Few Questions (M35)

[JayM35]

Has anyone weighed an M35 (any model) with full interior? According to this site they weigh 1500kg (assuming dry). Which I find hard to believe, it drives more like a 2.5 tonne truck.

This is more a general engine question, has anyone had experience with the VK series motors? My old boss who's built many motors for the NZ scene says the VK45 is the motor to get, even more so than the 56.

How hard would it be to shoe-horn an RB26 or 30DET into the engine bay? I know the 35's run a different crossmember setup to the older C34's so engine mounting is a little different, but how different?

Are underbody braces worth it? I'm finding more and more M35 parts every day, including alot of under body braces, crossbars etc. I'm planning on doing more structural work to the inside, such as a front strut brace, rear strut brace(maybe a permanent fixture), floor bar, and possible a cage.

What diff options are there? Does the 350Z rear end setup bolt up, I know they use similar suspension, so are mounting points the same for the whole rear end?

Reason I have so many questions is i'm trying to gauge wether it's worth doing the crazy and cutting my 35 up to a track car. As i'm selling my RX7.

I plan to buy a second Stagea for a road car.

Before anyone says it's sacriliges(?), my 35 has had a hard life. It's at 200,000km now. Chassis is bent, interior is falling apart and rattling, alot of electrical issues(air bags, tiptronic, stereo and a few lighting issues), so i'd much rather take it off the road and do something different while I have a reason to, rather than cut up a good one.

There's also more available now in terms of aero kits, diffusers (Takero), brakes, etc to make it a decent track car. Back to my first question, it's more the weight that worries me. I've found carbon bonnets, FRP guards, I can get FRP doors made locally, but if the chassis itself is a truck then there's no point.

I appreciate any help, criticism(good and bad) and flaming.

Cheers

Jason

Edited April 4, 2011 by JayM35

[WAGON_BOY]

keep the RX7 chuck a 20B in that.

trade the stagea in for a new one

[pipster11]

you won't find any info about rb's into them from aus cos its not legal here, i doubt it would fit tho because the v6 is much shorter than the straight 6

the m35's run proper wagon rear suspension (individual coils and shocks to allow the strut towers to be shorter/not there)

build a vq35 and turbo it?

vk would be awesome, dunno if it would fit tho, the m35 guys say that the stock dump comes close to the firewall on the vq25

i'm sure someone will come along and give more info about the weight nd stuff soon

[ironpaw]

I believe there is already a thread on putting a vk45 into an m35...

Find it and read it for the lulz.

[Jetwreck]

OK....you have to remember you with probably never get to under 1,400kg's on these fat cow's. The VK is a great idea but you have bugger all room to play with already.....the VQ/VQH motors are great to get big HP gains out of if you have the $....but once you do that the next week link is the GB.....especially if you want to retain the 4WD setup. Diff's....I cannot give you any info atm as i'm doing it....I will tell you that the stock options are 4.1, 3.5 and 3.1...I'll tell you more after I am finished

If you have an FD Rx7 stick with it....you wont find a cheaper and better track car imo....there f$%king awesome. In saying that if you want a challenge there is nothing wrong with the M35 chassis once all the dollar's are spent....but it would be track dedicated and a pig on the street.

Edited April 4, 2011 by Jetwreck

[JayM35]

you won't find any info about rb's into them from aus cos its not legal here, i doubt it would fit tho because the v6 is much shorter than the straight 6

the m35's run proper wagon rear suspension (individual coils and shocks to allow the strut towers to be shorter/not there)

build a vq35 and turbo it?

vk would be awesome, dunno if it would fit tho, the m35 guys say that the stock dump comes close to the firewall on the vq25

i'm sure someone will come along and give more info about the weight nd stuff soon

A custom manifold would sort the issue of exhaust hitting the firewall.

I know the suspension setup is coil out of shock, I'm asking about the subframe itself, is it same as 350.

VK is not much larger than VQ, "apparentally". Haven't measured it myself.

I'm an NA fan myself, like my RX7 i'd wana build another NA, that's why i'm thinking VK, with individual intake etc.

Yeh, I know it'd be a pig on the street, hence why Isaid i'd be buying a dedicated street one, so I can cut this one up.

I'm keeping the RX7 for aslong as it takes to sell, but I built it 6 years ago, it's served its purpose time for a new challenge.

At the moment, it's the decision of building another RX7 or 35.

Edited April 4, 2011 by JayM35

[JayM35]

keep the RX7 chuck a 20B in that.

trade the stagea in for a new one

Trust me, if Iwas going to keep the 7 permanently it would be a 26B going in it.

And I don't agree with the prices car yards trade cars for, I took my 35 out of interest to one of the local yards and they offered me 6.5K... Yet they sell them on the lot for 15+. I know they have to make a profit, but it won't be my car they do it off.

Edited April 4, 2011 by JayM35

[scotty nm35]

You already bought a turbo, why didn't you go for the 3.5na? They can be stroked to 4.3L, you could even stroke the 2.5 and remove the turbo if you were really keen. (then turbo it again)

[zei20l]

i guess only i can answer the under body bracing question. yes they are worth it. i have 3 in my car.

[JayM35]

You already bought a turbo, why didn't you go for the 3.5na? They can be stroked to 4.3L, you could even stroke the 2.5 and remove the turbo if you were really keen. (then turbo it again)

Mine isn't turbo..... And I only brought the Stagea as a last minute thing, i'd sold my Subaru, and needed a car to get around and dad had just imported this ready for his yard... I wasn't gona say no for 7K. Which is why I didn't get a 3.5, I didn't realise they were easily found.

[Angus Smart]

just rip out everything VQ and the slug auto box and shoe horn in a full gtr's running gear..

i dont think you'd have a problem getting it in at all.. will be a bit of fab work for mounts etc but nissan often surprise you with what fits.

[iamhe77]

VK45 is a very nice V8, will be lighter than an RB26 and offer a heap of torque without boost

Dunno what would have to be done to fit one, but it would certainly be nice (they came in AWD variants too!).

Alternatively you can stroke a VQ35de which will drop right into your engine bay and there are plenty of options for both N/A or Turbo for them

(as an aside, you can get a 3.8L stroker kit designed to redline at 12000rpm... other parts of the engine will need to be strengthened and lightened of course, but I am sure spinning a 3.8L VQ to 11500 would sound awesome.)

If you want a factory turbo engine to modify, go the VQ25det over the VQ30det or RB.

If you want the extra capacity, simply get aftermarket VQ35de crank and rods that can deal with a heap of boost.

VQ35de would be the easiest way though, they are easy to source, used in a number of models and the yanks have HEAPS of fun bits for them.

[JayM35]

If Ichoose to go turbo route, I will do some measuring and reading on RB26/30's.

Or VK45 with HKS VQ35 pistons which drop compression, 2 chargers and a good intake setup and Link ECU, they're good for 800+hp apparentally. Used in race boats.

Cheers for the insight guys, if this goes ahead i'll be putting up a build thread in the future. It's quite a different step to the current state it's in. Boot full of amps, half way through custom doors and re-wiring the inside... haha