Before anyone can say it... Yes, I am fully aware that I could start with an L28... but that's not the point.

What I have... The numbers matching and running engine for my 240Z.

What I am... In the military, and therefore I have to move every 2 to 4 years.

What I am not... Able to move an entire engine everytime I move.

I want more power and I believe Dave Rebello has the combo I am looking for, but I would like to get some input from people who have experience.

Nate

Before anyone can say it... Yes, I am fully aware that I could start with an L28... but that's not the point.

What I have... The numbers matching and running engine for my 240Z.

What I am... In the military, and therefore I have to move every 2 to 4 years.

What I am not... Able to move an entire engine everytime I move.

I want more power and I believe Dave Rebello has the combo I am looking for, but I would like to get some input from people who have experience.

Nate

Greetings,

Fewwww years back I was running my 240Z with a well built L24 (E31head/L24 block) bore at .20, shave head, polish intake, headers, and very well balance SU. The power was very smooth and very much so instant, I just did it (bore the block) just for the heck of it, hey! I say, do it! Why not.

Alex

http://classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?t=18641&highlight=rebello

This is the most recent documented experience I could find. Hope it helps! Alternatively, Sunbelt in Atlanta has been involved in a GRM/Classic Motorsports build that generated 170RWHP on headwork alone. IIRC, that's about 200 at the flywheel, and probably didn't cost the $4700 the OP in the above thread paid.

Good luck!

Steve,

Thanks for doing my searching for me ! Man, I searched like crazy and didn't come across that thread... I kept searching for 2.7 this or 2.7 that and never threw Rebello in.

I'm also a subscriber to Classic Motorsports and GRM and hadn't considered Sunbelt but I will contact them too.

Honestly, I figured it would cost more than that though. Of course, I have no idea what cross country shipping costs would be like.

Thanks!

Well...as you can see by my post in that thread, I too have considered that possibility.

I see you'll soon be in Charleston, only a few hours from ATL, better for sunbelt/balanced performance or Eddie Radatz's shop (not sure if it's still open since I've not been back there in 3 yrs.)

Near here (central NC) there's LNA enterprises which, IIRC, builds ITS and EP Z engines. I bet they could do a street build too in the off-season.

John Williams is in Atlanta as well, do a search. Sunbelt used to be across the parking lot from his shop and he used engines in his race car prepped by them. What is keeping you from hanging on to the original block but dropping a prepped L-28 in the car?

Thanks guys... great info!

I am definetly open to other possibilities and a little bit of a drive is not out of the question. Atlanta is about 5 hours... Charlotte is 3...

gogriz- It's just not practical for me to move an entire engine every couple of years. For instance... the last time we transfered I was underway in the caribbean and my wife had to move without me. I had an F54 block kicking around at the time and the military does not authorize the moving companies to move "major" car parts. My truck sat in a parking lot at the base for one month with the F54 and a 5spd strapped to a couple of pallets. Luckily they fit under the tonneau cover, but this left less room for all the other things that needed to go in the truck... ie: all the chemicals they won't move either... cleaners and such plus all the clothes and uniforms I had on the ship.

Thanks again... I'd love to hear more! Anybody else in the Southeast with input and/or engine shop experience?

I am surprised so many people suggest a new engine. For alot of us, that's not practical or cost efficient. IMHO, the GRM article was an eye opener - if all one has to do is remove a head and send to Sunbelt to get a 200HP at the crank L24, why not?

IIRC, Bryan Little's junkyard Z (L28, shaved P90 head) was putting just about the same, maybe slightly more. Don't know the cost of the Sunbelt work, but as Xray said, it can't be as expensive as a new engine or engine work.

I say go the Sunbelt route. It's the same route I plan on doing...once I can get my car running again

Yes, Eddie Radatz is still in business and open. :classic:

Rebello is doing a similar upgrade to my L24 right now. I don't plan to have the car running before September (at the earliest), but I'll let you gus know what I think. I expect I will be pleased with the result.

I don't know what reasonable is but I kow Sunbelt is not cheap. Eddie Radatz has a shop he uses so you could probably compare options.

The two biggest reasons I posed that question were to preserve the "integrity" for lack of a better way of putting it of what I am presuming is the original motor in the car. Secondly, my understanding is that building a stroker is not cheap.

I thought the cost for the Rebello 2.7 is about $5K with dyno testing, so it's an attractive option. However, I can't believe a Sunbelt head would cost anything close to that. Let's make an assumption of $1,500 - that's still way cheaper than $5K, and if he does his own work, he's got a stock block, numbers matching 240Z that puts out 200HP at the crank.

The Rebello 2.7L make about 225HP at the crank, but it's alot more money and effort for an extra 25HP IMHO.

In a perfect world, I think the Rebello 2.7 would the way to go as there's a level of comfort knowing everything has been checked. However, if that's not a possibility, I think the GRM/Sunbelt head plan works almost as well at probably half the price/pain.