should i turbo this car

[DAT240Z]

I have a early 71 240z that's all stock and unrestored with 106k miles on it, the only flaw is a small hair line crack in the dash and a small tear in the drivers seat. What I'm thinkg about doing a turbo swap, what do guys think would i be screwing up this car by doing a swap, or should i look for another 240 one thats not all original. The car has no rust and have always been garaged.

[DavyZ]

This is not a late '69 car or an early '70 model, so go for it!

 

Davy

[Guest bastaad525]

Agreed... it's the earliest of the 240's that are commonly, truly regarded as 'classics' and collectables. The first run, '69-70 model year cars. Anyways, it's really up to you what you want to do. Everyone here is very open minded, and none of us have a problem with changing things on these old Z's to make them into the cars we want them to be. If you want a fully restored, 100% just-as-it-left-the-factory car... well then.. you wouldn't be here asking but if you want to have a fast, light, good looking, classic sports car, then the world is open to you as far as what you can do to your Z. I have a '72 that I've put a turbo motor into. Heck, in a way, turboing the car is still very much 'factory'... it still says nissan on the engine cover (well... actually it says "TURBO" but you get my meaning".

 

But I will say this, spend a LOT of time on this board before you even touch that car. Do research, use the search button, and read all the pertinent forums. Spend some time on the V8 boards as well. The turbo is a great swap, but the V8 swap is also a great swap... learn as much as you can about both swaps before you make your final choice. Cost-wise they can be VERY close (measured in dollar-to-HP ratio) and complexity wise they can be very close as well. Trust me... I did the turbo swap... and you look at it and think "oh the motor drops right in this will be easy" but it has it's own set of problems and bugs that can set you back just as much time and money as a good V8. Not trying to dissuade you either way, but me, personally, as bad a luck I've had with both the turbo motor I bought (turbo motors can be very fragile things if the person who was driving it before you did not know what they were doing and take proper care of it...) and with the factory EFI system (which is very limiting, very untuneable, and very OLD with all that that implies) that if I had to go again I'd do the V8 simply because I am more familiar with that level of technology (4 barrel carbs and such... my dad was big into muscle cars and I had followed in his footsteps in my teens before getting my first Z)... of course you could always go the complex route of a modern, EFI V8 as well.

 

I think most people here will agree that once a person has come to the board asking "should I install this" their mind is already usually made up, and you probably already have your full set of set-in-stone reasons for why you would prefer a turbo L6 to a V8, but TRUST ME, get ALL THE FACTS first as most of us come to the table with an already-biased opinion which may lead you to the wrong choices and may not get you your ultimate goal (my ultimate goal was a reliable, relatively low maintenance, 250hp at the wheels Z, which I must say after $5000+ into the turbo swap I have yet to achieve on all three counts... whereas after much research after the fact I'm 99% positive I could have easily achieved these three qualities with a V8 swap for less than I've already spent). But again, this is partially just because I have had a TON of bad luck with my turbo motor, and you will hopefully not run into half as many problems as I've had!

 

So read, read, READ as much as you can before you spend a dime. Either swap can be made to work beautifully in the end, and they both have advantages and disadvantages. Whatever you choose, I wish you luck, and... you've found the right place to be... there is more than enough knowledge here for you to glean from and help you on your way to a fast little car