Frank
do you have a picture of a front chin spoiler?
I can't imagine what it is or how it looks like....

I'm glad about every tip and advice as a Z-novice.
Thanks for that!
Thorsten

_________________
T. Link
Germany
1971 240z (HLS30-16506)

Here are some good ones. I'll take a picture of mine later today.

Frank, was the front chin spoiler an original option?
What will the spoiler cost?

Thorsten

_________________
T. Link
Germany
1971 240z (HLS30-16506)

Hi Thor ~ sorry for the delay; I had trouble making my camera and computer 'talk' to eachother.

NO, the chin spoiler was not an original option on the 1970 cars. Only after the 1970 240Z began racing here in America, did the drivers realize the front of the car became very light at high speeds. Racers such as (our Club Executive Advisor) Bob Sharp here on the East Coast, and racer Peter Brock (designer of the Cobra Daytona Coupe) on the West Coast, decided a small chin spoiler would solve the problem. Bob Sharp's spoiler was plain. Pete Brock's "spook" had two holes in it (like mine), which directed cooling air to the front brakes.

I prefer the plain spoiler Bob Sharp used, but I was unable to find one.

They are not expensive now. I bought mine unused from another member for about $100 USD. Some people actually give them away. They can be made of either fiberglass or rubber. Rubber spoilers don't break if you bump them on a curb.

Although the simple spoilers worked well for the 240Z up to 150mph, the later cars went even faster. At those speeds more air control was needed, so racers began using a full-front "Air Dam". That wraps around the entire front of the nose, from wheel to wheel, below the bumper. The 240Z "DFW 1141" wears a full Air Dam, above. They are very popular today for street cars, mostly because they look stylish and work very well at any speed the Z cars can attain.

For my driving, this simple Spook is fine. I felt the difference the first time I used it. I feel much safer with it than I did without it. On the Autobahn, you will certainly want one.

The American racers (mostly Sharp and Brock) were responsible for other inventions during the 1970s, which are common Z items today. Probably the most-common is the shock tower strut bar, which attaches between the tops of both front shocks (under the hood, across the engine), and helps to keep the wheels aligned in fast turns. They also started the use of rear deck spoilers, which I think look very nice, but are unnecessary for highway speeds in the early Z. The rear of the car was never a problem for me, but the front REALLY needed to be "nailed down" at any speed above 75mph.

Frank

Nice description, Frank! I was going to give it a try, but as I paged down,
I found a presentation I couldn't improve upon! Other than to add, that
a rear strut tower brace is now also available.

But could you help both Thor and me: Are there differences among a
front spoiler, a chin spoiler, and a Spook? I think they are all terms that
mean the same thing, but I could be wrong............ I do know how to
distinguish them from an air dam..............Thanks!............Rick

Yes Rick, there is a difference btwn the original chin spoiler and a spook. The original spoiler was a simple one-piece item, shaped rather like a 'smile'. It got higher at either end than it was in the middle.

The spook looked like a square 'shovel', and had two holes in it for cooling the front disc brakes.

The Air Dam, as you know, looks like a snowplow!

Hi Frank:
I of course drove Dale's Z with him in the car - I can tell you that it runs like a 240Z should. Lots of low end torque and smooth horsepower right up to 6500 RPM though the lower gears - had to back out of it in 3rd.. as we were already thirty miles per hour over the Posted limit

The suspension is set up the way I personally like it - firm, but not harsh - corners flat. Springs, shocks and tires work well together.

What impressed me about the car was the fact that everything Dale did to it - was done first class. He didn't cheap screw anything. Jason built my R200 with the Torsen/Gleason mechanical limited slip and 4.11:1 gears - - I don't think you can find anyone any better. Likewise the engine work was done by a professional with a long history of building race winning L24 engines. Of course behind that engine is an all new clutch assy, clutch master and slave. All new fuel, coolant and rubber brake lines etc etc etc.

Did you note the Platinum Plated Battery Terminals - and 00 gauge stranded copper cables? Lots of fine details properly addressed... I told Thorsten that I would have bought the car myself...

Other than that one end of the right front frame rail - the entire undercarriage was rust free. Dale had the A/C system converted to R134a when they installed a new rotary compressor {to replace the Dealer installed York piston compressor}... at the same time, they removed the evaporator and fan, to reseal the inside unit - and the installer routed the A/C drain by mistake - - -YEIKS!! - - - right into the Front Frame Rail, instead of having it go out to the ground.... So I'm pretty sure that damage will be pretty limited. Likewise the doglegs are an easy fix...

I was really happy to see the car go to someone that would appreciate it and so was Dale. My wife was happy that Thorsten did decide to take the car... because she know I was clearing out a space on the back patio for some reason .

FWIW,
Carl B.

Hi Thorsten/Frank:

I agree that any 240Z benefits greatly from a front spoiler. They do tend to get a little light at 70mph or above - and they are effected by cross-winds above 50 mph {like passing trucks on the highway}.

My vote is for the BRE Spook like Frank has ... Peter Brock developed it first for the Datsun Roadsters in SCCA competition. Aerodynamic devices were not allowed in D or C production classes at the time. So Peter put ducts in for brake cooling and got it approved as an air scoop for brake cooling, rather than an aerodynamic spoiler. Hence the nickname "Spook" a combination of spoiler and scoop.

He applied the same principle to the 240Z's BRE ran in C-Production. Car & Driver tested several aerodynamic devices in May of 74. They included the Nissan chin spoiler, a couple of air dams and the BRE style front spoiler {Spook}.

In stock form, the 240Z experiences 140 lbs of lift on the front wheels at 70 mph. The Spook exerted 105 lbs of down force with the brake ducts and 115 lbs without them, which all but canceled the lift. It reduces the air flow going under the car and redirects it up into the grill and over the hood. The air dams reduced the air flow going under the car, but redirect it out to the sides of car.. so they exerted less down force.. at 85 lbs. {but also less drag}

The Euro Spec. 240Z's had a small chin spoiler - but it was not effective. Nissan also used a rear spoiler - later sold by BRE as well. It is effective.

If your interested in reading the complete article by Car & Driver - you are welcome to look at my digital backup copy. I have it on the Z Car Home Page host system.
See: http://zhome.com/CarDriverAero/CDAero74.htm

FWIW,
Carl B.

Hi Frank:
I believe that the first use of a Strut Brace on a 240Z was on the BRE Baja Z. I'll have to go look though my pictures of Bob's engine bays.. but I don't believe strut braces were used on the C-Production cars.

In the article for Off-Road Magazine in 1973 about the BRE Baja Z - the author had never seen it done before. They called it "spreader bar" at the time.

Note that the valve cover is notched - so the spreader bar could be kept straight - to prevent it flexing. The thought being that if it was curved it would flex in the middle..

A minor point - but I find it interesting

Here is a picture of the rubber Euro Spec. Front Spoiler
FWIW,
Carl B.

Mr Beck
Thanx for the link to the C/D Spook article.
It would be interesting to see the same tests run w/ the vented hood found on the later 280s.
Al

Hi Al:
A year or so ago - the guys at Hybridz.org rented a NASA Wind Tunnel and preformed several runs with different aerodynamic devices on 240/280 Z's. Because this was mostly oriented toward Competition Cars they made their runs at 100 mph: but with the results adjusted for speeds of 70 mph they found about the same results as Car & Driver for the same applications. They however made far more extensive modifications and tested them...

My hats off to the guys there that chipped in the money and then made the quick changes to the test vehicles - in order to get as much done as possible in the time allowed. I'd have to go back and review everything - but as I recall venting the hood didn't result in much improvement in terms of aerodynamic lift - but of course it did allow better cooling in the engine bay. Actually one of the most effective measures was blocking off the grill opening above the bumper....

They also tested large front air dams - and as one would expect - if you push down on the nose of the Z - the tail wants to come up... So large rear spoilers were needed to get the rear wheels on the ground firmly and reduce lift on the rear - as well as aerodynamic drag. Everything is a trade-off of some kind - so down force is almost always found at the expense of additional drag, once lift approaches Zero.

Aerodynamic as it appears - the beautiful body lines of the 240Z along with the headroom for the average American - come at the expense of cd {coefficient of drag}. The 280ZX was "slicker" and the 90+ 300ZX even more so.....

I have BRE Spooks on both the 240Z's that I drive on the highway - and have used them since they first came out. My Blue 72 has both the front Spook and rear Spoiler by BRE. My White 72 has only the front Spook. IMHO at highway speeds - 70 to 85 mph - the rear Spoiler is not needed if the springs/shocks on the car are up to spec.. My White 72 is more or less "stock" and set up for Grand Touring at legal Freeway speeds {or slightly above;-)}

My Blue 72 on the other hand had been upgraded over the years - - and I used to use it for auto-crossing and higher speed track days. With the L28 and triple Webers etc etc etc - it is significantly faster - and I have to admit I drive it faster most of the time... On that 240Z you really feel the effects of the rear spoiler when combined with the front Spook above 85 mph.

FWIW,
Carl B.

It's in the box!!


Thorsten

_________________
T. Link
Germany
1971 240z (HLS30-16506)

Tied down w/ rope?
Hope it's at least in neutral...

i want to go with it!

Auf Weidersehen, Z. The American roads will miss you. Come back when you can.