L28 into 180SX - hard work?

[mikedoeslife]

Hey guys,

 

I'm thinking that when the time is financially right (which hasn't been right for a while and won't be for a while longer. yay.), I might get a 180SX.  Now, I know this has been one of the main victims of the rice style, but I think any RPS13 looking like the one below is a damn good looking car.

 

 

In my opinion—4cylinder engine and popup headlights aside—the 180SX is a much truer successor to the Z legend than any of the overweight whales that officially followed the S30.  I agree the interior is a bit bland, but I think it has its own charm.

 

So with all that in mind, I'd love to drop an L28 in to it. 

 

Can anyone tell me what the pros and cons of a switch like that would be?  I've seen one example on the net, in the US, of a 240SX (basically the same car but with some American-market engine in it) with an L28, and it sounded amazing. 

 

Is the engine too old to bother using in anything other than a classic car?  I know it's a good option for those who want to keep an old engine in their old car, but is it a stupid idea to want to put one in a 180SX?  I don't like 4cylinders much, and I don't want an RB engine purely because it's been done to death.  I love the sound of the L28, and I think we can all agree that L28-powered  cars have their fair share of get up and go. 

 

How difficult a swap would it be?  Would there be much work in mating it up to the standard transmission, or failing that, would I be able to shoehorn in a transmission from the S130 or Z31?  Would I be better off with the L28ET?

 

For what it's worth, I'm not looking for ultimate power, or even handling for that matter.  I just want something that's unique without being lame (a recipe I think a lot of people find difficult), and that sounds awesome on the throttle.

 

 

 

[mikedoeslife]

You know, this probably should have been in Engine Swaps.  Apologies!

[mikedoeslife]

Here's a thread on HybridZ of a guy who's already done it.

 

http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?p=856167

 

 

[C.A.R.]

Hey Van, here's a couple of quick ones...:

1: Why would you want to go backwards with a L28?

2: I doubt very highly it would pass an engineers due to emissions.

3: Have you considered a VG30 V6 or a VH45 V8?

[zedevan]

y not just get a 240z like you really want to?

 

i'm with lurch, i'm sure i've come across something that effectively says you can't go backwards year wise with engine swaps in 90's cars

 

that 180sx would look nicer if the flares were actual zg flares

[fufu]

can someone give Van a test drive in their Z please...

 

i think his going offtrack again from his ideal goal... the Z.

 

Yes i know the 180sx is drop dead sexy, i too did want one in the past... but it's just not a Zed in the end.

 

Let's say you buy a not as much molested 180sx from them teeny bopper for about 9k... L28det about 5 grand.

That is... 14grand... that could have been spent on the true thing... a Zed.  Just putting price as a perspective... i know a lot of people think its out of reach, and prices are going up and all, but Zeds can still be attained in this era. But price doesn't mean anything in the end... it's about what you want... so if your after the 180sx... god i hope its a good purchase and that the teeny bopper owner hasn't molested it as much.

[RBZ 260]

L28 VS SR20DET IN A 180SX

 

i wont even bother going through the list y shouldn't be done.

 

but paying lot more money for going backwards in almost every aspect just to get that sound.

 

how about spending on a sound systems with some waterproof speakers mounting them in the boot facing outside. than with a flick of a switch have it sound like a L28 or v12 456gt ferrari or any other car in the world and you could be driving  a 3cyl daihatsu LOL

 

its been done few years ago to an electric car but it had a big sub and few speakers mounted outside (out of view) with a selection of sounds that can be downloaded from the net or grab a recorder and record the sound yourself.

 

it uses tacho signal to give the right notes at the desired rpm.

 

Also has been shown on tv in a show beyond tomorow or something like that.

 

ive seen something similar on ebay like fake blow off sounds and the exhaust sound changer using the same concept as above. i think it was from ebay china. so have a hunt and may be lot cheaper option to get that sound 

 

have you been in a sr20det or ca18det powerd 180sx? try it out.. u be suprised.

 

 

 

 

 

[modular9]

sr20det FTW . I had the unfortunate luck of driving one of these about 2 weeks ago. Unfortunate because... an absolute monster of a car and then i had to get back into my z. Now the guy had gone to town on the engine and boosty this and wastey that but I was very impressed.

 

If you really need the sound of induction and or trumpets throttle bodies or do what that dude with the old skyline ( kpcg10 ?? ) in japan did and put mikunis on it !! ( his was a rb25 but modern engine with old school induction all the same )

 

Get a z. About the same money as the 180sx .

[mikedoeslife]

Alright, thanks guys.

 

[Toecutter]

Alright, thanks guys.

 

hehe - talk about shot down mate.

 

hey what sort of dollars are looking at for a 180sx of the standard you want to buy?

 

Did you see that yellow 240 for sale in the East Subs of Melb? Worth a look.

 

Sulio

[modular9]

Just missed out on this on US ebay :

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1974-Datsun-260Z-Full-Custom-Hot-Rod-Supercharged-V8_W0QQitemZ330232265388QQcmdZViewItem

 

Beeeyootiful .

[benny]

i think that zed is a waste of a beautiful car....why?? to many styles have tried to be employed IMO...

 

i dont see the point of wrecking the zeds nice clean lines... and that skull on the bonnet AARRGGHHH YUKK

 

Ben

[modular9]

Beginning to like the car. There is too much going down the same route recondition a car back to factory spec etc . No this took some cojones to do . And the skull... not enough skulls making their way into zeds IMHO.

 

Van : +1 for sulios questions what sort of coin are you looking at dropping on a 180sx ?

[MR260]

Personally if you really wanted an l28 and couldnt afford a zed or wanted something a little more modern i would go for a 280zx and do some suspension work on it or even an early 300zx

[gav240z]

LOL Van, if you love the L28 so much why don't you marry it?

 

Seriously though its honestly not worth it. Those guys in the US who did it, probably did it because:

 

a.) Import Engines like the Sr20 turbo / RB26 etc.. are not as common as in Aus.

b.) The L28 turbo is cheap and easy to get in the US and has plenty of aftermarket parts to help get big power numbers.

 

The L28 is a great engine, but is very dated now. Even if it sounds great you would probably be disappointed with it in a 180SX.