Why build a Hybrid Z ?

Mk3zee said:
..... we happen to know Andytt’s 660Z over here in the States, in fact we were more than a little surprised to see it on his gallery, and to find it now lives in England, this car is well known on Hybrid Z’s as a thoroughly developed Hybrid, its development took a dedicated engineer over 8 years, 10,000 hours and over $50,000 to develop, it will very easily beat most of the exotica mentioned on the road or track, I think the UK Z club is privileged to have such a legendary Z in its ranks......
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Mk3zee,
What's your user name over at hybridz.org?
 
Zbirdy said:
I just think its SAD.
Pathetic, basically.
Don.
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Nice view Don, articulately put as usual :D

Zed2K "I would say my car is a Hybrid Z but not with a V8"

You are the first person outside of the V8s to admit to having a Hybrid Z and I agree with you, you have a highly modified, very powerful car that has changed substantially from the original. Hybrid is not an acronym for V8 it is more about degree of change from original.

Phil ....... how do you view your Supra engined car ? I would call it a Hybrid but you may feel that a six cylinder Japanese engine is in keeping and therefore not Hybrid.
 
Well, I would say my car is most definitely a hybrid, slightly more in keeping than a V8, but not much different. I would say I prefer the straight six by my own tastes rather than a tenuous link to the original.

I think that the other changes to the car such as brakes, driveshafts etc. equally make it a hybrid.

I don't think there is a definitive line or anything, but I would say keeping period modifications would mean that it wouldn't strictly be 'hybrid' in the sense of my car
 
What's a hybrid?

OK in honour (honor) of our US friends, I looked this up in the Cambridge Dictionary of American English and it said
hybrid
noun [C]
a plant or animal that has been produced from two different types of plant or animal
A hybrid is also anything that is a mixture of two or more things: The architecture is a hybrid of classical and modern styles.
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Stretching this analogy to the limit, it's not a bad justification to say that to be a true Hybrid, the engine must be from a non-Nissan - or possibly even from a different series to the recipient car.

As a single opinion, I don't see Zed2k's car as being particularly Hybrid - maybe a bit - but certainly modded heavily. OTOH any engine from a non-Nissan is definitely Hybrid ("produced from two different types...") even if it is a Jag Straight 6.

Now that Nissan V8 (from an Infiniti or Maxima IIRC) into a 300ZX Z32 is that Hybrid? Probably, maybe. Supra engine in a Z? Definitely Hybrid.
 
This topic obviously strikes many chords! Some for, some against, some ambivalent.

Well..yes, but no, but yes, but...

Don't forget Mk3zee, that HybridZ is a site dedicated to hybrid cars but this one is an all-encompassing environment which as only just started a HybridZ section. Please don't take offence if some people here express themselves in forceful terms! (so long as we all remain polite eh?). I would no more diss someone for putting a V8 in a Z than I would for their obsessing on the tiniest concours detail.

You'll have seen my comments near the start of the thread, but I'm very interested to see what EVERYONE thinks because I might learn something which might change my mind. "Anti-V8" sentiment is silly IMHO, as is "V8 is always better". I'd love a V8 Z because the shape of the Z is damn-near perfect in my eyes, and a hefty V8 is music to my ears, BUT I wouldn't put in my 260 because I don't want to undo what I've already done. If I find another 240/260 shell though, that's in need of some work, and is a suitable candidate, then that might well find itself getting a transplant!

Once I've won the lottery that is :)
 
ZHead said:
You are the first person outside of the V8s to admit to having a Hybrid Z and I agree with you, you have a highly modified, very powerful car that has changed substantially from the original. Hybrid is not an acronym for V8 it is more about degree of change from original.
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In which case 50% of Z Club members have a Hybrid, and you want to talk about S30's only then that percentage will be more so.

I tend to agree with Gio. Engine from another manufacturer is a Hybrid. Engine from the same manufacturer, but different engine series also a Hybrid. Other mod's (suspension/ brakes/ interior) do not count as Hybrid.

"I have a 99% concourse 240Z with Toyota 4 pots" Hybrid ? No no no - lets keep the terminology to engines yes ?
 
The Janspeed turbo is period is it not? Where does that fall?

I think I agree with zedhead260 on the definition of hybrid, I think different line of engine (be it same or different manufacturer) is hybrid, otherwise it's just heavily modified. Also aftermarket parts designed for the car don't make it hybrid, again that falls into modified to me.

Also I agree with Tony, the Z is a beautiful car, I don't think I'd ever try to change that too much. If only Nissan made a 6ltr v8 :)
 
MrG240Z said:
What about a 240 or 280ZX with a Janspeed Turbo? Is that a Hybrid too?
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As an engineering non-entity, I tend to agree with zhead260
Engine from another manufacturer is a Hybrid. Engine from the same manufacturer, but different engine series also a Hybrid. Other mod's (suspension/ brakes/ interior) do not count as Hybrid.
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but I think my opinion (non-expert) might be a little less strict.

EG Janspeed (or other period related mods) not Hybrid. Other mods probably not Hybrid. For example, a lot of people put Skyline brakes on Z32 - that's an upgrade not a Hybrid.

There have been a few Z32 Turbo transplants into a N/A Z32 Convertible (hi Topless) which (for me) is clearly non-Hybrid.

Ralph Waldo Emerson said "a foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of tiny minds".
 
Russ said:
One thing I have noticed about the v8 lot, they type a LOT :)
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One thing I have noticed about the V8 lot, they hype a lot :) :D

DISCLAIMER: I'm not anti-V8, anti-V6, anti-V12, anti-any particular engine configuration or manufacturer, and certainly not anti-modification. But please do it with good engineering sense and GOOD TASTE.......


 
Albrecht said:
One thing I have noticed about the V8 lot, they hype a lot :) :D
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lol
Show me how to hype a 2.4/6/8 6cyl brick :confused:

Heavy cast iron 6 cyl brick that would split into at 300 plus bhp @ the crank I bet :rolleyes:

But..

If it can make that power @ the "crank" easily I will retract me statement :D
 
Where'd the magic "300 plus BHP" figure come from then? :confused:

I don't think you'll find that the engine block of the Nissan L-series engines is much of a 'weak' point.

Taking the mickey out of the standard production engines fitted to cars that are over 35 years old in design is something akin to saying that your granny is not much of a looker any more. Maybe she's not now - but what was she like when she was in her prime?

All this modern-engine-into-old-car-talk is just fine by me, but I always notice how many more "Gunnars" are doing the talking - and talking theoretically at that - than driving the things around.

And how come they always have names for their cars that sound like Death Metal band song titles? :confused: :D :)
 
Surely at the end of the day, it's your car, your money, do what the hell you want with it and who cares what anyone else thinks.
Ultimately you get what you want from your car. For me, driving enjoyment is far more important than 1/4mile times, appearance or bragging rights.
Maybe I'm biased as I'm ditching my VG30DETT for a nice but worked over VH45DE :devil: I hate turbo engines.
 
Albrecht said:
All this modern-engine-into-old-car-talk is just fine by me, but I always notice how many more "Gunnars" are doing the talking - and talking theoretically at that - than driving the things around.
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Gunnars?:confused:

True, there is a lot more talking than driving being done in my camp, however much I wish it was the other way round:( Being that I want to do as much of the work myself as I can, for the sheer pleasure and stress relief, more than any other reason, I guess 'Jackstand Racing' is all I have for the time being!

Oh for more time:)

Albrecht said:
And how come they always have names for their cars that sound like Death Metal band song titles? :confused: :D :)
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??:confused:
 
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