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HybridZ

My 240z 2JZ-GTE swap


oatmilk

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hello all,

 

I've posted some new pics in the projects section. My car is also shown in John's new Betamotorsports video on Youtube. Nice suprise. Thanks John.

 

Next up the rear flares and suspension and brakes. And the saga continues :-)

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I keep trying to weigh my options in terms of cost/time/benefit of having a shop do this install for me. Really the only thing I would have them do is the actual physical placement/alignment of the engine (including fabricating the mounts) does anybody have a ROUGH estimate at the cost of doing this. I understand all shops will differ but maybe someone who has had previous shops do this could give a rough idea? I know alot of guys like to do this themselves however I do not have any welding experience(yet) let alone the equipment.

 

Cliff Notes: Need rough estimate for shop to make mounts/place motor (not worrying about wiring yet)

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I keep trying to weigh my options in terms of cost/time/benefit of having a shop do this install for me. Really the only thing I would have them do is the actual physical placement/alignment of the engine (including fabricating the mounts) does anybody have a ROUGH estimate at the cost of doing this.

 

I get a call a day with this exact question. Having installed SBCs, RBs, SR20s, and now a 2JZ into 240Zs I can tell you that no customer of mine has ever, ever paid to just have the physical installation done. Every single one has asked what the price is to just do the physical installation and I tell them "2,000 to 3,500." Every single one has paid at least $12,000 to get far more then just the physical installation done.

 

The physical installation is the easy part of any of these Hybrid swaps. There's far more effort involved in rust repair, subframe connectors, suspension upgrades, fuel cell installation and plumbing, diff mouning, cooling system install and plumbing, etc. then just hanging the engine and trans.

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I get a call a day with this exact question. Having installed SBCs, RBs, SR20s, and now a 2JZ into 240Zs I can tell you that no customer of mine has ever, ever paid to just have the physical installation done. Every single one has asked what the price is to just do the physical installation and I tell them "2,000 to 3,500." Every single one has paid at least $12,000 to get far more then just the physical installation done.

 

The physical installation is the easy part of any of these Hybrid swaps. There's far more effort involved in rust repair, subframe connectors, suspension upgrades, fuel cell installation and plumbing, diff mouning, cooling system install and plumbing, etc. then just hanging the engine and trans.

 

Thanks for the reply!! Well I am not going to try and lie, this will be my first go at really restoring a car. I want to do as much of the work as possible and I plan on it taking years. The car will strictly be a cruiser that gets the gas mashed in every once in a while if need be. I am comfortable with working my way around a car, specifically engines. I do not have much knowledge in body/rust/fabricating however I do have access to almost all the tools I need (Auto Hobby Shops) plus I plan on taking a welding course this Spring (I know not extensive exposure but its a start). I guess a question to piggy back with this is would it be a good idea to save the engine for last? My intentions were to get the car, strip it down over time repair what I see fit from frame up. Once the metal has been taken care of and it is time to start reassembly(reassembly being loosely used because many of the parts will be new) should the engine then be looked at? Lol I guess as a shop do you guys use somewhat of a timetable formula of what stages you do when building a car (IE strip down, repair, paint, drivetrain, interior, wheels?). Like you mentioned in your post the 12k sounds like a lot of work is done by you guys. My idea was to try an eliminate as much of the time with the engine and car being seperate as possible (hence my having a shop do the physical install and I would not be opposed to them doing the drivetrain, engine, tranny, mounts, driveshaft, an diff. Assuming a new Diff is used). This obviously raises the initial "estimate" given but tremendously cuts down the time that the major components are seperated.

 

Not going to lie the car I have now will probably be passed on in terms of being my project. I figure its worth it to pay a little extra for a car in good shape to build off of rather than pay less than 1k and end up spending much much more in frame/body repair

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The ideal order of work for me is:

 

1. Strip the car to the bare shell.

2. Inventory all the parts.

3. Degrease the shell and all the parts.

4. Send the shell and parts out for media blast.

5. Chassis repair and modification.

6. Roll bar/cage and seat mounting.

7. Dash fitment.

8. Engine, drivetrain fitment.

9. Suspension build and fitment.

10. Brake system moodification and fitment.

11. Fuel, oil, and cooling system modification and fitment.

12. Electrial wiring harness fitment.

13. Composite body part fitment.

14. Strip the car again.

15. Send parts out for paint, plating, powdercoating, etc.

16. Final assembly.

17. Interior installation.

 

...but it never works out that way.

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  • 1 month later...

thanks,

 

i called you once about a 2j swap, felt like you brushed me off but i completely understand, you probably get tire kickers 10 times a day. i just need to see how much coin i can muster up for this project and we will really talk. i live in glendale, CA, and wanted to stop by and check out your work. its going to be either you or vildini. im just a youngin with a small wallet with stupid dreams. :iospalo:

 

see you soon :D

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i called you once about a 2j swap, felt like you brushed me off but i completely understand, you probably get tire kickers 10 times a day.

 

I'm sorry I came across that way. Sometimes I'm in the middle of something and don't want to be on the phone very long. My wife has told me its better to just not answer the phone then to be abrupt and cut someone off (like her) :eek:

 

You're welcome to come by the shop anytime, just call first to make sure I'm around. Being a one-man-band I'm often out chasing parts.

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  • 2 months later...
Whats going on with the swap?

 

His first post:

Hello all,

 

After giving out my $0.02 worth of advice on this type of swap, I'll be posting some pics of my car's progress in the Member's project section. Working with John Coffee, owner of BetaMotorsports, has been a wonderful experience. You get what you pay for in this instance. A consumate professional. No hidden fees or charges, an up-front honest guy with the skills and knowledge to back it up. Oh yeah, the less I think about all the money I'm spending the better :-). Now if I could just find an honest roofer just like him, I would be set.

 

Look for the pics soon as I figure out how to do it.

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  • 8 months later...
  • 8 years later...

Believe it or not this project is still alive.  I just wrote a huge long essay detailing every bit of this project and a tribute to johnc whose fingerprints are all over my car and wouldn't you know I accidentally closed the page and my whole disertation was gone in a blink of an eye.  Suffice to say, I'm proud to say its actually running for the first time.  Betwen johnc and Vildani I've had the best working on my car.  Can wait to finish it and bring it out to some shows.

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Believe it or not this project is still alive.  I just wrote a huge long essay detailing every bit of this project and a tribute to johnc whose fingerprints are all over my car and wouldn't you know I accidentally closed the page and my whole disertation was gone in a blink of an eye.  Suffice to say, I'm proud to say its actually running for the first time.  Betwen johnc and Vildani I've had the best working on my car.  Can wait to finish it and bring it out to some shows.

 

You weren't lying when you said it'd take a few years!

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