Kazumi3

As a rule yes. There are cost control measures and cost reduction measures built in everywhere including manufacturing and quality. But fundamentally development is development and advance planners have market equations $$ created to start the initial development. Development is expensive including testing / durability tests both internal engineering standards and others like SAE - IIHS - NHTSA & other country requirements. Automakers are always looking for ways to control costs and what can be shared with other vehicle programs or platform / architecture sharing. Example what is a sports car platform or whatever??? Can you call it a sports car platform if it does not have the 3-link or 5-link multi-link rear suspension? Many decisions are required to support the brand of the company.....Advance Planners - Engineerings - Marketing - Sales - etc. Creating and marketing automobiles is very complicated with global exchange rates. Cost reduction is painful and can kill the target performance setting initially created. Lastly if products don't generate revenue development is canceled. I'm in the automotive business of product development R&D at another major Japanese automotive company and this is a balance necessary on a daily basis.

Automakers spend $$ millions developing engine mounts. The basics points are NVH as everyone mentioned. But mounts are also created to transmit the G-force smoothly through the powertrain in harmony with the designed engineered body stiffness and to the ground. Each mount has a purpose. I recommend keeping the original designed engine + trans mounts but beef up the surrounding body rigidity.

As per Stony's comment it will cost at least 10K. And when you said "to do it right" then it begins to climb. I have an RB25 DET in my 240Z and it cost me minimally 14K + but I went beyond that. With such a beautiful motor installed I wanted my engine bay to look just as beautiful to compliment it. Everyone's love for their Z is different from one another. Do it the way you want to do it. Modern powertrains are beautiful and I think moving in the direction of any RB is great if you can afford it. Good Luck.

That G Nose looks periord correct. It looks like the 5 piece version. 5-piece will command a good price when new. The only area that requires re-work is the lower valance if you sold it. This valance seems to be molded to the front flares. G-nose kit also have different front bonnet torsion bars. Flares are period correct from the days of FAR Performance in Mountain View California. Keep the car the way it looks. The American Racing Vectors also looks good on this Z.

In addition to the many good comments already said I'd like to recommend a few additions. Body Rigidity. The foundation to overall vehicle dynamics starts with this; Steering, Handling, Ride Comfort, NVH and even Performance feeling from your Powertrain. S30 body is extremely weak especially the rear hatch. This effects all functiional attributes I listed above and even more. Try to stiffen the body and the easiest addition is additional spot welds at all large opening and addition of simple strut bars (stiffness). If you can afford a single hardward that can make a world of difference in steering straight ability, rear stiffness for improved yaw and improved body isolation/ride comfort it would be Arizona Z cars rear aluminum or tubular control arms. They are rigid. The strut bars will improve the upper body and the control arms will stiffen the lower body. Stiffen the body (w/o increasing weight) as much as you are willing to spend.

Vildini Motorsports in Mission Viejo California packed my Z with an RB25 DET. The firing order combustion sound is beautiful at idle and at full song. It is so smooth running. At night driving along the Pacific Coast Highway it's music to your ears. It's also beautiful to look at. Enjoy! Plan a SR20 DET with the second car. Go with the 6-cylinder with the first car.

I have a 1972 Fairlady Z RHD complete dash (slight upper dash crack) if interested. Also available is brand new RHD turn signal switch lever (steering hub). So. Cal.

This car(s) is owned by a wonderful man name Shaw Takahashi. It is an SR20 Turbo built by Vildini Motorsports in Mission Viejo California. Car was once orange and painted black. Shaw also owns another orange S30Z with the RB25 DET pictured below. Quite an enthusiast. Regards.