350Z trans adapter?
05-15-15, 11:49 AM
#496
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ZCarFever makes a shifter bracket for putting a VQ into a 280zx. It is the same as the Hoke shifter bracket from the look of it, but the horizontal arms for it are bolted onto the shifter cup. I had the following idea for mine:
Buy Bracket
Remove Bottom and Horizontal Arms
Cut off Arms and Reverse their direction
Weld back on
Position bracket above trans
Cut Spacers to pickup OEM shifter Bracket holes
Drill new holes to attach arms at the correct spots (which would locate the shifter correctly)
Weld a U-Shape onto the U-joint on trans
Weld other end onto U-Joint on shifter.
This is a cleaner version, I feel, of what some of the others have done where the only welds are on the arms/linkage and you are not really hacking up the stock shifter bracket. It also keeps the reverse detent function..
..sorry if it doesn't make sense..it does to me, lol.
..of course after reading this, perhaps you could just do that with the stock shifter cup and not spend the money on the bracket. Damn..
Buy Bracket
Remove Bottom and Horizontal Arms
Cut off Arms and Reverse their direction
Weld back on
Position bracket above trans
Cut Spacers to pickup OEM shifter Bracket holes
Drill new holes to attach arms at the correct spots (which would locate the shifter correctly)
Weld a U-Shape onto the U-joint on trans
Weld other end onto U-Joint on shifter.
This is a cleaner version, I feel, of what some of the others have done where the only welds are on the arms/linkage and you are not really hacking up the stock shifter bracket. It also keeps the reverse detent function..
..sorry if it doesn't make sense..it does to me, lol.
..of course after reading this, perhaps you could just do that with the stock shifter cup and not spend the money on the bracket. Damn..
Last edited by jkpgt96; 05-15-15 at 11:59 AM.
05-15-15, 12:34 PM
#497
it is a bad spot indeed for this transmission and a JZ motor, darnit nissan and toyota couldnt you have had the foresight for us!!
at least you have a spare transmission now so you can build yourself a tower kindof like i did, maybe you can figure out a better way to do it
i wanted mine back in the car asap so i could drive it so i did what i had to.
05-15-15, 07:25 PM
#498
jkpgt not sure how that is different than what has been done maybe cleaner mount and linkage?
its easier to use the aftermarket bracket vs the stock one, but you can also cut and use the stock bracket.
estomax yeah i sort of junked that idea and canceled the xterra arm. If i have to i may just weld a shifter base mount to the top of the existing arm so it will actually be at a better height if I need to use that kind of shifter, i have another idea in the works I will keep you guys posted. I think the tower idea is a good one but seems to be that the shift pattern is a little angled, if that could be corrected that would be great.
its easier to use the aftermarket bracket vs the stock one, but you can also cut and use the stock bracket.
estomax yeah i sort of junked that idea and canceled the xterra arm. If i have to i may just weld a shifter base mount to the top of the existing arm so it will actually be at a better height if I need to use that kind of shifter, i have another idea in the works I will keep you guys posted. I think the tower idea is a good one but seems to be that the shift pattern is a little angled, if that could be corrected that would be great.
05-17-15, 04:22 PM
#500
think I got version 1 done. The base is more like 32" and I have the shifter turned so the bend is facing forward so the top of the shifter is right at 30". the shift pattern is very tight its like a super close short shifter. only thing is no reverse lockout right now but thinking of making a sleeve for the shifter so will worry about that later from on top.
may be able to shorten the base another inch and flip the shifter the right way or just get one that goes straight up and down not sure yet will keep you guys posted when I work on it later in the week. for now its shifting tighter than my remote shift w58 does, best part is I reused stock parts for the linkage and the shifter is a universal short shifter off a 240sx so easy to get parts. the little bend forward doesn't seem to be bothering me with such a short throw, not sure you could even notice with the boot on. will try and get a video of the shift later.
edit*
here is a quick vid of it shifting, the shifter is so tight it was hard to keep the trans still with my other foot.
may be able to shorten the base another inch and flip the shifter the right way or just get one that goes straight up and down not sure yet will keep you guys posted when I work on it later in the week. for now its shifting tighter than my remote shift w58 does, best part is I reused stock parts for the linkage and the shifter is a universal short shifter off a 240sx so easy to get parts. the little bend forward doesn't seem to be bothering me with such a short throw, not sure you could even notice with the boot on. will try and get a video of the shift later.
edit*
here is a quick vid of it shifting, the shifter is so tight it was hard to keep the trans still with my other foot.
Last edited by Ali SC3; 05-17-15 at 06:50 PM.
05-18-15, 07:37 AM
#504
Hey Ali,
good progress, but i think it is a little bit too far back still, with my setup i am about as far back as you can go with the stock shifter surround and not looking funky.
see attached pic
i wish i had a better measurement of what's below but i have sound deadening mat glued around the whole thing to keep water/heat/smells out of the cabin... don't want to rip it apart
my first go around with the trans out was this (i had to change it though, too far forward)
Attachment 493375
i remember this being too far forward, i was hitting the front of the shift surround. So your's might actually be OK. I made the change with the trans in the car so i never got another good measurement.
another reference pic here with the shortened stock shifter installed, you can see the bushing where it comes out of the tailhousing so that might be a good reference.
good progress, but i think it is a little bit too far back still, with my setup i am about as far back as you can go with the stock shifter surround and not looking funky.
see attached pic
i wish i had a better measurement of what's below but i have sound deadening mat glued around the whole thing to keep water/heat/smells out of the cabin... don't want to rip it apart
my first go around with the trans out was this (i had to change it though, too far forward)
Attachment 493375
i remember this being too far forward, i was hitting the front of the shift surround. So your's might actually be OK. I made the change with the trans in the car so i never got another good measurement.
another reference pic here with the shortened stock shifter installed, you can see the bushing where it comes out of the tailhousing so that might be a good reference.
05-18-15, 08:55 AM
#505
Thanks guys was wondering if this would even pan out just glad I got it shifting again.
Once I get some more work I will show the linkage underneath, its so simple you guys will have one of those wtf moments. I was trying all sorts of complicated things before this one.
the black plate is part of the whole shifter look up 240sx short shifter it comes as a whole unit.
I have been going off your measurements trying to get it workable. Just to confirm I understand what you are saying correctly, the one at 29-30" that was super custom on top was too far forward as in towards the dash?
then the picture at the bottom is that with the original shortening so showing a 34.5" location of the shifter towards the cup holder part of the shifter hole?
so if 29-30" is too short, and 34.5" is too long, then maybe the 32" I have it at with the bent shifter is just right? I think I can get it another inch forward but will require drilling of the main shifter rod, and I tried already but that thing is so hardened I don't have a drill bit that wants to go through it. the best I could do was scratch the surface. I could take it to a machine shop, let me know if I am close or not you think.
here is a side picture, by the time it get to the top its much closer to 30", ignore all my garage junk this trans had me all over the place.
shifter I thought was in neutral but might be in 3rd.. trying to use the slight bend to our advantage, also the rear of the trans is tilted up to not leak oil, so yeah hold your head at an angle lol.
the black plate is part of the whole shifter look up 240sx short shifter it comes as a whole unit.
then the picture at the bottom is that with the original shortening so showing a 34.5" location of the shifter towards the cup holder part of the shifter hole?
so if 29-30" is too short, and 34.5" is too long, then maybe the 32" I have it at with the bent shifter is just right? I think I can get it another inch forward but will require drilling of the main shifter rod, and I tried already but that thing is so hardened I don't have a drill bit that wants to go through it. the best I could do was scratch the surface. I could take it to a machine shop, let me know if I am close or not you think.
here is a side picture, by the time it get to the top its much closer to 30", ignore all my garage junk this trans had me all over the place.
shifter I thought was in neutral but might be in 3rd.. trying to use the slight bend to our advantage, also the rear of the trans is tilted up to not leak oil, so yeah hold your head at an angle lol.
Last edited by Ali SC3; 05-18-15 at 09:18 AM.
05-19-15, 10:07 AM
#509
yeah it looks like yours is at 31 from underneath which is a good spot. so at 30 it was hitting the front of the surround? seems like 30 would have been right in the middle of the surround but maybe because of the linkage setup. I don't mind if its a little low in the surround as long as I can hit all the gears, but I will see what I can get done. my base plate is sitting a little lower due to the older shifter type, so with how it bends forward some I think it will be alright, might even have the top bent back straight as you said and swan neck it.
now that I am getting my shifter figured out now I need to figure out what all to get for the JZ swap.
I want to mill the bellhousing 5/8 for shifter length reasons to not add any more length.
I want to use as much toyota stuff as possible (flywheel and pressure plate) but with the nissan clutch disc.
Have no idea if it will work but I want to try and use a 2jzge flywheel and pressure plate cause they are for a push setup w58 which is same as the 350z transmission.
clutch disc if it will fit the 2jzge flywheel I will use a 350 disc or if its too large I will step it down to a sr20/ka/300zx size disc.
I really rather not buy a whole kit and not know what parts I am running, hopefully I can figure out some setup, I just wish I had my spare block and flywheel now =( sold them a few months back).
It just looks odd to me that the splines on the 350z trans are set so far back from the tip of the input shaft, so maybe a thicker flywheel even if you do mill the bellhousing just so the splines reach the disc?
hopefully someone konws more about this.
I read about a throw out bearing spacer and an input bearing adapter, but got mixed up which is needed when milling or not, I was thinking I would need the TOB spacer, and not sure what to do for input bearing if that spacer works when milling still. anyways I have plenty of time to work it out.
now that I am getting my shifter figured out now I need to figure out what all to get for the JZ swap.
I want to mill the bellhousing 5/8 for shifter length reasons to not add any more length.
I want to use as much toyota stuff as possible (flywheel and pressure plate) but with the nissan clutch disc.
Have no idea if it will work but I want to try and use a 2jzge flywheel and pressure plate cause they are for a push setup w58 which is same as the 350z transmission.
clutch disc if it will fit the 2jzge flywheel I will use a 350 disc or if its too large I will step it down to a sr20/ka/300zx size disc.
I really rather not buy a whole kit and not know what parts I am running, hopefully I can figure out some setup, I just wish I had my spare block and flywheel now =( sold them a few months back).
It just looks odd to me that the splines on the 350z trans are set so far back from the tip of the input shaft, so maybe a thicker flywheel even if you do mill the bellhousing just so the splines reach the disc?
hopefully someone konws more about this.
I read about a throw out bearing spacer and an input bearing adapter, but got mixed up which is needed when milling or not, I was thinking I would need the TOB spacer, and not sure what to do for input bearing if that spacer works when milling still. anyways I have plenty of time to work it out.
Last edited by Ali SC3; 05-19-15 at 11:14 AM.
05-19-15, 01:37 PM
#510
yeah i might be mis remembering some details about why i had to redo the adapter that i started with, but at 31" it is about as far back as the shift surround will let it go without hitting edges and still hitting all the gates. i had to cut my shift rod shorter and reweld it since it was so high also, so with it at 'normal' height you wont have to deal with that.
the flywheel in my kit is definately thicker than a normal flywheel.. i wanted to go the same route as you at first but figuring out the details takes time and that is one resource i am having less and less. ill pm you the album of my install so you can peruse at your leisure and get ideas.
the flywheel in my kit is definately thicker than a normal flywheel.. i wanted to go the same route as you at first but figuring out the details takes time and that is one resource i am having less and less. ill pm you the album of my install so you can peruse at your leisure and get ideas.