BleachZee

First establish your budget and then decide what kind of engine you can build, not what you want. Forget the 3.1L stroke, that's a waste. Do all the turbo upgrades though. Don't get a "race" cam, get a turbo cam with specific grinds for turbo applications. Maybe just pay a shop to build the engine for you.

The brake light sensor I know of is the little box under the passenger seat. There are two electrical connections there. One is for the brake lights, the other is for cruise control. But, you can't remove it. The lights run through that box. If you remove it you will have no more brake or rear running lights at all. If you remove the box and straight wire the connection to go through, then you will be the first to do so. It may or may not work.

You're stuck with the rear if its molded there too. I suppose you could remove both front fenders and with two people, you could move that section (along with the airdam) to another car.

Yes, I heard that you can reach from under the transmission up to the latch. You'll have to move a lever to one side to pop the hood open. That is if your cable is completely missing. If part of the cable is there, try using some pliers to grab it and pull hard. It would help you to look at someone else's car first so you know what you are trying to do.

That list of 1/4 mile times is interesting. I didn't know so many people got the L28 or L28Turbo to go that fast. Other's that claim to be running 12 or 13lbs of boost (250hp maybe?) can hardly break into the 13's. I think they don't have something tuned up right or their dual 12 inch subwoofer box is way too heavy! I wonder if putting on a G-nose on those 240Z's would make a big difference with the added aerodynamics... there is a lot of wind resistance at 80+ mph

all turbo engines are made with less compression. It has to do with the engine accepting boost. If you run a non-turbo block with high compression you will not have more power. You will only make it harder for the turbo to pump air into the engine. I know it sounds strange, but its true and that's why Nissan made the turbo block with only 7.5:1 compression. People have actually lowered the compression to 7:1 in order to put on a huge amount of boost. I would say swap the entire turbo engine and wiring. Also swap the interrior wiring including the guauges. Another method is to change your gearing. it makes a huge difference in torque and makes the car more fun to drive. I'm not sure if that's good enough for you, but I would say try swapping your rear end to a 4.11 from a 200SX turbo.

Is this triangular strut tower bar more what you are talking about? This one is from Top End Performance. $189 shown here on a 280zx, they also sell them for the S30 models.

Most who build a good 2.8L engine with no turbo get mid to high 13's. Even some who put a 2.8L turbo in an early Z stay in the 13's. If you check out the quarter mile times from the V8 swaps, you'll see most are in the low 13's and 12's. Not all that much faster compared to their investment into a domestic motor. Norm's 12.8 second runs are "Not Typical Results" and he is running 11:1 compression now, which requires an octain booster on every tank of gas. From the factory the 240Z-280ZX can get high 14 second to 15 second quarter mile times using a manual transmission. Automatics are much slower.

Not only that, but I think all the old Diesel cars are emissions exempt in all states, right? So as long as you don't go bragging to the department of licensing or the cops about your engine, you'll be left alone.

I would suggest swapping the entire engine. The turbo has a lower compression to allow more boost, and also thicker piston rings. It is not usually recomended to put forced inductionon a higher compression engine. You'll end up not being able to put much pressure into the engine. Plus, that would be the most simple way to do it. The turbo has larger injectors, and the head has larger exhaust ports. It is made to be a turbo, so why not use it?

If money is tight, you can build your own fuel injection computer for a fraction of the cost of those other setups and also eliminate the air flow meter so you can just run a large pipe right to your throttle body! There are plans and parts lists on this web page link below. You can also order the whole parts setup if you are willing to wait untill the next order date. This fuel injection computer can be used with any number of cylinders, any size engine, and works with n/a or turbo engines. It is fully programable with most any PC. The current parts bundle price is $120. http://www.bgsoflex.com/megasquirt.html