280z

[Sunny Z]

Hi all:

I've been doing some small stuff with the car, and I thought I'd keep this forum up to date.

For those of you who don't know me; here is my 78 280z. LS1-T56

http://i592.photobucket.com/albums/tt4/steepss/SidwayZ/wrinkle.jpg

I kept breaking shit last year (axles). So, I decided this winter to upgrade to a cobra IRS 8.8.

I'm making good progress, and am just waiting on parts to arrive so I can measure and buy more parts!

Here's a shot of the diff mounted.

http://i592.photobucket.com/albums/tt4/steepss/SidwayZ/2013-01-05_16-19-28_239.jpg

http://i592.photobucket.com/albums/tt4/steepss/SidwayZ/2013-01-05_16-18-40_743.jpg

Its now all welded up. Thanks to Phish and Sharpie for their contributions!


In efforts to make the car safer / legal, I bought a generic driveshaft loop with intentions of modifying it, but I'd never gotten around to it. SO thats what I did tthis weekend.

I bought this one:

987

and hacked it up. I added it to my existing tranny crossmember, and viola!

http://i592.photobucket.com/albums/tt4/steepss/SidwayZ/2013-01-06_18-20-15_145.jpg

http://i592.photobucket.com/albums/tt4/steepss/SidwayZ/2013-01-06_18-19-44_954.jpg


Basically all thats left is a few more stock parts I need to source, assemble my coilovers for the rear, measure for the axles / driveshaft, and have them built!

Oh, and brakes...... if you're into that kind of thing.

[JacobS]

looks nice!

[AutoMods]

nice work, is their any rear end mount kits made or all custom?

your tranny mount cross bar looked similar to the way mine was. i cut out a section on mine and welded in a triangular shape hugging the tunnel to make room for a larger exhaust.

http://importevolution.com/temp/rx7/tranny_brace1.jpg

[BGjohnson]

Good to see it progressing man, good to see you ended up with a full aluminum case, iron's are heavy as balls.

[Phish]

Speaking of, the piece i welded for you is at jordans, I figured you would be there again before my place so i dropped it off last night when i took him his manifold.

[slow ride]

Is there much strength difference between aluminum and iron 8.8 irs center sections?

[BGjohnson]

Cobras have an aluminum diff and I've never seen one break. I'm sure people have,

[Sunny Z]

Speaking of, the piece i welded for you is at jordans, I figured you would be there again before my place so i dropped it off last night when i took him his manifold.

If you jabronies would have answered my calls last night I would have come and gotten it.

[Phish]

Our phones never rang last night the whole time we were in the garage. I was texting and jordans was pumping out the pandora so i am sure we would have noticed. But anyway, its there just chillin on the floor for ya.

[ON3IWIN]

Nice setup. Any mods done to the rearend other than what I can see? Does it have the rear cover brace on it or did you make a different kind of mount? I would also upgrade those front bushings if you havent done so. Those two mods helped a ton on my 04 Cobra. No more destroyed diff covers.

[Sunny Z]

It has an explorer diff cover, and the front mounts are poly, as are the rears. Trying to make the least vibration transmission possible while still solidly mounting it. I could go to derlin if needed i suppose.

[ON3IWIN]

I had delrin in my diff mounts and poly in the subframe mounts. I didn't have any issues with vibrations or added noise.
Good place to deal with
http://www.fulltiltboogieracing.com/

Does that run the stock cobra inner cv joint or the whole shaft?

[Sunny Z]

Does that run the stock cobra inner cv joint or the whole shaft?

It will be a porsche 930 inner cv, and a 300ZX Twin turbo outer CV, custom bars.

[Sunny Z]

Also, I'll be doing a headlight upgrade, because mine totally blow at the moment.

I'll be buying housings soon. Which ones should I get?

994

997

They also offer this one ^ in black

996


995

[BGjohnson]

First ones fo sho.

[AutoMods]

first ones fo double sho

[Drifte]

blacked out projectors. Bright, and angry.

[mark87supra]

Black Housings.

[Sunny Z]

Thought I'd give a quick update on the winter projects.

The full blown knock down, drag out details can be seen here -------> http://forums.hybridz.org/topic/109324-ford-88-irs-conversion/



Built my own custom mounts for a Cobra 8.8, and installed it.

http://i592.photobucket.com/albums/tt4/steepss/SidwayZ/2013-01-23_21-45-18_61.jpg (http://s592.photobucket.com/user/steepss/media/SidwayZ/2013-01-23_21-45-18_61.jpg.html)

http://i592.photobucket.com/albums/tt4/steepss/SidwayZ/2013-02-09_21-46-27_268_zps0e70b090.jpg (http://s592.photobucket.com/user/steepss/media/SidwayZ/2013-02-09_21-46-27_268_zps0e70b090.jpg.html)

Driveshaft shop custom DS and axles. Billet input stubs with porsche 930 cv's. 300M bars, and 300zx NA outers (to retain 4 lug hubs) i can upgrade these to a turbo cv later for added strength if needed.

http://i592.photobucket.com/albums/tt4/steepss/SidwayZ/IMG_20130410_202239_300_zps76433469.jpg (http://s592.photobucket.com/user/steepss/media/SidwayZ/IMG_20130410_202239_300_zps76433469.jpg.html)

New DS Loop

http://i592.photobucket.com/albums/tt4/steepss/SidwayZ/IMG_20130410_205944_536_zpsbaea757f.jpg (http://s592.photobucket.com/user/steepss/media/SidwayZ/IMG_20130410_205944_536_zpsbaea757f.jpg.html)

Pre x-pipe exhaust

http://i592.photobucket.com/albums/tt4/steepss/SidwayZ/IMG_20130411_202216_678_zps0bd85551.jpg (http://s592.photobucket.com/user/steepss/media/SidwayZ/IMG_20130411_202216_678_zps0bd85551.jpg.html)

With exhaust all the way on

http://i592.photobucket.com/albums/tt4/steepss/SidwayZ/IMG_20130411_205404_468_zps9f717a30.jpg (http://s592.photobucket.com/user/steepss/media/SidwayZ/IMG_20130411_205404_468_zps9f717a30.jpg.html)

Rebuilt the trans to get rid of the dreaded 5/6 gear vibe. Thanks to Texas Drivetrain Performance for machining my main shaft! NO MORE VIBE!!!!

http://i592.photobucket.com/albums/tt4/steepss/SidwayZ/2013-03-03_15-18-48_2_zps7634b63b.jpg (http://s592.photobucket.com/user/steepss/media/SidwayZ/2013-03-03_15-18-48_2_zps7634b63b.jpg.html)


Z32 rear brakes, and Techno Toy Tuning uprights

http://i592.photobucket.com/albums/tt4/steepss/SidwayZ/2013-03-17_22-32-27_132_zps732bc5fb.jpg (http://s592.photobucket.com/user/steepss/media/SidwayZ/2013-03-17_22-32-27_132_zps732bc5fb.jpg.html)


Other winter upgrades include:

HID's - to be put on tonight! I almost smacked a deer on EP True pkwy last night on the maiden voyage. Needs headlights like whoa.

LS3 oil pan (1" gain in ground clearance and baffling)
Went from a PCV system to a catch can system
Fixed numerous squeaks / rattles
More to come!

[AutoMods]

nice fabbing. how do you do all that work in your little garage?

[Newgen]

Our 15 second drive was pretty fun last night lol :)

[BGjohnson]

Those brackets came out like a boss.

Glad to hear it's all workin!

[Sunny Z]

nice fabbing. how do you do all that work in your little garage?

VERY slowly. I made the first mounts out of cardboard. Then I translated that to 1/4" plate, put it on the car, tacked it, welded it, etc. I'd be lying if I said I enjoyed all the time i've spent working on it. Especially when it was so damn cold.

And my garage was a PIT by the time i got it all together. I think I had every tool I own out, and dirty. I spent 3 hours cleaning it today, and took out 3 trash cans full of crap, not to mention the half dozen boxes, and all the scrap metal.


Our 15 second drive was pretty fun last night lol :)

For sure! Hopefully i'll emerge victorious from this headlight install tomorrow, and we can actually go for a cruise. It will be worth the wait on the lights.... trust me.


Those brackets came out like a boss.

Glad to hear it's all workin!

Yep, so far so good.

[Larsons Fox]

Good work. I really like your car despite my hatetread twards ls
swapped imports...

[Sleepy]

Excellent work. For the hid's did you do retro fits or pluck the bulbs in the stock housing?

The brakes look boss.

[Sunny Z]

Excellent work. For the hid's did you do retro fits or pluck the bulbs in the stock housing?

The brakes look boss.

They are conversion projector housings. There is a fair amount of modding to be done to the datsun pieces to make them work though. I'll probably just run the stock connectors for now, and hope they last another 8-9 months. I plan on re-wiring all the lights with GM weatherpack connectors in the future, but I dont really feel like doing it right now..... Just wanna drive it!

The nicest thing about the brakes is I have an E brake again! I missed it.

[Sunny Z]

I'll just leave these here.

http://i592.photobucket.com/albums/tt4/steepss/SidwayZ/IMG_20140629_014646_940_zpsu6vnpaxe.jpg

http://i592.photobucket.com/albums/tt4/steepss/SidwayZ/IMG_20140629_014759_976_zpsnfsv76uv.jpg (http://s592.photobucket.com/user/steepss/media/SidwayZ/IMG_20140629_014759_976_zpsnfsv76uv.jpg.html)

http://i592.photobucket.com/albums/tt4/steepss/SidwayZ/IMG_20140629_185837_951_zpsh3ce0amm.jpg


http://i592.photobucket.com/albums/tt4/steepss/SidwayZ/IMG_20140629_185750_494_zpswia8ujac.jpg


http://i592.photobucket.com/albums/tt4/steepss/SidwayZ/IMG_20140630_164040_001_zpsh5p8ackn.jpg

[slow ride]

Yea yea, most were looking on tech :) I love it though and the fixes you did to the body/chassis. How does it feel compared to the NA setup? Probably a little softer around town, but I think that's a good thing. My vette is getting close also so I can't wait to see what it will do.

[AutoMods]

good work. i want those seats.

what size are those tires?

[Sunny Z]

Yea yea, most were looking on tech :) I love it though and the fixes you did to the body/chassis. How does it feel compared to the NA setup? Probably a little softer around town, but I think that's a good thing. My vette is getting close also so I can't wait to see what it will do.

It feels more solid, for sure. I'd venture to guess it's quicker than it was N/A, even on 5#. Can't wait to actually put some boost to it.


good work. i want those seats.

what size are those tires?

SO buy some! "work vehicle maintenance"

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