newbe with a 79 Fairlady 280z

[Zorm]

new with questions, first some history

This is my son's car, 1979 Fairlady 280z (280zx in the states) it's right hand drive and has the power rear view mirrors on the fenders. Bought the car for a song, engine did not run for 11 years. Long story short, picked up a parts car (82 t-boned 280zx) now have 2 engines, (the 79 and a 82) two trannys (5 speeds)  and the R200 out of the 82. We did get the engine in the Fairlady to turn over but not start. bad injectors. So we were about to swap in the 82 engine and swap over the older intake when V

 

One of my oldest son's friends finally gave up on his El camino project and is willig to part with a Chevy 383 and two turbo 350's..cheep. I know the engine did run but now he thinks it has dizzy issues, no spark. The trannys are good, one rebuilt and one used.

 

So my questions,

what chassie (or subframe) strengthing needs to be done?,

what needs to be removed from the engine bay?

What wiring to keep?

I have seen that JTR has a book that covers most of this but its for 240-280z cars, not the 280zx, is there any write ups for the 280zx?.

Where would be a better place to get a conversion kit or do we need one?

Plan on selling the Turbo 350s and either geting a 2004R or find a 5 speed manual not sure what manual to get.

The 383 has headers that are close to the block, keep those or are there special headers we need to get?

 

I do all my own mech work, can weld (been about 20 years) and can do fabrication.

 

thoughts, directions welcome.

 

[frank280zx]

Well most answers can be found by reading and using search however ill go by them step by step:

 

what chassie (or subframe) strengthing needs to be done?

Short answer is none

I have over 500HP V8 through a slick top but haven’t got much time on it however plenty with a ~350HP 305 and nothing gave. Best example is Jeffp who has 600+ HP on a t top car. My car has a full cage and I seam welded most parts. But I don’t think you have at all. the s130 platform is a better (not tastewise but from a mechenical standpoint) starting point for high horsepower, mainly do to design upgrades in the unibody ( there is a 10 year differences between the basic designs of the s30 body and s130)

 

what needs to be removed from the engine bay?

 

The v8 is allot smaller and you need to remove nothing it is a fairly straight foreword swap

 

What wiring to keep?

 

If you dont have a clue on that you might want to skip this swap but for a carbed v8 you need a switched +12 some grounding and a the ignition signal for that starter. thats it!

 

I have seen that JTR has a book that covers most of this but its for 240-280z cars, not the 280zx, is there any write ups for the 280zx?.

 

JTR sells them with the kit i think it is even on their website.

 

Where would be a better place to get a conversion kit or do we need one?

 

JTR is the only one i know of. but you could easly make the mounts yourself.

 

Plan on selling the Turbo 350s and either geting a 2004R or find a 5 speed manual not sure what manual to get.

 

It all depends on your power goals. if it is high HP go for the T56 (LT1 with adaptor or LS with SBC adaptor) if cheap is what you want a BW t5

 

The 383 has headers that are close to the block, keep those or are there special headers we need to get?

 

You will need the JTR headers or figure out your own headers i opted for the last option but it is all up to skills

 

I do all my own mech work, can weld (been about 20 years) and can do fabrication.

 

In that case dropping the engine in is not hard .

Edited February 17, 2014 by frank280zx

[Zorm]

thanks for that Frank280zx.

 

I was thinking of at least making my own strut tower connectors, maybe a triangle for under the hood once the engine is in and maybe a "H" for the rear with the lower ends being tied into where the seats bolt into, or maybe into the rocker pannels since I think is where these 280zxs are strong. In the plans anyway were new sub frame peices, from a company up in Cananda, and I was maybe going to make a drvie shaft hoop to tie them together, and/or tie them into the front frame rails an to the rear suspension.

 

We have a R200 rear end and the shafts but I thought I read that the 180 diff in our year Fairlady was just as strong, anyone on here have any idea?

 

For the wiring, I know most of the crap will go from the engine bay, except like stuff that is needed for the car. Just wondered if anyone kept a 12vdc stock source or even the stock alternator wiring. Also, if any of the stock vacc lines were kept and if so, what and where did they get connected. Another thought is the stock gauges? I know there is a adj. for the stock tach but can the stock gauges be made to work, like keeping the sensors and adapting them to the 350 block?

 

Its get rather sticky down here in Florida and we are thinking of keeping the A/C,  I guess we'll cross that bridge when we get to it.

 

Not looking into huge ammounts of HP, plan on keeping the 383 stock, maybe get a 700cfm 4bbl.

 

Tranny is still up in the air, if we can sell the 2 350s, we'll look into tranny options. Are all the kits out there for installing autos only? I search on that further.

[Zorm]

another question, for those of you that have manual trannys in your 280zxs' did you keep the stock hyd clutch system? if so or not, what did you use, and do you have pics?

[Zorm]

Found a T5 from a 85 camero V8, no bell though, $200, "rebuilt with hardned gears" would this be worth it and are there any years I should look at for the bell housing. Now need flywheel, clutch kit and still want to know if anyone kept the stock hyd clutch system or hodgepodge of stuff?