How much did everyone spend on their V8 Conversion?

[mobythevan]

I am in the middle of the conversion and have spent:

 

$500 for the car

$350 for R200 LSD

$500 for tranny

$1500 on tools

$500 on JTR kit/tranny rebuild/roll cage

 

I am estimating $5000 for the rest of the parts to finish the car. Seats, radiator, gas tank, body parts, etc etc

 

Another $3000 to build my engine.

 

This doesn't include engine machine work costs or painting the car. Should end around 12k for the entire project.

[Tim240z]

I really don't want to know anymore.

I kept tabs on invoices etc until I hit around $5000. Then I stopped counting.

Here are the basics:

Car:$400

LT1 & T56:$1400

Wheels: $500

Coil overs: $400

R230: $280

Exhaust system:$300 so far (still need to coat the headers)

Rollcage: $200 +-

Misc. items;$1500 or so

It's not eh big items, it's the small stuff that nails you....braided fuel lines, paint, thinners, cleaners, welding supplies, sheetmetal etc etc.....

Tim

[Mudge]

Tim, the LT1/T56 was still in good shape? You scored big time if that was a complete setup and everything was good! Did you buy off an individual or a lucky eBay bid?

[Guest Philanthr0py]

dang i guess it's gonna take me longer than i expected to do the conversion...

[Guest the_dj]

I have around 10K in mine. Let's see:

 

8K for a converted car, plus:

 

Estimated:

$100 battery

$100 alternator

$550 heads

$250 cam

$225 headers

$50 exhaust stuff

$250 estimated for various parts

[Len]

I'm sorry PhilanthrOpy;

That's a rather personal question, that I'd rather not answer.

In fact I don't even mention or discuss it with my WIFE!

I would further bet that quite a few HybridZ boys don't "mention or discuss it with their wives"

 

There is one way to possibly recoup your expenses in your venture. Contact everyone who replied to this post. Then threaten to contact their wives and give them the name of our website. So they will truly know where our budget's have gone over the years. You might obtain enough money to build up a couple of Hybrids!

But then I venture to say anyone doing this would decrease their life expectancy dramaticly. DEATH WOULD BE SLOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Guest zfan]

I have close to 25k in mine but Iv'e had the car several years and I have had two built 700r4's one 4 speed Borg warner and also 3 built chevy's. One was a 327 and two 350's. Also 3 rear ends and several sets of tires and 3 exhaust systems.

 

I think I'm going to be Ill

 

Mike

[grumpyvette]

working on and paying for parts on fast sports cars with 400 plus hp engines is alot like dateing and marrying a cute girl that KNOWS HOW cute she is......and REALLY KNOWS HOW to make YOU feel GOOD ,its going to cost way more than you thought going into the deal but you just don,t care after the feeling the resulting completed project gives you when its running right.

or as a guy once said "boy I wish I had all that money back I wasted on cars and women......SO THAT NOW THAT I KNOW WHAT CARS AND WOMEN TO WASTE MONEY ON I COULD DO IT WITH BETTER RESULTS THE SECOND TIME!"

[Michael]

My story -

 

Car $600

Roll cage $2500

Cutting up the sheet metal (labor) $1500

Engine mounts, frame mods (labor) $500

Exhaust (mostly labor) $300

Misc. plumbing $200

Engine core $850

Transmission $750

Bellhousing $250

Clutch -related stuff $500

Flywheel $300

Intake, carb, headers $500

Radiator and fan $400

Driveshaft $100

Small parts (add up!) $500

Shipping cross-country $850

Seat and cover $200

Fuel cell $200

Cam kit $350

 

That's about $11K so far. At this point, the suspension is mostly stock, and the engine needs a complete rebuild. The car is in pieces - I might get it together later this decade. Then again, maybe not. A long time ago, before I began this mess, I thought that it would be the project of a lifetime. Looks like I was right!

 

The main expenses were labor for the roll cage and sheet metal surgery. This was money well spent, considering the amount of professional work involved. As far as parts go, the transmission stuff was the most costly, but necessary to get this much torque (big block) to the ground - and I insisted on a manual gearbox. I'm planning on low-buck suspension mods (mostly cutting and bending stuff), but am budgeting about $6K on parts and machine work for the engine. And that's for a naturally-aspirated, 5500 rpm pump-gas stump-puller engine. Big block parts are expensive! A decent set of heads is about $2K, not including port work.

 

Is it worth it in the long run? Surely, it is indefensible to claim anything to the contrary. But in the short term – well, if I were doing it over again, I’d buy a 2003 sports car and get it over with. Oh, but wait – there really aren’t any new cars worth buying, so maybe it IS worth it in the long run….

[GAZRNR]

Car purhased 1997 with dead motor, & rear end $500

replace L6, r200 & radiator $900

correct "repairs" done by previous owner $1000 convert automatic to 5 speed $900

suspension mods, struts, springs, sway bars $1200

all bushings replaced $350

refresh/upgrade brake system $400

header & custom bent exhaust $500

big throttle body, MSA intake, injectors... $600

 

5 yrs later the realization car is a still a slug, find this web page, follow for 12 months, like what I hear and decide to start V8 conversion & start sourcing parts:

 

1995 T56, new clutch & flywheel, master cyl $2300

JTR kit parts $228

350 crate motor $2200

 

Still need fuel/air system, exhaust, cooling, ignition, charging, driveshaft and other related/unanticipated parts.

 

I have tracked all purchases in an excell spreadsheet since start of all this 5 years ago. The investment was at $10K when I realized that the L6 would never give me the performance I wanted. My V8/JTR conversion begins in December and plan on my first test drive some time in May 03. Project will be at $18K and still looking for big brakes, tire/wheel package to allow big brakes, interior refresh and paint.

 

Keep the faith...it's a hobby!

 

 

[Guest 240Z_72]

Aw now, it's not so bad PhilanthrOpy, I found my '76 V8Z on the web and paid $2k. V8 conversion, cage, body and paint all done, and she's a screamer. And many people have done it for a couple grand themselves. You can do it at any budget level, you don't 'have' to go all out, it's just that none of us can stop once we get the taste of the V8!

I have about $2k in my '72 (my other Z), with suspension and interior all redone. Still needs body/paint work and motor rebuild (2.8L with turbo). I'd say this one is a conservative, penny pinching build-up, and I'll be done at around $4-5k. I just bought the completed V8z to have some fun while I work on the other one!

Kurts Z farm

 

-Kurt

[danj]

I'm looking at about $15,000 and still counting. Everyone's project is different based on their budget, time, knowledge, goals, etc. There is a big trade-off between time and money on these projects. Some will spend less money but be willing to put in hundreds of hours in labor, learning, and shopping for discounted parts. Others, like myself, would rather pay someone who has the shop, tools, and time to do the major work and are willing (if able) to pay for their labor and expertise.

 

Then it comes down to how big is your dream vs. how deep is your wallet The bigger the dream the more it costs. I don't think anyone with a hybrid Z is ever really done spending. It's kind of like a life-long hobby.

 

The closer my 83ZX 383 gets to completion the less I seem to be concerned about how much it is costing. I guess sooner or later I'm going to have to start buying food and making mortgage payments again .

 

DanH

[awd92gsx]

I should have about $1800 in mine (not including the Z, of course)

[Phantom]

I think I may be close to the record. Original cost of car, suspension upgrade, brake upgrade, LS1/T56 conversion ($14K), ground effects and custom paint, new 16" wheels and tires, custom sound system and full leather interior puts my 13 year running investment at about $35k, not including repairs and maintenance. The upside is that I'm able to drive it every day and have over 15,000 miles on the V8 conversion with only a couple minor problems that were fixed in minutes.

[awd92gsx]

Yeah,

 

But....I dunno....imho you can't count things like wheels, paint, sound systems, interior, etc...towards the cost of a V8 conversion. Since those things have nothing to do with the actual conversion itself.

 

So, when people look through this thread and see "I have 36k" or "I have 16k" or even "I have 10k" into my V8 conversion they're not actually getting a realistic idea of how much to budget for a V8 conversion, they're just seeing how much people have invested in their entire car, regardless of whether or not it has anything to do with the conversion.

 

Granted, it is nice to know how much it would take to make a replica of some of the cars here!!

[Guest tony78_280z]

You guys are pathetic. I got (almost) all my reciepts in a folder stashed away, and everything recorded on an excell spread sheet. I'm currently at $4,603.10. I have yet to get a good 4 speed tranny ($660.00) and finish my ignition system (some form of msd $200.00+) and then it's body work, I estimate $800-$1000 to build my own fiberglass shell.

 

The spreadsheet doesn't include anything no longer in the car suchas the work on the old engine or tranny. I blew alot of money on the old stuff keeping it going before I descided I wanted a v8. I shoulda converted sooner as Chevy parts are a hell of a lot cheaper!!

 

The following is a copy from my spreadsheet. It didnt' copy and paste very well, and I don't feel like fixing the tabs. Notice the notes I made and how the part may have been a waste of money or I could have gotten it cheaper or how it was screwed up. I'm pretty hard on myself sometimes for not shopping around enough.

Item Cost Note

Purchase Price $1,100.00 Good car for the cost. Very little rust.

Ignition Switch $24.08

Car Alarm $74.25 Cheap walmart brand hooked up to pin switches in all openings of car.

Electric Fuel Pump $56.05 Quality in line carbed

E Brake, Clutch Slave hose $149.00 Mechanic work

Clutch Slave Cylinder $17.04

Clutch Master Cylinder $55.69

Hella Brake Work $265.28 Mechanic work

Another Brake Caliper $33.45

3in1 Floorboard Insulation $39.70

Walmart Non-Fray Carpet (2 Rolls) $16.00

Radiator $178.54 Stock Z replacement

Radiator Cap $4.69

EGR block off plate $7.78

Electric Fan $67.45

Gas Tank Boiled $45.00

POR15, Auto Fuel Tank Repair Kit $76.15

350 Motor + Auto Tranny Chevy Vandura $400.00 Good Motor, but they fucked up the starter, carb and TV Cable a little

Tranny Coolant radiator $50.00

Starter 350 New $50.00

Altenator 350 New $50.00

Motorsport V8 Engine Tran mount kit $197.00 Trans parts needed adjustments

Motorsport Misc. $513.44

Short Headers Found Much cheaper at Summit

Trans Adapter Didn't need,

v8 Temp Sensor & Adapter No instructions, to complicated and Walmart sells simple one for 10.00

v8 Throttle Cable Needed major adjustments to fit, coulda got from autozone for 20.00

Kickdown Cable Didn’t fit my Tranny

Speed-o Cable I Broke it

Speed-o Cable, Universal repair $5.00 I fixed it

Motorsport Drive shaft custom cut $293.96 Didn't Fit Wasn't crafted to my specs. Doyles pro job works great

Mr Muffler Work $40.00 Bending pipes for my simple exhaust

Car Chemistry Header Inserts $120.00

Holley 600cfm 2 barrel $30.00 Bought off Kulenburg didn't work

Carbco Rebuilt the Carb $235.00 Coud have bought bran new for 20.00 more

Vac 2nd Springs $10.00

Accel Pump Nozle upgrade $15.00

Jets#63 122-63 (down 3 sizes) $5.81 Carquest can order some holley parts

Jets#61 122-61 (down 5 sizes) $5.81 Carquest can order some holley parts

50cc Accel Pump kit $39.99

Brake Master Cylinder $40.00 Carquest reman brand. Taking a chance?

Aluminum Racing Rims $200.00 Got off of a guy who wanted rid of them. Single best handing upgrade so far.

Air Fillter, Edelbrock's Pro-Flo 1,000cfm Reusable Foam element $16.95

Proform HEI upgrade kit $79.99 hi-power 50,000 volt coil, ''no arc'' rotor, premium cap, module, coil dust covere, hi-performance advance unit, HEI bushing, wire harness and capacitor, hi-performance advance spring, weight set, and mounting hardware.

Ok, you got me I rounded to the nearest dollar amount in several cases =)

 

Simply to start the motor in the car it cost me 650.00 (400.00 Motor+tranny, 250.00 mounts) I had to pour gas strait into the carb though. But it started and ran for a few seconds. =)

[dr_hunt]

$1675.00 for car

$6500.00 engine

$1000.00 Trans

$75.00 slicks (used)

$275.00 Detroit locker

$4000.00 Misc stuff for engine like ignition, intake, carb, headers, converter, water pump, pulleys, windshield, roll cage, shifter, yada, yada.

 

Close to 14K total, not including paint and the upcoming backhalf project.

[jap tin]

50K + and it better run for that kind of money. I just got a deal on a new set of valve springs and they were $312.00 OUCH, that go fast stuff ain't cheap.

[Jolane]

I expect to be ~$15-18K for the driveline only...no paint, wheels, brakes, glass, yada yada. I figure that the drivetrain is the most important part though...

Oh...It is a full roller blueprinted 383, aluminum heads

Holley Stealth Ram EFI System with Wideband

Blueprinted TKO-600

Hydraulic clutch

Alum Radiator

Custom Fuel cell

...

 

It gets expensive real quick if you choose to go overboard. It will be worth it though...

Joshua

[SSflyer]

Geez it's good to see that I'm not the only one with this disease. So far I'm at $17k and I still need air conditioning work, exhaust, wheels & tires, and a few other odds and ends. I guess it's all worthwhile cause at the end I'll have done a complete restoration and have basically a new car. This little sucker better stinking turn some heads when it's done!!