This Noob Is Crazy!

[Guest Gollum]

As far as progress thus far, unfortunately this is still all such a recent development for me, that I have too many other things that need to be done before this project gets going....

...I'll try to get some pics for you guys in the next few weeks of the 240Z i hope to use for the project. It's conveniently sitting at a friends house garaged nicely. (don't tell the girlfriend, soon to be fiance!!!)

Spring? No. I hope to MAYBE have both engines in my possession by NEXT winter (2010/2011). That being said I want to have my hands on an engine for research purposes sometime THIS winter to prepare everything. Most likely I'll be mocking things up via modeling long before actually doing it. If I can get both engines by next winter I hope to at least have them running together on a work bench of some sort to verify that the pairing works, and that the timing produces the sound desired. The only parts required for that step would be the mount cradle and crank mating shaft, so cost should be relatively low at this point, somewhere around $1.5k or less. That being said, if my business picked up a ton, and I started working 30 hours a week instead of 3-5 then I'd be rolling in money, and able to start on this right away.

More and more I'm thinking the VFR engine is the only way to go. I have yet to find ANY other 90 degree V4 design with a 180 degree dual journal crankshaft.

[Guest Gollum]

Just wanting to give everyone interested an update.

I still have no mock-up motor to play with. I'm actually trying to downsize all my crap right now. Not that I'm that in need for financial help, but I'm getting married this summer and don't want to think about moving all the crap I have to our new place.

We still haven't found a place yet, but we're both pretty adamant about having at least a 2 car garage (she knows I need space for my summer car AND room to work... How awesome is she?!).

I'm still very much interested in doing this, though I think it might go into a 510, who knows.

Anyway, I've got several applications out and I have little doubt I'll find something well paying. I've gotten lots of good feedback so far, so once I'm finally working full time in the field I'm good at I should be able to afford putting some money to the side to get this project started.

My main fear that would keep me from doing this, is starting another larger project that would distract me. I've got a million hobbies that all scream for my time. I also dabble in guitar amp modding, guitar building, custom computer building, photography, programming, and actually getting some time to enjoy driving my cars. And I used to play a lot of video games before I met my fiancee, and now I've played no more than 20 hours of games in the last 3 years (of my own will). Most of that was playing through portal btw.

So yea, that's my life right now. But as I said, I'm still really wanting to do this, and more than ever I think it's doable. My current estimated timeline is something like this:

July - get married - move into rental house

December - Have better paying job by now, have moved closer to job if needed. Buy 1st engine

February - Have figured out if I can use stock tranny, or need to gut and cut out of block

April - Get 1st motor working on programmable EFI (Megasquirt 3?)

August - Buy 2nd motor start fabricating coupler

December - Have both engines coupled together and running together on a single EFI system

I'm really hoping to be able to use the stock trannies. My only concern is keeping them in the same gear together. So we'll see how predictable I can make the systems with a long shift linkage system.

[Serenity_VFR]

The hartley engine is the way to go.

[CornerCarver]

The hartley engine is the way to go.

So you are saying he should move to Chicago where finding a spare $28k for a custom machined 'busa motor "is the way to go"? :blink:

I don't know where he is from (I am guessing SoCal by his mention of a 510 - not many of those survived outside the dry southwest) but I wouldnt move to Chicago. Of course he did mention that he likes the "disposable" nature of the Nissan 240/260Z....isn't every car in Chicago disposable? :goofy: I turned down two jobs there recently because my transportation is Molly (my beat up 5th gen) or Oskar (my stage III Dinan E36 M3) and neither of the three of us would last through two Chicago winters.

I do love Chicago and usually spend a week there every May for the annual restaurant show. Great city , amazing restuarants, great museums and culture. Love the people of the midwest too.

I don't think he wants to spend big money, I think he wants to develop his own unique solutions to the riddle that each individual must answer. I applaud him for his dream and wish him the best in his pursuit of a job and new home for he and his future bride. :beer:

Keep us posted as you make progress and update your profile with your location, possibly someone on here will hear of a job opening that crys out for your unique outlook and skill set. :biggrin:

[magicman]

I'm really hoping to be able to use the stock trannies. My only concern is keeping them in the same gear together. So we'll see how predictable I can make the systems with a long shift linkage system.

I still think an "electronic" Rally style, slap shifter will be the easiest and most reliable option.

It's just Up/Down momentary switches, wired to any number of linear actuators/gear reduced motor options, that would work in parallel to shift both motors at the same time.

The boolean logic diagram is ridiculously simple, the only oddity being Neutral, but you can simply ad a separate button to do the half shift from 1st or 2nd.

It would be much simpler to build, and WAY easier to route.

[Guest Gollum]

As mentioned earlier in the thread, I think I mentioned that I knew about the Hartley V8 long before dreaming this craziness up.

I have nothing but the utmost respect for the Hartley V8 designer. It's a piece of art. Art worth it's price. But not in my budget. I also prefer to LEARN in my obsession of cars, and learn with my hands, not just a book. There's something to be said for people that can pull valuable information from books and classes, but there's also something to be said for real world experience. Reading how to change brake pads by following steps in a chilton's isn't the same as just digging in and figuring out how to do your first brake job on your own.

Oh, and regarding the trannies. I think I will end up going with some type of servo motor for the shifting, though I really want a good feel so I'll have to design or find a quality piece that has some serious resistance.

Now, I'm not a bike rider (yet) and I've never even ridden a dirt bike.... How consistent does the tranny shift? Is a mis-shift 100% rider error? And where's neutral again? It's between 1st and 2nd on the way back down the gears? I'm not too worried about that though, as the clutch should be pretty light... The more complicated part will be hooking up some sort of electric reverse gear.

Oh yea, location. I'm in norcal. Plenty of 510's survived up here. Many people don't realize though that the main reason you see so many 510's and other datsuns in california is largely due to Pete Brock and the BRE racing team. Because those were california guys and Pete had been working closely with the dealers for marketing, making sure you could buy BRE parts and such, sales skyrockets on the west coast. The california dealers accounted for something ridiculous like 30% of national sales for the 240Z, and the 510 was similar.

The reason they're so cheap, and "disposable" is simply because there's still so many, and still not enough collector markup. The Z cars are the same way (i've owned 5 total). You can get a perfectly good rolling chassis just needing an engine for well under 1k. You can get a decent runner for under 2k consistently.

[Ranger77]

Not really on subject but kinda since there are pics of moto engines in vehicles.

Here's a guy that stuck a GSXR 750 in his Samurai buggy.

http://www.muddevils4x4.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=1017

http://entertainment.webshots.com/video/3031784310103161879cOpJlw

There's people out there that love their Rex's.

Edited April 24, 2010 by Ranger77

[timmythecop]

This car is begging to have that motor placed in it!