Better track car? 370z or 240SX

RCZ

Yeah sorry I dont see any racing 240s either. Drifters yeah, but as cossie said...that's almost as far from racing as basketball is.

Also for the sake of reliability, I would start with the newer, more rigid chassis. Lots of "small issues" plague race cars that start from older models. Its only logical as time takes its toll.

My vote also goes to the newer, more powerful Z. Do you want to spend your money getting a motor swap or making the car faster around the track?

Not to mention that N/A cars are more reliable and are less prone to overheat. Not to mention they have a flatter torque curve. Less moving parts to break. Better response.

Don't forget the Z is making 315whp with simple bolt on's. The 240 wont make that without bigger turbo which will be more $. By adding the bigger turbo you add lag and lower reliability even more. Then you will worry about your new used motor blowing up.

The 240 may be lighter...but once you add the hardware to make any decent power not only is part of your track budget gone, but the weight difference has been cut.

Then you need to add decent brakes for the track, BBK's arent cheap. More of your budget is gone and the weight difference goes down even more.

Assuming you dont run into any maintenance issues (highly highly unlikely when doing a motor swap on a used car with a used motor), you will still end up with an inferior car 10k in.

Not even close...

10k in the 370 = 315whp NA, coilovers, swaybars, wheels, tires, oil cooler, camber control arm kits, brake pads, rotors, fluid and lines, diff.
10k in the 240 = headache.

Mike

Apparently, someone forgot to tell that to the Nissan engineers when they put our cars together

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NISSAN: 75 280Z / 86 300ZX GLL /87 Sentra SE / 03 350Z / 23 Z
Porsche: 93 968 / 23 Macan GTS / 93 968

initialgemini

I think for most people, spending 28K on top of the price of a used car is fairly outrageous.

You're missing alot of key components in your little build up as well. What about tuning, and all the custom fabrication with all these engines you just plan on throwing in. A lot of these parts you mention need custom parts, not to mention beefing up the drivetrain. If you can do most of this stuff, well thats great. However, having seen many custom setups, they're constantly in and out of the shop. Unless you have a team of automotive engineers, you're pretty much constructing a new car.

I agree that a well built s13-14 body custom car is definitely quite the project, but at this point, would you even consider it to be a 240sx anymore? Any X amount of money can be put in a car to make it better than the other.

NIZMOZ

You mean 45k in the 370z
vs
13k in the 240

I would take the 13k in a 240 any day of the week. Get a SR20DET for $1k or less and it is more of a stout engine than the VQ is period. It can and will handle boost, and track abuse just fine. No tuning needed, just a swap. Upgrade to a 5 bolt system on the 240, put 350z Brembos on the car for $1000, get the other stuff and it will run you under $10k.

You don't buy a new track car so it gets abused. You buy a older one and use it for the track. Get over thinking your Z is the best thing since sliced bread dude. I own a NISMO 350Z and know the 240sx can and will take my butt around a track setup correctly. Seen it done many times. 2500 lb vs 3300+ is a huge difference in the racing world.

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SOLD: 2007 NISMO 350Z #0044 Silver Alloy
New DD: 2010 Titan Pro4X CC

RCZ

No I dont mean that. He already has the cars. He is wondering which one should he invest the 10k on. You live in a fantasy world. The reason you dont see 240s on the track inst because they are underpowered. Not a single trackday goes by that I dont see at least 3-5 Miatas...those are underpowered too. Hmmmm

Also, DUDE, I dont think my Z is the best thing since sliced bread, watch here who makes things personal right off the bat. Don't blame me later and then decide to give me bad rep since your feelings get hurt crybaby. Also...it may not be a porsche, but it sure as hell is better than that Nismo of yours.

You dont have a clue about the costs associated with doing what you want him to do. He may get a half assed car for the 10K, but then you have to do SO much more to get the car up to spec. Did you think about the clutch + Labor? Labor for brakes? Labor for the swap? Tuning cost?(oh wait you said NO tuning, so I guess the car is going to make like 250hp at the motor, congrats) Wheels to clear the brembos? Tires? Brake pads? wiring harness? chassis stiffening? new diff to handle power? Probably will need new tranny to handle added power and track abuse? Labor for all that? coilovers? corner balancing? no those things arent necessary right?

What if he gets a bad motor for the swap and it blows? What do you tell him then? Sorry dude...that wasn't supposed to happen...oh another $1000 in labor...thats still under 10k right?

You can do all that BS you are talking about or you can tell the guy to have a nice reliable weekend racer which he can enjoy and then drive back home. You talk in theory about swaps and crap, but you dont look at the big picture that is reality. A friend of mine just got his car back 2 days ago after 2 years of headaches from doing a swap...and he works at a shop that does swaps as their MAIN business.

Im tired of you and your attitude, it doesn't help anyone.

NIZMOZ

Pretty obvious you have no clue about 240s. I do look at the big picture as I have done a lot of work on 240s, 350z, G35s, any Nissan for that matter and been around them for 20 years. A swap on a 240 will take less than a weekend to do. They are very easy to do. The brakes $1000, a clutch $1000 at the most, It comes with a wiring harness. If you knew anything you would know the diff in the 240 is just like ours. The R200.

Oh I am laughing at your post about what if the motor blows. Ok $1000. What if your 370z motor blows, oh $10k.

They handle the power just fine. Now go back to your little quiet hole and learn about your 370z. When you do stuff to a car you do it yourself so you learn. You don't race a car and have a shop do all the work for you. Oh but I guess you don't want to get your hands dirty.

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SOLD: 2007 NISMO 350Z #0044 Silver Alloy
New DD: 2010 Titan Pro4X CC

cossie1600

How many times have you been to the track and running, not reading about it on magazine? Just curious.

Going back to what RCZ and I said, how many full interior 240sx actually run on the track at the amateur level?

I am sorry, but going fast on the track isn't as simple as slapping on a big motor.

NIZMOZ

Racing for 15 years. I instruct at a few tracks. Thank you very much.

Going fast on a track is all about the driver. The car does have a lot to do with it as well, but a 240sx is more compatible of going around the track much better than a 350Z or 370z does with a few mods as it is much lighter. You put a SR20DET in there and it's a fast car.

__________________
SOLD: 2007 NISMO 350Z #0044 Silver Alloy
New DD: 2010 Titan Pro4X CC