appleyard Posted April 7, 2011 Share Posted April 7, 2011 Hello to everyone I am new to the classic z world and plan on picking up a 260 or 280 within the months Ive been doing some research on trying to find the cheapest and easiest swap for the datsun I guess I could start off by tellling you guys my goal for the over all car till im done with college and that is something to drive around on the weekends for a little joy ride not looking to make huge gains in hp but something that still has a little get up and go when I want it I am also focused on a reliability. So far from my research the only thing I could really come up with is just swapping in a l28 rebuilt long block from this website called www.datsunpartsllc.com Any information would be nice I am a long time honda fan who has stepped to the other side haha I can talk for days about that whole scene but no nothing at all about nissans please any help would be greatly appreciated Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CamH Posted April 7, 2011 Share Posted April 7, 2011 L28ET is the most powerful direct bolt in that isn't a built engine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluDestiny Posted April 7, 2011 Share Posted April 7, 2011 Just get a running car, replace and clean the engine up, strip the interior, get a higher ratio diff and do suspension/wheels and tires. It will feel much faster. It will also leave room for you to gather parts while having a car to drive around in. Any swap will have your car put in down time. Everything I listed can be done in a day, or weekend if you're meticulous, and they will all need to be done eventually. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AKZX Posted April 7, 2011 Share Posted April 7, 2011 Cheap, reliable, and a little get-up and go? Sounds like an L28ET. I'd say keep it traditional in-line 6 and get a turbo engine for a bolt-on and mod it. "cheap and easy" are not good qualities when looking to do a swap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pharaohabq Posted April 7, 2011 Share Posted April 7, 2011 Yeah the L28ET is about the easiest route to go, though the stock engine isn't exactly slow in itself it it's running well. I'd reccommend you get the car, and get it running well on the stock engine, then if you want more you could really look into a swap. The L28ET is easiest, but if you must swap something else, the SR20 isn't too hard, but would be about the same HP (but better gas mileage till you put the turbos on it). Going V8 or VQ is definitely an option but not an easy swap. Tougher I think are the RB engines. Some people have gone Toyota and put in the JZ engines. But really, just get the car first, make it go, then get into the idea of swapping later because it's not something (cept for the L28ET) that you can do in a weekend. Yeah Cheap,great & Fast, Just remeber this: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
appleyard Posted April 7, 2011 Author Share Posted April 7, 2011 Thanks alot guys on the feedback you guys are all reassuring what I was thinking about doing which is the L28ET swap I want something I can get up and running good in a short aamount of time I do plan later on once im in a position to do so doing the rb25det swap but from what ive researched this is not an easy swap and take alot of time and money that i do not have at the moment as bad as it sounds I have a budget and I want the best I can get from this budget. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
appleyard Posted April 7, 2011 Author Share Posted April 7, 2011 Just get a running car, replace and clean the engine up, strip the interior, get a higher ratio diff and do suspension/wheels and tires. It will feel much faster. It will also leave room for you to gather parts while having a car to drive around in. Any swap will have your car put in down time. Everything I listed can be done in a day, or weekend if you're meticulous, and they will all need to be done eventually. What kind of suspension work would you suggest? and higher ratio diff? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
appleyard Posted April 8, 2011 Author Share Posted April 8, 2011 Yeah the L28ET is about the easiest route to go, though the stock engine isn't exactly slow in itself it it's running well. I'd reccommend you get the car, and get it running well on the stock engine, then if you want more you could really look into a swap. The L28ET is easiest, but if you must swap something else, the SR20 isn't too hard, but would be about the same HP (but better gas mileage till you put the turbos on it). Going V8 or VQ is definitely an option but not an easy swap. Tougher I think are the RB engines. Some people have gone Toyota and put in the JZ engines. But really, just get the car first, make it go, then get into the idea of swapping later because it's not something (cept for the L28ET) that you can do in a weekend. Yeah Cheap,great & Fast, Just remeber this: Haha yes I totally understand ya Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
appleyard Posted April 8, 2011 Author Share Posted April 8, 2011 How easy would the sr20 be to swap in? I would like to keep it inline six, though open for anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pharaohabq Posted April 8, 2011 Share Posted April 8, 2011 Well I don't know about ease, bt you will need to know how to weld, or at least have friends who can weld for you. I'm not sure anyone makes a kit to swap one in, but I know that McKinney motorsports makes a kit for the KA24, the VQ and the RB swap into an S30. The SR20 is a 4 cyl engine so you'll be happier on gas at least till your foot gets heavy. Non built it's only about 200 HP, but w/ turbos and all it could hit about 450 ish.. Really like I was saying before, if you're new to this, really, just get yourself the car and get the stock motor running. These are NOT new cars, they're not going to ride like new cars. Being 35 years old they're going to need a lot of TLC. They're mature, they're fussy, theyre crabby. You will learn to love them and their quirks. Just like we love Tony-D There's going to be a lot more than just engine to fix, even if you get one with a redone interior, likely you'll still need some work. All the seals, and rubber are common to be shot, so even if the interior looks okay, the suspension bushings could need to be replaced. The more restoration that's been done to the car, the higher the price will be. Keep that in mind. I'm not trying to talk you out of buying a Z, but just letting you know they're a handful. what I really don't want to see is another Z ripped apart and abandoned. I heard somewhere that 3 out of 5 restoration projects are never completed. Now I don't know if that's "completed" completed, or if that means put back together in running condition. Most hybrid'ers know their car is never "Completed", just that particular projects get finished. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
appleyard Posted April 9, 2011 Author Share Posted April 9, 2011 Great advise my over all goal for the z with in the year or so is to get it up and running and putting the TLC into the car before i get ready for the major swap later down the road. For the motor I was thinking of just swapping out a rebuilt long block so it would just be direct bolt on to get the motor running good and then suspension and any rust holes that i might come buy get all fixed up then paint and interior Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony D Posted April 9, 2011 Share Posted April 9, 2011 How is it I get mentioned in this... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cd1105 Posted April 9, 2011 Share Posted April 9, 2011 You will learn to love them and their quirks. Just like we love Tony-D LOL! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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