Guest fixitman Posted March 30, 2008 Share Posted March 30, 2008 In the early 80's I began the restoration of my first car, an early 1974 Datsun 260Z. Due to poor work by a restoration shop after the car was stolen, the project was put on hold for a few decades. Now, I expect the project to be completed in the late spring/early summer of this year. For the first time in 27 years, the engine came to life with a glorious song last week. I was wondering if the learned readers of this forum could estimate the engine horsepower and rear wheel horsepower from the following drive train description. Air box: K&N Lamborghini 3-carb filter in aluminum housing with Mikuni air horns Alternator: 60 amp Camshaft: Racer Brown SS-54-110 – 236 degree duration at 0.025†lift with 0 lash, 110 degree lobe centers, and 0.480†lift net, and valve spring/retainer package Carburetion: Mikuni triple side draft, 40PHH with 32mm chockes and custom balance tube Cylinder head: Decked 0.020†Bronze valve guides 280Z intake valves, 0.173†dia. 280Z exhaust valves Valves and seats grinded Built by Floyd Link, Torrance, CA Exhaust: Header: Euro Car Anti-Reversionary, 1 ½†dia. tubing, 3 into 2, 2 ¼†dia. collector outlet System Dia.: 2 ¼†Resonator: Borla resonator Muffler: Borla turbo muffler Ignition: New stock coil New stock distributor Taylor 8mm Spiro-Pro NGK Iridium spark plugs Oil pump: ZX-Turbo unit Pistons: Datsun 0.040†over, flat top Differential: R180 limited slip, 3.545 R&P set, Bob Sharp Racing spare Transmission: 280Z 5-speed Thanks for your help. FixItMan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zforce Posted March 31, 2008 Share Posted March 31, 2008 Even though you have provided alot of info about your motor,you still left out alot of stuff.I will assume you are using l-26 block and e-88 head right,ok.Problem is there is just no way to accuratly quess what kind of power an engine will make based soley on parts thown into it. Now if you look at what a well tuned Z motor has done in the past,say for example one of those rebello's max power on averge with l-28 crank about 285 and with the ld-28 maybe 300. Remember we are talking about 40+ year old technology. Don't get mad but I think your engine may be putting out somewhere between 175 and 200, and please remember this a very concervative quess, I could be totally wrong. The only way to know for sure is to do some careful tuning and put it on a dyno. If this was my engine,Say if I bought your car from you I would swap out the 260 block for a punched out 280 block then decide what kind of driving you like to do and I think 3.54 gears are too high for a street Z. BTW this is a very good forum don't you think, I am new to it too. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnc Posted March 31, 2008 Share Posted March 31, 2008 My guess would be 150 to 175 at the crank. I can ask Floyd this weekend if he remembers the build. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slownrusty Posted March 31, 2008 Share Posted March 31, 2008 My guess would be 150 to 175 at the crank. +1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest fixitman Posted March 31, 2008 Share Posted March 31, 2008 The engine compartment nameplate notes 162 HP @ 5,600 rpm (SAE). What am I missing here? Is there a way of adding photos to this post? Please give my regards to Floyd. I was going to try and reach him after the car was on the road. Regards, FixItMan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frank280zx Posted March 31, 2008 Share Posted March 31, 2008 The engine compartment nameplate notes 162 HP @ 5,600 rpm (SAE). What am I missing here? Is there a way of adding photos to this post? Please give my regards to Floyd. I was going to try and reach him after the car was on the road. Regards, FixItMan That nameplate states power like muscle cars do .. gross hp in a controlled environment! The truth would be more like 135 hp or so still at the crank (a good z gives out round 120 to the wheels from the top of my mind). 175 might not sound that much .. but it is not only the HP levels .. also how it is distributed, and what the torque does that makes a car feel fast. Next to that the real power on an L series is in A: Compression ( bump it and it awakes) and B: maybe even more eminent.. headwork Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest fixitman Posted April 13, 2008 Share Posted April 13, 2008 My guess would be 150 to 175 at the crank. I can ask Floyd this weekend if he remembers the build. Did Floyd remember the build? Thanks, Fixitman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cockerstar Posted April 13, 2008 Share Posted April 13, 2008 What kind of compression are we looking at here? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnc Posted April 14, 2008 Share Posted April 14, 2008 Did Floyd remember the build? He asked for your name and was somewhat stunned that the engine sat for 27 years between the build and the first start. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony D Posted April 15, 2008 Share Posted April 15, 2008 I don't feel bad now knowing my Fairlady Coupe has been sitting, waiting since 1991! Makes me look positively rabid with speed about my restoration of it! LOL Those Racer Brown Cams are tasty! Nice old stock stuff... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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