Guest Anonymous Posted April 24, 2001 Share Posted April 24, 2001 Hello Guys, I'm new to the forum so excuse me if I ask a stupid question. I got a 72 240 totally stock and have pulled everything out of it except for the dash and stock engine. The car run great but I need the HP. I want to burn rubber when I want to, all I get now is a little sweak, really sucks. I'm planning on getting a 350 chevy crate engine and putting it in but I was wondering prior to pulling the engine and purchasing the 350 do I need to beef up the car frame and is it hard to do the conversion? I don't want to end up with an unfinished project and no Z to drive. I just want a reliable daily driver with extra hp (like 350hp) when I want to blow away a rich punk giving me smack. I'm going to order the JTR kit or book soon which should tell me if it's within my mechnical abilities. Just want to know what you think. From all the awsome pic it doesn't look too hard, my budget is 4k I don't want to go over that. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Frank280z Posted April 24, 2001 Share Posted April 24, 2001 Welcome zeezee! When you get the JTR book you will find it covers both auto and manual trannys. This will also have a bearing on your budget. It can be done with 4K. But it would be tight with a 350hp GM crate. With that budget you can get a recon engine 5.7 h.o. est. at 300-325 hp. Like 1500- with a warranty. Do a search and you will find threads on subframe connector fabrication. pparaska has a very good write up on his page. Anyway good luck and you have chosen well. The car. The conversion. And the forum. Frank Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest zfan Posted April 24, 2001 Share Posted April 24, 2001 Welcome zee zee. Your on the right track. Order the jtr manual first and then decide where to go from there. A chevy crate motor is a good idea. especially when on a tight budget(cheap horsepower). Do you want to go auto or manual trans. If on a budget you can go t5 manual, as long as motor is not full of serious torque or hp. If auto is the way you can go 200/700r4. Either way you will probably want an overdrive unit. If you want to splurge go t56 for manual. Keep us up to date on conversion. Good luck and welcome aboard. Lots of very knowledgeable folks here! They have really helped out in the past. Dont be afraid to ask questions along the way. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted April 24, 2001 Share Posted April 24, 2001 Thanks guys for the response. I just finished ordering the JTR manual, should be getting it hopefully tomorrow then I will be able to get started. This is going to be my first auto project although I'm mechanically tuned this is the first. I've got lots to learn, I'm sure I will be visiting the sight often. Hope I didn't make the wrong decision. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pparaska Posted April 25, 2001 Share Posted April 25, 2001 ZeeZee, welcome. If the power level is 350hp and you can score all the parts to do that for a $4k price (possible), and the car has no rust in structural areas, you might be able to get by with out subframe connectors, if you don't go offroad or road racing with it. The subframe connectors are a weld in affair, so unless you're skilled there, it could break your budget. I'd prefer to have them anyway, but the conversion has been done without subframe connectors and lives with mild use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted April 25, 2001 Share Posted April 25, 2001 You'll want to probably scour the wrecking yards for a few items, save a few dollars, a mid 70's HEI and 1 wire alternator, these can be had pretty cheap. Water pump cheapest way, iron and from like Kragen or Autozone rebuilt pretty cheap. Starter I did the same, got one from the wrecker, but got it was for a automatic (there is a difference in snout length which JTR didn't mention) only to use it for a core and got a rebuilt one. Find a good 700R or 200R automatic and have it rebuilt (this will be a cheaper route than a manual tranny in the long run IMHO). Sharpen the pencil and get the best deal on everything you can and you'll pull it together on that budget. The crate motors are good deals, but remember everything required to make them run adds up. Best of luck, Lone [ April 24, 2001: Message edited by: lonehdrider ] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeromio Posted April 25, 2001 Share Posted April 25, 2001 Odds and ends will kill your budget on any car project. It's too easy to think in terms of the big ticket items, eg. engine for 2K, trans for 1K, radiator and exhaust for another 500 does not equal $3500. Much more like $6k. Car project math is a voodoo art all its own. More like psychology than arithmatic. Applies to time as well - it'll always take way longer.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Shasteen Posted April 25, 2001 Share Posted April 25, 2001 quote: Originally posted by jeromio: ...it'll always take way longer.... And always take way more $$ to boot; once the bug bites you its hard to stay focus'd when dealing w/a budget build. If 3-4k is what you're looking at-then expect 80% if the project to be done by yourself....w/exception to machine work & a trans rebuild(?), its still gonna be a close call. The budget build totally depends on your ability to perform as much of the project as possible. Definately want to scour the salvage yards on a weekly basis; talk to the owner/or the counter man-tell him what you want & that you'll be calling him on a weekly basis looking for your engine/trans combo. Have about 3-5 salvage yards looking for you; that way if/when you call they'll know its you & what you're looking for; but remember-the good deals go fast & there's not one salvage yard I know that will hold parts/so that means you have to be able to act fast & have money in hand when the good eng/trans come in. Good luck & congrats on the baby steps towards starting your project. Kevin, (Yea,Still an Inliner) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted April 25, 2001 Share Posted April 25, 2001 OK, guys I'm going to take a picture of the car with the interior striped except the console. Check back and let me know if I need to weld in subframe connectors as pparaska mentioned, by the way cool sight. After thinking of what you said pparaska I think I will go less on the HP motor and avoid the frame work. The Z has I think very little rust compared to some car pictures that I've seen on the WWW. O ya I think I will be spending a lot of time at my local PNP for sleeper parts to save on some $$$ where I can. Thanks Lonehdrider for the reference to the Drive Line Service Shop of Sacramento I may use them when the time comes, great site too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen Posted April 25, 2001 Share Posted April 25, 2001 Welcome! Definitely draw up a plan on what you want and kind of parts will get you there. After the JTR book, I think the Summit Racing catalog is the next best friend to a lot of us here it sure drained my wallet... If you're thinking mild HP and very little racing, you can get by on stock used or new parts. Once you start thinking about bigger brakes, and wheels, and coilovers, etc... Check out the webpages of each member here too. Good luck. where in cali are you? Owen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fl327 Posted April 25, 2001 Share Posted April 25, 2001 i would go into the suspension before even attempting to look for any of the drivetrain shocks springs, strut bars, a roll bar/cage subframe connectors(if you want, 300-50 or so horse with mild useage probably not) swap in an r200 geared for how you want to set up your car,, road racing, street racing etc. get all of that stuff nailed because when you have an 8 under teh hood with soem power, a somewhat soft suspension can turn into a nightmare, ive experienced it and im sure most of us have take these steps first, and if your car gets you around those mods will make your car feel a lot better and give you time to get the best prices on parts, also, swap out that stock radiator for a be cool or a camaro radiator or somethign, it will benefit you a lot in the long run and the short run, maybe even handle the brakes and tires, youre gonna need good sized tires the way you describe how you will use the car, and youll need to stop like youll go right??? welcome aboard and good luck!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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