To build or to buy one already converted.

[Guest Jae]

This is my first post on hybridz. A friend and I are looking for a 240Z with the potential for a great track car. We have a couple turbocharged Miata's but wanted to venture into the V8 world without worrying about CA CARB issues. This led us down the 240Z route. Now the question. In looking for good examples, we find both stock and modified examples. There are a few V8 conversion available as well. Should we buy someone else's project or start from scratch? I would like to be up and running sooner rather than later, but don't know if buying someone else's project will speed things up or not. Any input?

[Pop N Wood]

If nothing else buying a complete conversion will save you big bucks. Most completed V8 conversions sell for a fraction of what they cost to build.

 

Whether it saves you any time I guess depends on what you are looking for and how picky you are. A lot of the converted cars look to me like they are being sold because the builder lost interest in them. They often look like various shortcuts were taken.

 

Establishing a plan and building it yourself is the only way to make certain everything is done correctly for what you want to do.

[grumpyvette]

first welcome to the site!

 

buying a complete converted car is almost always a cheaper route, carefully inspect for rust, and drive the car if you can for at least a few miles, but at least inspect it carefully, and get IN WRITEING a list of components,if you can. so you understand what your getting for the price, and don,t assume your being told the truth on engine parts you can,t easily confirm visually, I.E. buy the car ASSUMING youll NEED to replace the whole drive train at some point and factor that into the deals price, that way your more likely to be in for less of a shock if your engine turns out to be less than advertised

[Guest jmsmith37]

start from scratch youll get exactly what you want

[pparaska]

Welcome to the site! Tough one. I like to build it myself. But if you buy, you get at least some of the work and parts you need with the deal, and it could speed things up, even if you pull the engine and trans and install another.

 

Try searching for key words to this question - it will not be easy to separate the wheat from the chaff for this search, but you are by far the first to ask it.

 

Good luck!

[Guest Jae]

Leaning heavily toward buying one this weekend that has a carburated V8 and an auto. I would switch the auto out for a manual that can handle 450whp which is my ultimate goal. The car will need the frame rails replaced, but the floor pans looked OK from what I could see. Since I will add a full cage to it in the near future, it should be strong enough to handle the power and track driving.

[Mikelly]

If he's handy around cars, knows both the platform and the drivetrain swapped in, I'd not hesitate in buying someone elses conversion. If not, he'll be frustrated learning everything the previous owner did to the car, unless it's well documented.

 

Go forth with that in mind!

 

Welcome to the board.

Mike

[grumpyvette]

while theres a great deal to be learned in doing everything yourself and in MANY cases youll get closer to your ideal combo, its been rare to not find youve saved time and a good deal of money buying a 1/2 completed project from someone who gave up early due to money,time, or lifestyle changes like divorces and job changes.

Ive gotten some KILLER DEALS over the years when I just happened to have a few hundred or in some cases a few thousand dollars and some guy got into finacial difficulties, and dumped a project for dimes on the dollar....naturally you NEED to fully understand WHAT your looking at and WHAT its worth TO YOU. youll also need to know what parts are easily sold off at a reasonable projected proffit. just because its a killer deal doesn,t always mean you should jump into the deal.

 

example,

Ive purchased several BBC engines in various conditions for between $70-$500 that were worth 2-10 times that EASILY in parts alone. I purchased a nice clean 1970 camaro with a disassembled 454 hipo LS7 in the trunk once for $1600 when I had a friend get divorced, and he wanted out of the marraige and out of state in record time (BTW I offered MORE but had only that in cash)