74BeastZ Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 Just wanted to introduce myself as well as show some pics. I am a newbie to the forum and appreciate any advice and all the info that is already on here. So i picked this car up from a shop in Tampa(Fever Racing) about 3 weeks ago. It was started for a customer and not finished. So i am going to finish it and change it a bit along the way. It has sat for the last year and a half or so under a tree. Considering its 38 years old its not too bad, normal cancer. The customer paid to have the front end cut off the car and a tube chassis built to accept an RB26 sub-frame and all wheel drive set up. Apparently he decided he didn't want to finish it. Its too bad but because there was a lot of work done already. I have had an RB25 in my 240sx s13 drift car, it had a twin scroll gt35r on it with Haltech ecu and injectors and Greddy intake and front mount...yada yada yada.... ran 400whp... So I have decided not to complete the Z with an AWD RB, but instead run VQ AWD:) I haven't seen an AWD VQ done in a s30 before, (correct me if I am wrong). It is going to be an extensive build which will take sometime like most builds,especially since I am working on my wives 280z restoration at the same time. As of tonight, we have the front tube chassis unbolted. Having it sandblasted tomorrow to get the surface rust off. We also started cleaning up the firewall a bit, pulling odds and ends off. Happy New Year!!! Thanks for looking! -Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AkumaNoZeta Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 Sounds like a cool idea to me. The only thing that worries me is the removable tubed front. I never saw one like that before and don't know if it would be as strong as a welded in unit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
randy 77zt Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 I would guess that you are going to get an awd g series sedan and gut it and do a complete drivetrain swap.Having that front subframe a bolt on could come in handy.My uneducated opinion is that part will have to be rebuilt to mate up to the subframe from the g sedan.The next problem is that modern cars are alot wider.I have thought about cutting a z down the middle to widen it for a different suspension Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
74BeastZ Posted January 4, 2012 Author Share Posted January 4, 2012 Yeah i had those concerns, but no longer. I will do more supporting as i fabricate.. i say i but its we... The roll cage inside is tied into the tube front as well. they bolt together through the fire wall. so any flex would have to flex the complete roll cage inside. and the lower mounts are direct to the frame, and the two tubes on bottom actually go through the mounting plate to add rigidity. I am using parts from the awd g platform. The suspension and axles and hubs are up in the air, i have a few ideas for donor parts. I should be able to start some fabricating and hopefully get it rolling this next couple of weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AkumaNoZeta Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 I'd like to see this finished. What about getting a complete AWD G donor car, use the hubs from it with shortened half-shafts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
74BeastZ Posted January 4, 2012 Author Share Posted January 4, 2012 That has been thought about, I don't like the design of the hub and spindle on the G. I have a evo 8 spindle and hub assembly I am looking to see if it will work. I am going to shorten half-shafts anyways so mating to a evo outer and a g/m inner isn't a big deal. Again only time will tell and trial and error, i havent yet started on fabricating the front suspension. hope to start asap. tube chassis will be back tomorrow from sand blasting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turboHLS30 Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 Nice! I wish you were closer to me (I'm in Daytona) because I wouldn't mind helping Good luck with the project! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
74BeastZ Posted January 4, 2012 Author Share Posted January 4, 2012 definitely man. come on down sometime. not too bad. i live right off of the turnpike in the country Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SleeperZ Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 Looks like you have your work cut out for you, sounds like you will have an incredible vehicle when you finish. I just have to ask though, with all the work into it for an RB26, why VQ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
74BeastZ Posted January 6, 2012 Author Share Posted January 6, 2012 Good question, hah. Well the main reason is where the engine sits in the car with the differential mounted to it. There is 3 1/2 cylinders or so sitting in from the axle. To give u an idea of how far forward, the transmission to engine mounting is 13" away from the firewall forward. Not my idea of good weight distribution front to rear. The radiator would be so far forward and cramming it with the intercooler would be unorganized and clustered in my opinion. As well the RB is a pig, and having had one already and if u knew me, the call me dan the change up man, I like a variety. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coolwhip Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 they call me dan the change up man, I like a variety. That's for sure... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MazerRackham Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 This project, is my wet dream. Just saying... Good luck brotha!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coolwhip Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 love the Lost reference ^ haha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VKLR Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 I never really gave the VQ engine much thought untill a couple of weeks ago. I saw a guy beating the heck out of one. Good choice, cool project. Post us plenty of pictures.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
74BeastZ Posted March 9, 2012 Author Share Posted March 9, 2012 Sorry for long overdue update. Have been busy. I have gotten the front subframe sandblasted and in some primer. Finished removing everything off of the firewall and inside the car to take a real good look and make a list of the repairs as well as modifications to be made. Thanks to Doug at Fever Racing, I have received my vq to rb trans adapter... Pretty dope. Other than this I have had some other projects to finish and haven't done much, I'm on the road in Texas working now. I will be home in a week or so and get some updated pictures uploaded. Probably won't be able to work on it for a month or so, busy time of year with work. This weeks will be ordering the oilpan that my engine didn't come with so I can get the engine Andntrans n and motor and trans mounts mocked up. Thanks for all the interest, it won't be the fastest build but it will be sick when it's done. Hope to have it driving b the end of the year. And as for Coolwhip.... You have been changing it p way more than me lately...just sayin. Ha -Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reino260z Posted October 1, 2023 Share Posted October 1, 2023 Garaged Wow! How crazy to find this post over a decade later?! This was my car. Those were my NV plates. I ran out of funds. The AWD concept was to flip the turbos and put the intercooler between the engine and firewall. Mount the intercooler above the transmission bell housing so cold air from underneath would flow up through the IC and vent out of the hood. And then move weight to the rear to balance it out. Sourcing stronger axles to get five lug hubs took almost a year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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