Possible 350/LS1 swap into datsun 280z, advice?
05-29-2012, 03:23 AM
#1
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Possible 350/LS1 swap into datsun 280z, advice? So I'm looking at a little 1975 datsun 280z on craigslist. Price tag is $2000k.
Does not run. He say's it's the crankshaft, but when I got there it was the cam shaft that was removed, not the crankshaft.
2 rust spots that stood out.
Interior is in great shape for being 37 years old
tires are in good shape
No corrosion around the battery tray.
pictures
I also have a buddy who is getting rid of a Chevy 350, he is putting a 6.2 diesel in his truck and wants to get rid of it. He's willing to sell it to me for $200 still runs pretty strong.
I'm seriously considering buying the datsun and swapping in the 350 with a manual transmission. I've been looking around and it seems to be a pretty common swap with some "bolt on" kits. Figure it could be a fun summer project with the GF. My buddy currently get's about 16MPG with that engine in his truck. So that would mean my daily commute would cost $5 a day . Long term I'd like to restore it to like new condition and install an LS1.
Anyone experienced with the old Z-cars?
Does not run. He say's it's the crankshaft, but when I got there it was the cam shaft that was removed, not the crankshaft.
2 rust spots that stood out.
Interior is in great shape for being 37 years old
tires are in good shape
No corrosion around the battery tray.
pictures
I also have a buddy who is getting rid of a Chevy 350, he is putting a 6.2 diesel in his truck and wants to get rid of it. He's willing to sell it to me for $200 still runs pretty strong.
I'm seriously considering buying the datsun and swapping in the 350 with a manual transmission. I've been looking around and it seems to be a pretty common swap with some "bolt on" kits. Figure it could be a fun summer project with the GF. My buddy currently get's about 16MPG with that engine in his truck. So that would mean my daily commute would cost $5 a day . Long term I'd like to restore it to like new condition and install an LS1.
Anyone experienced with the old Z-cars?
05-29-2012, 05:40 AM
#2
I've owned my 240 for 25 years this month now. I put an LS2 in it. That looks like a clean 280, should make a good project.
These cars are super simple to swap. First thing to do is go to Jags That Run and get their swap manual. It has plenty of detail and is useful no matter with motor you put in. JTR has full swap kits for the 350.
If you go LS motor then a place called John's Cars has the best, most complete kit. They claim it takes 20 hours to swap a fuel injected LS motor into a Z.
There is also a web site dedicated to Z car swaps, www.hybridz.org. They aren't very people friendly but the site has an incredible amount of information so the search tool will be your friend there.
The other nice thing about the old Z cars is there is still a pretty good aftermarket and they made so many of them the chain stores still carry standard replacement stuff.
As for which motor to swap, my 240 with a stock, carb'd LS motor is rated at 440 HP and pulls down 25 MPG. Make sure you add an overdrive transmission and I'll bet even that 350 gets better than 20 MPG. These cars don't weight much and are small enough they cut through the air pretty easily.
These cars are super simple to swap. First thing to do is go to Jags That Run and get their swap manual. It has plenty of detail and is useful no matter with motor you put in. JTR has full swap kits for the 350.
If you go LS motor then a place called John's Cars has the best, most complete kit. They claim it takes 20 hours to swap a fuel injected LS motor into a Z.
There is also a web site dedicated to Z car swaps, www.hybridz.org. They aren't very people friendly but the site has an incredible amount of information so the search tool will be your friend there.
The other nice thing about the old Z cars is there is still a pretty good aftermarket and they made so many of them the chain stores still carry standard replacement stuff.
As for which motor to swap, my 240 with a stock, carb'd LS motor is rated at 440 HP and pulls down 25 MPG. Make sure you add an overdrive transmission and I'll bet even that 350 gets better than 20 MPG. These cars don't weight much and are small enough they cut through the air pretty easily.
05-30-2012, 05:33 PM
#3
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I've owned my 240 for 25 years this month now. I put an LS2 in it. That looks like a clean 280, should make a good project.
These cars are super simple to swap. First thing to do is go to Jags That Run and get their swap manual. It has plenty of detail and is useful no matter with motor you put in. JTR has full swap kits for the 350.
If you go LS motor then a place called John's Cars has the best, most complete kit. They claim it takes 20 hours to swap a fuel injected LS motor into a Z.
There is also a web site dedicated to Z car swaps, www.hybridz.org. They aren't very people friendly but the site has an incredible amount of information so the search tool will be your friend there.
The other nice thing about the old Z cars is there is still a pretty good aftermarket and they made so many of them the chain stores still carry standard replacement stuff.
As for which motor to swap, my 240 with a stock, carb'd LS motor is rated at 440 HP and pulls down 25 MPG. Make sure you add an overdrive transmission and I'll bet even that 350 gets better than 20 MPG. These cars don't weight much and are small enough they cut through the air pretty easily.
These cars are super simple to swap. First thing to do is go to Jags That Run and get their swap manual. It has plenty of detail and is useful no matter with motor you put in. JTR has full swap kits for the 350.
If you go LS motor then a place called John's Cars has the best, most complete kit. They claim it takes 20 hours to swap a fuel injected LS motor into a Z.
There is also a web site dedicated to Z car swaps, www.hybridz.org. They aren't very people friendly but the site has an incredible amount of information so the search tool will be your friend there.
The other nice thing about the old Z cars is there is still a pretty good aftermarket and they made so many of them the chain stores still carry standard replacement stuff.
As for which motor to swap, my 240 with a stock, carb'd LS motor is rated at 440 HP and pulls down 25 MPG. Make sure you add an overdrive transmission and I'll bet even that 350 gets better than 20 MPG. These cars don't weight much and are small enough they cut through the air pretty easily.
Do you have any useful links for cleaning up the rust problem in the back?
thank you very much for the reply.
05-30-2012, 06:57 PM
#4
Mine took a while mainly because I was in no hurry. Mine was a little more complicated than most because I went with a TKO trans (which is shorter than a t56) and went carb'd (too tall for a stock hood with the John's car kit). That meant I had to make my own everything. I also did some rust repair to the floors that I didn't know was there until I removed all the interior tar.
Really if you go with the John's car kit than all the hard stuff is already figured out. Figure a month or two of planning and a month working weekends to be fully on the road. A T56 is a better choice than the TKO.
As for the rust, there nothing special about Z cars. Just shitty annoying work to replace. I did install subframes from a place called Badd Dog Parts. A company called Zedd Findings makes floor pans if you need whole ones. A web site called www.zhome.com has some good write ups on rust repair.
Really if you go with the John's car kit than all the hard stuff is already figured out. Figure a month or two of planning and a month working weekends to be fully on the road. A T56 is a better choice than the TKO.
As for the rust, there nothing special about Z cars. Just shitty annoying work to replace. I did install subframes from a place called Badd Dog Parts. A company called Zedd Findings makes floor pans if you need whole ones. A web site called www.zhome.com has some good write ups on rust repair.
05-30-2012, 07:00 PM
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I have heard horror stories about the frames of these cars.
If that car has lived it's life in the midwest or upper east coast you could not pay me enough money to ride with you after you installed a high horsepower V8 in that thing.
If that car has lived it's life in the midwest or upper east coast you could not pay me enough money to ride with you after you installed a high horsepower V8 in that thing.
Efi?
05-10-2018, 10:42 AM
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Sorry for reviving old thread, I have tried building one 240z but the front frame was bad I just trashed it. The brown stuff ate a lot of the front, rear and things in between. It was just like a strainer. Lesson Learned, dont trust seller over a web and forget those $2000 deals. Next one was double of what I paid for the 1st. Still it had its problem. Floors you could put a foot through and part under the rear hatch was a total write off. Ended up doing a lot of replacing and fab work on it. that was first summer. next summer I dropped LS1 in it. What you need to watch for are engine and transmission mounts. tunnel needs a small perswasion from 5lb friend but over all the LS1 and T56 fit like glove and it aligns with shifter hole though block maybe a bit too close to the firewall. extra 2 inches would be ideal. You will need a custom drive shaft made up for it.
That was few years back and I had to make a lot of custom stuff for it. Now there are plenty of ready made stuff for the swap, you will just have to open up your wallet.
The other thing is that those cars where rated for 150hp lucky if you got it over 100. If you are putting 40HP engine in it with out reinforcing the frame, Expect it to turn into pretzel as it will twist. Put a roll cage and stiffen her up.
If you are interested I have started a build site but never finished it. Maybe one day update it with what has been done. check it out http://www.my240z.info
That was few years back and I had to make a lot of custom stuff for it. Now there are plenty of ready made stuff for the swap, you will just have to open up your wallet.
The other thing is that those cars where rated for 150hp lucky if you got it over 100. If you are putting 40HP engine in it with out reinforcing the frame, Expect it to turn into pretzel as it will twist. Put a roll cage and stiffen her up.
If you are interested I have started a build site but never finished it. Maybe one day update it with what has been done. check it out http://www.my240z.info
