears family and see because you are right, they are among the top candidates in US racing history. Mark Miller is a tough one but we'll keep trying. Having a hard time verify his specific race wins. We've already checked the entire winner's list for Baja, BTW. And yes, I believe the only way to find more drivers is to go back to the 50s and 60s and look for the top drivers in smaller racing series. I'm telling you, there just aren't many guys that have done this, especially in the last half century. Thanks! Any more ideas?