new to the 300zx, engine swap, thinking outloud

[lowdown]

Well i've had a Z31, and many 240z cars. Right now i've got only 2 240z, one with a LS1 swap that i'm collecting parts for but won't be till later next year before i get on it. I just picked up a 300zx turbo roller, interior is ok, needs a new hatch from rust that was under the tail, and the front needs to be painted. Got it for 500, figured the factory LSD is worth 1/2 of that. Would like to make it into a daily so I can sell my daily driver nissan frontier. When i got it last week figured i'd just throw in a vh45de motor, but now thinking of doing a lq4 instead. Since I have a LS1 sitting in a crate for my 240z, can I use it to fab up brackets for the lq4 engine? Also are there any 5-speeds that fits onto the lq4? Just thinking of saving some $, all the 6-speeds around here seem to go for 1500+

 

Breakdown on my thoughts

VH45DE

motor 450

Trans 500 (300zx)

adapter 600 (plate plus machine work)

1k in misc stuff, (new timing belt, etc)

 

LQ4

motor 500-600

Trans ?????

1k-2k in misc stuff, (computer, etc)

 

Lots of pros/cons on both setups, If I do the lq4 setup, I can always make more than one set of brackets and send them off to get replicated for the community.

[BLOZ UP]

Wait, you are in the middle of one engine swap, picked up a car for $500 and want to swap an engine in that... and make it a daily?

 

Nothing wrong with any of that except the last part.

[dts300z]

I know the T56s are a little pricey but if your trying to make a daily out of it I'd throw a 4L60E behind it and call it a day. You can pick them up pretty cheap and it would fit a lot better than the T56. Not to sure on the 5 speeds but I'm sure someone makes an adapter plate for the T-5s. If your looking to make any kind of power over stock I would bite the bullet and get a T56 though. Good luck with the swap.

[lowdown]

Should be good enough to be a daily, don't see a good reason on why not. Hmmm auto trans, may be the best bang for the buck... guess i could always swap it out later if I find a good deal one one...

 

 

Did find a low millage NA 300zx engine for 400, plus a tt trans for 400 also on craigslist. Could just throw it in and call it a day. Any differences on wiring a NA motor in a turbo car? Computer? etc..

Edited November 30, 2010 by lowdown

[lowdown]

Picked up a VH45DE to put into it. I'll make a build thread once i actually start putting together everything

 

Cost breakdown

500 300zxt minus engine/trans

425 vh45de (400 plus 25 core)

450 300zxt trans

 

Hope to have everything for about 3k.

 

To get

wiring harness

lightened flywheel

clutch (have used one, may just get a new one though)

adapter plate (engine 2 clutch)

computer (going to get one reprogrammed already)

Alternator, AC comptressor, etc

 

Will have Craig from Craigztoyz.com to help with much of the wiring, and tips so I don't have to do things twice since he has done the swap into a few 300zx, 350z, and a RX7 that I know of.

[JSM]

NOOOOOO! My only complaint is your ditching your frontier! I wouldn't trade mine for the world, well, unless money was not an option! Then I would go Titan fully loaded.

 

I love my little truck and I guarantee you will miss her unless you have another truck.

[lowdown]

haha, not ditching it, at least not yet, maybe next year, only reason is I have to many vehicles. If I can find a crew cab frontier cab i'll definitely keep it. Its been a really good truck, got it really cheap from someone that messed up the suspension. Redid the 4-link in the rear, been a good driver except had to replace the trans. It does seem to attract people to hit it. this is after I got rear ended from someone that didn't' have insurance, had a parts truck i snagged the bed from

[lowdown]

I have a trans now, it should be out of a TT model, I havn't been able to find any numbers on it to check year and such. Anyone know where to find it?