1981 280zx vintage road racer

[26k_racing]

So my 280zx 2+2 has the turbo engine, that's non running and my 280zx (pictured above) has a good running NA engine. should I unbolt all the tubo parts (from the 2+2 car) and bolt them to the project blue car ?  time for more reading. I like the daily driver hill climber car thread..pretty cool.

[cleverusername]

If it was my car, I would probably just go with a carbed, NA L28. But that's also probably the slowest of your options. I've heard of people making more than 100 hp per liter naturally aspirated on L engines, but I have trouble believing it honestly. If you have the time, money, and skills to put the V8 in it, I'd probably do that, assuming you want to be fast.

[26k_racing]

My SBC race engine uses a holley 4412 carb. I enjoy driving a car/engine with a carb , cam and raw exhaust. Im reading lots, but would you dare leave the L28 swap out the EFI, install some carbs, new cam blaa blaa and get about 275 HP and be happy with that ? Im thinking if I leave the L28 and build a mild motor I would have about 1000$ > If I buy the SBC conversion kit I would be around the same 1000$ but it wouldn't be period correct and suck the fuel hard ! !!!!

[datzenmike]

So my 280zx 2+2 has the turbo engine, that's non running and my 280zx (pictured above) has a good running NA engine. should I unbolt all the tubo parts (from the 2+2 car) and bolt them to the project blue car ?  time for more reading. I like the daily driver hill climber car thread..pretty cool.

It is an excellent idea because you have everything you need for the swap right there. You didn't mention the year of the turbo car but early ones were only automatic. Hopefully yours is, as the automatic engines came with an oil cooler and a high volume oil pump, both should be swapped over with the turbo. Only the '82.5 and '83 TURBO cars had 5 speeds.

 

The turbo was an option from '80.5 on and added about 35 hp to the normally aspirated 145. This was considered too close to the limits of the 71B 5 speed's ability to handle reliably and so was only offered on an automatic. The 71C 5 speed wasn't available yet (not until the 300zx came out in '84) so a  BW T-5 was substituted. This T-5 was continued on with the 300zx TURBO and the 71C on the NA VG30E engine.

[26k_racing]

the donor car is a turbo car, its a 1982 280zx. im told the motor (bottom end) is no good. So I can pull the manifolds and turbo etc etc and swap it over to the stock "good" L28 OHC motor that I have? how much HP do you think a senior citizen L28 with a turbo puts out ?

[datzenmike]

The turbo was an option from '80.5 on and added about 35 hp to the normally aspirated 145.

145

35

____

180

 

This is SAE power not NET. RWHP would be somewhere in the 150/160 range.

[26k_racing]

hummm for all the work , I may just part out the 2 engines and put some good ol' Amerrika HP in this sweet rust bucket

[26k_racing]

how hard to mock up a 280z exnon 3125 air dam to a 280zx front with a bumper delete ?

[26k_racing]

well the unicorn just turned into a 1979 firebird HELLO GIVER see ya later rust bucket inline 6 cyulinder. nice knowing yall !

[]2eDeYe]

Pics of Firebird! :D

[Sideways 620]

SBC in a scar will put a smile on your face a sledgehammer can't knock off. Check out hybrid z if you want to talk with people that actually build these cars with big hp, you won't be disappointed. To all the purists who balk at the idea of a v8 z, go drive one and you will see that is the way that should have been built from the beginning.

[Lockleaf]

There aren't many Z purists around here...

 

Did anyone say don't v8 swap a Z?

[Sideways 620]

Wasn't implying either lockleaf, simply stating the merits of a SBC in a z. Thanks for giving me the chance to make that clear before anyone else tried to read my mind and tell me what I was thinking.

[Lockleaf]

Uhhh. Ok?