You might want to take a look at a Lincoln Mark VIII. It has IRS with an 8.8 center section.
You might want to take a look at a Lincoln Mark VIII. It has IRS with an 8.8 center section.
In reply to tester:
R200 is probably as strong as the 8.8. Maybe a little smaller ring gear but the case design is stronger, so the gears don't walk from each other so much. Anyway from what I understand the real problem is the axles, not the diff.
Definitely the axles and not the diff are the weak links. I'm not doing what that black car is, but it felt like it was going to pull the wheels a little when it broke. This car is by far the nastiest, hardest launching vehicle i've ever assembled.
So ebay lists 75-78 280z cv shafts for $68 each. What's the deal here? My car obviously has(well, had) u joint shafts.
Are these cv's a bolt in deal to my r180 or are they for a r200 and will be short? I can probably squeak $136 out of my budget with careful repurchase of now cheaper parts and begging for a free set of used slicks.
I called the vendor that has the best looking kit as far as materials used goes, and they're on vacation until the 11th so I can't even get an answer on lead time. The other place has a 14 day lead time, is the same price, and uses aluminum where it doesn't make sense to me so they're out.
This is all I can (quickly) find on application data for NCV53901 (the $68 shaft), all the base model/excluding turbo notes makes me think it's for the smaller of the two diffs that came on those years.
Nissan 280Z 1978 Right Rear Right Left
Nissan 280Z 1977 Right Rear Right Left
Nissan 280Z 1976 Right Rear Left Left
Nissan 280Z 1975 Rear Left Rear Right Right Left
Nissan 280ZX 1983 Left Right Right New CV Complete Assembly REAR - 2+2 (EXC 2+2 TURBO) - BASE MODEL
Nissan 280ZX 1982 Left Right Right New CV Complete Assembly REAR - 2+2 (EXC 2+2 TURBO) - BASE MODEL
Nissan 280ZX 1981 Left Right Right New CV Complete Assembly REAR - 2+2 GL - BASE MODEL - GL (EXC GL TURBO)
Nissan 280ZX 1980 Right Rear Right Left
Nissan 280ZX 1979 Right Rear Left Left
I thought 2+2 had R200 and non had R180. Maybe, or something.
This is the same part number as carquest/advance. The reviews say it doesn't fit zx non turbo cars. 3 people said that. Just ordered a pair from advance, if it is wrong i can just take back to store and get refund, and with their 20% coupon it's cheaper than ebay. Was just a tick over 100 for 2 with free shipping.
I'm not expecting it to work, but if part of it is right(outside) and shafts are a little short(assume they are for an r200) i can probably use the bridgeport i have access to to make an adapter. If i have to use the r200 i have($0) i can find budget room by having a $0 driveshaft shortened for $75. The shop made the one in the car for $180. So much muddling around trying to stay under $2017.
The car/rear had a lot of 1.5 60' 11.0 @ 127+ passes before it went to Don. See if he has any of the half shafts that went with the car. I always took extra sets to the track but never needed to replace them. IIRC, there was 6 extras with the car when it went west.
The center is a R180. The outer stubs are the strongest. I had looked at doing the 280ZX CV, but the outer stub(s) were tiny. Started to explore the 300Z parts and stopped. The extra mounts welded in the frame are for a 2nd Gen RX-7 TT center. I sold both those rears to dherr.
Going from memory (its been 10 year since mod/assembly)....May want to find a stock mustache bar. The one in the car was made to raise the rear to get alignment with the shaft under load. Looks like the car sits higher. Stock mustache bar may align better.
Another IIRC moment... somewhere on Hybrid Z there was/were comments about shaft only lasting 40-50 runs. But I wouldn't run with that until you research it.
FWIW, I really love what you've done with the car.
I'll see if don might have any of the extras. I have to go to his place soon anyway and pick up the 53 chevy. If i could get a few passes out of a set and make it to the challenge and go home unbroken with the heavy duty 930 cv kit waiting to blow the budget at home i'd be okay with that.
The biggest issue i fixed with the car was neglect. I have broken things(impala comes to mind) and understand the depression that comes with blowing up something you put so much time into and the desire to just say berkeley it and let it sit. We've probably all been there at some point.
I'm on a mission to unberkeley all my stuff and have a small battle fleet of awesome, not a bunch of cool stuff to look at that won't move by itself.
you may look to see if z31 shafts are any shorter then z32 shafts, if you havent already
Patrick wrote: I have broken things(impala comes to mind) and understand the depression that comes with blowing up something you put so much time into and the desire to just say berkeley it and let it sit. We've probably all been there at some point. I'm on a mission to unberkeley all my stuff and have a small battle fleet of awesome, not a bunch of cool stuff to look at that won't move by itself.
QFT!
Don (dmyntti) to the rescue. He has the 6 extra axles that he got with the car and an extra diff. And an upside down 240 in the woods. Going to meet him at his place sometime soon(he doesnt live there anymore) and pick this stuff up plus my old 53 belair and 9c1 caprice chassis 
Ordered Hd solid u joints with no grease passages for max strength and will assemble all 3 sets with those for the challenge and if I can't lay down a full nitrous pass on 3 sets then I'll drag back to ohio and order the $900 cv kit
I'm curious what the cv shafts from advance look like when they show up though. Luckily in the event of not wanting them i can return to store
In reply to Patrick:
Sounds like a plan! 
Better practice swapping out axles with your pit crew just in case.
Pete Gossett wrote: In reply to Patrick: Sounds like a plan!
You're hired!
The NCV53901 shafts showed up today.
I'm pretty sure they are going right back because i am not even sure what's going on here.
They have the ZX 3 sets of two holes on the diff side but the reviews on advance website are all 1 star and they say don't fit 280zx.
I think that means those axles are from a different diff.
It's been a long time, but I'm pretty sure my 240sx had evenly spaced bolts while the 300zx of the same time had three pairs.
In reply to Patrick:
3 sets of 2 holes sounds like what first generation Pathfinders had on the front.
Why three sets of two? Why not?
In reply to Knurled:
Tripod joint clearance?
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