Guest GoaTSLonG Posted October 2, 2002 Share Posted October 2, 2002 I am 16 and in september i am going to be attending UTI which in case you didn't know is the best automotive school in the country. Well when i turn 18 i have $40,000 grand from a lawsuit. I wont be 18 till next january after im in UTI. My mom is willing to loan me $10,000 for those 5 or 6 months until i get my money. My dream car is a 240z v8. I want to go all out on this and get it all planned out before i go so i can do all the work there and have all my parts ready. I am going to buy a 1972 240z and im going to buy one of those 430hp 350's from edelbrock. What is a 6 speed tranny that will fit this motor if there is one? I am going to buy the JTR manual and do it this way. Should i buy performance headers, exaust etc... before i drop the motor or afterwards? What will i have to do with the rear end? Would it be worth it to get a turbo kit for the v8? thanks for your help i dont know insane amounts about cars but i will after a year of UTI training. thanks dudes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
v8dats Posted October 2, 2002 Share Posted October 2, 2002 cool name!! i say finish school get into a career then worry about the car.after you graduate u can make alot of money doing what you love. i dont mean to sound like some sort of parent but that would be my choice. keep doing your homework and find out exactly what you want then when you have your life STARTED, tinker with your car. UTI is a bad ass school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikelly Posted October 2, 2002 Share Posted October 2, 2002 Well I have a lovely rolling chassis with coil overs, powdercoated suspension, Eibach coils, Tokico cartridges, four wheel disc brakes, a T56 6 speed, Centerforce clutch, Adjustable control arms, five lug conversion already done with 5 star mustang rims and 245-45-17s, and enough parts to put two together that I'd be happy to let go... and it comes with two Q45 limited slip diffs... For $6K... Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike kZ Posted October 2, 2002 Share Posted October 2, 2002 This may sound like a parent too, but if you were smart you would dump at least half that 40 large into a retirement fund. By the time you reach 40 you will be a multi millionaire! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike C Posted October 2, 2002 Share Posted October 2, 2002 As much as I would like to be the devil on your shoulder and get you into a V8Z, I can't. Being involuntarialy retired and back in school, I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to have a "nest egg" for so-called emergencies. You are really lucky to have that money and not only can it keep you out of debt but may well turn into a down payment on a house or as noted above, a retirement nest egg. Buy a $2k dollar 240 and drive it while in school. Apply what you learn in school to modding the Z's 6 and suspension, then when you get a job, buy tools with some of your money, buy a house and keep a little for a rainy day. Save a little here and there for car parts and eventually you'll get all the stuff you need without breaking the bank. Taking it slow lets you wait for really good deals, so in the end the $10k you would have spent up front can be duplicated for $5k over time. Now I'm off the soap box. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted October 2, 2002 Share Posted October 2, 2002 I have to agree with Mike. As a guy thats 45, divorced and having nothing really and having to start over with 20 years till retirement I may be talking from a different perspective, but, you can buy a nice already put together relatively stock Z car or ZX for less than 4k and just drive it. I'm not talking junk, price them, you'll see what I'm talking about. You're getting a good start in life, and I know you want all the toys now, but seriously consider spending only a little, getting some school and slowly putting money into a car rather than dumping money into a hybrid at this point. You'll have 4k+ just in the drivetrain using what your talking about and that doesn't even start to finish the swap into something really nice. Sorry to sound like a bummer, just trying to give you some perspective of what I wish I had done when I were younger but didn't have the opportunity or vision to do it. Good luck with whatever you decide to do. Regards, Lone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Posted October 4, 2002 Share Posted October 4, 2002 I want to second the call for “school first, finances second, hobbies third” – but keep in mind that your $40K will not necessarily make you a millionaire, even if you have decades and decades to wait, and “invest wisely”. Look at what happened in the stock market in the past 2 years. And don’t rush into buying that house, either. Houses have a nasty habit of declining in price, just after you buy them…. If you’re a mechanic, don’t hesitate to buy a cheapo stock 240Z. Drive it, maintain it, get used to it – then modify it. The point, I think, can be stated thus: planning ahead won’t necessarily get you ahead. But not planning ahead will almost certainly get you hosed. That’s not a resounding endorsement of delaying that big plunge into the world of V8 Z’s, but it does agree with experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest triple_threat311 Posted October 4, 2002 Share Posted October 4, 2002 I am going to be one of the few that will tell you to go for it. I started my Z project in High School and I wish I had started earlier. I sunk 7.5k into my motor, and a bunch more in other mods, brakes, suspension and other crap. Now I am going to college and I still think that every doller I spent was well worth it. In fact, when I get home, I am going to sink probably about another 2 grand into it. But then again, my school is free. Definately think about the future, finish high school and go to college/trade school but also do what you want to do at the same time, build a supercar. Nothing is worse than just wishing you had a car and not striving to get it. Working on my Datsun was definately a good activity for me during high school, it made me very conscious about my money and it also kept me out of trouble. My opinion is that you should definately do this project, it won't take all of your money. But realize that these projects do take quite a while to finish and be ready for the long haul because once you start, there is no turning back. i.e. my car in CA and me in NY. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zgeezer Posted October 4, 2002 Share Posted October 4, 2002 Yeah, I've been there with you. Spend $4k to buy a clean straight rust free Z. Take your time and do the heavy duty chassis trip. When you graduate, give yourself a gift....drop in the v8 of your choice. I can almost guarantee you that after of few years in that school, your ideas of what works, what doesn't, and what you want will really change. There is NOTHING like building it right the first time. zgeezer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted October 4, 2002 Share Posted October 4, 2002 Do yourself a favor and save it. Thats alot of money and life is expensive. Get something cheap and versatile to work with to build up your auto skills and give u something to ride around in and by the time you graduate u should still have a chunk of cash (more than before if u were smart with it) and all that knowlege u got from school and working on a beater, and u will have a job to finance your hobby even further. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted October 5, 2002 Share Posted October 5, 2002 I'd have to agree with the few who say to go for it. But don't go all out just because you have the money. Dont spend a crap load on a built crate engine. You attending school for automotive, build your own motor. Theres really nothing that makes you feel better then being able to say I built this all on my own and it just whooped your Mustang's a$$. I'd never buy anything prebuilt like that, but thats just me I guess, I also don't trust anything like that that I didn't do or atleast oversee myself either, so there ya go. Buy a descent Datsun, fix up the body and inside like you want it while your building an engine, then drop the engine in. You can do it alot cheaper if you build and do it all yourself. Or you can get a lot more performance for the same amount of money. So do it, but spend your money wisely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLKMGK Posted October 6, 2002 Share Posted October 6, 2002 Originally posted by Mike kZ:This may sound like a parent too, but if you were smart you would dump at least half that 40 large into a retirement fund. By the time you reach 40 you will be a multi millionaire! Heh, then you haven't seen what the market is doing to retirement funds lately. I and others have been decimated. Even conservative funds are hurting. Why not find a nice 240Z and drive it "stock". You could get the suspension, interior, and running gear up to snuff while planning the V8 swap.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted October 6, 2002 Share Posted October 6, 2002 Take the money and spend it on your dream car.Don't wait. By the time you finish college the prices will have inflated and most likely you will be considering marriage and family by then.. The next thing that you will be looking for a home and every year that z dream car turns to rust and gets put back further until your in the retirement center.By the time your 40 a divorce will probably wipe you out anyway.. You will go thru life with every one wanting you to act resposible. What a better way to learn at school than to have a hybrid Z as a lab project. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest silverbullet Posted October 6, 2002 Share Posted October 6, 2002 GoaTSLonG, just my $.02 but as someone who is 38 I'm not ready to retire but I've had a few years of mistakes to look back upon too and IMHO I totally agree with Mike C except if I had the money I would go ahead and spend 3-4k on the right car you might have to look for a while but they are out there. Ten years ago I purchased my 77-280 for $2990. all of my friends said that it was to much but I knew that it would cost a fortune to restore a rusted out hulk so I bit the bullet(no pun intended )paid the price and for ten years(and 100,000mi)the only things that actually went bad on the car was the fuel pump and the rear wheel bearings, aside from consumables(tires,brakes,battery etc...)that $2990. was the best money I ever spent in my life, no joke, so like Ross C said get one in good shape that you can daily drive, no or little rust,rebuild the suspension while in school, reasearch the V8Z swap and when the time is right... well you get the rest, enjoy . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danj Posted October 6, 2002 Share Posted October 6, 2002 IMHO: I would start by deciding what are your driving/performance goals . At your age this may not be easy to determine and may change next month or next year, but you have to start somewhere. Then design the car and engine in your mind that would allow you to fulfill that dream. Since you are just getting started in your automotive education you may want to wait at least long enough until you have learned enough to be sure of what components you want in that engine. I had my engine built to my specs a year ago and would have changed many things if I had waited just another year, and I'm in my 50's. You will learn a lot about every possible combo just from following the postings to this site. As for investing in the future I would say this: Ask anyone who was nearing retirement age what happened to their nest egg over the past 2 years. Where did all that hard earned money go that was supposed to be there for retirement? I have learned that you can't change the past, and the future is never guaranteed. The only thing you can control is the present. Not that we should throw out all caution and common sense, but there is something to be said about enjoying the fruits of your labor or good fortune now. If I had the money I lost in the stock market I could instead be driving the ultimate Z-car, or any other car I dreamed about . My hard earned money now goes toward living my dreams, not to line the pockets of professional money launderers . Best of luck on your project whatever you decide. DanH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest GoaTSLonG Posted October 7, 2002 Share Posted October 7, 2002 i was planning on getting a good-decent condition 71-72 240 and putting this engine in with a t56 six speed tranny and the rest i would go with what the JTR manual tells me. i know this will cost over 10 grand and im willing to spend it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest livewire23 Posted October 11, 2002 Share Posted October 11, 2002 I believe I am on the other end of the spectrum. I'm another 16 year old interested intdoing the swap. I also have some inheritence money, but I dont want to spend it. I'm trying to save it (although I already spent some of it on my prelude). I'm going off to college soon to be an aeronautical engineer, and I wanted to get started on a project car before I head off. to me, the performance/cost ratio of this swap seemed optimal over many other projects I could take on. Im trying to keep the costs to a minimum, I dont mind having a slightly less powerful 280z. To me, the most important part is getting the experience from building up a car, and having something unique that I can say I built. Any suggestions? Feel free to tell me Im an idiot to attempt a 280z swap, and that I should go drop X engine in Y car because its cheaper and easier to do. I just want suggestions. I dont really have the money right now, so its just a dream for me till i get the cash. edit: hmmm, damn birthday came around, almost forgot. Im 17. but who cares anyway, still immature and wasting me hard earned money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike C Posted October 11, 2002 Share Posted October 11, 2002 Hmm. First sign you're getting old is you can't REMEBER how old you are (trust me I resmeble that...) I'm 34, still immature and still wasting my hard earned money! (at least that's what my wife tells me) I think you are going about it right. Nothing wrong with the 280 swap. 280 makes a better daily driver for the most part as the extra weight and sound deadening makes for more comfort. The climate control system is better, too. Just find yourself a donor car for drivline. I think an L69 305 HO 5 speed Z/28 would be a good start and should be cheap as well. You could probably even sell off enough parts to pay for the whole enchilada. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest livewire23 Posted October 12, 2002 Share Posted October 12, 2002 thanks man, that definately helped. sounds like you think it would be better to buy an entire camaro z28 than just a motor. I guess if I can part it out and get some of my money back, then that's cool. But how many miles should I be looking to get? I'm used to working with imports, so I'm not sure how many miles a 350 can take before it starts needing constant attention. I don't want to swap an engine thats going to break down on me a week later. What should be a max on mileage? Obviously Im going to try and get the lowest mileage I can, but it gets expensive... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rags Posted October 13, 2002 Share Posted October 13, 2002 There is one thing that everyone is overlooking here. Using a 240 as a daily driver isn't such a good idea on Long Island. Even the cleanest 240 will turn into a rust bucket after 3 winters! Where we live a 240 should only be used as a fair weather car if you want to keep it. Joe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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