It's been a while since I've posted a Z...

"GhostZ" (GhostZ)
08/06/2014 at 03:28 • Filed to: None

I can feel them calling to me now, begging for more power, more speed, haunting my dreams!

There are cool cars that you buy because you want to drive fast and have fun. And then there are cool cars that you buy because you want to create something beyond reality . Something that is insane and proportionally drives you mad until you can create it. It turns you into Dr. Frankenstein, wanting bringing something dead back to life with a vengeance, even if it means risking your finances, comfort stability, and possibly even safety to create.

The S30 Z, to me, is the latter. Have a Z dump:

DISCUSSION (27)

Dsscats > GhostZ
08/06/2014 at 04:01

Its amazing how easy it is to make one of these look spectacular

1. Front bumper change

2. Slight lowering

3. Wide japanese wheels

4. Carbon/black fender flares

5. Fender mirrors

GhostZ > Dsscats
08/06/2014 at 04:10

What's funny is that Nissan did all of those stock, but we didn't get them in the US, with the G-Nose and Z432. We got the ugly version. I'd rather have door mirrors over fender mirrors, though. I also think you can drop the drag coefficient down to ~.33 or less with a well-designed front end. The stock one is pretty bad (over .37 I think). The 280Z is even worse, with those terrible bumpers.

datsunzep > GhostZ
08/06/2014 at 04:16

ughhhh

The want is strong.

That g nose gets me every time.

Every damn time.

Dsscats > GhostZ
08/06/2014 at 04:27

I don't particularly like the look of the G Nose, actually

GhostZ > Dsscats
08/06/2014 at 04:28

Neither do I, but I would do it to reap the aerodynamic benefits.

datsunzep > Dsscats
08/06/2014 at 04:37

It makes the Z look more like an aggressive muscle car version of the xke. It looks better, imho. My next Z will surely have the g nose. Fender flares, a slight drop, and wider wheels are pretty much a must to go along with the added length.

Dsscats > datsunzep
08/06/2014 at 04:45

The bumper just looks a bit too...modern, i guess. It doesn't look like it belongs

Mattbob > GhostZ
08/06/2014 at 07:10

I found this yesterday.... I want it so bad, but I just got my e36 a few months ago

http://annarbor.craigslist.org/cto/4600025307…

GhostZ > Mattbob
08/06/2014 at 07:51

I fixed up a few things but now need to sell the car so I can get into an AE86

Mattbob > GhostZ
08/06/2014 at 07:54

His loss is another's gain. He probably just started watching initial D

Long Live the Longdoor > GhostZ
08/06/2014 at 08:01

I saw one at a car show this weekend, curiously, it was the only car I bothered taking a photo of:

GhostZ > Mattbob
08/06/2014 at 08:09

Because people don't realize that the AE86 that show was based off of (Keiichi Tsuchiya's) was heavily modified with probably would account for $20,000+ of parts nowadays, and didn't drive at all like a stock one.

Lekker > GhostZ
08/06/2014 at 09:20

Kinja'd!!!

I need me one of those... maybe i should get rid of my z34 for one....I honestly hadn't seen the G nose before. I must say... wow.

GhostZ > Lekker
08/06/2014 at 09:35

If you sell a Z34, you can buy a 280Z with a complete G-nose body kit, bumper delete, fender flares, new wheels, rust repair, new paint, engine refresh and/or V8 swap. They're ridiculously cheap right now.

Lekker > GhostZ
08/06/2014 at 11:09

DO NOT tempt me sir. Gr................. an LS swap with brand new everything sounds so much fun..

NervesOfThrill > GhostZ
08/06/2014 at 16:26

This post is lovely, timely and appreciated. I've narrowed my weekend/track/HPDE care down to the Z. I may be within weeks of fulfilling the dream.

GhostZ > NervesOfThrill
08/06/2014 at 21:35

What models and years are you looking at? Going to do any modifications?

NervesOfThrill > GhostZ
08/08/2014 at 09:26

1st Gen Z's, S30. Oddly, my first choice would be an early model 260Z but I'd also be happy retro'ing a 280Z back to the 240Z look. Yeah, I hope to do some of the normal modifications: intake, carbs, headers, exhaust, suspension, etc. over time. I am not too far from Sebring and Daytona and there are plenty of other driving events around I hope to use the car for. I plan to see what I enjoy the most and build the car accordingly.

GhostZ > NervesOfThrill
08/08/2014 at 09:59

I'm of the opinion that unless you're going to collect it/restore it to original, retrofitting a 280Z is the way to go, there's just too many mechanical advantages.

NervesOfThrill > GhostZ
08/08/2014 at 10:47

That is what I've read and why I'm skipping original 240Z's to go for the 260/280Z's. The stiffer, extended frame is a big one for me given my plans for the car.

I've read equal support for sticking to the fuel injection of the 280Z's versus replacing with carbs. The argument seems to be reliability/ease vs upside potential and ease of modding.

Have a preference on retrofitting carbs vs keeping the fuel injection system?

GhostZ > NervesOfThrill
08/08/2014 at 11:05

The 260z is rarer (only 1 year), more costly, doesn't have all the same benefits and still needs work to get the 240Z look, though not as much.

I think the only extended frames were the 2+2 models, otherwise, the 240Z, 260z, and 280z all had the same basic frame. Body panels swap usually, but not between the 2+2 and 2 seater. But the 2-seater 280z frame was stiffer and stronger, and slightly heavier than the 240z.

The fuel injection system is a mechanical Bosch system and is really dead simple reliable . Get it right once, and it won't go out of tune or break on you no matter how much you wail on it. It's nothing like the vacuum-operated porsche units of the time, which are universally bad.

The fuel injection was more powerful than the dual carbs, but less powerful than the triple Webers when tuned for performance. However, the EFI got 30mpg and the performance-tuned Webers got only around 25mpg. So going with carbs is either a performance drop with the 4-barrel or twin 2-barrel kit, or it's a reliability and MPG drop with the triple webers. The FI looks the worst aesthetically, though.

Arizona Z-Car makes a 4-barrel kit ( http://www.arizonazcar.com/manifold.html ) that works with all of those muscle car carbs, but depending on how you do it, it's still less powerful than the triple webers. However, the triple webers are the most costly and difficult to tune (from what I've heard) way to do it. The only better system is to just go aftermarket EFI. So this means that unless you plan on replacing the entire intake, the stock FI is pretty good. You'll never get the right 'triple weber' sound though, using the stock FI.

Arizona Z-car actually makes a ton of awesome parts, but they're usually backordered or out of stock because they're such a niche supplier. You can find them aftermarket though from other Z-enthusiasts.

NervesOfThrill > GhostZ
08/08/2014 at 11:54

That's spot on what I've been reading about FI vs Carbs. I was lined up to buy a 280Z with triple webers that is reasonably close to me and was warned off by those who had been through the triple weber set up and were not fond of the tuning challenges.

In terms of the frame differences, the 260Z did get structural changes:

The 260Z claimed a few updates or improvements over the 240Z. The climate controls were more sensibly laid out and easier to work, and those cars with air conditioning now had the A/C system integrated into the main climate control panel. There was also additional stiffness in the chassis due to a redesign of the chassis rails which were larger and extended further back than previous models. A Rear sway bar was added as well. The 260Z debuted a redesigned dashboard and console, as well as new seat trim, and door panels for the interior. The tail lights were updated, moving the back up lights from the main tail light housing to the back panel.

The 260Z was born the same year as I and that is part of the draw for me honestly.

GhostZ > NervesOfThrill
08/08/2014 at 12:33

...redesign of the chassis rails which were larger and extended further back than previous models....

I thought you meant the entire chassis itself (as in, car length) was extended, my bad.

Another thing to legitimately consider if you're going to track it is an engine swap. The L engine has very limited potential and is extremely expensive to build beyond 250HP, even if the block will take it. Expensive maxima diesel crankshaft, intake tuning, custom-grind camshaft, higher compression pistons, valve springs, and a custom exhaust header will cost you easily $10,000 or more, and will only get you to 250HP, and a turbo kit without any of the prior stuff will get you at about the same level, but beyond that you'll need a lot of custom-fabricated parts. There are just much cheaper alternatives out there to making more power.

NervesOfThrill > GhostZ
08/08/2014 at 12:40

Yeah, I am anxious to see what 200 or so HP feels like in a car this light first. If it feels underpowered then I would probably swap to a RB20DET since there is a shop here that does the whole swap for a reasonable price. Their work looks spectacular too.

GhostZ > NervesOfThrill
08/08/2014 at 12:45

RB20DET since there is a shop here that does the whole swap for a reasonable price

Lucky bastard .

Comment edited, when I remembered that you're around Daytona. How are they getting regular RB motors into Florida? I haven't heard of a shop that specializes in those swaps in the US.

250-300 seems like the most fun you can have in an S30 without getting dangerous, so 200 should be more than adequate from my driving experience.

NervesOfThrill > GhostZ
08/08/2014 at 12:49

Sorry meant SR20DET and was just about to fix it. Here they are: http://www.zfever.com/v1/Services-En…

GhostZ > NervesOfThrill
08/08/2014 at 12:52

Oh, that makes much more sense.

That's actually pretty great pricing.

Have a video of an SR20 swapped 240z:

Funny enough, I first posted this video a few years back when it had like, 3000 views. It exploded since.