Need some info, guys!
08-22-2011, 08:30 PM
#1
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 10
Need some info, guys!
Hello everyone,
I own a restoration and performance shop here in south Texas. We build restomods, mainly- 50-70's muscle cars and trucks. I'm a dedicated Ford guy personally, fox body Mustangs and trucks are my thing.
I picked up a 260Z from a friend about two years ago, and am finally getting started on it. Being a Ford guy, I'm going with a 5.0/T5 combo, probably turbocharged, but I want to wait and see if I can transfer that much power to the pavement with this car- might just go with a nice 400hp-ish naturally aspirated motor.
I'm learning quickly, though, that I don't know a thing about 260Z's! We can build/fabricate pretty much anything in the shop, that isn't a problem...but questions like "Will the stock rear end handle 400hp?" If not, do I install a 'vette rear end to maintain the IRS, or maybe an 8.8 with a four link? Will the rear end out of, say, a 280 turbo handle the torque and is that a better/easier choice?
Also, body kits seem to be...well, tough to find. I've found one site that has them, but is terribly proud of them- I'd be in it for $3500 or so just in parts and pieces that I'd still have to fit/prep/paint (and anyone who has done a body kit knows...they never fit). I'd like to go with a wide body kit, not just flares. Anyone still making them that doesn't think they're made of gold? I'm thinking rally car-ish, I like the look and it will allow me to fit plenty of rubber under it.
I'm trying to avoid reinventing the wheel here...I figure you guys will know the answers to these questions, which will save me alot of time and effort just figuring things out.
I rebuilt the stock engine when I got the car, intending to use it, but I'm a V8 fan. I picked up a 74 Datsun wagon and am building it for my wife- it will get the Z motor and tranny, lowered and bagged, nice interior and paint, sound system, etc. We have 3 kids, so...no 2 seaters for her.
I know there are alot of purists out there who find the original engine perfectly acceptable and will spit at me for going V8- I respect that opinion but don't share it, so I really don't need to hear from anyone about it. To each his own, right?
Ah yes- suspension. Any front suspension upgrades that everyone likes? I'm going to install a polyurethane bushing kit, of course, but haven't thought about it much beyond that yet. I may build a tubular front suspension for it, still up in the air. The car seems to handle pretty well as-is, and an aluminum-head V8 probably weighs about the same as the 6 that's in there, so I don't see any structural issues...thoughts?
Anyone who can offer me any advice, thanks in advance!
Cheers
Jamie
I own a restoration and performance shop here in south Texas. We build restomods, mainly- 50-70's muscle cars and trucks. I'm a dedicated Ford guy personally, fox body Mustangs and trucks are my thing.
I picked up a 260Z from a friend about two years ago, and am finally getting started on it. Being a Ford guy, I'm going with a 5.0/T5 combo, probably turbocharged, but I want to wait and see if I can transfer that much power to the pavement with this car- might just go with a nice 400hp-ish naturally aspirated motor.
I'm learning quickly, though, that I don't know a thing about 260Z's! We can build/fabricate pretty much anything in the shop, that isn't a problem...but questions like "Will the stock rear end handle 400hp?" If not, do I install a 'vette rear end to maintain the IRS, or maybe an 8.8 with a four link? Will the rear end out of, say, a 280 turbo handle the torque and is that a better/easier choice?
Also, body kits seem to be...well, tough to find. I've found one site that has them, but is terribly proud of them- I'd be in it for $3500 or so just in parts and pieces that I'd still have to fit/prep/paint (and anyone who has done a body kit knows...they never fit). I'd like to go with a wide body kit, not just flares. Anyone still making them that doesn't think they're made of gold? I'm thinking rally car-ish, I like the look and it will allow me to fit plenty of rubber under it.
I'm trying to avoid reinventing the wheel here...I figure you guys will know the answers to these questions, which will save me alot of time and effort just figuring things out.
I rebuilt the stock engine when I got the car, intending to use it, but I'm a V8 fan. I picked up a 74 Datsun wagon and am building it for my wife- it will get the Z motor and tranny, lowered and bagged, nice interior and paint, sound system, etc. We have 3 kids, so...no 2 seaters for her.
I know there are alot of purists out there who find the original engine perfectly acceptable and will spit at me for going V8- I respect that opinion but don't share it, so I really don't need to hear from anyone about it. To each his own, right?
Ah yes- suspension. Any front suspension upgrades that everyone likes? I'm going to install a polyurethane bushing kit, of course, but haven't thought about it much beyond that yet. I may build a tubular front suspension for it, still up in the air. The car seems to handle pretty well as-is, and an aluminum-head V8 probably weighs about the same as the 6 that's in there, so I don't see any structural issues...thoughts?
Anyone who can offer me any advice, thanks in advance!
Cheers
Jamie
Last edited by DomN8R; 08-22-2011 at 08:35 PM.
08-22-2011, 09:20 PM
#2
08-24-2011, 07:32 AM
#3
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 10
260Z help
I'm such a chucklehead...I originally posted this in the marketplace accidentally. Let's try again:
Hello everyone,
I own a restoration and performance shop here in south Texas. We build restomods, mainly- 50-70's muscle cars and trucks. I'm a dedicated Ford guy personally, fox body Mustangs and trucks are my thing.
I picked up a 260Z from a friend about two years ago, and am finally getting started on it. Being a Ford guy, I'm going with a 5.0/T5 combo, probably turbocharged, but I want to wait and see if I can transfer that much power to the pavement with this car- might just go with a nice 400hp-ish naturally aspirated motor.
I'm learning quickly, though, that I don't know a thing about 260Z's! We can build/fabricate pretty much anything in the shop, that isn't a problem...but questions like "Will the stock rear end handle 400hp?" If not, do I install a 'vette rear end to maintain the IRS, or maybe an 8.8 with a four link? Will the rear end out of, say, a 280 turbo handle the torque and is that a better/easier choice?
Also, body kits seem to be...well, tough to find. I've found one site that has them, but is terribly proud of them- I'd be in it for $3500 or so just in parts and pieces that I'd still have to fit/prep/paint (and anyone who has done a body kit knows...they never fit). I'd like to go with a wide body kit, not just flares. Anyone still making them that doesn't think they're made of gold? I'm thinking rally car-ish, I like the look and it will allow me to fit plenty of rubber under it.
I'm trying to avoid reinventing the wheel here...I figure you guys will know the answers to these questions, which will save me alot of time and effort just figuring things out.
I rebuilt the stock engine when I got the car, intending to use it, but I'm a V8 fan. I picked up a 74 Datsun wagon and am building it for my wife- it will get the Z motor and tranny, lowered and bagged, nice interior and paint, sound system, etc. We have 3 kids, so...no 2 seaters for her.
I know there are alot of purists out there who find the original engine perfectly acceptable and will spit at me for going V8- I respect that opinion but don't share it, so I really don't need to hear from anyone about it. To each his own, right?
Ah yes- suspension. Any front suspension upgrades that everyone likes? I'm going to install a polyurethane bushing kit, of course, but haven't thought about it much beyond that yet. I may build a tubular front suspension for it, still up in the air. The car seems to handle pretty well as-is, and an aluminum-head V8 probably weighs about the same as the 6 that's in there, so I don't see any structural issues...thoughts?
Anyone who can offer me any advice, thanks in advance!
Cheers
Hello everyone,
I own a restoration and performance shop here in south Texas. We build restomods, mainly- 50-70's muscle cars and trucks. I'm a dedicated Ford guy personally, fox body Mustangs and trucks are my thing.
I picked up a 260Z from a friend about two years ago, and am finally getting started on it. Being a Ford guy, I'm going with a 5.0/T5 combo, probably turbocharged, but I want to wait and see if I can transfer that much power to the pavement with this car- might just go with a nice 400hp-ish naturally aspirated motor.
I'm learning quickly, though, that I don't know a thing about 260Z's! We can build/fabricate pretty much anything in the shop, that isn't a problem...but questions like "Will the stock rear end handle 400hp?" If not, do I install a 'vette rear end to maintain the IRS, or maybe an 8.8 with a four link? Will the rear end out of, say, a 280 turbo handle the torque and is that a better/easier choice?
Also, body kits seem to be...well, tough to find. I've found one site that has them, but is terribly proud of them- I'd be in it for $3500 or so just in parts and pieces that I'd still have to fit/prep/paint (and anyone who has done a body kit knows...they never fit). I'd like to go with a wide body kit, not just flares. Anyone still making them that doesn't think they're made of gold? I'm thinking rally car-ish, I like the look and it will allow me to fit plenty of rubber under it.
I'm trying to avoid reinventing the wheel here...I figure you guys will know the answers to these questions, which will save me alot of time and effort just figuring things out.
I rebuilt the stock engine when I got the car, intending to use it, but I'm a V8 fan. I picked up a 74 Datsun wagon and am building it for my wife- it will get the Z motor and tranny, lowered and bagged, nice interior and paint, sound system, etc. We have 3 kids, so...no 2 seaters for her.
I know there are alot of purists out there who find the original engine perfectly acceptable and will spit at me for going V8- I respect that opinion but don't share it, so I really don't need to hear from anyone about it. To each his own, right?
Ah yes- suspension. Any front suspension upgrades that everyone likes? I'm going to install a polyurethane bushing kit, of course, but haven't thought about it much beyond that yet. I may build a tubular front suspension for it, still up in the air. The car seems to handle pretty well as-is, and an aluminum-head V8 probably weighs about the same as the 6 that's in there, so I don't see any structural issues...thoughts?
Anyone who can offer me any advice, thanks in advance!
Cheers
08-24-2011, 03:50 PM
#5
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 10
Darius
I haven't had a chance yet- I have a small ranch out in the middle of nowhere, and we can only get dial-up here. I have to wait until I go into my wife's office to look at any youtube videos. Very aggravating, even the sat services like hughsnet don't get a good signal here. I'll look it up when I get a chance, but I'm really looking for suppliers and parts availability, I already have a pretty well defined build plan. I don't know what is available for a Z, or what parts swap between the various models- or what parts are WORTH swapping. I'm trying to avoid fabricating parts that already exist, basically, and to learn about the various options.
I've been building Fords for myself for so long that I've gotten spoiled- I'm up to date on who makes what, what parts to use for various improvements- for instance, you can pull rotors off of this model and calipers off of another, etc, to do a disc brake conversion...I don't know any of the "tricks" when it comes to Z cars.
I do appreciate the suggestion- as soon as time allows I'll go check it out.
Thanks,
I've been building Fords for myself for so long that I've gotten spoiled- I'm up to date on who makes what, what parts to use for various improvements- for instance, you can pull rotors off of this model and calipers off of another, etc, to do a disc brake conversion...I don't know any of the "tricks" when it comes to Z cars.
I do appreciate the suggestion- as soon as time allows I'll go check it out.
Thanks,
08-25-2011, 09:10 AM
#6
Interchangeable parts depends on which parts you are talking about... some are interchangeable, some are not. Picking up a Haynes manual for the S30 (240z-280z) will help you tremendously. Brakes are the same, Toyota S12 caliper upgrade is an option. There are kits for a Chevy V8 conversion, and I know people have dropped in Ford 5.0's too, so there are probably kits for it as well.
Most of your questions will be answered by checking our S30/S130 General Tech area: https://www.zdriver.com/forums/240z-280zxt-s30-s130-tech-tips-275/
Most of your questions will be answered by checking our S30/S130 General Tech area: https://www.zdriver.com/forums/240z-280zxt-s30-s130-tech-tips-275/
08-25-2011, 01:26 PM
#7
West Coast!
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Corona,CA
Posts: 1,956
as far as rear end find yourself a 5/87-1989 300zx turbo rear end the r200 is a beast and can handle alot of abuse, only down fall is that the clutches will eventually wear out and you'll just have to replace them every once in a while but all in all the CLSD from a Z31 turbo will do just fine.
08-26-2011, 06:55 AM
#9
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 10
Perfect!
Thanks guys- that's exactly the type of info I need, the rear end data. As I said, I own a hotrod shop- and am one of the fabricators- so stuffing the V8 into the Z is nothing, a matter of half a day. The Z related components is where I'm really weak, I know nothing about suspension parts availability, the rear dif, etc.
When it comes to muscle cars, particularly 'stangs, I know where to buy tubular K members and A arms and what tire/wheel sizes I can cram under there without mods, and what mods I can do to get more, etc. With the Z I know...well, it was made by Datsun...and I like the lines. That's about it, really. I learned a bit while building the engine, I did get the "better" carbs everyone recommended, but now I've decided not to use it in this car, so even that doesn't help me.
Any data you guys can pass along about parts swaps from other years/models are greatly appreciated! Not just the "this will fit" stuff, but the "this is better" stuff.
Thanks for the zhome tip, theramz- good stuff there!
Cheers,
When it comes to muscle cars, particularly 'stangs, I know where to buy tubular K members and A arms and what tire/wheel sizes I can cram under there without mods, and what mods I can do to get more, etc. With the Z I know...well, it was made by Datsun...and I like the lines. That's about it, really. I learned a bit while building the engine, I did get the "better" carbs everyone recommended, but now I've decided not to use it in this car, so even that doesn't help me.
Any data you guys can pass along about parts swaps from other years/models are greatly appreciated! Not just the "this will fit" stuff, but the "this is better" stuff.
Thanks for the zhome tip, theramz- good stuff there!
Cheers,
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