If you dont mind how much did this cost you TOTAL.
PM me if you prefer,

Anxious to hear!

Thanks

 

a little over 6k with the engine and upgrades...

 

illphil, have you tracked a 350Z? I race one and I can tell you that the balance is perfect. It may not be 50/50 but it handles better than my previous racecar (BMW M3). 3200lbs is not heavy for a racecar with over 300hp, have you ever heard of "showroom stock" racing, where the car is relatively close to stock, ie heavy.....

Forsberg had his car down to 2600lbs because he stripped the car down to nothing, no interior, fiberglass body panels etc. Its not 2600lbs because of the SR20. Yes the weight of the SR20 engine may be less than a VQ35 but when you start adding the Turbo, Intercooler, Oil cooler, Radiator, Turbo Manifold etc, extra piping etc..., the difference in weight between a VQ35 and its engine ancillaries and that of the SR20DET are close, maybe you save 100-150lbs. Dont forget you have to remove the A/C to fit the SR20DET, if you remove the A/C with the VQ35 you save aprox 60lbs.

And my comments regarding the JGTC engines, yes I know those motors cost an enormous ammount of money. I was directing my comments more towards the cars used in the GT300 class. The GT300 350Z are not factory backed cars, they are privateer cars and therefore are on a relatively small budget compared to the factory GT500 teams. If the SR20 was such a great solution, dont you think they would take an "off the shelf" SR20 race motor and install it in the 350Z instead of developing the VQ35? The reason they are using the VQ35 is because it produces far more torque and is actually a great basis for a race motor.

I know you will remind me that Toyota used the 4cylinder Turbo motor in their Supra JGTC car for a number of years and I will inform you that the reason they did that is for two reasons 1) They used the 4cylinder turbo Group C/GTP motor that they had spend tens of millions on over 10 years so all they had to do was take a motor "off the shelf" and install it, no R&D, lots of HP and very reliable. 2) The stock Supra Straight-6 cylinder motor is very heavy and could not be moved back enough in the chassis to achieve the balance they needed. Keep in mind the length of the Straight-6 motor is a lot more than a V-6 like in our cars.

 

This is Scott a.k.a. Enthalpy, all stock bottom end.

http://fugu.trnetworks.net/~geoff/mo...9rwhp_dyno.wmv

http://fugu.trnetworks.net/~geoff/mo...3_at_night.wmv

 

One of the reasons for JGTC is not only just a series for the sake of winning races, but also for automotive development for general application. Sure they could have gone with the tried and true SR or RB series motors and do away with having to spend money for R&D, but the inline configuration as we know it is gone for Japan and the VQ is the future for Nissan sports cars (as is the V6 platform for many other Japanese makers) and what better test bed to use it in than JGTC???

 

Hey man where in the Inland Empire are you located? I'm in Upland and I'd like to stop by to check this beast out sometime of you don't mind.

 

Yes, I have tracked and do track my car and am constantly beating on it. Yes, the balance is very nice on the car but when you start pushing the limits of the car, dropping weight is always good. Yes, I realize you add components to the engine assembly and lose AC. But you also get to push the engine farther back and set it lower (SR), both add to the handling of the vehicle and depending on if the poster weighs the car should HOPEFULLY drop around 150-200lbs which can be huge.

I also realize Forsberg stripped his interior and replaced body panels (I'm not foolish enough to think its all motor weight), and if you are going far enough to drop a custom mounted and configured SR20 into a Z33 chassis- why do anything less? You are going to lose most dash instrumentation, AC, etc... this swap would be done for competitive reasons and should be taken to its full extent. If I do this swap, I would be happy with an sr20 and a 2800-2900 curb weight before gutting it which is VERY possible and from there 2700lbs or so is attainable. That and 300-400whp is fine for me.

Yes, this motor would be fine for the GT300 due to hp restrictions but don't underestimate the budget of the private teams. Some cars undergo drastic changes to prepare for the class as well as having extremely lighter race weights compared to our cars by moving the motor placement, drivetrain layout etc.... not trying to be a jackass, you are very correct on info but you do also have to look at it from a different standpoint and for the fact that most people won't acknowledge that it could be a very functional swap and VQ isn't the always the best solution...yet.

-Phil

 

Zilvia

 

I got some bad news for you, but my car's curb weight is 3005 lbs, with no carbon fiber on it yet and the stock seats left to be changed. I also don't have an SR20, nor have I stripped the interior.

 

How is that bad news?

 

Just saying that the Z doesn't have to give up her motor or insides to be lighter. I mean, in another year, I expect mine will be lighter than an S2000.

 

Hey more power to you, this swap wouldn't be for everyone. You'd definitely get props if you can get sub 2800 without being in full race trim. I think people are taking what I'm arguing in the wrong way, I'm just saying that this is a good idea for a purposeful lightweight racecar but not for everyone. What frustrates me (just like other sites and so forth) is the lack of open mindedness, and how quickly people try to shoot down ideas because they want to stick with what came stock. Whether its creating new parts for the VQ or changing it out for an SR or RB we wouldn't be anywhere in the industry unless people tried new things to be innovative and original. Shoot, its twice as bad on RX-7 forums when guys ditch the rotary for something more reliable. But like I said, more power to you (at least some acknowledge that weight is an issue) and to the poster. I know I will probably be going the same route when the money is there.

 

Illphil,
I dont think there is a lack of openmidness on this issue. The point that myself and others are trying to make, are that the reasons you have given for putting an SR20 in a 350Z chassis (weight and power) are non-issues. You can get the 350z just as light with the VQ35, and as far as power goes, the VQ actually has more power (and torque) straight out of the box let alone the potential for more when modified. If you want to be different and put an SR20 in the car, then good for you. Just dont try to convince us that this is a better solution than the VQ35.

 

Hey I'll be openminded in return then, and say just like I said earlier- more power to you if you can get the chassis as light with the VQ!!!... but depending on motor weights and weight reductions I don't see how its mathematically possible if the SR weighs less. I know many people don't think that 100-200 lbs is whole lot but depending on the type of track use it can make a great difference and so can being able to reposition the motor (i.e. your JGTC reference). The VQ is great and the aftermarket support is now really boooming, some of the people I have talked to seem to think that the reason people disagree is the fact that they think I'm talking crap about their $30k sports car and its motor. I love my car but I bought it to be competitive, and IMO (again IMO) I'll take a 10-20% weight reduction and cheaper motor to replace than spend $5-$10k on the motor alone and still weigh in around 3000 lbs. But thats just me and bought my car for heavy track duty and whatever kind of competition I can afford to get involved in. But again more power to ya, don't take any of this as me dissing the VQ or our Z33 chassis or you at all but just my opinion on how to be a little more competitive. This is why we have forums like this, and I can honestly say I've had more fun talking on posts like this with people throwing out info left and right than some of the redundent posts I see. Cheers-

-Phil

 

I'm curious....Usually, lower number of cylinders = less torque. Do you have a graph (or a guesstimate) of what the torque numbers on this thing are going to be? I'd imagine that since it's going to be a Drift car, torque is going to be very important to you.

Cool project though.

 

Illphill,
all the power too you, good luck with the project. Before you pull the VQ35 try to get dyno numbers and maybe some acceleration runs, would be an interesting comparison too figures with the SR20.

I would be impressed if you put a SR20 into a 240Z, now that would be cool.

 

Even if it does make the car a little rear weight biased, that would not be a bad thing. Rear weight biased is more desirable to me.

 

1000 hp JGTC cars?????? As someone else pointed out, JGTC500 class is limited to less then 600rwhp.

 

Definitely, hopefully I can make it happen in the next couple of months. I need to get ahold of the poster and try and figure out a few odds and ends before I start buying parts. But if I do get to try and fabricate this swap, I will definitely get pre-numbers, engine weights, track feel etc.

 

I put a new engine in my car too, but I forgot to take the old one out. The car goes like 500mph now...

But seriously, that's very, very cool. Now I just want to see the brave soul that stuffs the 4.5L in there.