280Zen Posted February 17, 2004 Share Posted February 17, 2004 Well, I certainly qualify as the newbe, although Im planning on a engine swap its from a 83NA engine to the 83 Turbo engine. Yet I've had the car for the past year and todate I've not really done any mods. I've been tinkering with the car keeping it running and learning everything I can about its design. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikelly Posted February 17, 2004 Share Posted February 17, 2004 This is sooooo timely... My 16 year old discovered a site this weekend that does a Supra TT swap into the MR2. Now here is a kid who is making maybe $5000 per year part time baggin' groceries, and he has had his license all of about 30 days and HE all the sudden thinks he qualifies to A: Pay someone to do this OR B: Gee Mike, you did do a ZV8 swap and a civic/ Integra swap and C: Gee I know I've only been driving a few weeks, but I could show you a thing or two behind the wheel... Then there is the phone call I got from the older son Yesterday who wants to go forward with the Turbo swap into his Integra powered civic... ME: Have you ever done one? Him: No Me: Do you know how hard it is? Him: Well I read in Sport compact Car... Me cutting him off: No, No, No... Remember how hard the integra swap was on YOUR wallet and MINE??? Him: Silence.... Me: And you do NOT have a backup car to drive and you can NOT borrow mine again... Him: Guess I need to shop around for a beater... ME: Gee, you're getting a clue... Come talk to me about a turbo swap after you have a $500 beater car to bang around in when you puke the headgasket out the side of the motor... Plan, Plan, Plan.... research... GeeZ, I'll be SOOOO Glad when the search function is fixed so I can go back to being a grade a #1 prick to everyone who doesn't use it... And once you get a plan, STICK TO IT!!!!! OK, I'm done. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bastaad525 Posted February 17, 2004 Share Posted February 17, 2004 Me: And you do NOT have a backup car to drive and you can NOT borrow mine again... Him: Guess I need to shop around for a beater... ME: Gee' date=' you're getting a clue... Come talk to me about a turbo swap after you have a $500 beater car to bang around in when you puke the headgasket out the side of the motor... [/quote'] Man... you hit the nail on the head for me. I NEED a beater. Even though my Z is running (for NOW!) I think this is the answer to like 90% of my problems... just to have some POS to tool around in when the Z has to get worked on. Why haven't I done this already?! Plan' date=' Plan, Plan.... research... GeeZ, I'll be SOOOO Glad when the search function is fixed so I can go back to being a grade a #1 prick to everyone who doesn't use it... And once you get a plan, STICK TO IT!!!!! [/quote'] AMEN!!! well... LOL not amen to being a prick but amen to WE NEED OUR SEARCH FUNCTION BACK!! You know it was relatively recently that I really started using the search almost every day and then it goes down... booooooooo. Mike... you're kids are really far out there man heheh where do they get it from Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
labrat Posted February 17, 2004 Share Posted February 17, 2004 Just to add my $.02 to the mix... I did a 280ZX/350sbc swap on the cheap. Real cheap. I already had the car ( had just blown the motor) and bought a running pickup for 400 bucks. Just had to mate the two. 1200 bux later I had a car that would go around the block fast, but wouldn't make it further than that without stranding me somewhere. I actually drove it to work for about 3 months, but I don't know how. I bought another car, let the Z sit for a year, now I'm doing it all again. I've spent over 2000.00 in the last 7 days on parts to do my car right this time and make it reliable. That's the lesson I learned. Fast means nothing without reliable, or else how can you drive it? That's my advice to anyone wanting to make this swap. Make it reliable, then make it fast. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Posted February 17, 2004 Share Posted February 17, 2004 Labrat - Another Bill from Texas. We definitely have to stick together. That was first concern on my car. Reliability & simplicity in parts. I chose the LS1 because the power came with the engine stock so I could concentrate on...you guessed it!... reliability and simplicity! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Vashe Posted February 18, 2004 Share Posted February 18, 2004 Well, since im somewhat of a lurker on here (only been around for about ...i forget, awhile), my plans as of now are a 2nd Gen 300ZX mated to a SBC 350. I have few tools, little exp for myself, but i have helpful family and friends who are willing to help me under the condition that I learn as we build it. I am going for a car that i can enjoy, and also can claim that I helped build something with my two hands. My budget goal is right around 5-6K for the car, the motor, tranny, and swap parts. I would be happy to have the car running by next spring, as I'm waiting on my tax check to come back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikelly Posted February 18, 2004 Share Posted February 18, 2004 Vashe, For that particular swap, plan to blow that budget by a significant amount. There is no "Kit" for that model, which will require some fabrication skills, and you are pretty much forced to go with a FI motor, due to hood clearance issues. With the custom exhaust alone, I'd expect you will spend close to $1000... Good luck. Mike 8) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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