how much would putting a 350 in a 1979 280zx cost me?

[Guest shattyfatmas]

really, if tahts true than tahts the way i will rpobabaly go, seeing as i can egt it new. if i go the FI route, i will probabaly end up with alot of used parts and stuff taht can cause problems.

[Guest shattyfatmas]

so are you being sarcastic or are you being serious? will it actually eb lighter than a turbo'ed engine with intercooler and stuff? cause if so, then i think taht may eb a good way to go

[wheelman]

He's not joking, the LS1 can end up being lighter than a turbo inline, especially if you install an IC on the turbo motor. The LS1 install is getting more common and John's cars (http://www.brokenkitty.com) has developed a kit to install one.

 

A Ford small block also has the potential to be lighter than the NA inline 6. If you put as many aluminum parts on it, heads, water pump, intake, etc. The Ford install isn't as common as the Chevy but several guys have done it. The 5.0 engines are easy to get these days and the Ford T5 tranny is also very easy to come by. Ford's AOD isn't as good as the GM auto but it can still be used.

 

Just like everyone else said, the key to an inexpensive install is avoiding the "While I'm at it" syndrome. I thought I was going to be able to but I'm not making it. I decided that if I was going to spend money and time on the car I wanted it to be something I would be happy with and it went from there. I'm still in the process of getting rid of rust but I've acquired an R200 and CV shafts when I had already decided not to go that direction.

 

Anyway my opinion is don't get to stressed about the cost just make sure to do it within your budget and on a time table that will allow you to spend as much money as you feel you need to to build a car you'll be satisfied with.

 

Wheelman

[Tim240z]

Turbo engines are pretty hefty...and they are long (L6s in general). THe beauty of the V8 conversion is that the weight is shifted rearward and that actually make the weight distribution better than stock.....

[Guest shattyfatmas]

wow thats crazy... as you can tell i know nothing, but i never thought a 350 would be lighter than a turboed w/ intercooler engine. thanks alot. i really think im going to try to make this happen, an LS! with a T56. btw, and other good man trans out there? i do not want an auto tranny, ever. right now i drive a five speed, and a six speed wouild be awsome, but i dont know if that will start getting to expensive. also, i knwo i can get the engine for about $2k, but what else would i need? things that come to mind are alternater, radiator, manifold but what else owuld i be looking at and what would that p[robablay run me?

[wheelman]

The T56 is the only manual trans I know of that works with the LS1 unless someone else knows of a bell housing that will adapt a Tremec TKO or TKOII. I wouldn't put a T5 behind one unless it was beefed up considerably, maybe a G-Force kit.

 

As for the 350 being lighter than the inline 6, that doesn't apply to the old style iron SBC. If you run as much aluminum as you can on one the car will gain somewhere around 80-90 lbs. If you run a standard SBC setup with iron heads and manifolds the car gains around 150 lbs.

 

IF you can find a decent LS1 for 2K you are doing good but you'll need the tranny which will be another 1.5K or 2K. The John's Cars kit is another 1.5K or so. I can't remember but wasn't your budget somewhere around 2K? I guess that just went out the window.

 

Wheelman

[Guest greimann]

If someone says they can do a swap for $2000, they are not being honest with the accounitng. Please post a spreadsheet to prove me wrong. Here is mine for the initial throw:

 

http://home.earthlink.net/~dvgreimann/v8280zxpricelist.html

[Guest 71240350Z]

Check this out, I got my 71 240z for free with 52 thousand origonal miles, actually, I fixed a toilet for an old lady and she handed me the keys to something and told me to go outside and look, needless to say I SH&% my pants, the car was flat out like new condition no rust at all, I bought 2 SBC 350's both have around 275 to 325 HP, one had been built up more than the other, I got them both for $625.00 total, bought the book Jags that run on the datsun v8 conversion, as we are all aware of) 8) , next I had the brackets made by my father in law who owns a metal shop in californai ( millinos of dollars of equipment), had him make the brackets, bought some extra stuff like a holley high volume fuel pump, I already had a 280zx non turbo with the R200 Diff, picked that up for 100 dollars running but in real rusty condition, all in all I have only spent around a thousand dollars and my conversion will be fully completed next week, next is the paint job and I am doing that myself sence I run a pro auto body shop, 200 dollars in paint and I will own a 10,000.00 dollar 240Z V8 that will stomp a mud hole in an 04 mustang cobra SVT, 12 hundred dollars is all you should have to spend if you can be lucky and find the right deals, you can pick up ANY good running 270 HP SBC 350 for about 200 to 500 dollars in the paper, and with a few real simple MODs you can get it to 300 HP and have one of the fastest street cars on the road, I am going to use the TH350, I got one raced out from a good friend on trade for a Guitar, I really lucked out on getting my 240Z V8 I hope you have good luck aswell, your buddy Josh Anderson

[Pop N Wood]

Check this out, I got my 71 240z for free with 52 thousand origonal miles, actually, I fixed a toilet for an old lady and she handed me the keys to something and told me to go outside and look, needless to say I SH&% my pants, the car was flat out like new condition no rust at all, I bought 2 SBC 350's both have around 275 to 325 HP, one had been built up more than the other, I got them both for $625.00 total, bought the book Jags that run on the datsun v8 conversion, as we are all aware of) 8) , next I had the brackets made by my father in law who owns a metal shop in californai ( millinos of dollars of equipment), had him make the brackets, bought some extra stuff like a holley high volume fuel pump, I already had a 280zx non turbo with the R200 Diff, picked that up for 100 dollars running but in real rusty condition, all in all I have only spent around a thousand dollars and my conversion will be fully completed next week, next is the paint job and I am doing that myself sence I run a pro auto body shop, 200 dollars in paint and I will own a 10,000.00 dollar 240Z V8 that will stomp a mud hole in an 04 mustang cobra SVT, 12 hundred dollars is all you should have to spend if you can be lucky and find the right deals, you can pick up ANY good running 270 HP SBC 350 for about 200 to 500 dollars in the paper, and with a few real simple MODs you can get it to 300 HP and have one of the fastest street cars on the road, I am going to use the TH350, I got one raced out from a good friend on trade for a Guitar, I really lucked out on getting my 240Z V8 I hope you have good luck aswell, your buddy Josh Anderson

 

Yeah, baby!

[Guest shattyfatmas]

im looking for a fule injected 350 though, and it sounds like you had quite a bit of good luck. when i look on ebay i see the engine for like 2300 dollars alone. apparently that is a bad price?