Phantom Posted November 20, 2002 Share Posted November 20, 2002 Got visitation rights with Zack for the first time in two months last night and things are definitely looking up. I think y'all will be a bit surprised. The test motor is mounted and the prototype motor mounts are complete. The header search ends this week with a special set coming in from a vendor that will fit both sides beautifully. Once the fit is confirmed the real engine and tranny go in. Here's the real news at this point. 1) The motor is mounted with a system that bolts into my chassis and original motor mounts - no welding to the chassis and the original motor mounts did not have to be cut out. 2) The steering arm did not have to be moved to mount the motor and the headers will clear it. 3) Both the alternator and the AC compressor are mounted on the driver's side and clear everything - motor, motor mounts, fender well, hood, etc. It took a special AC compressor and alternator but the fit is beautiful. An extra sweet part of the deal is that it uses the stock Camaro drive belt to run it all and the compressor is a super high efficiency unit that uses just a fraction of the HP the original Camaro unit uses. It also enables all the AC plumbing to run a shorter route down the drivers side rather than having to be routed down both the passenger and drivers side. 4) The shift lever for the T-56 comes up into the car about 1/4-3/8" aft of the original Datsun shifter. The sweet deal with the T-56 is that it's in without having to beat on the transmission tunnel at all - not one lick - and there is sufficient room for the exhaust. The rear tranny mounts are genius and required no welding to or drilling of the body for bolts. 5) As it currently sits the oil filter is about 5 3/8" above ground. I expect the car to settle no more than another 1/2" so it'll end up right at 5" clear. 6) The gauge problems have been addressed - all the stock Datsun gauges will be retained. Only major thing left to be addressed now is the fuel delivery system and, after discussing that briefly last night, that doesn't look like it will present any significant problems. I've seen several posts on this and other web sites about the John's Cars conversion kit and how the JTR kit/manual is superior and I need to throw my .02 in. I am amazed at how good he is in converting cars. He has addressed every issue in this conversion and pulled it off without having to butcher or beat the car up and also used off-the-shelf components the whole way. The quality of the workmanship is outstanding. The engine and tranny mounts are solid and well engineered. Lone Star 1 has dropped by and looked at this conversion a couple times too so I'm sure he can also add his .02. If anyone else is considering the LS-1 conversion I'd strongly suggest talking with John about using some or all of the parts he has designed or identified for this conversion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike C Posted November 20, 2002 Share Posted November 20, 2002 Pics? The LS1 swap should really take off in the near future IMO with the availability of the motors from trucks since their are so many and the price should be sifnificantly less than the F-body/'vette assembly. The 5.4 (5.3 I see it listed as both) runs sweet in the 5000# truck, should be a peachy Z motor. I have seen quite a few of John's Cars Jag conversion kits. The parts are very nice and the kits quite complete and what I thought were well engineered. I think that his parts for the Z may be nice as well, but I like the JTR for the simple fact it is designed for the do it yourselfer who can fabricate all/most of the components and do it on the cheap! (Well, relatively anyhow...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Posted November 20, 2002 Author Share Posted November 20, 2002 Some pics have been taken but are still in the camera and probably will be until the swap is complete. I bought a 27 frame disposable for the project and I figure that will pretty well document the general work. I haven't developed my website (homepage) either. At this point all I can really say is that he has this installation really well thought thru and a few parts and sketches from him will make it a lot easier for anyone considering this swap. The only fabricated, not off-the-shelf, parts that have been used so far are the motor & tranny mounts and the AC compressor mounting brackets. Everything else is a purchased part. The key to this all working is a willingness to mount the engine with the back edge of the heads about 4" forward of the firewall. That basically is what allows everything else to work. If it is mounted back very close to the firewall then none of the options work out. I've looked at the positioning of the motor and am extremely pleased with it. The PMOI should be no greater - probably less - than the the L28 that came out and everything is fitting very nicely. I will know for sure once the conversion is complete and I can get it on some scales. I know how much the car weighed before so I can compare. I'll also axle it for distribution. I'll also have a bill of materials that will identify the direct purchase items that wouldn't be included in John's kit anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Posted November 22, 2002 Author Share Posted November 22, 2002 Bump - see revised 2nd post. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pop N Wood Posted November 22, 2002 Share Posted November 22, 2002 If I am reading this correctly, it sounds like the LS1 swap is now even easier than the JTR classic 350 swap? True? Too good to be true? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest DRK Posted November 22, 2002 Share Posted November 22, 2002 Question: I thought the guys putting the engine up against the firewall had the shifter coming up in the near stock position, but you said with the engine four inches from the firewall the shifter is almost in the stock position? I am confused. Someone with a custom mounted setup with the engine close to the firewall please speak up. Thank you, Future LS1/T56 swapper Danny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeromio Posted November 23, 2002 Share Posted November 23, 2002 My shifter comes up right where the stocker came up: Note that I had previously cut my tunnel to allow clearance for the shifter of a 280ZX 5spd. Mine and Phantom's cars are quite different though: 280Z vs. 240Z. Especially the trans tunnels. The early cars like mine have very tight tunnels and a shifter hole made for the 4spd which had a lever directly above the output shaft - farther back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Posted November 23, 2002 Author Share Posted November 23, 2002 LS-1 swap easier than the classic 350 swap? Probably too good to be true. I think this one is one of the more challenging because of the size of the T-56, locating the accessories on the front of the motor, keeping the AC, the fuel injection requirements, trying to adapt gauges - especially a mechanical input speedo/odo to an electronic output on the engine. The ease of the swap is highly dependent on which car you use and where you place the motor. 75-78 280Z cars willing to use the same mounting location and brackets as mine will find the swap easier than it has been to date. It doesn't allow for adding power steering so that puts more work on the guys that want PS. In my case it is starting to come together very nicely. I hope in 2-3 months I'll be able to post some pic's somewhere so everyone can get an idea of what this conversion looks like. The key to the whole thing is the location of the engine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maichor Posted November 23, 2002 Share Posted November 23, 2002 I have a '72 240Z as well. The LS1 sits back as far as I could get it and the shifter lines up nicely. So, like Jeromio and Phantom say, getting the shifter of a T-56 to line up depends on the year of your Z. I think that the engine placement in Phantom's car would be a lot more work for me because I am using Power steering. I have worked out my problems with the swap. So, in my case there is no going back. Phantom, I still would love to check out your setup. Maybe when we get back from our Thanksgibing trip, I could give you a ring? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Posted November 24, 2002 Author Share Posted November 24, 2002 Maichor, Sure - no problem. The car is at John's Cars, 800 Jaguar Lane in Dallas = across from Fair Park. I usually am down there every couple weeks on a Tuesday or a Thursday around 5:30 - 6:00 PM. Give me a call or fire me an email after Turkey day and we'll set something up. I'm hoping that the real engine and tranny - rather than the test fit ones will be in place by then. That would be much better to look at. Nothing like the real thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted November 24, 2002 Share Posted November 24, 2002 I recently posted an eBay item # of pictures of a John's Cars' v8 conversion kit in the For Sale section. The kit pictures dispell some negative press about the custom tailored John's Cars' conversion.. but would agree with Mike C that the JTR kit fills the bill overall to fully "roll your own" for economy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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