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New Member buying a v8 240


Guest axtellz

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Guest axtellz

Hi everyone,

just found this list yesterday-very cool!

Here's the deal:

i'm near buying a 240 with 350chevy & 350

turbo transmission. This will be my first v8,

i currently have a 73 240 stock. I'm looking for a quicker, less rusty vehicle that i have to do minimal work on. Any advice/warnings in general for me? i'm 2500 miles from the car, so i must do alot of phone/email/picturing and any advice will be

appreciated!! Thanks, Jeremiah

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Guest Anonymous

Find out what kind of conversion this is (jtr vs scarab) and if it is not the jtr type you may want to consider another car or be prepared to modify the conversion. The engine being set back as far as possible and lowered adds so much to the conversion as far as handeling is concerned. Is this a daily driver, drag car or just a toy. Your use of the car and what you expect from it will determine if this is a real value or something you will have to reenginere. Just some thoughts for you to consider. Welcome to Hybridz. There is lots of great ideas here and people willing to share their knowledge. Mark

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Guest axtellz

Guess i forgot to give some details, eh?

It is a scarab, done 7+ years ago. Current owner seems quite pleased with it- selling

cause he's 45 & weighs 290, the cockpit is feeling rather small i guess! When i pressed about what year engine etc, the owner was clueless, he just paid a shop in southern Ca. to put in the 350. He calls it a scarab, though i'm not sure he is entirely correct.

He is rather wealthy & doesn't like grease under the nails, so i've my work cut out to find precise details. The good news: it's run fine the last 7 years at least!

I just want a summertime toy, no racing or

autocross etc. I love my 240, but the powerband from 3500-6000rpm is wasted when i

rarely go over 80mph.

Plus it's an auto, so cruising at 65=3500rpm

it's hardly a quiet relaxing cruise...

 

so i'd like a quick off the stoplight 240

basically (tho smoking the kids with new Mustangs does sound fun.)

What sort of accelration does one expect from

one of these cars (0-60 etc)?

Thanks again! Jeremiah

 

[This message has been edited by axrph (edited August 15, 2000).]

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First of all WELCOME to HybridZ

I am not real sure about 0-60 with the scarab conversion due more possable wheel spin.

I would realy consider changing it to the JTR style.

Is it a stock 350 or mild to wild built?

all I can tell you is even with a stock 350 you will have neck breaking 0-60 compared to a stock even fresh I6 240.... it will realy suprise you....

 

Stan

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Guest axtellz

It is relatively stock 350- edlebrok & billet

when applicable, hooker headers, dual 2 &1/4 exhaust "Y"'s into a 3" pipe through the original exhaust port. He claims 270 to 300hp

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Welcome to HybridZ!

 

1) Have you seen any pictures from under the hood? There are pictures on this site of the JTR engine placement, and a really good one (directly across the strut towers) on the the JTR site at: http://www.jagsthatrun.com/Pages/Datsun_Z_V-8.html Basically, if it looks like the engine is placed like in that picture, it's not a Scarab engine placement, which is good. If the stock hood latch bracket is still in the stock location, it's a Scarab engine placement. BTW, I don't think Scarab was around to sell kits 7 years ago, so if it is a Scarab engine placement it might have been done with a Nordskog kit which had a the same Scarab engine placement, and Hooker makes engine mounts, headers, etc. to do a swap with the Scarab engine placement).

 

The issue is that the car will not handle nearly as well with the Scarab engine placement which is 4 inches forward of the JTR placement. You also have traction problems on take off.

 

BTW, get the JTR book even if you are buying a converted car - it's the bible for Chevy small block V8 Zs.

 

2) That TurboHydramatic 350 will not be the best for highway cruising, even if the guy managed to get the no-longer-available 3.15:1 gearset in a R200 diff. With an R200 diff with a 3.545:1 to 3.9:1 ratio, plan on listening to that same 3000-3500 rpm at 65.

The options are usually a 700R4 automatic or a swap to a Tremec/Borg-Warner T56 from the late model 93-97 Camaro or Firebird.

 

Best of Luck,

 

------------------

Pete Paraska - 73 540Z - Marathon Z Project - pparaska@home.com">pparaska@home.com -

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Don't forget about the 200r4 S10 overdrive trans. It has the same ratio's as the 700 with less size and weight. I'm using the 200 right now on a very solid 350. No prob. yet.

 

------------------

Drewz

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Guys, Jeremiah (axrph) sent me some pics of the V8Z that the guy is selling. Decent looking car, but... I enhanced this one:

 

Jeremiahs240zeng3a.jpg

 

(it looks worse now actually) to show the hood latch that was in a shadow. You can plainly see that it is a "scarab" engine placement. Also look at the valvecovers in relation to the strut towers.

 

Sorry for the not so good news.

 

------------------

Pete Paraska - 73 540Z - Marathon Z Project - pparaska@home.com">pparaska@home.com -

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This is bad for two reasons...

 

A: Your center of gravity is elevated to much, which makes the car top heavy. This is dangerous if you are thinking about driving aggressively in corners due to oversteer problems.

 

B: The motor weight is centered over the steering rack, creating more of a 60/40 weight balance.. every car builder knows that 50/50 is desired and the JTR kit gives you a 51/49 t0 49/51 balance, depending on parts used. This makes traction on take off almost impossible, and puts you at risk for endless tickets due to unwanted wheelspin. God forbid you drive it in the rain.

 

However, I wouldn't "NOT" buy the car because of the motor and trans placement. The JTR kit is only $350 including the manual and all you need is the crossmember spacers, the motor and trans mounts and maybe the extra yoke for the driveshaft would be nice to have on hand. I'd buy it with the understanding that this mod would have to be done ASAP.

 

Mike

 

------------------

 

"I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!"

mjk

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