Doing the impossible

[Guest Anonymous]

Hi! I've been reading the board a little, and it's time for me to jump in with my own little project.

 

Some buddies from work and I are going to enter the GRM $2002 Challenge (build a race car and race it for $2002 or less.) We're entering a 280ZX. Nothing impossible about that. However, to be different, and to give it a kick in the butt, we're gonna do a V8 swap. Impossible? We have a 1980 280ZX in fantastic shape that cost us 100 dollars of our budget. And that will be recouped by selling the original engine, and whatever else we take off.

 

So we need to find a donor engine and trans, radiator, driveshaft, headers, exhaust, etc. with the remaining money. Since it's a race car, we can do away with some niceties like speedo and tach, stock hood latch (we'll use hood pins) and anything else we can trim from the usual conversion. We'll be fabbing all our conversion mounts and bits from junk and leftovers.

 

So I need help. I especially need advice on what is a good donor car to get our V8 from. I've been thinking about an 84 Z28 (supposedly IROC) that I've found for 500 bucks. It's an automatic, and it's carbuerated, and both engine and trans have been freshly rebuilt. I figure I can recoup most of the 500 by selling other parts off of the Z28. So are there any issues with that? I believe I read somewhere that the 84 Camaro radiator is the preferred unit.

 

Next, where would I go to get the driveshaft done? What kind of shop? I won't be able to do that with my 110V MIG! I happen to live one town over from JTR, so there must be places around here, but I don't know where to start.

 

Third, does anyone know of any cheap lightweight wheels that will fit the 4lug pattern on our 280ZX? I've been told 3rd gen Supra wheels fit...anything else?

 

Finally, does anyone have any parts to sell us? Anything at all that might help us do our swap, mebbe stuff you might have bought but not used on a swap you did...anything? Cheap is good

 

Thanks alot! Hope to hear lots of great ideas from everyone.

 

Jim

[Owen]

Welcome!

Under $2002? Wow! Make sure to document that as doing a cheap swap is a hot topic around here.

Good luck!

Owen

[Guest Anonymous]

I recall hearing the Supra wheels might need the center machined out a bit to fit the Datsun, I'm sorry, I don't recall the year, but with the 'maltese' cross style JTR mentions having to do this. For the driveshaft, lets your fingers do the walking in the yellow pages. Its usually a specialized machine shop that does drivelines and CV's that does the shortening, it usually runs between like 80-125 bucks for shortening and balancing.

 

Good luck with your project.

 

Regards,

 

Lone

[Guest Anonymous]

Owen:

 

Yeah, we have to keep documents on everything to prove our eligibility for the race. I'm trying to convice one of the guys on our team to do a web page that will chronicle the whole thing. Keep in mind that the 2002 dollars only applies to parts (and labor if we have anything done by a shop.) Our own labor, tools, even tax and shipping won't count against the budget. It's still gonna be tight though!

 

Jim

[Modern Motorsports Ltd]

Shoot! I recently chucked (I'll check/quite sure I did) my 'old' V8zx auto shifter (converted OEM) as noone wanted it. The linkage bar I used with the 700R4 is still hanging on the wall.

 

Are any of you skilled at porting heads etc? That and intake mods will make you a lot more than the smallish OE numbers those had. Especially given you'll have custom exhaust...keep your eyes out for a large K&N cone filter to put up front for cold air or a turbo 280zx airbox....or mod the hood...if you find any of the stock truck mounts you only need 'shims' for spacers/no setback like JTR so that's v. cheap. The Z28 driveshaft AIR is same OD as ZX so just marry the two together (I know I picked a donor camaro/older shaft to mate with mine years ago..hopefully yours is same)

 

good luck and keep the q's coming

[Guest Anonymous]

Cool! Thanks for the advice, Ross. I already have another question as it turns out. I was just over at the garage looking at the car, and I got a close look at the steering box. It's power steering, but it doesn't look like a rack to me. It looks more like an elongated version of the worm gear type steering box on my VW bug, with some power steering hoses sticking out. It's miles away from the stock header on the ZX motor. It's stuck close to the side of the engine bay. Did we luck out and get something that won't require massive customization to the headers? Or is it the pitman arm itself that interferes with the header as it swings side to side?

 

I can take a picture of the setup, or try to give a better description. Thanks again, folks.

 

Jim

[DavyZ]

Welcome to the forum, Jim!

 

There are drive-line/drive-shaft specialty places in the Bay Area. I'm sure by looking in the phone book or even in DRIVE! magazine you'll find places in SSF, Concord, Oakland, Fremont, not to mention SJ.

 

Use this forum's "search" feature to find the information you need. As far as the Z28 is concerned--sounds like a deal and a very good start. The radiator should fit--but just measure the bottom of it and the Z to see if it fits. It'll have the proper cooling capacity, no problem.

 

Sorry I can't help you with parts right now, but check out the Diablo Dealer, Bay Classifieds, PennySaver, etc. for parting out cars--there is always something in those. Take care!

 

David