240zchevyv8
Well-Known Forum User
Hi guys right spring is in the air, nights are getting light and its warmer in the garage, time now to sort out my dreaded oversteer problem, ill start at the begining and go through all the changes made, firstly its a 1970 240z left hooker imported last year, fitted with a 5.4 litre chevy v8 in the scarab position, problem was it scared me to drive it with any kind of agresiveness not down to the horsepower but the lack of handling (road holding) car had, first thing i replaced all bushes on the car with superflex no real change in handling fuck me what next, changed the suspension fitted some coilovers that came with the car, spring rates were 8kg im sure i read somewhere that it equates to 400lb springs way to stiff but thought id fit and see, very little change, bloody hell this is a nightmare right ill lower the car and lower the centre of gravity, lowered car 1" using the newly fitted coilovers no change, erm erm what next i know ill move the engine back further, removed the engine made some setback plates, sent drive shaft away for shortening fitted a stronger R200 dif and re-fitted engine 3/4 inch from bulkhead this gives near stock weight distrubution, a bit better but not to my liking, bloody car well it has a 1" front anti sway bar and 3/4 inch rear dont think this is the problem but it will be making the car stiffer which i think is the problem, im going to swop the front and rear coil over springs but not sure to what rates i thought 250lb, any suggestions, but to get the correct size do i jack up the car and measure the spring lengths while not under load and order new ones this size and adjust the height of the car with the colar on the coil over, also car is lowered how important are bump steer spacers, i ask because even before i lowered the car it felt like it wandered so will it make much difference fitting them, now onto tyres it has 225-50-15 futura GLS super sport tyres all round i know these are not a very good sports car tyre but car came with 4 brand new ones fitted, they themselves may be contributing to my over steer problem but not to the overall poor feeling of how the car handles, the body shell is good has nothing that makes me think this is any way to blame, i suspect that over all the car is to stiff so rather than riding bumps and road unevenness it skips and feels loose instead, can any budding fomula 1 drivers confirm this, the car has improved in handling since i got it, but still feels unpredictable, also if any one thinks im expecting to much from the car, this is my second 240z and my last one had standard springs standard bushes 195-70-14 tyres and it handled better than this oneany suggestions would be helpfull just want to get the car right without robbing fort knox,