He has 2 movies out he is a motorcycle stunt rider.. Very good stuff

 

I thought dude's name was Darius? doesn't matter, he has a sweet ride.

 

He goes by Darius. He's in the SF Bay Area. I also know a guy with a 383 Chevy twin turbo setup in his 240z. He gets banned from nearly every drag strip he goes to because he doesn't have an NHRA license or an NHRA certified roll cage.

I think he was into the 9's in the 1/4 last time I talked to him.

I'll see if I can dig up the video of him on the drag strip.

I know another guy in the East Bay, also a friend of Darius, that is building a fully worked LS2 for his 1970 240z.

The people that go chevy are doing it for the power to weight and easy access to affordable speed parts and a thing most Japanese cars don't have. It's called torque. The turbo cars have torque, but it's WAY up in the power band. The Chevy's have it WAY DOWN LOW...

That same $3k + labor you put into your L28ET would make a 350 that would smoke the L28ET given similar car setups.

Don't get me wrong, I don't have any chevy's in my Z's, but when you can walk down to your Kragen's/AutoZone and buy speed parts, it makes the whole process a lot easier, less painful and way lighter on the pocket book.

Purity is for the guys that chant 'Buy American' and then go out and buy a pair of Nike's made in Taiwan. Or a Ford 'Assembled in America' without knowing that most of the parts are manufactured over seas and shipped to the states for final assembly.

 

Too bad those Fords weren't made in Japan. They might actually be reliable if they were.

 

That turbo you got on your "NISSAN ENGINE" not nissan, even from the factory. Those spark plugs, not nissan. That aftermarket exhaust, not nissan. that body kit you're sporting, not nissan. And last time I checked, Crane, MSD, K&N, BLITZ, Eibach, Tokico, etc, etc, etc... were not NISSAN. Get my point? The only form of purist in this hobby is returning the car to it's original state when it rolled of the assembly line. As far as calling keeping a Nissan in your Nissan purist, far from it. How many of your actually buy all your performance upgrades directly from Nissan? Not many since Nissan doesn't offer many hiPo upgrades for the 280zx these days. And as far as where it's made, you don't actually think Nissan is still manufacturing all it's parts in Japan do you? Hell, most are either made in the US or Mexico. Assembled in Mexico, Canada, USA... you don't see any Japanese cars on our market manufactured in Japan anymore, so you gotta rule out Japanese craftsmenship. An engine is an engine no matter who makes it, it's still just a big chunk of metal, right? Now try taking 2.8 liter engine and getting 600 hp from it. Easy right (with enough money) Now take a 5.7 liter engine and get 600 hp from it. just as easy. Now put them in daily drivers and see which lasts longer. Which is more enjoyable to drive. The only point of the small engine is bragging rights, not driveability. Hell, we all want to be able to say we beat the big block chevy with our little 1.5 liter.. But how practical is it, really? Sorry for the long one, I've been away for awhile. And bring on the heavy fire, that's why I set this one up.

Oh, and on the 2JZ, I'll give you the head gasket. But you could shove a gernade down each cylinder seal her up and let her blow, and you'd still only have to replace the head gasket. And maybe some minor refinishing work. And possibly change the oil and filter. Thats more than you can say for any engine even remotely in its size range. Oh, and were those blocks O-ringed? That would probably help seal that head gasket a little better. I'm assuming when you say blown head gasket your talking about blown from cylinder pressure? Not overheating? Correct me if I'm wrong, please.

 

Oh, and is the 302 really lighter than the L28? I know it's a very compact engine. And I love the fact that the distributor is not on the back of the engine. And, then considering the 351W is essentially the same engine, hmmm. Still, I favor the LS1 over all.

 

All that is true...Consider this though, its a given that most manufacturers have to source out some of their vehicle's parts over to someone else that has specialized in that certain part to make it run the way they claim so that it sells. At the same time the specialty manufacturers get lifetime publicity while getting recognition for having their parts "factory installed" on those vehicles. These parts are part and parcel of what makes a vehicle's identity and makes it unique from hundreds of apparently similar machines that it competes with. Having said that a BMW will have a BMW engine and tranny, same for Mercedes, and Porche and so on and so on......and that list includes a Nissan! Save for a few manufacturers who wanted to reach their target consumer and didn't care how it was done...Ford Taurus SHO anyone?

If someone builds a chevy engine for their Z car in hopes of surprising all those chevy guys, that will look good on them. Because it still is a labour of love and they wanna see their Z be the best out there. .and when you lift up that hood, it will speak volumes of your abilities as a mechanic/tuner etc but ultimately in their opinion its a chevy that beat them. "of course it goes, its got a chevy heart"...good luck trying to change their minds...whether assembled in Canada, USA, Mexico or your own garage.

The philosofical view!
Your Z's body, heart and sole is what matters the most. The way you accessorize those three things will only make your Z unique. However getting rid of your Z's heart and your sole will simply make the body a shell holding someone else's heart and sole. That is a purist's point of view, atleast to me.

 

Wow that's pretty deep!

Then I guess you probably wouldn't mind if I transplanted a Mercedes Benz into the Z? Because the L series motors were originally produced on LICENSE from Mercedes Benz to Prince Motor Co. which was absorbed by Nissan in 1966...

 

I have a 1982 turbo 280zx, it has never broken down on me. I have had a 454 in a 1991 chevy truck, and it has left me stranded many times. My friend has a 1982 chevy truck with a 350. He has already had three engines put into that truck and is having problems still. Now if a stock 350 can't be a daily driver, then what makes you think a 350 with 600hp can be a daily driver? I don't think any motor with 600hp could be a daily driver. Maybe it's just me, but japanese motors have never been a problem. Even though the parts may not be made in japan or even assembled in japan, it's still japanese design that makes them last forever. tell me which american motor built in 1982 had multi-point fuel injection. (my car has six cylinders and six injectors that spray directly to each cylinder, so I figure you can call that multi-point fuel injection.) In 1991 my 454 only had the throttle body design fuel-injection. Chevrolet didn't put any type of fuel injection in 350's or 454's until 1987, right? Please, correct me if any part of this is wrong. I don't mean to critisize anybody, this thread was created to argue any point of motors, so I mean no offense towards you, jfairladyz. I'm just arguing my point.

 

First of all, I gotta say sorry J... but your last argument was the lamest thing I've ever read. Yeah, aftermarket parts are prevelant and neccassary evils that plague every car owner looking for extra power, Yeah car manufacturers look to outside sources to improve theirown cars... blah blah blah. What's the point? Take a STOCK chevy 350 from 1980 (same year as my ZX) and tell me how much HP it puts out.... Go ahead, look it up I DARE YOU!!!!!! Once again, I say this "IF I WANTED A CHEVY, I WOULD OWN A CHEVY". They have never been "reliable" when modified... never. LS1 motor?! Great motor... So go buy a frickin corvette, Get a Mullet, Fire up your Lynard Skynard albums and drink a beer on the porch of the trailer while your at it. Give me a break already. Take your lame *** argument over to hybridz.org because they'll think your a hero. This is a Z site remember? Last time I checked... the only "Z" chevy ever made was the "Z28" or "Z06" and those are all gone now DUE TO LACK OF INTEREST. You wanted heat... you got it. Just don't stir **** for the sake of **** stirring.


In '82 Chevy had what was known as "Cross-Fire Injection"... sounded really cool, but was horibly in-efficient.

My '80 ZX stock keeps up with a stock '80 corvette no problem.

The 280ZX's are also a product of a time when strict emmisions laws and other ridiculous DOT standards dictated that our cars be severly "neutered" from the factory. The potential power was there, if not the actual end user power... just like the crap GM, Ford and everyone else put out in those years. The difference for the ZX was a virtually bullet proof block, and stunning reliablility compared to American trash at the time. I love America... am proudly celebrating the Fourth of July and waving the flag in my front yard... doesn't mean I have to take it up the pooper buying their shitty cars to prove I'm a patriot.

240,891 Miles on my '80 ZX... Never had the head off, never a major repair. Get's driven hard EVERY DAY. The closest thing to a breakdown, was loosing an alternator belt, and having a rear wheel bearing go south. How many '80 GM products could say that?

Being a purist... never my words. I just like Nissan and their ability to build quality products. Can they be improved with aftermarket parts?... you bet! Just like a pretty girl with a small chest can spend five grand to get a boob job... so what. My car doesn't need a face lift to be cool, or to run well.

My buddy with the corvette Z06 loves/hates that car. Loves it because it's fast and handles pretty good. Hates it because the POS is always breaking. Lost third gear in the tranny at 9,000 miles. At 14,000 miles rings are shot... smoking like a freight train... burning more oil than a fleeing Iraqi Guard unit. Had to replace rings and do major ENGINE WORK. Spent weeks at the dealership for one problem after another. Can't be trusted to take on a long road trip (broke down on the way to Las Vegas).

I drove my 80' ZX from San Diego Ca. to Tallahassee Florida and back WITH NO FEAR, and had NO PROBLEMS... even making the return trip (2,463 Miles) in 36 hours (including a stop for the night in Texas). I flogged the living crap out of it and it took every bit of what I threw at it and asked for more. He's afraid to get more than five miles from his house in that Z06, because it's a typical GM flaming turd... Dressed up all nice and purdy, but still just A TURD. There is an answer to the question of "how can chevy build a car that keeps up with Ferrari's and Porsches so well and sell it for so much less?" They can't... Period. It can for one day at the track maybe, but the quality of build, design, internals... not there, Never going to be for that price, and never going to be until GM pulls their heads out of their asses. Starting to get the point? or shall I continue?

Oh yeah, one last thing. "No replacement for displacement?" Check out the last generation Mazda RX-7 Turbo... 1.3 liters... Massive power! In fact, More power per cubic inch than any internal combustion motor on the planet... ever.


Rod.

 

That is heavy man, but yeah I do agree. I like my good old L28, the whole reason I own Z's is because of their innards. And like I, you, Carl, and anybody else has said. "If you want a chevy get a chevy don't desecrate the originality of the Datsun, Otherwise you have a Z shell with a chevy powerplant" That turns my stomach, And there is nothing wrong with adding to the original engine. Aftermarket parts that are made well, only improve the performance of this fine machine. I have a few aftermarket parts on both of my Z's. No problem, they are still original, overall! But I do own a '75 Firebird and '77 Trans Am. Both of those American cars I am proud of! But that is back when they still made great cars! I still do love muscle cars. I grew up around them, my dad had a built '67 442 with 675 horespower! Low 10's in the 1/4, and one mean car! But for some reason, I have always like the Z cars! Awesome lines and curves, and quick little bastards when tuned right, and maintaned! And most of the vehicles I have owned have been Japanese cars. '76 Honda Civic, '82 Datsun pickup, '86 Nissan 4+4, '81 and '82 280zx. Anyway sorry about the rambling just telling more info on my tastes and my experiences.

 

i agree with Rod.. i like chevy.. i like american.. but nissan is just fun... i have driven a souped up firebird, i have drtiven other nice fast cars but nothin compares to my Z..

 

Properly built, properly tuned and properly maintained ANY engine will give a long and useful service.

I would say Rod's comment is anecdotal as well as a direct comment on Chevy/GM's quality control.

He's right, Corvette's don't go through the rigorious quality control regimen that Ferrari's, Masearati's and other exotics do.

However, an SBC, or any american motor for that matter, built by a quality reputable assembler will get close to the quality of a Ferrari and cost a LOT less.

I have an L6 in my Turbo car and it is a freakin' blast to drive with 25psi! Being able to kick the back end out in 3rd gear is not trivial...

However, it is my opinion that it is easier to make the same power much more reliably and for less total money than the L6.

 

I have not read all the posts, But I will stick with the original type engine that is in the car, and just boost it up on any car I own, I never saw the thing about swaps?? Especially on something as good as a Nissan L6.. I was thinking about the L28DET swap though beefing up a deisel engine would be awsome!!!

 

HEy no offense taken. This is the whole point of this thread, it's why I started it, so people can get this stuff out in the open without having to worry about pissing someone off in another forum.

Now for my rebuttal. Cadilac was putting M.P. FI in their cars well before 82, so that argument is irrelevant. I'm not saying Japenese is better than american or chevy than Nissan. And I am in no way vouching for the chevy engines of old. And when we're talking 600 reliable hp, I am in no way refering to a stock engine. 600hp in a small displacement engine is just not practicle for the street. we're talking the narrowest of pwerbands, and that power wouldn't even be available til the engine is nearly at full tilt. Thats not streetable, I'm sorry. And 600hp off of pump gas out of 2.8l, not happening, not for more than a sunday drive anyways. All of these points are the complete opposite for large displacement motors, and I'm not saying Chevy, ANY BIG DISPLACEMENT MOTOR. Nissan makes a pretty big V8 themselves.

And Rod, apples and oranges man. I wouldn't drop an early 80's anything into my car. But if you took that same 80's corvette motor and built it up with the same budget as you build a smaller motor with, the 350's gonna come out on top everytime. And as far as reliablity goes, theres no diputing that nissan makes a damn reliable car. But thats not my argument, my argument is power baby. And when you're trying to make big numbers, reliability is always compromised. Nissan has always made their blocks to handle tons of power. But no engine is completely bulletproof, especially when built to run on the street. And as far as the rotory goes. An engineering marvel that they get so much power out of those things, but here's a secret those rotory guys don't want you to know. If you measured the displacment on the l28 the way they do on their rotories, you'd have a 0.46 liter engine! WOW. Any ways, the 13b is notorious for being unreliable, so we won't even bring that motor into this argument. Blown apex seals, overheating, etc... They don't respond well to alot of power without precision tuning.

And as far as if you want a chevy then buy a chevy goes, I completely understand people not wanting to swap engines. But then again, if you want a skyline buy a skyline, if you want a 240 buy a 240, if you want a... you get the point, any engine not offered in the Z is bastardizing, and the go buy it comment still holds true, even if the donor engine did come from a Nissan. That last part wasn't directed to anybody in particular, but there are lots of people on here who are thinking about engine swaps like RB's, SR's, and KA's. Those engines still did not come in the Z. For those who want to keep their L28's, more power to you. But don't knock the LS1 down as a peice because you don't want one. It's a marvelous engine, and it doesn't need to put out 100 hp per cylinder. The L28 is an awesome engine, but you can only take it so far. The head alone would prevent it from ever breathing as high as the block is willing to go. For reasonable hp levels, the L28 is great, plus it already came in the car. But I'm not looking for reasonable, I'm looking for outrageously absurd. And that my friends, is coming to me in the form of a heavily modded LS1. And at the fraction of the cost of an RB swap.

 

I got that weight info from www.zhome.com. I think if you prefer a Chevy engine you could get the MegaSquirtnSpark system and **** can the dizzy. Then you can set the engine back about 2-3 inches, big difference in the balance. People who think they can drop in a V8 or anything else and bolt on a bunch of after market parts and call it 600+HP are just fooling themselves. So please guys, stop talking about someone you heard of that is related to someone that knows a guy that have a Z that goes in the low 9s. I'm afraid of getting colon cancer from all the second hand smoke getting blown up my ***!

 

And I missed Znuclear's post above, so I have to say this(not to him, just in general):
I'm not building my car to be the baddest Nissan, or the baddest hybrid.
I'm building my car to be what I want it to be. I chose the Z for its style, it's handling, and it's weight. It didn't have anything to do with the fact that it was a Nissan. If Daihatsu had made the Z instead, and exactly the way Nissan did, I still would have bougth it. Would you? I'm not found of the Supra styling or bulk. I don't care for the rotory engine, it's highly unreliable. If I got a honda(any honda) nobody would ever notice my car. Thats why I got the Z, cause I like it. Not cause I like who made it.

Sorry if that sounded sentimental. Keep the trash talking coming.

 

That is interesting. So it's German huh? Explains the Bosch fuel injection.

Before I log out, I want to clarify something really quick too. I'm not necessarily an advocate for the LS1. I'm an advocate for bigger engines that make big power. If I could get a big, lightweight Nissan V8 with plenty of aftermarket support for as cheap as I can get an LS1, you better believe I'd be all over that. The LS1 has all that, thats why I choose the LS1 over an import V8.

 

If you don't mind me asking what is a LS1? And I was toying with a Nissan Titan last week, on the 202 freeway, driving my Celica. Not bad considering I had half the cylinders he had! I was up to 115 or so, and I let off. That was enough for me. Anyway besides that, I was upset when they started making the Japanese trucks bigger. And putting v-8's in them. That my friends, turns my stomach inside out! The whole reason those trucks existed was for somebody who wanted a economical small truck, and I do say small. Plus the fact that they were different then the American trucks, I liked that, now they are trying to look like everything else! Where is the creativity anymore, obviously all out the window! My opinion new cars trucks, suck! No originality anymore, just a bunch of fugly junk! And high *** car payments! No thanks, I will stick to my 20+ year old cars, anyday. The only new thing I remotely like is the new Mustang, just because it kind of looks like the old Fastback. Anyway sorry guys for the long post, I just like to speak what is on my mind.

 

The LS1 WAS the engine Chevy offered in the Vette up until this brand new one. Now its the LS2 or LS4, or something like that. The GTO gets the LS2 too. It's an all aluminum version of the 350 in a nutshell. Well the big trucks are only sold here in america(maybe canada, i don't know, but NOT in japan) so they are made to appeal to the rugged big truck crowd here in the states. They're just trying to occupy that niche. But I agree, originality in newer cars is getting harder to find. Ford took a step in the right direction with the new mustang styling. Like it or Hate it, you're not going to confuse it with any other car on the road.

 

Definately man, I got a close look at a '05 Mustang GT. At a small bar here in Mesa. The interior almost looks like an old Mustang! Basically the dash and gauges, plus the old style vents. And the body is pretty sweet, and I am glad somebody agrees with me about the new cars! (that a majority on not that great)

 

Actually, the LS2 is a 6.0 L 366 cubic inch motor not a 5.7 L 350 like the LS1.

And yes, J is right, it also comes in the new 2005 GTO and it's DAMN fun to drive! A buddy of mine just picked his up on Feb. 8th and we've been thrashing it ever since.

400hp/400ftlbs torque

Although, the LS2 has yet to be proven reliable.

 

Oh, I worded that wrong. I meant to say the LS1 is an all aluminum version of the 350. Even so, I still didn't know the LS2 was a 6liter. So those GTO's really are as fun to drive as Pontiac claims?


And the only thing negative about the new mustang I see is that the back seat is too small for even a small child if the person in front is over 5'6" They're doing better on the power, but still not up where it should be for how much they weigh. But I guess with the firebird and camaro axed, the stang doesn't have as much pressure to put out those big numbers. I guess if you want a fast one, get the GT. God knows the aftermarket loves the Mustang.

Now if only the 4.6 wasn't the size of my ENTIRE CAR, I wouldn't mind that swap. It's actually a very efficient motor that has been severly brought short of it's potential by the geniuses at Ford.

 

How is it that ford can make 4.2 v6's..and only 4.6 v8s...They need to tighten up, in my opinion..Everyone complains about ford not making enough power, it's a fricken 283!, the mach 1 was making 310 at the crank...from a 283!on pump gas! but I hate ford..they're cheap peices of crap, I just wanted to say that..If ford made a dohc 351, I'd expect to see some power. I think I'm keeping my l28 in my Z, My Z is pretty much the nieghborhood *****...My friends come over wanting to drive the heck out of it..and it's always asking for more. I love it. Not many cars can be dogged like that..and for 300 bucks..Psh. Z's are the ****.

 

Alright, you got me on the cadillac. But what is the price of a cadillac compared to the 280zx? And GM usually puts the best they got in a cadillac because it's their high end luxury car.