R.I.P.S NZ

Mmmm, not sure I want to get into this....but we'll see how it goes, lol......What is the thickness of the cradle/adapter where it goes around the perimeter of the block (ie. what thickness is there between the block and sump)?

Mmmmmm, interesting pictures. I do see a few potential problems with some of them, but don't think its fair to comment on specifics with someone else's design. What I can say is, the integral internal pickups are no problem to do on the 4wd adapter plates (even where the plate is MUCH thinner than 15mm, in fact the thicker the plate is the worse the design gets IMO), we've done them from day 1 (about 7 years ago) and havn't had any issues or had to re-address the original design. I'm also now very re-assured our billet mains kits correctly covers all the bases for a system that can be used on any random RB30 block. Rob

Shanef, (with tounge in cheek) I'm so glad you know all about my products, what they can do and what they can't what they include and what they dont and what works with what and what doesn't, saves me alot of time, incredible (couldn't find sarcastic face, lol) IMO the sump bolts play a key part in holding the whole deal together, you wouldn't be happy to let the sealer dry then pull out the bolts would you? If you can spread load in any direction and minimise it at any point it has to be an advantage and the sump bolts are definatly to be counted as an integral part of the bottom end. Rob

I don't usually sell the adpater plate seperatly as I do the pickup differently to the adapter shown above and as such each one is usually done along with one of our high capcity sumps so it all works together. Our big sumps are also very involved and quite a few have been sold into Aussie recently for a variety of applications. Shipping is cheap, around nzd200 for sump and adapter kit and if I was to sell and adapter seperate it would only be about nzd75 to send to Aussie. The billet mains kit is a whole different kettle of fish, there are 75 fastners in the full kit (studs, cap screws etc), cnc billet mains caps and a substantial cnc block brace. They require the block mains threads to be enlarged to 11mm and once all assembled the block needs to be line bored. The full kit is nzd4000+ shipping or it adds nzd5000 to the price of a forged bottom end if we the whole job here. Rob

I'm more than happy to keep involved in this thread as long as it stays clean and no slinging match. Firstly. I like to stay ahead of the game as much as I can and always have something new in the pipeline. When I first put the 240z engine together I specificly wanted to keep it as basic as possible to try and find some limits, we've never even broken a stock one and we've had a guy in KSA take our most basic stock internal bottom end to just on 1000hp after he'd run it at 750 for a long time, admitidly he cracked a ring land at around 1000hp (2 bar, C16, GT42, good 26 head etc) but the other 5 pistons were still mint so we are un-decided weather it was a tuning issue or just bad luck. He had already ordered a forged bottom end off me (as soon as we'd done 8.2s) so was quite keen to push the stock motor till it broke. Anyway, back to the 240z motor.....I don't even have a block brace on it, the block is stock 2wd, no block filler, stock crank, stock cradle, stock used 10mm mains bolts and the head is held down with 11mm only. I am as surprised as anyone I assure you, 8.05 @ 172 on a very "all over the place" run with lots of top end spin/slip shows at least 1100whp and we were up around 9500rpm. I honestly expected it to go bang a long time ago, its been incredibly reliable, its had 3 or 4 oil changes, 1 set of thrust bearings which we found out were getting damaged by the stock flex plate distorting so much, the pistons have never been out of the bores since the day it was built and on Sunday just before the 8.16 and the 8.05 it had its first new set of spark plugs since new (no shyte!!) I can say though, that we are EXTREEMLY fussy with the builds, install, wiring, mapping, between meet checks etc and it does pay off. All of my 4wd motors get the block brace/adapter kit (adds nzd1000 to the price of a bottom end) Once the billet mains kit was finished and tested by us in a 1300hp, 10,000rpm RB30, I have sold several to various guys all over the world who just want the added security of what should be pretty much a bomb proof bottom end, is it "needed" at 1200-1300hp, maybe not, is it "needed" from 1300-1500hp we don't know yet but I'm sure some of the guys with my billet mains kits either already are or will be in that power range, and when I break my stock block 240z motor I'll be the first to do a full video/photo diary of the strip down to show exactly what is inside it. Rob

I have found the out of round forged CPs very good :-) Any news on the 4wd TH400?

Best method for launch I have found is to roll in using the handbrake, pulling it up just enough to control your speed into stage, one fully staged, hold it up hard, have the clutch just starting to bite, as soon as the first orange comes on, go flat to the floor on the throttle and you'll get 2 or 3 good bangs off the rev limiter before you dump the clutch and handbrake at the same time. Best 60ft with this method in a 1740kg GTR (full street weight with extras and 105kg driver) on DOT tyres is 1.39 Never broken a stock axle or diff. Rob

Not true, a freind of mine has a stock GTR with exhaust, stock turbo's, stock everything else, just a bit more boost and he's done 11s, "just" Rob

who says it rpm that kills oil pumps? I've been over 10,000rpm with my RB30 lots of times with a conventional style oil system and wet sump Rob

RIPS current shipping by sea rate is nzd600 which is still pretty good I feel except that any engines ordered this month or next get free shipping so its even better :-) There's alot in building a quick car and the motor is just a part of it, we do have some very well proven combinations now where 10s, 9s, or even 8s with a very streetable motor is actually quite possible where the other areas of the car has been done correctly. Rob

Now, I'm probably a little bit bias because I build mostly RB30s but I have driven a fair few pretty high power 26s and to me, in my opinion, they just don't compare, not even close, in fact some of the higher power street 26 GTRs I know of (500-600wkw) are actually quite slow on the strip. I am yet to find a "down side" to the 30s, we pull 9000-10,000rpm, we make far more torque, they have better response, better drivability and they are far quicker at any given power level with a stock type transmission. A real good 30 is really no more expensive to build than the same spec 26, we've "been there and done that" with so many RB30 4wd's there are no "pain in the ass jobs" or anything you need to leave off of miss out on having. I find, and its just my opinion, that alot of big single 26 guys love the rpm and love the big hit of top end power and genuinly believe that what they have makes for a very quick car on the street or strip, that a similar spec 30 couldn't keep up with, in most cases I'm sure they'd find in a side by side race at the strip, all things being equal, the similar spec 30 would be pulling away with ease even though it may not "feel" as quick or impress your mates as much when you go for a thrash. Someone earlier on said, just pick one, go for it, love it and thrash it and untill you have actually driven a few combinations of both and are in a position to make up your own mind as to what suits you, don't say the other is shyte..... Just my 2c. Rob

Cheers for that, I thought it was 2 speed. Hopefully dirt can get some pix and info on the th400 he knows of. Rob

Man, your danglies must be really playing up, lol. Relax and read my question in a positive way as a genuine question, not that I'm on your case or calling you out, geeeeeez. I didn't say I didn't believe you, I mearly wanted proper confirmation that a TH400 4wd had been done because the only ones I'd heard of turned out not be real. Any pix or contact info of the guys who've done the trans would be greatly apreciated. Rob

In all seriousness, have you actually seen a finished TH400 4wd? The reason I ask is I had a guy tell me he had one in his GTR and when I asked for pix he replied to say he'd made a mistke and his car was 2wd with a TH400. I've "heard" of these 4wd TH400s but no-one seems to actually be able to produce evidence. Rob

Lol, yeah thats probably whats happened. I'm sure dirt will see where I'm comming from, you have to compare apples with apples or its a waste of time. Rob

I'm not upset at all and I don't have an ego, you just make comments to have a little dig which will obviously provoke a response, you pipe up and say you built a complete low 9 sec motor for the same as I charge for a bottom end, its either rubbish or your not giving a fair comparison at all. You say you feel that my bottom ends/motors are pricey (which is fine, your entitled to your opinion) and then you say you can build a complete low 9 second engine for 19k, and as has happened every single other time I have tried to get the person to compare apples with apples or back up their claim, they shut down or bail out. I'm not being silly here, you starting with your own donor engine, doing your own work and putting au19k into a motor is a totally different thing to a guy supplying a business absolutly nothing and leaving with a complete low 9 second motor, see my point? Rob

So if I send you au19k and supply nothing, you'll build me a complete reliable RB26/30 4wd engine that I can get back here, install and tune and it'll make enough power to run low 9s in a 1460kg GTR on radials? And if the answer is no, can you tell me why not? What hp do you make it that you'd need to do what were tallking about here, around 1000hp? Rob

I take it from that your surprised? Remember our $ is very weak atm and they are usually under nzd17k. Whats a bare OSG shortblock worth these days? Then add all the stuff I list below and you'll be surprised. If you actually start to add up the work and parts that is in one of my COMPLETE bottom ends you'll soon see it is actually very good value for money for a well proven product. Its not just a short block, it has a block brace/adapter, custom high capacity sump, 1500hp front damper, tomei oil pump (over 3k on its own these days) billet rods, forged pistons, hours and hours of prep and machining, water pump, cam belt, all new idler, tentioner, lower cam drive gear, washers and keys, oil system mods, restrictors etc etc, all balanced to perfection and at least 3 days spent on prep, blueprinting and assembly. I've had a few guys say they can do a better job for a lower price and when I ask them to show me or prove it or show me time slips, not 1 has ever got back to me.........very strange :-) Rob

Yes sir!! lol, I'll get all the non car stuff out of the way the night before, lol. Next meet is this Saturday then another the following Sunday so I'll give it my best shot. Rob

Lol, clam down, its all good I was just correcting your 26 comment, nothing else in my post was directed at you.

I have never had a RB26 in the 240z, its always been a RB30, stock block, stock crank, RIPS wet sump etc and anyone who says a stock 30 crank won't rev hard or is limited to 7500 etc is talking rubbish http://nz.youtube.com/watch?v=nHLfRseF_F4 http://nz.youtube.com/watch?v=G6qtA0_kQUc 9500-10,000 rpm during burnout Rob

Nice vid there Rock. I don't think I have ever seen anyone drive so carefully and sedatly on a track before!!! GO FOR IT!!! lol.

RB20 rings are totally different and I'm sure I've already told you I could do stock rings if you want them?????? Rob

MT streets, 26 x 10.5 x 16s, 1.39 60ft full weight R34