twoeightythreez

I hear you on that Phantom, I had a dream, in that dream, my LS-1 280z (570Z?) also used an existing light for the check engine function. Instead of the "fasten seatbelt light", though, it was the "floor temp" light, it's yellow, and already has a bulb-check function built in (when you turn the key to start!) In my dream I had a sign shop make me a custom yellow plate that said "check engine" and installed it in place of the "floor temp" light, and nobody knew it wasn't factory. It's awesome for the "fasten seatbelt" light though. If it were my idea I would put a backlit LCD in place of the factory flip-down map light, wire it up with it's own dedicated PROM, and put a seat sensor, mike, and touch sensors in the passenger side. Then, of course, angle this display towards the passenger display. When you start up the car and hold the door open for the latest scare victim, the display will SCROLL "get in, sit down", when said victim gets in the display now says "buckle up, chuck", when you start going and the victim goes HOLY S#iT!!! It'll say "shut up and hang on!" THEN, when you're going really fast, it'll display the warning "Caution: Do not open windows in excess of 120mph" and add that along with your flashing fasten seatbelt light! I know it sounds very time consuming and complex, but it's really not when you're just shootin the bull! It would be awesome, though. I still think you're flashing fasten seatbelt light is awesome though. P.S.- With the display, you could then stop the car, get out, and then have the doors lock themselves, have the engine auto start, and then have the screen scroll "Remember Stephen king's Christine?...welp I'm the real deal beeatch, Mr. king changed the identity of the vehicle so I could prowl the streets to this day!" and see how fast your victim jumps from your car SCREAMING!! Especially if you do it on Halloween. hehehe but really, it's a kick-butt idea! Rock on!

The daily driver thing kinda limits the options a bit, cuz while u were working on the z the camaro would be a daily driver...etc. I want to do some stuff to my z but since it's my only car I have to resort to getting another motor and building it up. I plan (for now) on getting an 81-83 zx n/a block and rebuilding it (boring it .120 over and putting in the 3.5" pistons) then slapping a worked maxima N-42 head on it. It won't give me 500lb. ft. but it'll be good for about 300hp and commensurate torque. My z could be lighter, (with my little 155lb frame, and my lifelong possessions in the cargo area...I'm in the navy and live on a ship so my car is..literally...my house when in port...my car is pushing 3,200lb, but 300hp still would make a quick daily driver. ) WHere did nissan put the weight? beats the heck out of me. How do you have a car smaller than a civic that is pushing 3,000 pounds?? (and still has doors that "clang" when you shut them! ) I guess that's why they can handle V-8 torque and 11-second 1/4 mile times with minimal reinforcement, while the civics are breaking axles and tearing apart thier trannies when they hit low 14's! Speaking of the motor thing....did you know your generation Z had an inline 6 similar to the RB26? Get some jap-spec mounts and an RB motor and trans, and throw some boost at it and you're at your torque goals! But realistically I think for a daily driver 300 to 350lb. ft. would be plenty...of course you can never have enough, but much more torque than that and your Z probably won't be any faster, just will be a really big pen using rubber for ink (not that there's anything wrong with that)

Hmm....I don't know that much about the VG's, I'm only going on the specs of the frontiers and such....IMO the swap would make a killer 300z (330z?).... the q45 piston Idea is pretty tight too. 500lb ft? I don't think that's possible with 200cid without some kind of power adder . But that's just my .02---a v-8 swap would be the best bet for that kind of power.

That's cool....I don't have a '69 camaro, but at home (in PA) I have a 1969 buick sportwagon (hey, it's really rare, OK??) that I put a 430 (actually 440 cuz' it's .030 over) Buick big block into. It's not built big-time, mainly for longevity (head and main brg. studs, hi-vol oil pump, double-roller chain, chain oil squirter, and modified the lifter oiling system a lil-bit.) It "only" puts out about 400hp so I wouldn't line it up against your camaro because that 4,400lb wagon would get seriously smoked The main thing about that motor is the torque....I've never had it dynoed but it has so much torque that with my foot on the brake as hard as I can push it it still overpowers the rear wheels, and there is so much weight in the back of the car (all kinds of junk I don't know what to do with is in the back of the wagon) that instead of spinning the tires it PUSHES THE LOCKED FRONT WHEELS AS THE CAR STARTS ACCELERATING...she'll STILL hit 30mph, pushing the locked front wheels and overpowering the rears, in about 10 seconds! So....I do know what "real" torque is...but I'm looking in the perspective of a 2,900lb z-car..(well in your case about 3100) ..can you imagine what 350lb. ft. of torque and 300hp would do? (can't imagine a VG33E with a blower having much trouble putting out that kind of power...the factory super charged VG33 dosen't even have an intercooler) My STOCK 280z can give(stock) vettes of that era a run for thier money, especially when the road starts turning. That's with about 120rwhp and 150rwtq. Good luck on your swap, and hey, musclecars are the shiznick but why not do the z and really suprise some people? best ET so far stock unopened (oil burning) L28E motor and 4-speed, 3.54 open R200 was 15.7@86.6...since then I've put a 280zx 5-speed and a 3" exhaust on it....wish me luck..I hope I didn't make it even slower The kicker is I didn't lose ANY low-end with that 3" and flowmaster..it now just pulls stronger from 1,000 to 4,500rpm! (and it will actually rev to 5,500 now...holy-moley!)

VG33E=SOHC (if DOHC would be a VG33DE) Nissan's engine codes are fairly simple once you know what to look for --- first letters are the engine family the numbers are the displacement in liters the following letters designate type of cam drive and such--- D=DOHC E=EFI T=Turbocharged if no letters follow displacement, it means you have a carbureted, SOHC or OHV , non-turbo engine. VG33E was introduced in the 1996 pathy but later extended to the Frontier in 1999. The Xterra came out later the same yr. with that engine. (after the Pathy introduced the AWESOME VQ35DE to the world!) Nissan still uses the VG33E in the Frontier and Xterra. On the supercharger issue: They make one now. 2000-2004 frontiers, 2001-2004 X-terras were available with a VG33E(S?) engine. Factory displacement 200cid, fact. HP 210@4400 tq 240@2800. For you torque junkies that want to keep a 6-cyl under the hood that's a Nissan, the 2005 Frontier is coming out with a FOUR LITER VQ40DE! In truck trim, 240hp and undisclosed torque, but being the 350Z has about 265lb. ft......I'm drooling already....that VQ40DE might just make me revise my LS1 dream. Imagine that.....at this rate everyone will have big blocks again by 2010! Hehehe

Phantom, If I get a t-56 that would be awesome especially being that it would probably have an LS-1 in front of it! One (minor) correction to your statement: yes .50:1 OD on 1994 and up T-56 transmissions. 1993 and earlier F-body T-56 had a still-awesome .63:1 overdrive. This info came from the JTR swap manual, fifth revision. (they recommend using a '94 up T-56 for thier V-8 swaps. ) The SIXTH revision probably will recommend using the '98 up trannies because they had the nifty, slick hydraulic throw-out bearing that allows installation w/o hammering the trans tunnel. I would still love to have a T-56 behind the L-28 but would definitely have to go (a lot) lower on the ol' gearing in the diff. (I can still pull hills w/o downshifting but when you drop the hammer not much happens w/o a downshift.....the ONLY downside to the neat little thrill of watching the speedo wind to the right while the tach needle seemingly stands still!) Hey, that's what a stick is for, right? SHIFTING!! No prob there! I still don't think the L-28 could pull a .50:1 OD without some SERIOUS work. O.D.'s are so neat, IMO because of that....the higher the RPM, the more RPM drop(compared to a 1:1 ratio) you'll see with an O.D.---as my lil' previous post shows. My guess to this is because the OD can be expressed as a percentage....so using a set # like .75:1....75% of any given RPM, or a 25% RPM drop from 1:1...so 25% of 6,000 rpm is going to be a lot more than, say 25% of 3,000RPM. (I guess that's why at low speeds the rpm in 5th in my Z is not much lower @20mph than with the 4-speed in 4th...but at 100mph...LOOK OUT! ) To Jdllaugh, Thanks for the thank-you, but the TRUE thanks goes to all the wonderful people here at Hybridz.org who's posts and generosity of information taught me just about everything I know about Z's. YOU GUYS ROCK!

Hi, Funny you should ask about the trans swap! I just put an '81 zx 5-speed into my '78 280 yesterday (man I'm sore, pulled the trans from the u-pull it and bought it for $100 , carried it to my Z [my only car]. drove to the base skills center, put her on jackstands, pulled the 4-speed full of fluid because BOTH the fill and drain plugs stripped out DOH! , held the 4-speed up for about 10 min. and let it drain into a pan..., replaced my clutch, and manhandled the 5-speed in, all in about 8 hours, including 2 hrs of driving time to get the trans., and get back to base.) Not too shabby for a 5'6" dude that dosen't weigh much more than the friggin' trans. (I weigh 155lb soakin' wet) Did I mention I had to do this all myself, one dude helped by lowering the jack when I removed the 4-speed, but that was it! I also used nuthin' but hand tools, and a floor jack, one of which was a CHEAP 3.95 ratchet..it's broke now but it worked while it had to, which was tight. Talk about fixin a car old school style. The transmissions are the same length, about the same weight, and use the same clutch, input shaft, and output shaft. Just be wary of getting a 2+2 flywheel because they had the bigger clutch, but as long as you use your flywheel any 240-260-280z and 280zx trans will bolt up. BTW I'm very happy with this trans, despite it's being noisy (the donor car had 250,000 miles!! but it was the best they had, and it works for now..it wuz only a hundred bucks.) The reason? The .745OD that was mentioned. I have a 3.54 R-200 and decided (for now) to keep that gearing, as I feel that the stock powerband of the L-28 (low compression) will benefit from the taller gearing for most driving (the 4-speed did nothing but spin in 1st in a drag start) so i changed my speedo pinion (took the one from the 4-speed and used the zx sleeve as they are different)...here's the results. 4-SPEED (all are as indicated, but speedo is dead-nutz at 60mph) 1st gear range 0-25mph 2nd gear range 0!-50mph 3rd gear range 1-90mph 4th gear range 5-125mph (those L-series are TORQUEY with stock cams!) Rpm@ (in 4th gear) 10mph---800 20mph---1100 30mph---1500 40mph---2000 50mph---2400 60mph---3000 (pwr range stock cam 500-4500rpm) 70mph---3500 80mph---3800 90mph---4100 100mph---4500 110mph---4800 120mph---5100(and she's not revvin much more than that !) 5-SPEED from 1981 na 280zx, used with 3.54 rear (yes speedo is still accurate, verified it AND I used my speedo gear from the 4-speed) range, mph (max engine speed 5500rpm) 1st gear---0-50! mph 2nd gear--5-75mph 3rd gear--5-100mph 4th gear--5-125mph(@5200rpm, not enough power to rev higher) 5th gear--25-??? (assuming enough power possibly close to 200mph!) MPH@RPM in 5th gear 30mph---1000 40mph---1200 50mph---1500 60mph---1900 70mph---2300 80mph---2700 90mph---3000 100mph--3300! overdrives are great! As you can see the gear spacing is much closer in the ZX trans and the 5th gear is GREAT for cruising...I can't even hear the engine anymore, and can now keep up with SoCal traffic without seeing dollar bills go out the tailpipe (gas mileage was 19mpg before, i haven't measured it yet but I'm sure I'm mid 20's now!) Good luck with your conversion, Z's forever! Bryan

Mack, I believe (but not sure) that the diesel probably had some hella-thick cyl. liners, but even if it can't be bored out to 89mm, could just bore to 86mm and use stock flattie 280zx L28 pistons with the L24 rods, with the custom crank. The thing would still be one of the biggest L-series stroker motors in history because the bore size isn't the primary factor in the displacement...I've read on here that just stroking alone can get you close to 3.0L on these motors. (when using the 300zx 87mm pistons with the .040 overbore.) The deck plate idea was if I would decide to use a gas L-block and increase the deck height so the long stroke could be used without resorting to mega-short con rods. BTW, what is the deck height of the L20b? Is it the same as the LZ-24? I can't remember the deck height, it's been a long time since I've owned my 85 nissan pickup (LZ-24 2bbl, beat the tar out of it and it still ran well when I sold it, even at 180,000 miles!) All the talk of modding a cyl. head, anyone consider using the QR25 head and modding it? I've heard that these heads flow really well and have a valvetrain that is easily capable of 7,000+ rpm (despite the QR25 having a 6,100rpm redline, and the NISMO race QR still can only rev 6,700rpm bacause of the terrible rod/stroke ratio!) Nissan basically built a factory stroker with the QR, the JDM QR20DE has the same deck height and 89mm bore but a MUCH shorter stroke (the US QR25 has a 100mm stroke!..that's like, just about the stroke of my BIG BLOCK 430 that's in my Buick sportwagon!) 100mm=3.94"! (this explains why the QR25 has nearly the same hp as the VG33DE (but, imagine! a LOWER REDLINE)and only 20ft. lb. less torque...with a very flat, v-8 like curve.....from about 2,000rpm all the way to 5,000rpm the QR25DE is putting out something like 85% of it's torque peak. (180ft. lb.@4,400) The bore spacing I think is very similar to the KA24.

Tbs, Hey good luck on the head thing...hope you get her together and running soon, and on the whole making them thing, did you think of getting with edelbrock or world products or someone else and convincing them to cast the heads once you get the setup right? I would be really interested in trying it on my '78....another Idea....everyone was talking about the KA intake being for a long-stroke motor...why not do the same for the L-6? Let's say take an LD-28 diesel block,(with it's higher deck height like the LZ motors) get the diesel crank offset ground to 3.78" (or a billet crank)and use the KA con rods and pistons to end up with an "L from hell" with a displacement in the neighborhood of 3.8 liters, and take advantage of that KA head. I know I'm just speculating out of the box and don't even know if it can be done, but wouldn't it be cool? I was also wondering about the possibility of increasing the deck height of the L-28 block with a custom plate, (with a head gasket below it) and use taller cylinder sleeves so the cylinder surface is sealed, then slap that KAx1.5 head on top and start showing 1JZ's that there's a new sheriff in town. Just thinking outside the box here, like all of us. The timing cover could be sourced from an LZ-24 (it's deck height was in the neighborhood of NINETEEN MILLIMETERS higher than the standard L-block!) That way a stroker could be built using the LZ pistons AND rods, would just have to get a custom crank made with the longer stroke. I know, just shootin' the bull but wouldn't it be cool to have a "monster" L-series, being just about every other motor in town seems to have monster displacement these days (from the same external size!) I'll look up the specs for the LD-28, if it's deck height is similar to the LZ-24 I'm definitely gonna try the "big-block" L-series idea. Good luck and god-speed on that head, later, Bryan

Took my Z to the strip Saturday and was pleasantly suprised when I ran first a 16.4@80, and got it down to a 16.2@82.5. Then I took off the stock exhaust, and with no other changes, got her to run a 15.7@86! Keep in mind my car is stock as stock gets (with the exception of a K&N cone filter) I didn't adjust timing or tire pressure, and run on plain ol' regular 87 octane. My 60' times were ranging from 2.5 to 2.1!! This is on Street tires, no less, not aired down. If I get into low 15's I'm gonna start gettin' scared that the motor is gonna blow (they tend to run strong, REALLY STRONG, right before somethin lets go, as fate has it) Oh well, I'm gonna go every week and save my pennies for my dream swap, an LS-1 and T56! (though I definitely would also dig a turbo L.) Anyone have a L28ET w/ T-5 and harness, etc. that are willing to part with in trade for some cash plus a built chev. 283? Just wondering. Oh well, keep those Z's rolling! Bryan 1978 280z, STOCK, STOCK, STOCK. (L28E dished pistons, N42head, stock throttle body, intake manifold, exh. manifold, exhaust, cat. 3.54 R200 non LSD, 225-60R14 BFG's. Also stock clutch and 4-speed.

Nic-450, I can't vouch for the 215 engine, but I do know that the buick 300 v-8 is VERY tough. Being the 215 was BUICK'S (not oldsmobiles, it was just installed in oldsmobiles) engine, and was based on the small block buick of the time, I would say it's pretty darn tough. Case in point, my friend had a 300 that he decided to try and blow, he floored it in park and had it revving 7,500rpm for so long that the exhaust (not just the manifolds, the entire exhaust!) was RED HOT. We never did blow that motor. It still ran (though the valves were a bit crispy by then, but it ran nonetheless)....we never managed to blow that lil' buick up. 'nuff said. The biggest prob with the 215 was if you overheated it, that was about it.

Quik240z, I just read you're looking for an engine. I have a sbc for sale. Here's the sweet stuff....balanced and blueprinted, schneider crank, new pistons and rods, ported and polished stock heads, chrome oil pan, chevy orange block paint, tall edelbrock polished cast aluminum valve covers, edelbrock performer intake, edelbrock long-style aluminum water pump, chrome timing cover, carter competition series polished carburetor, edelbrock cast aluminum polished air cleaner with filter, mallory unilite breakerless distributor and cap (polished), and a new performance 7.25" harmonic balancer. The engine's specs are for 350-375hp. The only things it needs to run are a fuel pump blockoff plate, a brain box for the distributor, and some block hugger headers. (I ordered these but they never came, guess they're lost in the mail!) The engine is a 283, 1967 model year. It definitely has the "wow" factor for under the hood and should have tons of power to boot (especially for it's size) There is also the stock oil pan , another oil pan gasket, and extra valve cover gaskets that would come with the engine. I'm hoping to get $2500 for the engine but am willing to entertain offers. I can't use it anymore because my '71 240z got wrecked and I want to pay some bills before I start over. So, this BEAUTIFUL engine is sitting in storage crying for a home! If you're interested please either call me at (619) 742-0008 and leave a msg, or leave me an email at edgarb@nimitz.navy.mil Hope I hear from you, thank you, Bryan

HEy, I was just cruising the posts here and understand you need a small block chevy for your z. Funny you should ask! I have a 283 sbc that I'm selling. Here's the lowdown. New crank, rods, pistons, balanced and blueprinted, ported and polished stock heads, chrome oil pan, edelbrock aluminum long-snout water pump, edelbrock performer intake, edelbrock tall cast aluminum polished valve covers, roller rocker arms, carter competition series polished 750cfm carburetor, edelbrock polished cast aluminum air cleaner and element, mallory breakerless distributor, and a new harmonic balancer. In other words, all you need to get this puppy running is to get some headers, a fuel pump, an electronic brain box for the distributor, and to put it into a car! It also comes with the stock oil pan and a new oil pan gasket plus new valve cover gaskets. The motor has not been used since it's been put together. Now, to the inevitable question, WHY WOULD I WANT TO SELL IT? Ummm....I kinda wrecked the '71 240z it was going to go in, and I really couldnt' afford it anyway as I have many bills to pay off. Ok here's the part a college student might not like so much, the price. Before your jaw drops to the floor and you tell me where to go, consider the bolt-ons alone are worth more than 2K....and it's a brand-spanking new engine (Ok like new, it's a 1967 engine, but just built!) I'm asking 2,500 firm. Consider what a crate motor would cost you...shoot, you would need connections to BUILD something like this 283 for that kind of money! The engine's specs are for 350-375hp and for commensurate torque. Plus the sweet fact that this baby will turn 7,000 rpm all day long! Please give me a reply at edgarb@nimitz.navy.mil or call my cell at (619) 742-0008. If you happen to be in the SoCal area you can even come and check this beautiful beast out for yourself! Thank you, and good luck! HOpe you like this motor! Bryan

I was just going on the three choices they had, then added the inline fours in for good measure. The three rotors sound soo cool because of the 12 firing pulses, any V-12 simply needs no intro...but here's one that must be off the chain....The caddy SIXTEEN concept...ya know that prototype that was TWO LS1's put together...1000hp, 1000lb.ft., all motor, and with characteristic caddy smoothness! (would almost make getting...ummm....2mpg fun!)

In order of precedence....DRUMROLL PLEASE!!!!! 1) small block V-8, stock AND modified. 2(tie) Inline-6, modified with decent exhaust 2(tie) Boxer four, no exhaust (sounds almost like a harley) 3) stock inline 6 (sounds like a darn UPS truck) 4) boxer four, stock (sounds like a lawn tractor) 5) inline fours, stock and modified** 6) HONDA inline fours stock and modified** ** note that this poll was a poll on engine sounds, as in, which one sounds better...has NOTHING to do with POWER because I respect any engine with power, but hondaphiles, take note...I don't care if your friggin' B20 hybrid pumps out 500hp all motor(and 100lb ft of torque at 20,000 rpm) , it still sounds like crap! I totally respect any kind of fast machinery though, just don't try to pull BS saying a B-series with a coffee can farter sounds good...you're just telling yourself that because you made it fast!

That's awesome...except for the part where that was one of MY ideas for when I put my z together ....kinda held up on it right now because I'm currently on deployment! Oh well, I'm gonna have to see this thing, hope we hit a port that carries Sport Compact in time. (My dumb butt forgot to subscribe 7 months ago when deployment started, so I'm outta luck with reading with what I agree is the best-written car magazine ever, compact or not!) I always built V-8 cars before, but I read SCC since it came out in the 80's and it has without a doubt been, and still is, the best car magazine on the planet. Thier tech articles and swap articles are second to none, you could do an engine swap using that magazine as the sole reference, it's that good (My next project...outside of my '68 caddy, after the Z is done, is definitely gonna be a Sylvia hybrid...It's gotta be (other than the killer speed-dollar ratio of the V-8 Z of course) the best bang for the buck ever! Get a ratty S13 240sx for a song, since they're newer rust isn't a prob yet, literally BOLT IN an SR20DET, put a bigger turbo on it, with an R34 intercooler, go run high 12's. SWEET! SCC built thiers initially for less than 3K, and the stock motor and turbo were good for about 200whp! That's some serious performance per buck no matter what brand you're loyal to.

Thanks for the reply! Hope u have fun with your Hybridz.( I know I will BTW, there is absolutely nothing wrong with a Buick engine. I happen to be a Buick enthusiast. I think it would work great in a Z. ( The only basic downside is they're really expensive to build properly!) A little bit of Buick identification training: Buick engines are most notably I.D.'d by thier front-mount distributor and oil pump.(actually looks similar to the Datsun L-series w/o the OHC) A SB buick is ID'd by it's deep-skirted block, this means that the oil pan flange is not angled anywhere on the engine. The timing cover's bottom is flat. A BB buick looks the same, except it's oil pan flange angles up in the front at the timing cover. Once the timing cover comes off, you can tell by the cam gear. A sb Buick has a bolt-on distributor drive gear and fuel pump eccentric, where the BBB 's is integral with the cam. (non-replaceable unless u replace the cam) The timing covers are aluminum on both bb and sb engines, and the distibutor and oil pump mount in the timing cover. A couple of interesting BUICK facts: Did you know the weight of an all-iron buick 350 is about 500lb? A BIG BLOCK BUICK (400-430-455) with aluminum heads and intake weigh about the same as an all-iron Small block chevy? (hint,hint) The Buick 455 has the biggest BORE, The shortest STROKE, and the best ROD-TO-STROKE ratio of any American Big Block ever built. (stock!) The stock BBB heads have heart-shaped combustion chambers (way ahead of it's time in 1967!)...FYI, Aftermarket chevy "dart" heads use the same combustion chamber shape. Factory Forged Connecting rods in the 400, 430, 455. In Car Craft's big-block comparison, using engines built as similarily as possible, the Buick 455 made the MOST Horsepower. (25 more hp than the next highest, the Chevy BB.) I believe it made close to 560hp if I remember correctly, and it was perfectly streetable by grandma. The DOWNSIDES? THe block is a bit weak as big-blocks go,because Buick engineers made is as light as they could w/o using aluminum, but it's reliable up to 600hp or so before it needs to be strengthened...T/A performance has cures for that. (Main bearing-web girdle) Buick small blocks are deep-skirted and don't have this problem, but nobody makes many perf. parts for sb buicks. Oiling system is way-sucky, but is easy and cheap to modify for better oiling. (check aluminum timing cover for wear, use high-volume pump, must make some kind of oil bypass[very easy to make] for the lifter galleries, as stock buicks use the front cam bearing to transfer oil to the driver's lifter gallery from the passenger side lifter gallery..once that front bearing wears, the driver's lifters get oil-starved, especially at high RPM.) Aftermarket parts are made only by a few niche vendors so are extremely expensive. Buick Big Blocks haven't been made since 1976, so they're getting harder to find. (still not as hard as finding a BBC in the junkyard that's buildable) They are rapidly becoming popular these last few yrs because they are still cheap to buy and make ridiculous power and torque when built right. (they may be expensive to build, but no more so than, say, a mail order Big Block Chevy with 500-600hp. ) Everyone is entitled to thier opinion, but I believe Buick big blocks were one of the most (if not THE most) underrated musclecar engines EVER! I could only imagine the kind of power one could make if the aftermarket would jump on it and throw tons of R&D at it like they do for Ford, Chevy, and Mopar. I'm still gonna run a chevy in my 240z, but I am still a Buick guy at heart. I don't have the need for the kind of torque a Big Block (of any make can put out in the lightweight Z, and I think the best way to ultimate Z performance is to use a (relatively) small displacement, high revving (Buicks, as much as I love 'em, are NOT RPM engines) high-output chevy engine, because it'll keep the sports car spirit alive in my Z. (as Timon and Pumbaa said of Simba in "the lion king" before he went back to retake his pride.. : "You'll still be the same guy" [pumbaa]...but with POWER!"[timon]) Hey, I can't help that comparison....I was 16 when "Lion King" came out and DROVE to the theatre. Have fun with your Z! P.S.: No power steering isn't fun in parking lots with a small block? ONLY IF YOU'RE USING THE FRONT TIRES if you're steering with the rear tires and all that small block V-8 power, 3-point (or should I say one-point) turns are a LOTTA FUN!

Thank you all for replying! I can't wait to get back to that Z. I love that car, even with the stock 6! Yes, I DO have a JTR manual, I've read it about 3 times, still could read it again. I might keep the R180 for awhile, the only prob w/ that is I want to move the rear to the 1972-up position, the JTR manual says it's better for the longevity of the half-shafts...and if I'm gonna do all that work might as well put the stronger rear in. Does it really matter if it's kept in the '70/'71 position for durability If it dosen't I'll keep the R180 until it frags, I just don't want to have to get two driveshafts made. ( i don't have access to any welding equipment at the base auto shop, no hot work is allowed..plus, my welding skills are...umm...less than exemplary) That's why the JTR kit is so appealing to me, it looks like it makes the swap no harder than , say, dropping an olds engine into a buick ...I did this with my buddy's '66 skylark.(originally a 225 oddfire "fireball" 6, then we dropped in a 300 buick "wildcat" V-8 (bolted in with same trans,mounts, brackets and exhaust!) When that motor finally fragged, had the bb olds lying around... The hardest part was finding brackets, we eventually modified the sb olds 307 brackets, luckily the olds bb and sb are so similar that the only mod needed was to lenghen the top alt. bracket. We used frame mounts from a diesel chevy truck (olds diesel) and sb olds motor mounts. Anyone have a 307 olds-powered G-body? A 455 olds...(actually, almost any mid 60's to early 80's olds motor...) will bolt right in (hint, hint) Can even use the stock exhaust if u swap manifolds. Smog guy probably won't even know the difference, the engines look the same...(you would have to have some awesome eyes to see the 1/2 to 3/4" deck height difference between an olds sb and bb) This will be my first Datsun engine swap, though. Thank you for all your help! This site is AWESOME! sincerely, Bryan

Yes you can get an olds motor to fit. You can't do it using a swap kit designed for a chevy sb though. It depends on whether it's a chevy or an olds. In the 1970's Buick, Chevy, Oldsmobile, and Pontiac all had 350's. They were all totally different. Saying an olds sb is the same as a chevy sb is like saying a chevy straight 6 is the same as a ford straight 6. They both have the same # of cylinders and are OHV engines, but are totally different engines. Why do you want to use an olds engine anyway? I have had a few and they are awesome when you build them, but they're very heavy, are you sure you want to put such a heavy, torquey motor into the nose of a Z? It'll wreck your handling. I'm no expert on z engine swaps, so I would definitely ask around (my experience being limited to GM cars in the past)...u know putting olds and chevy motors into buicks, swapping buick sb for buick bb (in my buick) which is basically the same amount of work as it apparently is to put a chevy into a z. (had to mount new frame pads and use chevy truck mounts to put an olds 428 into a '66 skylark. I love buicks ,and thier engines, but my buddy scored this motor from a Delta 98 for 200 bucks and it's still running, and the torque monster olds pulls that buick like it's a slingshot. (of course it won't rev more than 4,800rpm but who cares?)

Hi all, My name is Bryan and I'm currently on station in the Persian Gulf Aboard the USS Nimitz. I own a 1971 Datsun 240z , stock L26 w/ E88 head, 4 speed and a 3.36 R180 rear. The only mod so far is the dual exhaust (with single outlet due to the gas tank). I plan on swapping in a built 283 chevy (dyno'd at 375hp) when I get back. I'm wondering what stick trans to use, I was planning on using a W/C T-5, I don't think the lil' 283 will torque it to death, but I need a couple opinions. I plan on using the stock gauges (to save money) also why I want to go w/ a T-5 instead of a T-56, I will swap out the rear for an R-200 before I run the car. I plan on using the JTR swap kit, anyone out there have good experience with them? If I actually find a T-56, what will I have to do to make it run a speedo cable? I plan on using a carburetor initially. Thank you for any info you may have, I can't wait to start working on the z again.

That depends on whether it's an oldsmobile or a chevy v-8. Oldsmobile built v-8's up until about 1987...the 307 that was available in the Buick Regal and other GM G-bodies was an oldsmobile. Some cutlasses had chevy 305's and 350's though. My dad had a '79 cutlass with a chevy 305. (and I had a 1986 Regal with an oldsmobile 307) It's confusing if you don't look at the engine, because the emissions label will say "5.0 litre" for both the 305 (chevy) and the 307 (olds). The easiest way to tell the difference is to look at the front of the motor. ( if you already haven't noticed that an olds is much wider than a chevy) The timing cover on the olds is a flat piece of metal covering timing chain that the water pump bolts to, while the chevy, the water pump bolts to the block on either side of the timing cover. Also the valve covers on an olds have 10 to 12 bolts while the chevy has the more common 8. Also, most olds engines have the oil fill going into the timing cover, while the chevys fill thru the valve covers. The fuel pump on an olds is on the driver's side while the chevy's is on the passenger side, plus the olds fuel pump mounts upside down. I guess you could do it, from what I've seen the Z car can accept just about any engine you want to put in it. You will have to fab mounts and stuff because nobody makes a swap kit for putting in an olds, that I know of. I hope this helps a little bit, I'm anxious to do my own Z engine swap when my ship comes home from deployment, but I'm going to do the much more common chevrolet engine swap, even though i've been a buick man for a long time now. I have a buick 350 at home, (in PA) but I'm stationed in San Diego, so I figured just buy a chevy and a JTR swap kit so I can get my car running! Good luck with your swap!