I am looking for a cheap project car, either an older model 240sx around the late 80's early 90's model, or a Datsun 260z or 280z I have been getting a lot of info on the 280z and think it has lots of sick potential. You can basically put almost anything in it, And I hear a skyline engine will fit!!! (the RB26DETT would cost more than the car itself) But I am tossed up on what to do. I am still keeping my G as the daily driver and I'm going to get 1.Hotshot headers 2.JWT cams 3.Hotshot CAI and 4. some sort of exhaust (prob greddy) But does anyone have any input on what they think I should buy? the 240, or the 280z? I don't know to much about the 240's except that I think they are AWD and some have the SR20DET's in them and the others have the KA24DE. Does anyone else have more input??? I am positively keeping my buying decision in the Nissan family forshure.
:monkey:

The 240SX is NOT AWD. All S12~S15 are FR, RWD. Here in the U.S., we're jipped cuz they all have KA24DE truck engines. ALL of them. We had no other options. However, the SR20DET drops right in, and it shouldn't be TOO hard to find a RWD SR20DET *much more common than the AWD SR20DET that everyone is yearning to put into their P10/P11s*. Let's just say the S13 Silvia/240SX will cost you... $3000 for a decent example here in SoCal. The SR20DET will cost about $5000 or so to put in and replace everything, tune-up, etc. (These figures are all OVERpriced, because you should be planning on spending more than expected anyways).

The S30 280ZX is a MUCH better project car, I think, cuz not only will it be cheaper *maybe* than the 240SX, but it'll far outrun it (and anything else) too. A decent condition S30 280/Fairlady can be had for less than a grand, but then finding an RB26DETT to put into it will be a little tougher. Give MotoRex in Gardena a call: www.skylinegtr.com and they can probably help you out. Besides all the custom fabrications, the RB26DETT will cost mebbe $7000 or so (complete guess).

So it depends what you're going for. the S30 with an RB26DETT is considered the ultimate freeway king to many, and even in Japan, the old Z with a Skyline motor is treated with awe and respect. Getting a 240SX with an SR20DET is basically just making it JDM, and isn't really THAT big a deal *although they ARE very nice* so it depends on how much work you wanna do, what you wanna do with it once you're done, and how much you wanna stand out.