Zetsaz

I will add that you should read as much as you can. I spent YEARS just thinking about what kind of project I wanted to do because i was obsessed with Z's from the time I was about 12 or 13. Back then I really really wanted an RB swap (still kinda do...), but now that I'm older and smarter I understand better just how much work and money is really involved in even the "easier" swaps. I learned to do my own car work in high school and have always had an older brother who studied auto mechanics mentor me when I couldn't figure something out, and I still seriously debate even the most common (read: heavily documented) engine swaps. Trust me when I say this most likely is NOT a project you want to get involved in at this point in your life. Dreams are dreams of course, and if you still really want to do it, make sure you go into it with a clear head, READ as much as you can, learn about how repair/maintenance as a whole before you even get started, and then decide whether or not it's worth it for you.

I didn't know the whole car was selling cheaper than some engine/trans combos, good to know! Is the last tip still related to just getting a whole car or do you mean if I find an incomplete swap?

Took a nap... started thinking about what it would take to get the engine that's already in the car to around 200whp. I've tried reading up on it, but there doesn't seem to be much info on it other than stroker engines. So far all I've REALLY seen is get a better cam, upgrade to MS, header and exhaust, bigger throttle body... and I think that's about it. EDIT: It's purely out of curiosity. I know throwing in a stock L28ET would get me that faster, easier, and probably cheaper.

The differences between a '70 or '78 are pretty huge. Also read through this for forum etiquette and rules: http://forums.hybridz.org/topic/111201-hybridz-forum-rules-read-now-before-posting/

I'm running a Racetronix fuel pump in my L28E (Also 255LPH, just like your walbro). The pump was really made for an 99-03 LS1 setting, but it's in my my F-body tank feeding my stock L28E engine and I have no issues at all. My engine's probably the best part about my car right now actually.

Consistently lurking around multiple forums and craigslist. I took months before I found any L28ET's near me on Craigslist. Only thing I had seen for like half a year before this week was on the HybridZ forums and it was around $2000 because it was a built engine, which is why I was asking.

I LOOOVE the interior work. Keep it up. Will be subbing to see where the build goes!

I've been thinking of actually working out

For those who keep up with my very mediocre build so far, this is sort of the styling I'm going for (but probably not quite as low or with so much negative camber in the rear) The L28ET will probably fit my needs I think, it's just a matter of finding them and making sure it'll last a while. I've been doing a lot of reading and browsing the last couple nights and I think I might end up going L28ET. Save the RB25 for when things totally blow up and finding parts for the L28et is just not convenient anymore http://www.yogapantsandstance.com/originality-is-dead-tonys-datsun/

Yeah, that's the big problem I'm seeing, is most of the posts I find with pricing are from several years ago. Wasn't even really considering buying a trans/engine so soon, but considering they're becoming harder and harder to find and they're not terribly expensive I might just spring for it and let it sit around while I finish other things. Besides... my birthday is coming up. Maybe I can pull some strings and go 50/50 on it with my dad since he's gonna get some fun out of the car too haha. Thanks for the response!

RB25 will be much newer and have more aftermarket support, I believe. That's the main advantage. Plus twin cam vs single cam and other more modern bits.

I'm seeing very few around for sale these days. What to are they going for. Found a combo near me that was going for $800. Custom fuel rail, Might need a new cam, but aside from that it looks pretty complete and stock. Is this about right these says?

http://bellingham.craigslist.org/pts/5227204071.html Found this nearby. Is that actually what they're going for? It's the only one I've found for 1000 miles around me....

Some of my favorites.

You don't mean orthodontist do you? Dr. Guymon was mine and he has a green 260z.

I'd be happy to show it to you sometime! Will probably be in town for a couple weeks around Christmas. You'd have to head to my place, but I could PM you when I'm around and show you the setup. You could probably even give me a couple ideas on cleaning up things I don't need, like the stock charcoal canister and other stuff. Jester, I think if I went with the RB25 I'd definitely be collecting parts for a while before doing the full install. For now my focus is more on body restoration and suspension/brakes/wheels. After I've painted it and feel at least semi-satisfied with the suspension and breaks is the first time I'll seriously look at buying engine upgrades. For now the stock L28 is actually running quite nicely. My biggest beef with it in its stock form is cleaning up things I don't need like the charcoal canister, since the camaro tank has that already, plus what I can do to reroute a few few lines just so everything doesn't look like a scrambles mess in there.

Neat show! I didn't know we had any like that in Utah. And another member in Logan! Never thought I'd see the day. Most of my car shenanigans will be happening in Logan, but I'm in Washington for my teaching job right now. I'm not sure I'll bother updating until I actually get the car up here. Anything I buy I'm still gonna be shipping to Logan.

I didn't know that was a thing! Is it around summer time? I'm off after mid june - late august for the summer since I work as a teacher here in Washington now, so that's around the time I'll be back home to really get working on the car again

Yeah, I'm aware the motor/trans are usually only half the cost, but that's still cheaper than the LS1, and I do love me some Nissan straight-6. As far as fuel delivery is concerned I've already taken care of a good chunk by swapping in that F-body fuel tank. Internal sump pump, racetronix high pressure fuel pump. I already have to change most of the fuel delivery anyway as a result of that decision. \ I don't think I'm necessarily chasing the cheapest options, but I didn't know I could get an RB25 for around $2k these days. I know McKinney makes just about everything you could need for the swap these days. It would probably be around $3k on top of the motor/trans if I was only using their options. I wouldn't run a huge turbo since I'm going for fun while maintaining a fair amount of reliability and practicality. The engine would really be an almost stock RB25. The biggest appeal is exactly what you said.... still nissan, still L6, and waaaay newer. As far as power is concerned I'm going for right around 250-300. My oldest brother who's helping me with a lot of the more technical aspects (since he's actually studied auto-mechanics and would know his way around engine rebuilds/wire harnesses more than I do), has a V6 swapped MR2 making just over 200. Very streetable but still really fun. I'm hoping to beat him just by a bit I had honestly never considered this. At that point wouldn't it just be easier(cheaper?) to buy an L28ET from a newer zx model? I'm not sure how reliability would stack up on my stock engine. If I'm going to have to get into internals, at that point I'd much rather just leave the L28 as it is and throw money into collecting all the parts I need for a swap down the road. I appreciate the feedback guys! These are exactly the sort of questions I want to be thinking about while I'm away for the car. The next steps in the build (probably for the next year or so), are still just going to be patching the floors, installing the frame rails, finishing the rust on the doors, probably por-15 inside on the floors, then sound deadening and the carpet I cut, and then some undercoating even if just some basic bedliner for under the floors and wheel wells. Then it's taking off the old paint and repainting it on top of upgrading the brakes just a bit, replacing the hard lines while I'm getting at the framerails, and some mild suspension upgrades intended mostly for street use. Basically just making it more comfortable and usable and ready for whatever I throw at it in the future. The RB25/L28ET are definitely fun ideas to be talking about, but they're not for at least another year

Impressive find for pretty much anywhere in Idaho! When I'm back in Utah in the summers and both our cars are running we should definitely go for a cruise!

I bought them from a few sources: http://www.blackdragonauto.com/ http://www.thezstore.com/page/TZS/CTGY/classic02o04b The rails, which haven't been installed yet because the floors need to be repaired were purchased from http://baddogparts.com/ The rails from Bad Dog look extremely sturdy and well made and they're supposed to weld over the originals. If I remember correctly, both MSA and Black Dragon source their repair panels from Tabco, so it doesn't make too much of a difference where you get them from. The rocker panels and doglegs didn't need to much work to fit properly and weld in, but they're not perfect from the start. Still fairly easy though well... the modifying was just some trimming and drilling holes for the plug welding. The rear lower quarters were a really tough fit actually. I ended up cutting off the corners on both of them because it made the fitment almost impossible and just making little ovals to cover the holes from the old bumper shocks. Quality of on all of them is fine for pretty much any application. You have to remember though that none of these are perfect fits the way they arrive at the door. They always need a little bit of coercing and even slight cutting to make them fit your application. I spent probably 4 or 5 hours making them fit what I needed. That time doesn't account for cutting metal off the car then the welding done. They still need a lot of cleaning up to be presentable and ready for paint, but damn if it doesn't already look so much better than before.

Okay... ignore that LS comment altogether. I may be going RB25. Apparently they can be had with transmission and harness and pretty much everything but mounting stuff for $2k. That's cheaper than I can get just an engine for the LS1

Aha... that's the real question. And one I'm hoping to answer soon. I know highway fuel economy on a stock LS would probably be better, but I really don't know which one would be the more practical option. I've never messed with turbos before, and as much as people say you can get the L28ET for dirt cheap, I rarely see any for sale. Closest one to me was way out in Reno last I was browsing craigslist or the forums here. I really kinda just want something that I can have some fun with while maintaining at least some practically since I want to actually drive it regularly.

Oh! Other question. My 280z has the 4 speed trans in it. I've been browsing around but it hasn't been really clear to me how much work it would be to swap in a 5-speed from a later model or from a ZX.

Thanks for the tips! Down the road I'm thinking L28ET (because I love the L6 engines) or just a pretty stock/rebuilt LS1. The car will probably never see more than 300-350whp. and that's only if I decide to go LS1. I'm glad you pointed me to the brake/fuel lines... I'll have to remove those anyway when I install the bad-dog frame rails. I appreciate it! Yeah, it needs a fair bit of work, but now that I've been browsing around for parts I keep seeing cars that are only barely useful as parts cars go for $500-800! Plus, I think a lot of the work I've done has been useful. Some of it is needed even on Zs in the $1500-$3000 range from what I've seen, so I'm fairly satisfied. At the very worst I've learned A TON about how things really work and I've saved another from the scrapyard. Which is where this one was going when I decided to buy it off the guy.