New to the site.

[310Z]

So, I will try posting here and I will add to my first post.

Hi all, I have been gathering information on this site for about a week, post a new to me purchase. I have spent about a month looking for knowledge after finding out that I would be acquiring a Subaru. This appears to be the best source of information I have found. Thank You to all who have contributed over the years. 

Though I am not new to cars as my name (310Z) is for my Datsun 240Z  bored stroked to a 3100cc with tipple Weber's (this list is lengthy) I am new Subaru's. Last week (10-10-23) I picked up my wife's best friends Mom's 2005 Legacy GT Limited 5-MT Black on Black Wagon California EJ259 garage kept 44,000 mile car in beautiful condition. I saw the car when new and have not seen it until last year 2022 at which point my 18 year old son said "I want that car". A year later the owner said she wanted us to have it also.

I have use information I have gained here and other sites to guide my plans for this car. My plans for the car are to make a more competent daily driver for my wife, son, and me. We live in the mountains, drive mountain roads in all conditions. I have an Supercharged Toyota Tundra for off road so the wagon is not for the dirt. It will be an on road car only but not slammed as I said we live in snow country.  Stock height will be fine although I know with a spring change it will probably become lower. Thinking about the Bilstein struts but what springs?

I have already spent 48 hours buffing and polishing water spots, under the hood, and interior. Although the car spent most of it's 18 years in a garage it probably never got wiped down after a rain storm. I was being cautious as not to leave marks in the black paint while buffing. I replaced the banjo bolt feeding the turbo a few days ago and all looked good. Then I did the water hose addition to  cylinder head at #4 cylinder. Changed the oil with Mobil 1  5w-30 and added a quick drain along with a Wix XP 51356XP filter that is one inch longer than the stock Subaru filter adding some more filtering and oil capacity.  I just installed a Cobb Stage 1 tune with cold air intake last night and that woke things up nicely.

I have DOT approved steel braided brake lines on the way and thinking about EBC Yellow brake pads.  I would not mind a set of Brembos but I am going to see how well I can improve the stock set up as the front rotors are large. I have a set of White Line 22 mm front and 20 mm rear sway bars on the way. If any one knows where I can get a kit to strengthen the rear sway bar mounts pleas let me know.

The car came with a nice set of Continentals DWS s so I am going to use them for now. However I have plans to pick up a set of Enkei RPF1 in 17x8 with 225-45-18 or 18x8 with 225-40-18. This is not my favorite wheel but I am going for performance and lite is where it is at. My Z has 11.5 lbs 16x8, 3 piece BBS magnesium race wheel. Lite wheels is where it is at. I love the sleeper appearance of the wagon and improving the handling just puts it in a deeper sleep.

Here are some pictures from today.

[310Z]

After three weeks of searching for bracket reinforcements for the rear sway bar I found that Speed-zone Performance carries the AVO support and I made the purchase. I will post how the installation goes when all the parts arrive.

As Subaru for got to finish off the interior with the proper peddles, I also have a set of Momo wide peddles on order to go with the Momo steering wheel and shift knob from the factory. I have the same Momo wide peddles in my Z and they make for good heel/toe shifting.

[310Z]

I have done some searching and I came up without an answer. I would like to bleed the clutch line. I understand the slave cylinder is on top of the bell housing and that appears to be where the line goes as I can not see or feel it. I understand how to bleed although it sounds like this system has it's own issues. What I would like to know is it appears you need to remove the inter-cooler to get to the clutch slave cylinder? In doing so are there O- rings, gaskets or things that I am going to need to destroy and replace in the process of removing the inter-cooler?

[SoobyDoobyDoo]

Welcome to the site and what a find that car is super clean! You’re better off posting in the 4th gen technical section for the  clutch bleeding question, or “transmission” section for your clutch bleeding question (I’d help but mines an auto).

Also, make sure to read the wiki in the 4th gen section, lots of great info in there. With such low miles, check the banjo bolts and remove if they’re still in there, they tend to clog and blow the turbo and usually the engine with it. Keep an eye on your oil levels, too. Also not a bad idea to do a black tone use oil analysis to see what’s going on inside the motor. These aren’t typical cars, they need more tlc and attention generally speaking. If you’re planning on making more power make sure you do your homework. Again, you can’t just throw an intake on these, blow off valve, etc. The maf sensor on these cars is very sensitive and doesn’t like change without a tune. This is a great place for info, lots of long time owners who are willing to help out if needed, but searching is definitely your friend. More than likely if you have a question by now it’s been answered. Lookin forward to see what you do with the car! 

ps -don’t let that datsun be a stranger. Plenty of love around here for a classic z! 

[310Z]

Here is my version of a classic Datsun 240 Z, The best of the old and the best of the new.

BODY WORK: bare metal restomod, front fenders rolled, rears grounded down to spot welds, side marker lights removed, front fender and headlight bucket blended, rear roll pan blended, NOS head light covers, Japaneses fender mirrors place on doors, BRE rear carbon fiber spoiler, carbon fiber bumpers, Auto Power 4 point roll bar

DRIVE LINE: Transmission 83 close ratio 5- speed, R-200 limited slip 3:70 with Nissan comp finned cover, Arizona Z car Billet rear hanger, Left half shaft shortened 3/4 inch, Front brakes Toyota 4 Runner 4 piston caliper conversion, rear brakes disk Nissan 240 sx.

WHEELS: 16x8 - 0 offset, 11.5 lbs BBS magnesium center race wheels never sold to the public and built in the first 3 years BBS was in business. The wheels originally a 4 lug pattern had another 4 bolt pattern added to them to fit a Z prior to me obtaining them. According to BBS America this is the only set known to exist in America and possible anywhere.

MOTOR: Nissan L6 N42 block from 280ZX bored and stroked to 3100cc with Diesel Maxima crank 89 mm pistons, E 31 head wit extensive  work, Robello Cam, Tripple 45 Webers, 125 amp alternator from Nissan Maxima, Pace setter 3 into 2 header with 18 inch custom collector 2.5 inch pipe to resonator with Borla muffler and 45 degree slash tip as seen on original 240Zs

INTERIOR: Carbon fiber weave looking upholstery, Recaro seats with a black tweed cloth and Simpson 4 point harnesses, MOMO steering wheel, shift knob lever shortened 2.5 inches, wide pedals, Polk MOMO carbon series stereo 1800 watts 

 

[BoozeRS05]

Wait till Johnny gets a look at this

I’d ditch the cold air intake you mentioned and go back to stock intake. Otherwise you’re on a great path with the things you’ve mentioned.

Wait till you get those sway bars and mounts installed, it’ll be a whole new car (might consider getting new endlinks too). And JDM pink springs lower minimally, but paired with new bilstein struts, you’ll have a very competent and fun wagon.

[310Z]

I am still deciding on the Cobb cold air. I have the end links arriving as a package with the bars. It appears that there are two sets of Bilstein struts B6 & B8? Is one considered the Spec -B? Do you do pinks all around even with the wagon?

[BoozeRS05]

Stock air intake is likely the best option until you get well into tuning for power.

B8 are for lowering I’m pretty sure, and B6 is for a stock spring. I’m not sure which strut category fits the pink springs best, but yes there’s a transmission and wagon option for front and back pink springs.

I’m using Koni struts and H&R springs with a rear spacer, although I’ll probably remove the spacer next time I’m in there.

[SoobyDoobyDoo]

Drool…that’s my dream z. Beautiful car! Very well done, thank you for sharing! Love the carbon fiber accents, very well done. Love the wheels too, can’t go wrong with old school mesh wheels. Car is phenomenal. 

[310Z]

Thank you!

I am the second owner of the Z and I have owned it since 1987. It also was a woman owned and garage kept car.  The Z started life as an auto transmission orange colored car purchased in Roseville CA. As the car sits with a full tank of fuel it weighs just under 2200 lbs and that includes 90 lbs of sound deadening and 90 lbs of amps and subs. The L6 has 10.2 :1 CR and when at low elevation likes a healthy diet of over 100 octane fuel, it makes in the area of 300 hp fed through a 9.5 lb flywheel to those ultra light wheels. Acceleration is fairly impressive and the sound of that straight 6 sucking air through through those Weber's to the Borla exhaust is only out done by a flat or V 12.

[KZJonny]

20 hours ago, BoozeRS05 said:

 

Wait till Johnny gets a look at this

 

You talking about me?

Calling @m sprank as well.

 

Great looking car dude!! ‘72 Z is be the car I would buy if I had all the money and could only pick one.

I got priced out of S30s a long time ago tho, shoulda snagged one of several I had the chance to own over the years. Too late now.

I went with a PL510 instead, since it’s still a Datsun, and still cool in my mind, but a *little* more affordable to own and run.

The L20B will never sound as good as a straight 6, but what can you do?

Edited October 28, 2023 by KZJonny

[GearJamr]

On 10/25/2023 at 3:34 PM, 310Z said:

After three weeks of searching for bracket reinforcements for the rear sway bar I found that Speed-zone Performance carries the AVO support and I made the purchase. I will post how the installation goes when all the parts arrive.

As Subaru for got to finish off the interior with the proper peddles, I also have a set of Momo wide peddles on order to go with the Momo steering wheel and shift knob from the factory. I have the same Momo wide peddles in my Z and they make for good heel/toe shifting.

I would very much like to know where you got the pedals from.

[SoobyDoobyDoo]

Mmmm…triple webers. There’s very few cars that can top that…like Johnny said, only exotics and flat six Porsches (and flat 6 Subarus) at high rpm sound so intoxicating. Thanks for sharing!

[m sprank]

10 hours ago, KZJonny said:

You talking about me?

Calling @m sprank as well.

 

Great looking car dude!! ‘72 Z is be the car I would buy if I had all the money and could only pick one.

I got priced out of S30s a long time ago tho, shoulda snagged one of several I had the chance to own over the years. Too late now.

I went with a PL510 instead, since it’s still a Datsun, and still cool in my mind, but a *little* more affordable to own and run.

The L20B will never sound as good as a straight 6, but what can you do?

I'm too tired to read. Is that a FAIRLADY????    I would give my left nut for a 2.0 roadster.  

[310Z]

18 hours ago, GearJamr said:

I would very much like to know where you got the pedals from.

http://www.2kracing.com/Universal_Manufacturer/subcategory/Momo/Interior/Racing_Pedals.htmlhttp://www.2kracing.com/Product/68685.html

 

This was the first place I came upon. The second link is the style I purchased but not the same color. The color (natural/black) I purchased is no longer showing on the site.

[310Z]

11 hours ago, m sprank said:

I'm too tired to read. Is that a FAIRLADY????    I would give my left nut for a 2.0 roadster.  

No, A Fairlady would be a Japaneses market right hand drive version. Although my good friend Steve Pettersen of Pettersen Motor-works recently finished a multi year build on a Fairlady for His client that will start showing up at shows, the same guy that shows up with a real 432Z.

As for the 67.5 Roadster in the picture that is a Mike Young built car at the Shasta Roadster show. All of Mike Young's cars are built one at a time to factory show room specs. In this cars case it has era specific after market wheels.

[310Z]

21 hours ago, KZJonny said:

You talking about me?

Calling @m sprank as well.

 

Great looking car dude!! ‘72 Z is be the car I would buy if I had all the money and could only pick one.

I got priced out of S30s a long time ago tho, shoulda snagged one of several I had the chance to own over the years. Too late now.

I went with a PL510 instead, since it’s still a Datsun, and still cool in my mind, but a *little* more affordable to own and run.

The L20B will never sound as good as a straight 6, but what can you do?

I have a friend that a month ago came home with a 260Z that had the best rust free body I have seen in a really long time for $1000. It was picked up on a trailer as it needed a lot of TLC but a Z for $1000 is unheard of there days.

Nothing wrong with a 510 I think they may be harder to find than a Z. The 4 does not sound as nice as the 6 but still a awesome car as race history proves

[310Z]

The LGT WOW what a fun car to drive. I made a trip down my favorite mountain road yesterday with my wife. As I passed a car on a two lane my wife looked over and said "OH my gosh this car is fast and sooo smooth, I would not have known". And that will be the end of that story. But as a driver this is a comfortable fun drive with a good HP to weight ratio. As we ran into traffic approaching our destination I saw in the mirror a friend going to the same event. My wife called her and told her we were one car in front of her. She responded I don't see your truck. We told her we were in the little black car. She said the station wagon? We responded YES this car is fun and such a sleeper.

[SoobyDoobyDoo]

29 minutes ago, 310Z said:

The LGT WOW what a fun car to drive. I made a trip down my favorite mountain road yesterday with my wife. As I passed a car on a two lane my wife looked over and said "OH my gosh this car is fast and sooo smooth, I would not have known". And that will be the end of that story. But as a driver this is a comfortable fun drive with a good HP to weight ratio. As we ran into traffic approaching our destination I saw in the mirror a friend going to the same event. My wife called her and told her we were one car in front of her. She responded I don't see your truck. We told her we were in the little black car. She said the station wagon? We responded YES this car is fun and such a sleeper.

I got to ride in a work friends 2012 Boss Mustang 302 the other day. He’s a 20-something who drives it daily. Fantastic car. It had a rear sway bar installed, felt planted, no body roll in corners, firm but not a harsh ride at all. Little loud but you could still have a conversation in the cabin. Sill prefer my LGT. Not nearly as quick in accelerating but once you get it going it’s fast enough to have fun on the street using most of the powerband. He got around 3-4K rpm then had to back off cause it was so fast. Combining the utility of the wagon plus the aesthetics, it’s a hard car to beat as far as ticking off boxes. It’s hard to imagine they’re not more sought after, since they’re such excellent cars, but also nice after all these years they’re still flying under radar. 

[m sprank]

Welcome to the forum. 

 

I have not paid much attention to the Datsun scene since the late 90's, when I transitioned to Subies.  I did get a bug up my arse and go look at a few 240z's recently with the intention to buy a 72.  Regrettably, I am probably 30 years too late to the party.  I cant get over paying $30-$40k for a car I could have purchased for under $4k when I originally wanted one.   Found a REALLY nice R34 RHD in Carlisle, PA (ECM 23!) last week.   But the owner was not shy about the $100k asking price.  Sorry, for 6 figures it needs to have a bedroom and bath attached. 

So I built a sim rig and drive my 72Z like I stole it every night.  Offroad even.  LOL.