Guest steven96 Posted January 8, 2002 Share Posted January 8, 2002 I am right now in my senior year in high school and just know basic car stuff. Like how to change brakes and replace hoses etc. Wondering if anyone knows where I can learn enough to be able to do a conversion in 280Z or 240. I dont mind the reading but sometimes you cant learn everything from reading. Any recommendations to further my education maybe even taking some classes some where? Thanks for the advice. Steven Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLKMGK Posted January 8, 2002 Share Posted January 8, 2002 www.jagsthatrun.com get their 240Z swap book. Read it, read it, read it! Then read lot's of car mags and pretty much just vacuum up as much car stuff as you can Maybe take a couorse at the local Community College on mechanical stuff if you want to really build confidence. Got any buddies that know anything about cars? Get their help! Honestly, as swaps go th e240Z swap is pretty easy but you'll still want some car knowledge. Things like fuel lines have to be done right as do electrics (ahem). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 400 ci 280z Posted January 8, 2002 Share Posted January 8, 2002 i am 16 and i have just picked up things from friends and family. also i will get books and read how to do something before i just start busting into it (most of the time anyway). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 400 ci 280z Posted January 8, 2002 Share Posted January 8, 2002 also good luck with your project. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
denny411 Posted January 8, 2002 Share Posted January 8, 2002 A good way for a novice to get some good food for thought,would be to go to a book store or library and,and pick out some of the Hp books.A really good book is 1001 high performance tech tips,also David Visards... how to build horsepower.Both are very good books that have alot of general info that I wish I had 20+ years ago when I started tearing things apart and "trying" to put them back together.The tech tips book would be the most useful because it has information in all areas,such as trans,axles,brakes,paint,body,electrical,ect.------------THAT`S WHAT I THINK ANYWAY.......I`M GONNA TEACH MY SONE TO READ WITH THE TECH TIPS BOOK..TO GIVE HIM A LITTLE HEAD START-------------DENNY Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pparaska Posted January 8, 2002 Share Posted January 8, 2002 The best way to learn this stuff is to find family, friends, make new friends, etc. that have WORKING knowledge in auto mechanics. My dad taught me stuff, plus I had buddies in high school who I turned wrenches with. One thing that really helped us is that we had NO FEAR of tearing stuff apart. We learned alot, and sometimes we learned the expensive, difficult way. We also networked and talked to mechanics at service stations where we pumped gas (wow, that's when the pump jockey actually was AT the pumps, pumping, taking money, checking oil, clearing the pump - damn, I'm dating myself ). ...but that's how we learned. (Nike will love this JUST DO IT! Before I rebuilt my first engine (Summer between my junior and senior highschool years) I read the engine rebuild section of a Chevrolet overhaul manual about 10 times FIRST. That helped a BUNCH. BTW, I drove the pi$$ out of that engine (327/350), sold it to my boss and put it in his work truck, and he sold the truck years later. It was running great many years later. Luck, a bunch of reading, learning from buddies, etc. all had a part in that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavyZ Posted January 8, 2002 Share Posted January 8, 2002 I echo Pete's thoughts that a WORKING knowledge is very important--nearly more than book knowledge initially, but if you can get a book much faster than a community college class, that's OK too. The community college class is certainly a good way to get a good general knowledge about cars, their basic systems, and how to maintain them. More advanced classes deal with repair and trouble shooting, but you can get very good instruction from a Chilton's (don't laugh guys)or Hayne's (not now either) manual for Chevrolet engines. However, I find that reading books that INTEREST ME, help me learn MORE than just the basic literature. With that in mind, the following sources are pretty darn good (in no particular order): 1)Hot Rod and Car Craft Magazines 2)How to Rebuild Your Small-Block Chevy by David Vizard 3)How to Build Small Block Chevy V8 Race Engines by Tarrant and Hawkinson 4)How to Build Horsepower Vol 1 by David Vizard 5)How to Build Max Performance Chevy Small Blocks on a Budget by David Vizard (more advanced reading) 6)Build the Small Block Chevy by Larry Atherton and Larry Schreib And there are more... Basically, whatever book is able to maintain my interest keeps me learning. I love Vizard's books and Atherton's books for that very reason. If you are falling asleep reading a (text)book, then it is not doing you any good. That is one reason why I like the guys I just mentioned, and is also the reason why a practical application class or whatever is great for developing a working knowledge of the automobile. Good luck! Davy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fl327 Posted January 8, 2002 Share Posted January 8, 2002 theres nothing to it but to do it, everytime i get under a car its a new experience, and im getting better at it everytime.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZROSSA Posted January 8, 2002 Share Posted January 8, 2002 My fav. book of all time is PERFORMANCE 4 STROKE TUNING by A. Grayham Bell. I learn more everytime I read it. Must be over 20 times now. Imho get it first. For me it made the Vizard and other books easyier to understand. It even has formulas to match exhausts size to your cams and heaps more. Its one of those books that makes you see a lot of the hype in car mags these days. Beware of some mags. Dont forget that they make money buy selling advertising and there projects are seldom paid for out of there own pockets. The guys on this sight are awsume and know there stuff. I never bother going anywhere else unless Grumpy Vette says to. Dont fear to ask away, but dont forget most of what you seek is probably already hear. Welcome Douglas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted January 8, 2002 Share Posted January 8, 2002 Another source we're using and I don't think was mentioned... The INTERNET! Look at everyone's homepage, do searches on engine swaps, do searches on engine build ups etc. You'll be amazed what you can find. There are plenty of people to help and the resources to help you learn there. As mentioned above practical experience helps you learn much. Help buddies with they're cars, hang out with some of the guys at your local rod hang outs. I started on small gas engines when I was maybe 12. I worked on dirt bikes until probably 16, then fixed up my 51 chevy truck (Literally every weekend something new was learned and replaced including a timing gear on that old beast. It also had splash oiling which was pretty cute.). I never cherried it out because I didn't have the money, but it ran excellent when I was done. Hands on experience is better than just books, but armed with books, the web and jumping in and turning wrenches well have you up to speed in no time. This isn't a super difficult engine swap, but it does require a bit of basic knowledge of mechanicals, a bit of automotive electrical knowledge (not a huge amount, but a basic understanding), time, money and patience. Good luck with your future projects. Regards, Lone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest steven96 Posted January 8, 2002 Share Posted January 8, 2002 Thanks for all the info! Ill have to try to find someone that fixes cars and make friends hehe. Ill probably try to just get the manual and ask a lot of questions. I have read quite of few of the V8 pages around here so Ill just ease my self into it. Thanks. Steven Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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