XYZ

This site has a write up on the engine/car and has a picture of the engine. Pretty complex. www.forbes.com/2002/05/13/0513feat_2.html

When you heat up the inner sleeve, if you do it from below and to the inside of the sleeve itself it does a really good job of softening the rubber, which is what you want so you can lever the sleeve out with the vicegrips. After the inner sleeve is out, drilling with the paddle bid takes no time at all and the picture you see with the polished interior of the outer sleeve was with the drill bit. You can tip the bit sideways and clean the rubber right off. I tried burning the rubber out too and the propane torch isn't really hot enough plus it takes a long time and smells really, really bad. The techinque I came up with is fast and there is a minimal burning of rubber so it doesn't gas you out. The one other thing is to get rid of most of the rubber. The second time I did this procedure on my front control arms I didn't get rid of the rubber as well and it gummed up the teeth of my hachsaw.

I found a really good way to remove the bushing (front or back) quickly with simple tools and minimal heartache (once you get the control arm free of course). You need a propane torch like Mike's using, vicegrips, a drill with a 1" paddle bit, a hacksaw and screwdrivers and mallet. 1. Heat the rubber for a few minutes. 2. Attach the vicegrips to the metal bushing inner sleeve. As the rubber softens while being heated start to use the vicegrip as a fulcrum and you physically pull the inner sleeve right out of the rubber. The vicegrip may come free a few times and you'll mutilate the inner sleeve, but who cares (that is, so long as you re not trying to reuse it)? 3. Take the drill and 1" paddle bit and drill out the rubber interior to expose the outer sleeve. 4. Slide the hacksaw blade through the sleeve and start cutting carefully and level until you get through to the control arm. Make two cuts like this about 3/8" apart. Use your mallet and screwdriver (flat tip) and knock out the 3/8" chunk of inner sleeve and then remove the rest with the mallet and screwdriver. Once the smaller piece is gone the rest is cake. Once you do it, it should only take about 20 mins. per sleeve. 5. lightly sand/clean up control arm with a piece of emerycloth or fine round file. Works pretty well. I actually tried to use an air chisel on one control arm and just made a big mess and ended up doing the above procedure. I've never used and air chisel before so either I wasn't holding my mouth right or something. BTW, you need a vice on a bench to hold the control arm still while doing this work it's a gazillion times easier than doing this on the floor.:classic: pic 1 is stock bushing not yet removed. Then vicegrips to pull out inner sleeve. Drilling out rubber after sleeve removed. Outer sleeve cleaned up way beter than need be as at the time I thought I was done but then realized this outer sleeve still needed to be hacksawed out. Live and learn.

Very Nice!!!

The pictures aren't coming up.

Thanks M.

Someone posted a thread a while back with an mpg file showing a riced out honda racing a VW rabbit and a grasshopper crossing the road before the honda finished the race. Can anyone remember what that thread was or can that mpg be posted again?

Thanks for the lead Rick. I called them and it sounds like they have alot of OEM stuff like you said. I'm looking for some after market wheels like American racing outlaw 1 or Centerline Autodrag style. I'm just trying to get the best price. What sucks is American racing used to make the outlaw1 in a 4 bolt pattern and it cost right about 100 bucks. The centerline is right around the price you thought which is a big difference. Wheels america is going to price some stuff for me but they order aftermarket just like all the other tire stores.

I guess technically that right. The offset is the property of the wheel but the car is designed with a certain wheel in mind thus a certain offset. One car's offset will differ from another and if the offset isn't zero or near zero then it won't work on the Z without an adaptor. If some of the newer vehicles like the acura are front wheel drive they may require an offset of say +30mm which won't work on the Z without the adaptor. This list only speaks to bolt pattern 4 on 4.5 but not the offset. It's great to know all these other cars are out there with the same pattern but you also need the offset to know if you need an adaptor.

High Beams!

One thing missing off of that list is offsets for each of those vehicles which would translate into adaptors/no adaptors.

Driftmonky- Is there a web site(s) one could go to and look at these wheels? What is very expensive? Thanks for more options.

What would be a reasonable starting point for cost to have a Z repainted? I want a good job but not gold plated or anything with some minor body work for hail damage like dents, maybe a dozen or so and removal of some body trim. 1. Same color 2. Change in color I've got a couple preliminary over-the-phone estimates starting at $1,500 up to $6,000. Thanks in advance.

How about any women in any car could flash just like at mardi gras!! Show us your Zeds! :stupid: no offense ladies.:classic:

I've got before and after picks if you want to see the difference. I'm pretty sure you can tell but....? How much are you wanting to spend? I'm trying to decide what to do with my stock springs I took off. They're in good shape and I might be willing to part with them if your interested. Are your springs shot?

I just lowered my suspension with Eibachs and tokico non adj. and love it! My car lowered about an 1 3/4" in the rear and about an 1 1/4" in the front. Huge difference. It's a little weird the first few times getting in as I was used to the higher ride height, though (believe it or not!). I think mine lowered a little more than normal because my springs were still in really good shape (not much sag) but the car has leveled out to within about 3/8" front to back for the better. My front ran a little higher than the rear before the switch. San Fran would be a great place to run a Z, I'm jealous! The springs are a little firm on bumps but well worth the expense IMO. BTW, it's a little more difficult to slide the old lift in under the rear end but that's the price you pay. 59' - I'm curious, what did your measurements from centerline of hub to fender end up being? What size bar do you have in front? I don't think you want your rear bar to get equal or larger than your front.

I have been shopping extensively for wheels for my 74Z. I wanted 15's or 16's as well. The selection isn't really all that big. Your basically looking at SUV type rims because Z's are rearwheel drive and zero offset. The 4 bolt pattern, like 2many mentioned is the killer. There is a very limited market for our cars in the 4 on 4.5, 0 offset wheels. I talked with Centerline a while back and was told any of their billet style wheels will work, they are basically custom built and the autodrag style will fit as well. Your into a $200+ wheel at each corner for these. WWW.Eaglewheels.com has one or two styles available that fit and Unique wheel has one similar to American racing outlaw II series in 14 x 7 only. American racing can't help you so don't even waste your time with them. They told me to look at a custom made wheel. If you get Motorsports parts catalog there are a few mfgrs in there (centerline and panasport are 2 of 4 mfgrs). Other than custom wheels thats about it as far as I could find for RWD wheels on the Z. I've made 4 trips to two different tire stores and spent 30+ hours on the net looking at wheels and this is all I could find. There's a thread called 4 x 114.3 about the datsun 510 and all the wheels that will fit that car. The 510 has the same bolt pattern as the Z. There's a web site in this thread with wheels that would fit this bolt pattern but how many are available and if you like them is up for debate. The other solution is to go to an adaptor that changes your offset and bolt spacing but not number of lugs. You would still be in a 4 bolt pattern but with the spacer you can look at front wheel drive or positive offset wheels. I have asked for help via threads on this site in regard to adaptors and peoples experience but thus far haven't gotten much response. I don't know what to tell you about adaptors except there available. I've heard there perfectly safe and run on 10 second cars, duelly's and anything in between and I've talked with a tire store that won't even work on a car with an adaptor. If you can find something please post it! This has been a really frustrating exercise. I'm not sure if there is a new aftermarket wheel out there for $150.00 or less in RWD offset. Anyway, sorry for all the words but hopefully it will help in your search. BTW, this site will help you with various wheel diameters, widths and aspect ratios (ie 70, 60, 50 series) and what combinations will match a stock wheel. www.c5-corvette.com/tirecalc.htm

240z- Nice find! This seems to be a pretty useful site. I'm in the process of trying to find wheels for my Z. I've had a hell of a time finding something without positive offset. They're far and few between and this does help. Not sure how many of these are still available ie American racing stuff but good resource. Thanks. Cars... I don't know but I'm learning a lot about available wheels.

I have the same problem with my choke light staying on, Always. I haven't fixed it yet but I determined that the cable inside the black sheath was frozen and when I moved my choke lever nothing even happened. When I do get the light off from inside and hit a bump it comes right back on. I will replace my choke cable one of these days. I know this doesn't directly help you start your car but it might be worth checking your cable to see if the whole thing is frozen and cable needs to be replaced;that is, after Dumbledore fixes your car.

I have a question for the group regarding wheels spacers and adapters. Does anyone have experience with this type of modification? This web site would be the supplier of the adapter and has information about strenths and materials. WWW.performancewheel.com/adapters.html I'm seriously considering this option as I cannot find more than a handful of wheels that will fit an early model Z that look decent or don't cost tons of cash. My understanding (as explained at the above web site) is the bolt pattern remains a 4 lug pattern and the adapter is rotated 45 degrees off of the existing lugs. The spacing of the lugs can change to whatever you like and the offset becomes positive, 40mm. Instead of shopping for truck wheels and having a selection of maybe a dozen wheels the market is much larger. I know porsche uses a spacer on their cars and they seem to stand up to the performance demands so I'm thinking maybe this is the way to go. Any thoughts? Thanks in advance.

I thought this was interesting to find out. Not really sure if its true but.... My local tire store is telling me that the wheel lug pattern (4 on 4.5), offset (0) and size (R14, R15 or R16) is the equivalent to todays standard truck wheel. The standard truck wheel has a very slight negative offset but essentially 0. Problem is hardly anyone makes the 4 bolt pattern. This isn't anything new but he said I would probably have as much luck finding wheels for my Z shopping truck style rims as shopping performance rims. I think I'm having a tough time finding rims because I don't like the newer styles where the rotor, caliper etc is so visible. It's kind of like running around naked! :tapemouth I save that for my wife! The other thing kind of interesting is that on an R14 or R15 wheel if the profile 70, 60, 50 series gets too low the tire won't have the sidewall strength to hold up the weight of the car unless you get into the V or Z speed rated tires. Obviously this will be affected by tire width as well but thought this might help a few folks. The bottom line is I don't think it's real easy to find new wheels for Z's! AAuugghh!

Timberwolf - Please don't take this wrong it just I'm not exactly sure what your asking for? Your car looks great!

2many- would that be this particular 260 being lowly or 260's in general?:disappoin

2many is right on as always. I just went through this exercise this past weekend. It only takes about 20 mins. to drop the entire strut down and out. I've actually gone through this exercise working on it both ways. It's far easier to tip the strut assembly out than to mess with the da%# spindle pin. Your asking for trouble when you mess with than spindle pin. I had a hell of a time getting my spindle pins out and I had just messed with them a few months ago. I've gone through one spindle pin and two lock bolts so far banging them out either mushrooming the end of bolt, messing up the nut or bending the lock nut. 1. Disconnect the handbrake at the cotter pin behind the brake drum and remove the two 10mm screws that hold the mounting bracket to the strut tower. 2. Disconnect the brake line and plug that bugger good so it doesn't leak on everything. What a pain in the A** to have brake fluid on everything. I plugged the line, put a baggy around my brake line and hung it from the wheel well to catch any brake fluid and put some plastic wrap over each master cylinder chamber and rubber banded it good and tight to keep back pressure in the line to minimize leaking fluid. 3. Disconnect 4 bolts on transaxle. 4. Brace the wheel drum with something below if by yourself - block of wood or jack(if you've got another person they can hold it while it drops) so when you remove the three screws it won't drop on the concrete floor. The whole assembly will lower down and out and it's there for you to work on. 5. Reverse assembly after working on springs/struts. If your working by yourself it helps to get a jack under the strut assembly and jack the whole thing up into place slowly. You can guide it from above as you use a foot to operate your jack. BTW, the axle bolts are 14mm. Better get your wrenches or you won't get very far. Have fun.

What is the correct compression ratio range for an Lseries engine running unleaded gas in the 85 - 87 octane range? I have an L26 with the dual SU's.