five&dime

Thanks, Charles!! I sold the LSx 427 E39 BMW touring to build this which is my favorite car yet. https://petrolicious.com/articles/this-engine-swapped-six-speed-sedan-is-the-m7-that-bmw-never-built

Thanks for the link. I had not seen that but for the price I paid for an RB25de long block with headers, a brand new RB26 head and RB26 covers, I think I got the better deal Also not sure why he is selling the motor if he wants to go turbo. Seems like that engine is just n/a by choice not by design.

Hello, everyone. I haven’t been on here in quite a while. My dad is a regular (diseazd) with 5 amazing s30’s. I have had many Nissans and owned a 72 510 for a few years but have never owned a Z. The S30’s are just too expensive for me and for some reason, over the last few years, I cannot get the Z31 300zx out of my mind. I almost bought one a year ago and then went on to other projects. My original plan was going to be to build a beast L series motor. Bored and stroked to 3.2L with high revs and a goal of 300hp. I quickly realized that building such a motor would likely cost about $12-15k all in. So I started leaning towards an RB20det or RB25det build. I know the guys who started Japanese Classics and Japan Parts service so I asked them what they might have in stock. They didn’t have any turbo engines but did happen to have an RB25de. I hadn’t even thought about an n/a build but suddenly everything made sense and I instantly had the final vision for what I wanted to build. I would build exactly what I wanted in an L series only at about half the cost with an RB. This gives me a crossflow head and twin cams which is obviously a benefit. Japan Parts Service also just so happened to have the one and only JDM Z31 5 speed they have ever gotten (the best of the 3 Z31 5 speed variants with Z32 internals) and the only RB bell housing they have ever gotten without a trans attached. It was like it was all meant to be. The RB25de also had a beautiful set of equal length long tube headers. Although I will just be using the block and headers, for the price I paid for everything, I am still way ahead. Today, I ordered an brand new Nissan RB26 head. It flows better out the gate and has a better lifter design for high revs. Going with Supertech +1 intake and exhaust valves and dual high tension valve springs with Tomei solid lifters to allow for a 9k redline. My dad and I know a great machinist who will port and polish the head on his flow bench. I will update here as I go. My dad and I will tear down the motor and then I will take it to my machinist. I also do not yet have a car but that will be the easy part. I am set on a 1986 300zx non turbo in white, black or grey with dark grey/black cloth interior and the analogue gauges. Why 86 only you ask? 86 is arguably the best year in that it came with the wider fenders featured on the 87-89 but has the early tail lights and split head lights which are a must for me. Looking forward to the next updates and happy to be posting here again. Brandon

I highly doubt it's the fuel especially since you state you only have trouble above 60. I have had cars sit for a year with no ill effects. Fuel pump is unlikely but possible. I had a bad mechanical pump that caused stuttering in my 510 but it would only happen whenever I went WOT. I would venture to guess it's all in the jetting. IIRC, there are 4 jets in each carb and each one needs to be correct for individual things like idle, low speed, WOT etc. I would suggest getting the entire kit of all available jets for those carbs and find out which is for your high speed etc and start moving up or down one size at a time. Have you talked to Wolf Creek (Todd I think it is) about the jetting. He could probably give you a better idea about whether you are starting at the correct point. They did my Mikuni's as well and it took a few tries to find the ideal jets. The beauty is once you get them dialed in, they should be good to go unless you move somewhere with a significant change in elevation etc.

I couldn't post this earlier since it was a surprise but thought the Z crowd might appreciate it. This is a drawing done with colored pencil, marker and paint from an incredible artist in Poland. I had this one done as a Father's day gift for my dad. I also had one done for my GM 427 powered BMW wagon (note the GMW ) I figure if anyone else has some cool art to post, this would be a great place to share so feel free to add your drawings, paintings etc. http://przemus.deviantart.com/gallery/

Absolutely. I have no plans to modify it and actually am tempted to get some white steelies and the original graphics. The prices have been going way up for years. I paid a lot for it actually. And I agree, they will keep going way up.

It's a great truck!! It got here from Arizona to Virginia in 2 days!!!

Thanks, Carl. 1986 Toyota pickup. I was really looking for 06+ crew cab Frontier's and Tacoma's with 80-100k miles but was also watching the older truck market. If classic, I really preferred an 80-86 Nissan 720 ST like my past 2 but I truly hate that 8 plug motor and for some odd reason, the only nice ones I ever find have blue interiors. And I swore I would never get another after those 2. I also had my eyes peeled for an 87-97 Hardbody but growing up, I loved the V6 SE extra cab and all I could find was 4 cyl regular cabs. I like 80-88 Toyotas as well so I was daily searching on ebay. This one popped up last night and was just too clean to pass up. IMO it has great character and I hate driving boring vehicles. Plus, I feel confident with a detail and my photos, I could easily break even or make money on it should I ever sell. With the Frontier's and Tacoma's, they would only depreciate and wouldn't be nearly as cool It has all new suspension, no rust anywhere and is 100% mechanically sound. It has been painted but from the 100+ photos in the add, it was an incredible job.

Love love love that Pantera!!! I also just purchased a vehicle from AZ. Bought it about 2 hours ago. Can't wait to have it shipped!!

Dang!! I was just sent this too Swap Insanity: LSX 427-Powered BMW E39 Wagon With a Side of Awesome - LSXTV

I am speechless to have been chosen to be in such good company on this list!!! Top 10 builds of 2013 | Build Threads And here are some before and after shots of the exterior.

Uploaded a few of my dad's Z videos on youtube for him.

It made 475 rwhp and 477 ft lbs. The torque curve is incredible. It makes 400 ft lbs at around 2400! Here is the dyno graph, a dyno video and a pic a friend of mine took today at cars and coffee.

Thanks, Leon! I wanted it a bit on the ridiculous side but last night I installed the mufflers and it's still loud I may have to add more mufflers up front.

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Thanks, Matt! It's not for everyone but it's exactly what I have always wanted.

Haha For me. I love wagons and BMW's (I also drive a 2004 Volvo V70R wagon). I think it's the best looking BMW wagon ever made. I wanted something unique that could get to the grocery store or Lowe's in a hurry. If I were to build another 510, it would probably be a wagon as well.

Almost time for it's first test drive

Really? I guess that's why no one ever dies in motorsports.... And btw, I am obviously one of those people who prefers more power. I am building a 600hp station wagon. But in racing, less can be more. And as technology evolves, so will the cars. F1 seems to be much more about technology and aerodynamics than just about raw hp. And regulations are just that. In this day and age, we won't soon be seeing less regulations on anything. And what makes you think that the worst driver could safely push a modern F1 car to it's limit?? That's nonsense. All F1 drivers are extremely talented. They can't all the be the best. Just like sports in general. I would also disagree with your comment about going green in racing is pointless. Race cars are often the first place where new technology is tested for future production cars. If they could solve the battery issues, an electric racecar could destroy a petrol car b/c the torque is instantaneous. And again, I am a petrol head and would never personally own an electric car b/c I like the feel and sound of a gasoline engine. But I would never say green in general or in racing is pointless.

As advancements are made in aerodynamics, less power is needed to obtain the same or better results though. And turbos seem to be the way to go for all manufacturers now. Even BMW has finally jumped on the bandwagon.

Carl, Thanks for the compliment! It should actually get mid to high 20's. Most of the guys who have done the swap splice the GM function sending wires to the BMW gauge cluster wires. Then they program the cluster to read the GM output signals which can be complicated. Only one person has hooked up the A/c b/c there seems to be an issue making the OEM BMW switch (which is canbus), trigger the GM compressor. A friend of mine makes the gauge drivers for lingenfelter. It's a small box that you run inline with all of your gauge wires from the GM bulkhead to the BMW cluster harness. Then you tell the driver what the input signal and output signal is and it does the translation so you don't have to learn BMW programming. The gauge driver also has a relay port which we will use to run the A/C. In the end, all of the gauges including the MPG's should work correctly. At least that's the goal. The gauge drivers can work with any input/output signals. Perfect for any engine conversion.

The turbo exhaust manifolds are on each side of the motor and appear to be carbon fiber. What a wild form!! Imagine how much engineering went into those shapes. The interesting part is that the turbo has twin exhaust inlets on the hot side of the turbo to drive the turbine. Normally on a single turbo setup with a V configuration, you come into a single inlet and then into the turbo. I love that sound. If you can get the same power out of a V6 with turbo, why not? Technology is amazing.

Thanks! The retail on most of this stuff would have been off the charts but luckily I know some people I sold my old turbo E34 to fund this as well. I only just fired it up for the first time last week. Still need to get a driveshaft made. Will have some hard numbers when it gets tuned. I am hoping it runs in the low-mid 12's with a 0-60 in the low 4's.

Here are some that I took today as well. Also took a few of the Alfa they just finished.

Wow!!! Love that turbo setup! Incredible