Two very easy poll questions.

[QWKDTSN]

1) How long did it take you to do the swap, from the day you got the engine to the first day you drove the car on the road?

 

2) How would you classify your swap? High-performance, budget, show-winner?

 

I'm being totally lazy with finding my motor and would like to get the swap completed sometime during the next school year.. I was supposed to start the swap about three months ago but you know how things are

[pparaska]

I'm going to bow out of this one. I think my answer on number 1 is one of those "bad data points" the statisticians would throw out. 11+ years just isn't in the "statistically significant" realm .

 

Seems someone had a couple of week long buy engine to install I'e seen recently.

 

[ August 13, 2001: Message edited by: pparaska ]

[silicone boy]

It took about two days to do the swap for me. I'll tell you how. About two days after I decided to do the swap, I found this site. Then I found an already done 280Z three hours away. I drove through a blinding snowstorm to see it and bought it on the spot. Of course, it's always a work in progress. It came with a 700R4 and I wanted a stick, so I got a T56--it'll be in in the spring. Also, I've spent as much on suspension components as on the actual car itself (and I haven't bought Mike's brakes yet!). And while I have the drivetrain out to install the manual trans, I might as well put in a set of AFR heads and a roller cam (or maybe a 406....)I thought I found a shortcut by buying an already "done" car, but I guess it never ends

[Lone Star 1]

Hey Nion

I bought my motor from Scoggin-Dicky on 2/22/01. It arrived the next day in Mesquite, and I purchased the 4L60E Tranny from HPSalvage on 3/8/01. With these two big ticket items in hand I went to work. Looking back through my receiptes I see that I purchased my raditor hoses on 4/19/01 this being about the finishing touch before driving. So I would say it took me about 2 months of planning and assembling before I was able to drive it again. All the body, paint, and restoration I had none previously. Looking back on the experence it seems that it took a lot longer. I was able to work on the car almost every day ( slow work period) some days (nights)as much 12 hrs. I was pretty focused on finshing this project Quickly! There were days ( trying to build a small gas tank that I could mount an intank fuel pump into, to the point of installing the presure regulator, and fuel filter on the car ) only to test and find out it had about 5 leaks. Wasted days and several days after disassembling from car, and trying to weld off these leaks. Finally coming to see that it was all wasted time and made a tank that used an inline fuel pump. But all the trials,sweat, and tears were worth the the end results IMO. High performance!!!

 

[ August 13, 2001: Message edited by: Lone Star 1 ]

 

[ August 13, 2001: Message edited by: Lone Star 1 ]

 

[ August 13, 2001: Message edited by: Lone Star 1 ]

 

[ August 13, 2001: Message edited by: Lone Star 1 ]

 

[ August 13, 2001: Message edited by: Lone Star 1 ]

[Guest Anonymous]

Mine went about 5 weeks and that was working about 4 hours a day average by myself, some days I was either waiting for parts and did'nt work on it, or just got burned out and had to rest.

 

One day to remove the old stuff. The actual dropping it in the car and mounting took maybe two days due to a few issues (like pounding the floor board for the JTR mount for the T56 That got it on the road with pretty much stock everything still. The car is probably mechanically 75% done now, still needs a R200 swap and back bushings and then of course paint and body, which is ok, not bad, but its more important for me to get it working and mechanically sound before I put any money on looks (well I did put some weld wheels and some eagles on just for looks and to get the backset right instead of the badly setup wheels that were on it.).

 

Definitely a budget project (although $ wise it hardly seems like it) but its just a stock carbed 350 6spd.

 

Regards,

 

Lone

[DavyZ]

Like Pete, I'll have to bow out of this one. I have nealy all the parts, but I sold the car to get a better one! Hence, the time keeps tick tick ticking away...

 

I think I could pull it off in a couple of months putting in at least four hours a night. But I have to tell you, it's the little things like changing all your suspension bushings and such--the "while I'm doing this I might as well do...."---that end up sucking all your time & money. These are not new cars and they need work, and parts, and love, and...er, well, you get the picture.

 

Get the car (#1) and all the parts together, and have at it! Oh, to answer question #2 on your poll, I would classify this as more budget than anything else, but very nicely done (does that make sense?)

 

Davy

 

[ August 14, 2001: Message edited by: DavyZ ]

[Mikelly]

I got all my parts except my motor delivered to me throughout the month of November 1998/. The motor was delivered on December 18, 1998. However, I crashed my mountain bike on a downhill run on December 23rd 1998 and fractured my skull, causing a blood clott and swelling on the brain. I wasn't cleared to go back to living my life until end of Febuary 1999. From that point until May 16 I worked evening and weekends on the car until I got it to the point of being driven. From May 16 on I basically de-bugged and refined it until I tore it down to take care of some safety issues in Late September of this past year.

Mine is ALL GO, some SHOW

Mike

[Mike kZ]

I bought my car in late 96, and began in early 97. I worked on it mostly on the weekends and some evenings. I took my time, and tried to detail things, so I guess that's 4.5 yrs . It's running but i still need an exhaust system.

It's GO and SHOW, not budget

[Owen]

Going on almost 2 years for me, about the same time I started the v8z swappers forum. An it's totally snowballing but I'm trying to steer clear of Pete's path that thing is a restoration street rod classic!

 

Hope to be done in a month? Yeah, right...

 

Not GOING, and not SHOWING. Money doesn't matter any more

 

Owen

[74_5.0L_Z]

I bought the car in march 1999. It was factory stock, had been stored indoors for 12 years, no interior, no rust.

 

I completely disassembled the car, and hand prepped the body for a cheap but durable paint job (I originally intended to put the car back together with the six as a cheap daily driver). While the car was in the paint shop, I decided to convert the car to a 5.0L Ford V8 and T5. I wanted to retain drivability and fuel milage.

 

I purchased a 5.0L, T5 tranny, and wiring harness from a wrecked mustang highway patrol car for $1200.00. The car retains the 5.0L fuel injection.

 

As I reworked the suspension, I decided it needed wider tires. I also wanted to retain the factory body lines, so I installed coil-overs. The car has 245/50/15 on all four corners.

 

I got the car together and on the road in july 2000.

 

Since getting the car on the road, the brakes have been upgraded, the suspension improved, etc...

 

Now I want more horsepower, a cage and sub frame, turbos... The car will never be finished.

 

The car started life as a cheap but fast build-up, and is developing into an expensive extremely fast build-up. I'm certain that many of the Hybridz member's cars fall into this category.

 

Dan McGrath

[Guest Fast Frog]

Once I got the engine from the engine builder, it took me just over 2 months to install everything and crank the engine over for a test and trial run around the block.

 

My project was for performance and show.

[383 240z]

The first question is easy, The motor has been out for approx. 2 yrs she now is in the chassis shop I'll get her back on the 31st the motor is still on the stand I'm waiting on a cam from lunati The trans was completed about 3 weeks ago The corvette irs is almost ready for install The wiring harness has been made ( I cobbeled a painless 18 circuit to incorporate a few of my own touches with stereo sat.nav.& power every thing) Reupholsering the interior will be a bitch tring to blend just the right amount of race and comfort. Now I have to sort out the A/C componets. there would have been more accomplished if I would have started with the proper car my 1974.5 260Zed was far to rusted and did not have the A/C unit in it so it was turned into a parts carand a great nagging point for my wife now the '73 is progressing very well. as far as the second question she will be a very well dressed driver mostlikly will see about 10k per year with racing most weekends during the summer and at least 1 HOT ROD Power Tour Long Haul ( I did this 2 years ago and had an absolute BLAST!!!!) Great question.

[Guest chevsun]

3 years for my 240 chevsun. thats fuel cell to roll cage to t-56 to high performance 350 that will be replaced with a roller 377 this winter. This is a show and go car and was worth every busted knuckle and sleepless night trying to problem solve. I have owned different chevrolet muscle cars for the last 25 years and currently have a 72 vette besides the Z. None of these cars have been as fun to drive as this car. It weighs 2600lbs wet and runs like a scalded dog when I turn it loose. Pure high HP fun. Most kids don't know what it is and most adults circle it and comment that they "don't remember those cars running a v-8" I love it.

[BLKMGK]

Hrm, mine was a little over 8 months and due to some setbacks still isn't 100%. Most of my slowdown was waiting on parts, adding things to my list to do that I hadn't planned on, changing my mind, and silly things like that. I've rebuilt nearly my entire suspension, all new brakes, all new wheelstires, new 'glass hood and bumpers, cagefuel cell, new gauges, LSD rear, and on and on. You get the idea The swap itself really wasn't that hard IMO.

 

Oh, and I think my car will be more go than show. It's going to be a driver and the budget is toast - I don't care

[Guest Anonymous]

This old rule might apply:

 

"Do you want it

 

Fast (completion time)

Good (quality)

or Cheap.

 

Pick any two."

 

Heh.

[Kevin Shasteen]

I'm at the other end of the grade curve as Pete; as I've yet to get my engine/as you all know I'm still only an Inliner!

 

I've had the car for about a year now & have completed the suspension, steering & rebuild of the stock brakes (wont upgrade the brakes till after the V8 Swap has begun nor the coil over suspension till after the V8 swap has begun...nor the T56 & so on/& so on!

 

Kevin,

(Yea,Still an Inliner)

 

BTW: Pete's project cant be considered as it exceeds the [statute of Limitations!] (just pullilng your chain Pete).

[Ray]

10 months so far,,, I have stripped the shell recliped the front and bent and welded a cage. I have also cut out the spare tire well and replaced it with sheet metal. Most of the body work is done and am in the process of painting it now.

 

 

Crazy fun... full cage, roller cam 350, T5, r230, 300zxtt wheels, supra brakes (thanks terry) custom made fuel tank for dual exhaust, It might have been faster if I had made one from scratch...