Savage42

The best seats I've had in my car were 3rd gen RX7 R1 seats in black suede. (Most of them had black or tan leather, but same seat) They were very easy to mount, extremely comfortable and have a slot in the headrest that is perfect for those with a rollbar and harnesses.

Looks like I'll have to make a trip to TMS and we'll sign up for a "play day". How does sometime early next year sound? We should have our cars about where we want them by then.

No problem, just thought I'd offer put out the word. You know, it would be cheaper in the long run and for many of us, time is more valuable than a few bucks. I don't know if you've really figured out a complete budget for the project, but if you do, you'll find it'll take more time and money that you think. Figure out what you'll need time & money-wise, double it, and then you'll be close. Sound familiar to anyone else out there besides me?

Boy, it is all about power to weight. My VG30ET 510 came up with 250 RWHP & 290 ft. lbs on a Dynojet, but weighing in at 2440 lbs (w/o driver) and 225/40-16 street tires ran 12.8 @ 112 mph. Even though my Z is being built to handle, I'll give the 1/4 a try at least once. This is just me, but I don't care for waiting in line for a handful of runs to get a minute of race time, when I can get 4-30 min. sessions on a road course. Gee, 1 minute vs. 2 hours......there's nothing like taking a hard corner at 100+ mph!! Of course, I wouldn't mind a ride in a 9 second car, either. They just need to make a 2 seater Top Fuel car so I can see what a 4 second run feels like!!

Now, that's what I'm talking about.......but nearly 180mph would be nuts except at Bonneville. I'd be good with a good 160 mph, just have to wait for a time and place to try it.

I had a VG30ET in my Datsun 510 and was considering a VQ35, but I then got the V8 Z bug. A friend just finished putting a VG30DETT into his 510 and the 510 engine compartment is much smaller than a Z, as there's no way a SBC will fit w/o cutting stuff up. Anything is possible with enough time and money!

You should be fine with that gap, as I ran that with my Electromotive setup. The key will be whether or not you should go with a cooler plug. High compression on warm days with hot plugs will cause detonation. Just thought I'd pass that along.

Well, I've never heard of Nissan ever using anything other than the clutch or viscous type before. At any rate, if it is indeed a Torsen and the price is right, it wouldn't be a bad deal. I know that the clutch type is better for autocrossing, as the Torsen & Quaiffe tend to get bad inside wheelspin. For daily driving or strip stuff, it would be better than nothing. With a $500 clutch type option, you have to decide which way you want to go. It should only run about $100 to have a good shop put it in and set the gear lash. Hope that helps.

Shoot, I thought you guys had bigger ones than that! I had my L22 powered 510 to 125 mph quite often, a few times on I-5. Then I upgraded to my VG30 turbo 510 with 340HP and could do 135 mph, which is about all you can push a brick. It would run mid-high 12s on street rubber & pump gas, so it wasn't too bad. Although fast by 510 (or most import) standards, I sold the 510 (brick) and went to a V8 Z (bullet) in the quest for more speed & power! (Tim Allen impersonation right here!) My buddy with a 400 SBC in his 240Z (which is lowered and has a front air dam) raced (& beat) a GSX-R from 80 to 150 mph on the freeway. (not that would I recommend it, but this guy is also a damn good driver, autocross class champ in that car) I've had our stock bodied AAR 'Cuda (factory Trans-Am car) up to 160 mph at Daytona, but it does have a small spoiler on the front. It would go faster, but with a 4.11 diff and a 4 speed, it redlined at 7200 rpm, which is 160 mph. Now, our stock bodied '73 Dodge Challenger Petty kit car has hit 180 mph w/o a spoiler. Oh yeah, that was fun!! I'm sure my Z will be good for 150 fairly easily. I'll just have to find a track with a long straight or go down to Texas to run with Phantom.

The Nismo unit is a clutch type, which is better and more predictible for all out performance compared to a Viscous LSD. The best price I've ever seen for the LSD carrier (clutch type) is from Jimmy @ http://www.differentials.com for $500 bucks or so. You won't find too many used LSD carriers, just the occassional late '80s ZXT diff. You never know how hammered or worn a used one would be and a rebuild plus cost of purchase would make them more than buying one new. Hope that helps.

Well, it's obvious that there are varying differences of opinion in the hybridz world, the pros & cons of the different engine conversions have more to do with what you plan to do with the car and what you goals are. Obviously, the obligatory "use the search function" will come up right away, which is an awesome tool to find out basic information. I think that most "newbies" wouldn't feel like they are getting flamed or slammed if the first question was stated differently. Example: "I'd like to have a Z that does 12 (or 11) sec. in the 1/4 mile and won't be street driven, what is the most cost effective way to do that?" or "I want to do a V8 conversion, but plan to autocross it and run track days." Obviously, there are 2 extremes in those 2 examples, with most on the list having more of a priority to achieving a "straight line" excellence, where I'm personally all about having my Z become a class autocross championship car, once capable of records at hillclimbs and spanking Vettes & Vipers at the race track. To each there own, but from what I've found in the 12 years I've been playing with 510s, now Zs and Roadsters is that everyone needs to figure out what they ultimately want out of the car. Once we all figure that out, it's much easier to get the final results. Big blocks are good for monster power and drag racing, but not the answer for a road race or autocross car! I just love when I'm racing our '70 Plymouth AAR 'Cuda factory Trans-Am car and people ask "Does it have a Hemi in in?" I tell them "Hell no! Not that boat anchor, they ran 5 liter small blocks in the Trans-Am cars". Light, quick & nimble is what I'm after, but I'm a minority in this forum. I like to reference our local road course, Portland Int'l Raceway (which has a drag strip for a front straight) and say "You may beat me in the 1/4, but I want to know how fast you can take turn 1!" (an 80 mph right hander) Sorry for the rant, just a little perspective. At least the Hybridz guys get along much better than the "purists" in the other Datsun "clicks". We all focus on "The Need for Speed"!! 8)

Well, you can go with an R180 or R200 LSD, both of which will handle that kind of power, the R200 being better if you plan to drag race it w/ slicks. For street, autocross, track, etc, either will work. I've run a little R160 LSD (stock Subaru diff w/ 3.70s) in my VG turbo 510 that put out 340HP/400 ft lbs for several years as a driver, many autocrosses and a hillclimb record. Those are "bolt-in" options and the most cost effective for sure. Neither of them will "hurt handling". Hope that helps.

First of all, if you are looking for a new clutch-type LSD (like the Nismo unit, both R180 & 200), you can get them new from http://www.differentials.com (ask for Jimmy) for a little over $500. As far as breakaway torque, I've run them with 45#, which is the minimum I'd ever want, all the way to 150#, which was a bit stiff but not locked. This was also in a 2200 lbs 510 with 205 race tires, so more weight and more tire would make it softer. For a daily driver, the stock torque is fine. For an autocrosser, I'd recommend at least 75# or so. Just my 2 cents after playing & racing with them for a decade. Hope that helps.

I was just looking through the new Super Chevy magazine and they are have "Dos & Don'ts" article for the LS1s. This is info from the top LS guys at Detroit Speedworks, SLP, etc Here's an overview: Do: Cold Air Intake, only good for a few HP unless you get into other bolt-ons, heads & cam, then it's more like 10 HP. Don't: Port the Stock MAF, just spend the money to get a calibrated 85mm meter. Don't: Larger Throttle Body on a Stock Engine, not needed until you get near 600 HP. Do: Cat-back exhaust, good for 10HP on a stock Camaro and more with mods. (we're in good shape) ;^) Don't: Go Nuts with Exhaust, a low restriction 3-3.5" system is plenty, even with nitrous or blower. Do: Long Tube Headers, the LS1 responds terrific to high-flow attributes of full-length headers. You want 1.75" primaries with 3" collectors. The experts agree that don't do any good. Go long or go home! Do: Upgrade the Valvetrain, if you plan on revving over 6,000 rpm, at least get the LS6 springs and valves. Don't: Delete the Torque Management Table or Disable Knock Protection, you'll pick up a tenth or two but will kill your automatic transmission. Do: Be Careful with Compression, for boosted motors, bolt on a pair of lower-compression LQ4 6.0 truck heads ('00+ are aluminum) and boast larger exhaust ports & combustion chambers. Don't: Invest In an Intake Manifold, good for 10hp on a stock motor, wait until you go heads & cam. Those with the '01-02 motors already have the Z06 manifold, so you are good to go. Don't: Over-Cam Your Blower motor Do: Be Careful With Pulleys, Some underdrive pulleys can cause a frequency that the knock sensor will detect and pull timing. W/o a balancer, the crank may not last forever. Do: High Stall Converter, a 3,300ish stall, lock-up-capable converter is good for a couple tenths. Anything higher than a 3,300 stall converter and you'll need the PCM recalibrated. Do: Short-Throw Shifter, for your 6-speed Don't: Neglect the Fuel System, stock injectors are good for 450 normally aspirated HP. A better pump is recommended over the stock Camaro pump. Don't: Use 02 sims Up Front, Use the front ones or lose them, if you don't use them you need to wipe them from the PCM with tuning. 02 sims work well in the back, but not up front, but it's best just to get rid of them, too.

Yep, Ron lives about a block away and he stopped by last night to look at my Z that is getting an LS6. Anyway, he's just about got the exhaust totally done (dual 3" all the way back) and isn't far from being fired up. I'm sure it'll be a handful when it's done.

Come on.....April 1st isn't for another 3 weeks. Maybe we are just getting started early?

Good gawd, Dave, that was an epic. I wasn't speaking to you in particular, just in general. You know what I'm talking about, after being part of the 510 group for some time. Anyway, you should be able to get your car done for that $20k budget, especially since you started with a nice car. Mine is a full on bare metal restoration, monster brakes, body kit, LS6, blah, blah, blah and that is not counting any of my time and labor to actually put the car together. It adds up quick, eh?

Having built several 510s over the last decade and I have to say that the 510 crowd would love to have the aftermarket support that the Z guys have. There were a few guys (companies) that built and supported the 510, but many of them are gone. Everyone was always looking for the "cheap" way to do it and not support those guys and then when they decide it's not worth the effort and discontinue their support, everyone started complaining about not having any support. Sheez, it's about supporting those who support your hobby, too. Personally, I'd pay a couple hundred bucks to get something quick and easy and not have to spend all my valuable time doing all this stuff to save a few bucks. You have to figure out what your time is worth ($10-20/hr?) and then go from there. I'm not saying this is the case for everyone. Aside from Roadster owners, I sure is hard to escape the stigma of Datsun Owners just being "cheap". Everyone wants 400HP for $2k in their car, but come on!! Sorry about the rant and I'm getting off my soapbox now, but I just wanted to give you my 2 cents. I'd hate to see other companies stop supporting the group because everyone keeps going out there to figure out another way to do something that is already done. Someone always takes the time, effort, energy and money to figure it out and I'd rather pay to not waste so much time on stuff like that. I'm just sayin'.......

Not quite right on the LS1 weight, as the GM lists a complete LS1 at 450 & 490 lbs fully dressed, the latter being w/ flywheel & clutch as opposed to flexplate for an auto. Then you add the weight of the transmissions, so it's not much lighter when all said and done, just more power & torque and quite a bit less money in your checking account.

That would be from Jimmy at http://www.differentials.com They are the clutch type and cost right at $500 for both the R180 & R200 versions. Give him a call and tell him that you got the info from Gary Savage. That's Jimmy Claypool @ West Coast Differentials 800-510-0950 Jimmy & his brother Jerry have been Datsun guys for quite some time. There you go!

I would have to say it was more a matter of making sure they didn't have to replace diffs in the cars with a MT that like to rev it to 4000 rpm and sidestep the clutch. Less weight is a good thing. I pulled the R200 out of the turbo VG 510 to put the R160 in it and it raised the rear of the car a full 1". Crazy! Bottom line is that once you get ride of the spider gears, they diffs are virtually indestructible! I bet an R160 LSD would take as much or more abuse than an open R200!

Does the John's Cars Z kit include the mounts for the LS1 motor and trans? Yes, he has both the T56 & 4L60E setups. Does it place the engine far back to the firewall like the JTR kit? As far as it needs to go and still have room for heater hoses, AC, etc. It's been proven (for the most part) that the setback have very little affect on the handling due to the fact that the car would have to have a fully sorted and dialed setup for that little bit to even make a difference and 99% of the Zs out there are not dialed in to that extent. Does it lower the motor using spacers like the JTR kit? No! Those spacers are not needed and not a good idea, only to be used for hood clearance, which is not an issue with that motor. Will the A/C compressor clear everything mounted in it's stock location? Will the alternator clear everything mounted in it's stock location? Bill's car has this setup and you can see how everything is setup. http://www.hybridz.org/phpBB2/album_pic.php?pic_id=2022 Will the F-body exhaust manifolds work in the 240Z or will I need headers? Yes, the manifolds will work or you can spend money on headers from John. Does anyone have a website set up showing documentation of their LS1/T56 Swap? Not that I'm aware of since there are only a few LS1 Zs out there and nodoby documented and put that info out there. You've been spoiled by DQ and all the detailed info in the 510 community that is not available with the Z crowd. Of course, there are less than 1/4 of the amount of people in this group than the 510 list. Has anyone used this company for their wiring? http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=33553&item=2449736605 Not that I've heard of. Most just rework the OEM stuff. Might be a good idea if you are unsure of the electrical stuff. Any other info that you could provide would be appreciated. Not much out there besides what's on this list. Bill covered quite a bit at: http://www.hybridz.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=27740 Good luck!

As stated, in the US, there were very few (if any) R180 LSDs. Any that exist were usually added as an option or after purchase. I'll be going with an R180 LSD (can get them for $500 new, carrier only) w/ CVs on my Z. I don't want the extra weight and being that the R160 held up to 340HP/400 ft lbs for many years, I'm sure the R180 will hold up to 400HP/400 ft lbs in the Z. Torque kills diffs, so using that logic, the R180 should be more than adequate.

As far as I know, there is only one company that even makes the LS1/6 kit, and as Phanton mentioned, is about $2k. Since the LS motor mounts completely different than the other SBC motors, the JTR book would seem a waste of time. I haven't read the book, but doesn't that follow reason? Just my 2 cents. Oh, the LS6 intake manifold was used on all '01-02 LS1s. As far as LS6s go, the ones I've seen used have gone for $7k w/o a transmission. So, $10k for the motor, trans, & kit, then the cost of a car, upgrades, paint, on and on. I'd think $25k should get you there.