TT Build questions from a newb

[agent4573]

So I'm still getting familiar with the VG motor and have some questions about a TT build I want to do next year. Engine will be going in a sand rail turning 33 or 35" paddle tires, weighing in around 2500 lbs loaded. Goal is for 400-500 RWHP in a rock solid reliable package. Here's the list of planned mods:

IPP Stage 2 short block (eagle rods, wiseco pistons, stock everything else) with the ARP main bolt and ceramic coatings upgrades.
Garrett 300ZX GT2560R (GT28R) or the JWT 550BB turbos
Intake: Filter on each turbo intlet, shortest IC piping possible
Selin dual MAF translator
Intercooler: Appropriately sized, dual inlet, dual outlet with a MAF on each outlet and a big a** fan
Exhaust: enough piping to turn the exhaust 90" down (maybe about a foot of piping matched to turbine outlet size)
Nistuned ECU
740cc injectors with rail adapter kit
250 lph pump with adjustable FPR
ATI super damper
MSP manifolds

That seems to be the bread and butter of most builds, where most of my questions lie are in the details of everything else. If anyone can shed light on the following mods and if they're required/desired/not really needed for this power level that would be awesome.

Intake port or polish, throttle bodies bored out or larger throttle bodies port matched to intake, over sized valves, aftermarket oil pan, idler stud upgrades, adjustable cam gears (exhaust, intake, both or none), aftermarket cams, upgraded valve springs, retainers, etc. Teflon crank scraper or aftermarket windage tray, anything else I didn't think of.

As for oil coolers, how are they normally plumbed? My radiator has an oil cooler built in, so would I have the oil go through that and then to the turbos, or go through the turbos and then to the oil cooler, or do I plumb the oil cooler off of a completely different oil port than the turbos so the two don't mix?

Can the stock MAFs be used in a blow through fasion or do they have to be used in a suck through setup? Ideally I would go filter-turbo-intercooler-BOV-MAF-throttle body. I can also put the BOV before the intercooler is thats the correct spot for it. Doing this should let me use a BOV instead of a recirc valve because the extra air gets dumped before it gets metered by the MAFs. It would also make my packaging as compact as possible. If I can't use the MAFs in the blow through fashion, can I disassemble them and put the electronics in a metal tube so I can pressurize it? Are those mesh screens required for proper air reading?

[Fearspect]

Items not needed:
-IPP Stage 2 Block: If your engine compression test is healthy, it will more than handle these levels without forged parts. It will be more reliable at that level to keep stock internals.
-ATI super damper: Not required for this power level, nor anywhere near
-Upgraded FPR/pump: Again, you will not need these at these levels.

Hope I saved you some $$$.

Have you looked into cams? Also, MSP Exhaust Manifolds (They attach the turbos to the engine) are a significant gain in both reliability and performance over stock.

Be sure to check out the 'Everything you need to know about the z32' thread that is stickied, along with the build compilations for ideas.

[300ZXttZMAN]

Upgraded cams really aren't needed unless you are looking for more power in the higher revs than the lower revs but being that it is going into a sand rail you would probably want as much low end torque as possible? Correct?

Do you have any pictures? I want to see the engine mounted in the sand rail.

I do know of a guy that runs the Mafs in a blow through setup it is also very popular with the 240sx crowd using our maf sensors - so yes it can be done.

You should just find a way to keep the factory recircs. They are better than BOV's.

Lastly, what is your budget?

[agent4573]

Midrange is really the priority. Heading around last time I spent 90% of my time between 3000 and 5000 rpm. I see a lot of info that says 500ish is about the limit on the stock internals for a street car, which is why I wanted the stage 2 block. Being in the sand puts a ton more stress on the motor, so I just wanted to be safe at those power levels. Same goes with the super damper. Being that the car is going to be bumped, jumped, slammed, etc I figured an upgraded damper was worth it, but it may not be.

Hoping to keep it between 5 and 7k, but can spend more if I need to. The shortblock is ~3200 and the turbos are ~2500, so I'm already at 5700 right there. Throw in the manifolds, intercooler and injectors and I'm 7000. I already have the high flow pump, fpr and ECU. Intake and exhaust will be custom fabbed in my garage from mandrel bend pieces. Thats why I was questioning how much of the other stuff NEEDS to be done to get in the 400-500 range reliably.

Also, in the one picture you can see the current headers, those are being remade right now with all mandrel bent pieces as no one makes a header that goes the wrong way for this engine.

EDIT* I have a NA donor motor, so I don't have any recirc valves or other turbo stuff. I can find a turbo donor motor, but thats more $$$ out of the budget. Its also why I was leaning towards a shortblock setup. By the time I find a good donor motor (500-1000), tear it down, clean it up at the machine shop (500-750), and rebuild it with new bearings and rings, the shortblock isn't that much more and I can just swap over all the NA top end stuff.

[agent4573]

So humor me here, but parts are coming up in the tech section and I'm getting an idea of what I might be able to build.

It all starts with my stock N/A engine.
Add in stock TT pistons that have been fully coated with the anti-friction/anti-heat coating.
While I'm there add clevite main/rod bearings and ARP crank/rod bolts, and TT oil squirters.
New OEM TT oil pump with the filter tree.
New head gasket with ARP head studs.
MSP manifolds with JWT 530BB turbos
Dumped exhaust.
Nistuned ECU, hopefully running 15-18psi on 91 pump gas.
Some sort of lightened crank pulley.

Assume proper sized intercooler (I can go huge with the intercooler if needed) with all 2.5" or 3" piping to the TBs and I'll make sure the injectors are big enough to handle the power.

Can I reliably break the 400 hp mark? Again this motor will be under boost about 75% of its life. If it can't be reliable at this power level then its not going to work. Just want to make sure I'm getting close before i start sending people hundreds and hundreds of dollars for parts.