l28et or V8? first swap - daily driver?

[240zV8]

What do you mean by rebuilding the top end?

 

If you mean cam swap' date=' intake and carb. How much horsepower potential you have really depends on which 350 you get.

 

Start with one that has a good set of heads. Vortec heads came on late model trucks and those heads will support 400 hp, but the spring seats need to be machined for different springs. LT-1's are also a nice choice, but I think If I found a deal on that engine I would leave the fuel injection and not convert to a carb.

 

Grab as many parts as you can off the donor car and hopefully that will help to limit how much other stuff you will need later. Often times it is cheaper to just buy the whole car and be able to pull parts as you need them.[/quote']

 

Well i'll probably get a stock 350 (not sure what year), and my plan is this, depending what comes with the engine, i'm gonna try for somthing like this..

 

open filter

4 barrel intake (aluminum hopefully)

650 carb

ported and big-valve stock 882 heads

PE246 cam

 

that should land some decent hp and be a reliable daily driver, and not be that expensive at all.... Can the heads and cam be done without replacing the pistons if there in good condition?

[Brad-ManQ45]

I think that you need to really work on priorities and make sure you understand the compromises.

 

If you're only looking for ~ 240 HP, thehn I would suggest the following:

 

 

I wouldn't bother swapping a ZXT engine in, which you would have to buy - and then have to get another turbo anyway.

 

Instead get the:

 

distributor ~60 used

exhaust manifold ~$75 used if you can't get one from JY

a built MS kit ~$350

intercooler and piping ~$250 ebay

some turbo injectors or maybe some 370cc injectors ~$125 new or cheap from JY

Turbo - ~$350 - $400

 

 

 

Put these on the engine you already have, go easy on ignition timing and boost (10psi should do it).

 

You will have your horsepower and off-idle response missing in the ZXT because of the 7.4 CR, have your HP and get 25mpg or better.

 

You will eliminate buying the parts for conversion, SBC engine, and don't forget tranny and driveshaft mods/adapters/brackets. If you were to get a good deal on engine/tranny, you'd come out even as far as parts cost, but labor could get to you and there would be a lot less fabbing with the turbo route.

 

I HAVE an '83ZXT (manual) and can tell you that off boost response down low (in town driving) is rather lackluster. The fact that you will have higher compression with your stock engine will alleviate that and also help spoolup on the turbo and provide better gas mileage than the ZXT engine.

 

You can start off with a regular T3 for your HP goals which will aid in spoolup and provide grunt down low.

 

Yes there are compromises - instead of 12-14MPG around town AT BEST with a carbed 350 you'll get ~ 16-18 mpg. You won't have instantaneous torque like a 350, and you won't be spending as much money either putting it together or in running it in the future.

 

Your remark about using the car as a daily driver has me biased toward fuel efficiency while still meeting your HP goals. If you don't have alot of traffic or you only drive on highway and not much around town, the equation changes a bit.

 

For those who will naysay converting a stock engine to turbo, citing the piston changes Nissan made to the ZXT (thinner top ring and further down the piston), I will say that this will be offset by much more accurate MS fueling and the intercooler.

 

I am currently accumulating all parts for intercooling, MS'ing and painting my ZXT which will be my daily driver (and eventually converted to 4spd auto), but have a '75 project car that is going to be stripped and new floorpans, subchassis connectors, TTSBC (of some kind) - but this won't be my daily driver - gas is getting a bit expensive and it rides rougher. (Both cars have lowering springs and Tokico's)

 

The auto conversion should help with around town driveability/acceleration because of torque multiplication at tip in from idle/steadystate (virtually the same 1st gear as the T5 in the car) and a slightly taller OD for the highway.

 

JMHO

[240zV8]

I'll definently consider that ^. I'm just gonna see how things work themselve out, because i plan on getting brakes, suspension and wheels before anything. And i can fab most the mounts for the 350, and i guess gas milage isn't my main concern, it's more driveability in town and on the highway, i'm not really into top speed driving in old cars like these (unless i spent alot of money to make sure i was 100% confident in the chassis), i save the 120+ mph speeds for my motorcycle. My friend had a 76 280 and the engine ran real good for a couple months then would need all kinds of work, but that was when we were like 16 so we didn't even know about puting a v8 in... i think a 350 would be a better base to build off. I'll have about 3-4 grand for the engine swap, but what i think i'll do is see if anyone local has a v8 Z that will let me check it out before i make the choice. I love torque in cars, because around here theres alot of mountains and winding roads, and u need torque to pull u in and out of those turns and up hills. I always get ahead of myself when it comes to things like this, but i think this site will help bring me to reality...because today i was looking at turbo setup's on 350's and already started pricing parts for that..lol...i gotta do the basics first...i appreciated all the feedback so far...

[Brad-ManQ45]

My first turbo car was an '85 Conquest - it was my first new car also. I bought it in El Pa.so. I also had a built '72 351CJ Mustang Flatback.

 

I used to go to Carlsbad Caverns, Cloudcroft and Ruidoso in New Mexico, driving in the mountains, that Conquest with a turbo would run away from the Mustang. This was power-wise - not handling.

 

At sea level the Mustang had ~350 HP to the wheels, El Paso was ~3900 feet, cloudcroft and Ruidoso ~6 - 7K feet.

 

Ever since, I have been firmly convinced that a turbo car is ideal for mountinous areas.

 

Since I drive all over GA, NC and SC - possibly AL in the future, mountains are in the mix, and gas mileage is definitely a big factor - my business, my money.

 

I have a friend with an '82 2.9L ZXT with SDS and stock 3 spd auto that had to take a trip to New Orleans because his father was dying. He got 28 mpg WITHOUT OVERDRIVE! This with the stock 3.54 rear gear (who can find a lower one nowadays) and an average 65 mph.

 

I figure I can get at least 30 with my 2.8 and overdrive with the same rear gear.

 

A few more things to think about....