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HybridZ

HybridZ-a real bargain


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As many of you know, I did an LS2 swap last year and have been trying to go fast in it (I am NOT the fastest car on this forum by any stretch of the mind).  I bought this car for $900 in 1991 or 1992 and have reciepts for as much as $15,000 of work (some productive, some not so much) over the past 20 years.  In the past 2 years, I've spent about $20,000 on it (again, some well spent and some wasteful).  That adds up to about $36,000 over 20 years, or less than $2,000 a year. 

 

My mom bought me a subscription for a rag called Road and Track because some little Girl Scout came to her door selling magazines.  I read it tonight and there were a bunch of articals about floor mats and electric cars, and some driver impressions about cars that are too expensive for me to ever own.  But, in the back of the magazine is a Road Test Summary that reads similarly to this forum's "Timeslips" forum.  I have made a short list of the cars on their long list that are faster in the 1/4-mile than my $36,000 LS2 equipped hybridz:

 

Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport, $2,765,840

Ferrari 458 Italia, $340,113

Lamborghini Aventador, $406,905

Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera $282,180

McLaren MP4-12C, $267,545

Porsche 911 Turbo, $162,460

Saleen S7 Twin Turbo $602,442

 

I'm faster in the 1/4 than a 2013 Viper SVT ($113,490),  McLaren F1 ( $1,131,120), Porsche Carrera GT ($460,400), all the Aston Martins (sorry Mr. Bond), all the Corvettes (too damn heavy), and even a Nissan GTR (11.2 at 125). 

 

I'm hoping to best everybody on their list, except perhaps the $2.7-million Bugatti, but there are several of you out there who have even bested that.  Way-to-go hybridz!

 

Out of some fairness, I doubt any of these cars were tested with slicks.

Edited by RebekahsZ
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Well said Keith. Some people say the Z is the poor mans corvette. Well this proves it not. More like the poor mans Bugatti haha. Even at that a well running hybridz is not really cheap. Com paired to modern supercar prices yes...

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Nobody can make a light car these days either, which helps us a bunch. I weighed my car Sunday (LS2/T56 conversion like yours, 1978 car) and it weighed a shade over 2200 lbs. That's where these cars really shine and there is no substitute for Power to weight.....simple Physics. My car has a heavy TT short nose R200 conversion,350Z seats and 03 Cobra brakes, which weigh a ton. I was surprised by the weight, the only thing out of the car was the fuel tank. Aside from a few interior panels, how it sits now will be close to what it will weigh on the street. With gas and me in it, I don't see this weighing more than 2500 lbs at the track....

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I like your comparison.  I have always loved a David and Goliath story when it comes to cars people have built.  This is one great example.  Its what many of us thrive on with building our cars.  The weight savings is where its at.  When I raced motocross, a lot of the guys had a formula they lived by and it was every 7lbs of weight reduction = 1hp gain.  So the biggest hp  gains we ever achieved as riders was dieting and losing weight as riders and losing weight on the qauds.  I'm not sure what the formula is for cars and even if that formula was right for a race bike but it was the cheapest/easiest way to support the simple laws of physics.

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I remember being at an autox and talking with the guy I was working the course with. He had a built up Meyers Manx and was a second or so faster than my Z depending on the course. I told him how much money I had in mine (about $15K at the time) and he said he had $3500 in his, and his (faster) buddy had a better motor and ran 11's at the drag strip, had had $5K in his. I think the Z is good value for money, but there are even better solutions if economic efficiency is the goal. Some of those Lotus 7 clones can be built really cheap too, and it's tough to beat them for power to weight ratio and cg height, which is where all the rest of it stems from.

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I have built up a 383 cu in (6.3 Liter) SBC.  Started at a base line spec of 500 HP and 500 Ft Lbs of Torque as shown on Air Flow Research Web site for AFR-195 cylinder heads on a 383 stroker.  They use a 750 CFM carb and hydraulic roller camshaft.  I have a 1215 CFM throttle body for Electronic Fuel Injection and Solid Roller Camshaft both of which exceed the AFR listed engine specs.  The throttle body is 2% less than that on the LS2, yet the displacement is 20+ cu in greater.  The solid roller cam in the internally balanced engine will allow it to wind up to 8000 RPM yet that will be well past the camshaft peak HP curve.  Used a 2 piece camshaft cover so the the camshaft can be swapped out fairly easily for more aggressive camshaft.  The camshaft is driven by gears not chain so valve timing is much more precise.  Additionally, the ignition timing and fuel injection timing is equal to the LS2 but FAR more adjustable.  Using AFR-195 cylinder heads that flow very good.  They have the strong springs along with heavy wall push rods.  The valve train is ready to be spun up to 8000 RPM.  Racing oil pan with dual kickouts, six trap doors, crank scraper and Big Block High Flow Oil Pump.  Custom fabricated exhaust system behind stainless steel block hugger headers which will be covered with insulation.

 

Want to use this 240Z for Road Racing and expect it to out accelerate just about anything on the road including a Hennessy prepped Dodge Viper that has already set records.  T56 behind the engine, aluminum flywheel, small damper, 300ZX turbo R200 CLSD, CV half shafts, MM Beefy stub axles, Koni racing shocks, shortened struts with adjustable coil over springs all four corners.  Roll cage, racing seats, certified fuel cell yet to go.  At present rewiring the cabin and engine compartment.  Also lowering the nose and adding Air Dam along with NASCAR type splitter and rear wing to get downforce at speed.  All new instruments in panel, dual AFR gauges one for each bank.  Bidding on data acquisition system and then will purchase and install 8 each EGT probes connected to data acquisition system to fine tune the ignition and EFI.  Then fine tune the spark and injection timing on each cylinder.  

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The Z06 completely stock (with the right tire) they can run low 11s, get top 5 TTOD regularly autocrossing, run with the fastest guys around the road course, and still be comfortable/reliable/affordable to drive on the street.  You can pick one up for 20-30k... and they have power steering and real crash protection...

 

My Z is fun but if I had to do it all over again (or if I wreck my Z) I'd just buy a z06.  That or an EVO...

Edited by h4nsm0l3m4n
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The Z06 completely stock (with the right tire) they can run low 11s, get top 5 TTOD regularly autocrossing, run with the fastest guys around the road course, and still be comfortable/reliable/affordable to drive on the street.  You can pick one up for 20-30k... and they have power steering and real crash protection...

 

My Z is fun but if I had to do it all over again (or if I wreck my Z) I'd just buy a z06.  That or an EVO...

Funny how preferences are different, I sold my C6 Z06 to build my 280Z. Just got tired of showing up to car shows and there were several Z06's around, in some cases more than 20 of them. Even though mine won multiple large car shows it was just another vette, my buddy sold is fully tricked out ZR1 for the same reason. Pull up with a nasty 280Z and I guarantee there won't be too many others like it. It’s like having the exclusivity of a exotic at a fraction of the cost.

Don’t get me wrong I liked my Z06 but I love my 280Z.

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Funny how preferences are different, I sold my C6 Z06 to build my 280Z. Just got tired of showing up to car shows and there were several Z06's around, in some cases more than 20 of them. Even though mine won multiple large car shows it was just another vette, my buddy sold is fully tricked out ZR1 for the same reason. Pull up with a nasty 280Z and I guarantee there won't be too many others like it. It’s like having the exclusivity of a exotic at a fraction of the cost.

Don’t get me wrong I liked my Z06 but I love my 280Z.

 

I can definitely agree.  The exclusivity is probably the sole reason I choose to keep my Z.  I like having an older/different car from everyone else at the track.  I also like that I can beat most cars with my older/different/beat up looking car.  It makes it fun. 

 

It is all about what you want to do with the car.  There are a few racers (talking autocross) local to me that drive all stock, or nearly stock, cars (something like a vette, miata, or an evo usually).  They show up at the track, no trailer, no tools, nothing at all, and proceed to smoke all the guys with the trailers, the huge tires, the highly modified cars around the course and then go home before the "other" guys have had time to drive the car onto the trailer.  It might be a different approach than a lot of people on this forum (myself included) might take but its pretty cool in its own way.

Edited by h4nsm0l3m4n
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Some of those Lotus 7 clones can be built really cheap too, and it's tough to beat them for power to weight ratio and cg height, which is where all the rest of it stems from.

 

Tomfoolery.

 

 

 

:mrgreen:

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At least you're driving yours on a regular basis, so quit bitchin'.

 

Mortensen's right.  There are a bunch of options out there that are cheaper.  Last time I added mine up, I wanted to cry, because the total was much higher than I could have paid for some class winning Porsche Racecars.  It's all perspective and what you like.

 

 

Don't rain on my parade!  I'm trying to stay motivated when my hands, back and legs hurt from working on this thing all weekend....

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Yeah, these cheerios taste very salty-I was wondering why.  Pass the Prozak and Viagra around!   I think we are all suffering from "build fatigue."  I've only had my car off the jackstands for 3 days since December (it is back up now until the headers come in), so I know the feeling.  I have decided to hold off on any more upgrades until next winter, just so I can drive the pee out it (leave less for the cheerios).  The goal this summer is a stack of timeslips-whatever they say, and a bunch of autocross "participatant" stickers, trophies or whatever.  Only jackstand time should be for tire changes-lots of them!  Let's drive!

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Sorry, I started this thread as a celebration. It was meant to be a happy place....

It is a celebration, we drive them, enjoy them, show them, work on them, spend money on them, brag about them, compare notes on them................... :icon12: 

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Ron, why don't you share some pictures of your project and lighten the mood...

 

Keith, if this bothers you please holler and I’ll take it down.

 

9_zpsfe561b20.png

 

7_zps605f66ab.png

 

FrontSusp2_zpsa3b3f324.png

 

Build thread… http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?uid=13638&f=35&t=14717&start=0

 

This one will finish out around 1500lbs. I am positive an LS powered ‘Sevenesque’ car could come in under 1350lbs.

 

I’ve tracked one 7 clone and it was a very eye opening experience. There are damn few cars that can touch a well developed 7. And they nearly all cost more to build and campaign.

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