BlueStag

The OD drops in and out by way of a rocker switch mounted on the center console, so that makes it electric? I don't know if that makes sense. The "seatbelt" light in the middle of the gauge cluster had its mask changed such that it reads "overdrive". Very nice when driving twisty winding mountain roads, just flick the switch back and forth. So your judgement is that it will stand up to the torque without issue? And obviously none of the vacuum driven systems, like the brake booster, wants to see anything but vacuum.....

Amen. You buy a 30 year old car and just start driving it? Thank your lucky stars is all I have to say to you.

I imagine this might be a bit of a new one on you, or I hope so, anyway. I own a Triumph Stag (blue) into which I have inserted a 260 w/ SUs, behind which is a Maxima 4sp auto and behind that is a 180 diffy twisting Datsun halfshafts spinning Triumph hubs (Triumph half shafts were garbage. So was much of the rest of the car). This is kind of a cool set up, as the 260 is producing almost exactly the power that the 3.0l V8 did, without falling to bits a week after getting re-built. Oh, btw, the car is up on stands and has been for nine years. I bought a house....... It took me 30 minutes to get the Z engine running again, and that included changing some dried out fuel lines and the battery, and adjusting a float. I think I like this engine. But. I know it is still a bit of a dog. This is nearly 3000 pounds with 130hp to move it. It does not cause the pulse to race. Apparently 280zx Turbo motors can be had at reasonable prices, with a little luck. And can readily be persuaded to spin the wheels at 200hp. Which would suit me just fine. I like the idea of the 3.0 V6, as it is very much a spiritual replacement for a 3.0 V8..... But a straight six is smoooooooth. Turbine smooooth. And I do like that! And I have an L6 INSTALLED, without issues (it ran tens of thousands of miles before going up on stands). So the path of less resistance would seem to me to be to find a solid ZX Turbo and drop it in, (the "dropping" being the attractive bit!) Question: How is the Maxima tranny going to respond to a SLIGHTLY massaged 280ZX Turbo twisting it? And who in Los Angeles, long term, would like to help me pull this bs off? Oh, and what sump am I running? It is all the way at the back. It drops right about at the line between cylinders 3 and 4. I need to keep that! Oh, and please do feel free to comment outside the narrow parameters of my questions. Thanks.

I have a crank in Burbank, CA that is currently surplus to my needs. That is to say, it is the only component of a 3.1L that I have.......I'm starting to think that I will never be able to afford to build one. Mine is a little pitted on the bearing surfaces. I don't know what is acceptable, but there is a gear-head living across the street and I expect to see him out walking his dog any day now. I'll get him to look at it.

No, no. I credit you for knowing that it was dissed at the time as a hair-dresser's car. I can't imagine many cars that have suffered more varied engine swaps. I'm corresponding with some lads that use a Toyota V8. The 1mz, I want to say. The suitable sump is pretty rare, and it is wide, making the whole question of manifolds tough. I mostly want a bit more power, and a cleaner exhaust (fuel injection, electronic ignition, cats). I really want for it to be my daily driver, again. As for the sump and oil pick up, generally one just needs to find the pickup/dipstick/sump all from the same engine, even if you are bolting it to a related block. On the L6s, that stuff can all swap around promiscuously.

Ouuuuch! Hey, it is a convertible with four seats, at 3000 pounds. It actually has much technically in common with the 280zx. I'm actually looking at a VG33, why not have the extra bit of displacement if I'm stuck with the sohc design? But I do need to keep the induction short. No bulges in the hood for me!

Hey guys, new to the forum. I own a '73 Triumph Stag into which I have transplanted a Z straight six with a Maxima 4 sp auto and a datsun diffy and half shafts. It has been on stands for a few years as I have been working on the house, and am now thinking of getting it down. I was not terribly enthused about the straight six. And I built it with carbs, and have been thinking of installing a cleaner engine. The car orignally came with a SOHC 3.0 v8, so a VG30E would be a poetic choice. The engine bay is too narrow for a four cam engine, but I think the VG30E would be the thing. It was stock more powerful than the Triumph unit. My question: oil pan shapes: I will need a pan that is set as far back as possible. At a guess, the half from the pulleys to the rear of the engine needs to be flat, and then the sump can fit below the back half of the engine. The VG30E was fitted to many vehicles, what shapes of sump were offered? Thanks