1988 300zx preformance parts

[kingkyle300zx]

i have a 1988 nissan 300zx i swaped the v6 for a v8 now im looking to upgrade suspension to peak for racing season i have no idea what works best for these cars im a chevy guy just wondering what parts would give me the best preformance out of this car. also looking for a roll cage but not sure which one to go with usaully build my own but no longer have a pipe bender so starting a new chapter in my building experiences. thx in Advance for all input.

[PapaSmurf2k3]

I'm not too sure about the roll cage, but suspension options for the Z31 300zx (your chassis year) is somewhat limited.
I've heard of people doing conversions to a 240sx coilover system, but I've never done one myself.
Here's a decent thread that talks about it a bit:
where-d-all-my-money-go-z31-build-t570870.html

[evildky]

This is not a floppy F body the chassis is actually pretty decent in the Z31, the front crossmember is securely bolted to the frame rails and supports the engine, or it did, and the rear IRS is a semi trailing arm design that supports the pinion of the diff and is isolated from the body. You can do solid mounts but you will feel that diff humm. The semi trailing arm design also has poor geometry and even with stock power is easy to overpower as the soft rear springs allow the car to squat causing camber and toe gain breaking traction almost immediately. The car is very well balanced before you dropped the lump of pig iron up front . The V6 sat pretty much behind the centerline of the front axle, you're v8 even is it's an aluminum block will move the center of gravity forward. The Diff is an R200 which has been used in Z cars since 75 and still is today, it will take every bit of power your small block and make but unless you add a LSD you'll just be smoking one tire. As for a cage I guess that depends on what you plan to do with the car, SCCA GCR specs are pretty much accepted everywhere, however a NHRA cage is only good for the drag strip either way unless you are driving with a helmet on it's not a good idea for a street car. Tube bending mandrels aren't cheap but neither is a skull fracture.

[kingkyle300zx]

ok cool thanks for the imput but as you say it will break tires loose easily i replaced the rear shocks with a set of comaro air shocks and which had as close to the same amount of travel in them and now the car just squats and goes i cant break the tires loose but im begining to think that i dont have the proper stall converter in the trans iv got alot of work ahead of me this spring and summer to get ready for the track..

[Desert Rat]

If you have original springs in back, I promise they're shot. Go with coilovers or at least replace them with fresh progressive coils. That'll ease the squat some. Dump the air shocks and put some good gas shocks in there.

[evildky]

If the car is an automatic the biggest seat of the pants mod will be swapping to a manual. the autos were sluggish and weak.

[pat_86_300zx]

This is the only roll cage I know of for Z31's, fits all years and models except for 2+2's:
http://store.acadianasportscars.com/901045
Like Papasmurf said, an S13 Coilover kit is probably the best solution for suspension, a little welding is required, but make sure you do your homework on all of the dimensions.