Best V8

[Guest zman63]

I guess this would go here. I have a 1980 280zx and I was wondering about swaping a I-6 for a V8. What would be the best engine i cause use with my 280zx.

[Guest Mike]

LOL!!! You'll get at least a dozen answers to this question and all will be correct for one reason or another.

 

Before anyone else tells you to... I suggest you take a little time to search. I know it's a PITA but you're expected to do this. There's enough information here to keep you busy for hours or maybe days. Once you've read a bit and have seen some examples/results. You'll know what specific questions to ask.

 

I have a 350 SBC... but I wish I had an LS7. Or a 500 Caddy would be cool... or maybe a 620 BBC stroker. NO!!! I want a BMW V12.

 

AARGH!!! I can't make up my mind and I don't have enough $$$!!!

[Bartman]

As Mike stated, you need to think about the specific purpose of your car and use the search function. If you dont know about JTR, go here:

http://www.jagsthatrun.com/Pages/Parts_DATZX_MountingInstructions.html

[kuntry]

LOL... like Mike said... you'll either get dozens of answers or dozens of people telling you to search. You were also pretty vauge about your intentions... are you looking for a drag car, street car, road racer, grocery getter, head turner, sleeper,(?), the list goes on and on. Also the time and money you intend to invest in your project has alot to do with what you build. There are people on here that have YEARS and THOUSANDS invested in their cars, and people that have been able to build nice cars relativley cheap. What V8 would be best for you is really up to you and your plans for the car. A good running stock FI 305 from a camaro or firebird would give you plenty of pep and decent mileage, if thats not enough maybe you should look into building something yourself.

 

The search engine is your best friend here. Look at what others have done and see if you can find someone that has done what youd like to see your car turn into. There are people with years of knowledge here in engine building, framework, transmission building, and from what Ive seen, they are all more than willing to help you out.... IF youve done the search and still have questions.

[dr_hunt]

I'm not sure what's "best", but it's all a function of money. Best bang for the buck, low tech is carb'ed sbc gen 1, or carb'ed ls1. But that's my opinion.

 

If you find a donor LS1 car you can part it out and recoup some of the expenses.

[Cable]

I am partial to BBC's myself.......

[BRAAP]

Hmmm…

Well, a small block Chevy of any displacement between 262 and 431, (depending on your budget but if power is you goal, always build as big as you can afford). There is also the incredible Gen III Chevy, WOW!

 

Don’t forget the small block Ford line up, 289, 302, 341, 351-C or M, 400M, etc. How bout the small block Chrysler? 318, 340, 360? Hmmm.. Oh, there is also the Big Block Chevy, 396, 427, 454, 502, 540, 568, let your imagination and budget run wild… Big block Fords, 429 and 460. You could go old school FE Ford, 390, 427, 428 etc. Oh, the Big block Chryslers. My father built an RB 440 powered 280Z, (there are pics of me doing a nice foggy burnout in it on this forum). Oh, I almost forgot, Ford and Dodge also made a V-10 that would fit and have lot so WOW factor the Datsun/Nissan meets when you poo-0p the hood. If you feel the need for even more cylinders, BMW and Jag made V-12’s that can be had for reasonable, used.

 

 

As for which is best? That is up to you decide. We can’t answer that for you. Each of us have our opinion as to which would best satisfy our cravings for MORE power and why, but your needs for a Hybrid-Z conversion could be very different than any of ours.

 

Back in my younger ignorant days, (like I’ve changed…), I was ranting at an event about one brand of car being a better car than another. After I finished my rant, a wise man spoke up saying, “there is seat for every arse and an arse for every seat!” I promptly shut my hole, hung my head low and began to ponder that statement for quite a long time. Any how, that statement also applies to power plants… The perfect power plant for YOU is up to YOU to decide, not us. Please do ask questions about specific attributes or odd-ball ideers, but only after you searched the forum first.

 

Good luck…

Paul

[280zwitha383]

Don’t forget the small block Ford line up, 289, 302, 341, 351-C or M, 400M, etc.

 

Forget about the ones smaller than the 351, they're more work to mount and less performance. Unless it's SVT. Then anything goes v8 wise any way.

[grumpyvette]

the first gen sbc has the most support and will be the least challenge and done correctly will provide damn impressive performance at a reasonable cost.

the bigger v8s like the ,dodge 383-440,caddy,pontiac,buick 455-500 engines will take more work and skill but provide a rather unique result. it comes down to your skills, tools, imagination, and budget.

personally Id take a long hard look at the caddy 472-500 if I was starting from scratch as they can be found cheaply and rebuilt reasonably and will provide a nice street/strip combo, especially iof you find a donnor caddy thats rear drive and has a 500 caddy in it (think 1970-3 eldorado) you can probably find a well rusted donor caddy in a salvage yard or some back yard or alley very reasonably if you look

 

http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?t=101463&highlight=caddy+500

 

if your going to race go with a chevy V8 theres far more racing parts available, but getting 450hp and 500 tq out of a mildly built 500 caddy and the wow factor makes me think the caddy is about ideal for a street/strip combo, but ID SURE FIND BOTH a good location to work with access to a welder and A DRIVABLE CADDY DONOR CAR BEFORE STARTING THE PROJECT

[Teekass]

It all depends on what you want out of it....

 

If you are looking for sheer power, I would say, something like this:

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you're more concerned with fuel economy....something like this might be a better choice:

 

 

Oh wait, thats a v-twin, not a V8...........guess you could use 4 of them.

[Teekass]

zman,

Sorry for the humor...on a more serious note. Based on your question, I assume you dont have much experience with V8's or V8 swaps....I TRUELY APOLOGIZE if you are experienced in this area, I'm just making an assumption based on your question and trying to add something useful to this thread. If you're a little shaky in this area, what I would suggest is trying to find a nearby friend, relative, acquaintance, etc, that knows about hot-rods, engine swaps, V8's etc. and go with the manufacturer they're comfortable with. He/she will already know the querks of whatever manufacturer they pick, and it will make the swap and tuning way easier (might cost ya some beers though ) . Although I'm partial to the gen 1 SBC (because of racing parts availability) I think you'll be pleased with whatever you put in your Z......unless you get one of those old 348 big block truck motors or something, lol.

 

If finding someone nearby to help is not an option, I would say start with a carbureted sbc and an HEI distributor. They're easy to learn and pretty cheap....so you can save your money for an LS2 .

[240zV8]

I see why people get alittle on edge about these questions all the time. *shame on me for asking them at one time to* lol

[LS1 240Z]

LS7 ftw

 

LSx motors are by far the best V8 in the universe

[Michael]

The best V8 is the one with which you are personally most familiar! If you happen to be most familiar with Ford flatheads, then the Ford flathead is the best V8 for your swap! Why? Because familiarity with what you're doing is the single most important ingredient for success. if you know your way around the Datsun L6 and have no experience with American engines, don't do the swap; go turbo, or some such thing.

 

And if you have the misfortune of not beingfamiliar with ANY engine, well, first get familiar with your stocker. Then worry about high-performance.

[Teekass]

The best V8 is the one with which you are personally most familiar! If you happen to be most familiar with Ford flatheads, then the Ford flathead is the best V8 for your swap! Why? Because familiarity with what you're doing is the single most important ingredient for success. if you know your way around the Datsun L6 and have no experience with American engines, don't do the swap; go turbo, or some such thing.

 

And if you have the misfortune of not beingfamiliar with ANY engine, well, first get familiar with your stocker. Then worry about high-performance.

 

Well said Michael,

 

Thats very similar to the point I was trying to make, I just assumed he was trying to "break into" the world of V8's, and if that was the case, find a mentor and go with whatever they know the best.

[bschiltz]

While these guys have very good and valid points, don't let them scare you away form doing a swap. I'm only 17 and I'm doing a carb'd SBC swap. I started with little/no knowledge of chevy V8s but did my homework here on hybridZ, google, in a chilton's guide and the JTR book and have learned a lot. Just take it one step at a time and staw focused on the engine swap. The "While I'm at its" are the best way to burn up money and time and patience.

[buZy]

Ls7

[Ledphoot]

My swap was easy and cheap,

I used 2.5 in square tube welded into a solid box with a tube throught the center for the bolt to mount.. 69 GMC truck mounts with the center bolt that passes through. Grade 9 bolts and safety cables on the left side Added a 3/4 in plate steel spacer to get oil pan off suspension. This mounted on the original perches with perch holes slotted back and offset 3/4in to align motor and tranny with pinion, meant I had to remove hoodlatch but left room to clear HEI distributor. Then I took an old turbo 350 short tail shaft with tranny mount, lined it up so all was level and offset 3/4 inch to align with rear carrier, and built a spring steel tranny crossmember out of a collapsed(flat) leaf spring bolted through the floor at the frame rails. That gave me just enough clearance to use $89 shorty center dump headers and clear the crossmember. 6 of 8 cylinders are behind the shock towers. I used the short early vette water pump, a one wire hookup GM 100 amp alternator and an 89 S10 4.3 V6 with air and towing package radiator fitted by trimming the frame rails at the core support just a tad and mounted with the original GM hold down and rubbers.I use a 14 inch slimfit electric fan wired to run continuously, and a 160 thermostat. I run a 355 with double hump heads 10-1 compression, 512 lift Lunati cam , a 3000 stall throught a turbo 350 with a quicksilver shifter. Manual steering that steers great, heat works, all accessories work, thanks to a universal speedo cable with the Jap end braded on the top and US on the other with a camaro gear in the tranny it is only 2 mph off at 75mph. I have an r180 limited slip rear (which makes me nervous, I hope to upgrade). I live in the south and can sit in 90 degree traffic all day and never go over 200 degrees and stay around 165-175 degrees on the move. I have driven this car 12,000 miles and raced several weekends in the last 2 yrs with no problems other than some dash wiring thanks to 30+ yr old harness. I don't "flash" the converter so the rear is holding up and I run 93 octane gas with av gas mix or race gas at the track. I have used 89 and additive when I'm just riding around but i keep the timing back a touch. ( Makes for a nice bangin' idle too in gear!!!) Some might consider it a junkyard dog but it is faithful and LO' Buck!

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