Bartman Posted May 8, 2007 Share Posted May 8, 2007 You know when I was in Holland a couple of weeks ago, they didn't seem to understand why I would put a V8 in my Z. I would get a lot a strange looks, and some would ask me why. They seem to like smaller displacement high revving engines, expecially with turbochargers. I think part of it is the cost of gasoline, but part of it may just be what their familiar with. I like V8's because I grew up liking them. The cars I liked had them, and I really like the sound. If I didn't grow up with them, maybe I would have opted for an RB26, SR20, 7MGTE, or just build up an L28. You can definitely get the same amount of power I have, or more, with any of those engines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stealth-Z Posted May 8, 2007 Share Posted May 8, 2007 I agree with Terry (Corzette). Getting parts for U.S. market V8's is difficult. It is like trying to get RB parts here in the U.S. After coming back from Okinawa in 1987, I sent alot of parts back for my japanese friends. One had a 67 Firebird rag top with a 455. The culture there is different as well when it comes to cars. Some of the stuff you would see in wrecking yards would make you cry. Here in the U.S. we tend to drive a car till the wheels literally fall off. There cars are just a commodity. Funny how you could look at a car and tell it was owned by an American service person. A Japanese person would not own it once it reached a certain condition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Austin240Z Posted May 8, 2007 Share Posted May 8, 2007 Go to a Mustang meet here in the US and ask "Anyone feel like putting an RB26 into a '67 Fastback Mustang" *cough* Fast and Furious *cough* The reaction you get from the Mustang guys is probably gonna be a lot like the reaction you would get from Z Guys in Japan if you asked "Wanna drop a V8 in that thing?" I may be wrong, but that's what my opinion is. I dont have a problem with Z V8 swaps.. but when I heard that in FF:Tokyo Drift, they put an RB in that mustang, my first reaction was "Uh.... I dont know about this..." After I saw it, the swap really grew on me, it looked good, and I would have loved to see that car in person... but I work with a few Die hard mustang guys... and they're still cursing the day that movie came out. I havent been to Japan, so I dont know, but I have a feeling, some of those Japanese Z guys would be just as upset. In my opinion, if it works, and you love how it looks and performs, then more power to you, dont worry about what everyone else thinks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corzette Posted May 8, 2007 Share Posted May 8, 2007 I agree with Terry (Corzette). Getting parts for U.S. market V8's is difficult. It is like trying to get RB parts here in the U.S. After coming back from Okinawa in 1987, I sent alot of parts back for my japanese friends. One had a 67 Firebird rag top with a 455. The culture there is different as well when it comes to cars. Some of the stuff you would see in wrecking yards would make you cry. Here in the U.S. we tend to drive a car till the wheels literally fall off. There cars are just a commodity. Funny how you could look at a car and tell it was owned by an American service person. A Japanese person would not own it once it reached a certain condition. Well said...! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frank280zx Posted May 8, 2007 Share Posted May 8, 2007 You know when I was in Holland a couple of weeks ago, they didn't seem to understand why I would put a V8 in my Z. I would get a lot a strange looks, and some would ask me why. They seem to like smaller displacement high revving engines, expecially with turbochargers. I think part of it is the cost of gasoline, but part of it may just be what their familiar with. I like V8's because I grew up liking them. The cars I liked had them, and I really like the sound. If I didn't grow up with them, maybe I would have opted for an RB26, SR20, 7MGTE, or just build up an L28. You can definitely get the same amount of power I have, or more, with any of those engines. He what brought you here ? in Holland that is .. the whole v8 thing here in Holland has to do with legislation it is kind of a hassle to go more cylinders than stock. That is apart from the gas prizes .. Who did you talk to about this as most dont even know what a z is over here.. And most are purist in a way .. as they dont really seem to like to heavy of a modded car out there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bartman Posted May 8, 2007 Share Posted May 8, 2007 He what brought you here ? in Holland that is .. the whole v8 thing here in Holland has to do with legislation it is kind of a hassle to go more cylinders than stock. That is apart from the gas prizes .. Who did you talk to about this as most dont even know what a z is over here.. And most are purist in a way .. as they dont really seem to like to heavy of a modded car out there I am originally from Holland, but we immigrated to the states when I was very young. So I was just visiting relatives, doing some bicycle riding, and just being a tourist. I didn't see any Z's while I was there, but whether they know about it or not the V8 wasn't a big hit. My uncle is a mechanic and he's into Alfa Romeo's and my cousins, the one's that like cars, are into Mitsubishi's and other similar 4-cylinder cars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WickedWild Posted May 10, 2007 Share Posted May 10, 2007 My personal opinion... you will have car guys on both sides of the fence. I had a REDneck in a beat up 4cyl Ford Stang ask me "Why the hell did you go and ruin that car boy by putten a V8 in there?" And that was coming from a stereotypical toothless hick. But the owner of the local Nissan dealership (also a collector) loves the swap, and he has Nissan on every wall of his home and restores all OE. Go figure... Wait where was I going with this? Ahh we shouldn't stereotype the car guys, I think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
driftz240 Posted May 10, 2007 Share Posted May 10, 2007 I lived in japan 4 years, and go there pretty often. when i go i am always going to car shops and race tracks and touge/ drift spots. having a s30 in japan is like having a 67 stingray in the usa. its a icon on japanese sportscardom. people do modify them, but i have never seen one i dident drool over as for a v8, i think most japanese thing v8s belong in luxury / vip cars, and will never out do the technologic advances in computer / turbo/4/6 cyl tuning. althow the infinity v8 twin turbo pics in a z made me wet my drawls, i dont think its common there. you cant really go buy a 350 ls1 at your junkyard but your correct i wish i would have taken an 88 camaro z28 to japan i saw one on a car lot going for like 12000$ "somthing i can pick up here for 12-1500$. What really surprised me was vw bug cost, i saw them for hi 12-15k range...baffeled by that one. and the chevy astro vans go for a pretty penny there also...i was trying to ship a cifero back but it had no state side model so i got tricked into not shipping it back for fear of never getting tags. but i know better know. next time i go im shipping a car back, i can pick up a r30-32 skyline for dirt cheap and ship for 3300$.. it would look good in the garage. and autoxing/ drifting hehehe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhnmsf Posted May 10, 2007 Share Posted May 10, 2007 how much does a r34 run for? i would LOVE to get my hands on one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gogriz91 Posted May 10, 2007 Share Posted May 10, 2007 how much does a r34 run for? i would LOVE to get my hands on one A helluva lot cheaper than you can get one here for. I want to say I saw guys paying between $8-10K. While it didn't seem like most Japanese folks had a car that was more than 10 years old I was amazed by how many S13s there were around as well as R32s. While American muscle cars are expensive the S30s I saw weren't less than $10K for cars that had rust problems and wiring that looked like Phyllis Diller. A decent car with triples on the low end was $12K to $15-17K, the older the chassis, the higher the value. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Posted May 10, 2007 Share Posted May 10, 2007 Pete, Dave Olsen took photos of my car at the Don Davis car show in August of 2005. At the time I understood that they were going to be shown to Mr. K during the upcoming trip to Japan. Never did find out if it happened. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dsommer Posted May 10, 2007 Share Posted May 10, 2007 Off topic. Bill, Mad Mike might be coming to town this weekend for BransonZfest.... Uh oh the hater (Mike) of Bastardized Z's is a comin' my way. I'll meet him head on with the Scarab a-packin' the power:wink: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete280z Posted May 10, 2007 Share Posted May 10, 2007 Bill, I'll see Dave this evening. I'll be sure to ask. dsommer, Check. Mike is on his way. Have fun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Posted May 10, 2007 Share Posted May 10, 2007 Pete, Thanks. Dave, I have a feeling that as long as Lisa is with you you'll have the upper hand. I've never seen anyone take on Mike like she did at Branson three years ago! I still laugh when I think about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete280z Posted May 11, 2007 Share Posted May 11, 2007 Dave said that he didn't have the photos around when he saw Mr K so he never got the chance to ask. It would have been really nice to get the opportunity to put some of this nonsense to bed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
driftz240 Posted May 11, 2007 Share Posted May 11, 2007 in 1998 i bought a r32 gtst with mods for 1200$ american "base car lot" you can get really nice cars from the military guys who are leaving and want to sell them quick. i had a really nice gts25t 4 door skyline it was an r32.5 lol i bought it for 1500$ off base and did the jci inspection on it myself. spent about 300$ on jic inspection and at a total of 1800 bucks for a perfect condition skyline with 68000 klicks on it. but those were average prices... the ae86's have gone from 300-800$ drift sluts to being 8500-12000$ collectors items. but cars are dirt cheap because the japanese belive in the lifespan system, after a car is 3 years old noone seems to want it. and about 8 to 10 years old are cheap as all hell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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