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Twin turbo SBC powered Z32 (56k beware)


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Thought I'd post a few pics of my latest project.

 

The car: 1990 Nissan 300zx 2+2, black leather, loaded.

 

The engine: 350cid SBC from my Z28. Pro action heads, Comp Cams cam, Victor Junior intake, 1.5 roller rockers, etc, etc.

 

The tranny:TH400 with GER 3500 stall and stage II shift kit.

 

Power adders: Twin T3's .60/.63 and a N.O.S. Super Power shot kit.

 

Engine Management: Megasquirt I v2.2 (fuel and timing)

 

Anyhoo, to the pics..

 

Went to Rhode Island last summer to get the car. It'll be going Vivid Canary Yellow like the TTZ28 was..

 

300zx_1.jpg

 

Stock engine removed.

 

engine_bay_1.jpg

 

Engine and turbos test fitted.

 

down_pipes.jpg

 

B&M Pro Ratchet

 

shifter.jpg

 

Home-built fuel rails and throttle body from a 4.3 vortec.. (same diameter as my charge piping so it's not a restriction)

 

fuel_rail.jpg

 

Ready for the charge piping..

 

engine_done.jpg

 

Intercooler

 

intercooler_installed.jpg

 

Just last night I cobbled some charge piping together to take it out for some boost action.. Stayed on the conservative side as I didn't have my laptop to monitor AFR's..

 

hood_1.jpg

 

Basically just working out some bugs now.. More to come..

 

Cheers,

 

Andrew MacPherson

www.ttz28.com

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Hello you and I are on the same page. I put a 94 LT1 in my Z. I have a couple of questions though. Are you doing anything with the differential or strengthening the frame? How many hp do you think the engine will be putting out? As far as all of the electrical how are you working that all out? How much did the TT set up cost you to hook up? I have been thinking about it but I am also considering selling the Z for something else.

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Thanks guys..

 

bigballinzx - haven't done anything with the frame or the rear end, I think they'll be ok.. May stuff a 6 pt cage in it, but not in any rush.. Not sure how much HP the engine puts out, but it broke lots of stuff when it was in my Z28..

 

I just removed what electrical stuff I wasn't using, and used what existing wiring I could to my advantage..

 

I really like the Z32 platform.. Very tight and nimble, even with the SBC installed.. I defenatly made the right decision when I ditched the Camaro..

 

280zwitha383 - Compression is sitting around 9:1, and currently running 9psi, but will go to 15 when everything checks out at 9..

 

Cheers,

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Very cool swap man. I drive a Z32 NA myself that is getting way up there in the milage department so I have given quite a bit of thought of a SBC swap. I was looking at the LSx series because of the light weight block but Im still up in the air on that. What all did you have to do custom to fit it in there? Cut up the firewall? Custom lower cross member?? After the SBC treatment it will more than likely be reserved for track duties, so the easier to setup carb'd car may be the way to go.

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Maybe Im missing something here...in the post you mention the use of a holley 700 carb, but I see fuel injection and you said you are using Megasquirt.....

 

........I didn't see it at first but now that you mention it, i notice it now. But what really caught my eye is that the hole in the hood looks photoshop'd, doesn't it? Forgive me if i'm wrong, but something doesn't seem right here.

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Maybe Im missing something here...in the post you mention the use of a holley 700 carb, but I see fuel injection and you said you are using Megasquirt.....

 

I think he just had the carb when he swapped from the Z28 and wanted to show a complete engine pic before going FI.

 

Of course I'm partial to TTV8's and It looks good.

 

I'm surprised you only made 15 psi with the small turbine housing, but you were probably only being careful. My TT383 briefly made 30 psi boost (with 60 A/R turbine housings) until my fuel system gave up. However, the Z runs cooler and better with the 80's I'm using now.

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Andrew, I was at first skeptical when I read your post, but then I looked at the pictures and realized you were legit. You see, there have been others that have attempted (and abandoned) the same swap you are completing.

 

I became more impressed when I went through your website of the previous TTZ28. I like your 'junkyard/DIY' theme (that is: not necessarily pretty, just something that actually WORKS and that you can easily do yourself--awesome!) throughout the site. It looks like you have done your best to keep costs at a minimum by buying used parts that will do the job with little or no 'bling.'

 

CarCarft would applaud you and so do I!

 

I didn't see any timeslips for the Camaro; were there any? What did the car run before CARNAGE happens?

 

Davy

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Dude

 

I just finished reading all the info on your site. YOu have definately been blazing some trails. I love the picture of the Diff Salad.

Good Luck. Not sure how the z diff is going to handle that torque but in the Hybrid spirit" Lets Find Out!"

 

Any idea if a 10.25:1 can be boosted safely and to what level? 5lbs 8 lbs?

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Good Luck. Not sure how the z diff is going to handle that torque but in the Hybrid spirit" Lets Find Out!"

 

Any idea if a 10.25:1 can be boosted safely and to what level? 5lbs 8 lbs?

 

Its not the diff. so much, more like the half shafts. The NA ones can snap very easy. I have heard of TT shafts breaking too, but that seems to be rare. I think with that beast you will be breaking either one when you put on the slicks.

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BringIt - Yea, I bolted a throttle body from a 4.3 vortec engine to a 3/8 plate of aluminum.. Measures almost 3 inches so it won't be a restriction.

 

JMT-Z - I had to tap the tranny tunnel up a little in order to fit the monster th400 in there.. Also massaged the firewall around the distributor a little so I could set the motor back.. Only other thing I did was modify my oil pan to clear the steering rack.. (Cut and weld)

 

280zwitha383 - Only have access to 91 Octane around here. That *was* the stock rad, but you can kind of see in the intercooler shot that I put a 27.5x15.5x3.5 Griffen aluminum rad with a Perma-Cool electric fan. Also added a RX-7 fan beside it to cool the trans cooler and some of the rad.

 

I've got a 2.5" cowl to go on the hood to hopefully give me enough clearance.. I didn't want to cut the hood, but I don't have much of a choice.. Plus, it'll help keep engine bay temps down..

 

JMT-Z - I'm a little guilty of cutting those details from another thread I started last year on 300zxclub.com and forgot to edit the carb part out when I added the megasquirt stuff.. It originally was going to be carbed in the 300, but a friend of mine popped over one day with his megasquirted turbo rotary RX-7 and I was sold..

 

savageskaterkit - I agree, it does look real odd doesn't it.. I guarentee it's not photoshop, I really did kill that hood.. ha ha..

 

Turbo_Meister - Thanks, I've actually only run 15psi once and it was blowing my spark out, so I set it back to 9.. I didn't get a chance to turn it back up because it kept breaking stuff at 9psi.. By the looks of your engine, you know what I'm talking about... ;)

 

DavyZ - Thanks.. I got a bit of skeptasism as well over at 300zxclub.com, but after some reviewed my website, they became believers.. I tend not to say I'm going to do something unless I'm about too, or already in the process of doing it.

 

Never got any time slips to date.. Main reason is my turbo setup restricts my engine rpm to 5300, so that any rear gearing over 3.08's will not permit me to make a full quarter mile pass.. I had a stronger rear end with a 3.08 posi in the garage for the camaro, but then I sold the car.. I'm in the same boat with the 300, as it has 4.08's in it now and the only other option is 3.67's.. Neither will let me do a 1/4 mile pass.. Guess I just need to get some bigger turbos... :)

 

V80Z - I'm all about breaking stuff, as you can see on my site.. It comes with the territory.. As for 10.5:1 compression and amount of boost you can run, this is a very difficult question to answer.. Boost pressure is mainly a function of restriction in your intake system.. 5psi from a turbo coupe unit, and 5psi from a T88 are two extremely different things because of the large amount of CFM more that the T88 moves compared to the small T3.. Also things such as aluminum heads, head design, fuel octane, etc etc all play a factor in how much boost a engine can see before detonating..

 

Thanks for all the feedback guys.. I may post up some more pics, and possibly a small teaser clip... :)

 

Cheers,

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