RaDeuX

Rotary engine... I heard those have too much trouble and isn't really worth it, unless someone else proves them wrong otherwise...

I've done a lot of research and have read about many engine swap stories, but I still don't know what to pick. I don't care if it's a Nissan, Ford, Toyota motor, I just want something that'll work for me AND my budget. Basically I'm planning on taking my future Z up on mountain passes, so I want it light enough so it can run downhill with ease, and at the same time it can compete uphill against high power AWDs. Well the 240Z weighs around 2200-2300 lbs, so even 250 horses is quite a lot for its weight (or so I think). An SR20DET seems to be a good choice due to its minimal weight. However, I feel sort of uncomfortable having so much extra space under the hood (which seems like a waste...) A V6 turbo would be nice, but a little pricey. The RB25DET and RB26DETT are popular choices and I've heard the RB26DETT can go up to 500-600 horses with ease, but I don't need that much power to go uphill... The 2JZ-GTE motor seems to be a popular choice as well, but the costs are just about the same as the RB26DETT (or so I've heard). Finally, the ever-most popular swap is a small block Chevy. Or an LS1. Whatever, a V8 engine. While it has a lot of low-end torque, I don't think it's the best option for windy roads. Besides, I like the sound of turbos rather than the roars from muscle car engines. Right now I'm considering the RB25DET, but there's the problem with boost lag around each and every corner. My friends tell me I can get rid of it by adding a new blowoff valve, but I highly doubt it's that simple. Maybe I should get a supercharged V6? If anything, I want something light, powerful, and fits under my future Z's hood just fine. I don't know, I guess I'm just overwhelmed by all the available options there are for an engine swap.

Hmm. I never even heard of a flat motor before. I wonder if it's possible to put two of the same motors in an AWD or something.

Ah, well that sounds pretty encouraging to say the least. How much did everything cost you in total? I'm thinking 5-7k?

Wow. An electric motor swap is really attractive, given the prices of gasoline these days. But from what I've seen from this 240z project and the electric imp, it doesn't seem very practical. I would definitely do the swap if I knew how to do it, or if there's a bundle of parts and directions for a rookie like me to follow.

I hope this thread is not too old to bump it up again, but I just want to ask if this certain Z looks like it's in good condition. It's a good half-hour drive to Oakland, but does it seem like it's worth the trip? http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/car/708215120.html

Well I don't know much about cars, but from my research so far, one thing you should look out for is the rust. Rust on the floor panels, near the battery, and other places that I haven't mentioned. As for security, you could get a lot of stuff for your car. Don't get a motion-sensor security system, those are annoying as hell and loud engines of any kind will set them off. Use a car security system with a pager that tells you that your car is being jacked. Get a starter disabler and make sure all the wiring for the engine starter is inaccessible for the theives. Also make sure that the disabler is somewhere that only YOU can reach. Also, get a hood lock cable so they can't open up the hood to take anything from it or disable your car's battery. Steering wheel locks won't stop theives, but it'll slow them down. Make sure you have insurance that'll cover EVERYTHING you have in you car if it actually gets stolen.

LOL I finally realized that it has 4 mirrors wtf?! I'll ask the guy regarding what areas are heavily damaged to see if it's worth looking at. It seems like it'll be a good one-hour drive from where I live.

Wow... That's a wealthy amount of information. Haha I remember making an emotional buy on my Integra. The guy said it's perfect and "blah blah blah", and my acquaintance who is auto-savvy got lazy and told me to just buy it, and my dad didn't give a damn so I went ahead and bought it. A few months later my dad ended up spending over 3000 bucks in repairs, and my car STILL has some problems here and there. Anyway, there aren't a whole lot of 240z's on craigslist, but this one in particular catches my eye every time. It seems like the owner put good enough care to the machine, but I'm cringing a bit from the wires coming out of the deck area. The exterior looks gorgeous, and I know it's hard to judge if it's a good machine or not from just the pictures and descriptions alone, but I have a difficult time understanding half of the description with terms I don't even know. What do you guys think about the machine so far? http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/car/701679666.html

Well I've been reading up on a bunch of people's posts, and the popular grabbing price for S30s are around 3,000 bucks. Although I'm a car enthusiast, I know almost nothing about the mechanics under the hood, and I was planning on taking an auto-tech class next quarter but for some reason the instructor canceled the freaking class. I was recommended to start off with a car that has already been worked with, so I'm basically shooting for a car that's around 7,000 bucks (I live in CA, so apparently cars are more expensive around here). Maybe if I go to a different state near CA it'll be cheaper (just a crazy idea). Well since S30s are really old, the major problem seems to be rust. It seems like it's inevitable, but when I DO get a S30 I want to make sure I know what I should do to fix these issues. Does the rusting consist of both the body AND the chassis? How would one fix these rusting issues? Does one just patch up the holes? And every 240z I see has a lot of dents. Is there a cheap way to fix it up myself? (I could always bring it to a professional if all else fails. Body work is really expensive...) I'm also wondering how much transmission swaps cost. I'd like to have a 6-speed, if not 5-speed manual transmission if I could. Even if I don't find a complete and running 240z that I could do light mods on, what would be ideal for me? (As in, how low can I go without screwing myself over with minimal knowledge of vehicles? I'm always willing to learn a lot more though.) And one more thing. Is there a website with information on how to restore an old car? I really wish I knew more about cars, but the auto-tech class got canceled for next quarter... *sob*