Project Road Terror Z

[qsiguy]

So what happened to Nick? All that progress and nothing since December. How about an update Nick? Don't leave us hanging!

[SuperHatch]

So what happened to Nick? All that progress and nothing since December. How about an update Nick? Don't leave us hanging!

I talk to Nick on a pretty regular basis. He's still going at it, just gets side tracked a lot with work and his family.

[Captainkitty]

I have eagerly read this thread, thoroughly devouring every response and update. This is truly a fantastic endeavor and I hope sometime soon NPEZ can provide an update to his progress. I actually created an account simply to comment this. Cheers to you Nick, and all of you who have made this thread an informative and in-depth read.

[npez]

Keith,

Sorry for the long delay in responding - and sorry to hear about your job situation; I hope things improve on that front. I'm happy to hear about your new arrival! Congratulations! I know it seems hectic, but enjoy her as much as you can because they grow so fast. My oldest daughter will be 6 next week and my other 3 next month - time flies.

As Stephen mentioned, I've been completely underwater with work and family obligations. Things are finally starting to slow down so I hope to get back on the project on a regular basis in a week or so. Stephen modded up another crossmember for me which came out fabulous (I can now mount the factory engine mount insulators using both studs on the bottom) - I'll post some pics this evening of the work as it is trully awesome (thx again Stephen). I also bought an extra set of exhaust manifolds (thx x 2 to Stephen) so I can get the car started normally aspirated and validate everything works while I mod my other set for the twin-turbo setup.

My immediate next step is to get the crossmember powdercoated (I'll probably drop off tomorrow) and then will be ready to get back to assembly. I promise to post some pictures very soon as I will start regularly working on the car again over the summer.

Thanks,Nick.

[HxC_Nismo]

wow very nice fab work man, i cant wait to see this beast run.

[Redneck Mr2]

Hi Guys, Im New to the forum and am currently doing a vh45 conversion on my 300zx, i have gthe engine in and running, goes great but want more power and have decided to go turbo, could you send some pics of any setups that have been done so i can have a look with what is involved. the pics that have been posted are not working on my computer.

my email address is Redneck@live.com.au

Kind Regards

Dean

[npez]

Hello everybody - sorry it's been a while since my last post, but other than a little here a little there I haven't been able to make a lot of progress.

About a year ago my wife came down with some serious medical issues which derailed my time & energy, and deflated my enthusiasm in the project. A year later, I'm reflecting with a very different perspective at my time & ability to complete this project in a reasonable amount of time going down this path. So I'm now torn between a protracted project (another year working on it here and there) and considering selling everything conversion related (engine, trans, crossmember, adapter, harness, ECU, etc. pretty much everything in my post minus the car & injectors) and having a VG built so I can put the car back together in a matter of a couple of weekends and still make a respectable 500-550rwhp.

If someone has some feedback on something I've missed in my logic or an approach I haven't considered, I'd like to hear your thoughts.

Thanks,
Nick.

[91z]

Sorry to hear about your wife. I just read through the thread, and you have a great project going. I would love to see you finish this. But if you do decide to sell the project, I hope it finds a good home. I hope your wife is fine and I wish you and your family the best.

On a side note, I know a foundation that accepts donations of vh45s. Haha.

[Mettler]

Rats dude, it's never good to hear when the s*** hits the fan! Best of luck to your wife and your family!

If someone has some feedback on something I've missed in my logic or an approach I haven't considered, I'd like to hear your thoughts.

Here's an approach you haven't considered... get the Nico brigade to help you out. Enlist as many VH enthusiast forum members as you can, get a working bee organised, and plan for a day or two of hard yakka to get your car finished. Many hands make light work!

[souledoutange1]

Does anyone have craigz contact info cause this website isnt very helpful in that catagory. I have many questions involving the swap but i cannot move forward until i have then answered. (souledoutange1@hotmail.com)

[aeary]

Hey Nick,

Think you could shoot me an email with some pointers? I just picked up a 93 N/A that I will be making into a 450Z.

So far I have just started the teardown, but am wanting to finish within a year.

Pretty much the same story as you, I am a NOC engineer with a passion for cars.

aeary.z06@gmail.com

Thanks!

[npez]

Hey Guys,

Thank you all for your support and your kind words. I wanted to update the thread and give you an update with everything. First my wife pulled through all the medical issues and is doing very well. I ended up shelving my decision to make a decision, and late last year got the car running. Took it to the dyno in NA form and during the second pull something came loose in the engine and I ended up parking the car again! So I bought another VH45 and took it to a machine shop to get a mild build (CP Pistons, ARP bolts were needed, cleanup of the valvetrain). While the machine shop was working up the quote for the work, I stumbled onto a JDM VH41which I immediately bought. So now the VH41 is sitting on a pallete in the garage, until I find some time to pull it apart to take to the machine shop for them to do a major build on it. I should have an update on this in a few weeks but the plan is:
- CP Pistons 8.5:1 with coated skirts & top (Calico coatings)
- Carillo Pro-H Connecting Rods
- 3-angle valve job
- HD Springs & Titanium retainers
- Clevite bearings
- Twin turbo will be a bit of a challenge without some major hacking, so I may end up doing an EFR single instead. Gotta get the car finished mechanically again first.

So mazworx has given me a quote on all this but I need to get the VH41 to the machine shop to see how much of an overbore I will need based on how much clean up they need to do to the cylinders in order to place the order. I'm also going away from the factory ECU for packaging reasons (MAP vs. MAF, and other things) and getting a Link G4 Extreme which is the only ECU I found that can handle 8 injectors *and* 8 ignition channels so I don't have to run a wasted spark setup.

Anyway, I hope everyone is doing well and the new year is treating you well thus far. I will post an update once this all gets under way. If anyone knows of another complete JDM VH41 for sale and/or where to source JDM specific parts for the motor please let me know. I wasn't sure if the upper plenum to lower runner gaskets are the same as a US VH41; they look smaller than the VH45 ones - but then I haven't taken the motor off the pallete yet.

aeary I'll send you a PM.

Nick.