Can someone list some V8 conversion info for me?

[Guest Anonymous]

A donut holder... hahaha... lol.

 

Regards,

 

Lone

[Guest Anonymous]

Sorry to keep bugging you guys but where can I learn about all the parts?

[Guest Anonymous]

Here is what i am looking for. A 12 second car would be great that I mainly drive on weekends every once in awhile. I won't drag it at all but maybe every once in awhile take it to the track to see what times it gets.

Someone sent me an email and he talked about Steetability. I didn't understand what this meant and I feel really dumb and embarrassed to keep sending emails asking a million different questions.

This is the reply to what I was sent in my email. Maybe someone could explain it to me

 

"Motor is a 2000 model Vortec. I got it new in the crate.

Only mabey 1k miles on it. Needs nothing!!

Trans I bought rebuilt from a very good trans shop and

they beefed it way up to handle upto 500HP.

 

Streetability with a radical high lift cam will give a very rough

idle, when that happens you loose vacume for the breakbooster

and would have to run a vacume canister.

 

You coule put a better cam in if you want, just don't go to high.

The HOT cam from GM would be the hotest I'd go.

 

You could put in a T56 trans and make it a lot quicker."

 

Is $7000 a good price? I'm scared and very excited at the same time.

 

[ October 11, 2001: Message edited by: DPG HAMMER ]

[ZROSSA]

Dont worry about not knowing things. everyone starts somewhere. A "streetable" car is one that you can put your foot into at lo revs and takes of strait away with no lag. The original Z engine is streetable. Compare the torque of a mild race small block and it will be puting out more power than the stock engine everywhere. the light weight of the z make what was "cammy" in a heavy car perfect for the z.

 

Now, onto the subject of front to rear weight. I think this is really a function of tuning. When the F1 guys were hit with groved tyres they made a larger front tyre and moved the engine forward. From what i have read, cars like the panoz run 50/50 weight and have great mid corner speed. The cars with the weight further aft are not as fast through the corner but have beter traction out of it and are able to put the power down better. This says to me that a scarab car and a jtr car should not be set up the same. If both are taken to the race track and developed the jtr should be faster. Rear weight means a lot on the track. I dont think it means to much in the street. I have heard a few tails off 911 turbo drivers who wont go out in the wet. Rear weight being great for traction but once its gone its gone for good.

 

Douglas

[BLKMGK]

Streetability - different for everyone I suppose but here goes:

 

"Streetable" to me means that I can get in the car, drive it to the store in rush hour traffic, and not hate it when I get there. That means a clutch that doesn't kill my leg, an idle that doesn't shake the whole car, and my not having to watch the temp gauge like a hawk to make sure it doesnt overheat. Oh, and that it will start up just fine when I come out of the 7-11 5mins later without struggling My car almost meets all of these but the idle is a touch rough and I'm paranoid about the temps even though I shoudln't have to be

 

First and foremost - buy the JTR book on the conversion. It has information on how to do this swap that's mostly sound and will give you a VERY good idea as to what's what. It's not a kindergarten book and this isn't a snap together model but it gives you as clear an instruction set as you're likely to find. Buying this book should be step #1! www.jafgsthatrun.com Might not be a bad idea to start reading Car Craft, Hot Rod, Super Chevy, Chevy High Performance, and others while you're at it. Skip the color ictures and read the tech articles - even the ones on things you won't be doing. Learn the language and what things are....

 

Weights, I'd be interested in that too. I'm dying to know what my car weighs - unfortunatly I never got it weighed before the swap Corner weights would be even better. If nothing I'd expect the steering to be a little easier on a JTR swap with less weight over the front wheels. Having the stick in the right spot was actually pretty important to me and the little bit of banging I had to do on the body was laughable. I like having the room in front of the engine too in case I decide to install a supercharger. I'm not looking for the last tenth on the track but I am looking for convenience and ease of installmaintenance.

 

This was one easy swap in my opinion and I'm not sure there are any easier unless you count something like swapping a 5.0 for a 5.7 in a Mustang (shrug).

[Owen]

Like BLKMGK said, read read read! I hardly knew anything at first and now I know almost nothing But seriously, if I can do it, it can be done cuz I'm no engineer.

 

Check out the magazines, spend all day at Borders or Barnes & Nobles, watch Hot Rod TV, etc. I just try to ingest as much info as possible. A lot of the info out there is directed towards newbies like me and there is much more for the advanced people. I bought John Lingenfelter's book which gave great info on different displacements, intake runner sizes, cam sizes, exhaust sizes, etc. This kinda info helps you identify your goal and which combination of parts will get you there.

 

Also, check out other people's websites. They mention certain things not mentioned in the JTR manuals. Like, I had to grind the engine mount for clearance for the steering linkage...using the Griffin aluminum radiator requires a slightly different mounting config than the Camaro rad, etc.

 

My goal is all street. 383CID with a T56, TPI fuel injected. My clutch is a twin plate heavy mofo but I have a crazy idea in the works to lighten it up. I drive over an hour each way to work everyday so my Z is gonna have to be able to do the same.

 

Many thanks to those who have helped me here!

 

Owen

 

Santa Rosa, huh? I was up there a couple of months ago at the Snoopy museum.

 

[ October 12, 2001: Message edited by: Owen ]

[fl327]

you gotta want to do it, you can do anything you want to do, anything you want its up to you...(in living color)

i started out not knowing how to turn a wrench now i can hold my own just fine, but you gotta be in it to win it, fo sho.