Today I collected this "little" beauty for my Slicktop Project.

 

Nissan/Infiniti VH45DE

4.5 Litre 90degree V8

 

 

Many of you will be familiar with the VH45DE, our very own John Dixon has the 500ZX and our U.S forum member PerformanceVH has an excellent build thread on his VH45 transplant. This engine in in fact the twin to J.D's 500zx engine, imported and originally built alongside it, albeit to a less aggressive spec, as owned by forum member Friday(Leigh).

 

I am a big advocate of the Z32's VG30, its a great engine and had this new opportuniity not come up I would be fitting a set of larger turbos, injectors, intercoolers..etc to the VG30 right now. But I've been there before, its nothing new and I would only be doing the same as so many others have done over the years - and besides my own personal fascination with having a responsive high revving "race" V8 I see this as a bit of an engineering exercise in itself due to the amount of custom engineering and fabrication required.

 

The VH45DE is an engine that has interested me for the past 10 years. Its the engine Nissan had originally considered using in the Z32, and the same base architechture for the V8 engine that has been used in racing with the 300zx, 350z/370z and GTR since the 90's and by a large proportion of the WEC/Le Mans LMP2 grid until recently.

 

I was so close to going this route many years ago when I started with the Slicktop project, but I just wasn't in the right position then to be able to take on such a challenge...I hope I am now.

 

I intend to stay normally aspirated. The engine aleady has some mild headwork done, but Im looking at going a bit more aggressive than the current setup and utilising Intake and Exhaust tuning with the aim to hit that magic 100hp/litre. Although hitting it is not critical, Im not chasing high peak numbers, but rather an engine that delivers the power, noise and response I can enjoy in my lightweight slicktop.

 

• Head porting and Valvetrain work (tbd)
  
• Individual Throttle bodies (ITB's) with tuned length velocity stacks and a Dual Inlet Intake chamber.
  
• Inconel Equal Length 4-1 Primaries into a dual exhaust system with X-pipe
  
• Standalone ECU Management with custom wiring.
  
• Dry Sump Oil System
  
• Electric Waterpump and PAS Pump
  
• ...and more
  

Edited October 21, 20169 yr by Yowser

We need more updates please! :hammer::hammer:

 

YEAAHHHH :detective::whistling:

What's the latest with this mate?

Would love to know the updates on this Dave, any progress??