hey guys, it's been a long time since I've logged onto the forum. Something like 2 years. Anyway, I sold my '79 280ZX to a buddy of mine a little while back and while I miss her, I just didn't have the space for a second car. I'm working with him on potentially making it strictly a drag car. Any suggestions on where to start? He was talking about swapping in a Chevy 350 but I wasn't sure what would yield the best performance results. What rear-ends (Datsun and non) will bolt up without much modification? Thanks in advance for any info. Anyway, here's a pic of my old Z. Sorry about the lo-res...

 

If you want performance results, especially out of a drag car, then an SBC is the way to go. If you want drop in performance then you'd atleast want to find one that was not a victim of the early-emissions era. SBC will put out more power then an L is capable of and the weight distribution is not affected in a negative way at all.

 

I second that motion

 

SBC..

 

Whats with every body an the sbc...to me the fords block is much better, but listen to these guys, there smarter. I'd go ford, and will if i get the 240z..

 

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who you talking too, rod? Ford's are much better, and have been for me.

 

Anybody who would bastardize a fine Japanese automobile with an American motor.

and yeah, I know all about how much power you can get from an SBC VS. an L28...

Don't care.

Better to be slow and cool than fast an uncool.



Rod.

 

Yeah i thought about that too, but nissan doesn't that i know of... make a v8 that'll make as much power as easily..But by the time i get the s30 and swap in the 130's motor and turbo, and if i can find a vg30dett that'll go in the 130but, i doubt that'll happen. Plus price differences and such.

 

um... what about the VK56DE in the Titan, or the VH45DE used in the Q45??? Maybe not the VH tho

 

ah yes, i knew i forgot one...the titan i knew of, but the other is an infiniti so it doesn't count..jk. But can you make the power as easily and cheaply as the sbf and sbc?

 

Agreed... Chev engines are much easier & cheaper to build power. But a lot of people feel that dropping in a domestic engine, is bastardizing the Z... unless you can pull something like Darius w/ a Pro-charged LS1

 

Uncool, and verry loud, and abnoxious. The sbc, takes away the sound of the original roadster, that the Z is supposed to sound like. If I want to hear muscle, I will fire up my Firebird, with 385 HP.

 

yeah i like the ls1 but can't afford one, to me i'd through a 302 with the 351 clevand heads, making a 302 boss motor, then a super charger a make an easy 500+ hp. And it'd still be way less expencive then the ls1. Unless you get hookups. But for know i'll stay with the little turbo and zx.

 

well knowbody mentioned the rear end part. the stock r200 rear diff is quite capable of holding some power. there is one guy in hotrod magazine with a s130 with a 383 stroker in it. the car goes really fast and even is on the bottle, rear end has yet to fail. just make sure you do the cv axle swap from modernmotorsports. the stock r200 axles can hold aboot 500hp.

 

thanks for the input. while i did expect some disagreement as to whether or not a domestic motor should be swapped in, i was mainly asking because the friend that now owns the car has access to a chevy block for free. i remember seeing a video a while ago of a black z car with a chevy swap with FI...if anybody has a link that'd be nice. Anyway, please tell me what sbc stands for. I'm thinking it has something to do with chevy motors.

 

sbc? (small block chevy) It is just abbreviated to save time typing it out, I guess.

 

Prolly the Darius 240Z... http://www.darius240z.com/


You can find his vids on his site, google, streetfire, youtube, etc.