Modern S30 project! 1st Stage LS1 V8 Engine Swap

[zeeman1972]

I have always loved Z's since I bought a 280ZX as my second car when I was 19. Unfortunately I then purchased a Pontiac Firebird as my third car and fell in love with brutal V8 power. In the MANY years that followed I always promised myself that I'd get a 240Z/260Z and shoehorn a V8 into it. About a year ago I dusted off the idea and decided to embellish it a little. Having got used to the niceties of modern motoring, brakes that work, sporty but stable suspension, electric everything, remote central locking, A/C, reliable, economic fuel injected engines, I decided that what I wanted to create was the style of the S30, inside and out but with modern underpinnings. So in the last 12 months I have researched, researched and researched some more. To be honest I still have way more questions than answers about how this will all work, but I feel I am at a point that I should just get on with it and sort out the details as I go!

I may later regret this!

The car I'm going to build up is a Californian 77 280Z imported earlier this year.

The car is not mint condition by any stretch of the imagination, however it is very solid even though, due to a leaky heater matrix, it does have a couple of rust holes in the floor about the size of a 5 pence piece, oh and one very large rust patch by the rad support panel on the drivers side for which there seems no sensible reason?



1st job is to install this

So this weekend I began stripping the 2.8 lump out and whilst doing so I found this

Fortunately very dead, but I wont be putting my hands into places where I first haven't put my eyes in future!

Anyway, as of tonight I have the engine pretty much ready for lifting out and a table full of bits. Was hoping to get the engine out this weekend but a rounded prop bolt and some dummy who tried to rewire the car with scotchlocks and earth cables has somewhat complicated matters.

Anyhoo hope to have the engine out by next weekend for the real fun to begin!!!!

 

[Wyn]

Fair play m8.
Does look a clean ol car that.
I hope you enjoy your build

 

[SeanDezart]

You're just gonna fit the V8 engine in - no body work ?

I reckon a 280Z is a fine shell to begin with, stronger, cheaper and a more comforatble interior !

Bravo for someone who's not tlaking about doing something but cracking on !

As the French say 'chapeau' (meaning they are doffing their hat to you in admiration) !

 

[SeanDezart]

BTW, is the original engine any good - what's the power rating/mileage and if she has extra smog s*it, can it be removed and is it for sale ?

 

[Mr.G]

Lovely garage.

That snake would have scared me a bit, glad it was very dead! Good luck with the project looks like you will have loads of fun getting the car ready.

 

[zeeman1972]

Fair play m8.
Does look a clean ol car that.
I hope you enjoy your build

Thanks Wyn, I can only hope to be as swift as you are with these things!
Doesn't look good so far though

 

[Markp.com]

Cool! Great setup you have there! Thats my problem, lack of space to do the work!

I have two garages, but two cars, three motorbikes and a crap load of junk filling them up!

Keep us updated with lots of photos please! Did you identify that snake?

 

[zeeman1972]

You're just gonna fit the V8 engine in - no body work ?

The engine is going in as a first stage as it governs pretty much where everything else can fit. My feeling is that sorting out where all of the new mechanical and electrical stuff is going to go is going to be hard enough without worrying about the paintwork. I therefore intend to pull everything off the car when it has been initially sorted out to allow the car to be striped, reinforced and painted. It may seem a little arse about face to some other's projects but I have never been conventional . Again I may later regret this decision

BTW, is the original engine any good - what's the power rating/mileage and if she has extra smog s*it, can it be removed and is it for sale ?

The engine is very good actually (I took a video of it running for this very purpose), typically Californian as it seems to be the only thing that has to be maintained to be allowed on the road. (the car has no dampers whatsoever!) I think the tag says 170 hp but with all the overspray of three sticky paint jobs I can't be sure. Oh it certainly has plenty of smog s*it, but I would have thought a lot of it could be removed. The engine will need to find itself a new owner but the cars previous owner, Andy TT, has first call. (Got a L24 engine and box too if your interested?)

 

[zeeman1972]

Cheers for the comments!

I sort of custom built the garage for the project, however it didn’t look as big on the plans as it turned out when I completed it, fortunately I have tolerant neighbours .



My wife thought it looked like a Californian king snake but wasn't too sure? I have a feeling that there'll be others!

 

[SeanDezart]

What's the gearbox like ? How much ? Apart or with the engine ? And I understand for the 280Z engine - if he doesn't want it, please let me know !

Isn't this the car with the very shiny dash cap ?

 

[ZHead]

Nice one Steve

 

[Wyn]

Thanks Wyn, I can only hope to be as swift as you are with these things!
Doesn't look good so far though

Whys that?
Looks a clean ol car from those pics to me.
btw, Do those engines have instal kits available for Zeds?

The engine is going in as a first stage as it governs pretty much where everything else can fit.

Don't forget to have the g/box attached at the same time

 

[zeeman1972]

Whys that?
Looks a clean ol car from those pics to me.
btw, Do those engines have instal kits available for Zeds?

Well over a day to get an engine out seems a little slow! Bloody EFI engines!

Yes there is one company in Texas that offers the kit, John's Cars Incorporated (JCI) which is where I bought my mounts from.

http://www.zclub.net/gallery/data/501/1492DSCF0007.JPG

Don't forget to have the g/box attached at the same time

Cheers Wyn, especially with the size of the T56 eh?

 

[Wyn]

http://www.zclub.net/gallery/data/501/1492DSCF0007.JPG

Hmm, right hand drive rack; left hand drive car

Could be tricky

Do those 6spds fit up in the tunnel with out mods?
What prop does/will it use?

Are you going to turbocharge it as well

Whats the white car for? Spares?

 

[Wyn]

Well over a day to get an engine out

I missed that bit lol

You're right, it is

 

[zeeman1972]

Hmm, right hand drive rack; left hand drive car

Could be tricky

there's always one isn't there

Do those 6spds fit up in the tunnel with out mods?

Almost! you need to 'adjust' the tunnel slightly with a hammer, a big hammer

What prop does/will it use?

I will have to have the prop made up when the engine is in. I was considering having the ali prop that I imported from the Trans-Am donor car shortened, however, MrF may be able to get me something better made.

Are you going to turbocharge it as well

I don't want to be greedy now! The engine should be about 350bhp when installed, I may tune it up to 400rwhp/rwtrq with bolt-ons and me ECU reprogramming software, I think that'll do though!

Whats the white car for? Spares?

Spares? Spares? I'll go out and cover its bonnet flaps, to stop it being upset No that car is a pretty much untouched and reasonably straight 79 260Z unmolested apart from a carb change to 240Z ones. It is destined to be restored back to original condition. I still love the original cars so I would ideally like to have a choice of both to drive, old or new! Perhaps I am greedy!

 

[Wyn]

Steve
Are you doing the fabrication work yourself?
Welding, exhausts, elecs, plumbing etc?

What is your day job?
Do you work at Nissan R.n.D

 

[zeeman1972]

I will be doing most of the work myself with the exception of the paint and any highly structural or extremely visible welding (not happy enough with my skills in those areas yet) Used to do a fair amount of auto sparks work some years ago so no problems there and the plumbing is mostly sorted bar the re run of the A/C, which at a push I could buy the parts in from the US.



No Nissan isn't paying me bills LOL! I wish! What a job! No I do something less pleasurable than that, my job officially consists of nothing more than 'answering email' and 'talking on the phone' oh and attending 'meetings' I do get a little restless unless I have something practical to do with my hands/head at the weekend/evenings, hence this!

 

[zeeman1972]

Finally!

Ok, got the engine out finally, blimey emission’d FI 280's don't half have some stuff attached, give me N/A any day. Still had to drop the A/C pump off to get it out

A large initial tidy up and labelling of the wiring and then stuffed a couple of the new mounts in.

Old gearbox mounts to come off next!

 

[Wyn]

Fair play! Now you have room to work lol
No going back either

btw, What's that gadget on that crane that's holding the engine?