My soon to be 350z in S14 240sx clothing
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From: Cincinnati, Ohio
I had to remove this old biatch.

My busted *** hot water heater. This old thing has been in service since the 70s. It wouldnt pump out enough water to make it through a one shower.
I didnt plan on replacing it just yet, I was just going to wait till it croaked completely or right before winter which ever came first, but the deal I got on this bad boy I couldnt pass up:

It was on clearance as a scratch and dent. The computer board was fried on it and the plastic drain valve was destroyed on it. They had it marked down from $570 to $200 and it came with a new computer board it just needed to be installed. After I nit picked the drain valve and the missing vent flume I snagged it for $175. So I loaded her up and brought her home. I soon realized there was one slight road bump in this install I was about to do...

My heavy *** concrete service tub that took up waaaay to much room, so in order to get the old hot water heater out from under the steps this thing needed to be out of the way. My brother and I tried sliding it out of the way and out my basement through the garage. Well the chump metal platform it was on clappsed because it was so old and rotted, so I got out my favorite tool:

The BFH and went to town on the bad boy. The remains:

Loaded it all up in my Frontier along with the old hot water heater and got rid of it all. Replaced the computer board and the drain valve and hooked everything back up. Fired up the new hot water heater and it works like a champ. Went and got a shower stayed in there as long as I could to see how long it took for the water to go cold and it never did. Freakin sweet!
Next day I went and did what I have always wanted to do... I jumped out of a plane at 10,000 feet. Oh my god what a rush. I cannot wait to do it again, un-freakin real. Looks like I have another new expensive hobby. If you guys ever have a chance to do it and you want to do it... DO IT! Talk about the ultimate rush, they say you can hit 150 mph on the free fall, its wicked!
Today I got my VQ30 block in, it was all nasty dirty that wouldnt do for what I wanted to do with it. So I took it to a guy I know who sand blasted everything for me:

All clean and ready for paint. I painted it a almost chrome color. Then I assembled it:




My last piece of furniture ill buy for my new crib for awhile my VQ30 powered coffee table. I know its not the VQ35 but its essentially the same and alot cheaper to purchase lol.
Last edited by SinisterSntra91; Sep 8, 2009 at 03:16 PM.
Amazing thread. I just read through pretty much all of it.
I don't think it can get better than this for a car enthusiast. When you have the skills and space to do your own work and actually fabricate parts.
I hope someday to be half as skilled. I could build the pro-touring muscle car I am dreaming about.
Congratulations, really
I don't think it can get better than this for a car enthusiast. When you have the skills and space to do your own work and actually fabricate parts.
I hope someday to be half as skilled. I could build the pro-touring muscle car I am dreaming about.
Congratulations, really
Wow....words cannot explain, i read this entire thread from beginning to end. I thought I had DIY skills...I think you may have put me to shame. My old car an Eagle Talon was the ultimate frankenstein motor. Built and assembled from 4 cars and man it looks like a backyard project compared to this, what is even more ridiculous and that I actually had stolen some of these techniques I've appplied to my Z in the last week. I will have to share them on another thread as to not steal from your glory. I myself would like to help you and all of your endeavor. You should post your paypal address so you can receive donations or something. Obviously just getting this mother****er finished would be reason to help you out. by no means have you been a slacker when it comes to this project.
I do have a couple of questions/clarifications.
I keep seeing people talk about the vq30det iirc the one i think is being refered to is the motor from the z32 from the '90-99 300zx? which is not a vq engine but rather the VG designation
-I'm aware there are vg turbos but i thought were made by Nissan for their jgtc cars instead of the rb motors (the straight 6 motors has oil pressure issues at high rpms the v motors escape)
The only thing I didn't pay attention to was the turbo you're using I have a t61 I will eventually downsize for more aggressive streetability on my single turbo application such as a more typical T4. What are you using?
I run a base Z with a "wet" weight of 3330 with the turbosystem (yes actuall weight). It started life with a wet weight claim of 3198 from Nissan. Any clues or guesses on your car's weight. Maybe the weight of the motor pulled and the weight of the vq you stuffed in to guage a good comparison.
Anyway keep up the good work on such a ridiculous build
I do have a couple of questions/clarifications.
I keep seeing people talk about the vq30det iirc the one i think is being refered to is the motor from the z32 from the '90-99 300zx? which is not a vq engine but rather the VG designation
-I'm aware there are vg turbos but i thought were made by Nissan for their jgtc cars instead of the rb motors (the straight 6 motors has oil pressure issues at high rpms the v motors escape)
The only thing I didn't pay attention to was the turbo you're using I have a t61 I will eventually downsize for more aggressive streetability on my single turbo application such as a more typical T4. What are you using?
I run a base Z with a "wet" weight of 3330 with the turbosystem (yes actuall weight). It started life with a wet weight claim of 3198 from Nissan. Any clues or guesses on your car's weight. Maybe the weight of the motor pulled and the weight of the vq you stuffed in to guage a good comparison.
Anyway keep up the good work on such a ridiculous build
Wow....words cannot explain, i read this entire thread from beginning to end. I thought I had DIY skills...I think you may have put me to shame. My old car an Eagle Talon was the ultimate frankenstein motor. Built and assembled from 4 cars and man it looks like a backyard project compared to this, what is even more ridiculous and that I actually had stolen some of these techniques I've appplied to my Z in the last week. I will have to share them on another thread as to not steal from your glory. I myself would like to help you and all of your endeavor. You should post your paypal address so you can receive donations or something. Obviously just getting this mother****er finished would be reason to help you out. by no means have you been a slacker when it comes to this project.
I do have a couple of questions/clarifications.
I keep seeing people talk about the vq30det iirc the one i think is being refered to is the motor from the z32 from the '90-99 300zx? which is not a vq engine but rather the VG designation
-I'm aware there are vg turbos but i thought were made by Nissan for their jgtc cars instead of the rb motors (the straight 6 motors has oil pressure issues at high rpms the v motors escape)
The only thing I didn't pay attention to was the turbo you're using I have a t61 I will eventually downsize for more aggressive streetability on my single turbo application such as a more typical T4. What are you using?
I run a base Z with a "wet" weight of 3330 with the turbosystem (yes actuall weight). It started life with a wet weight claim of 3198 from Nissan. Any clues or guesses on your car's weight. Maybe the weight of the motor pulled and the weight of the vq you stuffed in to guage a good comparison.
Anyway keep up the good work on such a ridiculous build
I do have a couple of questions/clarifications.
I keep seeing people talk about the vq30det iirc the one i think is being refered to is the motor from the z32 from the '90-99 300zx? which is not a vq engine but rather the VG designation
-I'm aware there are vg turbos but i thought were made by Nissan for their jgtc cars instead of the rb motors (the straight 6 motors has oil pressure issues at high rpms the v motors escape)
The only thing I didn't pay attention to was the turbo you're using I have a t61 I will eventually downsize for more aggressive streetability on my single turbo application such as a more typical T4. What are you using?
I run a base Z with a "wet" weight of 3330 with the turbosystem (yes actuall weight). It started life with a wet weight claim of 3198 from Nissan. Any clues or guesses on your car's weight. Maybe the weight of the motor pulled and the weight of the vq you stuffed in to guage a good comparison.
Anyway keep up the good work on such a ridiculous build
vq30 is some unicorn from japan or something. All i know is i want one and that its a vq35 with smaller displacement to make thicker cylinder walls and twin turbos.

but i was bummed to see that this thread wasn't updated by op.
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Wow....words cannot explain, i read this entire thread from beginning to end. I thought I had DIY skills...I think you may have put me to shame. My old car an Eagle Talon was the ultimate frankenstein motor. Built and assembled from 4 cars and man it looks like a backyard project compared to this, what is even more ridiculous and that I actually had stolen some of these techniques I've appplied to my Z in the last week. I will have to share them on another thread as to not steal from your glory. I myself would like to help you and all of your endeavor. You should post your paypal address so you can receive donations or something. Obviously just getting this mother****er finished would be reason to help you out. by no means have you been a slacker when it comes to this project.
I truly thank everyone for their support and compliments that have fueled the fire to keep me going on this project. I am currently getting some debts paid down and things repaired on my house before winter hits, so my bills arent so high.
I do have a couple of questions/clarifications.
I keep seeing people talk about the vq30det iirc the one i think is being refered to is the motor from the z32 from the '90-99 300zx? which is not a vq engine but rather the VG designation
-I'm aware there are vg turbos but i thought were made by Nissan for their jgtc cars instead of the rb motors (the straight 6 motors has oil pressure issues at high rpms the v motors escape)
The only thing I didn't pay attention to was the turbo you're using I have a t61 I will eventually downsize for more aggressive streetability on my single turbo application such as a more typical T4. What are you using?
I run a base Z with a "wet" weight of 3330 with the turbosystem (yes actuall weight). It started life with a wet weight claim of 3198 from Nissan. Any clues or guesses on your car's weight. Maybe the weight of the motor pulled and the weight of the vq you stuffed in to guage a good comparison.
Anyway keep up the good work on such a ridiculous build
I keep seeing people talk about the vq30det iirc the one i think is being refered to is the motor from the z32 from the '90-99 300zx? which is not a vq engine but rather the VG designation
-I'm aware there are vg turbos but i thought were made by Nissan for their jgtc cars instead of the rb motors (the straight 6 motors has oil pressure issues at high rpms the v motors escape)
The only thing I didn't pay attention to was the turbo you're using I have a t61 I will eventually downsize for more aggressive streetability on my single turbo application such as a more typical T4. What are you using?
I run a base Z with a "wet" weight of 3330 with the turbosystem (yes actuall weight). It started life with a wet weight claim of 3198 from Nissan. Any clues or guesses on your car's weight. Maybe the weight of the motor pulled and the weight of the vq you stuffed in to guage a good comparison.
Anyway keep up the good work on such a ridiculous build
VQ30DET is the turbo charged version of the VQ30DE. VQ30DE is a earlier variant of the VQ35DE. In fact the VQ series goes back to a 2.0L variation. The VQ30DE can be found in various cars in the US such as the Maxima and Infinit I30, but all the cars in the US that were released with a VQ30DE IIRC were all FWD. They released RWD versions in Japan that were NA VQ30DEs and Turbo charged versions that are VQ30DETs. VQ30DETs never made it to the US in production cars. All were automatics though. Until the 350z was released there were no manual transmissions available for these engines, because of this. the motor was simply over looked as a possible donor in other vehicles. Since the VQ30 and VQ35 blocks are essentially the same, the VQ35DE trans makes a manual swap possible.
I am using a GT35R turbo, the turbo setup is modeled after the powerlab 350z GT35R kit. I thought about buying the kit, but I knew it would have to be modified for such an application and I couldnt stomach cutting up such an expensive kit.
Weight is going to be close to that of a KA-T 240sx. Believe it or not the KA24DEs that come in 240s are very close in weight to that of the VQ35DE. The difference is the material the motors are made of (KAs = cast iron, VQs = Aluminum) So weight to weight IIRC, S14s weigh 700lbs less than Z33s so weight shouldnt be an issue at all lol.
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Patience guys, my friend and I are putting together a portfolio and such and trying to get sponsors on board with this. If anyone who reads this has any experience with obtaining a sponsorship or anyone with any helpful info please pass it along, I want to finish this car but at my pace it will take another year or so lol.



