dont you think that would be a little too much weight for the front suspension to be able to handle?....good luck turning.

 

Amen to that one!

 

A Z32 with a V8 VH45DE (out of an Infiniti Q45)... only this one has been custom twin-turbo'd...

http://www.freewebs.com/axepower/video.htm

 

Ah c’mon guys, even IF the car did gain 100-200 lbs on the nose, you wouldn’t notice it as your cars do have power steering right? You don’t honestly think the Chev V-8 is that much heavier than the VG30DETT do you? You all know better than that. Those VG30DE heads assembled weigh MORE than Chevy production iron heads assembled, (no cams in the Chevy heads and the Nissan heads have LOTS of material in them, i.e. they are TALL!), though the Nissan short block isn’t much lighter, approx 20 lbs as the Nissan block is cast hell stout. Also, the VG30DE C.G. is much higher than that of the V-8 so any weight penalty that might be incurred would be offset by the fact tat it is now lower in the chassis. If the traditional Chevy engine had aluminum heads, aluminum water pump, W/C T-5 trans, Lightweight GM flywheel, I would bet that combination would weigh less than the VG30DETT with its turbos and trans bolted up. The World Class T-5 5 speed weighs only 85 lbs, Z-32 5 speed weighs in at a hefty 135 lbs, same as the T-56 6 speed, (also the same girth as the T-56 trans, but not as strong or as smooth shifting. I’ve weighed the T-5 and Z-32 5 speed myself). Also, Ron Tyler, myself, and Dave Lum did the VG30DE swap in Dave’s Datsun 510, (www.datsuns.com) and then swapped in the VG30DETT into that same 510, (he runs 12.7 @ 114 with his mostly stock VG30DETT powered 510) Being as the VG30DETT with its HUGE heavy heads, turbos, intercoolers etc, weigh within 20 lbs of a nicely prepped Small block Chevy, the steering wont get any heavier, especially if haven’t removed the power steering. If you swap in an LS-1, the weight on the nose will be LESS than with the N/A VG30DE!
I’m somewhat familiar with nose heavy Z cars. I have had a few V-8 powered 280 Z, the Chev conversion with iron heads only added 50 lbs to the front wheels, and 75 to the rear wheels, (cg of the V-8 is further back and lower in the car than the L-6 it replaces, front/rear weight distribution went from 50-50 with the L-6, half tank and driver to 49-fr/51-rr with the V-8, half tank and driver), but my Big Block 440 Mopar powered 280 Z that I currently drive, this swap did add more weight to the front and with the manual rack and pinion steering, it is noticeably heavier to steer, though not unbearable to drive in a parking a lot.
Any how, if you are wanting to swap in a V-8 to Z-32, take lots of pics and document it well. A better place to get answers for V-8 conversions is the hybrid Z forum. http://www.hybridz.org/ That forum is dedicated to such monsters. Yu wont get the usual ridicule and assumptions of lost performance due to unsubstantiated weight gains.

Paul (BRAAP) Ruschman
Rusch Motorsports
’75 Datsun 280 Z-28 SOLD!!!
0-60, 4.2 sec.
¼ mi, 12.3 @ 113 MPH
http://www.datsuns.com/projects/paulrproject.htm

1977 280Z W/440 Chrysler, FOR SALE!
1996 Infiniti Q-45
1975 280Z-V8, 350 W/6speed, in progress...
1990 Chevrolet Silverado extra cab, 5.7L
LS 1 V-8 out of 2000 Vette holding down shop floor.

 

No arguments here.....

 

it's true! RPS, don't know what you're talking about, the guy that did the LS1 swap actually lost weight....about 200lbs if I remember right.

 

Is is possible to put aftermarket turbos on a non-turbo edition 300zx?
If so is it worth it?

 

I would have to say yes, before I get yelled at, let me explain. 3000 GT's, NA models have been doing it for a couple years now. And since they are 10 to 1, it has it's advantages and disadvantages. High compression turbo's have been around for ever. The advantages are more power at lower boost, the disadvantege is you better have a really good understanding of tuning, or you will blow up. If you don't know how to tune your motor, don't even try it. It would be far from just bolting on a TT manifold's and turbo's. But the really good side is that fuel controllers, and stuff has come along way, and the compression means at lower boost you can make allmost as much power as the bigger boys do with higher boost, and at lower boost there is less heat and less stress on your motor. Like anything related to cars, it all depends on your skill level or how big your wallet is.

 

Absolutely yes..... There are two arguments that will crop up. The biggest one being. "why waste your money, you'll blow it up.... Just do a TT swap". It's pretty well noted that you can TT the n/a and then tune for around 6 psi max boost. You'll be o.k. If you were going to add turbos to your n/a engine and rebuild the engine while it's out, then put in 9:1 pistons while you're at it, you could prolly then boost to 20 psi with proper tuning.

 

possible: yes
less work then swapping for a TT motor: no
worth it or even sensible: no
The best way to make power: no

 

Well, it depends on how you look at it.
FIRST, read this... http://www.twinturbo.net/ttnetfaq/FAQpages/natott.html

It all depends on what u want to do. Converting NA to TT can BE equal cost if not cheaper than TT swap if you know what your doing. Then again, TT could be cheaper too. All depends if u can find some good deals.

First off, I don't think the NA to TT on the same engine is that bad idea IF you know what your doing.
A. you won't blow it if you do it right. The reason people blow TT'ed NA motors is bc they say "hey lets crank the boost up to 15 PSI" thats why they blow. The key to a Turbo'ed NA is that u have to keep low boost because of the higher compression on the NA motor. NA's run 10.5:1 compression. Because of this, your going to spool EXTREMELY quick and the power isn't going to be BAD at all. with a TT, the compression is only 8.5:1, which allows you to run higher boost, but you won't spool as quick. So it all depends on what u want. There is more to it than what i said, but thats a brief over view of it.

BTW Z1 motorsports TT'ed an N/A a little while back and at like 8 psi it made 410RWHP

 

This brings up another question, could I simply pull the n/a engine out and put in the turbo engine?
Are the engine bays similar in size if not the same? That would make my search for the perfect z a lot easier.

 

Read the post I put up. To do the full TT swap everything u need is on that page. U need the engine (with turbos and such etc etc). if u have a 5 spd, the transmissions are interchangable. if u have an auto, u need a TT auto tranny. the wiring harness. intercoolers and piping. ECU. Read the post dude. it will answer ur questions.
*by "the post" i mean the link i put to twinturbo.net page"

 

Yes..... you can buy a complete JDM front clip that'll have everything you need for the swap. The front clip generally consists of a complete car from the firewall forward.

 

Thanks Guys
you're pretty quick with responses

 

wow, it seems that more would need to be done to the n/a than simply buying a 5spd and swapping the engine and/or tranny. I guess the it's either a front clip or just buy the TT from the beginning.

 

front clip is probably the easiest way to do the swap, i dunno the easiest way for making NA to TT.

 

All the parts will be on ebay. I regularly come across stock tt manifolds, turbos, i/c's, injectors and the like. Or you could buy all new, which would be a waste since you won't wanna boost above 6 psi. I'd say $600 or so for the above used parts plus another $100 for two turbo rebuild kits.

 

The easiest way to doing a NA to turbo swap is find a wrecked turbo car, Then you can take every turbo related piece and bolt em on, but first it is usually a good idea to make sure your motor is up to the challenge, compression check, new fluids, new belts, if you have not done that for a while. Then concentrate on how you going to tune it. You will need some kind of fuel controller, most likely up graded injectors, fuel pump, and a lot of gauges, not cheap autozone ones either. You'll at least need a EGT, wide band o2 sensor, boost gauge and try the stock boost levels first, then learn what the gauges are telling you, and tune and tune, till it is where you want it to be. Then turn up the boost slowly, and tune and tune. I have heard and seen some wild *** custom set-ups. Some 3000 GT owners that are na TT are running propane injection systoms, water injection systoms, and alcohol injection systoms, there is alot of products out there to help control detonation or pre ignition, and of course there are nitrous systoms designed to spray your intercoolers and pipes, to help control those EG temps, and keep the mix stoich. And the bad part is I don't think anyone has figured out a way to make a turbo fuel map for a high compression NA to turbo motor yet. Every car is different and responds differently. So like what was stated earlier, unless you know what you are doing, don't do it.

 

Well... I was just sitting there bored one day thinking about what all I was gonna do when I swap my engine for a TT when I get back from japan.... and the thought crossed my mind... would a V8 such as

http://www.crateenginedepot.com/stor...05-P930C0.aspx

this one fit in my car? hmm that would be awesome to put an LS7 in there... of course I would have to find someone with the know how to do such a swap as I would be more likely to stand there scratching my head then to get anything done... but I have heard of small block V8's being put in Z32's, and even saw one (With a huge turbo sticking up out of the hood...) but anyone think about an LS7 in there?

 

It would fit and would be awesome if you could do it. It wouldn't be very cost effective though.

 

Hmmmm,

Yeah, you could make it work... But why?

Buy a new GTO if American Muscle is your thing and save yourself the time, money and headache of stuffing it into a Z32 (Like the engine compartment needs any help being hard to get around and work on already).

Sorry man, I'm just really anti-V8 swap with the Z car thing.

You saw my buddies 280 with the 383 Stroker in it... That thing is crazy. 600HP. It's by far the fastest "Hybrid Z" I know of with the exception of that crazy German guy up north with the red one that has the 383TT in it and it's a full blown race car. I still don't like it or even get why you would want to do something like that. To each their own of course. I'm just not into it. To me it's like buying a nice Sony TV and swapping the guts from an RCA into it... You wouldn't do that would you?

Rod.

 

I 2nd the anti-domestic-engine-in-a-japanese-supercar motion

 

3rded!!?!

if that makes sense.

 

I 4thededed it!