Ford Question for Chevy Guys.

[Guest RunninOnEmpty]

80Lt1 - Thanks for your terrific documentation. I've been studying your site for at least a year. Its as good, if not better, than my JTR manual.

 

Dr_Hunt - Actually I can move from California. What I can not do is change the herd mentality that wants the government to protect the people from themselves.

 

John (Dr. Toner, but I don't generally flaunt it.)

[80LS1T]

80Lt1 - Thanks for your terrific documentation. I've been studying your site for at least a year. Its as good, if not better, than my JTR manual.

I'll take that as a complement!

 

I want to add more to my site for some small things like shifter placement, throttle linkage set up, updated pics of my radiator mounts, and a few other odds and ends but the engine is actually out of the car right now so I cant really take pics of how I have stuff set up. I removed it so that I could redo my engine bay and get the rest of the car ready for body and paint. I am hope before summers up I can get it painted. Then I can finally get it on the road agian! Its just not as fun sitting up on jack stands!

 

Guy

[MikeJTR]

I also like what 80LT1 has done.

80LT1's website has good information that shows the ZX V8 swap can be done, and I believe his website has increased the popularity of the ZX swap.

 

The ZX V8 swap is not nearly as well documented as the Z V8 swap, but the ZX has some advantages over the earlier Z cars: A larger fuel tank (21 gallons), power-steering option, rear disc brakes, a stiffer body structure, and more interior room.

Also, the weight of a 280ZX is less than the weight of a similarly equipped 280Z.

For example, a 2-seater 1976 280Z with a manual transmission and air conditioning has a published curb weight of 2875 (according to an old car magazine). My completely stock 1981 280ZX with manual steering, manual transmission, air conditioning, steel wheels, and a full tank of gas weighs 2825 (according to my scales). However, my 280ZX also has an R-180 rearend, and the 1976 280Z comes with an R-200.

 

Back to the original Ford question. Randy 77zt seems to have the correct answer as to why the Ford V8 cannot easily be used in the ZX. The front mounted oil pump interferes with the front crossmember so the front of the engine cannot be mounted low enough without modifying the front crossmember.

[Griz]

MikeJTR and Randy 77zt have the story correct. The 302 I mounted in my 240 fit completely behind the front crossmember. The 2 engine mount towers were removed from the crossmember and the engine mounts for the Ford went directly to the frame rails on the side. An easy setup and a good load path. The crossmember had 3/4 inch removed from the back side in the center and I welded a 3/16 plate in that gap. It didn't look too pretty, but it was stout. With theengine loads going to the side rails, the strength was fine.

 

The distributor was in the front, so no mods were required for the hood, either.

[dr_hunt]

running on empty - Yeah, we see alot of people moving here from Calif. Alot of movie stars and just alot of peope in general. The problem we have is that we think differently and we don't want the calif way of thinking about how to change things here to what they are like out there cause it's different here and quite frankly you've lost alot of liberties out that way that we enjoy here. Diversity, it's what makes up the world, if it was all the same it wouldn't be much fun. I don't envy you living there, I couldn't do it, but you can ship all the beach babes over we'll take those as we have lots of beach sand, just no water to go with it.

[Z-Dreamer]

All the Ford conversions I've seen were in 240-280Z's and from what I could see weren't that difficult to do. I'm in the process of preparing one of my 240's to a Ford conversion and notching the front cross member and welding a plate to strengthen it is no big deal! At the 2004 Rio Vista show I saw a 240 that the owner had done the same thing and used late 70's Ford truck engine mounts grafted to the frame rails and this allowed him to run full length short-style headers with his mustang 5.0 motor. The old myth that Fords cost much more to build than a Chevy is just not true! The Ford factory and aftermarket parts that is available for the sbf is quite enormous and price wise no more than GM equivalents.

 

Mark

[hat1324]

All the Ford conversions I've seen were in 240-280Z's and from what I could see weren't that difficult to do. I'm in the process of preparing one of my 240's to a Ford conversion and notching the front cross member and welding a plate to strengthen it is no big deal! At the 2004 Rio Vista show I saw a 240 that the owner had done the same thing and used late 70's Ford truck engine mounts grafted to the frame rails and this allowed him to run full length short-style headers with his mustang 5.0 motor. The old myth that Fords cost much more to build than a Chevy is just not true! The Ford factory and aftermarket parts that is available for the sbf is quite enormous and price wise no more than GM equivalents.

 

Mark

 

 

this I have to agree with. My roomate has a 383(that odly enough came from a Z) and im going ford, and there are times when I find parts for cheaper then he does.

[280zwitha383]

If you want to forget weight distribution stroke the engine or get a 400 small block if you can find one and if you're going old school chevy. I don't have the stupid gear box that you have to work around in my '82 ZX but other than that the swap was very simple and the ZX cars handle 450hp/450ft-lbs almost like they were meant for it. Kinda crazy, the mounts practically bolt up. The oil pressure sending unit will screw in with an L pipe and the temperature sending unit will screw right into the head with a little teflon. It's really kinda scary.