I know i am going to upset a few people here but i love my Z32 but i don't like the repair/rebuild costs on the VG30. No one wants to give advice or touch the engines (just the people i have spoken too). So my thoughts are if the commodore can have a Nissan motor why can't the Z have a Holden motor. Many people are using the LS conversion but for what i am looking from the Z, this is the best reliable step. I am going to be running a HSV 5.0 Litre 304 engine developing around 200 fw kw with a T56 gearbox mated behind. A lot of time and reading has be spent over the last 6 months has been put into designing the car that best suits my(sorry our) needs and requirements. This is not going to be a disgusting butcher job, but something that will look like it was factory built. I know there are going to be haters out there and i can accept their opinions, but at the end of the day i don't really want to spend more on the engine than the paint. I am currently looking at it being between 20 to 25K rebuild in total now. I would love to hear from the people on this site, their constructive thoughts weather for or against
20-25k to rebuild the whole car, or just the engine?? If you just want it running, and are happy with 200kw, then I'd look at a good second hand engine, typically about 2k, and often with a warranty. I'm guessing another 2k in labor for a workshop to install including miscellaneous parts needed. If you want a V8, then go for it! It's your car, your money. Keep in mind the extra work required with any engine conversion, and the Engineers cert costs to cover the modification though.
or talk to kurt aka Lysergic he has something special he might let go for the right price L98 plus turbo
Thanks Waz but am not sure you read the thread properly. Yes or no to the V8, so am guessing it is a yes for you
$25K for the whole car but what is your budget for the engine and drivetrain? Going GM V8 conversion for only 200 flywheel kw seems a lot of work and money for very little benefit.
Being sick of mechanical headaches is not the correct motivation for an engine swap, really it should be the deciding factor for NOT doing an engine swap, especially a novel one. The VG is quite a simple engine with a good ecu just let down by a few specific sensors and the engine loom as they age, tidy up the VG with all the common deletes and it'll be sweet.
last I heard a LS conversion only became financially efficient in areas well above the 200kw range (somewhere nearly double that if I remember correctly) - the thing is the VG bolts to everything - a good second hand engine that will bolt in will do 200kw with some pretty standard type mods, and it will be a lot less head scratchingly tiresome than shoehorning a LS (or an old 5l) into the engine bay. If you are looking at 400kw or more then sure the ease (and cost efficiency) of getting this power then makes the hasells of the conversion less of an issue. if you want the V8 sound (and I can completely understand that) then its not about cost or simplicity or anything else and you should do what ever you want.... and yes I think an old 5l sounds as good if not better than a LS but thats my opinion.
It realistic with more torque then a TT engine i will be about 10 to 20 kw less then a TT engine and 40+ kw more then a NA engine with the rebuild being about 25% less than that of a NA engine. All other work for the exception of the engineers cost will be done in house
Jesus how much did you get quoted on the rebuild? I was thinking with your budget of $25k even if $15k of that is going to paint and body (and I know that stuff adds up quick) you'd still be up to $10k for the conversion. You'd get a pretty decent TT for that kind of money. 200rwkw would work out to what... 150rwkw? Stock TT with a little more boost (like 14psi on a manual bleed type controller) should see around 220rwkw on a good motor.
Hello again mate, I don't suppose you'd mind rattling off said list of common deletes by chance ? Please and Thank you
Sorry I should have added this in before. It is 25K in total as per the original post, not just the motor. These are genuine costs. Apart from the spray, interior and machining costs, with everything else will be completed by myself. 12K for the body work and spray (out sourced) 3.5 to 5K for the interior (out sourced) 2k for the T56 6-speed gearbox and new one piece tail shaft 1.5K for the engineer and registration 1k for suspension and brakes 5K for the engine rebuild (block and head machining works out sourced). The Nissan V8 is too expensive and a little high in the manifold. I understand everyone's opinion on the TT engine but rebuild costs are high. I could buy a LS1 and spend about 5K and get over 300rwkw, but I don't need that amount of hp. if I wanted to race this car I would have started with an LS7 and added twin turbos (1400hp) or even an blown LS3 (640hp factory). I think everyone has forgotten about the legal speed limits and legally we can only responsibly go between 40 to 110 kmh in NSW , and the reason I am building this car. The Z32 300ZX has to be one of the best built performance cars with looks still to this day to match most cars of the 21st century.
LS1 is now an old engine now too. The problem I have is it is alloy block vs the seasoned block which is similar to the VG block. And the other reason for the old 5L, is it is sitting in my workshop where as I have to buy a LS engine.
Sorry, what sort of list for the common deletes as in what stays and what goes in the car. I not really sure what you are chasing.
Just wondering what deletes are typical on the VG to "clean up" the bay that's all. I've done the HICAS delete, and was mulling over the other deletes to do and when I seen it mentioned within this thread I thought I'd sneak in and get this elaborated on is all.
Any 25 year old car needs all the electrics and electronics replaced, starter and alternator excluded, if you are talking about a full rebuild. So a new engine with new accessories makes a lot of sense, it is that simple.
