Brakes have evolved throughout this car's life. The first upgrade was the 300ZX rotors (vented 10.75") with 280ZX calipers (front) and front Maxima rotors with Cressida calipers in the back. The Fronts were then changed to larger Supra rotors (12") and calipers, which are currently being readied for another upgrade (13" rotors with either Corvette calipers or the Outlaw 4 piston calipers).
The left photo shows the larger Supra rotor compared to the earlier installed 300ZX rotor as assembled on the strut. The center photo shows the Outlaw caliper on the newly modified strut (bracket welded in place), and the right photo shows the 13" C5 Corvette rotor installed onto the strut with the Outlaw 4000 series caliper, all sitting in the 17" wheel. I could not install a rotor any larger than this one.

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The rears are being upgraded to the 12" Supra front rotors with Outlaw 3000 series 4 piston calipers. Below is a photo of the fabricated caliper bracket (one hole saw, 3/8" steel plate, 1/4" angle steel, drill press, and a welder, and grinder were required), the complete assemblies, and the driver's side installed prior to installation under the car.

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The motor is a Ford 289 (2.87" stroke x 4" bore) - 4.7L - with the J302 Motorsport heads, a solid roller road cam, NASCAR rate springs, forged pistons, and basically a stock bottom end with stronger rod bolts, with a Victor Jr intake and 780 Holley on top. This motor and flywheel weigh 40 pounds less than the L24 that it replaced. The engine is set up for a 7500 RPM red line. the crank attaches to an aluminum flywheel, hydraulic throw-out bearing, and then to a WC T-5 transmission.

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The Datsun R200 differential has a Gleason-Torsen differential mated to 280ZXT CV jointed half-shafts. I am currently replacing the ZXT shafts with modified Porsche 930 shafts. A comparison of the 280ZXT shaft and the shortened 930 shaft (left photo) shows their differences. The Porsche 930 CV jointed half-shaft (right photo) will replace the Nissan shafts. The 930 joints are bolted onto adapter plates so that the OEM Z companion flanges are used with no welding necessary.

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This was the fabrication process showing various steps in the creation of the adapter plates.

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This shows the finished plate bolted onto the Z stub axle, and with the 930 joint attached as well.

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The rear suspension, differential, and sway bar are held together by a single aluminum plate verses the OEM mustache bar, transverse link, and front-mounted sway bar brackets. This plate offers heat sink capability and tremendous side loading rigidity. Obviously the differential must now be solidly mounted into the chassis with this. The modified front differential mount can be see as well. This piece started out as two OEM mounts, then cut in half, welded together (for two exhaust pipe humps) and modified to mount the differential solidly to it as well.

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Following this modification,I augmented the front mount with a design originating from a fellow named Ron Tyler. This mount solidly mounts on top of the front of the differential. Yes, the crossmember modification was sufficiently rigid, but whenever I wanted to remove the control arms for any reason, I would be required to remove the front differential mount at the same time. Now, with both top and bottom mounts in place, I can remove the lower mount, and control arms, without disturbing the front upper differential mount. These photos show both the upper and lower front differential mounts attached to the differential.

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After the differential rear aluminum mounting plate was made, I felt I needed a means of adjusting the rear toe. I took an OEM transverse link, cut it up, welded a fabricated turnbuckle to it, and with a few other features, bolted it onto the rear plate allowing the adjustment of either wheel's toe. The left photo is a fabrication shot, and the final finished product is the right side photo. Notice the backing plates used to insure sufficient strength and grip.

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With 10.5" wide slicks, an increase in caster to 7º, very short steering arms, and a smaller diameter steering wheel (temporary slalom set-up) the steering was very hard at low speeds. To fix this, and make the car more agile through the tight slalom courses, I added a Ford Mustang/Thunderbird power assisted steering rack.

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One item, not usually considered part of the interior, is the alternator. The short period of a typical road race allows one to complete a race without the alternator. On the street though, It becomes quite a hassle to charge the battery every other time I take the car out (it has electric fans and fuel pump). Being I had no room under the hood to place an alternator without modifying the hood, I chose to place the alternator behind the passenger seat, and drive it off the driveshaft (by a pulley positioned between the propeller shaft, and the driveshaft). This set-up goes to full voltage at approximately 20 mph.

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Rear suspension control arms and struts are being modified for the elimination of the rubber bushings that tie the two together.
The control arm outer bushings were cut off, and a plate holding 3/4" heim joints was welded in place. To raise the roll center I extended the lenght of the strut under the axle ("X" member under the bearing carrier in the left photo).

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With the outer bushings changed to heim joints, I'm in the process of changing the inner bushing to 3/4" spherical bearings as well. Below are photos of the partial assembly showing the bearing retainer (with a 3/4" bearing inside) positioned onto a 3/4" stud extending from the CA pivot tube. These bearing retainers will be "bolt on" and the only home fabriction required will be the modification of the CA for studs out each end (front and rear of the rear CA).

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