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Midnight Madness 560z...


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As you all can undoubtedly tell I'm new to the forum and decided that I might as well document my build for my own purpose of keeping track of things and organizing my plans and thoughts.  This is the first time I've created a build thread for any of my projects so bare with me and don't pile the BS up to high, I'm kinda short and I don't swim to well in the green stinky stuff.

 

I've always loved the look of Zs and I have wanted one for quite sometime.  The opportunity has presented itself recently for me to get one from a co-worker who has decided to part with an extra "parts" car that he has a few miles from my house.  I checked the VIN tag and it appears to be a '75 280z.  The engine and manual trans are in unknown condition and the body is in desperate need of paint and some rust repair, but what neglected S30 doesn't need all of those areas fixed.  All of that a side the cost of the car is pulling the LH door for him to install on his '70 240z or find an acceptable replacement for his current door and the car is mine. :2thumbs: 93243682-e1a8-4962-b605-6f7af79f04ca_zps

 

A couple of days after being told that I can have the car a local classifieds had a fairly complete VK56DE out of a 2005 Armada for free with a spun #4 rod bearing and otherwise pristine internals. The seller included a fairly complete engine wiring harness, injectors, fuel rails, intake, block, heads, internals and oil pan as well (some items are already removed and on the shelf).  IMG_20150203_210830779_zpsd36f7258.jpg

 

I've always liked the raspy growl of ITB injections setups but can't stomach the price tag on my salary, but while looking around at a few other VK56 builds on other forums I decided that if I'm going to go thru the all of the fabrication headaches of stuffing the beast in I might as well go big or go home. So I researched some different options using extrudabody, gsxr throttle bodies and a few other motorcycles until I came across some really inexpensive BMW units on ebay. 

IMG_20150203_210859112_zpsa015d3ad.jpg

I paid $2 and shipping for 4 throttle bodies in a bulk buy and they arrived last friday, and another one is on it's way with the injector and TPS for under $20.  I'm on the look out for some good deals on the remaining three units.  These ones have a stock 336cc/min injector vs the vk56 286cc/min from what I've been able to find online, they also have a straight thru 45mm ID and the injector will clip right into the factory VK fuel rail.  I haven't decided if I'm going to use the BMW injectors for sure yet, I'm thinking initially I will just install the VK units with a small press fit bushing to reduce the bottom sealing boss to 14mm from 16mm.  I already ordered some replacement shaft bushing as they are a known problem for the BMW oilheads and talked to a few friends about linkage and shaft design.  I think I can get an 8mm precision stainless shaft to run thru all 4 on each side and then put a cam arm on each bank with a solid link to a torque arm and cable pulley in the center done failry easily.  Once I finish getting the adapter plates for the head to throttle body modeled in solid works I'll be able to get a better idea of the specifics.  The spun rod and crank need to be addressed first though, but I've got some mad scientist ideas for that in the back of my head too, we'll see what the engine shop machinist has to say first...

 

As far as drivetrain goes I'm still researching and trying to decide what transmission option will be the best in regards to price, ease of conversion, longevity and power handling capabilities.  The top two choices currently are a Z32 manual or a CD0009.  Differential will initially stay the stock open R200 until I get the bugs of the engine and trans swap all worked out and then as funds and the necessity for stronger parts come into play either an R230 swap of some form or the Ultimat IRS 8.8 that wfritts911 has worked out in the drivetrain section.

 

Just clarify for those still reading this I am well aware of how difficult and intense this swap will be and that many people all over the web have started, talked about and never completed the swap but there are some who have paved the way in S130s, buggies, 240sx, 350s and 370s. All of that being said this will be a pretty drawn out and long process as I don't have a set pool of money to just throw at a project until completed.  I've got 4 kids and I'm the bread winner for our family working 1 full-time and 2 part time jobs.  I do how ever have some very good connections with a few local machine shops, mechanical engineers, fabricators and professional welders.  I also work full time at a government shop where I can use any of the tooling and facilities after hours that I don't have at home as long as I clean up after myself.

 

That's about all I can stand to write for now, as things progress I'll try to take lots of pictures and document as much as possible.

Edited by 1969honda
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Thanks for the interest Dexter!

 

@ Socorob: From what I've been able to find doors are interchangeable until '76 when the added the crash bars and changed the latches and inside lock placement? :unsure: The guys 240 is in a storage unit in another town so I'll have to wait to double check the measurements.  If anybody else has solid information or has handled the different versions of doors that can chime in it would definitely help dispell confusion.

 

I'll get it all figured out eventually and if it costs me a couple hundred for a different door then I figure I'm still coming out ahead. :)

 

As for updates for the day, the engine currently looks like this after about an hour and a half in the garage with my 5 year old side kick running the electric impact and advising me on how and which tools should be used where. Need to pick up a different T-Bar puller tomorrow to get off the crank pulley and then the front cover will come off and the timing chain assemblies.  After that it's off to the machine shop with the crank and rods to discuss some ideas for addressing the 3-4 rod bearing journal that is scarred up from the #4 bearing giving way.

IMG_20150204_211655158_zpsfb4458c0.jpg

 

Edited by 1969honda
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The door will fit, but the door panel and arm rest is different, but he should be able to put all the 240z pieces on it. The major change is the crash beam, which adds about 10lbs to the door. 77-78 doors, however, will not fit.

 

Personally I think I'd just buy him a door from a 70-72 240z.

Edited by rturbo 930
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Thanks rturbo for the input! Purchasing a door is definitely my first intention, just not in a huge rush to find one and pay a ton of shipping to get to Utah as he doesn't have his 240z currently streetable and his 67 Camaro has his undivded attention for the next few months.

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Well life as always get way busier than expected when ever you want to do anything, so still need to get the crank and block over to the machine shop but I managed to finish getting the heads and #3 & #4 pistons out tonight. I wasn't to surprised to see the crank journal and the big end of the rod chewed up, looks like the #3 rod bearing wasn't far behind to start spinning as well. On the plus side all of the cylinders and camshaft wear surfaces look amazing for 150k+ miles.

Edited by 1969honda
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So I talked to the machine shop on monday about swapping in some SCAT Rods for an LS1, they weren't to keen on the idea of narrowing the rod from .940" to .866".  They build all kinds of racing and drag motors but said it's a pain to narrow the rods and bearings and I'd be better off in the end to buy Crowers or GTM rods for the price, I think I'm going to consult a few other machine shops down around Salt Lake City and see what their response is.  I can't imagine it's that difficult/uncommon to narrow the big end for specialty/unique appications?  If I can get it figured out then I'd be able to run almost any forged LS1 5.3 STD bore piston with the correct compression height for a 1mm overbore...

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And another development, find a complete 71 240z for $350 in a lot better shape than the other one. Hatch panel where the latch mounts is rusted thru in a few spots and there is a little cancer under the passenger floor, and a few small dinged on the passenger front but over all it "looks" solid. Guess I'll know for sure when I get to the body work stage. Very excited however.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Talked with Ryan from Torque Machine in Ohio last night, he seems very positive about turning down the crank pin and is going to measure and see if I'm better off narrowing the rod big end or widening the pin to accommodate the standard GM LS rods. Hope to have a reply this weekend and then it'll be time to get serious about selecting a rod and piston combo. Big debate is continue setting it up for 45mm ITBs and possible spray or pickup a good ported m112 I've got a line on and pouring some boost into the beast....

Edited by 1969honda
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  • 1 month later...

Just got word from Torque Machine, crank should be done shortly and on its way here. Ryan said there was plenty of room to widen things up and turn the pin journal down the ~.025" to accommodate LS rods :)

Edited by 1969honda
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You should be able to move that engine WAY back, and should be able to side step any (or most) oil pan modifications that way.

I have my engine (a GM V6) about 3" from the firewall and the entire engine is behind the front crossmember . I'd imagine with a similar placement of your V8, you should be able to get it nearly behind the crossmember and reduce the oil pan modifications greatly, if not completely.

Just a pic for reference of where my engine sits. I could have actually moved it back more if I wanted to mildly modify the trans tunnel for the Z32 trans I'm using.

 

post-3537-0-66049200-1429228927_thumb.jpg

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That's definitely tucked in there Six_Shooter! Once I get a transmission figured out I'll finalize placement and the oil pan, hoping to avoid any mods but I have a hunch the pickup screen and sump will be a little to low in stock trim.

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I'm leaning more towards the ITB setup as well, I'm a big fan of seeing what things can do on all motor. I think once I get it running with the ITBs then I'll start to play more with the forced induction ideas.

 

@Roger I think your right about a stock m112 being on the small side but I'm looking at a ported charger that's been on a built Lightning. Ideally I'd love to figure out how to get a TVS to mate up and work. The chargers are way more efficient from what I've seen and read, they're also pretty readily available on fleabay for under 1k.

Edited by 1969honda
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