Guest Anonymous Posted October 5, 2001 Share Posted October 5, 2001 I am on a very limited budget and want to do a hybrid for 1000-2000 bucks. I am new to the forum and any and all books and information of what I need would be helpful. I don't have a real need for speed as I think a stock V8 would probably be fast enought for me. Just looking for a little more performance than my stock 75 280z. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Juday Posted October 5, 2001 Share Posted October 5, 2001 Got two things working against you. (1) You live in CA, and (2) your car is newer than '73. So, you will have to make it smog legal to register it. After you have cheeped on the conversion you will then spend too much money to satisfy the smog police. In the end I doubt you will keep the cost under 2k, and you will probably not be satisfied with the results. Sorry, don't want to burst your bubble. Just trying to be honest with you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted October 5, 2001 Share Posted October 5, 2001 I'm affraid Dan's right. You MAY be able to find a 1975 (or newer) car with engine and trans and swap it complete with all the smog equip, but your going to have to take it to a referee station and have them certify what it is and that its right and issue a special sticker. Possible I suppose but you'd have to be pretty shrewd to get it all done under 2000.00. Regretfuly, Lone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted October 5, 2001 Share Posted October 5, 2001 My original engine needs a ring and valve job so I guess the best strategy is to get that fixed, sell it, and find a 73 Z or older. Thanks, do you guys use the JTR kit? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pparaska Posted October 5, 2001 Share Posted October 5, 2001 Most of us here use the JTR plans and make our own or buy the JTR kit or MSA kit. Stay away from John's Cars kit, since it needlessly puts the engine forward and messes the handling, etc. [ October 04, 2001: Message edited by: pparaska ] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Juday Posted October 6, 2001 Share Posted October 6, 2001 I bought the JTR kit. Lazy won out over cheap on that one. Still, I thought it was a very good value for $325. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted October 6, 2001 Share Posted October 6, 2001 I agree Dan. I went to make my own, cut the steel setback plates with my bandsaw which took about a month only to bust a tap off and finally give JTR a call for the setback plates and crossmember and driveshaft flange. I did build my own radiator bracket, but you need one hell of a press brake to bend that crossmember , so I just bought it. JTR was super fast sending stuff and I was real impressed with them. I did find I could make some excellent bends using a cheap 6 ton press on some 1/8x2" strap I used, to make the upper radiator mounts. Regards, Lone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim240z Posted October 6, 2001 Share Posted October 6, 2001 I ended up just buying the setback plates. The radiator maount and the transmount were easy enough to make out of square/rectangular tubing so that was money saved. The radiator I picked up at JY for $30 and used a 86 Z28 electric fan and the top mount for the 86 Camaro radiator/ fan was made to fit with little effort (plastic). Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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