Please, convince me why I shouldn't put a VH in my Slicktop...

[SuperHatch]

I'm stealing your rim/tire combo, not literally though. Loving the look!

Thanks!!

[Carl H]

lame that the hood wont close without mods...i personally dont care for the mazworx plenum.looks very good otherwise, should be a fun fun daily.

[X-TuN]

i heard the Vh45 bottoms ends are good to 500hp boosted on stock bottom ends. just wanted to know if the motor would have to be rebuild to reach these numbers... any info would be a big help. im seriously thinkin' of goin the VH route for my next swap. just need 2 justify it compared 2 my other options.

[Carl H]

how good is your tuner?

back on topic...awesome swap!i want a z32 2+2 so bad.

[npez]

Steve,

The Z is looking awesome. I sent you an e-mail RE:Harness. The house remodel is pretty much done, so I'll be starting back on mine shortly, after your and MRJERRY's harnesses are done. Great job man - very clean....

Nick.

[SuperHatch]

Steve,

The Z is looking awesome. I sent you an e-mail RE:Harness. The house remodel is pretty much done, so I'll be starting back on mine shortly, after your and MRJERRY's harnesses are done. Great job man - very clean....

Nick.

Thanks Nick, As soon as I get your spare crossmember I'll make you some new engine mounts...

[T45]

What are you doing as far as oil pan goes? I am seriously thinking of keeping front sump this time around, making my life a lot easier. Is Craig modding oil pans?

I will re-do my xmember a bit, raising the engine up a little as my exh mani's were tapping the xmember when the engine moved. It looks like your engine sits pretty high compared to mine. Please elaborate on your pan setup.

Still have a good VH for sale? I may as well just bring you my Z to finish/re-do it for me. lol

[SuperHatch]

I'm tired as heck right now. Tomorrow is first start day... I'll get into more details and post pics/vid then.

[gs14racer]

Steve,

Where did you get those wheels out of curiosity.

Jerry

[SuperHatch]

Steve,

Where did you get those wheels out of curiosity.

Jerry

Jerry,

Got them from Performance Nissan in CA about a year ago. They were on closeout being sold at a rediculously low price that I couldn't pass up.

Car runs.... kinda. Fuel pump is shot. It'll run on ether, but it won't build any fuel pressure and the pump sounds horrible. I'll order another pump Monday and we'll go from there...

[T45]

Don't forget, either TT or Q fuel pump! Like, I'm sure you know but hey, everybody has momentary lapses.

[SuperHatch]

Everybody likes pictures...

Intake:





Surge Tank:



Radiator all buttoned up:





Crossmember:

Swaybar Spacer:

PS Manifold:

DS Manifold:

Ground Clearance:

Right before first start attempt:

[Carl H]

great work man...looks amazing and i am not gonna lie i am jelous...this is how i would do a z32 cept i'd go 2+2 for storage/insurance reasons.

[SuperHatch]

great work man...looks amazing and i am not gonna lie i am jelous...this is how i would do a z32 cept i'd go 2+2 for storage/insurance reasons.

My first Z was a 2+2, loved that car. I'll get another one someday, but I always wanted a slicktop and do this swap. The wife gave me the OK and here it is!

Oh yeah... I'm using the stock Q Power Steering pump with the stock pulley. The pump is flipped upside down and it now clears the swaybar. No worries of overdriving the pump now!

[npez]

My first Z was a 2+2, loved that car. I'll get another one someday, but I always wanted a slicktop and do this swap. The wife gave me the OK and here it is!

Oh yeah... I'm using the stock Q Power Steering pump with the stock pulley. The pump is flipped upside down and it now clears the swaybar. No worries of overdriving the pump now!

Stephen,

The Z looks great man..... everything came out super clean. Great job. Call me when you get the fuel pump in....

Thanks,Nick.

[SuperHatch]

Stephen,

The Z looks great man..... everything came out super clean. Great job. Call me when you get the fuel pump in....

Thanks,Nick.

Thanks Nick, and thanks a bunch for all your help with the wiring. I've got a whole list of feedback for you, but way too much to type. Should definitely help you improve on the harness layout.

ETA on the fuel pump is Wednesday. I'll put it in Thursday night. If it fires I'll put insurance back on, get the nose back together Sat morning, and take her for a ride... very exciting!

[npez]

Thanks Nick, and thanks a bunch for all your help with the wiring. I've got a whole list of feedback for you, but way too much to type. Should definitely help you improve on the harness layout.

ETA on the fuel pump is Wednesday. I'll put it in Thursday night. If it fires I'll put insurance back on, get the nose back together Sat morning, and take her for a ride... very exciting!

Steve,

That's great! I'm working on revision 2.6 of the document that contains some corrections and I should have the ignition on/off issue worked out by the time you get the fuel pump in as well. I think this next release of the cross-reference wiring document will be much better as a result of doing your car and your additional feedback.

Thanks again,Nick.

[T45]

Steve, did you keep the stock Q oil pan and just clearance the xmemeber and reinforce it? That's what it looks like from your pics. Sweet setup, I may copy.

[SuperHatch]

Steve, did you keep the stock Q oil pan and just clearance the xmemeber and reinforce it? That's what it looks like from your pics. Sweet setup, I may copy.

The stock Q pan has two levels rear of the sump. The mid-drop is modified to be as high as the rear part. This is hard to describe I know, but it let me get the pan lower over the rack. The front part of the pan, the main sump, is completely unmodified.

[T45]

I know exactly what you're talking about. I think I may do this instead of screwing around with the rear sump again. My problem was my welding, I had never welded sheet metal before and went too fast.

I like that silicone elbow you have on your intake. I never found anything like that so I used a 45 off the TB, then to the MAF which I kept in the engine compartment, then to the air filter where you have yours. Are you using an adapter on the MAF for the air filter? If so, where did you find it? I cut the flange off the MAF and just clamped a 3.5" silicone joiner to it. It worked great until one time I overtightened...yeah it broke a chunk out of it. lol It's like everything I did has some kind of issue with it. Oh well...

Enjoy that first ride man, it's very rewarding!

[SuperHatch]

I know exactly what you're talking about. I think I may do this instead of screwing around with the rear sump again. My problem was my welding, I had never welded sheet metal before and went too fast.

I like that silicone elbow you have on your intake. I never found anything like that so I used a 45 off the TB, then to the MAF which I kept in the engine compartment, then to the air filter where you have yours. Are you using an adapter on the MAF for the air filter? If so, where did you find it? I cut the flange off the MAF and just clamped a 3.5" silicone joiner to it. It worked great until one time I overtightened...yeah it broke a chunk out of it. lol It's like everything I did has some kind of issue with it. Oh well...

Enjoy that first ride man, it's very rewarding!

I did what I did because I didn't want to modify the sump portion of the pan at all. Nissan did its homework when designing the sump to contain the oil and keep it near the pickup. The baffleing is all there where it is and shaped like it is for a purpose.

I bought that large silicont coupler from http://www.extremepsi.com on clearance for 17 bucks. It actually had straight legs on it that were equal in length, I just cut one off to make it fit better. There is a second coupler 12" long of 3.5" straight that goes under the headlight. It is deformed some to fit through that opening. I am using a JWT pop charger for the 90-96 Q45 to connect the MAF to the filter. I got the pop charger on sale from Performance Nissan in CA for half the price JWT wanted.

I really cut corners and keps costs down on this build as much as possible. My goal was to do this entire swap for less than a stock TT swap, and I'm still under budget.

[Kalypso]

heavy hitter.

[SuperHatch]

That about explains how this thing is to drive... videos soon!

[SuperHatch]

Some people wanted to know what my crossmember/pan look like...

The lower part of the crossmember and the notched section are reinforced with 1/4" thick steel plate. The pods for the motor mounts and the notched clearance for the headers were made with 1/8" thick material. You don't think it's strong enough? I don't care, I do.































Mods to the oil pan are very minimal, entire factory sump retained. Some of the welds don't look pretty because I needed to go over them again when leaks were found. There are 0 leaks now.

[DJ Raijin]

seriously...someone needs to do a write up on this swap.

[OUKNO]

^ 2nd that

I want to buy my VH45 in about 6 months take it apart and get it set up the way I want it to run as well as redo seals and make it look super sexbut a write up on a proper install would be so help full to shoe horning it into my Z32

[SuperHatch]

[jdshift]

I am in shock and awe..........very amazing work done there sir, BRAVO!! Beauty and a Beast.....me likey

[Carl H]

cowl == amazing!i love it man, it suits the car perfectly not to mention is functional and should aid in cooling!

[SuperHatch]

Thanks for the kind words guys...

Carl - The cowl isn't actually functional, and I'm ok with that. I'd like to keep the elements off my engine!