First Z

[5thhorsemann]

currently its a..... your going to laugh... 05 dodge neon srt-4. Now that your done laughing its pretty quick ran a 12.6 on street tires. To give you guys a better idea of what I need to accomplish my dad has a 72 Triumph TR6. He keeps saying how back in the day the early Zs never had enough to beat his TR6. Have some of you guys had a hard time beating those cars? He drove mine and said I didnt have what I needed to beat him. I want to have him drive my car and openly admit he stands no chance.

12.6 is quick, but not fast. I had a 72 Grand Torino Sport that was reliably running low 9's, for a daily driver, that is fast. The problem is it would only go strait, handled like a trash truck. I would think my Z runs somewhere in the 13's or 14's, but it will do that through the twisties. The TR as I recall has more torque than our Z's, so gearing will wake it up and give a comprable feel to the TR, then the motor work comes in to get you more top end.

[toadleg]

Whats done to your Z? I dont think mine could do any better than a 16.0 From the way it feels and im usually good at guessing times(I run the 1/4 every summer).

[5thhorsemann]

The PO put a cam in it and new valve train, I don't know the specs as I bought it off his widow without all the paperwork. SU round tops with a 6 into 1 header and 2.5" exhaust. Not sute what rear, 4 speed trans.

[toadleg]

Im starting to second guess weather I should build the motor or do a swap. From what research I have done so far cams head work exhaust is only going to get me to 175hp range that doesnt seem like enough despite how light weight the car is. Is this because of the poor head design(intake and exhaust enter the same side)? Going to the tri carb is ridiculously expensive! Time to do more research!

[5thhorsemann]

Do your research on torque increases, torque is a measurement of doing work, or getting from 0 to 60 for instance. Horsepower is a measurement of maintaining the work done by the torque, it only takes 16 HP to keep an F150 pick up at 60 MPH on the highway, so HP is not the really important number. Concentrate on building torque, that is the real power.

[Travel'n Man]

Without spending massive money on major engine work - in the $10,000 range and beyond - you will not be able to generate the kind of horsepower that you are looking for unless you are Dave Rebello and have the talent and knowledge to make it happen. What is all the need for 1/4 mile performance? - are you only concerned in going straight real fast - if you are then you are looking into the wrong car, unless money is no object or you want to take the cheap route and drop a v-8 in the engine bay. In that case you just lost the entire concept for the 240Z intrigue and originality. To each their own though!

[doradox]

Do your research on torque increases, torque is a measurement of doing work, or getting from 0 to 60 for instance. Horsepower is a measurement of maintaining the work done by the torque, it only takes 16 HP to keep an F150 pick up at 60 MPH on the highway, so HP is not the really important number. Concentrate on building torque, that is the real power.

Work is force * distance and has no time element. Power is (work/time). To do lots of work in a little time you need power, the more the better.

Torque is a twisting or turning FORCE not work or power. Power is a measure of how quickly you can do work. Like how quickly you can do the 1/4 mile.

HP is torque * RPM. More torque at a fixed rpm OR more RPM with the same torque increases POWER and power is what gets work done quickly. You can multiply torque with gearing (which reduces RPM exactly by the ratio of torque increase) but your power will remain constant when you do that.

10,000 lb-ft of torque at 52.52 RPM is 100 HP.

1000 lb-ft of torque at 5252 RPM is 1000 HP.

I know which I'd rather have. Torque and RPM, and lots of BOTH. AKA HP.

Steve

[toadleg]

I use to be just into the straight line racing but since my last car 91 bmw I have focused on cornering. I dont want to do the 350 drop. A newer I6 thats fuel injected would make it alot easier to get to the 250hp area. You dont have to have alot of power to go around corners but you can get to that next corner faster with more power. I have been very busy lately and im still doing research and what to do I may stay with the factory engine I dont know.