Guest CloudConnected Posted January 10, 2004 Share Posted January 10, 2004 Im fairly new here, and ive done alot of research. I will soon be acquiring a '72 240z, and ill have about 13-15 grand to spend on it. I like the Lt-1 alot, but im not too sure about how much everything, including a well-built lt-1 with forged internals, a t-56 or some other racing tranny, a procharger, and all the other things needed, will cost, total. I want 450-500 hp. the ci should stay at 350, and with a lowered compression, a high-boosting procharger should do fine. but what will it cost? ballpark figures are fine, im deciding between doing this, or etting the datsuns grandson, the 240sx, and building a silvia. thx for your input ahead of time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim240z Posted January 10, 2004 Share Posted January 10, 2004 If you are carefull about what you buy (bargain hunt), you should be able to do it and do it correctly. You should be able to get 450hp without opening the motor. Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V8ZRACER260Z Posted January 10, 2004 Share Posted January 10, 2004 First welcome to the board! Second you will find allmost all your answers on the search feature above. Most swaps will average around $3-5k if your Z is in good shape. If you have to buy a Z or restore one it can go up from there. My sugestion would be to perform the swap with a normally aspirated V8, Drive it for a while and get used to the power to weight ratio our cars have, then add the boost. Good luck and have fun!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GAZRNR Posted January 10, 2004 Share Posted January 10, 2004 Your budget is reasonable for a nice safe mild-moderate V8 conversion. It's short if you want an all out radical ride. I started with clean staight 78Z, so far all the work has been done by me and no "special tools" purchased are included in my figures: $1500 in suspension parts, $1300 brake upgrades, $1500 tires & wheels, $400 guages, $2600 for the T56 and all the parts to make it fit & work, $400 MSD box & dist, & $5300 for crate motor short block and all new parts, brackets, bolts, cooling system, fuel delivery system & plumbing parts, SS hoses and other un-thought of but needed parts for a clean conversion including the full JTR kit and manual. No exhaust on tha car yet so I figure another $500 for a good custom bend job. I could have done this build for less and my original budget was $6-$8K, and an 18 month window for the build. I figure that by the time I have it all debugged & tuned with a good working a/c unit and a paint job done my me the conversion will have taken almost 4 years and close to $16K. The old saying of double your time and double your money is valid. You can buy a V8 conversion for a whole lot less than the cost of doing it yourself if you don't have the time or desire to go through the process. I enjoyed the build process...most of the time. Hope this perspective helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest CloudConnected Posted January 11, 2004 Share Posted January 11, 2004 Thanks, im really encouraged to do this now. My friend can fab all the motor mounts and cross brackets i need, and he'll hook me up with subframe connectors if i buy the steel. I appreciate the input. One more question. Can a t-56 take 450-500 hp, or will i need to slap a 2 puck clutch in there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GAZRNR Posted January 11, 2004 Share Posted January 11, 2004 I'm using a RAM clutch kit & centerforce flywheel which is good for up to 400 hp. I would talk to a rep at centerforce and see what he recommends, that way you get someting you can live with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest CloudConnected Posted January 12, 2004 Share Posted January 12, 2004 Thatd be great. I am going for reliability, and im sure an lt1 setup making 450 hp is far mor reliable than an sr20DET doing the same thing. Im getting excited. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
80LS1T Posted January 12, 2004 Share Posted January 12, 2004 The T56 is rated at about 450FT-LBS of torque. So it will be border line depending on what you do as far as a supercharger or not. Guy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikelly Posted January 12, 2004 Share Posted January 12, 2004 Have I got a deal for you.... Interested in a complete rolling chassis with custom suspension and big brakes??? All suspension and coil overs are powdercoated, and the control arms are my adjustable units. Newly built and never fired bowtie block 383 stroker long block making 530+HP (forged Hbeam rods, forged pistons, SCAT9000 internal balance crank, ARP everything, aluminum Dart heads, waterpump and cutler intake, roller hydraulic valve train and all accesories and BIG AMP alternator) with custom fuel injection and holley commander 950??? Tons of extras including two Q45 rears and rosses CV axle adapters already welded up... 5 lug conversion... Carpet kit, painless wiring kit... Clean and straight chassis... All glass and body panels plus lots of extras... Full interior... Corbeau A4 seats... Where are you located? Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Posted January 12, 2004 Share Posted January 12, 2004 The procharger will cost you about $4,800 plus miscellaneous installation costs. If you were to go the LS1 route, an LS1 and 4l60E overdirve auto would run you about $7,000. The installation parts from Johns Cars would run you another $2,200. THat puts you at $14,000 without even getting into the details. A good LT1 combination would probably be about $3,000 less. The LS1 with a procharger, totally stock with no internal work, running at 7 psi will make about 540 HP at the flywheel. I'm not sure what you would have to do if you go the LT1 route. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest CloudConnected Posted January 14, 2004 Share Posted January 14, 2004 Mikelly, i AM interested in that. how much are we talkin here? oh, and btw ive seen the figures on the LS1, and ive heard the same figures from the procharger, but id prefer the LT1 simply because i dont need 540 hp. 450 is practically too much anyway for that little car. i appreciate the info, though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest CloudConnected Posted January 14, 2004 Share Posted January 14, 2004 Oh, forgot, im located in CA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Phil1934 Posted January 17, 2004 Share Posted January 17, 2004 While you don't need to spend $15K, it's amazing how the little stuff adds up. My machine shop rebuilt a 350 they had for $1641 and I will have about $5500 in the swap. The engine got a Cat oil pan and radiator hoses for $121, a $75 flywheel, a radiator and elec. fuel pump for $278, a single speed Taurus fan for $13, $500 for 4 Pinto carbs, linkage and air cleaners, a $75 HEI and $5 clamp, a clutch and water pump for $368, and $50 worth of misc. brackets and bolts. The WC T5 trans was $424 and a mech. speedo drive $5 and a $20 yoke. I bought the swap kit piece meal on this site for $210. The R200 was $60, 300ZXT axles $105, Ross $205, driveshaft shaft U joint adapter $44. Wheels are 300ZX for $130, studs are $25 front and $65 rear, 8 1/4" spacers $54. Frame rails were $25, floor was $30, S&W roll bar $150 (I'm keeping the door bars and latches for another project) Exhaust headers and brake m. cyl. were $156. Head pipes and coating $72, 3 U bends $64, 10' of 2-1/2" $25, Aero 2 2-1/2" into 3" , billet pulleys, O2 bung $184 MSD retard $137, digital timer $70 and two relays $20 for the launch retard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tannji Posted April 9, 2004 Share Posted April 9, 2004 Have I got a deal for you.... Interested in a complete rolling chassis with custom suspension and big brakes??? All suspension and coil overs are powdercoated' date=' and the control arms are my adjustable units. Newly built and never fired bowtie block 383 stroker long block making 530+HP (forged Hbeam rods, forged pistons, SCAT9000 internal balance crank, ARP everything, aluminum Dart heads, waterpump and cutler intake, roller hydraulic valve train and all accesories and BIG AMP alternator) with custom fuel injection and holley commander 950??? Tons of extras including two Q45 rears and rosses CV axle adapters already welded up... 5 lug conversion... Carpet kit, painless wiring kit... Clean and straight chassis... All glass and body panels plus lots of extras... Full interior... Corbeau A4 seats...Where are you located? Mike [/quote'] Whats the status of that deal? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikelly Posted April 9, 2004 Share Posted April 9, 2004 Well everything has it's price... I have the motor sitting in the car right now, as we are test fitting the new headers... I also am getting ready to order the new $2000 trans, clutch kit and other accessories... Bottom line is the more I spend on the project, the higher the price goes... It IS available... But keep in mind, there are a LOT of one off parts on it, and it does come with a TRUE 500+ HP motor with programable FI Complete, balanced, blue printed, build book, the PERFECT suspension, Large brakes, and LOTS of extras... It won't go cheap! Forgot to mention the infinity Q45 setup, including custom axles, two rears, TWO mustache bars, the rear aluminum brace, the adapters, and everything to make the Q45 work in the Z, all autometer Phantom gages new in their boxes, new Corbeau A4 seats... Pete's Frame rail design welded in, NO Rust in the chassis... I could go on and on... 5 lug hub and stub axle setup with MUstang 5 star wheels... Every Zpart I own... New in the box painless wiring harness... Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
love-my-V8-280Z Posted April 9, 2004 Share Posted April 9, 2004 Im a 280Z owner with a LT1 and T56 ready to go in.' A clean car can will run 2 to 3,000. The motor and trans $3,000. I picked my up for that with 55,000 miles. The JTR mounts I think about $200. The LT1 has 270-290 HP. You can buy the LT4 kit for $1200 and it raises the HP 150 HP. the T56 will handle it and so will the rear end, now figure $500 for raditor,drive shaft, exhust etc. Than there are the extras that kill you, the-well I would like the 4 point roll bar, air dam, rims, etc this is what kills you. I have done my car up good and I will have about $12,000 in to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
love-my-V8-280Z Posted April 9, 2004 Share Posted April 9, 2004 Mike, WOW! I just took the time to read all the stuff you have for your Z. It looks like you are going %100 top of the line. I can't image how much time and money you have invested. do you have any photos to share? Are you really trying to sell it? Let me know. Terry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikelly Posted April 9, 2004 Share Posted April 9, 2004 I'll have to upload some more pics after this weekend... I want to get some pics of the underside of the car... All the suspension has been powder coated, and nothing has been scrimped on to date. The chassis is straight and the body is true... And yea, I have gone nuts on the parts selection, which is why I let Pete P and Zdreamer (Mark!) talk me into the Gforce tranny... Everything in my house has a price, except for the wife, the kid, the dog and the cats... So, yea, I'd sell it... But it wouldn't go cheap! No fire sales, but I'd let her go... WITH the car trailer! Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Posted April 9, 2004 Share Posted April 9, 2004 Mike, Is this another "here we go again" again? I thought that you decided, once and for all, to hold on to that Z - especially after the engine came back together?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikelly Posted April 10, 2004 Share Posted April 10, 2004 Like I said before Michael, Everything has a price... If he is willing to PAY the price, then Sure, I'd wheel it up on the trailer for him... ...Yea, here we go again.... Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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