I am thinking of buying a car to play with over the next 4-5 years as a project. Something to tinker with and play on during massive school hols.

 

If I decided to do a body up rebuild what sort of things would you guys be doing in such a project.

 

What sort of power output is the 300zx engine good for?

What sort of costs are associated with some of the mods you guys have done?

 

The idea would be that I did all the work (except for any stuff requiring specialist kit) to keep the costs down. What are the big weaknesses in the 300zx that I could work on in such a project.

 

I would be really interested in finding out how much some of you guys have spent on your mods. Over 5 years I reckon a fairly large sum could be invested in such a project especially considering that I don't drink excessivley or smoke?

 

Cheers

Pete

Welcome! First post since March :eek: :D

 

You can't help but tinker with the 300ZX, its an inevitable road...;)

 

Pete

Originally posted by turbo pete

I am thinking of buying a car to play with over the next 4-5 years as a project. Something to tinker with and play on during massive school hols.

 

If I decided to do a body up rebuild what sort of things would you guys be doing in such a project.

 

What sort of power output is the 300zx engine good for?

What sort of costs are associated with some of the mods you guys have done?

 

The idea would be that I did all the work (except for any stuff requiring specialist kit) to keep the costs down. What are the big weaknesses in the 300zx that I could work on in such a project.

 

I would be really interested in finding out how much some of you guys have spent on your mods. Over 5 years I reckon a fairly large sum could be invested in such a project especially considering that I don't drink excessivley or smoke?

 

Cheers

Pete

 

 

 

During the massive school holidays? Are you a teacher or a student?

 

What can you do? How good a mechanic are you? There is little you can do to the Z engine if you are not a confident mechanic. You can install boost upgrades, ECU upgrades and such. If you are really good you can install your own turbos but unless you can lift the car 6 foot in the air and get at the turbos from underneath, its an engine out job. Not impossible and if you are confident enough to do this do it.

 

 

Simple modifications like ECU, induction, exhaust, boost controller will produce about 380-400bhp at the crank depending on the boost. The some new intercooler will allow you to increase the boost a little more and make the car run better.

 

Then its new injectorts and turbos time, which will cost you what ever you are prepaired to pay. By then you should get new hardened pistons installed to make the internals nice and strong if you want to go any more on the power. Maybe even a rebore to 3.1 litre.

 

The possiblities are endless and is only restricted by money. You can make the engine produce over 500bhp with the money no problem.

 

There are also weight saving techniques. You can get carbo fiber bonnets (Even though its made form aluminium and very light) and carbon fiber tail gates which weigh a load.

Even things like take out the air conditioning compressor will save a few good lb's.

 

If you are quick there is some one who is selling thier Z for £2500 because it needs a little TLC and i has just had an engine rebuild and has been converted to manual. Automatics can hold the power but when you start to get over 430ish bhp the torque converter will start to stuggle with the power.

 

Stuart

Originally posted by SRRAE

Are you a teacher or a student?

 

 

 

 

Check his date of birth :p

 

Birthday May 13, 1972

 

My guess would be a teacher :D

Originally posted by XTT

Check his date of birth :p

 

 

 

My guess would be a teacher :D

 

 

Occupation: Teacher!

 

 

I think that gives it away more ;)

 

Stuart

LOL :D:D:D:D:D

 

Haven't noticed that one :D :o :D :o :D

If you want to do really interesting things (well I think so) then you can start playing with the ECU maps.

I get the impression you want a project to start totally from scratch on, and although I'll probably get kicked in the balls from everyone here, I'd say I don't think the 300 isn't the best car for this. It's a complicated beast. Still, it's obviously a lot of fun to get one and start improving it with performance bits... which is what 99% of 300 owners do, right?

There's some very knowledgeable people here, and a lot of information around, so if you're keen to get totally into it (home brew engine rebuilds etc), it shouldn't be impossible.

 

With the sort of time you're talking about I'd consider something like building a kit-car... maybe a Cobra replica with big V8... or something small and light with a bike engine :)

Get a 200sx!!!!!

If you have the time, go for it!!! It can be very rewarding when you see the finished result - just getting there now on the latest one :D Not the same car though ;) There are endless possibliities for things to do. The main limitations on the engine are the turbos, injectors and intercoolers. The bottom end is fairly strong so unless its a serious high miler, you should get plenty of power before you need to uprate internals ;) You could port and polish the manifolds and heads. Another big restriction is the exhaust manifolds - they're basically sh1te LOL Trouble is its big money for stainless tubular jobbies. If you wanna go in on a project to produce some then let me know :)

 

CheerZ,

 

Andy

occupation = teacher

current car = 200sx

 

Reckon I have one more year tinkering with the 200sx aiming for 320bhp. At 255bhp at the mo and shes quick.

 

Don't have any worries about any of the work that needs doing on a 300zx.

 

It is just time patience and know how.

 

I have two and the know how comes with expewrience and from my best mate who owns his own garage and has 20 years experience in the trade.

 

I imagine it would be a more complicated car to work on than the 200sx but not that much more difficult.

 

Thanks guys

You can find me at http://www.sxoc.com too

so how much power can be had before silly money is needed? I am seriously tempted with a 300zx as a project.

 

I am hoping to be set up in a new house next year with garage to house the masses of tools I am acquiring gradually.

 

So I would be happy to just bin the 200sx get a 300zx and a dirt cheap runaround to keep me at work.

 

I could just work on it when I felt like it then. What I hateabout the 200sx is that it is my only car so when I work on it I have to complete jobs before a certain date or I won't be able to get to work.

 

With a project though, when you got to the point where 2 gallons of petrol and a swan vesta match seems like a good solution to a problem you could just walk away and come back later.

Originally posted by turbo pete

so how much power can be had before silly money is needed? I am seriously tempted with a 300zx as a project.

 

I am hoping to be set up in a new house next year with garage to house the masses of tools I am acquiring gradually.

 

So I would be happy to just bin the 200sx get a 300zx and a dirt cheap runaround to keep me at work.

 

I could just work on it when I felt like it then. What I hateabout the 200sx is that it is my only car so when I work on it I have to complete jobs before a certain date or I won't be able to get to work.

 

With a project though, when you got to the point where 2 gallons of petrol and a swan vesta match seems like a good solution to a problem you could just walk away and come back later.

 

 

 

 

 

Performance Exhaust £400-£1000+ (Most have one one anyway)

Induction £100-£200

Decat Pipes £50-£70 for gutting you current pipes, £200 £250 for test pipes.

ECU Chip £150-£450 Depending on what you get and who you get it from.

Boost Controller £200-£600 you get what you pay for.

Boost Jets £4 (Increses the boost like a boost controller but you have no control to lower it or rise it)

With that you should have a car the produces close to 400bhp, depending on boost setting.

 

But by then the clutch will start to slip as it cant take the extra power. That will set you back £400 for the clutch and then fitting.

 

Stuart

Originally posted by 51x

..........(home brew engine rebuilds etc).........

 

 

LMAO!! That's me then :) :) Just got me 1,000 miles to Le Mans and back LOL.... oh... and I finished putting a clutch in it on the Friday before we went :D 3 days before LOL!!

 

Robert.

Are there many z's with over 600bhp?

 

Anyone broken 1000bhp?

Aha! Someone else from SXOC, hi Pete, I was on there as sharpy2010 and am in the process of getting a Z32 at some point over the next 6 months :D

cool

you are all traitors. :p:):D:D:D

Er, Jezz, do the words, "pot," "kettle," and, "black" mean anything??! LOL! :D :D

and how's the S13 going?

Originally posted by Franco

Er, Jezz, do the words, "pot," "kettle," and, "black" mean anything??! LOL! :D :D

 

LOL no cos I have absolutely no intention of getting a zed, I'm just here for the ride LOL; it's quite entertaining over here sometimes, and some of them are actually quite a good laugh and decent people. :D:D

 

Erm the S13 is coming on, it's a sack of shit at the minute but hopefully sorted by billing.

That's a bit of a shame about the motor :( , yours was one fo the fastest if I remember :)

mmm possibly at the time ofthe first TSC it was, but was soon overtaken by everyone else, but I'm just rebuilding the engine in a reasonably big way so should be up their again soon.

 

quite a few people are getting over 400bhp now though & my turbo is only just good for that so I'll be settling for 350-380 when I get a manifold sorted.