Stock- Which is the quickest?

[76Datsun280z]

There was a link to a YouTube video clip here once, where they had a whole bunch of different model Zs racing...

And the 260Z won!

I don't think there was a 300TT in the lineup tho

I was thinking about that too, here's is the link to the video if you want to see it. I heard that there was a full version of it out there, and I've searched just about everywhere still can't seem to find the full version to it if there is one.

[TomoHawk]

Yeah, that's the video.

It's been so long I forgot about the 260. They guy was assuming that the 50Z would win overall, but it just barely beat the 260z.

[red_dog007]

EFI better then any carb setup, , dude you are so funny!!!!!!

They still use carbs in some of the most powerful motors that drag race, ect. I have a friend whos dad works on drag race cars and works on carbs a lot.

The HP ratings on the 280 seem to be all over the place. From what I have read the 240z is 151hp, and when the 260 came out still on carbs the power was upped to 165hp. Though when the 280 came out, it was on EFI and it was down graded to 132hp for the first year and then went back up to 149hp the next year. Then the turbo came out and upped the power to 180hp.

Basically, the 280z ended up getting hit with every single federal smog restriction because of the 70's gas crisis and is one of the reasons why EFI was added a long with many other emission control systems.

Plus with the added weight of the 280's, only the 280z turbo is as fast as the 240z from what I have read.

[Mr Camouflage]

There was a link to a YouTube video clip here once, where they had a whole bunch of different model Zs racing...

And the 260Z won!

I don't think there was a 300TT in the lineup tho.

No, the 300ZX TT won,

2nd was the 350Z,

3rd was a very modified 260Z.

The factory quoted HP numbers mean nothing, as they changed they way they were measured for the 280Z or 280ZX, so you can't compare them (do a search, theres lot of info about it on here) , also the US 260Z had a different power rating to the 260Z should in other countries.

Also don't forget the other important factor - weight.

Maybe someone should post the weights of each model

Power to weight ratios for each model would be more telling, than just power ratings.

[TomoHawk]

the 300ZX won,

2nd was the 350Z,

3rd was a very modified 260Z.

That's what I said (#14), the 300 ZX won, and the 260Z beat just the 350Z. How do you know if the 260Z was modified?

[beandip]

Don't get hung up on the little badge in the engine bay that says what the HP the engine has . Rear wheel figures is what counts . Where the rubber meets the road . Or the meats meet the road , so to speak , . There is a member here that has a '70 240 that he built the engine in his home garage . He is running SUs and street tires. He drives the car to and from the drag strip and as a pleasure driver. He turns in the 12s in the 1/4 . Pretty good for a 100 year old can with a hole in it technology. I grant you the engine is built but is NOT running any turbo , just two SUs . No triples no injection just SUs . Injection is fantastic for drivabiltiy and will pass emissions . The computer does the thinking for you when the engine is cold or if you go from low to high elevations, it sets the mixture of fuel to air. I am not anti injection at all . I have three vehicles with it . But don't discount the use of the SUs on these Z engines. Rememer the engine design is old technology too. Gary :knockedou

[TomoHawk]

I wuldn't put down fuel injection as something that's only good for fuel efficiency or passing emmissions testing. Remember that the record-holding top-fuel dragsters and Funny cars are using fuel injection. and a supercharger.

[e_racer1999]

my take:

there is a listing somehwere that R&T or C&D had that compared the 1/4 times of each car. starting with the 240Z as being the fastest and so on and so forth. that 1/4 wasn't beat until the 280ZXT. if i had the time to look i would find it and post it.

as far as the FI vs carb argument? i love carbs. whether it's in my food or my engine bay, gotta have 'em. but FI, when properly tuned, will be superior. that's it. to argue that carbs are more efficient or have the potential for power is an erroneous claim. a good FI can do everything a good carb setup can do and them some. 'nuff said.

EDIT: i suppose i should edit this so people don't think i'm SU bashing. i love my SUs and don't get me wrong. after studying this issue for a while it just becomes obvious.

[=Enigma=]

Here's a link to that list on zhome.com

http://zhome.com/History/zcarperf.html

[TomoHawk]

What good are those ratings today? they were done 25 - 30 years ago, on the cars when they were pretty much new. But once in a great while, you'll see a that was restored to work about as good as new...