newbie LS1 Swap

[zardoz337]

Wow...what an awsome site! I plan to spend a few weeks going over all the posts here to refine my project. I am the once owner of a fantastic 1982 2+2 280ZX that was pro built by a bodyshop owner for his personal ride. It featured a Kunumi (sp) body kit and was painted a custom red with a brand new full leather interior. It turned a lot of heads in town and when I took it to California, it always drew a crowd. I wreaked the car a few years back and have been mourning its loss ever sense. I plan to get another 280ZX 2+2 but will opt for an 1983 this time and add a few goodies. I see that my body kit no longer exists so I will eather find another or custom fab/modify one to my liking. I plan to install a turbocharged LS1 and 6 speed, so I know this site will help a lot from just what I have seen so far. I will start the project by finding a good 1983 2+2 turbo car with a manual transmission and all good options and tear it down and start from there. My question is anyone have any thoughts on a good donor car for the set up I am shooting for? Would I be better off to get a crate LS1 set up for turbo (something around 8:1 compression) or just go with a stock motor and modify it for the turbo. I am really hoping to shoehorn everything under the stock outer sheetmetal for a sleeper set up with a goal of around 500 to 600 hp. I do not have a concern for smog requirements as the project car should be exempt by the time I finnish the project, I just want a weekend driver that will look as nice as my old heartthrob and perform even better. Thank you all for the great info I have gotten already and any thoughts you may have that will help me plan this!