Site CONSENSUS on early Z with V8 transplant

[Z fan]

I ask to the well verse Z aficionados , I lately have seen some real clean early Z's with late LS1/LS2 GM engine transplant and ask , does this increase or decrease the value on this Japanese classic car .

[Zed Head]

The question cannot be answered. If the car is old and original and in good shape, a collector might place a high value on originality. So a V8 transplant would lower value. If the car is old and modified and rusty and beat up, a collector might not want it anyway, so a V8 transplant might add value, by turning it in to a fast car that's fun to drive.

Value is determined by the guy with the money.

[Z fan]

^^^ What about a real clean early Z, it has to have a solid foundation in order to do such modification ( engine,transmission, rear end, brake upgrade/suspension etc ) , not a rust bucket .

Edited July 23, 2014 by Z fan

[Zed Head]

No change. It really is all about the guy with money. Plus, "V8" can mean almost anything. An old 80's era GM 305 would almost certainly lower value. A high performance LSX with proper engine management might increase the value just because the powertrain is worth more than the car.

I do know that I often see Z cars with V8's for sale on CL, for $10K or more and they sit there for months or even years. If it's not a top-notch,professional quality job, it's just somebody else's project, that they got tired of or realized was not as fun as they thought it would be. And the sellers always think the car is worth a lot of money because it has a V8, and they always describe how they've invested way more than the sale prices. A V8 swap is not a money-making investment.

Without a name and a reputation behind the transplant, any V8 swapped car is nothing special. They sell kits, anybody can do it. I would rather do a swap myself than buy someone else's work.

[Z fan]

^^^ So a well documented/sorted/professional transplanted work on an early Z , where does it seats on Z current values.

[Kurbycar32]

I considered an engine swap. Among those options were ford 5.0, LS1 and a VQ35. Realistically i was going for 250 to 300hp which a basic junkyard v8 could provide with minor effort. Ultimately i found it more cost effective and infinitely easier to buy a worked up inline 6 as a direct drop in replacement and meet the same power goals.

[madkaw]

With these cars - value is in the eye of the beholder.

Now if you were dropping a v8 in a Ferrari- then you might worry about values

[gnosez]

Funny you mentioned a V8 in a Ferrari as I was driving a 348 ts yesterday. Sexy as hell from the outside, a pain in the azz to get in and out of and the amount of room they left over for the three pedals is really, really small. Then add a gated shifter and it becomes a problem all in itself.

[Z fan]

These are the type of Z's with a GM LS1/LS2 I am making a reference === are they worth more or less in comparison to a stock early Z in similar condition.

Edited July 25, 2014 by Z fan

[240dkw]

Again it comes down to the person. For me they are worth less. All I see is money I would have to spend to remove the V8's and return everything to stock. But for other people it would be worth more money. As stated before if it is a very well done swap it would be worth more to a smaller group of people who understand what it would cost to do it and want a V8. I think there would be more demand for a stock car in that shape than a V8.

[psdenno]

The "Rule of Thumb" tends to be that you NEVER get back what you put into a restoration either stock or restomod. Maybe 50 cents on the dollar if you're lucky. The finished product may be priceless to the owner, but not to potential buyers. Your query asks for a tangible answer to an intangible question. You'll get opinions, but no definitive answers, and as they say, "Opinions are like belly buttons. Everybody has one.".

Soooooo, while it's a thought and debate provoking question, there is no answer. You're comparing unequals with too many variables. In reference to the V8 Zs in the pictures above, the real answer to your question is that they may or may not be worth more than a nicely restored early Z. It's in the eye, and wallet, of the beholder.

Dennis

[PastorMike]

Dennis,

Another pearl of wisdom; and

just when I thought the SoCal sun

might be getting the better of you.

Mike