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Chris Boyden
07-15-2005, 08:35 AM
I picked up a 1970 240Z for a song and a dance....
It has the original 2.4L six and a 4 speed. It's in sad shape but I'm planning a resto mod.
Anybody in FSAE land have suggestions for this car? I know that several Z owners have waded through these forums.

Hester, you mentioned an RB26...hmmm..I'll have to look into that one.

Rob, An LS1 could be pretty nasty in this little car? Have you seen the darius240Z videos?

It's pretty damn cool to see a 240Z with a blown LT1 keep up with an R1.

Z, does that stand for Zorro? Ever mess with these cars?

Chris Boyden
07-15-2005, 08:35 AM
I picked up a 1970 240Z for a song and a dance....
It has the original 2.4L six and a 4 speed. It's in sad shape but I'm planning a resto mod.
Anybody in FSAE land have suggestions for this car? I know that several Z owners have waded through these forums.

Hester, you mentioned an RB26...hmmm..I'll have to look into that one.

Rob, An LS1 could be pretty nasty in this little car? Have you seen the darius240Z videos?

It's pretty damn cool to see a 240Z with a blown LT1 keep up with an R1.

Z, does that stand for Zorro? Ever mess with these cars?

rjwoods77
07-15-2005, 04:09 PM
I would go with an ls1 because it is cheap, readily available to get parts to fix and compined with the t56 tranny I think it is the best drivetrain package out there. SOme people have already done it so it wont be hard to find reference material. The ls1 is also super light for what it is. If I get rich then I want to do this engine.

http://popularhotrodding.com/enginemasters/articles/mop...igblock/0505em_hemi/ (http://popularhotrodding.com/enginemasters/articles/mopar/bigblock/0505em_hemi/)


http://www.ls1tech.com/forums/showthread.php?p=2091731&posted=1 (http://www.ls1tech.com/forums/showthread.php?p=2091731&posted=1)
http://www.pacetruck.com/index.asp?PageAction=Custom&ID=586 (http://www.pacetruck.com/index.asp?PageAction=Custom&ID=586)
http://www.sallee-chevrolet.com/frame.html

I think a rb is a bad choice because it is heavy, worse cg longitual and height wise, no parts here in the us, and its a turbo motor so it is just a hassel. For that size car, there isnt anything a rb could do that an ls1 couldnt.

Depending on power levels your going to need to switch rear end and axles but a thousand people have done that before. Need a r200 diff if not going crazy. If you are then get a r230 diff with the highest ratio you can get it(they only make 2 ratios i think).

Darius has a sick car. You can already see that 500hp is too much for that suspension to handle. Get an ls1,ls6,ls2 or ls7 and just leave them stock with the factory computer.The 2 grand difference between the ls1 and ls6 will easily be the same as a new set of afr heads and ls6 intake. But if you a really serious I would get the ls2. THe new gen 4 block is about as good as its gunna get. The gen 3 has a bunch of little problems with them when you start modifing them heavy. My IM is bobbyfriction. Talk to me there if you are really intersted in doing this. I have been planning mine for a couple years off and on. When i get out of school I am going to build an entire new chassis and drop the shell on top of it. Gunna be a ls derivative engine with the vette torque tube,transmission(yes rear mounted),differential and I am going to build a satchell link dedion rear suspension for it.The front will be my own double a arm and all related components. Gunna be cool. Basically a 2500lbs vette that looks better than a vette.

Richard Lewis
07-16-2005, 11:40 PM
http://www.hybridz.org should give you all the info you need. Read, read, read.

Chris Boyden
07-18-2005, 09:22 AM
Thanks for the ideas Rob. The vette idea you have in mind sounds like it'll rock.
That hemi engine is crazy. Makes me want to consider a dry sump to drop the CG.
A new chassis would definitely help....it's a pretty weak piece as is. There was an awesome race prepped vette this weekend at the Texas autocross. They were getting sick times. I think it was a z06 but, I'm not sure. Anyway, it was a freakin beast and sounded great.
A 2500 lb. version would smoke.

rjwoods77
07-18-2005, 10:00 AM
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Chris Boyden:
Thanks for the ideas Rob. The vette idea you have in mind sounds like it'll rock.
That hemi engine is crazy. Makes me want to consider a dry sump to drop the CG.
A new chassis would definitely help....it's a pretty weak piece as is. There was an awesome race prepped vette this weekend at the Texas autocross. They were getting sick times. I think it was a z06 but, I'm not sure. Anyway, it was a freakin beast and sounded great.
A 2500 lb. version would smoke. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>


The stock unit body is garbage. If you are gunna put any kind of power on it you will have to do some very extensive modification to it. That hemi is real slick. That entire motor built as you see it cost about 15k. But then again for 800hp and 530lbs it really isnt a bad deal considering what you would have to do for other motors. Most young people like 4 valve engine powerband feel. That have no idea until you roll in a built hemi. Those things just pull harder and harder with rpm. Its a 2 valve motor with no breathing problems in the higher rpm ranges. Its a weird feeling to have a big motor just pull like that. Usually they drop off up there. But then again check out the cylinder cfm. 510 cfm intake. F'in insane. Another real neat motor was the 427 cammer made by ford but never in any real numbers. Things were making almost 600hp and revved to almost 7000rpm. Sort of like the new ls7 engine. Ideally i would like to use the ls7 with the vette drivetrain(c6). I just want a motor that uses the factory computer that meets emissions, decent fuel economy and a warranty. Just want to build my own headers and put a cool intake filter assembly on it(chip foos style). If I dont do it in a 240z then I was thinking a 55 chevy. Those things are growing on me every time I see one. It would be a couple hundred lbs heavier than the 2500 lbs 240z but i would get a back seat to screw a girl in an uncomfortable place(kevin smith movies anyone?, a ride my wreaking crew could roll in, not to mention it would be a wolf in sheeps clothing. I see myself racing some putz in a acura and passing him on the outside of a corner. Those 55's have such "tough appeal" when done correctly.

MikeWaggoner at UW
07-21-2005, 09:51 AM
One thing to watch for on old Z's is lift. I think at 60 MPH, there was about 60 pounds of lift on the front of the car, and 120 pounds on the rear. It may get interesting around 120 MPH.

The main reason the new Vette's are quick around courses is because of TONS of suspension development, not the big engines. Don't expect a Z with a big motor to put up great lap times; they just don't handle that well.

Chris Boyden
07-21-2005, 10:39 AM
Suspension upgrades are definitely in order for this car. I agree that the new Vette's are quick because of suspension. We took the '04 car to a Corvette club outing. It's amazing how well the new vette's handle.

A front air dam and rear spoiler might help with the lift...
maybe I should skin the bottom with some AL sheet to generate some pressure drop.

SD
07-21-2005, 06:34 PM
Z car? Oh you mean a pointy-nosed 510? http://fsae.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

I have a few 510's that I'm rather attached to!

rjwoods77
07-21-2005, 07:53 PM
Like I said, I am doing a whole new frame and suspension of my design. I am pretty sure after doing this project and the other baja cars i have done that i can do something close to the vette. You have to also realize that those engineers are almost as concerned with making it a smooth, nvh free suspension. Thats where most of the development has gone. I dont like 240z without the air damned front end so that and other things should take care of lift.

Chris Boyden
07-22-2005, 07:56 AM
Yea, the 510's are pretty similar from what I've seen looking through the repair manuals for the Z.

They look pretty cool with the air dam and nothing else. There's a bunch of other mods, but they are not as important to the looks of the car.

DaveC
09-04-2005, 03:30 PM
I had one with a Ferd 302/T5, about 350 hp. It would have been an OK car if not for the flexy chassis, mediocre suspension, poor brakes, and rear end durability issues. I'd plan on spending LOTS of $$$ and time to get it up to the level of a real sports car. If you want a project, it would be a cool car after its done, if you want drive it more than work on it, I'd invest in something with a little more promise from the start.

DaveC
09-07-2005, 11:42 AM
Oh yeah, I when I had my Z, I thought a 4g63 Mitsu Turbo motor be nice. Some drag racers have turned it 90 degrees and mated it with other trannys than the stock AWD unit. Nice and light with the power of a small block.

fsae_alum
09-22-2005, 02:59 PM
You could try an SR20DET. It's a lightweight 2.0L turbocharged 4 cylinder that is built like a brick shite house. The engine came stock in the most popular selling car in all of Japan.....the Nissan Silvia/180SX. There is a ton of support for them here in the states by places like www.phase2motortrend.com (http://www.phase2motortrend.com) and www.srswap.com (http://www.srswap.com). The engines are dirt cheap and have a number of parts that cross-reference over to the US SR20DE engine. I know for a fact that Vildini Motorsports www.vildinimotorsport.com (http://www.vildinimotorsport.com) has been kept very busy lately doing these swaps left and right. I saw their car at JGTC last year and it was quite impressive. Pics of it can be found here: http://www.sr240z.com/sr240z/sr240z.htm.

For more info on what the SR20DET can do, check out many of the videos on the following site: http://www.northwestnissans.com/test/nekopunch/videos/nekovids.html

Enjoy!!