z_cars_rule

ahh ok, thanks for sayin that. better do it properly first up i guess then.

I would also suggest that your RB20 tranny will give in before the R200 diff, even possibly before the R180 will.

that method with the 4 bolts is actually quite a nice idea, i might have to try something similar when i go to install mine.

ok mate, when i finnally get around to getting a sound clip of my yellow 260Z with its L28, i will also make a clip of my 280ZX with RB20DET, it does not sounds like any other RB20 i have heard, not ricey at all. hopefully wont be long till i do it.

Because my car wont be an everyday car, i will be running DRs on mine, but I have no prob having 2 sets of wheels, and swapping them over regularly. sounds like a good package you have there, still VERY streetable

I would rather pay the extra and get a pump that is bigger than i need, than getting the pump that 'should' cover my needs, which results in leaning out. At this stage I would say it looks like I am going elec pump, 1/2in feed 3/8 return like you have your tank, and run a regulator. I cant see me being too far off 300-350rwhp. I wont bother with more than that in this car, I will get myself a nice 2 seater S30 to build into a weapon if I want anymore than that.

thanks for the speedy response. I was curious about the mechanical pump interfering with the mounts, so looks like it will be electric. Noise is not that much of an issue for me, as it will only be a weekend/when i feel like it car. And yeah down here in Oz its easy to get stuff like holley blues etc. Thanks once again.

Hey i am currently gathering all the parts i need on my swap before i start. One thing I am not sure about is the fuel setup. I will be running a mild 350 SBC with something around about the 600-750 range holley carb. Now what are most of you V8 guys doing for fuel pumps? I have just had a brand new stock replacement elec pump put in my 260Z, but i am guessing this would not be up to the task. Do most of you go with mechanical pumps or electrics, and what pumps do you recomend? My max power I can see this motor EVER putting out in this car is 400rwhp, currently aiming for 300rwhp. Thanks for any help.

a perfect 2 seater S30 with 10 point cage, custom frame rails + floor pan fully set up for what ever i want to drop in it.

looks like you are getting really close now. I hear ya on the auto with traffic thing, that is one of the reasons i am going auto on my swap.

yeah came with the SU carbs. Oz actually got a completly different set of block/head combos to the US from what i have seen. no special heads or anything like that, but take for example my 3 bone stock never touch S130s, all came with the L28e obviously, but with an F54/N42 combo with dished pistons, all factory. My 260Z should by rights be called a 280Z, because it came with the L28, and this motor i am unsure of the block/head history, but it currently runs F54 w/dished pistons (stock) with a P90 head (unsure, looks like it would be stock, and nothing in the history of the car says anything about a head change). dont have any pics as of yet, have to wash the car first. this weekend i shall be getting some shots of both my cars and will chuck them in my album. mopar69 - I actually am getting the motor from the states, a couple mates and myself have organised a whole shipping container of parts/motors/gearboxes/cars to come over. This was the cheapest way of finding a good running sbc for me. ppl over here want too much for them.

yeah mate, in Oz they never released a 280Z, only 240 and 260Z, it was 260Z right up until 78, when they introduced the 280ZX.

well i am happy, today i found out that my motor is on the boat and on it way over to me. I have pretty much decided on a th350 for my gearbox, i have been noting my speed in the car over the last month and only once did i drive over 50 mph, and that was because i was late for work. this is of course not taking into account my spirited driving in the hills i am going to upgrade suspension and brakes before i swap in the sbc, so that will also give me time to get a better intake, cam and carb. If i can get this car to run a 13sec 1/4 and not be too loud then i will be very happy and content until my next crazy Z.

Hello there my fellow aussie. For a starting car like it sounds like yours would be, I would strongly suggest doing as thehelix112 said and work on the handleing of the car first. Then look at building an NA L28 on the side ready to bolt in, and it will just bolt in. For not much money at all you can have a higher comp (around 10:1) with flat top pistons and a 1mm overbore, a better cam and a new exhaust, and that should be enough to keep you happy for a while. If you are 100% set on doing a convertion, I know that someone in Newcastle has swapped in the 3.8L V6 from a commodore, if you did that and mated it to a 5 speed, it would go pretty well in a Z.

just got my new system today on my SU L28 260Z old extractors that came with the car, running to a 2 1/2 inch system with single hi flow muffler, sounds so much better, when i get a clip i will post it up

also regarding the position of the fittings on the tank, think about driving up a steep hill, you need more throttle and therefore more fuel, and the fuel would run back to where the fittings are. Going down the hill you have no such problem as you are most likely to be lighter on the throttle.

ditto that. i too shall be running a sbc with dual 2.5 into single mandrel 3inch by the end of this year. sound clip please

Thanks for your experiences. Yeah MPG at speed not really an issue for me. I would be lucky to see the highway once every month or 2. And for my one big trip a year (2000 miles) i would just swap the diff. I am already planning on doing an r200 swap, but i want to see how the 180 goes first. I plan on running a 3.70 diff and 235/55/16s on the rear, or something there abouts. should give me okay gearing, if not, i have a spare 3.56 R200 at home too. So could you tell me what the best thing to get a 700r4 out of is? I guess i better get searching. Thanks once again

Hello everyone. This is just me saying hello to this section of the forum. I already have a 280ZX with RB20DET that i did myself. Now I have just made payment on a 350 SBC to go into my freshly painted 260Z 2+2 daily driver. I have already done alot of searching, and I usually find what i am looking for, but there will no doubt be one or 2 things that I may have to ask. Right now I am unsure of the gearbox that i am going to use. It will barely see the high-way, 80% street driven. And my ulitimate goal is 300rwhp. Most likely to go with a TH350, but also considering the 700-4R. I will have to search more. And one quick thing to anyone who has bothered to read this far: I am not sure what size stall converter to get. I am not going to race it at all, maybe just once to see what it can do. So i am thinking somewhere around a 2500 stall? I guess I will be able to figure it out better once I have decided on a trans and cam. Thanks for all your future help.

thanks for finding that mate. that car is on hold for a while now, its all working and everything, but plans are to upgrade the turbo and injectors, then thats it power wise. But right now my attention has turned to my S30 that is going to have a sbc swapped in to be my daily driver

Cant find the link I am running a RB20DET in the 280ZX 240ish rwhp, thinking of either getting a set of 440cc injectors and a HKS GTRS turbo kit, or swapping a SBC into my other Z (260Z)

car in the video looks like it could possibly be a Noble.

possibly having 2 stripes down the middle of it, but will have to see what she looks like all assembled first. My uncle and i did all the body work, and he sprayed it. and i am undecided on wether to do the tail piece black or leave it the gunmetal / grey that it is, i will have to put it in first and have a look. more assembly tomorrow, then some more pics.

YAY, it has finally been painted i am going to get the tail-light section painted black, along with the bonnet vents. Rear bumper has been deleted, as have side markers and indicators, and most badges. here are a couple shots, what do you think?

mine is almost identical to the front sump version, but reversed. hope it helps