iistevo84ii Posted September 4, 2005 Share Posted September 4, 2005 This thread is SIMPLY FOR PERSONAL INPUT AND ADVICE ONLY!!! I'm having some trouble deciding what I want to do with my car perfomance wise. For the past 4 months I've been contemplating all my options, and I'm still torn!! My budget will be ~$5,000 give or take a grand or so. My car has a stock L28e with 3 speed auto, and whatever I choose WILL BE A MANUAL!!! Options: 1.) SBC 350 with WC T5 or T56 Problems: Too much power for daily driveability??? Gas prices?? The good: crate engine, probably easiest swap 2.) Rb25det with 5 speed Problems: Could be more work than I want to deal with The good: Reliable, exotic 3.) Rebuild L28et 5 speed tranny Problems: First solo rebuild, reliability?? The good: "classic" / exotic 4.) Ls1 t56 combo Problems: Cost, too much power again?? The good: No rebuild needed, kind of exotic Its just really hard to decide so all Im asking is for imput and advice. Dont tell me to SEARCH, because Im not asking for imformation, Im just asking for Personal preferance and input. Thanks!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jack46 Posted September 4, 2005 Share Posted September 4, 2005 Put $5000 in bank drive car until it dies. Then decide what you want. A project ALWAYS costs more when you haven't decided EXACTLY what you want. Wait until you know, in fact I would recommend buying a car already converted cheaper, and always plenty to do on even a 'completed' car Even opinions can be found in archives. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
80LS1T Posted September 4, 2005 Share Posted September 4, 2005 I think the only 2 that you can do on your list for $5K would be a SBC 350 with WC-T5 or rebuild an L28ET. The LS1/T56 combo will set you back probably $3K unless you find a really good deal on a donor car that someone is trying to get rid of. The same can be said for the RB25DET. For $5k you wont get much unless your very paitent and go to the pick and pull to get most of your small parts. Thats the part that no one ever thinks about, those small parts is what really brings the cost of the coversion threw the roof. Guy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad-ManQ45 Posted September 5, 2005 Share Posted September 5, 2005 Why even rebuild a L28ET, get a couple of engines and worry about rebuilding when you're on the second. Plenty of people putting out 240+ hp with JY engines. I'd get two, and MegaSquirt and intercool it with exhaust and be way ahead of your $5000 budget. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Posted September 6, 2005 Share Posted September 6, 2005 FWIW - my LS1/T56 combo has been used as a daily driver for over two years and 18,000 miles now. It is not too much power for me. It might be for someone that's brain dead but I've found it to be a very managable vehicle if treated with respect and driven responsibly. The computer control system gives it a very smooth idle and I can run in 6th gear all the way down to about 40-45 mph on level ground without lugging the motor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
80LS1T Posted September 6, 2005 Share Posted September 6, 2005 Yeah but you wont get an LS1/T56 combo into a Z unless you steal 1/2 your parts! LOL Guy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bartman Posted September 7, 2005 Share Posted September 7, 2005 You need to figure out personally what type of motor you really want. If you really like V8 engines then you could do a swap for the amount of money you want to spend. If you haven't bought the JTR book yet, get a copy before you decide what engine to get. It talks about driveability and the many options you can go with (carb, TPI, TBI, 5-speed, etc.). If you think you might want to go with a later model engine get the Chevrolet TPI & TBI Engine Swapping book as well as the Datsun V-8 Conversion Manual. Personally, the decision to put in a V8 was done well before I got the Z. For me it's the only way to go. You can't beat the sound of a V8, it's so easy to work on, parts are cheap and plentiful, and there are tons of options available to get more power. If you decide on a V8 there will still be many choices to decide like carb or EFI, crate engine or find a donor car, performance upgrades, upgraded rear end, etc. Dig deep and think about it...what type of other cars do you like. Is it muscle cars, tuner cars, or somewhere inbetween? If you get talked into doing it one way and you really wanted another, you'll be pissed for not doing what you really wanted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wheelman Posted September 7, 2005 Share Posted September 7, 2005 A couple more questions you should ask yourself are: 1. How much HP/Torque am I wanting? Saying a V8 has to much and then wanting an RB25DET or an L28ET makes no sense. Both of the turbo engines will produce as much HP/Torque as a very mild V8 and be much more finicky. 2. What do you want to do with the car? Daily driver, Auto-X, Road Race, Drag Race, combination of all, etc... 3. How much are you willing to fiddle with it to get it and keep it running correctly? V8 = very easy setup, turbo motors = touchy and more difficult to tune. 4. Is $5000.00 the total allowed budget or just short term available cash? 5. How much other work will be done during the upgrade? Suspension, brakes, body work, interior, etc... Do some soul searching, be honest with yourself about what you want and then proceed with realistic goals. Any one of the listed engine/tranny combos can be used for $5000.00 if the project is considered a long term deal and more money will be available in the future. If $5000.00 is the total allowed then I'd go with a basically stock SBC/WC T-5 and have enough power with very good reliability. I went with the LT1/T-5 for this reason and am very happy with the results. Mine puts out somewhere around 300HP and is not to much, in fact I'm starting to want more already and the project isn't complete yet. The skinny petal on the right can control the power output, just don't press it to the floor and the tires won't disappear in a cloud of smoke. Wheelman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rb26zed Posted September 7, 2005 Share Posted September 7, 2005 3. How much are you willing to fiddle with it to get it and keep it running correctly? V8 = very easy setup, turbo motors = touchy and more difficult to tune. I agree to an extent but if you keep a turbo motor close to stock especially stock ecu then it will be similar upkeep to an 8. But since you posted in the v8z forum I think I know where your heart lies:burnout: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tony78_280z Posted September 7, 2005 Share Posted September 7, 2005 My budget as of March, I've spent about $120.00 since then. http://www.angelfire.com/clone2/tony/ZCost.htm Get Vizards book on how to build big horsepower small block chevys on a budget. (The rest of the volumes in that series are wonderful too.) Read my webpage on how I "got things to work" cheaply http://www.angelfire.com/clone2/tony/MyZ.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Posted September 7, 2005 Share Posted September 7, 2005 The budget can make the decsion for you. Look at the options and run some estimated costs - then double them to cover the 'forgots' & 'redos'. I initially planned to spend $5-7,000 on my conversion. I ended up opting for a route that ran double that and then doubled that yet again into the car in other refinements. You have to really plan these carefully or you'll end up with an unfinished, undrivable project for sale on Ebay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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