280 ZX/SBC V8 economy conversion

[Here comes trouble]

I bought a 1979 280 ZX for $120.00 with little rust. The car was from California that an "ace" airplane mechanic bought at a storage sale. He brought the ZX to Oregon. I bargained with him for a year on price and got him down to $100.00 but when I arrived from 40 miles away with the tow dolly, he went 20 bucks up on the price. For some reason ???????? after a cylinder head job highly touted by the ace mechanic,the engine would not start. A head job is not painting the valve cover and cylinder head blue. I drug the crippled thing back home thinking an easy fix to get the engine running but my gut feeling was the old phart was full of crap. After a valve adjustment including the sinking feeling that the the timing chain was also:nono: way off the mark, the compression check was done. OUCH !!!The lowest of the low was 35 pounds. 20 feet away set a $100.00 350 SBC out of a Surburban. Further out set an old van with a 700R4 with another 4 bolt main SBC with a bad rear main seal.

[Here comes trouble]

After removal the 700R4 appears to be rebuilt. The old van was part of the landscape after 7 years and required a car and pick-up in tandem to pull loose from the sod. About ten years ago )if memory serves me right, I bought this 700R4 tranny mount for a ZX for $10.00. I got busy and cut out my redneck perception of what the engine mounts consisted of from a Hybrid Z thread measurements and photos.

[Here comes trouble]

The conversion engine mounts will utilize the original Datsun rubber cushioned engine mounts. The Chevy pickup rubber cushioned mounts mounts (also pictured) maybe preferable for more strength. I used the Chevy tuck mounts and the Datsun mounts as a template for the transfer punches to establish bolt hole locations to the steel stock. The steel stock is 1/4 inch thick except for the square tubing spacer material. The 1/8 inch square tubing for spacers between the engine block triangular plate and the rectangle bar that adapts to the Datsun cushioned motor mounts is 1 1/16th inch high (spacer) and 2 1/16th inch high(spacer). The plan is to mount the transmission mount and bolt the i/4 inch thick triangular plates to the engine block and bolt the 1/4 inch thick flat bar to the Datsun rubber cushioned engine mounts. Then place the SBC V8 into the Datsun ZX and bolt the 700R4 transmission adapter into the Datsun tranny cross member mounting holes. From there the SBC engine adapter square tubing spacers can be fitted, trimmed and welded between the triangular engine plate and the rectangular bar stock bolted to the rubber cusioned Datsun engine mounts for a proper fit

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The 4 bolt 350 cubic inch V8 small block 4 barrel carb Chevrolet engine was bought off Craig's List a couple of years ago. This fellow was deeply into a lifestyle of Suburban Chevrolets. He bought a rust bucket Suburban for the engine in Crescent City, California and drove it back to Oregon without problems. Pulled the engine for a replacement in his daily driver Suburban. Gas prices were rising. He was out of the six mile a gallon Suburban lifestyle real fast.. He was located just a few miles from him and loaded up the cherry picker and compression gauge, paid him $100.00 the asking price. and packed the greasy mess home. I usually quibble and offer half of the asking price but this was a deal. Craig's List is the place to buy STUFF and is part of my daily routine to cruise the List's classifieds.

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This thread is about stuffing a Chevy small bock into a ZX and getting it to run first. The ZX is best suited for a V8 conversion because it has the parts that the Z owners upgrade to. The looks do not suit me as the first generation does, but the convertible ZX is beautiful car. I am not power washing the engine or tranny or adding polished shiney stuff. Oil grase and all go in as rust inhibitors (lol). My former projects were plagued with changes and add ons increasing the costs. The old Chevy van with the 350 SBC four bolt main and 700R4 was bought about 7 years ago for $350.00. I drove it home and it was surprisingly strong. The engine was good but the rear main seal was slinging oil. I will get a $50.00 parts voucher when the auto yard picks it up. The aluminum,wiring, catalytic converter, condenser, etc was high graded for further $$$$$$$$$ use, salvage or sale. I posted on here as Tomahawk Zee for years beginning when Owen began this website. At one time was designated as a "Hybrid Z Guru" along with Tim Hepburn. I was working on a 250 GTO and #8 Tomahawk Z Cobra. In 2001 I was arrested for firearm violations and three years later began a 3 year federal prison term. As far as I concerned the federal bureaucrats are out of touch with reality and control. I just finished 3 years of probation. After 3 years in prison I was totally "old school" on this web site and have yet came up to speed. (What is all this RB, DET, holeset stuff anyway) Out of prison, my projects were in shambles, parts stolen, you name it. For three years I could not bear to look at the Tomahawk Z/Cobra without losing my temper. I am re-building now and hopefully things will get done.

[Here comes trouble]

More photos of engine mount fabrication

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Let us not forget the scrap pile in an economy conversion during the beginning of this recession. The van parts could have been sold for more on Craig's List than the $50.00 parts voucher and scrap aluminum price but after years as an eyesore........it is time to say good bye halle visita before I decide , "What a good dry storage box that van body would make" . The van's rear tires and wheels are now on the front of the GMC pick-up that pulls the tow dolly. The picture show genuine Oregon green mold on the wheel. (LOL)

[Chaparral2f]

Good to see you doing another project. After you got out of jail I thought you had given up on Z's. Then a while back I saw you posting again. Don't get up to speed too fast, I don't want to be the only one who is totally old school. Your progress on your ZX is great.

[dr_hunt]

Looking good!

[Here comes trouble]

Here are some more detailed pictures of the 280ZX tranny mount........................................................................................ The latest aluminum scrap pile/copper wire netted $65.00 which came from other sources and not completely from the van

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CORRECTIONS.................................. 1.) The Motor Sport conversion tranny mount is not for a ZX but for a first generation Z. I have cut about a 1/2 inch out of the width to fit the ZX mounts and will modify to fit. (photos later) 2.)The engine that came out of the ZX was not an F 54 engine block but a 280 Z engine block. The block has a new flywheel and the torque converter is also new. A great addition for the ('84 Maxima)automatic overdrive Datsun transmission for the 250 GTO project. 3.) the 2 inch flat bar stock for the engine conversion mount is too wide to fit inside the outer flange cap of the Datsun engine mount. The 1/4 inch thick flat stock should be no more than 1 3/4" to no less than 1 1/2 inch which is the size of the 1/8 inch x 1 1/2 inch square tubing spacer. I modified the Datsun motor mount outer flange cap to accept the 2 inch Flat bar. I will eventually have the correct measurements on the conversion parts for the tranny and engine.

[80LS1T]

I remember selling you that "ZX tranny mount" ...I can't believe it doesn't fit? It came with the V8 mounting kit I bought from MSA? I guess you figured it out though! Good to see some progress!

 

Guy

[Here comes trouble]

LOL .................80 LT1, I will make it fit. It is about 1/2 inch too wide but without it, I would not have a clue to build one. I still consider it a bargain. I am reading a lot of your old posts on this project. When I went to prison, I carried my JTR Bible with me and jam packed with notes. But "NO" it was contraband and confiscated. No freedom of religion with the Bureau of Prisons. Once the 700R4 is in, the project will slow down. I need a GM drive shaft. The old van's drive shaft was stolen. Not too bad since the 700R4 tranny was almost completely unbolted by the thieves and saved a lot of time in pulling. The missing starter got me slightly aroused but my arteries still needed a little flushing after all that prison food. I found the rebuilt starter for the Tomahawk Cobra. I found my $10.00 GM overdrive transmission cable shifter in the van that the thieves previously removed from the shop. It is great, because I am still finding these little treasure troves hidden all over my property. I am like a kid on a never ending Easter egg hunt. What is remarkable is a recent find of my parrot beak wire cutters with the 50 cents garage sale sticker still on it. The cutters are the size of the big bolt cutters. Can you imagine what they would be worth $$$$$ in the hands of a meth addict alongside a mile of a remote power line. A real miracle that they missed those but they were re-discovered in a shed very close to the back fence. Another miracle was the finding of my Airco two stage regulators (over $500.00 a set new. and special ordered). Seems the brass color was patina green. Duh ? I danced around a week after I bought them from a widow at a garage sale for two dollars. She said "he" brought them home from work. Just a little larceny in eveyone's heart. Why steal, you can find stuff cheaper on Craig's List and at garage sales.

[Here comes trouble]

About 1/2 iinch was cut out of the Motor Sports transmission mount. The ZX original transmission mount served as a jig to establish proper width for the Motor Sports mount. I was not pleased with my welding on the cut down MS mount and decided to modify the original transmission mount by utilizing the Motor Sport tranny mount I cut the original transmission mount on both arms and spliced in 4 inches of 1/8 thick...3/4 X1 1/2 inch rectangular tubing to extend the original Datsun ZX motor mount for the 700R4 transmissiion. I will use the modified Datsun transmission mount and save the Motor Sports transmission mount as a jig fixture.. I figure that the modified ZX transmission mount will set the engine back about 3/8 inches more than the Motor Sport mount. I will find out soon if there is clearance for the 350 SBC set back another 3/8 inch. I hope so.................Shows that a lot of $$$$$$$$$ can be saved with some scrap steel, a little cutting/splicing and welding. I will measure the modified ZX transmission mount from the middle of the mount's bolt holes to the bottom where the GM rubber mount attaches. That way a person could obtain one ZX mount and cut the arms off another original ZX mount and then splice in and weld the 1/8 inch thick 3/4 X 1 1/2 inch rectanglar tubing to accept the 700 R4 transmission

[80LS1T]

That 3/8" shouldn't be a problem. I think I have something like 2-3" of extra clearance with my LT1, probably so a conventional distributor can fit back there.

 

Guy

[Here comes trouble]

The modified original ZX tranny mount with the bolt hole in the center interferred with the 700R4 transmission's modulator. The Motor Sport mount could be used with the the poly rubber aftermarket GM mount that has three mounting bolt holes with the outside bolt hole attached to the Motor Sport mount.The 700R4 trans was temporarily bolted into the ZX. The universal throttle cable recommended by Arizona Z for their Holley conversion was attached to the throttle pedal. Great throttle cable. Obtained drive shaft from junkyard for partial payment voucher for van The ZX has been set aside to prepare the SBC V8 and engine bay. This preparation of muti busy work will take time and some parts scrounging. When the engine goes in, the welding of the motor mounts will take place if the tranny mount is located properly. If not, another tranny mount using a ZX trans mount will be modifed with the 7004R jacked into place. The cast iron manifolds from a Monte Carlo will be used since all the exhaust bolts are intact and in good shape. I have two other of these close hugging sets from the van and the Surburban SBC engine.The Surburban 350 SBC/4bolt main will go in the ZX. The Surburban SBC exhaust bolts were boogered The regular GM exhaust 2 into 1 of the van will be used with a single exhaust pipe from a ZX turbo which is big and should fit. I will take photos of these parts as the progress continues.. I bought a set of aluminum Holley valve covers for $30.00 and will powder coat an old Corvette style louvered air cleaner to match the aluminum valve cleaners. Throw economy to the wind, I cannot help myself on shiney stuff. I will be gathering up all sorts of parts to powder coat with the Harbour Freight powder coater. I have a double oven electric range obtained free from Craig's List. The silver powder coating color and luster is not that great to my eye but I found this aluminum spray "rattle can" paint that lays a fine final sparkling coat to the powder coating that is better than a clear finish. I discovered this during a grueling fitment of a Motor Sport Auto ceramic headers to a powder coated Arizona Z 4 barrel manifold on the 250 GTO project. One of the Motor Sport header pipes being cut or welded too long struck the Arizona Z manifold. The powder coated Arizona Z manifold done by myself was getting wear and tear from handling during it's grinding of the underside and trial fitting for fitment to the one bogus exhaust pipe of the Motor Sport header.. The aluminum paint added sparkle to the top of the man handled powder coated Arizona Z manifold.