datsun-roadsters
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Re: z-roadster

To: "Alex Avery" <aavery@rica.net>, "Andrew Jacobs" <legal-z@worldnet.att.net>,
Subject: Re: z-roadster
From: "Paul" <9laser3@bright.net>
Date: Thu, 26 Oct 2000 17:11:52 -0400
  Same can be said for a Z V8 conversion.  The structure has trouble keeping
up with the 6.  The torque of a V8 can tear apart a Z in less than 5,000
miles if the conversion doesn't include frame reinforcements.

Paul
OROC
-----Original Message-----
From: Alex Avery <aavery@rica.net>
To: Andrew Jacobs <legal-z@worldnet.att.net>;
datsun-roadsters@autox.team.net <datsun-roadsters@autox.team.net>
Date: Thursday, October 26, 2000 4:38 PM
Subject: Re: z-roadster


>As an enthusiastic Z car guy, the word on Z car roadsters is "Be careful,"
>for exactly the reasons noted below.   Removing the roof on a Z unit-body
>kills half the structural ridgidity.  The Z body/chassis isn't all that
>rigid to begin with--I know, I've stressed the rear C pillar joints (where
>the top of the C pillar meets the rear of the roof) on several Z cars with
>spirited driving.  The filler on the joint bulges out very noticeably when
>that happens, becuase it's right at eye level when you get out of the car.
>("Oops!  Uh, sorry Dude, I didn't know THAT was going to happen").  That
>tells you how much stress those joints take under hard driving and a clue
>that the roof in a Z car is an integral component of the chassis.
>
>You could always install a roll cage to restore the chassis rigidity, but
>then again, that defeats the purpose of a roadster.  I've never driven one,
>but knowing how hard I push my Z car, I'm not inclined to break out the
>Sawz-All and have at my Z car's roof.
>
>Alex Avery
>
>At 03:53 PM 10/26/00 -0400, Andrew Jacobs wrote:
>>i actually drove a 240 with a similar conversion about 10 years ago.
>>i had a great service guy in virginia who sold me my 240 and i
>>happened to be there when a convertible 240 was in for service.  the
>>conversion was well done and the car looked great--i asked who ran the
>>shop about possibly doing the same to my car, he told me to take a
>>ride in the car that was there first--when i did, it was almost
>>scary--the cowl moved all over the place, and when you would turn into
>>parking lots, etc., the whole chassis would twist and make creaking
>>noises when you passed over a dip or a rain gutter between the road
>>and the parking lot.  i decided to keep the roof on my car after that.
>>andy
>>71 240z
>>69 2000
>>
>


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