VQ35 swap for '85 z31

[thenewbreedz31]

i'm new here and was wondering if anyone has heard of a vq35 swap in a z31. i have been thinking about doing it and was hoping for advise. if you know anyone who has done it or anything about it please email me at [email protected]. i have pretty much decided that that is wht i want but need to know what all i will need to get started. i know i will need the motor, ecu, and wiring harness, but will i need to upgrade things like the fuel pump, brake booster, power steering, or anything else? and could anyone tell me what the deal is with the springs not being over the shocks? is it possible to find a suspension set for a z31? i can't find one yet. i was hoping tien but eibauch would do. these are just a few questions.

[evildky]

Welcome to Nico!not sure about the VQ35DE in a Z31, I actually thought about doing it myself recently, I'd imagine it's pretty streightforward, fab mounts, custome drive shaft, and either figure out the stock harness and ECU or go wtih a stand alone, as for suspension tokiko makes a "kit" but I think you're asking aobut coil overs and the answer is no, the rear suspension doesn't allow for it, I suppose you could get some penske or carerra threaded body chocks and of proper diminsions and valving and put them in but they would cost as much as a Z31, front springs are over the chocks and can be converted to coil overs quite easy, and when lowering the Z31 you get a great deal of camber gain, bad for street good for race

[thenewbreedz31]

thanks for the reply and the welcom. i was kinda scared that you would say that it wasn't possible and that the motor wouldn't even fit, but you have given me some hope. thanks for informing me on the tokico set. and the suspension background. i've never seen a car where the spring wasn't over coil. how hard is a stand-alone sustem?

[evildky]

are you getting the engine, tras, harness and ECU as a set? if so it might be worth figuring out the wiring, and I have no experience with the VQ35DE but from my experience most nissan motors will fit in most nissan engine bays, thats not to say you wont have to modify the crossmsmber or oil pan and pickup but it might also drop right in, if you are comfortable fabbing mounts I don't think the physical fit will be an issue, as for stand alone, there are many choices, some easier than others, some have better tech support, it's a matter of price and how comfortable you are seting it up, I am running megasquirt n spark on my 240ZT, it's the cheapest stand alone you can get but you have to build and program it yourself, SDS is a very simple system that doesn't even require a laptop, electromotive makes high end stuff often found on race cars

as for suspension, S130 and Z31's all had a trailing arms suspension, as did the 510's the 810's and I'm sure lots of other models, many other makes and models have other configuratiosn as well, lots of old solid axle cars and trucks mounted the springs independant of the shocks, and then of course there are leaf springs

[BadQ45t]

Unless your are doing this to be a hero, I'd skip it, it will be LOTS of work. Better off getting a stock Z31 Turbo and going crazy with turbo parts, than you have issues with fit and you can just after 450hp with turbo toys which can easiily be done on a blown out Turbo Z31.