Skully

Here you are trying to weld up your arches, and I cut mine up! I am sure someone would shoot me for doing this, but haha I love it more this way!! Plus I just increased the values of all your untouched Z's right?! The tires are slightly smaller than what I wanted to go with, I was worried they wouldn't fit, so next set I am going to go size bigger for sure.

theramz

Wow! That's actually my favorite combo. What size/offset are the wheels? I might just patch mine up and put those on. How much did you have to cut the fenders? Any pics?

Skully

They are 17x9 front -13 and 17x9.5 back -19. The stitch welding took about 8 hours + total, as you know, weld few tacks move on, weld few tacks etc.



There is about 4" of clearance between tire and the wheel well, and the flare is about where the stock lip was, the edge of it. So far no rubbing at all.

theramz

Love all the blackness. How about some smoke headlight covers?

Skully

I would love some, just on the fence about them due to night driving, and I do love my nights!!

On another note, changed out the fuel filter before the pump, woooow, the pump is super quiet now poor thing must have been gasping for fuel. While I was under there, noticed the diff has slight leakage near output shafts, pushed up on the halfshaft it has play, going to have to pull it and throw new bearings in, or just source out a complete LSD

Skully

Awwwwwwwww yussssssss...came in mail today, just waiting on LSD and ill swap everything in

beg3yrs

Sweet!

Skully

An early early b-day present from brother! One more piece I am waiting for and whole rear end is coming out for upgrades!! Can't wait

beg3yrs

Happy early birthday Sir Skully! What a great brother you have.

Skully

Haha thanks sir, its not for a few months yet, but the delivery was super quick, I wont complain!! Yes truly I do have an amazing family , I am so excited to get all of this into the car. I am trying so so hard to wait for winter to swap my other motor in, but ahh, will see...

beg3yrs

OMG. I hear where you are that if summer happens on a weekend, everyone goes out for a picnic. It's a real testament to your Z dedication that you actually want winter to arrive ...

Skully

Lmao, woah woah, lets not carried away with the W word yet .
In the meantime!
Digging into the rear end...out with the old...stand by for in with the new...!!

beg3yrs

Looking forward to see how this goes. Don't you just love it when you pull out the old dirty stuff and put in the new shiny bits? I do!

Skully

Ok new stuffs, 3.9 lsd, wolf creek axles, and silvermines brakes. I am effin tired, and it sucks having to shower in Gojo before you soap down :/.


Safety wire...



Diff side wasnt bad because I could do it with the diff on the ground, the wheel side was a little bit more PITA. Its not the best, but I think it will work fine.





Ready to plop in.


It went it pretty good. I put the back on the jack, and raised the front on the jack-stand, then just jacked it up and it lined up great!



Brakes are straight forward as well, take everything off, cut plate, bolt new **** in, bleed away!




Done, on the ground. I ran it through gears on the jack-stands, Ferris Bueller style, I didn't hear anything weird, will take it for a spin tomorrow.



Weight savings! Better too many than not enough parts right?!




need...beer...

beg3yrs

Great photos. They provide a real good idea of what you did. Gojo shower comment made me so hard that wifey wondered what was going on. She didn't really understand but then again, she doesn't think the Three Stooges are funny either.

Anyway, you're now giving me ideas for what to do on my project when it gets into another phase. Folks used to ask me which car I'll do next. I finally realized I'll never finish with this one ... you've probably come to a similar conclusion with yours.

Hope you enjoyed more than one beer!

Skully

So I did a thing! Wanted to get rid of the spring bars due to inter-cooler, and put gas struts in. Found some cheap ones for 10 bucks a pop, for testing, they are 35lbs or so, 4-3/4 stroke over all length 12-3/4. Just welded the nipple to the hood hinge, the other end is just resting in the corner for now, need to make a little plate and weld it in for the other nipple. Works awesome, the hood stays up by itself half way up, and it opens about 1" short of the original position which is no big deal. I will go up to heavier set of struts and see if the hood mostly opens by itself. Yes I will use a prop rod as well for extra safety.

beg3yrs

That's a pretty cool mod Mr. Skully. Getting a little more room up front is going to be very handy. Keep us posted when you go to the different struts.

theramz

I saw a set up on eBay for a while but it was over priced. I bought some gas struts at the J yard in hopes of doing something like you have. Can't wait to see yours finished!
This is the one that was on ebay

Skully

That's a weird setup he has going, where he drilled to bolt the other end somewhere below looks like it? I think its due to 280z having the front frame extended for the heavy bumpers I get that extra support. I finished welded the 2 other ends, works like a charm! It won't lift the hood up by themselves, but they keep the hood up pretty much from opening to full open, these are 55 lbs struts or something like that, I wouldn't go higher than that. I'm happy with that! This was 20$ and some time.



Video

beg3yrs

Nice work!

BTW, did you notice someone stole your motor?

theramz

Well, it is winter time-
That nicely balanced hood is better than using stronger struts and having it bust you in the nose when you let it come up.

theramz

Did you have any issues hooking up the parking brake?

Skully

haha yeah engine is out, going in when every thing is clean and a coat of some sort of paint in there, not show-car but a neat presentation. Hopefully make some extra hundred ponies as well.

Yes I wouldn't go with stiffer struts, it would be hard to close, could be twisting the hood as well. The parking brake hooked right up, I think some kits, it doesn't tho. All I had to do is adjust it out pretty much all the way. Works awesome as it is.

theramz

Next time you have the rear wheels of could you please let me know the casting number on the caliper top? I looks like the kit uses the front rotors off one of the Nissan cars and re drills them to 4 lug. They look like maxima fronts 2001 or so. Thanks Skully!

Skully

Yeah I sure can, they are 2004+ Mustang GT brakes I do believe, but I can snag a number off the casting if ya need!