Project IX - Z32 LS1/2

[speedminded]

Every week or so I come up with a new project car: going through the steps of creating a build list for each with parts needed & desired, fabrication process, etc. This week is back to the car i've loved since November 1989, the Z32 300zx. Owned one for 4 years but despised the VG30DE/TT engine. Sooo....SR20? RB? 2JZ? or how about straight up American muscle and go with an LS1 or LS2 (aiming for an LS6 now)

No power steering, no A/C, no nothing. Relocate the battery to the rear and I want nothing under the hood but the the engine with attached components and brake & clutch master cylinders


Donor
• 1990-1993 N/A - preferably a slicktop

Power & Drivetrain
• LS1/2/6
• T56 Borg Warner 6 speed transmission
• Lightweight flywheel [16lbs or less, stock is 24]
• Multi-puck clutch, CenterForce Carbon Composite 10 puck or better

More specifics to come, here's an example of how the LS1 fits in the Z32...



I want all the paint under the hood to be high gloss matching the exterior with a custom intake and carbon fiber engine covers.




Suspension & Brakes
• Cusco Zero 2 coilover dampener [Front 12k & Rear 10k] or equivalent.
• Custom fabricated caliper conversion brackets and rotor hats.
• Porsche Big Reds [Brembo monoblocks from 996TT] with carbon rotors

Interior
• Original dash minus ALL electronics and gauges
• Everything with carpet on it stripped and replaced with aluminum (final product being similar to the Elise)
• Would love an electronic cluster but at $1,600 each doubting that will happen [sponsors? ]
• Comfortable seats, possibly stock but really want to save weight.
• No harness' unless cage is installed.

Here's an example of a great start but I want to continue further and make it all flow together with inspirations from the CLK GTR & IMSA GTO 300zx:

[JDMmuscle]

*borat voice* eeeeeeyes please

[Sol-Badguy]

Wow. That's detailed, and would be a really sick setup.

I just don't like seeing a lot of people dropping Vette motors into 80's sports cars..

[speedminded]

Wow. That's detailed, and would be a really sick setup.

I just don't like seeing a lot of people dropping Vette motors into 80's sports cars..

If you've ever seen a C5R or C6R run you can't not appreciate the LS engines

Power & torque to price, weight of the engine, aftermarket availability...an LS1 is around 130lb's lighter than a KA24 in a 240sx. with double the horsepower and torque...but of course you can get one for only $500 all day long while an LS1 is going to be a bit more.

[speedminded]

Looking into weight savings: realistically can knock 100lbs off the car in just minutes and another 100lbs with a little work. Can't remember for sure but i think the slicktops are 150lbs or so lighter than the T-Tops. Either a plexi glass rear window or remove the hatch all together and fabricate a rear deck...then replace the side windows and possibly the door windows with plexi and sliding windows. Realistically I should be able to get it down to 2,600-2,700lbs, the same as a stock DC2 integra.

[iloveboost]

I understand the 300zx being your dream car, or admiring the car as much as you do. If you plan on keeping the car forever, I say go for it.

But for resale value's sake, why not got with an FD RX-7. You could also probably get it to weigh much lighter. Unless money is a factor, which it typically always is, I can see why you'd go with the 300zx.

I don't know much about the 300zx but the aftermarket for the RX-7 seems to be pretty unlimited. I've always loved the RX-7 and would love to do one of these swaps.

+1 for going with a different chassis.

Are you 100% decided on going through with it?

[speedminded]

I understand the 300zx being your dream car, or admiring the car as much as you do. If you plan on keeping the car forever, I say go for it.

But for resale value's sake, why not got with an FD RX-7. You could also probably get it to weigh much lighter. Unless money is a factor, which it typically always is, I can see why you'd go with the 300zx.

I don't know much about the 300zx but the aftermarket for the RX-7 seems to be pretty unlimited. I've always loved the RX-7 and would love to do one of these swaps.

+1 for going with a different chassis.

Are you 100% decided on going through with it?

I've seen the videos of the twin turbo LS# FD's running 9's, it's sexy but if i had an FD i'd probably go for a 3 or 4 rotor

The initial cost is much higher for the FD, no problem finding one with a blown engine but still alot more for a body compared to the Z32. The styling of the FD is much more modern and the final product would probably look better than the outdated but timeless Z32 too but i'm not a big fan of it's size and not building it for the rest of the world anyways.

[Sol-Badguy]

If you've ever seen a C5R or C6R run you can't not appreciate the LS engines

Power & torque to price, weight of the engine, aftermarket availability...an LS1 is around 130lb's lighter than a KA24 in a 240sx. with double the horsepower and torque...but of course you can get one for only $500 all day long while an LS1 is going to be a bit more.

Oh, I agree with that.

I'm just saying when I saw my first LSx 240z, I was in shock. Then came the LSx FC RX-7, that was pushing it a bit. Then the Z32? Wow.

Makes me wonder what's next. Hell, I've even seen an old 3rd gen Prelude like mine converted to RWD with a Chevy 327 and all Ford Drag suspension; bastard child anyone?

However, I do see that as a valid project that would yield great results.

[nreggie454]

Go for it! Torque FTW

I have a friend putting a LSx into a 96 Civic hatchback. I really hope he finishes that one!

[Sol-Badguy]

Go for it! Torque FTW

I have a friend putting a LSx into a 96 Civic hatchback. I really hope he finishes that one!

[speedminded]

ok, this is killing me...i'm not at all ready to start collecting parts but ran across this. Please, Please someone buy it before I do something stupid.

LS6 Z06 Longblock from an SCCA T1 C5 vette -- 1500 miles on it! oil changed every other race, 371 whp on 100 octane. Unless there was ever a coolant problem and overheated then this engine should be practically mint (guessing 1,500 race miles is equivalent to 10-20,000 road miles)...

$1,200 or $2,500 Buy it now
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...9901864&rd=1,1

OMG, i'm about to start selling random parts and myself after seeing this..lol.

[Sol-Badguy]

Good god.

Maybe you should be stupid?

[nreggie454]

That is not an eBay ad, that is Destiny.

DO IT!

[speedminded]

lolol, well...i saw at least 4 to 6 of those engines being run this weekend at Roebling Road with NASA so I know there should be a surplus of them available. I'm the worlds most patient person when it comes to buying parts and waiting for the best deal to come along so I'm going to continue building my parts list and I know now exactly where to look for an engine, leftovers from SCCA and NASA race teams. Would want to do a compression test on it before purchasing then a tear down upon purchase so i'm not worried about any suprises...

I wonder how the factory rings would look after running it on 100 octane

[Krappy]

a 240 w/o PS is horrible.... i can only imagine how a 300zx a heavier car w/o PS is...good luck!

[speedminded]

a 240 w/o PS is horrible.... i can only imagine how a 300zx a heavier car w/o PS is...good luck!

that's what the right foot is for

[SampaGuy]

so no more defender??

[SampaGuy]

that's what the right foot is for

i dont think u realize the insanity of no ps on a 3600lbs car lol. u wont be able to park it. maybe get a 2ft diameter steering wheel off a 18 wheeler for more leverage lol.

[speedminded]

i dont think u realize the insanity of no ps on a 3600lbs car lol. u wont be able to park it. maybe get a 2ft diameter steering wheel off a 18 wheeler for more leverage lol.

More like less than 2,900 but hopefully close to 2,700 with the plexi windows [stock is 3,100]. The funny thing about not having power steering is the lack of logic people have sometimes...if you're rolling it's infinite times easier to turn, even if it's just 1 mph I crack up everytime I see someone trying to turn a wheel while sitting motionless. Planning to see if I can have a hydraulic line made to run from the LSx power steering pump anyways, i'm not too worried about having much of a power loss with keeping it but just want to keep everything as simple as possible.

Still haven't decided on the Rover!

[speedminded]

hrmm...1992 Slicktop for $2k
http://atlanta.craigslist.org/car/330199636.html

[speedminded]

Another slicktop in Florida for $1,200, full cage and some suspension mods...
http://www.twinturbo.net/net/viewmsg...&msg_id=116719

Not at all impressed with that bolt-in cage -- if I were to go through all that trouble i'd just take a hole saw and run it right through the dash right next to the pillar.

[Sol-Badguy]

+1 for doing something different though.

I didn't know the LSx motors were so light?

[speedminded]

+1 for doing something different though.

I didn't know the LSx motors were so light?

sorry, upon more research looks like i'm wrong...

Block only, no transmission:

SR20DET - 328 lbs
KA24DE_ - 368 lbs

VG30DETT - 610 lbs

LS1/LS6 - 497.5 lbs

(looks like my source that said the LS1 was 130lbs lighter than a KA24DE has it backwards)

[Doppelgänger]

sorry, upon more research looks like i'm wrong...



(looks like my source that said the LS1 was 130lbs lighter than a KA24DE has it backwards)

Thats what happens when the V8 happy people get in on imports lol. Nah, but i have heard countless people believe the myth that the LS is 'so much lighter then xyz engine' , someone even tried telling me that a LS engine is lighter then my stock motor

[Sol-Badguy]

Thats what happens when the V8 happy people get in on imports lol. Nah, but i have heard countless people believe the myth that the LS is 'so much lighter then xyz engine' , someone even tried telling me that a LS engine is lighter then my stock motor

Wow.

[speedminded]

Z35?

yeah yeah, crappy photochop and i need to fix the reflections on the front fender and a smooth it all up a bit...

[TallGuy]

iv seen a few Z's with 350's but this would be tight....even though i love the vg30dett, i have the scars on my hands to proove it..lol

[speedminded]

112 LSA's turn me on.

[R32Dragon]

Cant get props on an idea, so just do it already. Never been a fan of V8 Z's though.