Dont Shoot

carguyinok

Registered User
Dont kill me :( I just bought a 1993 thunderbird SC. The car took a HARD front hit so it would never see the road again. The reason for me getting this car is a drive line swap. I will be putting this 3.8 supercharged in my 1973 Datsun 240Z :D .
I am looking for info on things that are the weak points in the 3.8 . I understand the headgaskets are one and plan on new ones off the bat. I am also looking at going with the 6 cyl mustang headers and underdrive pully. I dont feel I will need much more then the stock HP for my little 2000 pound go kart.
Anyway I just want to make sure I have the weak points taken care of before I drop it in. I only want to do this once.
Thank You in advance for any input and or help.
 
240Z

I had a 73 240 built by what used to be Newman-Fitzerald Racing before Fitz crashed and died.Now it's Newman-Haas Racing.Anyhow it had about 350hp and I did some SCCA road racing.What a blast.Anyhow,do the xhaust,180 thermostat and a switch to cut the fan on earlier and an innercooler fan and let it rip!Should be a blast!You can get this stuff at Super Coupe Performance.
 
also had a 73 240Z. The L block in that car is great! Bore it out and put stroker crank in it, and triple carbs. I was running well over 300hp and with one hell of a power band.
That car was a crazy kind of dangerous!
I love SCs, but the engine that came in the Z car has much more potential in my opinion. My SC could never touch my old Z car. I was a pure power machine, but you could only stand riding in it for about two hours. It was about 80 decibels inside the car and you could feel every tar strip in the road.

I had to sell me Z car when I went to Japan. That was a big mistake! I wish I had never parted with that car. What a great toy!
 
BHJ Balancer

If you are doing the swap, and installing underdrives, you might as well go ahead and invest in a BHJ balancer. The stock harmonic balancer is cr@p and will cause you grief down the road. Also, depending on how you intend to mount the engine to the frame, get some good, solid rubber, mount "bumpers".
 
Thank you

Thank You,
I had a 73 240 built by what used to be Newman-Fitzerald Racing before Fitz crashed and died.
WOW, Small world. One of there cars is at the hart of my love for them. My father bought one of there back-up cars from 1972. He got the car for my mom for mothers day. So growing up with a TRUE 240Z track car I was hooked. The car had a very early death no thanks to a drunk driver.
I love SCs, but the engine that came in the Z car has much more potential in my opinion. My SC could never touch my old Z car.
More potential is true. But that can take ALOT of money. At this point I have well over 1100 dollars in my L-28 (stock inline six) and am lucky that its around 200HP. The stock HP was around 130 or so.... Your SC may not touch a Z BUT take that motor from your SC and drop it in a car thats less then half the pounds of yours. I also know I dont want to deal with carbs anymore. Give me fuel injection with todays MPG.

The stock harmonic balancer is cr@p and will cause you grief down the road.
AHHHH. Thats the kind of info I am looking for. Thank you.

Sorry, just had to ask. Is that the car in the pic nose down? Too hard for me to make it out.
Yes, The car is pointing nose down. It hit a sign going backwards in a spin. The post didnt snap and held it up :p
 
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Photo

Here is how I have my Z sitting now. Look maw NO RUST :D
 

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Motor

And a pic of the motor from my Z.
P.S. I will let the motor go for $1000. OBO and I can ship it.
 

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Do the Z cars come with 2.73 rear gears? You're going to want some. Just be deleting the cats and a good intake you will be way over 200rwhp with that thing. You won't believe the torque. :D I assume that is a 5spd? You might want to use a shorter transmission on it because the SC has the shifter way at the back. It is the same belhousing as any small block Ford.

With new headgaskets the 3.8 is about indestructable. If you replace the damper, put in a new crank sensor along with it. They all die at one point or another. Take the time to reseal the lower end of the motor and replace the seals on both ends. Nothing worse than a leaker!

If it is a 5spd, take time to make sure that the pilot bearing is in perfect condition, the clutch is decent, and maybe replace the to bearing and slave cylinder. You have to pull the tranny if you run into problems later. Make sure that the clutch disc slides freel on the input shaft and take time to clean any deposits out of the splines. These 5spds have issues with the clutch hanging up and making gear changes from nuetral difficult. It is also very hard on the syncros.

Good luck and have fun!
 
Do the Z cars come with 2.73 rear gears?
At this time I have a rear end with 3.54 and another with 4.11.
I was thinking about just stuffing the rear end from the sc under there at the same time. The Z has IRS so it wont be real hard for mounting. Now the half shafts are another story :eek:
I think I will get some good power gains with the AC pump and powersteering pump gone to ;)
I have been thinking about putting a beefed up auto trans. under it. Far less work and worry for me in the long run. :rolleyes:
I love the stick shift but I think I am getting old ;)
 
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