The Virtue Z (1972 RB Swap)

[Tanuki]

So today i finally sold the STI. Not that I didn't love it, just wanted to eliminate the payment. Anyways along the way I had a guy try to trade me a 77 celica w/ f22c swap and a ton of goodies, for the car plus cash (obviously). I did everything that I could to come up with the cash to buy his car (you can't loan out for a 77 celica), but once I worked my pants off to get the money together, it turned out that he couldn't get financed on even half of what I was asking! I was really ticked as I really wanted the updated classic car, even if it had a few flaws. Anyways this all inspired me. You see his car was supposedly known as "el diablo" basically a super bad a mother sucker. A car unlike any other on the planet. Well I feel the sudden urge to one up him, so I am now going to build a 72 240z and update it as well, but better. I am not only doing this to one up him, I really want an updated classic, and the 240z is one of my favorites. So presenting the beginning of a beautiful relationship:
The Virtue:
1972 240z
All original with a few upgrades
71k original miles
New Paint
http://i813.photobucket.com/albums/zz55/CelestialBeingExia/DSC_0450.jpg
http://i813.photobucket.com/albums/zz55/CelestialBeingExia/DSC_0451.jpg
http://i813.photobucket.com/albums/zz55/CelestialBeingExia/DSC_0452.jpg
http://i813.photobucket.com/albums/zz55/CelestialBeingExia/DSC_0454.jpg
http://i813.photobucket.com/albums/zz55/CelestialBeingExia/DSC_0457.jpg

Just to begin, I am ordering the new heart: RB26
I know this is kind of childish, but I gotta spend that money I saved up!
Here is a pic of "El Diablo"
http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n257/rcodea/3b41c38a.jpg

[Tanuki]

Picked up a few parts locally : :)
4runner newly reconditioned brakes with new brake pads
http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z310/jaspendlove/For%20Sale%20Items/063.jpg
2 Subaru power steering racks.
McKinney 240z to Rb26det motor mounts and tranny mount. New. Never installed.
http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z310/jaspendlove/For%20Sale%20Items/108.jpg
Also picked up some power locks, and Power window assemblies.
Project is getting started now that I am throwing money at it!

[Tanuki]

Well all the local guys with motors were taking to long to get back to me, so I just ordered the RB26 (from a R33) from JDM of Miami. I expressed concern with the fact that I had heard of motors coming with low compression etc, and Carlos over there said he would email photos of a compression test on the motor he will personally do monday before shipping the motor. He also gave me a great deal by paying just through pay pal and not the ebay auction (this way I am still protected by pay pal).
Anyways here is a picture of the engine as it sits:
http://imagehost.vendio.com/bin/imageserver.x/00000000/jdmofmiami/RB26R33SWAP21.JPG
Here is the Ad:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180446054398&viewitem=&_trkparms=algo%3DLVI%26its%3DI%26otn%3D1&category=33615 (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180446054398&viewitem=&_trkparms=algo%3DLVI%26its%3DI%26otn%3D1&category=33615)
I also printed out the full add before it comes down from ebay (to protect me).

[WIKID S4TEEN]

Well el diablo is cool and all but this Z will be "Jefe de Jefes".
Good luck!

[Tanuki]

not saying that "el diablo" is bad, I just want to one up him due to the circumstance ;)

[Xbroke_kidX]

Wow thats one clean ass Z to start on

[boostdd]

cant wait for the finished product

[idriveattz32]

shouldn't be hard to one up him, I see lots of room for improvement on the Celica. I suggest you seek out a G-nose if you want to really step it up, but you're off to a great start as it stands...good luck!

[drftwerks]

gold gtr brembos would go good with that gtr motorset....

[ayuaddict]

is that an original un-cracked dash?

if so, welcome to the (quite exclusive apparently) club sir.

[smellslikecurry]

ive been looking for an uncracked dash EVERYWHERE. congrats

[RUTH'LESSDET]

nice clean Z

[Tanuki]

nope two big cracks on the center pods :( I am going to suede wrap the dash anyway, so Im not too upset about it.

[ZilviaKid]

this build has the potential to be fantastic!

wooooo!

[ericcastro]

cool car.

you should look into better brakes and suspention with that monster ancor of an engine in the front. wilwood or brembos, and the real race stuff.

Start looking into what kinds of set ups the BRE team was doing in the day when that car was competitive for suspention.

If the engines ordered, cool, you will love it.
But if not, go with a mildly built SR20. it sits BEHIND the front wheels and is alot lighter.
There are some guys that have there cars at every JCCS with SR's and RB's, and they all swear on the SR swap over RB.

would love to see this thing all together.

[240sxfamily]

sick theres a local guy near me with one of these, and its to die for. hhaha rbs sound gross! :)

[GSXRJJordan]

Sweet start.

Let me know if you want that RB26 engine harness tucked and loomed, or just the swap wiring done. If you're really trying to update the suspension, Arizona Z Car has a bunch of goodies you can use, if you've got the $$$.

[drift freaq]

Wait a minute! You have a 1972 240Z with 71k original miles and you are going to swap out the engine and start modding the hell out of it. Its a classic and looks way to clean and perfect to be doing that to.

If the car had over 150k on and the engine was not the original stock engine I would do what your doing.
Though you are messing with a Classic that with that mileage is a collectors item.

If you mod it it would be a travesty, I honestly cannot believe how blind you guys are to this.

[spooled240]

i know that's the same thing I thought when i saw the mileage, it's hard to find s14's with that kinda mileage. But if it were me I'd keep the stock engine, throw an old school trust or trust style dual exhaust(if i could find one lol) and drop that ish on some old school wheels

[chitownguy]

Are you sure it 71k original miles? That odometer could have rolled over and it could actually have 171k miles.

Either way stock collectors cars are boring. Modified cars are fun.

[Tanuki]

yeah based on the interior etc I am pretty positive they are original miles. previous owner said they are as well. EIther way the only reason i wanted a clean one was to put stuff into it. I didn't buy it for the original motor. If someone has an equally clean shell I will gladly sell you my car and buy your shell before I start ripping this apart. I paid for the motor, but they advertised it as an r33 motor, and the more I look at it and talk with others, I think it is an r32. I am scared that if it is, it has the crank issue.

[Chernobyl]

That's a great looking Z. Makes me miss the '73 I drove in high school. Enjoy it!

[Tanuki]

I just re read the ad and am not seeing anything that says actual motor shown. So maybe I still have a chance. I emailed the vendor as the motor is not scheduled to ship until monday, so hopefully we can get this all cleared up.

JDM SKYLINE GT-R R33 RB26DETT SWAP RB25DET Trans. RB26:eBay Motors (item 180446054398 end time Dec-23-09 14:51:33 PST) (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180446054398&viewitem=&_trkparms=algo%3DLVI%26its%3DI%26otn%3D1&category=33615)

[ayuaddict]

Are you sure it 71k original miles? That odometer could have rolled over and it could actually have 171k miles.

Either way stock collectors cars are boring. Modified cars are fun.

my Z just hit 67,000 miles.

and i DESTROYED mine.

[ericcastro]

yeah, you live once.
gas powered cars are on the way out.
by the time your 50 they will be track only cars and need special permits to move on the street.

So MOD it while the last years of pure gas powered cars are here :)

and there are TONS of Z's.
its not an old Duesenberg or even a bluebird 510 with low miles. (like my friend took apart and is building a full track car, lol.)

[Antihero983]

Wait a minute! You have a 1972 240Z with 71k original miles and you are going to swap out the engine and start modding the hell out of it. Its a classic and looks way to clean and perfect to be doing that to.

If the car had over 150k on and the engine was not the original stock engine I would do what your doing.
Though you are messing with a Classic that with that mileage is a collectors item.

If you mod it it would be a travesty, I honestly cannot believe how blind you guys are to this.

QUOTED FOR MOTHERFUCKING TRUTH.

As a former S30 owner, I see modding this clean example as nothing short of a travesty.

[ayuaddict]

i think its great.

[Chernobyl]

Lol @ modding it is a travesty!

It's his car. Let him have fun with it. I assume you also think all those clean examples of modded S30s from Japan are a travesty as well?

[upsdude]

what good is a car if you don't drive it? i don't see the point of having a car, classic or not, if you're not going to drive it and enjoy it. it's a car not a painting-but hey to each his own :)

[codyace]

Wait a minute! You have a 1972 240Z with 71k original miles and you are going to swap out the engine and start modding the hell out of it. Its a classic and looks way to clean and perfect to be doing that to.

If the car had over 150k on and the engine was not the original stock engine I would do what your doing.
Though you are messing with a Classic that with that mileage is a collectors item.

If you mod it it would be a travesty, I honestly cannot believe how blind you guys are to this.

It's a car. Who cares. Sure its a sweet old car, but it's not anywhere near other cars on the 'value' scale. As long as it's done tastefully, I'm all for it. If it was some hackneyed stuff swap I could understand, but we're not at that stage yet.


O/P, Merry Xmas, and good luck with a sweet project car.

[chitownguy]

my Z just hit 67,000 miles.

and i DESTROYED mine.

I know and that's why I love you! But seriously 67k? Fuck I wish mine was low miles like that.

[ryguy]

Regardless of where you stand on the classic car issue, keep that mofo out of the salt!

[Quail]

I long for an S30. Yours looks seriously clean! Just don't start cutting the shit out of it, everything it reversible :)

[Tanuki]

Ha not in the salt. I have a dd AE86 for now during winter. As for cutting etc you really dont have to change anything permanently for the swap.

[brndck]

i reeeeeaaaaallllly dislike the color. otherwise i think its rad.

[Tanuki]

its going to this color code once I have it set up:
http://www.ausmotive.com/images/Nissan-GTR-SpecV-07s.jpg

[omgRWDgoodness!]

I think 280Zs are nicer, but that's still some cool stuff you got goin on

[ayuaddict]

why?

i mean, besides the awesome (huge & ugly) bumpers and the extra 400 pounds of bullshit.

[franklin93zx]

There were atleast 3 rb swapped s30's at z nationals, they came in as a group and it sounded freakin intense!

[awesomenick]

I saw it. It's clean, but I still say you should make it sweet. No reason (IMO) to keep it mostly stock.

Haha. I like these old cars, and if I was in a different place financially I'd want to build something old too. When is that motorset supposed to come in?

[drift freaq]

Lol @ modding it is a travesty!

It's his car. Let him have fun with it. I assume you also think all those clean examples of modded S30s from Japan are a travesty as well?

This proves your ignorance of S30's in Japan(or lack of thought about how it was). S30's in Japan could be purchased new fully modded. Oh and fact is most Japanese collectors that have clean low mileage S30's keep them in whatever stock trim they came including 432ZG's which came stock with a S20 engine and bubble flares/g nose and rear spoiler and wider wheels.

Oh and just because it looks clean and its modded does not mean it has low mileage either. I would hazard to say your statement was even made without even your own full knowledge of the cars of which you speak.

Oh and I doubt any Japanese guy that has a clean low mileage S30 would even allow the thought to enter their head about swapping a clean stock low mileage engine out. They know the value and rarity of the cars at this time.

Fact is there is nothing wrong with modding a stock low mileage z as long as its all about suspension upgrades and you are not doing a heart transplant. Or affecting its body work adversely.

These cars are now collectable and a 260Z just fetched 15k at auction yesterday.
The above car has a value well over 10k possibly upwards of 20k based on its mileage and original equipment.

Ignorance for preserving a collectible does not hide the stupidity behind modding it to the point of it losing value.

Cherynobl you are not the typical ignorant Zilvian and I expect better sensibility out of you.

Oh and to Eric Castro, LOL you think Z's are not rare now? Hahahahaha you have no freaking idea unless you try to find a good one. They are indeed getting damn rare.
Oh and people like you do not help the situation. If people adopted your attitude we would not have any classics they would all be destroyed by your everything is disposable mentality.

Oh and to any asswipe who takes the ignorant zilvian comment as elitist? Its not, its a fact, if any of you want to change it then start reading and learn. Instead of constantly posting stupid questions that have been asked 5 million times.

[Tanuki]

I started photoshoping today as I wait for the motor to ship. I am also getting ready to order gauges so I can install them as I have the car apart / am wiring everything. I want to do an alcantra/ suede dash with baseball stitching.

Here is what I am thinking right now:
http://i813.photobucket.com/albums/zz55/CelestialBeingExia/ZDashPlans.jpg

I'm not sure though as I might want to leave the GTR cluster in one piece rather than separating to fit into the OEM Cluster cut outs.

Here is a PS of it in the car:
http://i813.photobucket.com/albums/zz55/CelestialBeingExia/ZmockDASH.jpg

[mrmephistopheles]

Ok, - unoriginal ideas aside, this is not a build thread and has no place in Chat.

This should have been (if anything) a picture of the Z and a blurb about your PLANS in the pic thread. If you want to make a build thread, DO the build, DOCUMENT the build, and then POST the build. Nobody cares about plans.